December in Zermatt.
January and February in Hokkaido.
March and April in Tignes.
You won't go far wrong with this specific recommendation or the idea substituting alternative destinations for the timeframes
Maybe somewhere in Austria for December if it's been a good start
Aosta Valley, Italy for March
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
'On advantage of Tignes over VdI is the 24hr free bus service between the three upper villages - Lavachet, Lac & Val Claret'
That's awesome there is a 24 hour bus! I have never experienced that before in a ski resort.
Verbier - This was my number 1 option, but it seems getting a Swiss visa for more than the 90 days allowed is impossible for me. If you have any clever ideas please feel free to share!
Yeh last season was my first period of skiing properly, as I only tried it for the first time a few years ago so improving novice sounds perfectly correct (only did my first black run during the season, and still never did the grand couloir/couloir tournier etc). I am 34 so maybe the 300m trek upwards at end of night was too much for me, but I feel most people didn't enjoy it, and it led to people pick and choosing their nights out, rather than staying in a flat area and just going for it whenever!
The multiple locations ideas is cool, however when it comes to paying for 1 month of ski passes it probably is cheaper to just buy the season pass for each right? If I do end up doing Val d'Isère I may buy a paradiski 2 out of 7 day pass on top and do a day or two a week there to keep the potential terrain becoming stale to me.
Keep the suggestions/ideas coming though!
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 10-07-24 10:44; edited 1 time in total
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?
abc wrote:
sbooker wrote:
Thew2002 wrote:
I do 95% piste skiing so I feel Chamonix would be outside my comfort zone, it's definitely a good suggestion though
I can't imagine being in a ski area for a whole season skiing on piste most of the time. I'm betting after the first month you spend 50% of the time off piste at least.
I'd go to Tignes.
The OP already spent a season at Meribel and skiing 95% on piste. So clearly he’s not bored. But perhaps he was still an improving novices? He didn’t say… (nothing wrong with that, we all have been novices once)
Whistler will be absolutely boring to anyone who’s only skiing on-piste. For that matter, any North American destination will be too.
So, forget about the skiing. His criteria for “best ski resort” is the variety of bars, and not having to walk uphill afterward.
I'd done 5 weeks skiiing before my ski season. I still spent most of the season off piste. And that was on old skinny skis. OP needs to focus more on her skiing!
(That was in Courchevel - have to say if you like skiing on piste 3V is hard to beat really).
If variety of nightlife is the criteria would not some of the Austrian resorts be a good option? I know St ANton has been suggested but Ishgl? Mayerhofen? Solden? I don't know these places so just by reputation.
I do 95% piste skiing so I feel Chamonix would be outside my comfort zone, it's definitely a good suggestion though
I can't imagine being in a ski area for a whole season skiing on piste most of the time. I'm betting after the first month you spend 50% of the time off piste at least.
I'd go to Tignes.
The OP already spent a season at Meribel and skiing 95% on piste. So clearly he’s not bored. But perhaps he was still an improving novices? He didn’t say… (nothing wrong with that, we all have been novices once)
Whistler will be absolutely boring to anyone who’s only skiing on-piste. For that matter, any North American destination will be too.
So, forget about the skiing. His criteria for “best ski resort” is the variety of bars, and not having to walk uphill afterward.
I'd done 5 weeks skiiing before my ski season. I still spent most of the season off piste. And that was on old skinny skis. OP needs to focus more on her skiing!
(That was in Courchevel - have to say if you like skiing on piste 3V is hard to beat really).
If variety of nightlife is the criteria would not some of the Austrian resorts be a good option? I know St ANton has been suggested but Ishgl? Mayerhofen? Solden? I don't know these places so just by reputation.
I am male, and this is painful for me to say, but I think you are just a far better skier than me.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Generally I think St Anton is probably about the best place for a season, considering everything from area/terrain to snow record to community to bars to links to outside the resort bubble.
But if you’re only piste skiing then it probably has to be one of the huge French areas like 3 Valleys or PdS/Morzine just to stave off boredom.
Someone mentioned PdS/Morzine to me earlier, I need to check into that more. Thank you.
For st Anton I would love to, but I am unaware of a tourist visa sadly. If you know of one please say!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thew2002 wrote:
jedster wrote:
abc wrote:
sbooker wrote:
Thew2002 wrote:
I do 95% piste skiing so I feel Chamonix would be outside my comfort zone, it's definitely a good suggestion though
I can't imagine being in a ski area for a whole season skiing on piste most of the time. I'm betting after the first month you spend 50% of the time off piste at least.
