 Poster: A snowHead
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jedster, I've really enjoyed Les Contamines on the couple of days I've been there. We have Portes du Mont Blanc season passes this year so will hopefully have one of our free days there again  One of the best mountain lunches ever there too - can't remember the name of the restaurant but would know it on a piste map.
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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 not very fond of Tignes though I prefer it to Val D'Isere or Meribel and most winter seasons, most of the time, you don't need high altitude
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I agree with that but If I wanted to ski in April or December, I'd go high. You are guaranteed decent snow. Simply not true at the lower resorts. Jan-March not really an issue although even then if the weather is warm then it's always lovely having a run from somewhere like the Gd Motte or Cime de Carron to get some gorgeous snow
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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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chamonix. no where else has the terrain that offers quite so much variation and opportunity.
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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 are looking for half term think about the less well known resorts. We are off back to Val Cenis, about our 5th time I think and that was after a break of about 15 years from the last time we went. In between that we had done Morzine, Peisey/Les Arcs, La Plagne, the 3V and Chamonix valley when we were happy pulling the kids out of school. Last year some friends came with us to Val Cenis for the first time at half term and couldn't believe how much skiing they were doing on the first day instead of waiting on the lift queues as they had been in Morzine the year before. And of couse, being on the Italian border it seems to be benefiting form this year's weather patterns as well as having skiing up to 3000m on north facing slopes!
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marmotte16,
there's a few good restaurants - Le Roselette is a favourite (in the bowl left from the top of the bubble as you look up the mountain). THere is an amazing place that needs a little off-piste to get in and out - also accessible by foot or horse drawn sleigh from village!
I'm trying to work out whether we should go for Evasion season passes next year or just pay day passes for Megeve/Combloux trips. Don't thing the Les C season pass gives any rights to free days. Will be at Bettex at half term this year with friends.
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I love Chamonix - the lifts are a pain, but the skiing available is worth it. For a smaller/cheaper option, I skied La Clusaz a couple of years ago and was very impressed. Some great off-piste options for a weekend trip.
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Les Contamines is indeed great, though I scarcely know the bottom bits and the village as from Les Saisies we always access the Hauteluce side. The top slopes (which are the best anyway) keep their snow very well, often better than Brevent/Flegere in Chamonix - though the Veleray blacks don't have such a good aspect and are not infrequently closed.
The top can be a bit bleak and wintry on the wrong day; well above the tree line and extremely exposed, on the Col between those two valleys.
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THere is an amazing place that needs a little off-piste to get in and out - also accessible by foot or horse drawn sleigh from village!
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that sounds nice - where's that, Jedster? I usually go to the Roselette.
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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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Reberty ( but not Les menuires), Mottaret,Les gets, Les Arcs 1950, in that order, Tignes if just for skiing, then Les Arcs 1800/2000, Morzine, Meribel and last Alpe D'Huez and La Plagne.
Not tried Chamonix or Sainte Foy.
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Pam,
http://auberge-colombaz.fr/
Accessed by skiing past the bottom of the Grevettaz drag and then skating/poling a bit along a track. Alternatively dropping in from Veleray. To get out you would either need to reverse your steps to Grevettaz or ski further down the track and through some meadows to get to the bottom of the Montjoie bubble (which is fun but is getting quite low so skiers need to be comfortable with improvising a route a little if the over is not brilliant). Horse drawn sleighs bring people up the track from the valley and you can sledge down the track. Come to think of it, you must be able to ski the track if the meadows don't appeal.
Food was outstanding but be warned, the woman who runs it is very fierce if you haven't booked in advance!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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jedster, that looks lovely. Will have to try to get a few people together to try 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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Favourite resort for me is La Plagne. Love the feeling of skiing to and from places rather than up and down a mountain. Also worked a season there some years ago and didn't get bored the whole time. Close second for me is Val D, but only as this is where I proposed to my wife 
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jedster, been trying to find out a bit more about the Auberge Colombaz but my virus detector doesn't like it at all.
The reservation info says that "2 - 3 people" will be €40. Prices for bigger groups are higher (but lower unit cost) so presumably that is a price for a set meal for 2 - 3 people. What's the format? I have some friends who will be here the week after next who might be persuaded to have a go at it, if the "skate/pole" isn't too long.
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You know it makes sense.
