 Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry if this has been covered, but I scrolled back a few pages and couldn't find it.
Anyone got any advice on La Tania? Is it a good resort and what are peoples experience of the reliability of the snow in mid-January?
Thanks, Snow-Heads
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's a few years since I've been, but:
Very reliable for snow mid-January.
Excellent access to the rest of the Three Valleys via a good gondola lift.
Nice tree-lined runs back down to resort.
Not ideal for absolute beginners (compared to Courchevel 1850 or 1650) but they'd be OK if they're in ski school.
One (maybe two or three?) lively bars but not loads of nightlife. Ditto restaurants.
Small but acceptable supermarket, boulangerie, traiteur.
Not much to do that isn't snowy.
No bus access to Courchevel or Meribel outside of high season, to my knowledge.
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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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Stayed there for Christmas last year, small resort but reasonably easy access to Courvhevel & Meribel via Gondola lift in the town and then a choice of chairlifts to the top. Not a wide range of options for nights out, although I was on my tod and never ventured to the bars as they looked a bit quiet early doors. Judging by some of the noise that woke me up in the early hours on night, someone found somewhere to go that was fun! The small shop was fairly well stocked and not completely extortionate, open on Christmas day to about 7pm as well so very convenient.
Skiing wise the green run to the village was closed due to lack of snow, the blue run was a bit icy in places but very good considering the conditions, bit steepish in a couple of places so might unnerve some beginners. In fact I wouldn't recommend it for beginners at all, there's a drag lift in town but it just puts people on the gentle bottom part of a busy blue, plus there aren't a lot of easy ways to 'graduate' to other slopes. Conditions should be as good as anywhere in mid-January, effectively you're skiing Courchevel so will be spending most of your time much higher. If snow is poor then you can easily get to Val Thorens in a day, although the links will be quite busy first thing. Worth planning that properly, I generally had a fairly clear idea of where I wanted to go but would somehow end up half way down the VT valley instead due to not paying attention.
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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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I really like La Tania and have been many times with my family. You get many of the benefits of skiing in Courchevel and the three valleys, without the high prices. It's very well situated for access to the rest of the area. I'd agree with what the others have said. The blue run back to La Tania (Folyeres) is one of the best in the whole ski area, but is at the redder end of blue. The village itself is compact and has everything you need very easily accessed, split roughly into two parts with one half chalets, and the other apartments. The chalets are all built up the side of the hill, so can be a bit of walk from some, though most are only a couple of minutes from one of the pistes that runs around the edge of the village. There is a public elevator that gets you up from the resort centre to the chalets which can be busy. There's a good choice of ski schools - ESF, New Gen, Magic in Motion, Sweet Snowsports, and others, and a selection of ski hire shops. The bars and restaurants are all good fun and pretty reasonably priced. It's small enough that I'm happy to send my kids off sledging or running an errand to the boulangerie etc and know that they aren't going to get lost. We'll be back many more times I'm sure. In January I'd expect all the slopes to be open.
If you're looking for a place to stay then snow retreat are very hard to beat: http://www.snowretreat.co.uk/
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[quote="kieranm"It's small enough that I'm happy to send my kids off sledging[/quote]
 I'd forgotten about the sledging! Seemed like from the moment the lifts stopped one evening to when they opened the next day, there was someone sliding down the piste!
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Great place, apres ski bar you can ski into, the tigre restaurant is well worth a go, the last run of the day to the village is fun, especially if you have a hot choc. And rum at the bar at the top before setting off,
The apres ski bar does music a couple of nights a week.. we used to go with silverski holidays, great chalet service..
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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| In fact I wouldn't recommend it for beginners at all, there's a drag lift in town but it just puts people on the gentle bottom part of a busy blue, plus there aren't a lot of easy ways to 'graduate' to other slopes. |
This is a really important point. One of our friends was in the beginners ski school a few years back and they stayed on the very, very basic green section in La Tania for most of the week - which seems a total waste of time when there is such fantastic beginners terrain up the hill in Courchevel proper, but somewhat understandable given the difficulty of getting up and back to those lessons if it is your first week on skis.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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My daughter learned in La Tania aged about 4, she was over to Courchevel within about 3 days, and able to get down Folyeres by the end of the week. Thought it was a lovely resort. Would go back.
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@endoman, think kids will stand a better chance of developing to other areas. However either way there are better places for beginners to be, even if you're only looking at other places in the 3V.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Free ski bus runs every hour till 11pm La Tania to 1850.
If snow conditions are poor and the blue back can get NASTY just download on the gondola.
Lovely quiet little resort.
