Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Alpine towns with gondola to large resort?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi snowheads, first post, I'm loving the forums here, got so many great ideas here for the 2014/15 season in Alps!

My question is, are there any other towns like Brides-les-Bains which connect to huge resorts and ski areas with a gondola / telecabine?

I've spent years in France, but would like to spend this season somewhere different - so looking for a similarly gondola-connected town, with similar cheap rents Smile in Italy, Switzerland (not cheap) or Austria.

I'm looking for connection to high-altitude, large ski areas for a full on sporty season, a bit of international vibe would be great.

Thanks so much for any advice - I'll be going to Brides and exploring VT otherwise, which isn't too shabby

Any accommodation leads feel free Wink
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@SlipStream, Welcome to SH.

Bruson (Verbier, 4 Vallees), Bourg St Maurice (Les Arcs/ La Plagne), Samnaun (Ischgl area), Cervinia (Zermatt), Klosterle (Sonnenkopf)...........loads more I'm sure.
Quote:


a bit of international vibe would be great.


All of them wink
snow conditions
 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?
@Markymark29, They took the telepherique between Bourg st Maurice and Les Arcs out about 30 years ago (I actually rode in it!) and replaced it with a funicular railway. There are a number of Italian towns connected by gondolas to resorts such as Bardonecchia and Cortina.
snow conditions
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
welcome to sH snowHead

depends what you count as a town. and also large.

several places in Austria are more town-like, with lifts. Schladming? Kitzbuhel?
Innsbruck, if you count a funicular+cable car, or short busride to another cable car (i think) as a gondola, but are small ski areas.

Maribor, Slovenia is very much a town, but I thought the lift company went bust the other day (need to confirm the exact status there).

Bride les Bains gondola takes something like 20 minutes I thought, and only links at the bottom of Meribel. Probably quicker by bus.
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Markymark29 - Great, thanks I'll look into those - I really like look of Ischgl - High altitude, pretty challenging, and Austrian welcoming atmosphere sounds good.

@JohnE - I'm big fan of Italian cuisine, so I'll look into those too Smile

@Andy - Basically I want to pay €750 ish max rent, have a 100m stroll to a gondola, and when I get off I'm in world class huge interconnected resort, not in France - 3V, Paradiski, Ischgl- clip in and get stuck into it - no buses - once I'm on a gondola I feel like the day has begun.

20 mins on a gondola is a great way to start the day - give me time to meditate on the beauty of the alps before skiing til I drop
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Quote:

are there any other towns like Brides-les-Bains which connect to huge resorts and ski areas with a gondola / telecabine?

the 3V is one of the biggest linked ski areas in the world - most areas won't be anything like as big, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't have plenty to offer.
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Briancon (assuming it still has the link to Serre Chevalier) is a pretty big town. As are Morzine or Chamonix now I think about it. You could also think about the villages down the valley from Zermatt (train up in the morning), or Davos or Klosters.

As andy says, it partly depends what you really want when you say you want a town. Most Austrian resorts are villages/towns first and foremost and ski resorts second (i.e. they don't have that many purpose built concrete places like Val Thorens or Tignes), so if you just want somewhere that feels like a proper place rather than a resort then pretty much anywhere in Austria with a big interconnected area is worth a look. Kitzbuhel and Mayrhofen are decent shouts, and I'd take a quick look at Ellmau or Brixen on the SkiWelt (or whatever it's called now) as well.
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Aosta ----> Pila ??? Not a big resort -- but a nice one, and an interesting town too.
ski holidays
 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.
@ChrisWo, the Briancon gondola is still there. The whole area is therefore linked, and you can ski all the way back to the bottom.
snow conditions
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Courmayeur? Not a big area, but an interesting one and Chamonix isn't far through the tunnel. There are other places within easy reach too, as there are from Aosta, but a car would make that a lot easier.
latest report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
There's also Aosta in Northern Italy just down the road from Courmayeur - which is another place with gondala up to the slopes.
latest report
 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.
Take a car and the world is your oyster card.
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
If trains count, then Aigle/Monthey to Champery (OK needs another uplift before you can ski, but then so does BlB-Meribel).
snow report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Le Chable for Verbier. That's where I always park and ride up to the slopes, and now with the added attraction of Bruson connected from the same point on the other side of the valley from Verbier.