I'd go to Tignes.
The OP already spent a season at Meribel and skiing 95% on piste. So clearly he’s not bored. But perhaps he was still an improving novices? He didn’t say… (nothing wrong with that, we all have been novices once)
Whistler will be absolutely boring to anyone who’s only skiing on-piste. For that matter, any North American destination will be too.
So, forget about the skiing. His criteria for “best ski resort” is the variety of bars, and not having to walk uphill afterward.
I'd done 5 weeks skiiing before my ski season. I still spent most of the season off piste. And that was on old skinny skis. OP needs to focus more on her skiing!
(That was in Courchevel - have to say if you like skiing on piste 3V is hard to beat really).
If variety of nightlife is the criteria would not some of the Austrian resorts be a good option? I know St ANton has been suggested but Ishgl? Mayerhofen? Solden? I don't know these places so just by reputation.
I am male, and this is painful for me to say, but I think you are just a far better skier than me.
oops sorry - my mistake
I doubt I was when I started my season. And I'm not a naturally talented athlete. It's like anything - purposeful practice is what gets you better. And the thing with skiing is, however much you enjoy it, it does get even better as you improve.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@clarky999, If he isn't working and has plenty of time to have a go at the run of fame every day then I'm not sure St Anton would get boring.
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.
Yeh I've looked at them in the past. 99% of stuff on the site isn't real when you actually contact them.
I have just contacted the Austrian Embassy, the site here (https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/austrian-embassy-london/travelling-to-austria/entry-requirements-visa-and-immigration/visa-d) really doesn't make it clear if you can stay between 90-180 days with visa D as a tourist who is not working....
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thew2002 wrote:
If I do end up doing Val d'Isère I may buy a paradiski 2 out of 7 day pass on top and do a day or two a week there to keep the potential terrain becoming stale to me.
Would you have your own transport?
In the past a Espace Killy season pass (now Tignes-Val d'Isere) has given free/discounted days in the other Tarentaise resorts.
Ask here https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=165539&start=1200 and here https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=82612&start=9920 for more details. It varies from season to season, so more accurate info available after the ski areas release their pass prices for season 24/25.
There is also this http://youtube.com/v/1gkwC3FRNq0
I did a season working at the Ronnie in Meribel (aged 29/30) and four seasons as a ski bum in Tignes (aged 38/39-41/42), living in Lac (x3) and Lavachet (x1) - the two villages are separated by a piste. In my opinion the seasonnaire lifestyle was better in Tignes than Meribel
Edited to put correct youtube link up
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Wed 10-07-24 13:17; edited 2 times 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.
Oh that's awesome and seriously helpful! Glad to see a comparison between the two which is what I was looking for. I feel most people stick to the same resort year on year purely as they've had a job lined up so it is the simplest way, if you don't have that checking out different resorts makes sense to me.
I didn't have a car in Meribel, but my friend who plans to come out next year will have a car which is handy! I assume you probably didn't overly enjoy the walk up to Ronnie after a night out in Sully's (or Dicks tea bar as it was back then)?
I will ask in those forums.
What made you pick Tignes (x4) over Val d'Isère out of interest?
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
Thew2002 wrote:
Oh that's awesome and seriously helpful! Glad to see a comparison between the two which is what I was looking for. I feel most people stick to the same resort year on year purely as they've had a job lined up so it is the simplest way, if you don't have that checking out different resorts makes sense to me.
I didn't have a car in Meribel, but my friend who plans to come out next year will have a car which is handy! I assume you probably didn't overly enjoy the walk up to Ronnie after a night out in Sully's (or Dicks tea bar as it was back then)?
I will ask in those forums.
What made you pick Tignes (x4) over Val d'Isère out of interest?
It was Dicks (or from the Doron) - to be honest we used to walk up the piste & try (and often succeed) to get a lift from a piste basher.
1st season it was Tignes as the accommodation was great (now chez Chocksaway - see link to Tignes snowreports last post to find out who Chocksaway is!). The seasonnaire vibe was that good that I stuck with it - small enough to get to know everyone (as opposed to Val d'Isere - we had plenty of ex-VdI seasonnaires switch to Tignes after one or two seasons for just that reason); easy to get around the upper three villages (Boisses-1800 and Brevieres a bit more problematic as their free buses ended at mid-night); the center of each of the five villages (ie where the bars are) is compact; same ski area, so not missing anything by being in Tignes or VdI; Tignes season tends to open before and/or close after VdI https://en.tignes.net/ouvertures-station.
