J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Julia Moss

Merryski wrote:
Also great restaurant wonderful views at bottom of Jerusalem run towards St Martin dont know name but worth a visit

The Jerusalem run (from the St Martin side of Meribel) is amazing. When we did it there were some good bumps at the top, followed by a swooping roller coaster ride that made us laugh out loud then it funelled into a long blue cruise into St Martin de Belleville. We've eaten at Restaurant La Voûte in St Martin a couple of times and can highly recommend it (you might need to reserve at busy periods) - it's got a cosy, bustling interior or you can sit outside on the terrace. Chef's special is good value at around 11-12 euros and they do great pizzas.

NIIIXSY wrote:That's great thanks for info!! On another note do you know the best company to contact for transfers we are a party of 6 from Grenoble !!!
Thanks

I don't have any personal experience of transport other than from Chambéry but here's a couple of contacts from our Twitter followers that might be able to help:
http://www.askibus.co.uk/
http://www.ski-transfers.com/

Good luck and happy skiing :)

Are you an independent traveller or are you going with a tour op?
In either case it is generally better to reserve lift passes and gear in advance. Your tour op will have a good deal, some even better, like Peak Retreats who are not adding the latest VAT rise to their lift pass prices.
For an independent traveller, go to your resort website and see if they have any offers for booking your pass online. You can also check out the best deal for you whether it's a family pass, the full domaine pass or a more limited area. There are learner passes which may be better value for a few days than a full pass for example.
For gear, check out the hire options online and reserve your gear ready to pick up at the resort. Your tour op will normally offer this service. For couples or groups, check out Ski Republic who have a two for one offer - even if you're a single traveller they will try and pair you up with someone else.

Sounds like it will suit you very well. Take a look at ski packages with Ski Collection (www.skicollection.co.uk) who go to La Joue de Loup.
Enjoy!

Head up to the Pointe de la Masse (2804m) on the opposite side of the valley from the ski village. There are amazing views from the top of the lift. Head back down on a handful of interesting runs including a black and a couple of reds.
We had a great lunch at Le Cocon des Neiges in Les Bruyeres which is open all day. It's overlooking the kindergarten and has a large sunny terrace. Generous portions of roast chicken and chips with salad for €11,50.

Two resorts make up the domaine - La Joue du Loup and SuperDévoluy. We stayed in the more traditional village of La Joue du Loup with a pleasant relaxed vibe and a handful of nice restaurants and shops. On the other side, SuperDévoluy's architecture isn't to everyone's taste but has provided low cost accommodation for French families since it was built. There are more recent low rise chalets in the village now and a definite move to more upmarket accommodation in both resorts.
While not overly demanding, the skiing is varied and the style relaxed, with the emphasis on blue-graded cruising. Reds are not far behind, although there's nothing which need deter confident intermediates. Intermediates will discover a few more challenging pistes, including the steep drop from La Pierra (2510m). The apparent high proportion of drag-lifts is deceptive, as these mostly serve novice and advanced terrain, while the majority of skiers will take the 4- and 6-seater high-speed chairlifts. Finally, the beauty of the surroundings will surprise those more accustomed to narrower, more confined valleys.
It's a flattering resort for early-intermediates who will feel confident carving down the broad swooping slopes but advanced skiers will probably exhaust possibilities after a few days. For snowboarders and those skiers who like a bit of ski-cross fun head for Les Meules, a real roller-coaster run which snakes its way through what feels at one point like the ultimate half-pipe.
Closest airports are Genoble, Marseille, Turin and Cuneo. If you fancy trying other southern Alps resorts, all known for the greatly improved probability of good weather compared with ski areas further north, take a look at Orcières 1850, Les Orres or Pra Loup.

Iceman wrote:

Do you take it off on chair lifts?

I only carry a small rucksack if I'm likely to need an extra layer or goggles (too bulky for the pockets) or when I'm not sure where or when we'll get lunch so I'll pack a couple of cereal bars, chocolate and some water.
I've only been told once at a lift to take my rucksack off but you get to know whether you need to or not. Generally old 2-seater lifts are almost impossible without leaning forward dangerously but modern lifts seem able to accommodate a bit of extra bulk.

Courchevel opens tomorrow with one piste - artificial of course.