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J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by ise

Messages posted by : ise

davidmpires wrote:

Guys i think some of you are missing the point. Fair enought that with another £150 you have a weeks worth of skiing, but what I meant was for cases where people just don't have a chance to take holidays during winter times... I remember that Rose once said that her company doesn't like the fact that she takes holidays during the winter.


Agreed, it's obviously a little extravagant but people pay more for a night out if they're so inclined, in the scale of things it looks like a bit of fun to me. Whether it costs more than a weekly shop at Iceland hardly seems the point )
Les Houches opening in doubt
Started by User in France, 3 Replies
bandit wrote:Such a shame, Briancon is a proper French ski town, and there's really not that many :( Visited a few years ago, and thought it was an impressive place. I had no idea about the heated pavements though 8)


I'd not heard about the pavements either but there's a lot of that type of thing went on, one of the very familiar strands there is bank loans. The bank were happy to make loans that they wouldn't have made for real commercial projects, that kind of soft financing topped up with state funding built quite a few ski projects around France many of which weren't such good ideas. David's also written before about the decline in French skier days so there's a few chickens coming home to roost, that was the real situation for Abondance of course as well.
renting wheels in germany
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 11 Replies
bandit wrote:This page from the AA may help to clarify the legal position regarding winter driving in Germany, including a section on "on the spot fines".
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/winter-tyres-and-snow-chains.html


sadly not enforced in my experience, you spent half the year with some a*hole in a BMW up your exhaust pipe at 200kph and then when it snows he's sideways on the road or skidding along at 10kph and being a total a*hole won't get out of your way :twisted:
renting wheels in germany
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 11 Replies
fft100 wrote:sorry ise, but i will have to pick you up on this. Winter tyres are not a legal requirement in Germany. And therefore the car rental companies do not include them in the standard price. For example, if we pick www.avis.de and choose a golf for 29 dec to 5 jan (1 week) in Frankfurt or Munich, we find a price of 305 euro + in the list of possible extras, a set of winter tyres for 125 euro (just under childrens seats). Just checked www.sixt.de for Munich and winter tyres are also in the list of extras at 16 euro a day for tyres and 6.50 a day for chains.

If you rent a car in Austria then i believe they are standard (have been when i rent).

Therefore, it is something to watch out for if, as the OP was planning, you decide to rent a car in germany.

And, i am not sure it is against the law to charge for something that is a legal requirement. look at childrens seats in rental cars.


I have to pick you up on the point I didn't say they were a legal requirement in Germany, I just commented they were the norm' which was just an observation on having lived there for five years. Hire companies will change to winter tyres as standard as if they don't and there's an accident the insurer will claim the car wasn't suitably equipped which is why some of the newer laws about winter tyres are largely moot. If your hire company is charging for something that's on the car anyway that's a bit sharp.

It is against the law to charge for something that's a legal requirement as it means the basic service you're offering isn't of marketable quality, you can't rent a car to someone and then have them stopped by the police for it being illegal as soon as they leave.
souldrive wrote:Strikes me as being a bit steep, (excuse the pun). I had a week in Andorra last year with decent accomodation, 6 day lift pass, ski hire and flights for £370pp

There's an extra 5 days skiing there for only £120 more. Plus, there's no rushing about. Conditions were a bit poor though.

Me and my bro went to Paris on Eurostar for £75 return last month, I bet it can be done cheaper if organised by yourself.

What about driving over and kipping in the car?


if it's good condtions you could drive to the Cantal area, a lot closer than the alpes
Les Houches opening in doubt
Started by User in France, 3 Replies
bandit wrote:There is a report on Piste Hors about the ongoing local politics at Les Houches in the Chamonix valley, which may result in the resort failing to open this winter.

http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/0853-les-houches-to-be-closed-08-09-season/?gid=853000

:shock:

It's a good place to ski. If it fails to open, where will the Kandahar Downhill be run? :(


that's Chamonix for you, they'll be running a leaflet up by now telling you what great value that is )

Another insight into how French skiing is run on Pistehors as well :

http://pistehors.com/news/ski/comments/0852-briancon-on-the-brink/
davidmpires wrote:Maybe but i still don't think that would be as cheap. And think of all flight delays at the airports, also you don't have luggage restrictions on the eurostar.

But I agree is not for everyones pocket.
Like ISE said if you are a proeficient skier and can handle a days ski no problem, and have the gear it's a great way to spend a weekend, or you could take the sunday evening train and stay saturday night in a chalet. Arriving on monday morning in London ready for a days work.


Not jut flight delays though, you're onto a loser before you start from the UK with the time difference which is going against you, you'd struggle to be in the European airport before 0900 and then you've got to get to your ski station.

A day trip skiing from the UK is always an extravagance, 250 quid really doesn't sound so very bad.

Ju picking a day at random, pretty low season, Sun 11th Jan, it's 120 quid for flights to and from GVA but you're at the airport at 0900 which is already looking late. If I lived in GVA and wanted to go skiing for the day I'd have left by then. If you rented a car you could make it to Flaine or thereabouts by 1000 or 1030. It's all doable but the train does look better to me.
davidmpires wrote:Ise I was considering this but not for my first trip...That would be suicide.

I think it costs £249.

I reckon that would work for a group of guys or ladies that are looking for some white stuff but don't have many holidays to enjoy. it's a way to ski a wee more than usual.


I don't suppose that's too bad value really, obviously lift pass etc on top but not bad.

I have an idea it's best for intermediate level skiers still though, the sort of people who are ski fit and can hit the slopes and just ski all day probably would get the most from it.