Hints / tips on St Gervais?

Hi all

We are spending a bargain-basement, on the cheap, no frills, cheapskate
family holiday in St Gervais over Xmas and New Year - we are taking 10
teenagers/students (all our brood plus some of their friends who are meeting
us there). There are a few rental shops listed for St Gervais - we are
looking for one you'd recommend (and allows pre-booking on the internet in
order to save time on day one?). Also any clubs / bars you'd recommend for
the older kiddies - and any to steer clear of. Wife and I are going for the
skiing and some quality time together (ie not pubbing it) - so the idea is
to let the kids do their own thing, in the evenings - within reason. Any
cafes/restaurants you'd recommend? We've heard that it is advisable to book
for Xmas Day well in advance.

We are a mixed ability bunch of skiiers and boarders (all of us are low
intermediate upwards), with an 8-seat minibus - so we will rotate who goes
where and when - any tips on what lift passes to get - ie is it better to
get a local pass initially and then buy as and when if we travel to other
resorts? Or should we just go for the Evasion pass from day one - or perhaps
get the Evasion after say a week?

That's about all I can think of asking for now, any input welcome.

Thanks, Roy

Roy wrote:

Hi all

We are spending a bargain-basement, on the cheap, no frills, cheapskate
family holiday in St Gervais over Xmas and New Year - we are taking 10
teenagers/students (all our brood plus some of their friends who are meeting
us there). There are a few rental shops listed for St Gervais - we are
looking for one you'd recommend (and allows pre-booking on the internet in
order to save time on day one?). Also any clubs / bars you'd recommend for
the older kiddies - and any to steer clear of. Wife and I are going for the
skiing and some quality time together (ie not pubbing it) - so the idea is
to let the kids do their own thing, in the evenings - within reason. Any
cafes/restaurants you'd recommend? We've heard that it is advisable to book
for Xmas Day well in advance.

We are a mixed ability bunch of skiiers and boarders (all of us are low
intermediate upwards), with an 8-seat minibus - so we will rotate who goes
where and when - any tips on what lift passes to get - ie is it better to
get a local pass initially and then buy as and when if we travel to other
resorts? Or should we just go for the Evasion pass from day one - or perhaps
get the Evasion after say a week?
I'd say get the whole lot up front. Maybe a it's a bit cavalier, but
it's going to be hard enough deciding where to go and who's turn it is
to drive, you don't need the added complexity of figuring out how to
save a couple of Euros. I'm not saying you should just splash money
around (I'm from Yorkshire for God's sake), but I've been there before
(well, actually I've never skied at St Gervias but you know what I mean)
and it's just easier to get the pass and get on with the skiing. Odds
are you'll get to the end of the trip and maybe you could have
theoreticaly saved some money by not buying it until day 3 or whatever,
but in practise I doubt you'll give it a second thought.

I'm afraid you'll find that St Gervais is fairly quiet as regards
nightlife. Still, you'll be able to visit Les Houches via the Mont
Blanc railway and also Les Contamines on your Evasion pass so there
will be compensations. If you have time look in at Belle Etoile hotel
in Le Bettex for a drink in the evening. We've stayed there many a
time. It's an English owned enterprise and has bravely kept going
after the death, this year, of the owner, Kieron, at the age of 44.

Maris


On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 21:30:28 GMT, "Roy" wrote:

Hi all

We are spending a bargain-basement, on the cheap, no frills, cheapskate
family holiday in St Gervais over Xmas and New Year - we are taking 10
teenagers/students (all our brood plus some of their friends who are meeting
us there). There are a few rental shops listed for St Gervais - we are
looking for one you'd recommend (and allows pre-booking on the internet in
order to save time on day one?). Also any clubs / bars you'd recommend for
the older kiddies - and any to steer clear of. Wife and I are going for the
skiing and some quality time together (ie not pubbing it) - so the idea is
to let the kids do their own thing, in the evenings - within reason. Any
cafes/restaurants you'd recommend? We've heard that it is advisable to book
for Xmas Day well in advance.

We are a mixed ability bunch of skiiers and boarders (all of us are low
intermediate upwards), with an 8-seat minibus - so we will rotate who goes
where and when - any tips on what lift passes to get - ie is it better to
get a local pass initially and then buy as and when if we travel to other
resorts? Or should we just go for the Evasion pass from day one - or perhaps
get the Evasion after say a week?

That's about all I can think of asking for now, any input welcome.

Thanks, Roy

Hi, Roy & all,

"Roy" wrote in message
...
Hi all

We are spending a bargain-basement, on the cheap, no frills, cheapskate
family holiday in St Gervais over Xmas and New Year

snip
We loved St Gervais, though as climbers rather than skiers.
http://www.pardoes.com/climbing/gervais.htm has some suggestions and links,
though it may be rather out of date.

If you'd like some quality food to go with your quality time, the Hotel Val
d'Este offers excellent cooking at what we thought was a reasonable price.
Don't miss the patisserie, top notch.

HTH,
Steve P

St Gervais is a good place to stay though a bit run down an a bit quiet if
you are after night life. Though it has a cinema and an ice skating rink.
Most Brits tend to stay in the town of Megève as it is more livley and more
tour operators go there and has more shops, hotels, etc.

