 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm on the edge of booking onto Snoworks All terrain course.
I enquired about the single supplement but it's £400 so I think I'll just have to get out of my comfort zone and room share! I'm easy on the dates, The course runs the first week of January and the first week of Feb. There's no price difference so I'm thinking Feb-would this generally be a better time for Tignes? My experience of skiing in January is limited but on both occasions it's been very dry and not too cold, Feb I've only skied in Austria. The French school holidays don't start until mid Feb-can anyone confirm this?
I'm waiting for confirmation but it seems like the hotel used judging off the website is Chalethotel Hauts de Tovière ran by Mark Warner in Tignes Le Lavachet. I'm free to book my own accommodation but I expect I could room with another Snoworks client. The hotel looks a bit run down and gets some poor reviews on TA-I always thought MW chalets were meant to be a pretty good minimum standard? The other MW property in Tignes looks a much better standard if I had the choice.
I was also looking at Warren Smiths courses but the overall cost was a bit more than Snoworks and that was before factoring in beer money. It was down to the AT or Off Piste course, although getting into off piste is my main goal I think a week of it would kick my back bottom as I'm decent on pisted runs but pretty awful in deeper fresh snow- had it up to my waist in Italy last year and really struggled!
Anyone on here booked on or looking to book on this course?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bene, Not done anything with Snoworks but heard good stuff about them. Can tell you about the Hauts de Tov though. We are regulars in Tignes with MW and have stayed in both. The H de Tov is ok. Bit faulty towers in the layout mind but the rooms are generally a good size and the food is ok. Not as conveniently placed as the Aguille but still not a bad location. Free buses stop just across the road. Brassero and other local bars close by. Small supermarket across the road. Not too far from the nearest lifts and you can ski back to the bus stop by the Brassero. Also Scottys bar is part of the same building.
It won't matter too much where you're staying. Skiing with Phil & Emma followed by a couple of Mutzigs and you'll sleep like a baby 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Did some coaching with Snoworks last season, you won't regret it. As for sharing a room, it's just somewhere to sleep and keep your stuff.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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feef, What course did you do?
GeorgeVII, Thanks for that I'm waiting to get confirmation of which property they'll use. Flights, accommodation and transferer are a little over £600 so it's pretty good value.
stewart woodward, As a resident which date if you had to put your money on it would you choose? Early Jan or early Feb? Main bonus of Feb is I'll have another month to work on fitness.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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GeorgeVII, Yeah I was thinking which pass I'd go for Tignes or the full EK. The difference is £45 so it's not allot if I use it that is. How are the links into Val d'Isere? I went to Le Plange once, got over to Les Arc. It was good for a day trip and to ride the Vanoise express but it was pretty time consuming I found to do it again-no crazy big gondola in EK so I suppose it will be quicker getting around. I just figure by time I've had my 3 hours of lessons.
I'm not particular watching the pennies but it will add up including the tuition and lift pass it's looking around £1100.
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Bene, I'd be surprised if there's any predictable differences in weather conditions between those two dates - both mid winter and can be very cold or subject to warmer spells (I once experienced rain in Val d'Isere on New Year's day). Also both low season, but maybe more Russians about in first week in Jan. That's also the week following the very busy New Year week, so could be more skied out than the Feb week. I've stayed in Haut Tov with Snoworks before and will be returning earlier this season. Would add to the recommendations for both in earlier posts
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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DCG, thanks for that, which course have you done and what are you planning on doing this season? What level did you start out at on your first course? Would appreciate some feedback. The backcountry course in St Anton also appeals but I've been there before and I've always wanted to ski EK. I don't really get what the difference is between back country and off piste TBH either?!
I'm erring on the side of Feb just to give me that extra month of fitness if nothing else.
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Tignes and Val D'Isere are very well linked, it is nothing like Paradiski. It is definitely worth getting the full Killy pass, especially if you are doing a course with Snoworks. Sometimes they start over in Val D'isere if you're an afternoon group to get ski even more of the area.
