 Poster: A snowHead
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I think atraherne has made the point extremely well:
Unless you are a total numpty on skis there is really no point at all in going to anywhere else except (and on this list I stand corrected):
Espace Killy
3V
Paradiski
Everywhere else is too flat, too small or too expensive.
atraherne has 100% convinced me.....I am going to be pointing this thread out to The Lad who has foolishly arranged to go to Japan for the winter, if only he'd read this in time.
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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 have posted about skiing related topics only, but unfortunately there are some characters who seem to make it their mission to make a trivial argument out of seemingly nothing. These characters almost always have an obsessive number of posts to their names.
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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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I have absolutely no idea what you're all arguing about. Just ski where the hell you like, ffs.
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| Quote: |
Espace Killy
3V
Paradiski
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Not a bad list, lol.
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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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Add;
Chamonix
Alpe d'huez
Serre Chevalier
Saas Fee (would like to try)
St. Anton (would like to do)
Gressoney / Alagna (would like to do)
There are some others in Switzerland but out of my price bracket
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That's my preference.
It's not such a far removed statement to say; most people when doing a vacation trip go to large ski areas with plenty of on and off, especially the more advanced. That is the reality, of course there are exceptions. More so in North America where a lot of the ski areas are small, based on European standards.
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Just ski where the hell you like,
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Word to that. I too am getting bored of this thread now.
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Cheapest espresso I've found in a piste-side restaurant in the last few years is in Les Arcs at a very reasonable 90 cents (they also do a big slice of pizza for 2€50). Most expensive filter coffee I've paid for was in Niseko.
Countrywide generalisations are bad. Local knowledge is good.
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Hi Clarky, sorry I completely missed this post. Good information, thanks!
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atraherne, some of the probably lesser known (but not 'secret') areas: Achensee, Vent (amongst the other Oetztal resorts), Montafon, Axamer Lizum, Nordkette, Pitztal Gletscher, Stubai Gletscher (well known but not so much for freeride stuff), Schlick2000, Kuhtai (again known as a family resort), Brandnertal, Kasberg, Zwoelferhorn (and most of the rest of the Salzkammergut -inc Krippenstein), Galtuer (also known for other reasons), loads of stuff around Hoher/Obertauern, Dachstein area, maybe some of the smaller Zillertal areas count... And that's just a few of the Austrian ones, the rest of the Alps are presumably covered in such places too.
I do enjoy piste skiing, I don't really do much onpiste challenging stuff (racing on injected courses, bulletproof ice days) though - I'd rather go for a tour when conditions are like that. I think it's pretty rare to find a piste that's challenging in terms of 'itself' and terrain, rather than just in certain conditions. Those that are are often too steep to groom properly, so the piste definition may be a bit loose there.
Some of those resorts have enough piste skiing to keep you interested there too, some not. Some are close enough to other big areas that a 10 min bus will allow you 100's of kms of piste. Many of those areas certainly give access to enough offpiste terrain to keep you interested for a week or more, even more so if you have touring equipment. Some are also centred around a larger base area, from which you could day trip to several of the areas over a week. All give a lot for the money, for adventurous skiers.
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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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I too am getting bored of this thread now
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Most of us got bored with the thread in May 2011. That's why it died a death.
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Its quite an unusual name, hence the question.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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To be honest I didn't expect anyone to comment on the thread, just wanted to add my brief points. People did though and continued with it.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Tue 6-08-13 12:30; edited 1 time in total
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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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Should do the same as the MTB forum. Threads autolock after a year.
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rob@rar,
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Countrywide generalisations are bad. Local knowledge is good.
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Yessss!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Countrywide generalisations are bad. Local knowledge is good.
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Mkay
But on a more serious note I am starting to have more empathy for Andy & co; this subject has been 'rinsed', I think its probably best to hang up the towel. If someone wants to continue a similar discussion maybe start a new thread giving other posters 'closure'.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I have learnt my lesson, in that regard for next time, at least in relation to 'bottomless' discussions. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Countrywide generalisations are bad. Local knowledge is good.
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Yess again. atraherne, no problem with "closure". You don't need somebody else to give you permission to do something else. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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atraherne, don't worry, it's not a sin to resurrect threads!
