My husband, daughter ( and I have done one week last season in bulgaria. We would like to book now for a week in France Feb half term 2014. I have no experience there, so am looking for somewhere not too tourist-y, either a half board hotel or catered chalet (preferably with a hot tub!), either ski to door or transfers to slope. Can't afford a fortune, am looking to spend 2500 as an absolute max, would prefer nearer 2k all in. Is that even possible?
Hubby and I have our own equipment, daughter would need to hire. Not worried about black slopes, but a nice selection of blue and red would be great.
Thanks in advance.
Ellie
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
EllsBells591, have a look at www,morealps.com they have chalets in La Rosiere and Val D'Isere.
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?
Quote:
would prefer nearer 2k all in. Is that even possible?
What do you want to include in that? To include everything, including ski passes, lessons etc is probably not possible at half term - you will find France a fair bit more expensive than Bulgaria.
You can do cheaper holidays at half term, but not in a nice catered chalet near the piste with a hot tub! You would need to look at self catering, probably.
There are some excellent smaller resorts with some good all-in deals with lift passes included, but for them you would need to drive.7
You won't find anywhere "untouristy" in France at half term, but you could find places with mostly French tourists!!
EllsBells591, might well be a good idea. I have no recent experience of the train - did it overnight many years ago, in a sleeper, infinitely preferable to sitting up.
But there are some quite expert train travellers here on Snowheads who could probably advise.
if you can read a bit of French, google "ski tout compris" on google.fr
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
if you arrive early in resort you will generally not have access to your accommodation until mid-afternoon - likewise you need to vacate, normally, by 10 am. So if you don't have a car it takes a bit of pre-planning to take advantage of the fact that the slopes are much quieter on Saturday change-over days.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thank you - still looking atm, have sent some enquiries off - difficult though as I'm not fixed on a location (other than France), just want somewhere that looks nice, and doens't cos the earth!
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.
EllsBells591, why have you fixed on France? There are plenty of places in Austria, too (and Italy for that matter) which match that description, though you have picked about the most expensive week of the year!
For your first trip to France, just your second week skiing, if you want to keep the costs down I recommend you don't go anywhere you've ever heard of. The price of drinks and lunches in somewhere like Val D'Isere will come as a nasty shock.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Just because I figured the travel options would be easier and cheaper ( plus I can speak the language a bit). Not adverse to other countries at all. Quite fancy Austria tbh.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
EllsBells591, welcome to Snowheads We've stayed in a fair few catered chalets in France over the past few years during school holiday weeks. I would think that you'd be lucky to find a nice (but not luxe) chalet for less than £600-700 per person for that week which is almost all your budget gone without any travel or lift passes. I think I would focus on the mainstream tour operators i.e. Crystal where you might still manage to find a free child place and your travel will be bundled in, you might manage it all in budget with lift pass included in some of their resorts if I remember correctly. Good luck
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.
Thanks Sarah, I'll take a look....
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
EllsBells591, I could recommend things that would meet many of your requirements, but not all. I.e. you could easily get everything you want but blow the budget, or to get it in on budget you'd need to compromise on something else.
I travel to ski by train a lot and have done most of the variants at one point or another, so happy to offer advice there if you have specific questions. www.snowcarbon.co.uk is a good starting point which should cover pretty much everything. The major point to note is that if travelling overnight get a proper sleeper train (change in Paris) rather than the direct overnight Eurostar; it is far better and doesn't arrive in the resort until a couple of hours later, which is a plus point. I've never had a problem leaving my bags with the chalet I'll be staying in while I go off and ski for the first and last days when travelling overnight, but worth checking this beforehand.
As there are three of you finding somewhere that has a triple room or similar will help a lot with the cost.
If you want to get a complete package including lift passes, travel, ski hire and so on you'll probably find you're restricted to the major tour operators, and they aren't so hot on getting there by train. If you're happy to DIY and book everything separately you might pay a little more overall but will get things how you want them and have a lot more choice.
I'd take a look at www.skiamis.com - they're a relatively small company, but big enough to offer a complete package, and will bundle train travel in with it. They're not expensive, but good value.
Espirit may well have a package that suits you too I reckon, but I've got no personal experience.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We started in Bulgaria, and recently have done 2 Easters in Val Cenis, longest green in Europe at 10km, loads of blues, not too taxing reds, would be brilliant for 2nd weekers. The resort of Lanslebourg is very French, and there is a hotel near the slopes, the Alpazur, which caters for Brits, I think Snowcoach book it, we only used the bar on their quiz night, but I think they have a jacuzzi, and people were very complimentary about the food.
