Other ski trips

Date

Post-trip

Tracking Map

Routes I actually did during the trip.

Comments

  • Snow condition
    • In earlier week, it was sunny and warm so snow condition is slushy everywhere around and below 1800.
    • Later week, the everyday snow made it powdery and fabulous. Despite some of slopes and lifts closed during the heaviest snow day, and the strong wind made visibility down to 10 metres.
  • Parks and Fun
    • In Avoriaz, Nami Park was only opened for a brief time for weather reason (I guess) and I missed it. Stash, Chapelle are quite enough for me. Little Stash is for kids and maybe it would be nice to take off skis and go up the tree houses.
    • In Morzine, Eagle Park and Penguin Park are both quite childish.
    • In Chatel, the border cross did not really work due to heavy wind – Not enough speed.
  • Pistes
    • In Swiss: Did not get to do Mur Swiss as it seemed too difficult. The long blue Tovassière takes you to cross almost the whole swiss part after swiss wall to Morgins, the beginning part of which, is a narrow cliff side road with amazing view.
    • In Avoriaz: Mormotte Snowcross is definately fun to go, which was powdery even before the snow. The Blue Proclu next to little stash is a wide and flat run to try new tricks for learners, for me I went there for ski switch practice and I still don’t understand how it works. All the blues along the high mountain ski lift, TD6 Lac Intrets, TD6 Fornet, TD4 Choucas should be quite nice when no wind. For swiss wall, TSK Chavanette has two very violent momentens in the beginning, but takes you closer to the entrance of the lift and piste, while if you go with Choucas there’s a uphill to walk after.
    • In Chatel: The black Les Renards is my favourite, which is powdery in the first half, and moguls in the end half. We did quite a lot of slightly off-piste powdery run in Chatel. But the whole Chatel after TSD Gabelou and TSD Portes du Soleil lifts are a bit too far from Avoriaz.
    • In Morzine: Definitely recommend go to Pointe de Nyon. A little point of Mont Blanc is visible when facing towards the right of the viewpoint. The red L’Aigle Rouge is fun, flat, and nice to go down from top. And then at the end switch to the black L’Aigle Noir for a more challenging and fun mogul route. The Les Creux is also worth a try.
    • Did not get to Let Gets as it was a bit too far away and not enough time to come back as a group.
  • Restaurants
    • Swiss: Cookie Cafe Mossettes has good burgers.
    • Morzine: Chez Nannon is just down L’Aigle Noir and their special cheeze is amazing.
    • Avoriaz:
      • Brasserie Avoriaz has good burgers.
      • Restaurant Les Fontaines Blanches is slightly over priced due to HUGE portions of food. But the OYSTERs have quite reasonable price and are fresh!
      • L’Express is situated next to Tour lift and is a french version of fast food restaurant. So do not order the raclette, it doesn’t taste milky and cheezy.

Pre-trip: Planning Part

Ski map

Avoriaz

  • From what I understand, the whole town is skiable(Blue lines in town plan) and have ski lifts/drag inside town. So most of places are ski in ski out.
  • only transportation is horse carriage and ski lift. We possibly need to use this to go from car park to accommodation as they are hills and on snow and we have luggages.

    Question: Confirm how we get to accomadation with luggages.

  • Interactive shops in town

ski_avoriaz_town_plan

Accomadation option and fees

  • ✅ Room5 1room +2 super small room @Dromonts[53]: €911 + €100 bed sheets. max 6ppl.
  • ✅ Ski pass / pp
    • Portes du Soleil Ski pass Adults 6 days / €345
    • ＊3️⃣ Portes du Soleil Ski pass 6 days Youth (16-25) / €311 / €298.00 w/ room promo
    • Avoriaz Ski Pass - 6 days - Adult / €223 <- Maybe possible if book room4/5
    • All choices if want mix areas.
  • Rental / pp
    • Helmet rental Adults 6 Days / €30 @shuyi
    • Ski rental 6 Days Pack Eco Adult (discount)/ €159 @ling @shuyi
    • Ski or snowboard rental 6 days Pack Sensation Adult (intermediate level)/ €235 @ling @shuyi
    • ✅ Skis rental 7 Days Black Adults without shoes at intersport
  • Lessons / pp
    • ESF - Snow group lessons Adults 6 mornings (9h30-11h00)/ €274 @shuyi
    • 🚩 ESF - Adults ski lessons 6 afternoons (14h15-17h00)/ €212
    • Freestyle lesson 80/h, 550/d. CRAAZY.
    • ✅＊3️⃣ ESF beginner lesson. 6 day afternoon lesson. including ski pass+equipment for 407.
    • Other school options
  • Ménages / pp - Lits fait à l’arrivée/ €5.27 <- We don’t need this
  • Food not included