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Many 'big names' coming ou here. But also some less expected. I think my second would be PdS, in particular morzine. Despite having not great snow (went in April) it was still incredible skiing and excellent views.
Also, I'm not looking for ideas as such due to being Italy bound this year yet more looking for opinions and how peoples experiences differ.
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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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Probably Chamonix (had an idyllic week of off piste instruction), Alpe d'Huez (stunning variety of lengthy runs and fantastic blacks in good snow conditions)
followed by...Espace Cambe d'Aze, a small but friendly, authentic Pyrenean village based resort with a great variety of rolling tree lined slopes and stupendous views.
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Poster: A snowHead
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La Grave by far the best place in France.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My fave French resort is St Martin de Belleville-the 3 Valleys with charm. Stay in the village itself or, if you don't mind a short drive to the lifts it's really nice to rent a converted barn or renovated old house in one of the satellite villages. Best run in the 3v above it-Jerusalem, which remains quiet even on a busy week. There's a vast area of good open intermediate off piste across the pastures above the village. Despite looking like its on the fringes of the ski area, you can get over to Meribel and Mottaret really easily,as well as Les Menuires.
The places I would rate (yes, I know...3v again!)-La Tania, Courchevel 1650. 1650 has some lovely skiing immediately above the village-great trees and gulleys.
Really like Les Carroz in the grand Massif, lovely sized village with great runs through the trees and easy access to the rest of the Grand Massif.
Like but don't love, Val D'Isere, Tignes, La Rosiere. Chamonix. The latter is a harder resort to recommend for a family holiday. I think.
Not bothered by La Plagne, Alpe d'Huez.
Avoid Les Deux Alpes-which topped the list of least fave resorts in another thread on here!
But at the end of the day it depends what floats your boats. I love great skiing and a nice place to stay, and am less bothered about ski in ski out these days. But if you're with kids, or if you have beginners and need good ski schools, and have just a week to get your ski fix, then your priorities may be different....
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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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Chamonix I suppose, but I'd rather be in Italy any day
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avoriaz all the way, a town with everything you need, cracking apres and portes du soeil area.....say no more.
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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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Always liked val d sere, serre chevalier and courchevel. Would love to go back to Morzine in good conditions.
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Depends who I am going with. If it's just me and a guide or I am with similarly motivated friends, I'd head to somewhere near Alpe d'Huez so I could ski the long off piste runs there and over at La Grave. If I'm with Mrs A, we'd want a good range of lift served skiing, good ski instruction and a village with a bit going on. For that, I'd probably go with Val d'Isere.
Having said all that, this thread reminds me of how much great skiing there is in France
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Been to most of the French ski areas, and none was bad. As a resort, unless it's changed, I'd avoid Mirabel - somehow overly British. I quite like Les Deux Alpes, but that is probably because of the skiers who centre around easiski. Monetier in Serre Chevalier has French charm, and some excellent skiing - and the delightful Beaumonts are just a village away
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La Grave by far the best place in France.
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I'm not sure it really qualifies as a "resort" though
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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'll second Les Carroz. Love the village, the bar on the square, the occasional live outdoor music, and that piste bar on the last red run down into the village. Great stop at the end of the day. And, easy to ski over to flaine for all those fast reds.
Going to Tignes for first time, and as it seems to be a popular choice here, can't wait!
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What's the format?
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Honestly I'm not sure. We were taken there by a local guide. He tried to phone in advance, couldn't get through and was chastised by Madam for turing up on spec - sort of "normally you'd be out on your ear but since it's you and your with clients, just this once". I remember we had a choice of 2 or 3 dishes, no menus. We just paid what they asked us for at the end. Don't remember it being expensive and we did it properly - vin de table, tart, coffee and a medicinal eau de vie to send us on our way. Highlight was these cheese and ham filled, bread crumbed balls with excellent salad and charcuterie. I'd call the ball things croquettes but they were so much better than any other croquette that I have eaten that I don't want to disparage them!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Favourite resort for me is La Plagne. Love the feeling of skiing to and from places rather than up and down a mountain.
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I think that is why La Plagne is a bit marmite.
