 Poster: A snowHead
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I am looking for a snow sure, pictoresque ski resort in France, Italy or Austria to go mid January. A resort easily accesible by public transport as we don't drive, but not more than 2.5hours. I am traveling with my husband and my 1 year old daughter. We are both intermediate and we are planning to ski in turns. We've aready did Val D'isere, Les Deux alpes, Flachau, Seefeld in Tyrol and Chamonix.
We want a resort where you can go for a walk in the evening, which plenty of shops and spas as well.
I am thinking about Megeve or Zell am see? But they are quite low and I am not sure if there will be snow in the resort.
Any opinions?
Initially I want Italy but the transfers are like 4 or 5 hours which is crazy... Cervinia, Cortina..If you don t drive they are just too far
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Kynd3ritza, welcome to SH's.
#1 - mid January is the middle of winter and is almost as snow sure as it gets.
#2 - I hate the phrase "snow sure". It can mean so many different things and with the advent of snow cannons....
#3 - Everything is a compromise - being in a nice town you can walk around may not be conducive with having snow outside your window or being able to go sledging.
#4 - Not my area but a quick google suggests your transfer times to Cervinia are way off.
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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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| Kynd3ritza wrote: |
I am thinking about Megeve or Zell am see? But they are quite low and I am not sure if there will be snow in the resort.
Any opinions?
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You've come up with 2 good options there. There should be snow to ski on mid-Jan in both of those.
Italy is harder with public transport. Where are you based? Have you looked at a package holiday that includes transfers?
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Megeve, picturesque and lively town centre to walk around after skiing but VERY expensive (shops with no prices in the window.....Women in fur coats with little dogs in handbags) and low down in a valley (hence a traditional town centre) so less "snow sure" than the majority of other French resorts but should be fine mid-January. Short, easy, transfer but watch the location of your accommodation.
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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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Les arcs is easy to get to by train or bus and 1950 is pretty , you can get the funicular down to Bourg st Maurice for any shops /
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Initially I want Italy but the transfers are like 4 or 5 hours which is crazy... Cervinia, Cortina..If you don t drive they are just too far
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Selva is less than two hours from Innsbruck
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| gendal wrote: |
| Quote: |
Initially I want Italy but the transfers are like 4 or 5 hours which is crazy... Cervinia, Cortina..If you don t drive they are just too far
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Selva is less than two hours from Innsbruck |
Only if you drive...but it can be done on public transport in about 3hrs. Bus to Train station, train to Ponte Gardena, bus up Val Gardena.
Cortina is about 2hrs drive from Venice, but the bus would no doubt take a bit longer...
https://www.cortinaexpress.it/en/destinations/venezia-aeroporto/
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There is a reason snow sure and pretty towns don’t go together - you don’t build a town in a place covered in snow 4 or 5 months a year unless it’s for a specific purpose such as mining. Farming is hard when the ground is covered with snow for so much of the time.
I’m not an expert on shopping or spas but some of the Dolomiti towns such as Alleghe, canazei, cortina and san martino di Castrozza are quite scenic towns only a couple hours from Venice by public transport. It may even be possible to get to st. Ulrich or Wolkenstein by public transport from Innsbruck.
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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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@Kynd3ritza, as others say mid January is likely to have snow anywhere - if you want more of a guarantee you need to go to a high altitude purpose built resort not a picturesque village.
If Megeve is on your list you might alternatively consider St Gervais which accesses the same ski area and has more public transport options. It is one of the more attractive villages, though in a different way from Megeve, and likely to be less expensive. The downside is that you are even less likely to have snow in the village itself (it is 850m).
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@Kynd3ritza, I know you've done Flachau, but how about another location in the Ski Amade? Schladming would be good and Ski Amade does the two parent pass so you can share childcare duties.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Kitzbuhel is accessible by train - we did it from Munich airport, so plenty of flight options. I think Innsbruck is probably nearer. And maybe Salzburg too.
I'm a big fan of Sauze. Also accessible by public transport (train from Turin to Oulx, then a short taxi up the mountain, or maybe a bus). Doesn't have 'lots' of shops, but is a very pretty little town. We generally have a wander round after dinner in the evening. There is a very good family-run creche there, right at the bottom of the slopes, if you want to ski together...
I don't think there are many towns that are big enough for more than a short wander which are also bases for skiing. I think you need to go out of town if you want a full day of activity. Zell am See would be good - the town is big enough for a wander, but also well connected by train to lots of other places.
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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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| Quote: |
I don't think there are many towns that are big enough for more than a short wander which are also bases for skiing
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Not sure about that. I'd suggest Cortina, Aosta, Innsbruck, Chamonix, St Gervais and Megeve, that I know. And maybe Zermatt, and no doubt others, which I don't know.