As for busyness Tignes and Val never seem that crowded mainly due to the fact there is such a large area and very few bottlenecks. The off piste seems to take an age to get tracked out, it is amazing how little is skied. With Snoworks you will be finding lots of good snow anyway so this really isn't a risk.
Both MW hotels are close to the bus stops and slopes, when I've been they seemed very similar but have only been in to talk to Emma and Phil.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Where is the lift boundary between Tignes and Vd'I? When conditions permitted on the PSB tuition last yr, we were all straight over the Val d'Isere side - some lovely runs perfect for coaching on. So EK would probably make sense. I guess it's half day coaching, half free skiing on most of these type courses, so I'd be wanting to explore a bit (if not completely knackered).
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| Bene wrote: |
DCG, thanks for that, which course have you done and what are you planning on doing this season? What level did you start out at on your first course? Would appreciate some feedback. The backcountry course in St Anton also appeals but I've been there before and I've always wanted to ski EK. I don't really get what the difference is between back country and off piste TBH either?!
I'm erring on the side of Feb just to give me that extra month of fitness if nothing else. |
I've done the AT course probably about 5 times over the last 6 or 7 years. Maybe I'll get it right this time!
I do the courses pre Xmas to get me ready for the rest of the season and generally do a few more weeks later on. I tend to go in the level 4-5 groups, which seems to be the majority. I did do a safari with them once but generally felt the fixed location offered better value and more on-snow time. Haven't done the other courses. As Stewart Woodward says, if the conditions are right you'll get plenty of off piste time on the AT course.
You definitely need to get the EK pass as you're almost certain to spend time in the Val side and as said previously the two resorts are very closely linked.
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You know it makes sense.
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| andy wrote: |
| Where is the lift boundary between Tignes and Vd'I? When conditions permitted on the PSB tuition last yr, we were all straight over the Val d'Isere side - some lovely runs perfect for coaching on. So EK would probably make sense. I guess it's half day coaching, half free skiing on most of these type courses, so I'd be wanting to explore a bit (if not completely knackered). |
The ridge at the top of Tovieres marks the topgraphical boundary, but interestingly the Tomeuse lift belongs to the Tignes system, so with a Tignes pass you could ski down into the Bellevarde valley but would need to keep above the bottom of the Tommeuse chair and wouldn't be able to use the other lifts in that area.
Further along you have the divide at the Col de Fresse which is simpler to understand.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Bene wrote: |
| feef, What course did you do? |
Was an all mountain course. Piste, off piste, bumps, the lot.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mosha Marc, Breakfast I can handle I think, but what if the choice is bacon OR sausage?! Which should I choose then?
Well I've booked up, £165 for an area lift pass if I get it through MW so I'm free to roam!
Thanks to all those who contributed.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
I don't really get what the difference is between back country and off piste TBH either?!
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Probably too late now that you've booked. Off Piste is 5 x half days, where as Backcountry is 5 Full days off piste, normally the first day is half with an instructor and half with a guide then you alternate days for the rest of the week, unless you get moved between groups so you may end up with more than one or the other.
You'll have a great time whatever, I've been on loads of Snoworks courses, I prefer the Back Country, but have done All Terrain as well, and if conditions allow you spend that off piste anyway (although I really enjoyed learning bumps on a Canada All Terrain trip).
Don't know what your fitness level is like but try and get as fit as you can as you will enjoy it even more.
I've just been looking at the Tignes Backcountry in March, am really tempted.
St Anton is awesome and if you haven't done Off piste there you've only experienced a 1/3rd of the available skiing. So maybe book that one next year. The January trips normally book out pretty quickly, it can be cold but I've not known conditions to be poor there at that time of year. The guides are brilliant at finding fresh snow days after a fall.
Have a great time.
Bod
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FAQ
. Expect the prices to increase next season 
