 Poster: A snowHead
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Firstly, Great forum guys!
I'm a fairly well seasoned skier - having been at it since i was able to walk....now 30!
Live in Scotland, and am looking to get away abroad for a ski holiday( after xmas) likely solo.
Completely clueless though, so i need pointing in the right direction :
Wants :
easy travel from scotland by air
likelyhood of decent weather
( Obv good snow) Good mix of runs - i tend to ski more relaxed than i used to, but still love showing the boarders who is boss......
Decent apres-ski, without paying £5 a pint
Budget not overly important, but i guess mid range?
Not like i ask for much eh!!
Answers on a postcard
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Look at the Snowheads bashes in the snowEvents section of the forum for a list. Good skiing loads of folks to ski with whatever your level and great fun and the buying a big group helps keep the cost down for everyone.
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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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wozzad, welcome to snowheads.  Look at Action-Outdoors, holidays at UCPA Centres in France. Ideal for solo travellers, young, wanting to keep the price down. The beer might cost at least £5 a pint but the amount you will save on all the other elements of the holiday will be more than enough to cover that!
Just avoid the busy times - New Year, and mid-February to mid-March, when pistes will be crowded.
If you are a good skier you might enjoy some of the off-piste options, for example in Argentiere - far cheaper than hiring your own guides. But reports on snowheads have made it clear that the top level groups are very good indeed.
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pam w,
I don't think Wozzad will have to worry too much about what time of the season he goes if he's used to skiing in Scotland on a regular basis.
Relatively speaking, he may think he's got the slopes to himself in a school holiday period in The Alps! 
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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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Try Morzine, not cheap, but not too expensive. Fly to geneva. Good range of runs and access to Ports du Soleil and you can find plenty of accommodation to suit - we stayed with Rude Chalets. Plenty of bars too and not full of idiots.
Have a great time 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Bergmeister, that's true. The worst ski lift queues I've ever encountered were at Aviemore. The second worst were in Chamonix in a poor-snow January.
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What languages can you manage? That might help you to feel comfortable. Try a chalet or group and then you may meet ski buddies. You get better weather in March than in January and the snow still wont be as bad as Scots porridge! Having said that I skied at Glenshee in super powder, one Easter..would have been in about 1985..wonderful.
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snowyowl, my monoglot, and quite shy, son in law did two UCPA holidays and had no language problems - there were plenty of English speakers around and the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming.
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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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pam w, fair enough. Maybe it;s only me who likes to learn the language of a place before I go there...I was once lurking outside some Czech loos wondering which one to go in, and waiting for someone to go in or out to give me a clue, for quite a long time...!
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| Quote: |
Maybe it;s only me who likes to learn the language of a place before I go there.
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no, I do too. I learnt some Serbo-Croat before going to the former Yugoslavia and I learnt some Swahili when I went to Kenya. But my son-in-law has a real problem with languages (even English, he is dyslexic) but still really enjoyed UCPA, partly because there were quite a few other "singles" there, many of them Scandinavian and therefore good with English.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Bergmeister, that's true. The worst ski lift queues I've ever encountered were at Aviemore. The second worst were in Chamonix in a poor-snow January. |
Out of school holidays and weekends I'd just like to say you can have some amazingly quiet, bluebird days, with brilliant snow in the Cairngorms and the other Scottish resorts!!
Last season I had some fantastic days at Glenshee - even a couple of Saturdays.
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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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And furthermore try the 4V during school hols - blooming awful!
That's all!
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Fifespud, That may well be true but having a teacher for a spouse means we've not had the chance to sample the tranquil experience you describe. One of these days....
We have however experienced the Alps or USA/Canada every New Year, Feb half term and Easter for the past 20 years and have not encountered anything remotely like Scotland on a busy day.
We still love Scotland though and get there as often as we can! 
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You know it makes sense.
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+1 for UCPA and Action Outdoors
Went for my 1st ski holiday to La Plagne in March, think about a 3rd of the guests where Brits and a large portion of the rest could speak good English. Most of the lessons where conducted in English.