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Zell am See perfect mid Jan - quietest week Jan 11th-18th (zero school hols) so ideal if you have a tiny one . . .great town / apres and lots of other resorts a free bus ride away if you get bored - if you are effectively 'solo' then join Ski Club GB and link up with Nikki in resort for 'free' guiding and a good laugh . . .
Maybe see you there! 
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You know it makes sense.
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| johnE wrote: |
I’m not an expert on shopping... |
C'mon, I bet you could name what's in every aisle at the Super U in Bourg St Maurice?! 
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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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And where they hide those elusive few bottles of fresh milk
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
C'mon, I bet you could name what's in every aisle at the Super U in Bourg St Maurice?! Laughing
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'Fraid not. There are a couple I never frequent - the ladies underwear for example. But I am more familular with the Super U than the local Tesco since they don't move the aisles around.
@Origen, yes I do know where the fresh milk is and the freshly squeezed orange machine.
I'm also very good at the plumbing section of Weldom  .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Origen wrote: |
| And where they hide those elusive few bottles of fresh milk |
My son eats copious amounts of breakfast cereal for us so we quite often clean the shelf of fresh milk (as alluded to, often not a huge quantity!).
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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 for Kitzbuhel, ticks all your boxes I think
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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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Fresh cream can also be very hard to find in a French supermarket.
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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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1. Sauze d'Oulx
2. Lech
3. Verbier
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Kynd3ritza wrote: |
I am looking for a snow sure, pictoresque ski resort in France, Italy or Austria to go mid January. A resort easily accesible by public transport as we don't drive, but not more than 2.5hours. I am traveling with my husband and my 1 year old daughter. We are both intermediate and we are planning to ski in turns. We've aready did Val D'isere, Les Deux alpes, Flachau, Seefeld in Tyrol and Chamonix.
We want a resort where you can go for a walk in the evening, which plenty of shops and spas as well.
I am thinking about Megeve or Zell am see? But they are quite low and I am not sure if there will be snow in the resort.
Any opinions?
Initially I want Italy but the transfers are like 4 or 5 hours which is crazy... Cervinia, Cortina..If you don t drive they are just too far |
Zell am See is a lovely town and fits most of your requirements, though snow in the resort is a toss up. But you are on a skiing holiday, and there will be plenty of snow on the slopes. The main home run to the town is not great for the last 50m.. and the slopes can be a bit crowded (though go to the Sonnkogel side and it's quiet - because they are reds and skiers in Zell avoid the reds... )
Unfortunately the days of a frozen lake seem to have gone - went in March in 1985 and there were ice-yachts charging all over the lake
Also, Kitzbuhel. Both Zell and Kitz have stations as you will know
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The OP has not revisited this thread, I think we might be wasting our breath...! 
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Thank you for the tip
I ve just noticed its quite a large resort.. I found a cheap hotel with spa but its quite far
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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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| luigi wrote: |
| gendal wrote: |
| Quote: |
Initially I want Italy but the transfers are like 4 or 5 hours which is crazy... Cervinia, Cortina..If you don t drive they are just too far
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Selva is less than two hours from Innsbruck |
Only if you drive...but it can be done on public transport in about 3hrs. Bus to Train station, train to Ponte Gardena, bus up Val Gardena.
Cortina is about 2hrs drive from Venice, but the bus would no doubt take a bit longer...
https://www.cortinaexpress.it/en/destinations/venezia-aeroporto/ |
We don't drive unfortunately, and we have a 1 year old baby.. Cortina by bus its quite a long journey yes
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| Belch wrote: |
Zell am See perfect mid Jan - quietest week Jan 11th-18th (zero school hols) so ideal if you have a tiny one . . .great town / apres and lots of other resorts a free bus ride away if you get bored - if you are effectively 'solo' then join Ski Club GB and link up with Nikki in resort for 'free' guiding and a good laugh . . .
Maybe see you there! |
I am not sure if there will be any snow mid January, its quite a low resort. Atm I changed my mind and I'm looking at Megeve and Meribel...still researching
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I am still researching...looking at Megeve and Meribel at the moment. But I think I need to book it asap because flights and hotel are getting very expensive 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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Ref. Zell am See
To correct a few statements …
Have been there during the last two mid-Januarys and had good snow. Despite being quite low it is north facing.
There is no shame in taking the lift down instead of the run down to the town, though the view from this piste is spectacular … over the lake.
Zell is a nice compact town, accessible by train, though you need a bus or taxi to Salzburg. There are a lot of quite nice hotels, some of which are on quite good deals with Crystal, which might present you first chance to meet or hear Nikki though b@Belch, best keep quiet about Nikki or there might not be room on the bus! Hopefully on the bus the week 19th Jan 
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FAQ
