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what are the resorts like?
are there lots of other English speaking
people?
what is the nightlife like?
are there any English pubs/clubs?
how much do beers cost?
where can you buy food, stamps, toiletries
etc?
where can you buy cool gear and clothes?
are most things cheaper or more expensive
in France?
I don't have my own gear yet - Can I rent
it in resort?
is there an internet cafe?
what if I want to find work?
what else is there to do?
are the locals friendly?
are the police friendly?
is there a cinema that shows films in
English?
can we rent English movies?
is there a bus service? Where does it
go?
how much does it cost to rent a car?
how do I make phone calls home?
what is the best way to get to the Alps?
can I drive out? Is there parking?
how do I get to the accommodation?
what are the resorts like?
Have a look through the 'resorts and accommodation'
section for details on the resorts and copies of the
piste maps in each place.
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are there lots of other English
speaking people?
Yes. All of our resorts have good english speaking communities,
but maintain their French-ness too. They also have other
nationalities - eg Lots of Swedes in Tignes and Chamonix,
and lots of Dutch people in Les Arcs.
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what is the nightlife like?
Have a look through the 'resorts and accommodation'
section for details on the resorts and atmosphere, as
well as a few recommendations of places to head.
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are there any English pubs/clubs?
Les Arcs - The Mont Blanc, Oxygene and Flying Squirrel
in Vallandry, and in 1800, the Red Hot Saloon, Benjy's
and the Bowling Alley. There are also some great French
bars, including Jimmy's in Vallandry, as well as The
Jungle Cafe and Cafe Soul in Arcs 1800 and 1600.
Tignes - the Seasonaire bars in Tignes le Lavachet are
very Uk friendly with good English breakfasts to start
your days with. Val d'Isere, in the next valley, is
easily accessible by road, and has a huge UK influence.
Meribel - is about as English as resorts get, and most
of the bars have UK staff.
Chamonix - Again, there is a very good mix of people,
and there are loads of Brit friendly bars to try.
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how much do beers cost?
More than in the UK. About 4-6 euros a pint, depending
on where you drink.
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where can you buy food, stamps,
toiletries etc?
There are supermarkets in resort as well as post office,
pharmacy, bakeries etc. Most toiletries are available
from the supermarket, or if not, the shops in Bourg
St Maurice or Moutiers have a very good range. Chamonix
has loads of shops.
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where can you buy cool gear and
clothes?
Les Arcs - There are some shops in Vallandry, but the
best board shop is Tip Top in Bourg. In Arc 1600 there
is Cristina Sport (excellent range and great staff),
and the Quicksilver or Boardriders shops in Arc 1800
are also worth a look. Plus - There are huge sports
stores down in Bourg St Maurice, with a pretty good
range of clothing and equipment, usually cheaper than
in resort too.
Tignes - Le Lac and Val Claret both have a really good
range of shops - stocking pretty much everything you
might want or need. Good sales too!
Meribel - You have loads of choice of shops in the 3
valleys. Weed through the furry collars and you'll find
plenty of cool clothes and ski/board kit.
Chamonix - Loads of specialist shops. Cham is the place
to get hold of those little know bindings, and enough
serious mountain gear to fill even the biggest hardcore
extreme backpack.
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are most things cheaper or more
expensive in France?
Most things are slightly cheaper in France.
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I don't have my own gear yet -
Can I rent it in resort?
Yes, although, unless you charm someone into a freebie,
it will probably work out cheaper to buy something at
the start of the season. Most shops will let you try
before you buy, or there are often second hand bargains
on offer. Ask around and look on the notice board. The
Cybar in Chamonix is often a good place to source gear
as lots of pro riders swap their freebies for £s.
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is there an internet cafe?
Yes there are internet cafes in all resorts. Plus we
provide a free connection in our chalets (so as long
as someone in the house brings a laptop).
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what if I want to find work?
Planet Subzero is more about riding than working, but
there are usually jobs around to supplement your spending
money - if you look for them. The reps for tour operators
often need help on Saturdays (for which you'll work
long hours but usually get about £50 for a day's
work), and there is usually work going during busy periods
- helping out with dish washing, cleaning, or clearing
snow. There may also be money to be made if you're enterprising
- if you have talent as a photographer or hairdresser
for example, or if you have your own car and want to
earn a few euros giving people lifts .If you're looking
for permanent work for the season, have a look at Natives
- the season workers' website.