Sorry about the wrong Youtube link in previous post, now corrected!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Damn - I honestly didn't ever think of walking up the piste, it may well have been the quickest/easiest/laziest way up. I had crampons so I ready it would have been fairly quick/easy to do...
That all makes sense with regards to Tignes > Val, I am a bit biased as I only ever stayed in Val before and got told Tignes was cheaper so sort of blindly accepted it as 'worse'. I am honestly shocked at the 24 hour bus situation, that is brilliant. How do they actually justify putting buses on at 4am, surely they are basically empty?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
My first thought was actually whistler, although as said above if you only want pistes maybe a bit limited. Same is true for most places in BC. Although great place for getting into off piste as well avalanche controlled. Having to "commute" from the town to the hill is really not an issue. Places like rossland and red mountain is like 10min bus ride.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@boarder2020, I’m not sure the bar scene in North America is up to the OP’s standard.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Whistler is pretty lively. But perhaps Ibiza is a better shout
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?
Whistler seemed quite good when I learnt to ski there, but yeh compared to euro resorts it is quite a bit quieter for nightlife.
My accomodation hunt continues... It's a bit mad that it almost becomes cheaper using booking.com and just not being there for the busiest weeks than the seasonal accomodation I am seeing!
Yeh I just get slightly concerned it would result in Visa issues as it could potentially be refundable accommodation and the French visa department may view that as not confirmed evidence of a place to stay for the whole period...
@Thew2002, You may find that you don't need a visa if you avoid the peak weeks.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
^^ There are various Schengen 90 day calculator apps available. As an example, you could do Monday Dec 16th to Sat 1st Feb and Sat Mar 8th to Sat April 19th. 90 days, no visa required. And apart from Xmas/NY weeks almost all of that is mid/low season so good chance of deal on a long term rate. Especially late March/April because the French have lost interest by then.
Go out after NY and you could do Sat 4/1/25 > Sat 8/2/25 and Mon 10/3/25 > Sat 3/5/25
After all it is free
After all it is free
All of the above is true and a possible idea to consider. It does also mean I can't go on holiday in Europe for 90 days following my 3 month ski season... All in all - I hate Brexit
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.
@Thew2002, Also can't go on a business trip to the EU for 90 days before or after the ski season, something I'm having to consider right now.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thew2002 wrote:
It does also mean I can't go on holiday in Europe for 90 days following my 3 month ski season... All in all - I hate Brexit
rjs wrote:
@Thew2002, Also can't go on a business trip to the EU for 90 days before or after the ski season, something I'm having to consider right now.
Neither of these comments are true if you split your ski season as suggested because it's a rolling 180 day period.
Therefore in the example I gave of Sat 4/1/25 > Sat 8/2/25 and Mon 10/3/25 > Sat 3/5/25, you could go back out on 4/7/25 or still be in Europe until 3/11/24 without affecting the ski dates. The February period gap of 28 days counts as a "credit" towards the 90 days, meaning you only need to be away for 62 days at either end. If you take a longer Feb gap or go out early season and come home for Xmas/NY weeks, they would also shorten the time after the end of the season before you can return.
I've looked at this as part of retirement planning; a typical season could be Sat Dec 7th to Fri Dec 20th, Sun Jan 5th to Fri Feb 7th, Sun Mar 9th to Sun Apr 20th. That gives me quiet travel days (I'm driving), avoids all the peak season crowds and allows further travel up until 21st Oct before the season or from 6th June after, just under 7 weeks at either end.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Je suis un Skieur wrote:
^^ There are various Schengen 90 day calculator apps available. As an example, you could do Monday Dec 16th to Sat 1st Feb and Sat Mar 8th to Sat April 19th. 90 days, no visa required. And apart from Xmas/NY weeks almost all of that is mid/low season so good chance of deal on a long term rate. Especially late March/April because the French have lost interest by then.
Go out after NY and you could do Sat 4/1/25 > Sat 8/2/25 and Mon 10/3/25 > Sat 3/5/25
Yes, but that would not be doing a season, just two long punter holidays.
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.
Yeh I would probably struggle to make friends at that period. I think I mainly did it at the start before the tourists flock in en masse. People may also view you as a 'holidayer' which would also make it difficult - If you're a social god all of this is irrelevant of course
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
Kenzie wrote:
Je suis un Skieur wrote:
^^ There are various Schengen 90 day calculator apps available. As an example, you could do Monday Dec 16th to Sat 1st Feb and Sat Mar 8th to Sat April 19th. 90 days, no visa required. And apart from Xmas/NY weeks almost all of that is mid/low season so good chance of deal on a long term rate. Especially late March/April because the French have lost interest by then.
