 Poster: A snowHead
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hey guys we are looking to go away either the week of 14/15 December -the 21st/22nd or from the 28/29th to the 5th jan. we are looking for a small resort similar to puy st Vincent. we may go there but would like better accommodation, we are thinking of renting a chalet for the week (preferably with hot tub) not a major issue though. there will be 12 of us going at the moment. 5 girls who have skied before but class themselves as beginners and 7 lads who are expert level either skiing or snowboard as we are mixed. the girls will have lessons throughout the week. please could suggest where to go ect. would like to keep the holiday cost right down as have some students that are not working in the group. many thanks
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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'd avoid PSV mid December. Not the most reliable snow. When you say expert are we talking serious steep and deep, precipitous mogul slopes or do you mean some black runs?
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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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Yes we did wander that. The resort is open but obviously a gamble for the time of year. I have been there early jan was fine but can just depend what the conditions are like. Well last year we went to la giettaz and skied the Porte de Mont Blanc, but we found a lot of off piste and tree runs which keeps us busy, that's why Psv is ok because it's good for the girls but the lads can explore and go in the park, boarder x ect. As long as we can all ski and board together that's all we need. Thanks
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I don't know how you're planning to travel but I'm assuming if it's budget it won't be a package. Have a look at Warth/ Schroken in the Vorarlberg (second recommendation today) or maybe somewhere like Valfrejus. Grimentz would be good for the ski criteria but sadly Swiss prices!
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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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hammy1846at4, 28/29 to 5th is the most expensive week of the year in anywhere popular...
21/22 better but still not exactly cheap.
14th December is rather early, not so much open. You could probably find something in, say, Tignes for the 14th? But that's hardly "small"
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Hi hammy1846at4,
Have you thought of the La Plagne area? It is much bigger than you were planning but liftpass prices are on discount for the 15th Dec week and so work out cheaper than many of the smaller areas which don't reduce. The discount reflects the fact that some of the lower slopes may be closed, but as there is a glacier and most of the domain over 2000m so snow cover isn't usually a problem early on.
Great facilities for beginners/improvers including a couple of really good independant ski schools as well as park, boarder x etc etc for the rest of the group. Most of the ski schools offer off-piste guiding too if you fancy trying something different.
We have chalets there and you can click on the link below for more info - we like to get the first week booked up early for our planning so mention snowheads and we can do you a bit of discount off the 15th Dec week if you'd like
Happy planning!
Heather
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hammy1846at4, could you not do mid-January? Far cheaper, more reliable snow and a much bigger range of resorts open (many won't open the 14/15 weekend).
Unless you really need to go Christmas or NY weeks they're best avoided.
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Ste Foy is normally open by then and ticks most of your boxes. I also liked Vaujany but woudl need to check when lifts open.
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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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Thanks for the suggestions. The only time we can go is the 15th-22 or the new year week because we have a teacher and we have some uni students that have exams during January so can't go then. Possible driving or we will fly. Many thanks
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Ah - that makes sense. In which case 15-22nd will definitely work out as the cheapest of those dates, by a long way. . . . .
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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hammy1846at4, Places I have been that week and had good snow are Zermatt, St Anton and Obergurgl (actually that was a week earlier than that come to think of 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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Does ste Foy have enough to keep one busy for a week? Doesn't look like it to me...
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| under a new name wrote: |
| Does ste Foy have enough to keep one busy for a week? Doesn't look like it to me... |
Plenty to keep real experts busy I suspect. Now there's a follow on question....
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You know it makes sense.
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hammy1846at4, go mid December, to Tignes, with Mountainsun. Your beginners can take lessons with one of several excellent ski schools there - the only one I have personal experience of is Evolution 2 but I think the BASS ski school there is also v good. In France, you can't really beat tignes for plenty of terrain, of all standards, in early season.
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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 am not sure Tignes is perfect for beginners. What about Val Thorens? Snow guaranteed there too. Slopes by and largewide, not too steep and confidence building. Tignes can knock confidence as hard enough to progress onto intermediate slopes. No limit in 3V for experts
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
I am not sure Tignes is perfect for beginners.
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There are better places for beginners but the OP also wants expert level skiing and to go on 14 December. In my view Tignes is a good bet for that combination AND the excellence of the ski schools available is a factor - most places are fine for beginners if they have good instructors who will know exactly where to take them. Val Thorens is also a good bet though.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
I am not sure Tignes is perfect for beginners.
