"Nick Hounsome" wrote in message . uk...
Slightly off topic - If you go early or late season you should never hire
through the tour operator (probably shouldn't anyway but that's another
matter). At the ends of the season there are too many hire shops chasing too
few customers and prices will come down a lot. Also the out of the way
places will probably be cheaper.

e.g. In Mottaret before christmas a friend of mine walked over to a lonely
little shop on the opposite side of the village to the few chalets that had
anyone in them and paid about the half the 'standard' rate.

I've done several trips at peak times (e.g. Sat after xmas) but not
the Feb B/Holiday, and after the first trip I decided never to book
through the operator. You don't save anything, you're limited to one
shop and if theres 4 of you in the accommodation then you all are on
the same voucher so need to go get them at the same time etc. If you
get there b4 lunch on the sat, you often have plenty of stock to try,
and can give them a whirl that afternoon. In la plagne (bellecote)
last year a group of 10 of us ended up with kit hired from 5 different
shops to find stuff that works. Having said all that I've bought new
boots this year and some second hand kit, so I can avoid all the 'do I
like this faff'

g