J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by khjr

Okay... Here's a variation on my earlier question. Snow is in the forecast for Val Thorens for Sunday through Tuesday. That's great news for the balance of the week, but I understand that visibility will likely be quite poor due to the snow and clouds/fog. As such, I'll probably be forced to lower altitudes. There doesn't appear to be a lot of pistes in the valley below Les Menuires where I'm staying. Can anyone recommend a target area in Meribel and/or Courchevel where I might at least get out of the clouds?

felthorpe wrote:Enjoy it though, there is just so much to do but don't expect the place to be pretty, a picturesque village it isn't.

Thanks! For this, my first trip to Europe for skiing, I'm solely seeking terrain.

I don't suppose the town could look much worse than Killington Vermont where I ski every weekend! (similar to the 3V, Killington is renowned in Vermont for its terrain, but is regarded as one of the less attractive mountains in Vermont because it lacks the typical New England village)

smartski wrote:Bit of a challenge - don't miss the last lift back!

Excellent route! When I'm there next week, I'll have to try a variant of that starting from my chalet at the base of Bruyeres 1 in Reberty Val Thorens.

I'm off to Val Thorens this Friday for 6 days of skiing. It'll be my first time ever skiing in Europe and I'd like to be sure to make the most of it. Please forgive my ignorance, but do the European resorts freely hand out piste maps as they do here in the states?

At some resorts in the northeastern US there are daily internet reports as to which pistes were groomed overnight. Are such reports available for the 3 valleys? I've been unable to turn anything up on their website or elsewhere.

Also, can anyone recommend a good website for suggested piste itineraries? (i.e. recommended runs and strategies to make the most of a day)

Thanks so much for any advice you can lend!

Thank you all for the advice and the warm sentiment. I am soooooo very excited about this trip. When I first read about the record snowfalls in the Alps earlier this year, especially relative to the drought here in the US, I tried desperately to finagle a business trip to London as a jumping off point. My director was quite suspicious! Later, I was amazed to find that there were still frequent flier seats available.

When I finally pulled the trigger to book a chalet last week, I was within seconds of paying "SkiThe3V" for Chalet Felipe in Reberty but their website failed and I was unable to get hold of the owner to provide him my credit card number! (in case you're unaware, a group of disgruntled and dismissed / unpaid employees have taken control of his chalet Georgina, so his hands are little full now)

I so hope that the conditions will prevail in Val Thorens through the 3rd week of March.

Next year (when I come back) I'll probably head elsewhere to seek that authentic "chocolate box house" experience. This year though, it's all about the big terrain in Trois Vallees!!!

Rob wrote:Hi Khjr,
I agree with what is written above.
This year there are a lot of snow in the Alps but, when in March?
In late March there may be little snow on the lower slopes in some resorts. Megeve for example. But in Les Contamines or Chamonix no problem. A tip: If you do Chamonix, La Vallée Blanche is a must. www.chamonix-guides.eu
Rob :)

I'll be there from 17 March through the 24th, and am staying in Reberty Val Thorens at 2000 m. Hopefully this will be high enough to preserve conditions...

Tony_H wrote:

LOTA wrote:khjr

Where in France are you skiing? It would be interesting to know, as most Americans I've met on the slopes are usually staggered at the scale of European ski resorts.

My sons GF has only ever skied in the US, and I showed her photos of Europe - she could not believe the extent of the slopes or the dramatic peaks of the mountains!

Too funny - I sought advice from a friend in my bike club that retired to Grenoble. He recomended the Trois Vallees for their "sheer immensity." :D I've skied at Alta in Utah, and Vail, Breckenridge, Keyston, and Beaver Creek in Colorado but 99% of the time I'm skiing on the narrow trails of Killington Vermont. Suffice to say, I look forward to being totally awestruck! :shock:

Hi all – I've been a lurker here on the forum for a bit, and your posts have inspired me to take my first ski trip from the US to the French Alps in March. :D

Can anyone help me with advise on Geneva airport logistics? I'd like to ask in advance, as I've heard that the Geneva airport can be a ZOO :twisted: during ski season. My departure is somewhat early on Saturday, so I'm especially concerned about leaving enough time to get checked in.

I'm arriving and departing via Air France from Paris CDG, bags and ski case checked through internationally.

Arrivals:

* Where do I collect my skis at the airport?

*Does it matter which side (international or French) that I have the transfer bus collect / return me to?

Departures:

*Does Air France require check-in on the French side of the airport? I'm traveling through Paris back to the US.

*I've read that oversized luggage like skis gets dropped off at a "counter 190"… Can anyone shed any light on that?

*Is there any way to check in the bags or myself in advance to save time?

*My flight departs at noon. How much time would you recommend allowing for check in and security? From what I've read, two hours does not seem like enough.

Thanks!