Messages posted by : jonG
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:DHi again,
Brain like a seive.....doh! Forgot to say, once you have decided to get a nice comfy pair of boots, if you hav a trip towards the end of a season and have rented a pair of ski's or board (most are replaced every season or second season) and you have got on great guns with them and they are still in pretty good nick most ski hire shops in resorts will be happy to take an offer on them as does the PolaireStar in BsM for example. This way you will have had the luxury of trying them for a week before buying , an option not readily available in the UK ,and these should still be ok for three or four seasons. :D jon. |
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:DHi,
Try and find the most comfortable and firm but ...but not blood restrictive boots first as you're boots are the most important piece of kit i would say, if they hurt you're feet after an hour it won't matter how great you're ski's or board are...it will be hell all day and all holiday :(. Most shops at this time of year should be offering some great end of season bargains on equipment,if you have a good ski shop locally or within reach they they should be of help, my local shop "Two Seasons" in Northampton let me take a chosen pair of boots home some years back, for a few days to wear for a bit to get the right feel for them before i paid them (although they did take my card details just in case ). Go for a good pair of boots first would be my advice, and once you have a nice comfy pair look at ski's later, and also buy equipment you're experience can grow into rather than buy boots and ski's etc for the skier you are now, that in a season or two you may have grown out of experience and ability wise. Hope i haven't muddied the waters further with my ramblings... :D jon. |
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Hi ,
Interesting one this... Not too sure as to the other resorts but as for Les Arcs 2000 here goes... Cons... 1-Purpose built resort in the 70's and at the time was cutting edge design, unfortunately very dated now,but with some new buildings going up (two of which have been built right in the way of the previous apartment blocks ruining their view of the Aiguille Rouge :(. 2 - With the exception of a couple of bars and fast food restaurants notjing to do in the evenings, but this has been resolved a little with the telecabine link with the lower resort of Les Arcs 1950,which has a greater variety of bars,shops and restaurants :(. 3 - Can be bleak in snowstorms and white outs as there is no tree lined skiing unless the link is open to the Le Pre section,or you can get a link or bus over to the Les Arcs 1600,1800 and Peisey-Vallandry side also, as with other resorts in very windy conditions some lifts will be closed for safety reasons :(. Pro's.... 1- The Aiguille Rouge...this is one of the best runs in the alps,which is black at the top ,red in the middle and then a gentle blue to the bottom down in Le Pre, the run is 7km and drops over 2000 meters in altitude (rumour has it it has been done in 15 minutes) :D :D :D. 2- The Paradiski ski domain....Les Arcs 2000 shares the ski area with Arc 1600,1800,1950,Peisey-Vallandry and on the other side of the Ponturin valley the resort of La Plagne, with a multitude of runs for all abilities....what more can i say?..fantastic :D :D :D. 3 - The Flying km - for a small fee you can try and overhaul the world record on a pair of 220cm skis, the record being 254km/p/h (from memory) :D :D :D. 4 - Some of the best lift served off piste in the world (a guide for more adventurous stuff is essential,as is the propper equipment and insurance) :D :D :D. 5 - Getting There...Via car you can be in 2000 in a round 2hrs 45 mins or there abouts from Geneva,Lyon,Grenoble,Chambery airports (add another 1hr - 1hr 30mins via coach).Or travel via Eurostar,SNCF,Thales train to Bourg-Saint-Maurice and then take a transfer bus/coach up to 2000 :D :D :D. Just a few things i hope are of help,good luck with the rest and hope the job goes well for you're girlfriend. All the best jon. :D |
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:D
I usually have lie down in a darkened room.....but then i start to halucinate and dream about the trip.........doh! jon. |
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:DHi Again,
Sorry i forgot to mention about the ski buses...sorry, There is a free ski bus that runs between all the resorts of Arc 1600/1800/1950/2000 and Peisey-Vallandry ,they are all easy to use and have the destinations on the side for example - 1600 - 2000(this will be the bus that services the resorts of Arc 1600,1800.1950 and 2000) and 1800 - 2000 (will service the resorts of 1800,1950 and 2000) etc. Unfortunately i have never had cause to visit the childrens area of Arc 1800, but from memory i think it located near the bottom of the Transarc telecabine, to the right there are some steps which lead off to the right and i am fairly sure the childrens play area is somewhere there (although i cannot be 100% certain). Mind you i am certain you will enjoy the Paradiski area and the skiing it has ,the conditions as with the alps in general are excellent. Have an enjoyable and safe trip. :D :D jon. |
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Hi Clairecf,
If you are staying in 1950 and you're 8 year old is a snow ploughing beginner then skiing over to 1800 may be a little daunting to start with (as 1950 and 1800 are in two different parts of the Paradiski area serparated by a mountian ridge,you do not say how competent a snowplougher you're son/daughter is). 0n the 1950/2000 side there are many gentle wide slopes that will be ideal for a relative newcommer, from 1950 there is an easy green/blue run down to Pre-St-esprit that is generally skier/boarder free and would be good for building confiedence, just above 1950 accessed via the "cabriolet" telecabine and just off to the right down a gentle track is the Saint Jacques chairlift which is free on saturdays and sundays which gives a couple of piste options at the top which again are ideal for beginners. Free chairs in the area are - Arc 1600 "Combettes" ,Arc 1800 "Chantel" and again Arc 2000 "Saint Jacques" ,all these are free on saturdays and sundays ,alternatively you can load trips on these chairlifts onto a childs lift pass during the week as follows 1x ride =3.00euros ,5x rides= 15.00euros and 10xrides =30.00euros or all lifts are included if you purchace a normal ski pass. Lift pass prices are - Les Arcs & Peisey-Vallandry ..which includes Arc 1600/1800/1950/2000 +Peisey-Vallandry and Villaroger/Le Pre, Adult - 203euros , Child - 152.50euros for a 6 day pass. For a good couple of hours skiing (with care if on you'e own) the run from the top of the Aiguille Rouge down to Le Pre will get the muscles burning, with a variety of gradients from black at the top ,red in the middle and bottom half to a nice meandering track the final way down into Le Pre.this run can also be jioned half way down the Aigulle by taking the " Lanchettes " chair up from Arc 2000 this starts you on the red run part of the piste and misses out the top part which is black, this run is an absolute must on a cold crisp, sunny day with fresh snow. In my humble opinion most of the skiing on the 1950/2000 side will be very good for an early bginner with good pistes all around,and will bring you're childs skiing on in leaps and bounds, and for the more adventurous there is a wealth of more challenging pistes across all the area once confidence has been built. If you are not going for a week or so send me you're postal details via the private messages facility and i will send you some piste maps, lift pass price details etc and some tourist information dvd's and cd roms from the Bourg-Saint-Maurice/Les Arcs tourist office for you. All the best for you're trip jon. |
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:DHi ,
:Easy choice this one....I will be venturing to BsM as often as possible to take in the stunning scenery ,great food and some of the live music groups(jazz ,folk etc) that play for free in and around the town during July and august :D :D. Also for a great day if anyone is near Villaroger on the 15th August they have a wonderfull local parade(kick off is usually around 10am ,but best to check) with home made floats by the local schools and inhabitants, with traditional dancing and drinking :D :D in the village square until late in the evening......magic :D jon. |
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:DHi Eljay...
Even though i have spent a lot of time in the french alps over the years, i always find it takes me a few days to get back into the swing (if still limited)of things....beer and genepi helps i find, in fact the most fluent conversation i have ever had in french with a local was new years eve in Bazoom's in Bourg ,we were both plastered and the language barrier seemed to just vanish...or maybe it just got lost in a haze of drink.... hic...hic.... jon. |
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