I am thinking about spending a few months in La Grave this winter and am trying to figure out what options I have for lift passes.  It looks like a season pass is the best way if I ski more than about 20 days, but what isn’t clear is whether there are passes that cover La Grave and any other resorts (it would be nice to have another resort to go to on bad weather days). 

I am looking at the guide “L’Alpe d’Huez-Les 2 Alpes-La Grave Hors Pistes” by Ginet and Villaret and it says that “there is no reciprocal agreement covering passes from other resorts, except for a G.I.E. all included option.”

I did some searching for the G.I.E. pass, but came up empty handed.  Does anyone have any idea what they are talking about or if there is another multi-area pass that includes access to La Grave for the season?

Thanks

That’s a good question. Colin Samuels who is based in la Grave sometimes posts here. I’ll drop him a line. La Grave runs the resort of le Chazelet opposite and I think they may also run the resorts higher up the valley. le Chaz is ok but not tree lined. They are pretty small though. It seems that a lot of people ski at Serre Chevalier or Montgenevre (if they can get over the Lauteret) when it is not possible to ski at la Grave.

not much to do here in la Grave when lift is closed during storm days. read a book or drink wine i guess. re: season pass. it is limited...the season pass here is good ONLY for la grave. some years they let you ski for free at 2 alpes with the la grave season pass, but that agreement changes every year. or even during the season. depends on peoples moods.

Well I guess they can pop into the Black Diamond Test Center in the Edelweiss hotel? Should be pretty crowded with all the new gear that is out this season.

Thanks everyone, that was what I thought based on the La Grave website, but I wanted to double check.

One more question, how inconvenient would it be to live up in Chazelet and not have a car?  I found a room up there that works well with my dates and it doesn’t seem like it is too hard to get to the cable car, but if anyone has any thoughts, they would be appreciated.

Any other tips for spending a season in la grave would be appreciated.

Chaz is beautiful .... it is a small hour walk (skin) from la grave....or hitchhike....i would not stress about any details while here. it will all work out one way or another. in any case, most la grave “plans” change often, like the weather. go with the flow and ski ya this winter
C

Hello John L, Me and my freind Sophie and about 1/3 of my freind Allan plan to spend this season in LG also.  So your questions relavant for me too.  I reckon i get full season LG pass and then see how it goes for Serre, Alpedhuez etc on days when go there.

Anyone know how long it takes to drive from LG to AlepDhuez? Is it feasible in day trips?  I live in Norway so long distance driving is practically a hobby…

we got an apt rented in Les Hieres which is also above LG.  We pained a lot over whether to take it, due to inacessibility/dangerous road, but app the road is cleared every day etc.  It is very cheap ++.  We have 2 cars, so maybe we can give you a lift somedays.  We might even have a spare bed, but not sure. You might want to give me a shout later if you are interested or your plan falls through.  My other plan was to skin home each day as Colin L suggests, maybe good training for http://pistehors.com/news/forums/viewthread/192/

Some things:
Have booked on Avalanche course in January - Check out Snowlegends website http://www.snowlegend.com/eng/index.html

In January i envisage doing a lot of driving (Serre, etc) and piste-skiing to get my legs.  If col lauteret is shut then that could be scupperrd a bit though.

Later January and February March will be spent hitting LG, and hopefully a few road trips in my McHardSkiVan (TM) to Cham/Alagna, and anywhere else that takes my fancy.  April mostly touring.  I go home about April 20th i think.

Hope to catch up off the piste
cant wait to get out of this darn office!!!

Alan

McHardski - 06 November 2008 07:35 PM

Anyone know how long it takes to drive from LG to AlepDhuez? Is it feasible in day trips?  I live in Norway so long distance driving is practically a hobby…

now from looking at the map, and if my memory is correct, the drive from LG to Alpe’D shouldn’t take too long at all, an hour to bourg if that, then depending on traffic about half an hour up (my record in a minibus is around 22mins).

Ive done that road once, I had to go to Risoul, it was great fun in the snow and if you are worried, not too steep anywhere either.  googlemaps says 36 mins from LG to Alpe, but with winter weather conditions its different.

if you plan to go north, dont forget the frejuis tunnel, cuts alot of time out! when I went to Risoul I was coming from Flaine and foolishly didnt use it and went around Grenoble, a mate had to go somewhere else in the area.  He took the Frejuis tunnel and was a good couple of hours ahead of me.

Thanks everyone, it looks like I will be in la grave beginning on March 1st, which should give me about 2 months skiing before the lift closes (I will probably stick around for some touring after).  I will get in touch with some of you when I get over there, but thanks again for the info.

Agree Montgenevre is a good option when skiing is not so hot at LG. It is one of the places the Skierslodge people decamp to when the powder runs out in LG.