Transportation

  • Car park: €80/week + €18/day for outdoor. 100/week + sth for indoor (need reservation).
  • Town plan map to see where the car park is.
  • Book Altibus: €49*2 for return from/to Geneva.
  • Within town transportation, use either horse sleigh (No reservation required but also I can’t read the price sheet); Or Caterpillar fares: Single fare of €13.50 with and without luggage for 1 to 5 people + €2 per additional person

  • Free Shuttle bus schedule to other town and realtime track.

  • Driving time Amsterdam > GVA
    • Amsterdam > Maastricht 2h - 2h30 213km
    • Maastricht A
      • Maastricht > Bazel BSL 5h - 5h30
        • 521km via Luxemburg, Nancy (cheap fuel)
        • 511km via Saarbrucken (get out of Belgium faster)
        • 556km via Koblenz/A61 (flatter, most time in Germany)
      • Bazel BSL > Geneva GVA 2h30 - 3h 255km
    • Maastricht B
      • Maastricht > Geneva GVA 7h - 8h 700km via Luxemburg, Dijon
    • Realistically leave around 01:00 from Amsterdam to be in Geneva around 11:00
    • Tank in Luxemburg, France (Switzerland very expensive)
  • Flight
    • if arrive by flight, pls book as early as possible. it’ll be best to collect skis the day before. ski shop close around 18:30. geneva to place driving is about 2h+?. so plan accordingly.
    • arrivals
      • W43089 BBU - BSL 06:55
      • CA861 PEK - GVA 07:15 (?)
      • ✅ Edi-Gnv: 07:10 EDI · 10:40 GVA · 21 Mar
    • departures
      • ✅ Gnv-Edi: 20:50 GVA · 22:10 EDI · 28 Mar
  • GVA pickup
    • P2 short term parking
    • 30 - 60 minutes = 5 CHF
  • GVA > Avoriaz
    • 1h40 to resort
      • covered car park is 500m from accom (€100, can book)
      • outdoor car park is 1k from accom (€80, no booking possible)
      • begins on the first day at midnight and ends on the sixth or seventh day at midnight (which midnight? do we need extra day?)
    • alternatively drop people off in Avoriaz and try luck in Morzine
      • free parking at Nyon gondola https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y9oLH3TTMwBe4nXm8
      • also free here https://maps.app.goo.gl/o2QNhHHHL6GYECtLA
      • then free bus to Les Prodains, 4min gondola
    • closest supermarkets in Cluses, or French outskirts of Geneva

What to bring from NL

  • some 1€ and 2€ coins for possible sledges usages.
  • Bedsheets. Single * 4 + Double * 1
  • Food
    • Noodles pls.

Activities to consider:

  • Dog sled @ La Chapelle-d’Abondance. To book.

Day Plans

Day0

sat

  • Geneva. Flight land at 10am.
  • Arrival. Driving time: 3h.
  • Intersports Rental pick up. Start from 1600. Close at 18:30.

Day1

Aroriaz

AM: Will take @alex down some greens

  1. 🟩 PROCLOU
  2. 🚠 TSD PROCLOU
  3. 🟦 COVAGNES
  4. 🚠 TSD PROLAYS

PM: Stay in Avrias. Do some gental parks.

Day2

Les Crosets

Route to hit:- Mur Suisse

Day3

Chatel

Day4

Morzine - Les Gets

Day5

Aroriaz

AM: Do some blacks?

PM: Rental Switch to freestyle skis.

Day6

Day7

sat

  • Snow park lift pass.
  • Depart in afternoon.