 Poster: A snowHead
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I quite like L2A - although it can be a clusterfock when winds shut higher mountain lifts. I'd have said La Plagne first of major resorts but then I was probably scarred by excessive visits there when younger and might find more stuff to enjoy now. Boring motorways are my defining memory.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Meribizia for me, worst part of the three valleys, people and runs.
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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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| zammo wrote: |
As sung by yours truly at a Fernie Ghostriders hockey game, versus their arch rivals from up the valley:
"Kimberley's a girl's name, Kimberley's a girl's name, la la la la, la la la la" |
Times are hard - they used to play in a transcontinental league against teams from Billings, Great Falls & somewhere seriously a long way off like Texas and Alaska. International punch-up every night guaranteed.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 8-11-12 10:21; edited 1 time in total
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I must be easily pleased I haven't been anywhere that I wouldn't go back to. But then I've been to L2A about 10 times and would even return to Foppolo (small as it is) for a couple of days.
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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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| Colin B wrote: |
| I must be easily pleased I haven't been anywhere that I wouldn't go back to. But then I've been to L2A about 10 times and would even return to Foppolo (small as it is) for a couple of days. |
Another easily pleased soul here....L2A for our 3rd Christmas this year.
Wouldn't go back to Vitosha (Bulgaria) tiny, badly maintained and barely signposted. Probably wouldn't go back to Arinsal - was fun for our beginner children but doesn't really appeal for a return trip now they are experienced skiers.
Really like Valloire but then as I said earlier, I'm easily pleased.
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If the opportunity arose, I'd happily go back to any of the places I've skied, either to ski or in summer. Most of those I wouldn't choose are because I'd probably go to a neighbouring village (possibly even on the same pass) to explore further afield (eg St.Anton instead of Lech, Zell am Ziller instead of Mayrhofen, etc.).
Many of those mentioned by other people are places I'd quite like to visit, but would probably end up there in summer rather than winter (Borovets, Bansko, Chamonix, etc.)
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I quite like L2A, as well. The home runs can get unpleasant, but a bit of thought - say choosing Y instead if Valentin - can get you home enjoyably. There are some quite challenging and fun pistes - Le Grand Couloir is always a wake up moment when you turn off onto it. La Grave is available as a challenge when the transfers are open. And of course it has Easiski, one of the best instructors around. Blackpool? If you mean not chocolate box but friendly, and with reasonabke prices by mountain satndards, I suppose so. it's not a posers resort. I really can't think of any resort I'd. To go bac to, but if I were forced to make a choice it would be Verbier. Great skiing there. But if you want an overcrowded home run it's your place, and it seemed a brash but not that friendly place. Quite expensive, too.
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I've not been anywhere I wouldn't go back to. These days I ski mostly in the same area, because of having an apartment (and am not bored with it yet....) but if/when I decide to sell it, I'd probably mostly try new places, rather than re-visit, given that time and funds are limited.
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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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Was not impressed by one of the Gstaad pieces a few years ago which I visited for a day between other resorts - low down, poor lifts and generally boring. Courmayeur - well - don't even mention - hardly any skiing there - all the pistes on the piste map seem to be one motorway, oh and La Rosiere has picked up a few mentions above - would be nice if they invested in a few more chairs, last time I was there quite a few years ago far too many long drags and the long and flat drag across to La Thuile has also been mentioend on other pages. Obviously as some have mentioned Meribel's hellish icy motorways that lead to it. Can't say I am overnamoured with Kaprun Kitzsteinhorn glacier but haven't done other glaciers - lots of very long drags in at least one case preceeded by a serious narrowing of piste and huge traffic jams/speeding idiots knocking you over etc.
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Good call on Courmayeur. So rubbish, that I'd completely forgotten I'd been there whilst writing my own answer to the thread!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Piccadilly, when were you last in Serre Chevalier? Lift system has been heavily upgraded in the last 6 years. Most of the slow lifts have been replaced now.
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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 De Nuria in Spain, I sitll have nightmares of teaching there 
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You know it makes sense.
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L2A is the marmite of all ski resorts - as the OP suggested nothing like a thread of this nature to get the blood flowing.
My own bete noir? Methyr Tydfil dry ski slope (RIP). Even as you were skiing down it you could see scrap merchants at the bottom half inching pieces of the track for resale! In the alps probably madeismo only because I found and lost my first love there. I think that with these love hate things generally snow conditions busyness and the craic of the trip determine must-re-dos and must-avoids
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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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L2A at new year is the only thing I'd actually turn down if offered as a freebie
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Poster: A snowHead
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Claviere
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I love this thread, surprised it hasn't generated more fighting yet.
While I prefer certain resorts (including some of the ones listed here as "never return" - St Anton for instance), I don't think there's anywhere I wouldn't go back to, at least for a weekend if not a week. Certainly would go back pretty much anywhere if it was a freebie.
I guess the benefit of skiing offpiste is that if you find good snow with a few pockets of decent terrain you're happy almost anywhere.
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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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Have never been to L2A but anywhere connect (sort of anyway) with La Grave can't be sniffed at surely?
Personally I wouldn't do Meribel again, though elsewhere in 3V I would.