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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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Love this place. Agree with everything above, all the fun of the three valleys without the high costs. A lunch in the ski lodge pub: burger, chips and a pint €10-€11. Bouc Blanc restaurant has sandwich bar 2 sandwiches, 2 cokes, 2 chips, 2 coffees aprox. €20 (good spot for a quick bight if you are following the Escapade). I haven't found the blue run (Folyeres) to be as bad as people make out, nice and wide and sheltered. Would have thought the length of the run is the issue for beginners you would be at it for quite a while but a great achievement. Probably the best resort return run in the world imo.
Check out www.latania.co.uk run by Tim Wall this site does more to promote La Tania, than the rest of the three valleys combined. His weekly snow reports are a must for anyone going to Courcheval. (I see the title is officially Courcheval-La Tania now).
Snow retreat is good value. Would also highly recommend Chalet Hotel La Tania for the best value, you get more then you pay for in this place.
Have only ever been in Feb and Mar.
Wakkitt
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Ah I'm glad to hear there are evening buses now. I'd been once in February and spent several evenings in courchevel but when I went again in January there were no buses. But that was a few years ago. It's nice to have a bit of variety in the evenings if you aren't with a big group.
I'll have to get back over there at some point. Lunch on the sun terrace at the Bouc Blanc is hard to beat!
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You know it makes sense.
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@wakkitt, wouldn't say the blue run is 'bad' as such but there are some steeper bits that are a pig when it's icy. Definitely a nice run back to resort, although not sure if I prefer it to getting back to Les Coches.
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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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La Tania is great! I don't have much to add to what's already been said, but would not hesitate to recommend it. We had good snow at the end of January. I really enjoyed Folyeres (as mentioned above, it's steep in parts for a blue but is wide throughout and, as a 2nd-week skier at the time, I preferred it to the narrower green home run).
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Screaming Dave, obviously I'm biased but yes, La Tania is an excellent resort. It's village rather than city mentality if that's what you like. You won't have any problem with snow in mid-January except possibly on the red run home that has no cannons. Folyeres is always open. Late January often has some of the best snow of the season, especially if you don't like spring slush. Most of LT is ski-in/out or at least to within 100m or so of your accommodation once you know your way around.
@Maireadoconnor, if you haven't been for a few years, the facilities for beginners to get out are now much better. There is a new(ish) area at the top of the gondola with a magic carpet and kiddy slalom etc. From there, people can ski green to the new(ish) Bouc Blanc chair that links in to green, blue or red runs into 1850.
Can't ever remember a time when there weren't buses to 1850 once the full season started but could be wrong... There are times when you have to change bus at Le Praz rather than go straight through, though. The LT bus is only one per hour. Buses to Meribel only run peak weeks and are unreliable.
| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| Not a wide range of options for nights out, although I was on my tod and never ventured to the bars as they looked a bit quiet early doors. |
You need to follow the music. Apart from Saturday, there is one bar with live music every day from 4.30-5pm till 7pm. You can see the schedule on http://www.latania.co.uk/ or on the tourist office window posters. It rotates between the Ski Lodge, La Taiga and the Chrome Bar. French Blues duet (occasional a trio) on Sundays in the Chrome Bar are great. Hope they're back this year. Have also heard that Livewire are supposed to be returning this year (after about 5 years away). If Fernando is still the lead singer, they are the best band in the Alps. The guy's a mini Mick Jagger.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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those mentioning the "steep" bits of the blue, there are a couple side tracks you can go down to avoid some of those, I take them for variation at times, although one year I ventured into the trees down an icy path, that was interesting 
Also avoid the one that cuts along from the bottom of the bouc blanc lift in deep powder, it's not steep enough and you'll get stuck and end up walking
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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.
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| Raceplate wrote: |
| if you haven't been for a few years, the facilities for beginners to get out are now much better. There is a new(ish) area at the top of the gondola with a magic carpet and kiddy slalom etc. From there, people can ski green to the new(ish) Bouc Blanc chair that links in to green, blue or red runs into 1850. |
Really glad to hear this, and I hope the ski schools do make early use of options in Courchevel for lessons. La Tania is otherwise fantastic and a really relaxed way to stay in the 3V.
I think the lessons 'problem' is really a broader one in skiing / teaching beginners. Once you can ski everywhere it is quite easy to forget how limiting it feels being worried about falling over every 3 meters and how important it is to have a variety of easy choices to practice on - even on your first day. Watching other people ski well (or at least better than you) is also pretty motivating, as are a big network of things where you can look and say 'I want to ski that'!
You get a bit of both at the bottom of the run in to La Tania, but nothing compared to the top!
