 Poster: A snowHead
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I saw that this has previously been asked but it was 15 years ago so thought I would request an update! (https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=70572)
Essentially what is the best resort in the world to do a season in? I did meribel last year but am looking for something new and was considering Val d'isere for next season. Does anyone have any experience, or have children/know people who have done seasons, and can comment on what the absolute best location is in the world to do one?
Thank you very much!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Thew2002, it'll depend on what your criteria is no?
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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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An answer a) only revealed in hindsight and b) so highly dependent on personal preferences almost meaningless to punt.
If you have unlimited budget try Blue River BC.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Making a decision on ‘usual’ weather and snowfall and snow conditions? You may not get ‘usual’ so other factors that are more predictable will have to come into play.
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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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Criteria would be good piste skiing with an element of off piste (a large resort is always good to not get bored over 5 months). Lots of good nightlife is always hugely appreciated, and also somewhere with a 'seasonnairre culture'.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Decent central base with an interconnected lift pass and good transport, or a car .... Got to be Austria! Or Italy..... DOH!
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@Thew2002,
Those resorts in large ski areas with masses of off-piste, and that have long seasons. Preferably with other ski areas close by for a bit of variety.
Basically the upper three villages of Tignes. 
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@Thew2002, I've looked throught the previous post, and I wouldn't disagree with any of it, AS A 50 YEAR OLD.
1. Are you working in resort?
a. no "I'm rich"
b. yes, plongeur "I've got no qualifications"
c. yes, pro/instructor "I've got qualifications on the slope"
d. yes, pro bar/dj "I've got qualifications off the slope"
2. I'm here for the skiing only.
I LOVED 2 seasons in Ellmau 30 years ago, teaching people to snowplough.
Did you like Meribel for a season?
Last edited by After all it is free  on Tue 9-07-24 0:37; edited 4 times in total
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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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I am not working in resort, mainly just being a ski bum so that concern doesn't exist (finding reasonably priced accomodation is still a major ballache though).
Meribel was brilliant, just come the end of the season I was a bit sick of the same bars. I also was getting tired of walking up and down the hills
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You'll be sick of every bar everywhere, every season. Being tired of walking up hills makes me think you should take up darts or pool.
Anyway, you should look for major resorts with the largest number of bars.
My vote: St Anton
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Enough bars to not get sick, no walking uphill to the lift, and reasonable priced accommodation in a large resort with off piste?
Hahaha!
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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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Val D’Isere has quite a flat town centre. The free buses are good too and elevate you a good 50m from the valley floor.
It also ticks your other boxes. Accommodation, nor anything else, is cheap. That’s because it’s a world class ski area.
You could maybe slum it by staying in a La Daille shoebox? Slightly downhill brisk 2k walk to there from Val D nightlife hotspurs at 4am. Don’t tumble in the water!
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Don't think @Kenzie is too far wrong with Tignes. Of course reasonably priced accommodation would be tricky.
Zillertal staying in Mayrhofen would probably also tick your boxes, albeit, very different to the French Tarantaise resorts.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Yeh I'd have been happy with la daille but struggling to find accomodation there cheaper than Val d'isere, so may as well just stay in Val. Sadly getting a visa for Austria/Switzerland seems a ballache for Brits so it's likely I'll have to stick to France, but this was an academic question for people to list anywhere.
Val d'isere does also seem a town in a much flatter area with the majority of people in close vicinity, so I imagine the vibes are better than meribel (at a complete guess).
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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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| Quote: |
| Sadly getting a visa for Austria/Switzerland seems a ballache for Brits so it's likely I'll have to stick to France |
So is it no bother at all for France @Thew2002? What does it involve? Just form filling? Or complicated visits to embassies or whatever?
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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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December in Zermatt.
January and February in Hokkaido.
March and April in Tignes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Sadly getting a visa for Austria/Switzerland seems a ballache for Brits so it's likely I'll have to stick to France |
So is it no bother at all for France @Thew2002? What does it involve? Just form filling? Or complicated visits to embassies or whatever? |
It's fairly easy, have to apply and visit the embassy in London, show proof of accomodation and sufficient savings. Passport gets sent away and returned in like a week, then you have a 6 month visa, plus the extra 90 days in 180 Schengen one
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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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| joffy69 wrote: |
@Thew2002, I've looked throught the previous post, and I wouldn't disagree with any of it, AS A 50 YEAR OLD.
1. Are you working in resort?
a. no "I'm rich"
b. yes, plongeur "I've got no qualifications"
c. yes, pro/instructor "I've got qualifications on the slope"
d. yes, pro bar/dj "I've got qualifications off the slope"
2. I'm here for the skiing only.
I LOVED 2 seasons in Ellmau 30 years ago, teaching people to snowplough.
Did you like Meribel for a season? |
Plongeur/nightwatchman for 53 quid a week with ski world 25 years ago. Nightwatchman was the best as clock off an hour before lifts opening. The bar man and I got first lift every day. Loved it. ZERO responsibility.
I'd do St Anton if I had a choice about where I was going.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another vote for Blue River. Although I don't like being in one place all season mesen.
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@afterski,
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Plongeur/nightwatchman
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Was an old oil drum as a brazier included? 
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I'd have thought Whistler would be pretty good.
Why hasn't anyone said Chamonix?
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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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@Thew2002,
Accommodation in Tignes:-
chaletchardons.com long stay
tignes.co.uk
Tignes Seasonnires 2024 group page on Facebook
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@PeakyB, that is what the house wine came in before we decanted it into a carafe.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cheers re the visa info. @Thew2002.