For me it constantly felt like we were always just on the way somewhere to find something to ski, rather than skiing fantastic routes/pistes and ending up somewhere. For the oposite reason I think the 3Vs is quite alluring due to the peak top "links". For example skiing from Coucheval to Meribel means getting a load of lifts up to above 3,000m and then some great skiing all the way back down the other side i.e. while doing some great skiing you also went somewhere. Where as for a similar trip from LP to Les Arc you spend a lot of time on short easy pistes and short lifts to get to the Vanoise Express and then do some skiing and then ski back via the same short easy pistes and short lifts. Just fells like a load of faffing and not much skiing.
Never been to a ski resort I didn't like though. Afterall they all have snow and mountains.
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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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Favourite French resort??....................... is in Italy! 
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Limited experience but loved Les Gets.
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You know it makes sense.
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Very subjective as favourite is basically a matter of taste although Best may not be.
Personal favourite is Serre Chevalier I have never been to a resort where I have had a bad holiday though some have been less to my tastes than others but we have done that one many times.
If the thread is to have utility to others other than as a poll surely it should reflect why a resort is a favourite?
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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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favourite may be taste, but the criteria for "best" is also subjective, even if the resort that best meets the criteria best is an obvious one.
and some crucial criteria for some that they'd pay extra for, to me are virtually pointless (ski-in/ski-out, for example).
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Poster: A snowHead
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some crucial criteria for some that they'd pay extra for, to me are virtually pointless (ski-in/ski-out, for example).
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good point - for me, the availability of a range of bars is completely pointless - but is "of the essence" for others. But as someone who regularly hosts friends and family without their own transport, being ski in/out is crucial - because otherwise I'd be running a taxi service!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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andy, You're right the formulation of my sentence was incomplete what I meant was the best resort for some criteria are a lot less subjective. Best resort is just about as much a matter of opinion as favourite resort.
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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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the best resort for some criteria are a lot less subjective
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even the numbers (how many lifts, how much vertical, how many kms of pistes) are sometimes disputed but they are less subjective than most criteria. But when it comes to something like "best for apres" there can be no agreement; some people want noisy bars, others would want to avoid such things. Some want high class restaurants with fine dining and an imaginative wine list, some want filling stuff and big beers as cheap as possible.
Some like places with lots of other Brits and English widely spoken, others prefer to have a more "French" (or Austrian, or Italian) atmosphere. Some want challenging skiing, others want to cruise.
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pam w,
I don't think agreement will be total but I would imagine that the criteria ar eless subjective although my idea of bliss is a place without loud drunken bars I am quite happy to acknowledge that Bonneval sur Arc is rather less good for Apres than Ischgl for instance.
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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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Personally I am not a France fan but we won't open up that old chestnut, given that France it has to be with this question it has to be Val D'Isere/Tignes, the area is great for skiing and most après options that you would need, but oh those prices, stop it don't go there....
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Bonneval sur Arc is rather less good for Apres than Ischgl for instance.
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you could devise a sliding scale between very quiet (1) and very lively and noisy (10) , I suppose, without attributing value to either.
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Also, pam w, the idea that more is better should not be taken for granted.
More lifts, more kilometers, more vertical, does not necessarily make for a better resort in everyone's eyes.
Ambiance of resort, friendliness of the people, scenery, trees, restaurants: all important, but impossible to quantify objectively.
Best or Favourite: its the same thing.
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the idea that more is better should not be taken for granted.
More lifts, more kilometers, more vertical, does not necessarily make for a better resort in everyone's eyes.
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I didn't suggest that it should - it certainly doesn't in mine. But just giving the numbers (like giving a "noisy bar quotient") enables people who hate skiing the same run twice, and those who prefer small, to make that choice.
Average price of a coffee, or a beer, a pizza or a "plat du jour" is also useful information.
Facts, as far as possible, rather than judgements, are useful. If someone says "the apres is great" it means nothing. If they say "there are pole-dancing or lap dancing clubs and bars are open till the early hours" that provides something to go on, as does "there are a number of pleasant bars but most people in the resort will be in bed by 1030pm and although there is occasionally some live music it's maybe one evening a week - unless you count a clarinet concert in the chapel".
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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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| Ricay wrote: |
| Tignes is my favourite...absolutely luv it ! |
Tignes is my fave. too.
Though love Les Arc also. Didn't like 3V tho.
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sainte foy luv the skiing, no waiting for lifts, no crowds, not far from other big resorts for a day out.
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FAQ