Go out after NY and you could do Sat 4/1/25 > Sat 8/2/25 and Mon 10/3/25 > Sat 3/5/25
Yes, but that would not be doing a season, just two long punter holidays.
It's a potential 13 weeks or 91 full days on snow. That's more hours on snow than almost all working seasonaires would manage in a 20 week season. Granted a ski bum would do more.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Thew2002 wrote:
Yeh I would probably struggle to make friends at that period. I think I mainly did it at the start before the tourists flock in en masse. People may also view you as a 'holidayer' which would also make it difficult - If you're a social god all of this is irrelevant of course
If you aren't working you are on holiday
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Use a Schengen app to record all your trips/potential trips to keep an eye on your 90 days
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Je suis un Skieur,
Not too sure if you are correct there. Unless I'm wrong, your 90 Schengen days include those days travelling to & from resort, so most probably your two period split would give potentially 86 full days on snow, plus what you could squeeze in on the four travel days. Not sure why you are trying to get 91 full days on snow.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Done 16 of the last 19 seasons in various resorts, Europe, USA & Canada. (Working) ha ha. 7 seasons in the Arlberg. Stay out at Pettneu, accom cheaper but still have access the all the Arlberg offers. Can't be beaten.
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?
@Kenzie, yes, the clock starts the moment you step foot in the zone and stops when you step foot out
That is brilliant and extremely informative. I assume you are from a country in the EU so can wander around all countries without a care in the world?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Perhaps to get around the 90 day in the Schengen rules you could spend half the season in Chatel, France then the other half in Morgins Switzerland. All on one ski pass. No idea if this would be allowed? They are very close to each other and you could perspectivly have the same friendship circle all season.
I haven't been to the area in years but I certainly had some great nights in the T-bar in Morgins. The pistes in the Portes du Solei go on and on...
@Ld,
Like France, Switzerland is a Schengen country, so no.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Kenzie wrote:
@Je suis un Skieur,
Not too sure if you are correct there. Unless I'm wrong, your 90 Schengen days include those days travelling to & from resort, so most probably your two period split would give potentially 86 full days on snow, plus what you could squeeze in on the four travel days. Not sure why you are trying to get 91 full days on snow.
I simply put the 13 weeks * 7 days calculation. If you want to be picky it's actually 12 weeks and 6 days.
But you're somewhat missing the point. You stated that it's two long punter holidays rather than a season. My point was that you can do more skiing in those two trips than the vast majority of seasonaires would do over a "full" season. 90 days at 7.5 hours/day on snow is a possible 675 hours. 675 hours on snow is way more than most full time seasonaires would do, even in a resort with a 20 week season and there's plenty of places that only have 17/18 week seasons. So it's far from punter skiing.
You may or may not ski on the travel day but there's nothing to stop you taking an 11pm flight in both directions that would allow you to ski a full day on both entry and exit days. That's 11pm the night before the arrival day so you arrive around 1am in Schengen in case you want to be picky about that too.
But again, it's not the point. It really doesn't matter whether it's 86, 88 or 90 days on snow. If you're skiing first lift till last lift every day you can, you'll still be doing more than most seasonaires do. And it's much more likely that you would make the effort to ski every day if it's two shorter trips. You could still get the best part of 600 hours in only doing 6 day ski weeks within the 90 days.
For reference, and before Brexit, I reckon the most hours a very keen chalet host on a UK contract could get in would have been around 680 in a 20 week resort, 578 in a 17 week resort but few would actually do that. In my first season in the 3Vs as a driver, I skied every hour allowed outside work bar two days but I still probably only got around 550 hours in. I would have done more the following season as a full time ski host but that job doesn't exist anymore.
Most seasonaires now would be on French contracts but even if they're on 4 days on, 3 off, that's only 3 full days' skiing/week. 21.5 hours/week is a maximum 430 hours on snow in a 20 week season. Bar people doing evening shifts might manage more but I don't see too many bar people at first lift after working till 2am or later.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Je suis un Skieur wrote:
But you're somewhat missing the point. You stated that it's two long punter holidays rather than a season. My point was that you can do more skiing in those two trips than the vast majority of seasonaires would do over a "full" season.
Depends on what’s the “point” of doing a season!
