There seems a slight coalesce for Mayerhofn in the thread . Go there you and youth will be happy. But Ditto VdI and S-H.
Choosing between 3 excellent resorts? What a nice dilemma😀
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
ski3 wrote:
L2A always seemed like that sort of orientation to me.
Pretty good here. Panobar on the mountain from 3 - 5. Umbrella Bar for apres. Plenty of other bars open to 2, some live music. Brasilian 2 - 5 and Avalanche until 6 I think.
If you can last a week of that .... 😯 I did manage Brasilian until closing time one evening in the summer. It took me a week to recover but I'm twice your age 😁
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?
@Bobab, just a thought, organising a trip for a group can be a right pain, getting money out of people, people dropping out and getting little thanks. First week in Jan is usually the best week for deals. Being a group you should have great time in any good resort. Some T.O.s will allow each person in the group to make their own payment. Chalets (or club hotels) may be heavily discounted that week and are great fun.
@Disaster, Stop being ageist (to yourself that is)! I am somewhat older than you and certainly didn't feel out of place in the KK and Mooser in Jan this year. And the DJ at the Mooser is somewhat older than me. You are right about the ski down! Getting away from the Mooser can be tricky as the crowds from KK swoop down in varying states of capability.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I would also throw Meribel into the mix, unless of course the OP has discounted the 3V already, plenty of varied and lively bars.
I would have thought they could get deals there for that time in the season.
Having said that, I am open to all suggestions. Good skiing for a week, early Jan snow, and good night life with crowd the same age as the younger folk in our group. At the moment it is coming down to between to Salbaach-Hinterglem and Val D'Isere. If anyone has been to both of these I would be grateful for a compare. And as always, open to other recommendations.
Yes, I've been to both - Val d'Isere 13 times (I go every year), and Saalbach three times.
Both towns are attractive (not La Daille, obvs) and well laid out with easily-accessible skiing and great lift systems (p*ss off those who said that's not what he asked about, it's relevant because in terms of everything outside apres, there's not much to choose from). Both are pretty snow-sure and lively with a great atmosphere.
Saalbach - the apres is FUN!! It starts early in the afternoon up on the slopes at places like the Bergeralm [tatmanstours can elaborate!], then moves to brilliant apres parties like the Hinterhagalm and Goassstall in Hinterglemm. These are absolutely rocking with silly Austrian songs, singing and dancing on the tables, and everyone having the best time. Then you can slide down the last bit of the slope and carry on the party in town - or head back to the hotel for dinner. In the evenings there are loads of bars to choose from, some with live music like Bobby's Pub and the Underbar, and quirky places like the Zum Turn. Saalbach is friendly, fun and good-natured. People go there and come back again and again - or even move there haha. Prices are not that expensive for beer.
Val d'Isere - smart, sophisticated .. and can be a bit showy, although that kind of adds to the atmosphere. Apres is BIG, and pretty wild. It starts at 3pm at La Folie Douce, at the top of the La Daille gondola, where it's basically a big open-air nightclub/cabaret on the piste with thumping house music, everyone on the tables, fire-eaters, musicians, dancers and a huge party. It's quite a spectacle. All the old farts and killjoys HATE it. It's very expensive but worth going just to see it. It finishes about 5, but a lot of people usually ski down before then to an even better apres place.
Cocorico is on the nursery slope, and it's an outdoor bar (two bars in fact) with absolutely brilliant live bands every afternoon, followed by a DJ and it goes on til 8pm. It's pretty much the best apres anywhere, I LOVE it. In town there are loads and loads of great bars - the Moris has live bands as well, Cafe Face has musicians and DJs, Bananas is good fun and there are a few late night clubs as well.
I go to Val every year, but I'd also go back to Saalbach in a heartbeat. Both are fabulous!
It really depends whether you like cheesy Austrian oompah fun, or rocking live bands outdoors.
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@HoneyBunny,
Quote:
All the old farts and killjoys HATE it.
Hey, I thought you and I were friends! But I must admit that my experiences of FDs in the 3V are not my most joyous, not so much because of the music, which is usually fine but too loud (that's just me, I've always had quite a low noise tolerance threshold) but because of being ripped off price-wise.
Quote:
Cocorico is on the nursery slope, and it's an outdoor bar (two bars in fact) with absolutely brilliant live bands every afternoon, followed by a DJ and it goes on til 8pm.