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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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There's been far more agreement in this thread than the post count and ferocity of argument might suggest.
Everyone agrees that some things in the big French resorts are breathtakingly expensive. Everyone agrees that it's unfair to describe all French resorts as too expensive, and everyone agrees that you can trim costs in the mega resorts if you try hard enough and are prepared to inconvenience yourself to some degree. I think that everyone has agreed that you can easily be ripped off anywhere in the world, but you seem to be much more vulnerable in 3V et al than in other places. Everyone has agreed that there is good skiing in the big name resorts, but everyone has agreed that there's good skiing in other places too.
The big question that no-one seems to have been able to answer satisfactorily is this: why are there enough people in the world who are able and willing to keep the purveyors of EUR5 coffee in business?
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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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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
There's been far more agreement in this thread than the post count and ferocity of argument might suggest.
The big question that no-one seems to have been able to answer satisfactorily is this: why are there enough people in the world who are able and willing to keep the purveyors of EUR5 coffee in business? |
Probably because it's too much hassle to go to the cheaper places when all one wants is a coffee 
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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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Once you know where they are, if you're a regular you tend to avoid the 5€ coffee and find somewhere cheaper . As a once a year skier in a strange resort, you will probably just moan about it afterwards.
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Jonny Jones, I think that most people just may agree that this "'bottomless' discussion" is not just about the expensive prices of coffee/water/lunch-on-the-mountain. As you rightly point out skiers/boarders can be ripped off anywhere in the world. For me the total infuriation is greater than the sum of the individual parts, especially my most recent trips to EK/3V/PDS. Despite some world class skiing in these (and other lesser French resorts Grand Massif/Megeve/Serre Che/La Ros) my general feeling of increased French indifference/over-priced-ski-stations/poorly-run-chalets (nothing to do with the French, but makes many a punter seem second rate to the seasonnaires) and greater value, just as good skiing, mostly better on mountain food and drink I've found in Austria (mainly Arlberg and Kitz) and in Italy (mainly Aosta Valley/Cervinia/Monte Rosa), demotes any thought of skiing in France to the bottom of my choice pile. NOT just because France is expensive, but because it seems that in France the paying skier-punter has become just that. I don't get that in other destinations:skele:
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5€ coffee, I wish, I know many palaces where that would have been the price 10 years ago, 5 if you were very lucky
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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
The big question that no-one seems to have been able to answer satisfactorily is this: why are there enough people in the world who are able and willing to keep the purveyors of EUR5 coffee in business? |
Because there is a segment of clientele for whom price in that range really is immaterial and a bigger segment for who will put up with the odd relatively trivial "tax" because they are on holiday and it's within their overall budget. I'd bet there aren't many hardcore locals shelling out that.
+ location, location, location.
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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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skimastaaah, I wonder if the worm has turned? Certainly Compagnie du Mont-Blanc is going to considerable effort to improve its up-mountain-not-on-snow experience. Although I don't think I would necessarily go out of my way to eat in the CMB restaurants, my perception is that prices have actually fallen.
Now I am also going to take you to task on "better" mountain food around Monterosa. Yes, it's good but the selection is almost always identical. Notable exception being the wonderful Rascard Frantze. While the rest are all good VFM, there are only so many bowls of spaghetti, hamburgers (donkeyburgers?) and toasted ham and cheese sandwiches that one can look forward to.
Nothing wrong with fizzy red wine out of the tap however.
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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
The big question that no-one seems to have been able to answer satisfactorily is this: why are there enough people in the world who are able and willing to keep the purveyors of EUR5 coffee in business? |
Because they're not that bothered about spending 5 euros on a coffee for 1-2 weeks of the year?