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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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| SnoodyMcFlude wrote: |
| kieranm wrote: |
| It's small enough that I'm happy to send my kids off sledging |
I'd forgotten about the sledging! Seemed like from the moment the lifts stopped one evening to when they opened the next day, there was someone sliding down the piste! |
Yep, our kids love that part of it. Last Christmas there were even resort staff out on the slope entertaining the kids after lifts closed. I do prefer car-free resorts like this when skiing with kids.
For beginners first venturing onto green & blue slopes there still are better places e.g. Courchevel, due to the steepness of the main runs back to resort. With a group of good intermediate skiers and up it is a fabulous location.
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my daughter always likes bum boarding at the end of the day once the pistes close, when the sun is out, it's perfect to sit outside the chrome bar whilst they play on the slope.
As a beginner, I learnt to ski on troika in the middle of the village, the next day got the bus to 1850 to continue lessons, rest of the week skied over. We did get the bus back each day the first week we were there.
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@Little Martin, that's a good way round to ski it initially. Even now I sometimes suggest we get the bus back if further over in 1650 and kids are getting tired. Usually outvoted in favour of skiing back though!
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For good skiers there is plenty of route choice to ski back to the village. For those who can only ski blue there is essentially only one ski route back, via Courchevel 1850 and then Arolles / Folyeres (or Plan Fontaine). This can be a bit limiting if you want to explore the Meribel / Belleville valleys - and boring when doing it for the 6th day running!
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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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Just booked one of our group holidays to Le Tania for early March - recommendations for restaurant on staff night out very welcome - is Tigre the best bet?
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We've booked to go 1st week of April (school holidays), staying with Ski Magic in La Tania - big reason was that it was less expensive that VT/Courcheval/Meribel, but you accessed the same ski area. I've skied the 3V and really enjoy it - big enough so that even when its crowded its not - you can always find a run that's empty!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Curzonian, yes, it's one of the better places in the village, book early as it's usually busy, food last year was very nice!
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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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Here are the restaurants in La Tania..
La Saucisse Savoyarde - The Sausage shop, it’s not a restaurant but it’s well worth a mention. The Bacon butties are great for the morning after, and they do great (and inexpensive) take away meal deals (and deliver) for Wednesday nights.
La Ferme - No nonsense food, local specialities (Fondue, Tratiflette, Raclette) steaks and Crepes. Good for big groups but need to book in advance. Reasonably priced.
Les Marmottons - has a cosy atmosphere with varied Savoyarde food plus pizza.
Snow Food – A take away pizza hatch, good if you want something simple and quick.
La Taiga - Well presented food and local specialities. Enjoy a drink in the bar before dinner.
Pub Le Ski Lodge - Pub food, great place to spend your afternoon and evening, watch the Après ski band and then tuck in to a burger. Reasonably cheap.
Le Farcon - La Tania’s Michelin star restaurant. Ok so it’s not cheap but if you want to treat yourself it’s well worth the experience.
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Excellent thanks @Little Martin and @SnowRetreat - will have to try and keep knowledge of Le farcon to a minimum, we have a couple of people in the group who will want to go the whole hog, as it were.
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You know it makes sense.
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Also, if you are staying in the area above the Ski Lodge (where the Le Ski chalets and the L'Atrey/Saboia A Residences are), if you come off the Folyere at one of those side tracks and follow signs for the cross country ski route, you can ski down to the top end of those chalets, rather than having to walk up to them.
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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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Can anyone recommend a luxurious (relatively speaking) apartment (with wifi) in La Tania?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for all your advice, Snow Heads. Looks like La Tania it is. Better start looking for lost coins down the back of the sofa!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@red 27, define luxurious, and how many people? I can recommend a few nice apartments, but I wouldn't have normally classed them as luxurious.
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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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Yay! Just booked to go to La Tania in January.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| red 27 wrote: |
| Can anyone recommend a luxurious (relatively speaking) apartment (with wifi) in La Tania? |
Adults or kids as well?
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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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@kieranm, @kitenski, Just two adults
In terms of luxury I guess I mean nicely furnished, good sized rooms, a balcony and a double bed (not twins).
I've stayed in a few French apartments over the years so I have my eyes open in terms of what's conceivable - I'm not expecting marmot fur carpets and hot tubs
I'd also prefer TO served places i possible as transfers are awkward otherwise as I hate driving in the Alps
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Damn, I know a lovely place in La Tania with marmot fur carpets and a hot tub for every room, but if you don't want that .....
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Just booked with Skibeat from Dec 24th, hoping for snow! As a non skier, has anyone tried the snow shoe trips or walking / cross country in La Tania?
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Never tried them, but there's plenty of tracks around the area
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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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Dull, quiet and semipretty.
Snow will be fine in January.
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