Half term hysteria overhyped?

A snowHead

Whilst we hear a lot about the traffic chaos, eurotunnel delays, lift queues and high prices at half term, my experience was almost the polar opposite. I was yet again amazed this year by how painless half term skiing was. The travel was slightly slower (bad traffic GVA-Argentiere meant it took 2hr vs. the normal 1h10) and I had to park in our apartment block’s overflow parking but apart from that it was nothing like as bad as I expected. I didn’t see a lift queue at Argentiere all week, and although Le Tour had a few, these were mainly on the day when Flegere was closed.

I have to say, that based on my experience of the last 2 yrs, I think the whole half-term hysteria is overhyped. There are also benefits – there were gates set up for competition training, so I had a morning learning (a bit!) about skiing gates with an instructor. The most challenging areas were emptier than normal – anything remotely steep was almost empty. We got top tickets for the Grands Montets without any problem, even to the extent of lapping it a couple of times with an instructor.

As for cost, here is a combination of my actual and other real costs (e.g. I have my own place and season ski pass, but I’ve put in the equivalent costs) for a family of 4 for 7 days skiing:

Flights x4 £425 (I cheated and used avios for some - if you put in the cost of buying the Avios it adds £200)
Car/fuel/tolls £250 (renault clio sized car)
Family ski pass £600 (7 days chamonix le pass)
Apartment £700 (40sqm, 2 bedrooms + lounge, very near lift)
Ski school x2 £250 (assumes kids in ESF group lessons)
Ski hire x4 £200

Total £2425-£2625 all in.

Anybody else have a positive experience?

A snowHead

Yes it's overhyped on everything except the cost.

How did you get GVA flights at £156? With luggage and skis that's cheaper than off peak.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Easyjet flexi loophole for the outbound, Avios for the return. I've shown the extra £200 cost in case you had to buy the avios.

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2584281

From a cost perspective, there's little difference in the above prices vs mid-January. You'd save £30 on ski school, £200 on the apartment and that's probably it.

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Yes, ski costs are roughly the same whatever time of the winter you go.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

And if you drive travel costs are exactly the same too.

I could ski for nothing at half term but I don't. There might have been no queues at Argentiere but there were big queues at the two critical major lifts out of Les Saisies. And one thread reported big queues in some parts of Austria, too.

And there do seem to have been an unusually high number of "collision on busy piste" injuries this year, which is sad.

Not to mention every motorway in and out of the French Alps blocked for some hours and people in emergency shelters yet again.

Of course, skiing at any time is better than being in the office. But as most people can only ski a very few weeks in the year it's obviously best all round if those who can avoid school holidays do.

An apartment like mine (2 bed, piste side) is more than twice the price at half term and New Year (€1150) than for the week beginning 28 March (€550). Ski lessons cost a fair bit more too. I don't understand why lift prices don't change, to encourage more visitors in the dead, quiet, weeks.

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There are various reasons I am not so keen on the idea of half term skiing:

The cost of CGH MGM apartments that we tend to book are at least £1000 more per week at half term. The buildings are bound to be full meaning more people in pool at the end of the day.
Lift pass always most expensive (some times there are cheaper deals late season), ski school numbers likely to be higher, lessons sometimes shorter in certain resorts.
Busier roads to and from the Alps and more chance of driving in snow/ice.
Feels too rushed having the bare week particularly if driving. We like to take our time getting there and back and sometimes go for longer than a week.
More chance of someone in the family being ill than if you go later season.

I would definitely never choose to go at UK half term when there is a clash with Belgian and Paris holidays. In years when there is no clash it is a more tempting option.

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Even though we have kids at school it's difficult for my wife to get time off, so we go at Christmas and Easter. It seems from reading threads on here that it's not as bad as you sometimes might imagine. We DIY and drive with no equipment hire or lessons so from our point of view the only downsides would be the cost of the apartment, which undoubtedly be a lot more expensive and busier lift queues and slopes. The upside arguably would be more consistent snow conditions. If you fly or use a TO then price and availability would be an issue. Whatever you do booking early would be important (not necessarily a problem) unless you book very late and are flexible.

I got the impression just from reading this board it got quite bad before the economic downturn and austerity kicked in.

