J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by TC

If you could base yourself in Champoluc that would make things real easy for your.

Use the hotel de Champoluc, you literally fall out of the hotel onto the lift and some nice bars etc. there too

Champoluc is only a short bus ride awat, think it costs €1 each and is on the same ski pass. From there the whole area opens up for you, but just be careful of lift closure times and if the wind picks up the lifts will close higher up.

With plenty of snow, as they have now, it is a great place to ski and try and get over to the Gresseney side, will take a good 50 mins skiing but well worth it, but remember lift times coming back it is quite a way.

Been there twice in the last couple of years great little area and quite challenging in parts nd don't be too fooled over the Gressenry side by the black run to come ack it is not that bad at all, a couple of steeps but nothing to wory about if you are OK on reds.

Also try to ski all the way to Alagna, you will need to set off early but again well worth the trek and again the black run down is very manageable just take your time.

I take it you didn't have far to go or were in resort when they were taken rather than some remote spot on the mountain, otherwise a bit of a trek on foot to get back!

Happened to one of our party last year out on the mountain, but taken as a mistake rather than on purpose.

It was late in the day so we stopped for one last coffee before heading back and there was quite a few just leaving. We were the last out after our drink and everyone clipped in except for one who was walking around looking for his ski's, there was just one pair left so tried them on they fitted so used them to get back and went straight to the ski hire shop, else he could have been pretty stranded with a long walk to get anywhere sensible to get any sort of transport back to resort.

Somehow this guy made a mistake put on rental ski's instead of the ones that were his own and looked pretty new. They were different make of ski and 170 in length instead of the 160's, just guess just the same boot size as he clipped in okay.

When he got back the guy realised they were rental and took them to the shop and tried to blame the guy from our party that it was him that nicked his ski's!

With the language barrier of an Italian ski hire shop our English and the ski thief being French no one was getting their message across very well.

At the end of the day if our guy was dishonest he could have come to the shop withn no ski's claimed his back and kept the others, but that isn't skiers etiquette!

You need to get your OH a ski cary strap, I did made my life easier. Think I paid something like £7 off ebay.

I'm having one week of lessons with Magic. has anyboy used them before? I didnt really like ESF so didnt want to go back to them and play follow the leader all week.

Used Magic in 2008, but over in the Courchevel valley and were very good.

My OH struggled the previous year in Avoriaz with instruction there, so knew I had a battle on my hands, but by the end of the week with Magic she was skiing greens & blues and my youngest also had her first weeks course at aged 6 and was able to ski competently and safely with our group on greens and blues.

I had a 2 hour private lesson which was worth the money and wished I had booked more, but the girl I had instructing did say that she does get people questioning the drills etc. she wants them to do to improve, so if they become a pain and don't want to learn then she basically will ski guide them around the resort to use up the time!

Have also stayed in Meribel in 2008 and is a great base to get miles under the ski's as you can easily get over to Courchevel and opposiate way to Les Mennuire and Val Thoren. You can spend a couple of days in the Courchevel Valley without getting bored quite easily, but if you are going to eat at lunchtime head further down to 1650 or 1550 and not 1850 you won't find your Euro's buying you much there!

IN Meribel we used a bar literally called THE PUB but was a little walk up the road from the Chaudanne but there is a sneaky esculator that will take you off the piste right by the Tourist Office (I think it is!) and you
literally stumble in the door of the PUB.

There are ski lockers at the bottom of the lifts and you may be able to book them via the tourist office before you go.

For me each adult person should have a choice whether to wear a helmet or not, but where you draw the line for adult age either 16 or 18 is another debate.

I have bought a lid for this year but know it is going to frustrate the hell out of me as I hate wearing hats and having the strap under my chin well that's my idea of hell but overall feel it is the sensible thing for me to doand not based on stats as I am more concerned about injuring a knee normally as I played regular football untill this year.

Perhaps I am getting sensible in my old age!

Going 6th Feb perhaps you could let me know!
From one of our party that has been there before the apre is very lively and skiing excellent with all the links to other parts now.

Tried to buy in resort last year not that easy to find good fitting lid.

Managed to get one this year but ended up paying £108 for mine but the best fit for me, after all the trouble I had getting boots to fit properly I didn't t pay too much attention to price just the fit.