Make sure that your tour operator has you staying in St. Gervais and not Le
Fayet which is 4km down the mountain as some class Le Fayet as St Gervais.
Though there is a regular bus service to the telecabin which is free with
your ski pass.

The Thermes are located in Le Fayet if you want health and beauty spa
treatments.

Make sure you buy the Evaison Mont Blanc Ski Pass as it covers the area of
Saint Gervais, Saint Nicolas de Véroce, Megève and Combloux and also
includes the slopes at Les Houches (access by the Mont Blanc Tramway a
station is in the town)and les Contamines Montjoie (11km journey around to
the other side of Mont Jolly but well worth a day trip as its a totaly
different side of the moutain.

There is a good variety of green, blue, red, and black runs I think the
official tourist info blurb is a skiable area of approx 400km. However if
you ski down to Princess telecabin (possibly one of the longest runs - I may
be corrected) do not be tempeted to stop at the halfway stop as you will
never get in a cabin as they only take 6 persons and they fill up at the
bottom station. The attendents are very strict about this.

If the chair lifts are open try to get up to Mont Jolly theres a red and
black run down plus an off piste area down to the chair lift but at the top
you get a great view of Mont Blanc.

On the whole I really like St Gervais - Good skiing and the fact that it is
not so well known.

Have fun
Alasdair


"Steve Pardoe" wrote in message
...
Hi, Roy & all,

"Roy" wrote in message
...
Hi all

We are spending a bargain-basement, on the cheap, no frills, cheapskate
family holiday in St Gervais over Xmas and New Year

snip
We loved St Gervais, though as climbers rather than skiers.
http://www.pardoes.com/climbing/gervais.htm has some suggestions and
links,
though it may be rather out of date.

If you'd like some quality food to go with your quality time, the Hotel
Val
d'Este offers excellent cooking at what we thought was a reasonable price.
Don't miss the patisserie, top notch.

HTH,
Steve P

"Juan Tanameara" wrote in message
... St Gervais is a good
place to stay though a bit run down an a bit quiet if
you are after night life. Though it has a cinema and an ice skating rink.
Most Brits tend to stay in the town of Megève as it is more livley and
more
tour operators go there and has more shops, hotels, etc.

Make sure that your tour operator has you staying in St. Gervais and not
Le
Fayet which is 4km down the mountain as some class Le Fayet as St Gervais.
Though there is a regular bus service to the telecabin which is free with
your ski pass.

The Thermes are located in Le Fayet if you want health and beauty spa
treatments.

Make sure you buy the Evaison Mont Blanc Ski Pass as it covers the area of
Saint Gervais, Saint Nicolas de Véroce, Megève and Combloux and also
includes the slopes at Les Houches (access by the Mont Blanc Tramway a
station is in the town)and les Contamines Montjoie (11km journey around to
the other side of Mont Jolly but well worth a day trip as its a totaly
different side of the moutain.

There is a good variety of green, blue, red, and black runs I think the
official tourist info blurb is a skiable area of approx 400km. However if
you ski down to Princess telecabin (possibly one of the longest runs - I
may
be corrected) do not be tempeted to stop at the halfway stop as you will
never get in a cabin as they only take 6 persons and they fill up at the
bottom station. The attendents are very strict about this.

If the chair lifts are open try to get up to Mont Jolly theres a red and
black run down plus an off piste area down to the chair lift but at the
top
you get a great view of Mont Blanc.

On the whole I really like St Gervais - Good skiing and the fact that it
is
not so well known.

Have fun
Alasdair

Thanks Alasdair and all,

I'm not getting any feeback in my posting above re
snowrentals.net........... I think we'll play safe and hire once we are in
resort - at least if the shop tries to fob us off with junk kit we can go
elsewhere - I do not want to pay up front and then be stuck with crap gear
for 2 weeks.

Roy

Roy

I would recommend renting ski gear from Nerey Ski on Avenue du Mont d'Arbois
approx 250 meters from the Telecabin. We had good service from this shop and
they were very patient as members of our group seemed to be going in & out
of the store eveyday.
The shop is opposite Hotel du Nerey (Though I think its changed its name
this year to Liberty Mont Blanc Hotel)

Let me know what you think of St. Gervais when you get back

Alasdair

Thanks Alasdair and all,

I'm not getting any feeback in my posting above re
snowrentals.net........... I think we'll play safe and hire once we are in
resort - at least if the shop tries to fob us off with junk kit we can go
elsewhere - I do not want to pay up front and then be stuck with crap gear
for 2 weeks.

Roy

In message , Roy
writes


I'm not getting any feeback in my posting above re
snowrentals.net........... I think we'll play safe and hire once we are in
resort - at least if the shop tries to fob us off with junk kit we can go
elsewhere - I do not want to pay up front and then be stuck with crap gear
for 2 weeks.


If any of your party need to hire boots (seems likely with teens as they
grow each year) you wouldn't save much time by booking in advance
because the boots still need trying on.

--
Sue ]