But if you do compare it to the quietest weeks of the year where it is much cheaper and the travel/slopes are far less busy.... it's all as they relative.

After all it is free

We can generally get a family of four on the mountains for £2000 at half term. We don't go for ski school so we're in about the same ball park as you. The weaker Euro is helping.

I've skied the same resort in and out of French half term and the difference as regards crowded pistes is definitely noticeable. Easier to get a table in restaurants too. Given the choice, I'll avoid half term. Price difference, not much as I recall. Just nicer.

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We were in Alpe d'Huez overlapping both ends of the "GB week" , last week, and based on the lift queues it is the number of GB visitors that tip the balance, certainly the lift queues on Sunday were well down compared to anything we had seen over the previous week, and conditions were excellent Very Happy

It does really annoy me that despite my protests rolling eyes

that Wales, despite having devolved powers on education appears to have now reverted to setting the same week for half term as England despite in the past having varied it by one week. In 2013 when we were one week later than England flights were £60 each way, this year they were £200 plus when they came out. Whether they stayed at that level I do not know as I made other arrangements. Staggering the UK weeks has got to be beneficial for everybody, with the unfortunate exception of skiing teachers who live in one area and work in another I suppose.

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We went to Cervinia, first Italian trip in years. It was positively quiet. Bloke in local bar said it had been like that for the last couple of years, he was blaming it on council/govt lack of promotion. Quiet pistes. No queues. The snow was fantastic. Huge dump on the Saturday we arrived then snowed for 2 days before blue skies & sun the rest of the week. Powder snow everywhere which was great fun.
Zermatt was def a lot, lot busier. 5/6 abreast on piste which I didn't like. Got whacked into twice on run down first day we ventured over, managed not to fall though! Did all that on the slippy restaurant bathroom floors!!
Lift passes were a noticeably bigger expense for us this year as both the boys were "adults" unfortunately, but this was probably offset by the Edinburgh Milan flights which were pretty cheap for half term & the cheaper car hire so I think overall it didn't cost any extra. The 2 bedroom apartment (on piste) was 1500e which was slightly more than usual, but worth it for the location, plus it was really well equipped.

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queues in Les Contamines were very minor - sure the bubbles were busy between 845 and 915 for the ski school rush but otherwise fine

You know it makes sense.

I don't think lift queues tend to be the problem these days. Crowded pistes are the problem.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

My experience too, I've been in the GM every weekend (and a few weeks) since mid December and this weekend was no busier than any other, certainly a lot quieter than at New Year. The lifts and pistes were not especially busy and we had no trouble getting a table on the mountain without a reservation. There were a few more learners than usual snaking down the mountain but other than that all good.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Yes, I was thinking that is very cheap for half term - care to give us a cost breakdown, @cameronphillips2000?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@skitow, half terms are staggered to some extent. This year Derbyshire was the week before Notts for example. It made it very difficult for a colleague of mine whose eldest is at secondary school in Derbyshire and youngest at primary school in his village in Notts. However I think package holidays were significantly cheaper for the Derbyshire week which also didn't coincide with Fasching. Next year I don't think any UK half terms coincide with Fasching so that should make a significant difference in Austria.

However next year also sees the weird scenario when the school Easter holidays are not at Easter!

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@pam w, @foxtrotzulu, if you knock ski school and ski hire out of my costs then you're there.

Equally, if you went for the smallest car you'd save another £40, and you could save £200 by going for a 1 bedroom apartment, so <£2k doesn't look that difficult to me.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@queen bodecia, Depends where you live. I think the majority of UK schools will be off for Easter week next year.

Also Belgian holidays that week. Mad

I think there are a few counties that have a fixed Easter holiday starting around 3rd April every year but they are still in the minority.

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@queen bodecia, I think there were very few areas that did not go for the 14-21 period this year. Which of Notts / Derbys was it that not have that week just out of interest ? I do see your point about having kids / jobs in schools in adjacent areas though. The french overlapping 2 week method presumably reduces that again but I cannot see us ever going to a 2 week february half term, strangely enough not everyone likes skiing rolling eyes

To be honest a fixed "non-easter" holiday would probably work against skiers because the majority will probably want it later rather earlier and I think that way it makes terms a more even length ?