Actually, I wouldn't mind trying that the week after next. Can one get back to Tignes from there reasonably easily? (I don't know my way round the EK very well, though I hope to be with people who do. )
After all it is free
After all it is free
I think Val D is your place out of them all. I've been to most mentioned and Val has the more 20 somethings looking to get wasted and party. Most don't even ski! The music is banging, starts early and goes all night. In austria its mostly doods or older peeps with some youngsters mixed in. Cheaper place to stay is Tignes but it's expensive to get back late from Val. Tignes is great though. Saalbach is really fun but some of the better places are in Hinterglemm if I remember rightly. Solden is another that just mental but the music is cheesy. A tip is to party where the staff go on their day off. Thats always a good laugh.
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@Gainz, I always think that anyone contemplating a ski holiday in Austria should make a determined effort to cast aside their biases and preconceptions, especially where the music is concerned. It’s certainly not Britain with mountains and snow (sorry, Scots - you know what I mean, even if I ‘m not expressing it very well ). The fact of the matter is that our fellow Europeans enjoy their europop and cheese, and an open-minded acceptance of this helps to reduce the stress levels. Not such an issue presumably in French resorts, since a greater preponderance of late-night party animals will be Brits (whilst the French will be tucked up in bed). There’s some wild stereotyping for you!
As a matter of interest, where would you say in Hinterglemm beats the Bergeralm, The Spitzbub, Bauer’s Schialm, the Hinterhag Alm, Bobby’s, the Underbar, the Oetzi Bar, Castellos, Taverne, and the Kuhstall?
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@tatmanstours, I think I'll stick with my musical biases, if that's all the same to you. Whilst classical music is more my scene (well, my passion really) than Europop, I don't expect to like all classical music either, and don't.
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@Gainz,
Quote:
it's expensive to get back late from Val
I wondered that. If Cocorico is the best, or one of the best, slope-side après bars in Val d'Isere, what would you say is the nearest equivalent in Tignes?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
There isn't really anywhere similar in Tignes. Loop bar in Lavachet often has DJs / live music at apres time, but it's a totally different (more chilled) vibe.
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tatmanstours wrote:
@Gainz, I always think that anyone contemplating a ski holiday in Austria should make a determined effort to cast aside their biases and preconceptions, especially where the music is concerned. It’s certainly not Britain with mountains and snow...
No, that would be somewhere like Morzine...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Hurtle, Fine with me, and my musical biases would make your I'm certainly no great fan of Tony Christie and Boney M, but, whenever I hear or read someone say, "...but the music is cheesy", I'm invariably reminded of a certain member of my family, who sits with a pained expression on his face throughout most apres-ski parties. The same expression is adopted whenever any traditional Austrian folk music, usually involving accordions, yodelling and voices reminiscent of the smurfs, is played.
I can relate to the cognitive dissonance at work, as I'm the same if I hear "Christmas music" in shops (especially weeks in advance of Christmas). Taking a broad-minded and positive view of it, Austrian ski resorts and their renowned apres-ski parties are a bit of a melting pot of European culture, in which typically you find people of all ages from just about all the European countries (even occasionally France), as well as countries further afield. I've often thought how remarkable it is that the barriers between not only nations and cultures, but also ages, come tumbling down.
I suppose that this diversity (which you don't get to anything like the same extent in French resorts) tends to coalesce into "cheesy" music that everyone recognises and can enjoy on some level. The ones who seem a little flummoxed by it all tend to be those in their mid-teens who can't understand why the older people around them are getting excited to Robbie Williams and Neil Diamond, rather than Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran, or AC/DC rather than One Direction. Also why would anyone want to dance on the table when they could be playing with their Smart phone?
I can understand anyone who isn't used to it wondering why every bar is playing (several times a day) "Country Roads", "Sweet Caroline", "Is this the Way to Amarillo", "Brown Girl in the Ring", "Angels", "Highway to Hell", "It's My Life", "Summer of 69", "Hey Baby, Ooh Aah", Wir Woll'n die Eisbaer'n Sehen"....and all the rest. It must be conceded that the play list is somewhat circumscribed, but I've spoken to bar owners, who look at me as if I'm mad for suggesting that they might be a little more imaginative. They really do think that it's what people want and expect when they go skiing....and maybe they're right. I'm sure it's much different in France, where the Brits have a far greater influence.