We stayed in the Aparthotel Les Alpage de Val Cenis, and they have steam and sauna room, jacuzzi and pool, and a button lift right outside. We drove ourselves so can't help with tour operators for that one, but they have a restaurant on site which seemed reasonable.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/les-alpages-de-val-cenis.en-gb.html?aid=356983;label=gog235jc-city-en-fr-lanslebourgNmontNcenis-nobrand-gb-com;sid=773b341ef4eca8634bf454cd4157f4ef;dcid=1
And here's the official Val Cenis song why?
why not? jolly song, and a fun video of the resort. The main guy singing looks like an extra from "Les Bronzés font du ski". Anyone who found it too naff would probably be too cool for Val Cenis anyway.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi, you could try to post your requirements on www.chaletsdirect.com so chalet owners can get back to you with their offer.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Have a look at St Foy - small, friendly cheaper passes and a skip and a jump from Bourg Railway Station in a cab.
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?
How about one of the Les Sybelles resorts (St Sorlin, Le Corbier, etc) or one of the lesser known resorts near Grenoble (Chamrousse or Les 7 Laux)? All cheaper than the bigger, better known resorts.
pam w, "Les Bronzés font du ski", is that the same as the Glitter Band ??
I agree the song is chirpy enough, and I have, unfortunatley, never been cool, I'm still waitng for fashions to catch up with me
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hello!
Good idea to get things sorted now, a lot of tour operators are losing there early bird discounts as of next week!
I recommend you try looking at Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Get) Huge skiing area, something for everyone with a good family vibe throughout. Or if you were thinking of something similar, but a bit cheaper, than Alpe D'Huez is very good at half term - some really good chalet deals available.
Also good BOGOF offers on lift passes for the half term in a lot of French resorts.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Quote:
Also good BOGOF offers on lift passes for the half term in a lot of French resorts.
could you post some links for those offers, paulthesnowfinder?
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.
Catered chalets, Hotels and self-catered apartments in Alpe D'Huez, La Plagne, Val D'Isere, Tignes, Courcheval 1850, Les Deux Alpes.
All running the BOGOF on Lift Passes for Half Term and for New Year!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
paulthesnowfinder, Ah, OK, it's the tour operators who are offering those deals as part of their packages.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
pam w, Yes and is only applicable to certain chalets, hotels and apartments. Feel free to enquire on our website and I will be able to send you a list of the chalets and prices through.
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.
paulthesnowfinder, I've checked your web site and cannot find any of these so-called offers, so c'mon put up the places! By the way your "Quick Search bar" sucks big time.
Your wording "All running the BOGOF on Lift Passes for Half Term and for New Year!" is somewhat misleading to say the least! so why not prove how wrong we are?
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
There are a few examples I can give but unfortunately, due to an agreement I have with the Snowhead site administrators I cannot just list off names of tour operators and their offers!
BUT! for example... Chalet Vallon in Meribel & Chalet Anika in Alpe D'Huez are 2 good chalets, with availability that are running the BOGOF Lift Pass Offer! As are the Chalet Delta in La Tania and Hotel Ours Blanc in again in Alpe D'Huez. And also Chalet Chamois in Courcheval 1850... Ooo and the Lodges Alpages in La Plagne.
You are correct, we haven't advertised this offer on our website because it is a short term offer and as for our "Quick Search Bar"... It's extremely functional and works well.
The BOGOF lift pass offer is only available until 5th July and comes with the usual t's & c's.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
and I have done one week last season in bulgaria. We would like to book now for a week in France Feb half term 2014. I have no experience there, so am looking for somewhere not too tourist-y, either a half board hotel or catered chalet (preferably with a hot tub!), either ski to door or transfers to slope. Can't afford a fortune, am looking to spend 2500 as an absolute max, would prefer nearer 2k all in. Is that even possible?
We've stayed in a fair few catered chalets in France over the past few years during school holiday weeks. I would think that you'd be lucky to find a nice (but not luxe) chalet for less than £600-700 per person for that week which is almost all your budget gone without any travel or lift passes. I think I would focus on the mainstream tour operators i.e. Crystal where you might still manage to find a free child place and your travel will be bundled in, you might manage it all in budget with lift pass included in some of their resorts if I remember correctly. Good luck 
why?
??
