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Paradiski mid March - tour op/chalet recommendations?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hello Snowheads,
My partner and I have a week reserved off work from 9/10 March. We've been mostly to Austria in recent years however this time fancy trying France/Paradiski.

We're after a good quality chalet, not top of the range luxury as I reckon that'd be too pricey for us, but also not too basic as not necessarily after lowest price.

In order to make the most of the whole area it looks like staying at either end of the Vanoise Express is a good idea but we're not fixed on any particular place. Can anyone recommend whereabouts to stay?

Also what about a tour operator that offers packages with flights from Leeds Bradford or Manchester and decent chalets?
Alternatively we're happy to book flights, transfers and chalet separately if anyone can recommend a great chalet.

Thanks in advance
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
If you're looking to make the most of Les Arcs and La Plagne then staying in Peisey/Vallandry is going to be your best bet, as that's right by the Vanoise Express. The next closest Les Arcs centre, Arc 1800, has very few chalets (in fact hardly any); the chalets in Les Arcs are mostly to be found in Peisey/Vallandry and up in Arc 2000. I haven't seen too many chalets in Arc 2000 apart from the Crystal ones, and I wasn't very impressed with them at all. I also once stayed in the Chalet Altitude in 2000 (with Neilson) and it was perhaps the smallest chalet bedroom I'd ever stayed in.

In Peisey Vallandry, have a look at Ski Beat. There's a disastrous thread from a couple of years ago on here that I'm sure you'll be able to find, but its offset by some positive ones too. They also fly from Manchester. I'll declare that I worked for them last year, I don't any more but I'd certainly travel with them in future and the chalets that I saw in Les Arcs were generally of a good standard.
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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?
Great advice from Dav there - I can't really think of anything to add. We skied Paradiski last year, staying in Plagne 1800, and whilst we did do a day in Les Arcs, it was a bit of a trek. Another time I'd probably stay in Peisey/Vallandry.
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Hi Dav, I've had a look at Ski Beat's website and the prices seem reasonable. However they are quoting transfer time from Grenoble to both La Plagne and Les Arcs as 3 hrs 45mins! Is that really right? I thought it was about 2hrs 30mins? Perhaps it's that long due to combining passengers from more than 1 flight and multiple drop offs. If that's the case then maybe we'd be better off arranging it independently and getting a hire car from Chambery which I think is the closest.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
We stayed with snowchateaux in peisey who were a good price, oddly I can't remember a thing about the place, although we did have a good time, so guessing was all ok! However you do have to bucket up and down which can make mornings feel a bit of a hike. In la plagne I'd suggest belle plagne for making the most of the area - easy to get to everywhere from as is high and yet you can ski from door straight onto nice cruisy runs.
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Quote:

My partner and I have a week reserved off work from 9/10 March.

could you do the following week? That week (ending 16 March) is Paris holidays in France. If you are stuck with that week, might be best to go to Austria again. The following week would be much quieter in France. The Paris crowds are generally reckoned to be the worst.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Jo66 wrote:
Hi Dav, I've had a look at Ski Beat's website and the prices seem reasonable. However they are quoting transfer time from Grenoble to both La Plagne and Les Arcs as 3 hrs 45mins! Is that really right? I thought it was about 2hrs 30mins? Perhaps it's that long due to combining passengers from more than 1 flight and multiple drop offs. If that's the case then maybe we'd be better off arranging it independently and getting a hire car from Chambery which I think is the closest.
The 3 hrs 45 mins would allow for a comfort/snack break. In any case is it really worth hiring a car for a slightly quicker transfer? - you'll also probably have to pay to park it for the week.

Have a look at Ski Olympic's Chalethotel La Foret - right on the piste of the same name. One lift to the VE, two or three to the 1950/2000 bowl.
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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!
Jo66 wrote:
Hi Dav, I've had a look at Ski Beat's website and the prices seem reasonable. However they are quoting transfer time from Grenoble to both La Plagne and Les Arcs as 3 hrs 45mins! Is that really right? I thought it was about 2hrs 30mins? Perhaps it's that long due to combining passengers from more than 1 flight and multiple drop offs. If that's the case then maybe we'd be better off arranging it independently and getting a hire car from Chambery which I think is the closest.


Hi Jo. The 3 hr 45m is very much an outer limit estimate, only once or twice last year in horrendous traffic did it take that long. And as also said, sometimes the coaches will have a comfort break somewhere around halfway (French coach firms are notorious for keeping their coach toilets locked). Even with that in mind you should be getting there well inside the estimated time. As for multilpe flights; typicaly for the Manchester flight there is only one flight arrival, so you wouldn't be waiting around for other flights to arrive. Also, each coach is (or was last year) predominantly scheduled for one resort, so the need for multiple drop offs is very much reduced.

Its up to you if you choose to get a car; but I'd say that saving time compared to the coach transfer isn't a great reason to do it. That said, there are other reasons why it could be good to have a car. First off, if you decide to not go the chalet route and instead do self-catering, you can stop at the supermarket down the valley rather than the much more expensive in-resort shops. Also, if you buy a Discovery or Paradiski lift pass, this also entitles you to one free day skiing in Espace Killy (Val d'Isere and Tignes) and one free day in the 3 Valleys. If you had a car you could make the drive (about an hour or so to either resort from Peisey) and really max out your skiing experience. That said, it'll be more costly to get a car, and you'll have the hassle of parking it somewhere, so its swings and roundabouts.
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On a busy school holiday Saturday it could well take longer than 4 hours, especially if there is (as you will hope) fresh snow around.
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Staying in Les Coches is another option – a short distance to the Vanoise express and can easily get to the centre of la Plagne.