St Gervais for Megeve/Combloux is also a good bet, and a nice small town too.
ski holidays
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@johnE, Yeah, funicular same but different! I was more thinking of the principle.@SlipStream, Add Kaprun to your list.
latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Orelle for 3 valleys, goes into val thorens
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@ajc2260626, not exactly a large thriving international cosmopolitan city / town Smile

I only really can comment on France.

Briancon (though I'm biased) is a good option as it's a proper city in the true definition, one or Europe's highest, and was there way way before skiing so has history and culture etc unlike many of the other suggestions.

There is also a bus from Braincon (20mins) which goes to Montgenevre and that then links in to the Milky Way

As far as I know, and I know the area well there is no gondola to Bardonecchia and the gondola from Aosta only goes up to Pila, not exactly a big resort, though kind of nice.
snow report
 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?
Samoens is a small but beautiful town with a gondola up to a reasonable sized ski area. If you had a car Les Gets/Morzine, which gives you access to the rest of the PDS, is within easy reach too. No to mention with the smaller resort of Pra de Lys which is about half an hour away If I remember correctly. There would be loads to go at.
snow conditions
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
@Weathercam, no very true but gondola into big area. V cheap to stay there too
snow conditions
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@ajc2260626, it's actually not too far a drive for us in Serre either and we've done it a fair few times when we're hooking up with friends who are in the 3V - though helps to have the Frejus Tunnel carnet of tickets otherwise damn expensive!
ski holidays
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
France/Italy is probably going to be cheaper than the others. Bourge st Maurice is probably the best choice for cheap accom and excellent skiing, but if it was me I'd look for somewhere near Morzine.
latest report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Not sure if Bormio counts as a town...
snow conditions
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
loads of places in the Dolomites, meet the definition of a town that connect up via a gondola. I guess some of these are villages rather than towns but

la Villa
Corvara
San Cassiano
Ortisei
St. Christina (different routes up)
All the little towns around Kronplatz - esp Bruneck
snow conditions
 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.
@jellylegs,
France cheap?

Just about any large Austrian resort would fit the bill. If you're going Jan/Feb you shouldn't have to worry to much about altitude. You should find it a bit cheaper than France too.
latest report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Slipstream - if you return to BLB again and are looking for accomodation our 2 bed apartment is available to rent - we still have week of 24 Jan and 31 Jan available.

If you want something different, then we had a lovely week in Maria Alm in Austria - you get the bus from town to the gondola and then go up from there. Very pretty, reasonable ski area ( 150km linked), modern lift system and eating on the mountain doesn't break the bank.
However, the skiing really doesn't compare to the 3V so my heart still lies in BLB Smile
snow conditions
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thanks for all your replies - so many great suggestions

Austria looks like just the spot for me - but finding accom for the season is tricky...

Any tips?
latest report
 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.
jellylegs wrote:
France/Italy is probably going to be cheaper than the others. Bourge st Maurice is probably the best choice for cheap accom and excellent skiing, but if it was me I'd look for somewhere near Morzine.


France cheap?

Austria isn't much different in price than the UK
ski holidays
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
This year, the Swiss canton of Valais is operating a regional skicard which includes thermal baths as well as ski resorts:

http://www.valais.ch/en/information/landingpage/valais-skicard

It seems to be aimed at locals, and visitors who prefer to stay in the valley somewhere (which would be cheaper) and try out a number of different places by car. My reading of the terms is that you can't ski the same resort more than two days in a row. I'm not sure how it compares to just buying a pass on the day. The locations in scope are pretty diverse, and includes far more locations than you could visit even in a couple of weeks.

Might be of interest.
snow conditions
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Another one to consider is Venosc, which has a telecabine up to Les Deux Alpes. It is easy to get to from Grenoble, and it only takes about 5 minutes. You can even see the resort at the top of the hill from the Venosc village (which is very picturesque!)
snow report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy