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Any recommendations for European Christmas skiing?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm looking for a Christmas/New Year break this time round, hopefully a chalet or possibly self-catering. However I've had the impression that snow in France & Austria around this time has been poor for the last few years... Anyone know which resorts have been more reliable than others, or got any other tips?

The group is not fixed yet but will include an ok intermediate and a couple of beginners, so a good selection of starter terrain would be best - I'd rather the beginners had a good intro to the experience than stretch myself this time!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
No, it's been OK really, the last couple of years the snow came late but was good for Xmas itself. The very best ski trips for Xmas we've done have been to hotels in Lech or Stueben in Austria. Christmas in an Austrian is superb, the most festive I've felt since being a kid really.

If we were going away this Christmass, I'd go to Lech, Stueben, Obergurgl, Stubai, Pitztal, Kaprun or Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis.


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 19-09-12 6:42; edited 1 time in total
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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?
AlexF, you could check out La Rosiere 1850, it's got a very good snow record, if you look on our website www.tracksvacations.com you find the Ski Club's snow records shown, you'll also be able to check out our chalet, Le Mouflon. We still have a few places left for Xmas week but New Year was booked out a while ago. La Rosiere is a super resort for a mixed group with a good mix of terrain in both France and Italy so it's very different from the mega stations nearby.
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or, rather
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
David Goldsmith, that pristine snow-clad moral high ground does suffer from meltdown occasionally. Perhaps it's climate change wink

La Ros is as good a place as any in France, given the requirements. And David@traxvax made his interests pretty clear.
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Miaow!

Fair point, and David Last is a very friendly man too.
As for Christmas skiing, snow is more of a gamble in the opening weeks of the season, and it's difficult to generalise. Sometimes the early snowstorms benefit Austria, sometimes France, sometimes Italy etc.
Some of the best Christmas skiing I've had has been in high Austrian resorts - as ise suggests - but I've also been caught in a snow drought in St Anton. That time we skipped over to St Moritz and there was loads.
As a broad bet, it's best to be in a place with the bulk of its skiing well over 2000m, and maybe a glacier for the fullest snow security. At a guess, the chance of good conditions is over 70% for Christmas in that situation.
Alex, you may find it useful to get hold of The Good Skiing Guide, or - even better -Where to Ski? These two books give lots of guidance as to snow reliability per resort.


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 5-07-05 7:46; edited 2 times in total
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
AlexF wrote:
I've had the impression that snow in France & Austria around this time has been poor for the last few years


I skied in France (mainly Courchevel, but Les Arcs for the last two years) during Christmas for the last 7 or 8 years and have always had enough snow to ski on. Sometimes conditions have been good, sometimes just about OK, but always enough to ski on. The atmosphere in the resorts was very enjoyable, and I always find it a thrill to be able to ski on Christmas day.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Alex, given the skiing requirements of your group - and the need for snow security on gentle slopes - Austrian resorts with reasonably extensive glacier skiing include - in Austria - Neustift (for the Stubai glacier), Hintertux or Lanersbach (for the Hintertux glacier), Kaprun (for the Kitzsteinhorn glacier).

In Switzerland, Saas Fee or Zermatt can be good at Christmas, because they have lots of glacier.

If you select Les Arcs or Courchevel - as Rob suggests - Arc 1800 or Courchevel 1650 or 1850 should offer you the easier terrain at close hand.

Lower altitude valley resorts - the opposite of what we're talking about above - are nice and sheltered from what can be bleak conditions. They often offer lovely nursery slopes, but the pain is that you're confronted with the greater snow drought risk.
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David Goldsmith wrote:
Some of the best Christmas skiing I've had has been in high Austrian resorts - as ise suggests - but I've also been caught in a snow drought in St Anton.


As much as anything I'm thinking of the ambience really, the hotels we've used have had carol singing round the tree, great atmosphere and some blowout meals for Christmass Eve. Probably some of the most enjoyable ski trips we've ever been on.
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AlexF, You could come here! (sorry, plug again). We have summer ski-ing on the glacier, so regardless of the real fresh snow you can ski here. We have a large number of cannons on the nursery slopes, so beginners can always start nicely, and as the glacier itself is pretty moderate, they could move on up there if the worst came to the worst. Normally, however we do have skiable snow and most or all of the runs open at Christmas.

I definitely recommend Christmas - much cheaper, but a nice hotel would be good for that festive dins. We also have Father Christmas with a pony and trap, large Xmas tree, pretty lights and fireworks with free vin chaud afterwards. snowHead too
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Hi,

A very tardy thank-you to everybody for responding - I've had a nightmare month work-wise and haven't had a chance even to think about holidays! Anyway some great information here, just wish I could go to all these places at once!

The characterful Christmas celebrations are particularly appealing - if you're going to be away at that time of year you may as well make the most of it. Decisions, decisions... never skied in Austria, and places like Obergurgl seem to have fantastic snow records... but then I love France and have had Les Deux Alpes recommended separately... sigh...

Still, thanks again...

A
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