1st time skiing and and 1st time in Chamonix

1st time skiing and and 1st time in Chamonix

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Discussion

andymc

Original Poster:

7,419 posts

213 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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after some advice on here i decided to go down the skiing route rather then sowboarding, totally amazing experience, the learning curve is huge, you build up confidence and then get the rug pulled from right under you with a fal or a run that scares the life out of you.
managed the blue runs and then a red on the final day, picked up the turning and scrubbing and stopped having to snowplough everywhere!
the prices at Chamonix were huge, we were paying up to 11 euro a drink, is this the norm? i am now totally converted and cant wait for the next time.
thanks
andymc

pokethepope

2,664 posts

194 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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sounds about right

Dimski

2,099 posts

205 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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Unfortunately the drink prices were unreal BEFORE the pound dropped. Now it is just ridiculous.

Nice place (by reputation), but that price is not unusual for most of the places I have been.

If you want cheaper prices, you need to pick a less well known resort, like Risoul. Good gladed skiing too.

Glad you enjoyed it, and stick with it, it gets better and better as you improve smile

john_p

7,073 posts

256 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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Dimski said:
If you want cheaper prices, you need to pick a less well known resort, like Risoul. Good gladed skiing too.
Risoul was really nice, and is RIDICULOUSLY cheap at the moment for late-notice deals. Good variety of skiing and big ski area, reasonable pricing.

Frederick

5,713 posts

226 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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I'm flying off to Geneva in about 8 hours to head to Les Gets... never been skiing before and I'm a tadge apprehensive to say the least!

Here's hoping I come back without any broken limbage!

5 wh

1,502 posts

221 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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I was in Chamonix last week.It was expensive but I dont recall 11 Euros a drink,I think a large beer came in at around 5 Euros.I like Chamonix a lot apart from the bus journey back into town at the end of the day-Im getting a bit old for the scrum to get on and then being all squashed up for the 20 mins journey when Im knackered.

Steamer

13,963 posts

219 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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And aches or pains?

...its not a proper trip unless you have a few good spills - says he, who still has to stand up to sneeze because his ribs are still cracked!

Val Thorens was expensive on the drinks too this year: 6e for a pint mostly (unless you got to know the staff and included them in your round too wink )

Glad to hear you enjoyed it anyway thumbup

sone

4,593 posts

244 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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Done most of Europe snowboarding over the last few years, never understood why Chamonix was so poular. To spread out you have to get a bus everywhere. Better more convenient resorts to be had in my humble.

The Moose

23,075 posts

215 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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barstewards

i should be in chamonix now :-(

Rotorspeed

441 posts

198 months

Saturday 28th February 2009
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Not long got back from Meribel, that was great but the bar prices where huge as always. Being 20 of us we stayed in and got cases of beer from the trusty Spar and made our own fun!

shouldbworking

4,773 posts

218 months

Sunday 1st March 2009
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Glad you enjoyed it. I would say for other first timers, dont push yourself to go on slopes you dont feel comfortable skiing 'properly' on ie not snowploughing all the way down. The way id suggest to build up is to do say a green saying 'ill make x turns before point y' and then reducing the number of turns.

Going on blues and reds before you are ready makes life harder on you, other skiers and scrapes all the snow off to boot smile

pokethepope

2,664 posts

194 months

Sunday 1st March 2009
quotequote all
Rotorspeed said:
Not long got back from Meribel, that was great but the bar prices where huge as always. Being 20 of us we stayed in and got cases of beer from the trusty Spar and made our own fun!
Just booked our ski holiday, going on the 3rd April to Meribel. Not looking forward to the bar prices (fourth time skiing though so we are used to it) but we managed to get a catered chalet for the 12 of us for just £250 a head, which i think is quite reasonable considering how late we are booking it and the poor exchange rate.

bigmanteebs

4,865 posts

221 months

Sunday 1st March 2009
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Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but has anyone got experience of skiing Morzine?

andymc

Original Poster:

7,419 posts

213 months

Sunday 1st March 2009
quotequote all
the 11 euro a drink was on the slopes, im chamonix at chambre neuf etc it was around 8 euro

Marcellus

7,158 posts

225 months

Sunday 1st March 2009
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tip for buying a beer in resort;
1) ask a local to buy it for you (including them in your round) usually the round will still be cheaper even with an extra drink
2) buy pichets...€10 for 5(ish) small beers versus €5 each.

As for €11 you were ripped off my friend!!


Morzine...skiid it several times, live 20miles away.... what do you need to know!!

£250 catered chalet for a week is a very, very, very good price......

As for people getting hung up on what colour runs they do.... please, please, please don't do it... you will hurt yourself and not enjoy it....... I can ski pretty much the whole mountain, very very big moguls make me think as does very very deep powder in culois........ but have the most fun and enjoyment on Blues and Reds......

Edited by Marcellus on Sunday 1st March 17:16

pokethepope

2,664 posts

194 months

Sunday 1st March 2009
quotequote all
Marcellus said:
As for people getting hung up on what colour runs they do.... please, please, please don't do it... you will hurt yourself and not enjoy it....... I can ski pretty much the whole mountain, very very big moguls make me think as does very very deep powder in culois........ but have the most fun and enjoyment on Blues and Reds......

Edited by Marcellus on Sunday 1st March 17:16
+1.

I moved from just reds to blacks as well on my last holiday a few years ago, and could handle most of it, but made sure i took it slowly (helped i was with my 50 year old dad for most of it, so the pace was slow for him). The number of people who ive seen hurtle down a red or black with no control whatsoever because they could do a different black yesterday and thought they could do them all was astounding.

JD

2,874 posts

234 months

Sunday 1st March 2009
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Where were you drinking at €11 a drink?

I don't remember The Pub costing that much, although the casino was about €5 for a small, but you would expect that to cost

EDIT, seen you said on the slopes

I would expect that then!

even cheap places, like the aforementioned Risoul is €6 a pint, and a double vodka and coke €10


Edited by JD on Sunday 1st March 18:41

Frederick

5,713 posts

226 months

Monday 9th March 2009
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Well, now back in the UK, found out that my head can take quite an impact on snow before the relentless hammering makes me see pretty colours (and not the ones that things should be... yellow and blue snow anyone?!) but I really enjoyed the whole experience!

Didn't ski in Morzine, but we went through it a few times, likewise with Chamonix. €40 to ride up and down Mt. Blanc is a bit pricey though, but worth it for the once in a lifetime experience!


Mark2008

134 posts

201 months

Monday 9th March 2009
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Eeeugh, you don't want to fall into the yellow snow!! ;-)

Try buying breakfast or lunch up the slopes in chamonix... IIRC 90 euros for three salads and softdrinks - and that was last year before the pound went tits up.

Frederick

5,713 posts

226 months

Monday 9th March 2009
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Mark2008 said:
Eeeugh, you don't want to fall into the yellow snow!! ;-)
The snow was pristine white, just after the bashing my head took on the way down, it appeared dotty yellow and blue!

I skilfully avoided the true yellow snow!