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what else is there to do?
If you don't want to be up the mountain for the day,
there's loads to occupy you in the chalets with videos,
playstation, voodoo balance board etc.
Les Arcs - If you want to get out and about, the beautiful
old villages of Peisey and Nancroix are worth a visit
(within walking distance), or jump on the bus or hire
a car and check out the surrounding area. If youre really
feeling like a taste of home (!), MacDonald's in Bourg
always has a certain appeal, or of course there are
trips to other resorts or local towns ... Annecy, Geneva
and Lyon are all worth a trip and are pretty easy to
get to on public transport.
Tignes - If you're not on the mountain for a day, you
can head over to Val d'Isere for a change of scene.
Or for some quieter charm, try St Foy - the little known
freeride heaven that everyone now knows about! Similarly,
Bourg is easily accessible for a view of the real world
or hop on the train/car to head further afield.
Meribel - All of the 3 valleys resorts are linked by
lift or bus. Or if you want to get off the mountain,
regular buses go to Moutiers, where you can easily pick
up links to other alps resorts or towns like Lyon, Annecy
or South of France.
Chamonix - Heading over to Switzerland is a good option
to get out of town- Verbier is about an hour and a half's
drive away. In the other direction, Annecy or Geneva
are both easy drives (about 1 hour). Or you can explore
the old fashioned resorts of Megeve or St Gervais. Chamonix
itself is a proper town, with loads to keep you occupied
- gym, shops, restaurants, cinema etc.
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are the locals friendly?
Yes, very. Especially if you make the effort to learn
a bit of French.
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are the police friendly?
Yes. There are two types of police in France. The Police
Municipale who are very friendly and as far as we can
work out, basically just deal with traffic and lost
property - as well as patrolling the slopes (any excuse
to get up the mountain!) The Police Nationale and actually
deal with crime. You are not likely to come into contact
with these guys unless you're arrested.
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is there a cinema that shows films
in English?
In most ski resorts, the cinemas show English version
films about once a week. They will be marked 'version
original' on the programme.
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can we rent English movies?
Yes, there are DVD hire shops and machines in Bourg
St Maurice and Chamonix which have a pretty good selection
of DVDs in English.
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is there a bus service? Where
does it go?
Les Arcs - Free local buses operate between all the
Arcs and Bourg St Maurice. There are also Public buses
between Bourg and Val D'Isere, The three Valleys, Geneva,
Lyon etc.
Tignes - The Tignes villages are all linked by a very
efficient free bus service that runs late into the night.
Buses are also available to Bourg St Maurice, which
acts as a gateway to other resorts.
Meribel - Free local buses link all of the 3 valleys
resorts, plus buses run regularly down to Moutiers.
Chamonix - Local free buses run the full length of the
Chamonix valley, from La Tour all the way to Les Houches.
You can also get local buses to Annecy and Geneva, or
the train station connects with many resorts in the
area.
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how much does it cost to rent
a car?
Car rental on a daily basis can be aquired from Bourg/Moutiers/Chamonix
for about £30 per day.
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how do I make phone calls home?
You can buy phone cards from the post office or tabac
which you can either use in any public phone, or have
a scratch off strip and you will be able to use from
the chalet phone to make overseas calls.
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what is the best way to get out
to the Alps?
Have a look through the resorts and accommodation section
- there are loads of links to transport providers.
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can I drive out? Is there parking?
Yes you can drive and yes there are free public parking
areas in all resorts. We reckon it's about 12 hours
total drive time from London (don't forget that France
is an hour ahead too). Don't attempt to do it in one
go unless you're driving with other people, and remember
to make sure your car's in good condition, fully equipped
for winter (snow chains are a must and if you can get
them, snow tyres are also really useful), and properly
insured.
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how do I get to resort?
If you are staying in Les Arcs, we will pick you up
for free when you get to Bourg St Maurice. It's about
1/2 hour in the car from either of these places. If
you are staying in Meribel or Courchevel (1 month or
longer), we will pick you up from Moutiers, and if you
are staying in Chamonix, we will meet you in resort
and show you around.
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