J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by jonG

:D :DThanks nearly missed that one

Well done Chemmy Alcott 10th place....hoping this is a taste of better things to come for the season :D :D

:DHi ,

There are a few hire firms (scheduled or on demand) that will get you to Peisey-Vallandry the links below should be of use.

http://www.grenoble-airport.com/-Scheduled-coach-transfers-.html (grenoble)

http://www.gva.ch/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-70/ (geneva)

http://www.chambery-airport.com/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=88 (chambery)

http://www.lyon.aeroport.fr/?module=cms&desc=default&action=get&id=230&selectedMenu=45 (lyon)

From these airports you should expect to pay around 125 euros return (alpski-bus for example charges 126euros per person return but will do a group booking for 112.50euros per person around £90).

The drive from the airports via hire car normally takes 2 1-4 to 2 1/2 hours or there abouts ,but with a bus transfer you can add 1 1/2 to 2 hours onto this i ould imagine,for example from Lyon coach/bus transfer is about 3 1/2 hours as the coach/bus will stop at Albertville and Moutiers aswell.

Regardles of mode of transport if you are flying and driving ,flying and bus/coach transfer i would try and get the earliest possible flight if you are travelling on a saturday so you do not hit the D90 from Moutiers up the hill to the resorts of the Three Valley's ,La Plagne & Les Arcs ,La Rosiere ,ste-Foy Tignes & Val with the tour operators transfers who pick up their clients on the early afternoon flights.

As this is the only road up the valley (although improvements have been made) jams of many miles are not uncommon in peak times and bad weather ,in bad weather you could put another 3 - 4 hours on you're trip (although for the resorts of Les Arcs ,La Rosiere ,Ste-Foy Tignes & Val this is more of a problem).

If you decide to drive from Calais with 3 - 4 drivers in a car and a couple of rest stops for a few minutes the journey can be done in around 10 hours ,when driving i have always taken the Seafrance crossing from Dover at either 8pm or 1am .

The french motorways system beats ours hands down ,and if you use the Toll Roads (A26 from Calais) at night you will see very little traffic ,on the french motorways there are petrol stations every 20 -30 klm and rest stops every 10 -15 klms with toilets etc. :D

Mind you in france it is now law to carry a Hi-Vis vest in you're car at all times (the french authorities have not widely advertised this outside france) for use in the event of a breakdown ,also you will require a reflective warning triangle ,a complete set of spare bolbs ,a set of snow chains (these can be purchased at quite resonable prices from petrol stations nearer you're destination) and some headlight beam benders to reflect you're headlights to the otherside of the road (you can pruchase these in the uk for you're make of car for a couple of quid).

As for route from Calais A26 then follow signs for Reims - Troyes - Dijon - Macon - Chambery - Albertville - Moutiers ,from Moutiers head up the N90 and take the turning signed for "Aime" this is the large village at the foot of the valley on the road leading up to Peisey-Vallandry (Les Arcs).

The speed limits on the french motorways are 81mph in good/dry weather and 62mph in wet r bad weather ,from Calais be carefull as the french traffic police have stepped up giving speeding fines to holiday makers getting on the motorway from the port and going lke the clap.

I hope this is of some use and if i have missed something or cocked a wobbly and made a mistake someone will fill in the blanks i am sure.

JonG :D :D

Hi,

Sorry to hear the bad news :( (although i am a little late in the day) hopefully the mending process wont be too long and all will be well, I agree with the chocolate remedy mentioned..mmmmm :D

JonG.

:DI bet everynone in the country is glad that the muppets dealing with this crisis in government , cabinet and Gordon Brown do nothave one qualification between them relevent to the positions they hold.

Everyone of them is un-skilled ,un-qualified and has never had a real job or responsibility in the real world!and are only in the positions they are because they all smoked drugs at university together!

Makes you realise what a complete waste of time a university education is if this is the calibre of people it churns out!!!!!!! :x

Anyway on a much happier note i am off to BsM at the beginning of Nov for a break to get ready for another ski season ,and i feel a cold ,snowy winter comming on :D :D

jonG

:DA good one this

Having spent most of my years skiing in french resorts and for the last 5 years as an owner in Bourg-Saint-Maurice i have nothing but the greatest of affection for the french locals i have met.

Over the summer my sister ,her husband and two children came out for a holiday and the were treated better than by the british people back home, i do not know of anywhere in my home area where you could take young children out with you for a meal and then sit in a bar until late evening without the owners wanting you to leave or the usual "No Children allowed" policy.

In and around the bars and restaurants of BsM my nephews where given free sweets and treats by th owners who seemed to show a genuine interest in their happiness and enjoyment while in their premises.

But the french seem to be more family orientated (two hour luches so the family can eat together etc) than back home,it is true that you are accepted more if you try the language even if you make a complete idiot of yourself ,as surely this is just good manners. :D

From being in france so much i have gotten into the usual way of greeting everyone i meet with a a hello ,good morning etc,when done in the UK most people do not know how to respond and some even look at you as if you are going to mug them.

Maybe because english is the common language for business etc worldwide we have forgotten to try someone elses when abroad ,also under this appalling government languages have been pushed aside in favour of easy to pass ,non subjects such as media studies ,the arts ,etc which is a shame. :D

jon.

:DHi

I agree the arlberg region of Austria has an excellent record for the white stuff ,also Val & Tignes because of their altitude and location have excellent snow cover in March ,also on my list (although i am a little biased) the Les arcs ski area (Paradiski) is a good bet aswell.

Keep an eye on the snow reports and see which ones have the best early snow and lowest average temperatures across the season ,and go from there.

all the best :D

jonG

:-)Hi,

They do look after their customers very well, over the years I have been 4 times with them (have been checking my old ski passes and receipts) 2x Serre Chevaliere ,1x St. Anton and 1x to Whistler.

Excellent food (all chefs are fully trained ) with a cooked breakfast ,afternoon tea and freshly baked cakes and biscuits and a three course evening meal with unlimited wine.

They also provide drinks on an honour system...whereby if you decide to have a drink extra to whats provided they leave it up to you to provide financial remuneration..normally in a dish or tin somewhere.

Lovely friendly staff ,clean comfortable accommadation, excellent food and good value for money all round. :D

jonG

:(Hi Daisy ,

Sorry to hear about you're trip ,i agree with Tony_H name and shame the company responsible ,i have used a company called Ski Miquel many times and they offer fantastic chalet accommadation ,in lovely resorts with trained chefs...and above all they are very resonably priced.

I am not entirely sure whci resorts they have accommadation in at the present as i have not used them for a while now,but they may be worth a look.

I hope you find somewhere nice ,and have a safe ,enjoyable trip wherever you decide..

JonG :D