There are a row of ski-in ski out chalets on the red run next to the Plan Bois lift - Snowchateaux has one of them. Ice and Fire are also based in Les Coches
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Quote:

Have a look at Ski Olympic's Chalethotel La Foret - right on the piste of the same name. One lift to the VE, two or three to the 1950/2000 bowl.


We stayed there in 2010 and it is incredibly convenient to ski in & out. The food was good, the accommodation was fine and they offered better value for money than a bigger tour operator from what I remember. Transfers were Sunday which is less traffic but means you can't use the direct Eurostar to Bourg St Maurice.
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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.
Sanityclawz, I stayed with Ice and Fire in Les Coches a few weeks ago and had a great time, sadly their booked up for those dates.

The Vanoise express is only a chair lift and short ski away, you can be in Les Arc for 9:30 if you judge it right.
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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
Thanks for all the advice Snowheads Smile
I think we'll see if we can switch our hols to the following week. Then have another think - France vs Austria or indeed somewhere else. And chalet vs self catering - although self catering for 2 never seems to work out all that good value as often accommodation sleeps larger no.s and you end up paying under occupancy or the price pp would be great for 4 but double for 2.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Jo66, if there are only 2 of you, and you would prefer to self-cater (and maybe explore all the local restaurants) the best thing to do is to rent a small studio or apartment direct from an owner. You just pay for the apartment, no "under occupancy" nonsense. Get separate flights, hire a car. But I do think that for 2 people a catered chalet is a very nice way to have a holiday, and there are some very good independent chalets, often better than the Tour Operator ones.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
pam w, yes I like to idea of a good catered chalet - comfortable, good food without having to cook and walk/drive around looking for restaurants and hopefully good company. I think independent might be the way to go - that way we can drive ourselves which is hopefully quicker than a coach transfer and as Dav, says take advantage of a day in Espace Killy and 3 Valleys.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi Jo66, Moutainsun's 'Pierra Menta' chalet in Les Coches might be worth a look...

A good mix of price and comfort and a great location.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

the squareish pimple, on the horizon just to the right of the centre is the Pierra Menta - seen from the terrace of my apartment. wink


Geographical information irrelevant to the thread......
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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?
pam w, nice shot!

Looks like you're OK for snow out there...
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red 27, that was a couple of years ago. At Christmas my brother in law cleared the path, built some pillars and made a small snowy replica of the Pierra Menta.... the real Pierra Menta is between the pillar and his replica (my BIL is a bit of a fanatic for snow clearing).
Right now there's too much snow to see the Pierra Menta, though the snow is not as high as it was this time last year.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Jo66 wrote:
pam w, yes I like to idea of a good catered chalet - comfortable, good food without having to cook and walk/drive around looking for restaurants and hopefully good company. I think independent might be the way to go - that way we can drive ourselves which is hopefully quicker than a coach transfer and as Dav, says take advantage of a day in Espace Killy and 3 Valleys.


To be honest, there's plenty of skiing in Paradiski without spending time trekking over to sample Espace Killy or the 3 Valleys.

In terms of the transfer, we travelled with SkiBeat this year and were impressed with how efficient the transfers were. There wasn't any hanging around waiting for other flights, and a comfort break en route was much appreciated by many. Travelling down from Tignes in December this year I was very glad I wasn't self driving, as the conditions were dreadful. The other thing worth thinking about is that TOs are often prepared to leave a far tighter window than you for getting to the airport, as they can (as happened to me last year) hold the flight if required.
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Quote:

To be honest, there's plenty of skiing in Paradiski without spending time trekking over to sample Espace Killy or the 3 Valleys.


I was thinking that too. In a week, why bother to waste time on the road?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
pam w, Give a man a spade and he's happy for hours. We're simple souls that way. This is why off-piste is so popular with men, spades and electronics gadgets and special rucksacks
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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!
pam w wrote:
Quote:

To be honest, there's plenty of skiing in Paradiski without spending time trekking over to sample Espace Killy or the 3 Valleys.


I was thinking that too. In a week, why bother to waste time on the road?


In previous seasons working for a TO we used to run "ski away days"; one day of the week from Les Arcs to Tignes. Left at 8am, got to Tignes for first lifts, left at 5 and back in resort time for apres drinks. It was always brilliantly received, and didn't impinge on ski time at all. Its also a great way for people to scout a new ski area, potentially in advance of a future ski holiday there. And for those who can only spend one week a year skiing, it provides some brilliant variety.

I think its a great thing to be able to do, personally. But then I've doen seasons in Tignes, Les Arcs and 3V so I'm perhaps a bit biassed....
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Dav wrote:
... Left at 8am,...


There's the problem right there!
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^ what he said Smile
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Jo66, may well have changed now, but last time we used Ski Beat the transfer was on N roads and not motorway, no tolls to pay but adds to time. I stress this was a few years back so if changed not relevant.

Les Arcs or La Plagne are both HUGE area in their own right. Unless you want to cover huge mileages and never ski the same run twice I'm not convinced the combined pass is worth it. Possibly get the Discovery one which allows one day.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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hey all, first post as its something i know about Smile I have been staying with Hucksters at Mont Blanc for the past 3 years in Vallandry. The area is so vast that we still have not completed all the runs without going over to La Planga. I'm off on Friday evening for another week and can't wait
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 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
Thanks for all the advice. We've booked a chalet near La Plagne Montalbert. We'll hire a car from Chambery and then we have the flexibility to drive to other resorts if we want to. We'll see how it goes - you may all be right about the area being large enough in it's own right to keep us busy all week.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ooh Chambery. Have you seen the threads about Chambery and baggage?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
sugarmoma666, No not seen anything. Anything I should be worried about??
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Welcome to active snowhead status hethbum Smile
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