Megeve was mentioned earlier as being a really pricey resort. Well we're part of the Megeve ski area and sell coffee for 1 euro and a really nice bottle of wine in our bar for 12.50 euros and if you don't finish the bottle, we'll stick your name on it, cork it and you can come back and finish it the next day without wasting a penny of your hard-earned cash. We can also ski to a restaurant in Megeve where you can buy the same bottle of wine for 24 euros and I can't remember how much the coffee is, but it's probably 5 euros. Does it put us off that the same wine is 24 euros? No, not at all, we really enjoy the food there, its in a gorgeous setting, the people are lovely (yes, I know, weird huh?) and so we happily go there a few times during the season and don't even care if we don't finish the bottle of wine and leave some to waste. I'm not a wealthy person at all but, like many, many other people on average salaries, I've also repeatedly gone to clubs in Ibiza where you have to pay 10 euros for a bottle of water. Wouldn't do it 365 days of the year, but really not going to get worked up about it when I'm having a good time on my holiday.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Wed 7-08-13 6:26; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ah, ^ what fatbob, says with a bit more detail.
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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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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| The big question that no-one seems to have been able to answer satisfactorily is this: why are there enough people in the world who are able and willing to keep the purveyors of EUR5 coffee in business? |
Because the average IQ is around 100. In other words, some people simply cannot do the maths.
And another theory... if, like me, some of your trips are family and others solo, it seems cheap to be only shelling out a fiver. In fact, you go into restaurants thinking you're not going to hold back because you're not paying for 4.
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under a new name, How did you know I stay at Le Rascard??
BTW,............... lunch for 2 ...........including bottle of Amarone about £35
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You know it makes sense.
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That looks absolutely delicious... but £17.50 a head is not astonishingly cheap for half a platter of lovely meat and cheese and half a nice bottle of wine... or is it
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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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miranda, I can get a plate of meat and cheese in one of our local places for less than that, although it wouldn't include Amarone.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hells Bells, how much would it cost with decent wine?
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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 suppose about 7€ for a 50cl carafe of house wine, more if I bought a full bottle off the menu. 16€ (approx) for Haute-Alpes wine. I think the meat and cheese, plus salade is 12€ .
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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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Hells Bells, The wine was a 2003 Tedeschi. I'd never get that in France! And Vin de Savoie has nothing on a decent Amarone!
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 6-08-13 21:30; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| skimastaaah wrote: |
under a new name, How did you know I stay at Le Rascard??
BTW,............... lunch for 2 ...........including bottle of Amarone about £35
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WANT!
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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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This is not a good photo to be contemplating on a fast day. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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skimastaaah, more likely to get Rhone wines in Hells Bells' neck of the woods which is a much better bet than Vin de Savoie
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miranda, Hells Bells, The cheapest Amarone in Majestic is £22. Typical wine markup is 3X so £66. That means the lovely Francesca subsidised skimastaaah, to have his meal. Unless my arithmetic is out. 
skimastaaah, Are you sure that was an Amarone? I think we usually spend €19/bottle on wine there and I think we like one of the Neros. If there's an Amarone that will fit into that budget, marvellous. I think the cheapest Amarone in the Conad in Verres is about €19.
And, does Francesca know you've "borrowed" her photograph?
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under a new name, She'd be quite happy I plagerised her photo, ate her assietta, and drank the vino rosso. Salute. 
Judging by that plate of local meats/cheeses half the snowheads reading this thread will descend on mass from La Bell France through the Monte Bianco tunnel, drive and hour and a half up to Champoluc just for lunch!!!!!!!!!!
QED, that's why France is so expensive.
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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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skimastaaah, like Arno says, in Serre Chevalier there is very little Vin de Savoie on offer. Hautes-Alpes, Cote du Rhone or Cote de Provence are far more likely.
under a new name, I would be very surprised if the Amarone was that cheap.
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| skimastaaah wrote: |
under a new name, How did you know I stay at Le Rascard??
BTW,............... lunch for 2 ...........including bottle of Amarone about £35
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Finally this thread got interesting
mmmm... groseilles, viande de grisons - but obviously the Italian version...
Frankly, a platter like this with a Spring alpine view in the sunshine after a morning guided on spring snow is without price. You will not live to count days like that over 2 hands (unless you serve the platters or are the guide). So 10/20/50/100/250/500/1000 euros , £ whatever - Just inhale deeply and deal with it when you get home.
If you want to ski up and down mileage pistes cheaply best deal is probably Hemel in May.
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FAQ