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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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| jedster wrote: |
I'd have thought Whistler would be pretty good.
Why hasn't anyone said Chamonix? |
KK junior loved Whistler, but accommodation is an issue, unless you have loads of $. IIRC shared rooms were around Can$2,000 per month and those out at Green Lake area
KK jnr was lucky in that he found a job that provided subsidised staff rooms. Loads of jobs though.
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I learnt to ski in whistler a few years ago and thought it'd be good for a season, but sadly met someone in meribel last year who'd done a whistler season and she hated it. She said it just doesn't compared to seasons in Europe which put me off (oddly Canada is far easier visa-wise to go for 6 months!).
The advantage of staying a whole season in one place is you get the season ski pass and also you can make longer term friends.
For chaletchardons.com I am not seeing a season accomodation page? Also whenever I see these online you tend to message and realise the price has jumped up 50% as they don't regularly update it.
I'd probs rather Val d'isere over tignes based on past trips there. It appeared to have better nightlife.
Also in meribel I lived at the top by the Ronnie so it was a 30 mins 300m accent at the end of a night out in the freezing cold, I feel other resorts may not have this which would lead to a better vibe (however you're welcome to just think I'm lazy and should play darts instead), I'm more into chairlift/gondola skiing than climbing so I completely get that POV.
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You know it makes sense.
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I do 95% piste skiing so I feel Chamonix would be outside my comfort zone, it's definitely a good suggestion though
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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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| Thew2002 wrote: |
| I learnt to ski in whistler a few years ago and thought it'd be good for a season, but sadly met someone in meribel last year who'd done a whistler season and she hated it. She said it just doesn't compared to seasons in Europe which put me off (oddly Canada is far easier visa-wise to go for 6 months!).... |
Can't argue with that, then, eh? <laughs>
Actually there are pages of folk arguing. It doesn't matter. But there are obviously many other folk who find Whistler entirely acceptable.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yeh I found it hard to believe and thought she maybe went through a break up or something to be so anti it, but she spent 12 months there and just hated it. She said it was hard to make friends, people did too many drugs and the people were up themselves (she is an attractive early 20s person who does small amounts of drugs, so about as objective an opinion I could find!)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Thew2002 wrote: |
| Yeh I found it hard to believe and thought she maybe went through a break up or something to be so anti it, but she spent 12 months there and just hated it. She said it was hard to make friends, people did too many drugs and the people were up themselves (she is an attractive early 20s person who does small amounts of drugs, so about as objective an opinion I could find!) |
Drugs are a problem in Whistler, but then they are everywhere if you believe everything you hear.
My son had a great time there 22/23 and he rated it better than Banff where he spent the previous season. He spent last January and March in the 3Vs and as with everything somethings are better in Whistler and some in the 3Vs.
Everyone will have a different opinion and experience. Just don't take one persons view, as we're all skewed, especially as anonymous poster on a forum 
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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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I’d be looking at somewhere in British Columbia. I did my season in Fernie and it was great but would have happily also spent it in Red/Rossland or even Canmore (yes I know, not BC) with a car to get to Sunshine. Proper towns with locals and bars to match but also quite a few people out for the season. But they all need local transport to get to and from the lifts.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I feel like you'd lose a lot of the energy not actually living next to the mountain right? How long does local transport take to get from the town to actually being on the slopes?
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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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If you’re in somewhere like downtown Fernie, then about 10 minutes from getting in the car to being in the lift line. I honestly didn’t find it a problem as I didn’t treat a season boarding like I would on a week holiday. I’d still be getting up for first lift or within 30 minutes of opening. And midweek it’s quiet so not the same as competing for lifts. It also means you can do day or weekend trips to other resorts for variety. Places like Kimberley, Castle all within a day trip distance.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cool, that's interesting. I think I'd miss the whole euro drinking up the mountain and not having to worry about driving, but still a fun idea
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@Thew2002,
Chalet Hattiers long stay with Chalet Chardons, in Brevieres.
Tignes had excellent night life for seasonnaires, but you can spend the odd evening in VdI for variety.
On advantage of Tignes over VdI is the 24hr free bus service between the three upper villages - Lavachet, Lac & Val Claret
IIR the free buses in VdI end at midnight.
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Verbier. Stay in Le Châble if you are there for the season as it’s cheaper and you will meet all the other seasonaires. Free passes included to Chamonix, Vallée d’Aoste, PdS and pays du St. Bernard if you want some variety. 995chf for annual pass on the « parrain » deal if you’ve not had one before. Also covers the Summer, which is also ace, if you’re into hiking, biking, via ferata etc
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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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| Thew2002 wrote: |
| I do 95% piste skiing so I feel Chamonix would be outside my comfort zone, it's definitely a good suggestion though |
I can't imagine being in a ski area for a whole season skiing on piste most of the time. I'm betting after the first month you spend 50% of the time off piste at least.
I'd go to Tignes.
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| sbooker wrote: |
| Thew2002 wrote: |
| I do 95% piste skiing so I feel Chamonix would be outside my comfort zone, it's definitely a good suggestion though |
I can't imagine being in a ski area for a whole season skiing on piste most of the time. I'm betting after the first month you spend 50% of the time off piste at least.
I'd go to Tignes. |
The OP already spent a season at Meribel and skiing 95% on piste. So clearly he’s not bored. But perhaps he was still an improving novices? He didn’t say… (nothing wrong with that, we all have been novices once)
Whistler will be absolutely boring to anyone who’s only skiing on-piste. For that matter, any North American destination will be too.
So, forget about the skiing. His criteria for “best ski resort” is the variety of bars, and not having to walk uphill afterward. 
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