Les Arcs not for me. Too much greatness around it to bother with.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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I would never say never, but the 3 valleys just doesn't click with me. I find it awkwardly laid out, and rather disjointed - you seem to spend ages just travelling trying to get to places. It full of choke-points which couldn't be avoided and got seriously busy, and it was the first time i encountered people actively hostile to snowboarders. Possibly because it was my first proper Euro mountain resort after riding in the US and CAN for years, but the place just left me a bit cold, if you'll excuse the pun.
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Richard_Sideways, France is pretty hostile to boarders generally I think.
That 'using pistes to get to the next lift' phenomenon (as oppose to the other way round, which is as it should be!) is a sensation I strongly associate with Morzine and it's surrounds. I'd still go back though (and love the 3Vs, warts and all).
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Worst experience I ever had was in Mayrhofen, can't say it was a bad holiday, but its not a good resort for people in the beginner-low intermediate category. The piste map showed a blue run, which turned out to be nothing but a very narrow dirt track, which ended by linking to a very steep red, this was not clearly shown and if you ask me, its just dangerous... alas also the snow conditions were quite poor, probably due to the resort height. I know somebody will disagree, but this is subjective to personal experience 
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Spyderman, can you elaborate? I went to La Ros on my first ever ski trip, I enjoyed the skiing because I'd never been on a mountain before, but I found the town eerily quiet and couldn't help feeling I wasn't getting the full experience.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've really enjoyed every skiing holiday I have ever been on. The only resort town that I really didn't like was Soll, but I did enjoy the holiday. I even quite liked Pas de la Casa, although that was a long time ago. Presumably it is worse now from what I read here.
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Tremblant.
Very very cold. Far too far to travel to a resort that is made of plastic and has "slopeside" apartments that are only slopeside if you care to ski across a road.. twice. Also claims to have many more trails than it actually does by changing the name of the trail three times in the course of a descent.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I do think this thread is very clearly demonstrating the rather unrealistic beliefs some folks have about ski resorts and snow.
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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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Oh and for me I probably wouldn't rush back to La Plagne, mainly cos I did a season there so I want to try other places. I'm going to Les Arcs in Feb so will make the effort to get across to La Plagne for a bit of nostalgia one day though.
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You know it makes sense.
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under a new name, Cervinia does have a reputation for being windy and exposed and that was my experience. In my youth I skied Formigal and Panticosa in Spain - never again, although they must have improved since the 1970s. Conditions make such a big difference and can colour judgements - I don't like having to catch buses and like a reasonably big area, but give me good conditions and I'm happy.
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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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I wouldn't make a big effort to ski Primrose Hill in norf London again but never say never if snow conditions look good
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Poster: A snowHead
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welshskier, that's cos you're skiing often on a glacier...  kind of what you'd expect, non?
I wouldn't imagine your experience of skiing anywhere in the 70s could reasonably inform a decision today!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm reluctant to say I'll never go back to anywhere - but I have said I'm not going back to Nendaz - until they sort out the link to Siviez.
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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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1 Val d'isere: overrated, crowded
2 Sestriere: Okey mountains but crowded and the town is very ugly
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| skir67 wrote: |
| ..... The only place in France where a french person asked me to speak english..... . |
Was your French really that poor? 
Only two resorts have ever truly disappointed me (based on expectations):
1) Sestriere: Not enough runs back to town. Very poor apres-ski.
2) Kitzbuhel: Too many flat bits after exiting lifts. Poor apres-ski
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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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| Freddie Paellahead wrote: |
Tremblant.
Very very cold. Far too far to travel to a resort that is made of plastic and has "slopeside" apartments that are only slopeside if you care to ski across a road.. twice. Also claims to have many more trails than it actually does by changing the name of the trail three times in the course of a descent. |
Totally agree. On top of that, they have a ski petrol that is overaeager in their duty. Try skiing in the woods or take a jump without a helmet and they go crazy!
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Piccadilly, when were you last in Serre Chevalier? Lift system has been heavily upgraded in the last 6 years. Most of the slow lifts have been replaced now. |
Fair point, it was about ten years ago so from that point of view it's probably much better now* . I doubt the rest has changed though. Probably the quietest resort I've ever been to in the evening, along with Pila and Flaine. I also hate loads of walking in ski boots, it wears them out!
*although having just checked last year's Good Ski & Snowboard Guide, apparently not?
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Thu 8-11-12 13:05; edited 1 time in total
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Richard_Sideways, I totally agree with you about the 3V. Didn't float my boat one bit. I would return but not in a hurry.
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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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| Piccadilly wrote: |
*although having just checked last year's Good Ski & Snowboard Guide, apparently not? |
Does that change at all from year to year?
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| Arno wrote: |
| I wouldn't make a big effort to ski Primrose Hill in norf London again but never say never if snow conditions look good |
That particular descent is still on my list - U need to do it once eh?
Problem is, every time it's been skiable, I've been skiing somewhere else or about to go the following day and figured a minor injury on PH preventing a trip to Switzerland would be too ironic to bear 
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FAQ
, but discriminating against somewhere based on crweather or poor snow conditions, or lack of runs experienced on one or two past visits would be totally unfair.