One of you is missing the other’s point. I know plenty of seasonaires mostly don’t ski first to last lift because they get enough hours on snow. They don’t even ski everyday they’re free to ski. Some days the condition is just not worth bothering. Some days, you wake up, look outside the window and gone right back to sleep! But some days, we put your ski socks on the moment you wake up because the condition is so unreal! If you aren’t there that day, you missed the high point of the “season”, which is about being there and being ready!
I’ve never done a “season”. But I’ve spent long “punter’s holidays” in resorts (~3 months, on and off). I often wish I could stay longer, MUCH longer. Some years, the snow was best BEFORE I arrived. Other years, it dumped the day after I left! Had I stayed the entire season, I would have been on the snow those days! (I got my share of epic powder days too. Just never enough. None of those other “days” counts as much)
Moreover, there’re so much of what a ski resort offers beyond skiing. The drinking and partying notwithstanding, people exchange their best routes and best powder stashes only after they get to know you. Other things to do off-snow too. The social side of thing works differently when you’re there only half of the season, even without the split part. Unless, of course, you already have a social circle to plug right in. (I was fortunate I had a roommate who’s there full season. So I got invited for everything she got invited to)
What you propose definitely will work. It beats staying just a week by a long shot. But it isn’t a “season” by a lot of people’s calculation. That’s the other “point” you’re missing.
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.
@Thew2002,
I spent a season in Val in 1990/91.
Although that’s a long time ago, there’s barely a season. I haven’t returned for at least a week Skiing in l’Espace Killy because it’s such a great ski area.
The Skiing both on and off piste is fantastic. The town is busy and wealthy and has great facilities, food and nightlife.
I think the season pass this year is around £1000 as I was considering getting one just for my holiday Skiing.
If it’s like the old days with a saisonaire pass you get free entry to all nightclubs and staff price drinks which are considerably cheaper than punter prices.
As you already know, there was an enormous amount off piste Skiing available. You will also quickly learn which aspect to the piece you enjoy anything from gentle blue slopes too seriously, extreme.
There are loads of expats out there and it is easy to find people to ski with. My favourite bar was the Morris pub but that’s gone now and turned into some posh Hotel. Le Petit Danoise is now my fave. It has a thriving happy hour and often lots of great music. Many of the ski guides meet up there for drinks in the evening.
I lived in Le Portillo which was a typically ugly French apartment block but not too expensive at the time. A few hundred metres in the direction of La Daille still been in walking distance after a night out but cheaper because not in the centre. It was also free on street parking outside which was convenient except occasionally getting the car buried by the snow ploughs. I recommend you look for somewhere with a private balcony as it’s a really handy place to put all your ski junk which has tendency to accumulate over season as long as you’re not skint.
Once you meet a bunch of friends, you will also be invited to dinner with them and reciprocate assuming you can cook. You will also have an endless stream of friends who want to come and visit you and stay in your second bedroom - ha ha = sofa surfing in the lounge.
Val has an amazing snow record due to its geographic location and the shape of the Isère valley. If you’re going to do it, I would thoroughly recommend you get there for the first day of the season and stay all the way through to the last. People still struggle to believe it but I’ve skied deep fresh powder in late November and some of my most memorable Skiing, was in May 1991 when we skied thigh deep powder all day, day after day through to the last day of my lift pass on 12th May as there was simply no one else around to Ski it out.
All in all, it was one of the best periods of my life and a fantastic way to spend six months.
All the best with your planning
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Very interesting post. I love 3V and have spent more time there than any other ski resort. We (hubby and self) have done 128 ski trips outwith UK of which 53 were to 3V. We are retired, eldest son and partner are ski instructors in Meribel during teh winter but return to UK for the summers. Other son also used to instruct there. Hubby and I were mogul ski international judges so for many years we officiated at competitions, expenses paid. We gave that up 5 years ago.
Last winter we did 9 weeks over 3 trips in Meribel helping with childcare but skiing most days. We are old enough to get veteran passes which until last season were free. Even paying for our passes they cost less than 9 euros a day last season. I cannot imagine staying anywhere other than 3V for a long period as I would get bored. Its the only place I can ski day after day, but we are experienced skiers and know the area very well. What really anoys me whenever I ski elsewhere is the slowness of the uplift as I have to spend more time getting up the hill than skiing down.
We drove out from Scotland mid December 2023 for a month. Then left the gear there with our son and flew back home for a few weeks. Flew out again for trip 2 and drove out at Easter to bring the gear back. Son does a season rental and we hire somewhere nearby for the weeks we want.
Good luck, if you do go back to Meribel PM me as we will be there next season.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