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There are better places for beginners but the OP also wants expert level skiing and to go on 14 December. In my view Tignes is good for that combination AND the excellence of the ski schools available is a factor - most places are perfect for beginners if they have good instructors who will know exactly where to take them. Val Thorens is also a good bet though I am not at all fond of either, personally!
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| most places are fine for beginners if they have good instructors who will know exactly where to take them. |
Absolutely!
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fatbob, Ste Foy is better than it looks on the piste map and one of those under rated places good for both ends of the spectrum. Fair number of trip reports up on it. A lot of families from here go every year and a couple of My mates on alpinehomeswap
.com have places there.
Definitely good for the OP IMHO.
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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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fatbob, yes, lots of off piste and touring options available, but I don't really believe that's what the OPwas really after, really. 
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Hi guys thanks for all the helpful comments. We have now decided we are going to go over new year so weekend of the 28th to the 4/5th jan.
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hammy1846at4, new year can be very busy, I would avoid Bansko at all costs due to how very, very long the queue is to get up the first main lift. I would also look to a avoid resorts with bottle necks to get up to the skiing from where you stay if possible.
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hammy1846at4, well, you are constrained on date...
I would be inclined to look at Italy, for example, we are often in Champoluc (which would probably suit your group ski wise) at New Year and although the core dates are busy, they all seem to pack up and leave on the 1st or 2nd. I don't think accommodation is necessarily significantly cheaper but food and drink certainly can be. Finding chalet style accommodation may be tricky. Madonna di Campiglio also attractive but I have no idea on driving logistics.
Driving may keep your travel costs lower and it certainly may be handy having cars available.
My anticipation would be that being self organised will be better value than a package, as the TOs seem to be reducing allocations and I'd be amazed if they got their numbers too far wrong that week - i.e. Little to no overcapacity to sell at reduced price.
In which case, decide on a region and book your flights or ferry the instant they become available.
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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 believe all flights will already be available - as far as I am gathering BA release flights 12 months in advance, monarch 13 months in advance. Easyjet released their winter flights a couple of months ago, I believe.
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| Quote: |
Easyjet released their winter flights a couple of months ago, I believe.
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they certainly did and flights for New Year are now very expensive (around £300 return depending on timing) which reduces the advantage of a DIY arrangement. Your best bet might a "group deal" through one of the tour operators, hammy1846at4. Why not give a few of them a ring, tell them what you are hoping to do, and see what they suggest? The logistics of 12 of you driving to Italy would not be easy if you are having to organise everybody! If the TOs can't meet your needs, then think again. What is your budget?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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NickyJ, pam w, oops.
Not something I pay any attention to 
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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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Not something I pay any attention to
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well, when you have your own private jet.....
actually, that £300 was minimum - the more conveniently timed flights are even more.
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Hmmm, right now £150-200 LGW or LHR depending. I remember the days when that would have been considered very GVHM 
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You know it makes sense.
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hammy1846at4, Hi Sam, just spotted this thread. Sorry we didn't have room for you guys again this year - I think pam w, might be right in suggesting you look at Tour Operators as I suspect most nice independent chalets will have been booked for the week of the 28th a long time ago like we were and the flights for that week won't be cheap now. Good luck with your search and I hope you find something great (but that you still come back and visit us again obviously!  )
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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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try going the week after New Year, usually the one of the cheaper weeks of the season as it's usually when all the schools go back and the added benefit of having the extra month for the snow to fall.
Small resort, decent snow... St Jean D'Aulpes is not a bad shout, and if you get a bit bored you have some of the bigger resorts to visit (Morzine, Avoriaz, Les Gets, etc) right on your doorstep and all accessible fairly easily.
Everything depends on budget though....
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Poster: A snowHead
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paulthesnowfinder, the reason they are going that week is they have to stick to school holidays.
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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 apologise I didn't read the posts that followed....
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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How about Les Deux Alpes? Not small exactly, but compact. Lots of accommodation and eating and drinking options across the full range, decent amount of challenge for the more experienced and the option of really good ski instruction from Easiski for the girls. I wouldn't go there at New Year...... but then you'd have to pay me to go anywhere at New Year just for the week. I imagine the 15th -22nd would be a good week to go though - indeed I don't need to imagine, I've been skiing there that week myself.
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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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pam w, very sadly no private jet.
But I live in Geneva.
Which makes worrying about UK-GVA flights on the Saturday before New Year mostly ... etc.
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My suggestion would be La Plagne, I've skied there that week about 3 times now and there is always plenty of snow, even if the lower runs are closed. Plenty of off-piste for the 'experts', and lots of nice cruisey runs and decent ski schools for the girls.
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FAQ
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