I was about to apologise for, as usual, warming to my theme and meandering away from the thread, but on re-reading the OP's original question, it's actually quite relevant. When I last skied in France, what passed for apres-ski tended to be a half-empty bar with over-priced drinks and a TV in the corner showing snowboarding videos. Even Val D disappointed me, although it was very late in the season. From the above comments, I'm sure that things must have changed, and it wouldn't surprise me if the music is a lot "cooler" and not at all "cheesy", at least to British ears. 20-somethings who aren't accustomed to the Austrian approach to apres-ski may feel much more at home in a resort like Val D.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:
"Country Roads", "Sweet Caroline", "Is this the Way to Amarillo", "Brown Girl in the Ring", "Angels", "Highway to Hell", "It's My Life", "Summer of 69", "Hey Baby, Ooh Aah", Wir Woll'n die Eisbaer'n Sehen"
I could probably enjoy that once on a holiday, but screw doing it every night for a week.
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Poster: A snowHead
@Steve77, You wouldn't need to - you could just go to another bar and listen to "Y.M.C.A." and "Wimoweh - The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (Have I put anyone off Austria yet?)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@tatmanstours, ah but do you know who sang the lion sleeps tonight (without using Google)
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?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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Claude B wrote:
Pretty good here. Panobar on the mountain from 3 - 5. Umbrella Bar for apres. Plenty of other bars open to 2, some live music. Brasilian 2 - 5 and Avalanche until 6 I think.
If you can last a week of that .... 😯 I did manage Brasilian until closing time one evening in the summer. It took me a week to recover but I'm twice your age 😁
I did a week of that and was twice my own age when I got home.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I just like to say thanks for your replies here. Lots of info to digest, and it has moved me away from some resorts and towards others.
I think I will forget Ischgl. I looked at Mayrhofen, but don't like the idea of having to catch the cabin up in the morning, and the waits that may entail.
I am looking into Meribel now. I hadn't considered it before cause I thought the snow may be poor in early Jan, and was worried that it may be a posh resort. Should it be on the cards?
I have been to Val Thorens and Chamonix in France. The skiing in Val Thorens was generally good and the food poor. I actually enjoyed the apre in Val Thorens a lot more than I did the apre in some resorts I have been to in Austria and Switzerland. Mainly because the music is just dance music, rather than whatever it is they play in the Austrian/Swiss resorts.
So perhaps Meribel should be a consideration.
I was also wondering, how unpleasantly cold is Val D'Isere in early Jan? I have only been to three valleys in April. My experience of Jan in Austria/Switzerland has been that you really want to have tree cover. up high has always been windy, cold and unpleasant.
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@Bobab, It really is impossible to predict or to generalise. Last season the conditions in mid/late January in my part of Austria were the best that I personally can remember for many years - beautiful weather but cold enough to preserve the snow in perfect, powdery condition. In other seasons we've sometimes had unseasonably mild weather in January - more like you'd expect in March. Conversely I can remember a week spent in Val d'Isere in early February, when it blizzarded for a whole week, and all the lifts were closed - I skied on the first day and the last day only - spent the rest of the week playing cards in a Supertravel chalet. A few seasons ago one of the best weeks of the season in Saalbach was the first week of April; last year some of the best piste skiing we had was during mid-December. See my point?
You may well have a point in going for a resort with tree cover. The season so far is shaping up well - unlike last year, not many people have been talking about going high and looking for resorts with access to a glacier. Some resorts are opening ahead of schedule. If the weather forecast continues to be encouraging (and in Saalbach, for example, Snow-Forecast is predicting 60cm of snow in the next 5 days), in early January you're unlikely to need to be in a high, exposed resort. As you say, if the weather closes in, high, barren places can be miserable places to be and high wind can close the lifts, whereas skiing down tree-lined pistes can still be pleasurable.
Regarding the resorts you mention, it would be shame to discount Ischgl, which is usually cited as one of the top three resorts in Austria. I haven't been there myself, but I've read plenty of rave reviews from other Snowheads about both the skiing and the apres. On the other hand, it's fairly high, and you might want to save it for a year in which the early snow conditions are less favourable.