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@skitow, @snowymum, next year Easter is 25th to 28th March. Easter school holidays start on 28th March in Derbyshire but on 4th April in Notts. However the half term seems to coincide next year on 15th to 20th Feb.

After all it is free

This Easter my daughter and son in law, both teachers, have different Easter holiday dates (different LEAs). They have one overlapping week and one different, which is a real pain. They had thought to do a joint effort with good friends with two similar aged kids. Mums come out to ski one week, whilst dads look after the kids, then swap (with, needless to say, me doing complimentary airport transfers and providing free accommodation wink

) But the Easter holiday dates have scuppered that plan.

Next Easter should be a really good time for ski holidays, with plenty of low cost accommodation and a good chance of good snow. I have skied every Easter since 2003 - never any problems with queues/crowds in Les Saisies (unlike half term, which is grim) though snow quality varies - more with the season than with the date of Easter, really.

We've just got back from Vallandry in half term. We arrived and skied on the Saturday which was lovely. The main areas that were a problem were the TransArc bubble and when we made the mistake of skiing into La Plagne itself otherwise it wasn't too terrible but my husband vowed that we would NEVER ski France in half term again. We tended to eat around Peisey/Vallandry and had no problems as we weren't having lunch till around 2pm. wetravelled down to Chambery on the Friday and the roads were empty. Busier on the way back even with a 6am start but the snow falling made that worse.

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@snowdave,

I think you have to count yourself lucky. Argentiere must be the exception. You didn't see a lift queue? That's fantastic. Went to Les Deux Alpes a few years ago at half term and had to contend with massive queues and crowded pistes. Steep slopes were better but even there you had to watch out for skiers/boarders operating well outside their comfort zone, probably in effort to avail of the less crowded slopes.

Likewise, big queues in Zell Am Zee a few years back at Christmas, albeit nothing like L2A at half term.
Skiing in St Johann in early Feb this year and met couple who were skiing outside half term for first year since turn of century and were amazed and delighted with the difference.

Week skiing will always beat a week in the office. However, assuming I have the choice, will always ski outside half term and Christmas.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

We're just back from a week in Châtel/PdS and I don't think it was too bad. I was expecting a super-storm of European half-terms, but we didn't queue too much. The biggest issue was the snow, and half-term or not, you can't do anything about that.

I really must do a proper TR.

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I've always drive out but on the Friday, my kids have always felt a little unwell and unable to make it to school. A fast drive to the tunnel and half way through France in time for dinner. Then it's up early and one of the first to the resort on the Saturday morning before the rush. Simples. I've never found Chamonix that bad at half term and the lifts are always fine, certainly nothing to worry about. I have friends who claim they'd never do half term again and always go before Xmas but I'd rather have the guaranteed snow rather than risk lush green fields.

@Jonesj, Hang on - didn't you do Christmas this year and NOT do half term though? Puzzled

You know it makes sense.

It`s the crowds that are the problem; it`s cured me of the expense of going in school hols.....poor kids.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

We were in Serre Che at half term, expecting horrendous queues but not too bad. First day (Monday) there were no queues and the rest of the week the maximum wait was 5 to 10 mins. We flew on the Sunday so avoided the manic Saturday traffic.

We went on a package (only booked 2 weeks before) and for 2 adults and our 14 year old daughter we paid £3400 including flights, transfers, lift passes, ski hire and ski boot hire for my daughter. I know it is significantly more than for this week but when you have school ages children and I am a teacher, we have no choice. Sad

A snowHead

A snowHead

Yes, but the snow is often better in February!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@snowdave,

I think £700 for a 40m2 two bedroom apartment in half term week is very fortunate, you did very well there.

Traffic very much depends on what time you drive at. If you join the happy band of overnighters then there is no traffic issue.

The big problem I have with half term are the crowds on piste and queues for lifts. If you can ski in early dec, Jan and April you get used to no queues and relatively empty pistes.

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@emwmarine, £700 is the rack rate for 40m2 apartments in half term in Argentiere, in our block 200m from the lift. Many people would get 5-10% off that. I didn't pay that as I'm an owner, I just put in the 'real' price. As I mentioned, if you went for a smaller apartment, cheaper car rental (or easybus) etc, you could knock a few hundred quid off the total.

