 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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All are good medium resorts.
I would go for St Francois as you can link into Valmorel - south and north slopes. It is reasonably high too. Great views from the Madeleine with a couple of restaurants on the col.
Le Corbier links into a huge ski area in terms of kms but maybe less easy to exploit. If you want to cruise lots of runs it might a good bet, you can ski over to the Croix de Fer.
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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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We've been staying further along the Maurienne in Val Cenis and would recommend that choice, it's a great area with a good range of skiing.
We are looking at doing the opposite to you regarding Valloire / Valmeiner as we've had three years up the VC end of the valley, so would like to explore other parts.
As you indicate, Valfrejus maybe doesn't have the scale for a whole week if you want to explore. Termingnon has probably the best accommodation cost and of course links into VC, but more village available at the latter.
In addition, Bonneval Sur Arc is well worth a day on the VC area pass (Eskimo) . My son, also 14, loves these areas. Costs are reasonable too.
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After Valloire, a lovely French town, I think you'd be disappointed with Le Corbier which I felt was a bit grim in the centre. Val Cenis is worth a look, but very quiet in the evenings. Valmorel is an attractive, compact village, but I've not skied there.
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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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davidof - Whats the lift system like getting out of St Francois as that's the side I would be staying? I have heard its not great around Le Corbier which is what is putting me off going there so im leaning towards St Francois or Valloire at the moment.
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| rolyyyyyyy wrote: |
| davidof - Whats the lift system like getting out of St Francois as that's the side I would be staying? I have heard its not great around Le Corbier which is what is putting me off going there so im leaning towards St Francois or Valloire at the moment. |
It is a while since I skied St Francois, lots of drags back in the day but nice pistes. They've put a lot of chairs in. It is not a huge area, you can pretty much ski everything in a couple of days. Les Sybelles is bigger, I think they claim 300km of runs. Le Corbier is interesting architecture. I don't remember any issues with lifts, unless half term when it is rammed all over France. There are two lifts out of the resort linking into other areas. It is probably twice the ski area of St Francois/Val Morel
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@rolyyyyyyy, we have been to all the Maurienne resorts, most of them several times now. You can get some ideas from my trip reports - start with my most recent and work back:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=115764
For a good variety of pistes, like @ski3, I'd go to Val Cenis. There's plenty there to keep you occupied for a week.
St Francoise / Valmorel is also good and has a big wide slope just above the town - ideal for beginners and less adventurous skiers. Most of the lifts are chairs, IIRC.
I don't really like Les Sybelles. Yes, it's a big area but the slopes are well spread out with some large flatlands in the middle which makes for slow moving about.
If you can afford a day out then I'd definitely recommend a trip to Karellis or Albiez which have become something of a favourite for us.
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I would not drive as far as the Maurienne for that week. How about Les Saisies or Morillon?
We found Val Cenis ok for a family holiday at Easter - good snow late season and not too expensive. There is an amazing view of the lake at the top and there is also a very good mountain restaurant - I think it was le restaurant du col which has a lovely off the beaten track feel. However the resort was really quiet at night even by my standards. It is also all north facing and I like places that have slopes with different orientations.
It is a long time since our trip to Valmorel/St Francois Longchamp- I think Valmorel is probably the better base.
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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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@altis, I hadn't seen your trip report before, sounds like you had quite an adventure even prior to leaving UK. Great pictures, we'll have to take a look at your alt suggestions as well, there's so much choice along that valley.
When I took my driving test there was a "long service" examiner known for giving obscure questions out to candidates. I was briefed by my instructor on what I may get and one was " if your car broke down and you ended up towing a rescue vehicle with yours " then " what would be wrong with your car " the answer being failed brakes. Don't know if that's still legal but was considered a legitimate action. And I got asked that question
More recently, a friend who runs a chalet in France had guests arrive in a Rwd merc, no suitable tyres, no chains. It snowed in the night and to get them back down to valley floor they chained it to the front of his properly equipped minibus to act as brakes. 
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I went to Valmorel in 2014 and skied over to St Francois a couple of days. Nice sunny cruisey runs on that side of the Col de la Madeleine served mostly by modern chairs. Some testing terrain off the Lauziere chair above the Col with sweeping views over the Belledonne range one way and to Mont Blanc the other. The older village sits lower at 1450m and the newer ski station sits at 1650m and has some the usual 1960s modernist architecture along with some newer traditional style buildings.
Valmorel side is quite varied too with testing terrain up on the Mottet. The village is a bit nicer as it's all been done in wood & stone traditional style, but it's busier & pricier compared to St Francois. The links over the Col make it easy to ski both sides in good weather.
I can't offer any comparison with other Maurienne areas, as I've not visited any of the others.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have skied Val C, Valloire and Le Corbier and would most recommend Valloire - Valmeinier of the three. Some decent runs, extensive enough for a week and reasonably priced. We always had good snow too. Having also self catered in Morillon 1100 , I would agree with the recommendation above as one to consider. Just as cheap, but a better ski area in my opinion, one that I keep trying to get my friends to. Especially at that time of year when you should easily travel around the whole area ( I went Feb half term and still enjoyed the skiing).
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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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We spent 2 months in Valloire this year and whilst I agree it is a nice town with uncrowded slopes and an exceptionally cheap early season pass it's not somewhere I will be returning to, the main reason being a very high proportion of cat tracks. As boardriders go I'm very comfortable on them but they must make up something like 40% of the pistes there and I found that very limiting. The other reason is that all but the lowest slope are very exposed to wind and we experienced 4 or 5 days of 80-90% closure, especially with southerlies, and that any fresh snow was quickly scoured off the pistes.
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