Likewise Mayrhofen and the Ziller valley has plenty of attractions. The queueing for the Penken cable car used to be notorious, but I understand that it's much improved these days, since they upgraded the lift to a big, state of the art gondola in 2015. It's a charming village with beautiful scenery and a famously lively apres-ski scene, but there are a few downsides, which, speaking frankly would deter me from choosing it above certain other comparable resorts. This is only my own opinion, based on four weeks skiing there a long time ago. I didn't like the fact that all the skiing is up the mountain, and that you can't ski down from the main Penken ski area directly to the village (the Ahorn is the only other ski area in Mayrhofen itself, and that is really only for beginners, except for one black run down to the bottom). Although there is plenty more skiing covered by the area pass, you have to be prepared to travel - fine if you don't mind driving or catching buses or trains.
I don't think you'd find Meribel particularly "posh". I never did, and I'm certainly not posh. You will find all kinds there, but, if you've been to Val Thorens, you will already have some idea of the kind of clientele to expect in the 3Vs. I haven't been for ages so can't really comment on the apres, except to say that, like so many French resorts that are popular with the British market, there will be more action than you will find in many resorts that are more exclusively for the French. If you've already been to the 3Vs you must know what it's like - probably everyone should experience it a few times, especially if they're into long itineraries and clocking up a big mileage. From what I hear you will pay more for lunch and apres drinks than in some of the other places you've been considering (if that's an important consideration), but again it won't be any different from Val T.
Quote:
I actually enjoyed the apre in Val Thorens a lot more than I did the apre in some resorts I have been to in Austria and Switzerland. Mainly because the music is just dance music, rather than whatever it is they play in the Austrian/Swiss resorts.
I'm rather bemused by this comment. I've never heard anyone else enthuse about the apres (as opposed to the skiing) in Val T. Also I was under the impression that just about ALL the music they play in Austria apres-ski venues is dance music! It did develop from the traditional "tea dancing" after all. Maybe not your kind of dancing though.
There's plenty to read if you google "apres-ski" - this article for example: https://www.onthesnow.co.uk/news/a/105400/the-best-apr%C3%A9s-ski-bars-in-the-alps
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Suspect the OP prefers EDM rather than cheese. To answer the cold question, of course we can't predict the weather, but last year in Val D in Jan I ate outside twice at lunchtime, yep it was about plus 2 and you had to eat quickly before the food went cold but it was pleasant.
I'm an old fart, well almost, but enjoy the Folie for what it is. Only have a couple of beers cos it's too expensive for me to have any more. If you can't find something you like in Val, well it's time to consider giving up!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
..
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sat 25-11-17 13:04; edited 1 time in total
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.
..
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sat 25-11-17 13:04; edited 1 time in total
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Bobab, you might want to add Verbier to your list. It’s reputation for skiing and après is well deserved. After skiing go to the Farinet with fab live bands and 2 for 1 drinks during après. There are cheaper apartments in Verbier village on Airbnb if you want to keep costs down.
I know this post was aimed at late 20 something enjoying a party and an apres so as a fifty something year old who has been partying for a few years can I just make 2 points
1) I am amazed at how peoples different view points can result in so many aggressive responses .Come on Snowheads the white stuff should all be about happy
2) After many many years and pounds spent in Folie and other on slope bars in France as well as in Moose etc in Austria , it does appear that the Austrians and its visitors appear to be enjoying themselves so much more . Another wildly sweeping characterisation , the french seem very happy to charge excessively and serve you copious alcohol and then frown upon the resulting behaviour whereas the Austrians just want you to enjoy yourself and join in with you. The oompah oompah music seems to disarm any alcoholic aggressive tendancies .
Meribel , Val D are great party towns as are St Anton and the Hoff but the attitude of the Austrians to drunk brits gets my vote
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Bobab, you are probably onto a winner with almost any of the resorts suggested. All have good snow records all have good apres ski options.
Whether you’ll have good times who knows? The party’s mostly what you bring with you. You could be in a tiny place with some tunes blasting out on a tape deck, but if your dancing on the tables when the hotties international ski team walks in looking to party then it’s all going to be good.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hurtle wrote:
Hey, I thought you and I were friends! But I must admit that my experiences of FDs in the 3V are not my most joyous, not so much because of the music, which is usually fine but too loud (that's just me, I've always had quite a low noise tolerance threshold) but because of being ripped off price-wise.
Haha!! We are! I only said that because some people get really angry and snotty about the FD and talk about it like it's the worst thing in the world ever..
Quote:
Actually, I wouldn't mind trying that the week after next. Can one get back to Tignes from there reasonably easily? (I don't know my way round the EK very well, though I hope to be with people who do. )
It's so, so good! It's loud however, I warn you. It also gets packed. Maybe less so early in the season though.
