J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

Finn,
We went last year and I wrote a full report on it here:

http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/6855.page

What surprised me (I'd never been ski-ing out of season before) was the way that most things were shut. There was a cafe open at the bottom of the glacier, and the restaurant at the top of the funicular was open, but as far as I could see most of the resort was shut and the free ski bus to the chalet wasn't running. So I was very glad the chalet people were there to deliver and collect us from the glacier.

The only very slight snag with the deal at Tignes is that they only collect and deliver people from Geneva once per day. It's nearly a 3 hour drive from there to Tignes. So, if you're flying from a regional airport you might not get a flight to fit in with this, because it's out of season, and have to stay in a hotel in Geneva, which would considerably put up the total cost of the holiday. There are plenty of flights to Gatwick though.

We had so much fun last year that we're doing it again this October half-term. I just hope the weather is okay and they don't have to shut the glacier because of a blizzard or something.

Ally

Finn,
Last October we went to the Ski and Board camp at Tignes, and we're going again. We thought it was extremely good value for money.

November prices are from £125 per person for 3 nights stay and 3 days ski-ing all inclusive of transfers to and from Geneva airport, meals, ski pass and use of their gear (you don't have to use it if you don't want to) and shuttle bus to and from the glacier.

Our flights were about £70 return each with Easyjet from Gatwick to Geneva, but I don't know what the prices are like now. Also, of course I don't know that the Chalet hotel Melezes has any vacancies for the dates you want.

You might get 3 days ski-ing for the two of you for only £400 in total.

http://www.mountainsunltd.com/special_offers/view/ski--board-camp-2010

Ally

I think myself that the problem here is expecting a bunch of people to be able to ski in a group, just because they're all members of the same family.

I think it's much better to match people up with others of the same ability to ski together and leave family time to lunchtime and after ski-ing, especially when the group has started at such different levels.

It's very frustrating for those below and above the average level of the group to try ski-ing together. I mean, imagine what the post from the wife and mother would say about this. I guess it would be something like - 'Why can't we all ski on the green or nursery slopes. I don't like the steep frightening ones.' (A blue slope can seem very steep to a beginner).

I would also guess that at some point they've been 'over faced' with something too difficult for them and they've lost confidence. I know someone who was doing a great job ski-ing on blues until her well meaning boyfriend and family group put her on a red and nearly frightened her to death. She's gone right off ski-ing now.

If I had a family member I cared about and wanted to encourage, in this situation, I'd suggest they went back to a beginner's group lesson (so they could gain confidence by being the best in the lesson) and after the lessons I'd ski with them on the nursery slopes myself and amuse myself by ski-ing backwards or holding onto the tips of my skis or any of the other daft exercises.

As DaveMac and Trencher say, it's really important to have fun. I find myself my ski-ing goes to pieces when I'm frightened - I go all rigid. As I said somewhere else, I ski much better when we're all telling jokes and having a laugh.

I hope you all get through this and eventually resolve the situation, even if it means finding a resort where those who don't want to ski can find something else they enjoy doing.

Edit

Sorry Ryanh1418 - I didn't see your latest until after I'd posted mine.

Ally

Dixie dean,
I went glacier ski-ing at Tignes (which I know is not Zermatt but I guess it would be similar) at the end of October last year. It was really sunny and hot, especially sitting out on the restaurant veranda where most people took off their outer ski wear, but on the snow it was quite cold. We used factor 30 suncream and sunglasses and we were fine.

There were some frightening looking small holes in the snow on the drag lift route, but I just skied over them and hoped for the best. I imagine it was safe enough really, but probably not too good if you have a 'thing' about falling into crevasses! The piste seemed to be fine.

The other strange thing about summer ski-ing, which you probably know already, is that the lifts open very early and close very early because the snow becomes slushy in the afternoon. First thing in the morning the snow is quite icy, then it's very good, and towards the end of the day it starts to get a bit soft. In fact, when I was there the snow had gone from part of the piste by late afternoon exposing the glacial ice.

I hope you have a great time - I did :D

Ally

I found this website about driving in Switzerland

http://driving.drive-alive.co.uk/driving-in-switzerland.htm

Is it all actually true? Like, for example, it says that if you need glasses for driving you have to have a spare pair with you in the car, and you have to drive with your lights on in the day.

And, I think that motorway pass, or vignette, only cost £27 annually so what's all the fuss about?

Ally

Shhhh ... maybe if we all keep quiet it will go away :D

I must admit I was a bit worried about the track myself, but I phoned them up and it's okay - the steam engine will run on a normal gauge railway track :D

Seriously though, I wish they'd bring back the Raileurope direct sleeper/party train to the Alps. They say it was economic reasons that forced them to stop running it, but I can't see why, unless it was because they needed to buy new replacement carriages. The Eurostar sitting up all night direct train seems to sell okay, and I would have thought people would much rather travel in a sleeper train.

Ally

Dave Mac wrote:Errm, I joined this on page 3.

Honestly Dave Mac! Just read pages one and two then, to catch up :D

We're going to buy a steam train on eBay so that we can have our own train out to the Alps and those that want to can party all night, because they've stopped running the sleeper/all night party Snow Train from London.

I'm going to be the Driver, Brooksy is going to be the Stoker and Tino's going to party all night :lol:

Do you want to come as well?

Ally