Pass wise, this season (if bought in early Dec) a season pass for L2A is 700EUR. This gives you L2A, 10 days in AdH, 3 days in Puy St Vincent, 3 days in Serre Che, 3 days in Montgenevre and 3 days in Sestriere. It also gives you access to LG during weekdays but not public holidays or weekends. Provided you’re content to ski other resorts on those days or if you’ve got a stack of roadtrips planned, that could be a good option. 

A season pass for LG this year just gone was 650EUR. According to the website, that will give you L2A into the bargain without any usage restrictions. Caveat is LG has not updated its website for 08/09 yet.

Is there any discount for buying a la grave season pass early?

Also, is there a decent bootfitter in la grave?  I picked up a new pair of touring boots and they are going to need some work and I would rather have it done in the mountains.

Thanks

gorilla - 10 November 2008 12:39 PM

Agree Montgenevre is a good option when skiing is not so hot at LG. It is one of the places the Skierslodge people decamp to when the powder runs out in LG.

Pass wise, this season (if bought in early Dec) a season pass for L2A is 700EUR. This gives you L2A, 10 days in AdH, 3 days in Puy St Vincent, 3 days in Serre Che, 3 days in Montgenevre and 3 days in Sestriere. It also gives you access to LG during weekdays but not public holidays or weekends. Provided you’re content to ski other resorts on those days or if you’ve got a stack of roadtrips planned, that could be a good option. 

A season pass for LG this year just gone was 650EUR. According to the website, that will give you L2A into the bargain without any usage restrictions. Caveat is LG has not updated its website for 08/09 yet.

That is useful to know. Why would you buy a L2A pass over a la Grave pass then? The LDA pass is also not valid if the top link is not open. Is the same applicable the other way? I’ll be in LDA for winter and was going to simply get a LDA pass as it will be that side that sees the most use. Its all a bit confusing. Do you get any days elsewhere on the la Grave pass?

If anyone is looking for ski or touring partners give me a shout.

I’m buying an LDA pass as I will be in LDA from the end of Nov. I want the extra days in Alpe d’Huez and elsewhere - 10 day tickets in AdH is a chunk of cash and I have unfinished business in that area. Also, while LGs website says one thing about access to LDA for 2007/08 it may well say something else for 08/09 when they get their butts in gear. 

I didn’t get anything from LDA tourist office about restricting use of the pass in LG other than to say no public holidays or w/e use. That doesn’t mean there aren’t other restrictions in effect - just that the tourist office doesn’t feel like communicating them yet.

I’d be keen to ski/tour with anyone I can keep up with btw. and will be in LDA for most of the season.

McHardski - 06 November 2008 07:35 PM

Anyone know how long it takes to drive from LG to AlepDhuez? Is it feasible in day trips?

It is a relatively easy trip, however don’t neglect Serre Chevalier either. Both have a lot of interesting off piste and touring. The Galibier also has a lot of interesting little tours. Les Deux Alpes has some good skiing too and can either be reached via the Grave lifts or by car, about half an hour to the the first lift.

The trip from la Grave to l’Alpe d’Huez is pretty easy. Much easier than when I first did it. The road from the Damn to Bourg d’Oisan has been improved beyond all measure. At one time bits were not even surfaced properly and single track!

we got an apt rented in Les Hieres which is also above LG.

Les Hieres is reached along a road that takes a south-east facing slope. There is very little snow cover in these villages and they are a much better bet in the winter than la Grave which sees no sun at all. Colin lives up that way so there is a vote of confidence from an “almost” local.

col lauteret is shut then that could be scupperrd a bit though.

The col is never shut for more than a couple of days at most.

I don’t know if I will be based in Geneva or Grenoble this winter but lets try and arrange a day or two’s skiing or touring up your way sometime in the season. I would like to do the Pic du Mas de la Grave or the Goleon. Maybe I’ll try some of those Black Diamond touring skis from Colin’s shop.

I’m going to be staying with McHardski up in Les Hieres for about 8 weeks this winter, most likely for 2 weeks at a time because I have to go away and work at other times. Was thinking of getting a season pass for La Grave because it seemed to work out cheaper, anyone know if this is the best plan and if you get extra days at other resorts with a LG pass, or should I do something else?

Cheers

Allan

Davidof, thx for that info, good reassurance on the apt.  Certainly very up for some touring trips, that would be fantastic. Send me an email or post on here and i should see it. I can give you my phone number too. (that goes for you too Gorilla & Scottishskier I have zero local knowledge so need all the help i can get!.

Olic, cant find your tunnel on Googlemaps but i,ll research it on the way - cheers.

Marmot,i thought you were a Beaver, or is that just in summer?  from what it says above LG pass is prob the best , but with some attatched uncertainties associated with the fact that the tourist office are all off on holiday in someplace sunny. Spose we will have to figure it out for sure when we get there. i might print out this thread and take it with me....

ps Marmots ski like, well , Marmots.