To enjoy it properly you have to stay til after the lifts close, as to catch the Tommeuse lift back over to Tignes at 4.45 you need to be up the mountain at the La Daille end of the resort. Therefore, to ski back after a Folie Douce visit is very possible, but not Cocorico as it's on the nursery slope in the middle of the resort. You'd have to get the bus back or a taxi (taxi wouldn't be too bad if there's a group of you, it's about 22 Euros).
I absolutely ADORE Austrian apres, there's really nothing quite like being in a jolly bar with 400 people all singing Sweet Caroline at the top of their voices after a few beers. Just the best times ever.
Also @the OP, I think you can expect all ski resorts to be cold in January. It's January. In a ski resort.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@HoneyBunny,
Quote:
taxi wouldn't be too bad if there's a group of you, it's about 22 Euros
Less than I thought it would be. Might take some earplugs...
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?
@Gainz, I always think that anyone contemplating a ski holiday in Austria should make a determined effort to cast aside their biases and preconceptions, especially where the music is concerned. It’s certainly not Britain with mountains and snow (sorry, Scots - you know what I mean, even if I ‘m not expressing it very well ). The fact of the matter is that our fellow Europeans enjoy their europop and cheese, and an open-minded acceptance of this helps to reduce the stress levels. Not such an issue presumably in French resorts, since a greater preponderance of late-night party animals will be Brits (whilst the French will be tucked up in bed). There’s some wild stereotyping for you!
As a matter of interest, where would you say in Hinterglemm beats the Bergeralm, The Spitzbub, Bauer’s Schialm, the Hinterhag Alm, Bobby’s, the Underbar, the Oetzi Bar, Castellos, Taverne, and the Kuhstall?
I've danced on table tops in Austria and in France so its no concern to me, once even with a Finnish netball team! If you're a youngster like me and you want to party it helps having the music you can party to playing. Us kids like electro, elecro tech and progressive sounds to get the feet moving (obviously beers help). I know you is the daddy of Saalbach and i loved it there, but cheesy music will kill it for me when I'm clubbing.
In regards to your question, I may have mixed them up twas a long time ago!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@endoman, Doesn't really make you think, "yeah, that's for me!", does it?
@Gainz, You've probably hit a nail on the head there. I've often remarked how inclusive the typical early evening Austrian apres-ski is - by which I mean that everyone from kids to grannies joins in. The usual barriers don't seem to exist, although, later at night, you do obviously get clubs like Taverne and Castellos, which might tease the word "kindergarten" from the lips of elderly curmudgeons.
We don't go to the Goassstall much these days, since they started playing a lot of the electro tech (or whatever it is) music (on some evenings at least). One evening we waited for about two hours for them to start playing apres-ski party music. Until then we noticed that people were just standing around talking - no dancing or partying going on. Then, on comes "Sweet Caroline", or something like that, and the place erupted!
I should add, incidentally, that Mrs tt and I are definitely the oldest swingers in town.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 25-11-17 21:27; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I think that non-cheese is more interesting to dance to, but cheese is probably better for singing along. (I prefer to dance.)
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
I think that non-cheese is more interesting to dance to
An interesting theory. Much depends on how you define "dance". Mrs TT (who can dance to anything, especially "Highway to Hell") and I have been observing the Germans in the Kuhstall for years, doing something like a cross between the foxtrot and the jive to anything that comes on. I think that they must learn it at school. We keep saying that we must have lessons - even if it involves self-teaching in our kitchen.
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@tatmanstours, cheese attracts a lot of stamping, in my experience. Maybe that's just the Brits.
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tatmanstours wrote:
@endoman, Doesn't really make you think, "yeah, that's for me!", does it?
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
But I must admit that my experiences of FDs in the 3V are not my most joyous, not so much because of the music, which is usually fine but too loud (that's just me, I've always had quite a low noise tolerance threshold) but because of being ripped off price-wise.
)
I'm certainly no great fan of Tony Christie and Boney M, but, whenever I hear or read someone say, "...but the music is cheesy", I'm invariably reminded of a certain member of my family, who sits with a pained expression on his face throughout most apres-ski parties. The same expression is adopted whenever any traditional Austrian folk music, usually involving accordions, yodelling and voices reminiscent of the smurfs, is played.
(Have I put anyone off Austria yet?)
but I believe your answer may also be correct