What's interesting in the responses here is that the first-hand experience of people who were actually out there, was that experience was not at all bad, particularly regarding queues. Les Contaimines, Argentiere, Chamonix, Cervinia, Chatel/PdS, Courmayeur, GM, Serre Che - enough resorts that it doesn't feel like my experience was an exception.

I don't disagree that, for choice, there are quieter weeks, but that doesn't mean Feb half term is particularly bad. A few lift upgrades in some resorts, a recession and geopolitical changes may have moved the dial considerably from what people remember from days gone by.

In many resorts in early Dec 2014 there were no queues at all, nor in April 2014. Then again, you couldn't actually ski because there wasn't any snow. Feb at least has a 100% snow record!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The last 10 years Feb half terms in the French mega resorts and in Italy i have certainly not been put off by the queues. Last week in Sauze and Serre Chev was no busier than the 2nd week of January when we go.
To us it has been the secret we don't shout about as we like it quiet at half term and we do not want to bellow to loudly that it is quiet.
Makes me laugh that I see on here we had awful queues here and there. Is that because folks have had to wait 4 or 5 mins for the lift?

Try Espace Killy or 3V and no more than 5 minutes wait for a lift the last 8 years.

Shhhhh it is our secret and to those that ask. Keep away because of monstrous queues snowHead

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Was in La Plagne over half term. Yes, there were lots of people around but with some careful planning, they can be largely avoided. For some reason, the crowds gravitated towards the centre of the resort (i.e. Plagne Centre, Bellecote). First thing in the morning, we skied to the further reaches of La Plagne (e.g. Champagny, Les Coches) and these runs were relatively empty. Avoided the Bellecote bottleneck apart from first thing or lunchtime. Had late lunch (after 2pm) to take advantage of queue less lifts at lunchtime. Also, where there is a long lift (e.g. Roche de Mio, Grand Rochette) from the base stations, we didn't ski all the way back to the bottom, but stopped mid way to catch the shorter lifts back up to the top - these were largely deserted as the majority skied the full run. After 4pm, the lifts queues mainly evaporated (again, apart from Bellecote), so we had many Grand Rochette runs in the last hour of the day.
So apart from the horror of Roche de Mio at 10am which we were caught in once, we had no queueing greater than 5 minutes (ish).

Road traffic is a whole different issue!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

One man's floor is another man's ceiling!

Cost:

On the one end of the spectrum, there're TO's that will charge any princely sum for those who're stuck with half term... Half term hysteria indeed.

Fortunately, not all property owners operate on that principle. So the more resourceful are able to find lodging no more expensive than say, January.

Except that's only half the story. quite often, an un-occupied property may be discounted during the low season. So the cost comparison still strongly favors skiers traveling outside of half term.

Same with lift pass. Those are "fixed" price, supposedly. But I've had in times past gotten "packages" where the lift pass was practically "free" when combined with lodging. You can count that against the lodging cost. Or you can say it's full price lodging with free lift pass. Six of one, half dozen another.

Crowd:

As mentioned by others, fast lift had made queues a rarity. What the fast lifts do, however, are putting those people on the piste.

Does that distract from the enjoyment of the holiday? Clearly, far less than long lift queues. And for some, perhaps it's not a distraction AT ALL.

After all, one man's ceiling is another man's floor.

After all it is free

friends and family who have already been this year, son and mrs out there now, report a lot less russians etc in austria and relatively uncrowded pistes we go next week and and had little problem booking hotel last week as did son who booked 7 days before dep Is this a result of less visitors better snow conditions spreading people out or improved uplift

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We've just got back from a 1/2 term trip to Meribel and the 3V and skiing for the first time at 1/2 term due to wanting to ski with teacher friends of ours.

Apart from the extra cost we were expecting the lift queues to be horrific and the pistes to be packed. It couldn't have been further from the truth - I don't think we had to queue for a lift for more than 15mins and regularly had pistes to ourselves Very Happy

We stopped for a drink late morning and skied through lunch so the lifts and pistes were especially quiet for a couple of hours

We were with a TO that runs Sunday to Sunday so even Gatwick and Grenoble were no busier than any other week.

Help!!

Half term hysteria overhyped?

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