Paging Ace - you are now permitted to smile

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by TOG@Toil, Feb 9, 2008.

  1. TOG@Toil

    TOG@Toil Guest

    The snow in the Pyrenees is crap, for the second year running, while
    it's great in the Alps. Casting around without much hope for a cheap
    catered chalet last-minute bargain in the Alps at half-term (next
    weekend), I found (to my surprise) that there are more than a few,
    discounted to half price.

    Like £300 a head, and yes, room for four or more, in Val d'Isere.
    Oufit called Finlays, if anybody knows anything about them

    A quick bit of thinking. There's a mere 40cm of snow at altitude in
    the Pyrenees, and the forecast for the whole of next week is for
    temperatures of up to 10. One downward spike mid-week, and one cm of
    snow on that date.

    We've got flights booked, and a hire car waiting for us at Toulouse
    Airport. So we've cancelled the hotel in St Lary and we're heading
    north-east instead of south-west. Anybody know how long it takes to
    drive Toulouse-Val?

    Only slight problem: all our kit is in a boot room in a hotel in St
    Lary, but that's what credit cards are for, and my boots are over 20
    years old anyway.
     
    TOG@Toil, Feb 9, 2008
    #1
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  2. Eww... nasty.

    I think you'll have to skirt the coast, e.g. Carcassonne - Narbonne -
    Nimes - Orange - Valence - Grenoble - Val

    Which is between 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 depending on your speed.
     
    Brownz \(Mobile\), Feb 9, 2008
    #2
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  3. TOG@Toil

    platypus Guest

    Google maps say "697 km – about 6 hours 48 mins".
     
    platypus, Feb 9, 2008
    #3
  4. TOG@Toil

    Bod43 Guest

    Re Finlays -
    I have been with them a lot and keep going back.
    Always with last min deals and it is
    fine value on that basis. Mostly or
    always decent locations and I have always
    liked the food.

    I would if I had to pay the full whack I suppose.
     
    Bod43, Feb 9, 2008
    #4
  5. TOG@Toil

    Pete Fisher Guest

    In communiqué
    Espace Sancy (Mont Dore) is closer (half the distance) and more direct
    A20/A89, though it looks as if they haven't masses of snow there.

    --

    +-------------------------------------------------------------+
    | Pete Fisher at Home: |
    | Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
    | Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 |
    +-------------------------------------------------------------+
     
    Pete Fisher, Feb 9, 2008
    #5
  6. TOG@Toil

    TOG@Toil Guest

    Hm. 435 miles. Gotta be under six hours. It is a hire car, after all.
    The alternative was binning the flights and hire car and driving out
    ourselves.
     
    TOG@Toil, Feb 9, 2008
    #6
  7. TOG@Toil

    Andy Bonwick Guest

    On Sat, 9 Feb 2008 14:30:48 -0800 (PST), "TOG@Toil"


    snip>
    How far are you from the Cairngorms? Apparently they're in condition
    at the moment and at least you get to watch UK television when the
    weather changes and it pisses down with rain.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Feb 10, 2008
    #7
  8. TOG@Toil

    YTC#1 Guest

    When you take the M1/M6[1]/M74/A9 into consideration, it will work out
    further :)
    [1] You don't want to go via the A1(M)/A68.
     
    YTC#1, Feb 10, 2008
    #8
  9. TOG@Toil

    YTC#1 Guest

    Global warming takes its toll........

    As I said to you earlier, I'm a convert to the Alps after this year.
     
    YTC#1, Feb 10, 2008
    #9
  10. TOG@Toil

    Andy Bonwick Guest

    I'd have guessed at them being about the same distance but google
    mishaps says it's 100 miles further to Aviemore.
    I doubt if he wants to go by any route.
     
    Andy Bonwick, Feb 10, 2008
    #10
  11. Oh, I've always preferred skiing the Alps. But with a family of four, on
    a tight budget, and confined to school holiday times, it's not really
    been an option before.

    I'm amazed there wer so many chalets vacant this year. Seriously: whole
    chalets with no takers.
     
    The Older Gentleman, Feb 10, 2008
    #11
  12. TOG@Toil

    YTC#1 Guest

    And I have 4 days holiday to take yet .......
     
    YTC#1, Feb 10, 2008
    #12
  13. TOG@Toil

    Matt T Guest

    Up here in the high resorts we're assuming that families with young
    children are choosing lower resorts this year because the snow's been
    so good everywhere so why chance the weather and the altitude. Still,
    it's pretty rammed out here in Tignes at the moment judging by the
    lift queues and the number of children about, and I hear the ski
    schools are all booked out. Zero degree isotherm is on 2000m today and
    the sun's glorious. If it wasn't for the crowds it'd be pretty
    perfect!

    I suppose the bookings might be down due to the 'economic downturn'
    everyone keeps going on about. Or maybe bookings are just more spread
    out due to the split Easter.

    Matt
     
    Matt T, Feb 11, 2008
    #13
  14. TOG@Toil

    TOG@Toil Guest

    Ain't it always the way. "It would be more popular if it wasn't so
    crowded...."
    The early Easter might indeed have some effect.

    The Pyrenees are looking dire. Check this webcam link from Saint Lary

    http://pv.viewsurf.com/?id=38

    And they are forecasting a week of high temperatures, with one tiny
    downward spike and 1cm of snow mid-week. Our reckoning was that it
    would be all skied out by next weekend.

    So a sudden decision, but probably for the best.
     
    TOG@Toil, Feb 11, 2008
    #14
  15. TOG@Toil

    Ace Guest

    Certainly is. Just got back from a week of sunshine and great snow in
    Davos.
    Naah, they'd have to pay me more than that to stay in Val. Full of
    noisy English types.

    Glad you;ve finally seen sense though.
     
    Ace, Feb 16, 2008
    #15
  16. TOG@Toil

    TOG@Toil Guest

    It appears, talking to another company, that there was a surprising
    number of places unbooked at half term this year. The credit squeeze
    having an effect? Our places were marked down from £860/head (with
    flights, admittedly, but we already had those booked).

    This bulletin comes from Val. The snow's still pretty good (last dump
    about 10 days ago) because it's been very cold. Down to minus 19
    tonight, apparently (!).
     
    TOG@Toil, Feb 19, 2008
    #16
  17. TOG@Toil

    Ace Guest

    It's been very odd. On last week's families holiday in Davos we needed
    to increase from two to three leaders (23 punters), whereas this
    week's in Grindelwald (which we'd original been down to lead) only had
    8 takers. Some other holidays in the next couple of weeks are also
    urgently looking for additional leaders due to higher than expected
    take-up, so there doesn't seem to be any consistency at all.
    Wow. Need more snow though, eh?
     
    Ace, Feb 19, 2008
    #17
  18. TOG@Toil

    BrritSki Guest

    We've just had 3 days in Foux d'Allos, where it was remarkably quiet for
    a French school holiday period.

    Snow was mainly good as it had also stayed cold despite bright sunshine,
    but they definitely need some more.
     
    BrritSki, Feb 20, 2008
    #18
  19. I didn't need to know that.
    --
    Dave
    GS850x2 XS650 SE6a

    "A scone and tea at half past three
    Makes the day a little brighter
    Keep your cakes and fancy tarts
    And stick them up your shiter."
     
    Grimly Curmudgeon, Feb 20, 2008
    #19
  20. TOG@Toil

    MadCow Guest

    It was a very good dump for quality (rated "awesome" by TO staff and I
    certainly enjoyed it) but not all that massive for quantity.

    They'd certainly be needing some more.
     
    MadCow, Feb 22, 2008
    #20
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