J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by msej449

I wondered whether I'm missing something? Does anyone know of a cheaper way for 2 people to get from GVA to the Quatre Valees than train+bus/gondola?

It's £51 for an adult return from Geneva Airport to La Tzoumaz (Verbier) using train and bus.

A taxi would be £533 return (seats 4).

A minibus would be £759 return (seats 10).

A small hire car is about £625 for a week (realistically seats 3).

Even with the economies of a large group, public transport is still the cheapest. For just the two of us, it's a no-brainer. Public transport does take longer outbound - at least 1-1/2 hours even if you get the connections right. On returning, it's closer once you subtract rental car snow extraction, fill-up, hire return, and transfer.

Most agencies prefer to organise bookings Sat-Sat for simplicity's sake but as an owner, I would say that there are more apartments available weekday-to-weekday than you might think. The problem is persuading the agency to ask the owner whether they're prepared to do this. The big international agencies are pretty inflexible, but if you choose yourself a particular resort, you could try emailing or calling the smaller agencies - you might eventually be lucky. A lot of owners reserve off-peaks weeks in a block for personal use, but will travel weekdays, leaving 3-4 days at each end with the place empty.

I'm puzzled: Firstly, so why are you posting? Secondly, I thought that posts weren't meant to advertise - so why the advert that's longer than the post?

My view is that if you're entirely on your own and not expecting someone else to pick up the pieces, then fine, opt not to wear a helmet. But do think about the terrible stress of seeing a loved one laid out senseless on the snow after a trivial accident - often not their fault - and spending the next 4-6 hours getting off the mountain in a body bag; an ambulance trip; admission to A&E in a foreign country; probably a scan to assess brain damage; and at best a long wait even if the news is positive. After having been both the subject and the observer I now wear a helmet, as do all my family.

Regulars will know that I am a trenchant proponent of getting winter tyres, and always reply when this comes up. I myself made plenty of trips to the Alps in summer tyres with no problem, but counted myself lucky. Once I switched to winter tyres, there were ate least three journeys when I don't how I would have coped and indeed, saw plenty of GB and NL cars stuck in quite moderate conditions.

The issue is that chains are principally for extreme conditions, when a car with winter tyres has to negotiate steep slopes, ice or very deep snow. The rest of the time, winter tyres will be fine in 90% of situations where typical summer tyres will be just hopeless. With most mainland European cars, and most Alpine locals carrying winter tyres, you're at a disadvantage: they'll be able to drive in conditions where you are starting to lose control, and you won't necessarily have time or opportunity to stop and change to chains. And in mixed tarmac/snow what are you going to do?

Finally, bear in mind that winter tyres are good for the UK as well. You get a benefit in shorter braking at temperatures under 7C - which is the case for at least 3 months in Britain.

We were out there a couple of weeks ago, and they were just finishing the replacement Mayentzet<>Ruinettes combi-lift. This replaces the two, old 2-seater lifts from Carrefour-Mayentzet-Ruinettes. If your accomodation is on the western side, it may turn out to be quicker and easier to get the bus to Carrefour amd catch this new lift to Ruinettes, rather than queue at Medran.

With a group that size it might be worth hiring a couple of guides for a couple of days, to show everyone the area and then split the group into nutters versus relaxed: With a second/third day to go off-piste (nutters) versus pisted (relaxed).

It's quite difficult to describe the entire area. I did a Guide for people renting our apartment in La Tzoumaz: but in the end, having someone show you around is so much better than reading a description.

My favourite cafe/restaurant is Chez Simon on the Savoleyres side, but that's just a personal preference. See:



which starts below the Savoleyres summit and ends (on the ground!) at Chez Simon.