 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking at taking a month off next winter and staying somewhere in my campervan I'm an intermediate snowboarder comfortable on blue runs now but I'd like to push it a bit. I'm interested in knowing where people would think offers the best value - I don't want to travel more than say 1200 miles on way (from Lancashire) so I'm thinking Alps/Pyrenees or possibly even Poland at a push.
Advice and thoughts very welcome.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tignes Les Breviers. I believe that you can park for free in a big car park there and lots of people do (I haven’t). Apparently there is even somewhere that you can empty your toilet but this information may be out of date
Pros:
Tignes/Val d’Isere is as good a ski area as you will lay your hands on for a month
It’s free
Other people will probably be doing the same so it shouldn’t be too hard to make friends. Loads of British people will be around doing seasons of various descrptions
Cons:
A season pass for the Espace Killy is expensive (but cheaper for that length of time than buying weekly passes)
The local supermarket, Sherpa, is expensive (stuff your campervan with non perishables to save on costs out there)
It looks a bit grim, a patch of concrete that will be in the shade for much of the time, perhaps go in March and it will be more pleasant
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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 try heading to somewhere like Ski Amade. Great selection of places to ski (especially if you've got transport) and proper towns so you not get rinsed by the supermarket prices.
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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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If I was mobile, I'd just drive around to where the best snow is at the time - may as well capitalize on your advantages.
I'd avoid all the big places, because they are for people who are stuck in one place for one or two weeks, which you are not.
Go somewhere, and then when you're bored with it, just drive somewhere else.
Although I'd like to visit Poland, I'm not sure it has enough resorts to make that work.
I would not worry about skill level, unless you don't want to progress.
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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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Bourg St. Maurice
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Les Menuires.
Cheap.
Giant ski area.
Live in the snow.
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Sounds like you are on a bit of a budget but some more info would be helpful.
Which month?
Snowboarding 9-5 every day?
How winterised is your van, ie;
Toilet?
Gas: 6kg, 13kg, or refillable?
Freshwater tank onboard or underslung?
Personally, I like to park high and as close to a chair/draglift as possible, I especially like cols. I dislike being down in a main valley (where most campsites are) and having to use a gondola. For this reason Austria is out, Switzerland is better, Italy good and France is best, easy and cheap. Have a look on campercontact for "aires" in France https://www.campercontact.com/en/france?countrycode=FR&sortby=NameAscending&map&maparea=-6.49196109375,40.30627372706499,11.393781093749999,52.289612623583395
If you are solo and focused on improving you will probably do what I do, find the most suitable piste and lap it several times before moving to the next; a cheap 40km resort is adequate for this.
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| Quote: |
If I was mobile, I'd just drive around to where the best snow is at the time - may as well capitalize on your advantages.
I'd avoid all the big places, because they are for people who are stuck in one place for one or two weeks, which you are not.
Go somewhere, and then when you're bored with it, just drive somewhere else.
Although I'd like to visit Poland, I'm not sure it has enough resorts to make that work.
I would not worry about skill level, unless you don't want to progress.
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ditto, I would get one of the Austrian or Swiss multi resort passes and then go to a resort depending on the snow conditions
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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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| BoardieK wrote: |
Sounds like you are on a bit of a budget but some more info would be helpful.
Which month?
Snowboarding 9-5 every day?
How winterised is your van, ie;
Toilet?
Gas: 6kg, 13kg, or refillable?
Freshwater tank onboard or underslung?
Personally, I like to park high and as close to a chair/draglift as possible, I especially like cols. I dislike being down in a main valley (where most campsites are) and having to use a gondola. For this reason Austria is out, Switzerland is better, Italy good and France is best, easy and cheap. Have a look on campercontact for "aires" in France https://www.campercontact.com/en/france?countrycode=FR&sortby=NameAscending&map&maparea=-6.49196109375,40.30627372706499,11.393781093749999,52.289612623583395
If you are solo and focused on improving you will probably do what I do, find the most suitable piste and lap it several times before moving to the next; a cheap 40km resort is adequate for this. |
My van is very winterised so no problems there. Which month? - no preference. Yes, snowboard all day long.
Thanks for your reply.
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OK. For 2019 I've bought MagicPass season tickets again in Switzerland, currently about £350 I think. Read this for camper facilities: https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=3205535&highlight=magic+pass#3205535
In France three big ski areas have good motorhome facilities (inc hookup) next to the piste; La Plagne, Montgenevre and Les Menuires, (the aire at Alpe de Huez is closing), also some smaller areas with hookup eg, Valloire, Vars, Le Praz de Lys. Only problem with La Plagne is I don't think you can buy gas bottles anywhere in resort. There are loads of places with serviced aires next to the slopes but no hookup; eg Les Saisies and Les Gets. Then are all the places that parking is permitted but without service facilities eg Les Houches, Avoriaz, Monetier, Le Chinaillon (Le Grand Bornand), Pralognan Le Vanoise.
Campsites you can lookup yourself, we occassionaly stop in one for a night or two to do the laundry and get sorted.
I carry 2 local gas bottles plus I have a refillable tank, that saves me having to take a drive just to fill up more than every fortnight or so if I'm somewhere isolated. Most French villages have a Sherpa store selling a variety of bottles, mine are gold and light green. In Switzerland just the one brand (Vitogaz), widely available.
I only asked about the month because of French half term, best avoided.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rambotion wrote: |
Cons:
A season pass for the Espace Killy is expensive (but cheaper for that length of time than buying weekly passes)
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Buy your season pass on the Val d'Isere website in October and save 30%. It works across the EK, no matter where you bought it.
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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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There's not too much point in recommending Tignes Les Brevieres as I've seen it reported that police have been moving vans on over the last season or two. Also the only water supply is from the trough 300m away, there is nowhere to dump grey water and the manhole cover previously mentioned is very difficult to find and it's use dubious. Also I'm not sure if there is any gas for sale and there aren't any toilets open outside lift hours. There is a fee paying servicepoint outside the campsite in Bourg if you want to be driving down and up but, really, there are MUCH better places to spend a month in a campervan.
Okay, if you are touring around and buying passes on a daily basis then visit for several days but I'd never go back there and we can easily go 5/6 days without emptying the tanks.
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Get the Magic Pass and go in March to avoid crowds and still get good snow/sun. The Valais has a cracking selection of resorts and you’ll avoid the expensive side of CH using your van and self-catering.
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You know it makes sense.
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@BobinCH, Spot on. No better boarding in the world than the woods at Nax.....
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