La Plagne UCPA was nice, proper ski in ski out, one of the pistes goes right underneath the centre, think it was refurbished just a couple of years ago, many of the other centres look to of been refurbed in the recent past.
I'm booked in for xmas week at the Val Thorens UCPA, really looking forward to it. If I hadn't signed up for the snowheads PBB and BB I'd be doing another couple of weeks at the UCPA even so I'm aiming to go to the Argentiere one early March if at all possible 
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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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Hi wozzad,
Welcome to snowheads.
If you think that a catered chalet might suit then have a look at our Chalet Campanules - link in my tag line. There is usually a nice, friendly atmosphere with everyone getting on together and we don't make a single supplement on our single rooms.
Happt planning . .
Heather
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowyowl, Why not just walk in to one of the toilets. If there are urinals then try the other one. We men are quite used to the female cleaners walking behind us and frankly do not care. Do you not remember the mixed toilets in France (sadly with the increasing homogeneity of Europe these little national quirks are disappearing - I recall yellow headlights, giving way to traffic entering the roundabout, banks shut on Mondays, lambs brains for lunch - all gone now - good)
Like [b]pam w['s /b], son in law I am terrible at languages, but get by perfectly happily.
I am impressed by the OP who skied all his life in Scotland and only now wants to try skiing in a foreign field. My advice would be to just go somewhere large and high staying somewhere like UCPA or a catered chalet and get the full experience of continental skiing. As to nightlife and beer costing £5 a pint, I gather that London is good for one, but bad for the other.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You can fly to Munich (sometimes Innsbruck, though usually not direct) easily from Scotland (Aberdeen, at least). From there you have a plethora of options, Saalbach would be a good choice though, loads of skiing, great apres, cheap beer. If you're more into offpiste, check out St Anton - apres if anything is even better, but beer is slightly more expensive (topping out at about €5 though).
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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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Where are you in Scotland? From Edinburgh we used to fly to Lyon, Chamberry, Grenoble, Geneva or Munich with Easyjet or Jet2, whichbudget.com is useful to check airline routes from your local airport. We found more buses running from the airports in France direct to resort if you are lucky enough for your flight times to match up. In Germany or Austria the trains are usually pretty good, have done Munich to Zillertal, Ischgl and Innsbruck where I stayed then got the ski bus in the morning to Stubai.
If going solo the UCPA idea above is probably a good one to cut down on costs.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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wozzad, are you going on your own? If so I woudl defo say UCPA, or maybe a SH bash.
If you are traveling with friends then I would recomend a catered chalet. Since this is your first time skiing out of Scotland then I would suggest one of the french mega resorst for a totally different experience, book somewhere ski-in sk-out or close as possible.
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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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wozzad, what a horrible problem to have.
I think you'd not go far wrong with Morzine (part of the Portes du Soleil (PdS) system). Any of the French mega areas will blow your mind in terms of terrain but (I have not skied the 3 valleys (3Vs)) I reckon the PdS is better balanced than the Espace Killy (EK) ((Val d'Isere & Tignes)) and from what I hear more interesting than the 3Vs.
I haven't skied Austria, but while it's a beautiful country, i don't think it would be "not-Scottish-enough". But I have heard good reviews...
A direct flight from GLA or EDI is essential, and Geneva works from both.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sat 26-10-13 18:19; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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3Vs is amazing and having skied both 3V and PDS then I personally think 3V is better linked. In PDS it feels that you need to make a concious decision to take the Cable car from La Plagne to Les Arcs - unless you are staying close to it. In 3V you can easily ski from Courcheval to VT in a day with lots of bits in between. But apart from that, both are top class resorts and the Vanois Express cable car is an experience in itself. Which ever one you do this year, you can do the other next year. The transfer to PDS is slightly longer as you need to go though Mouteirs to Bourg and then upto resort while Meribel/ Courcheval or EK are reached from Moutiers.
Last year with a 3V 6 day ski pass you could have a day in either PDS or Espace Killy. So perhaps PDS does the same arrangement. You will need a car, of course, to travel between resorts.
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For my first solo trip (and indeed my first skiing for 15 years!), I went with Cold Fusion in Cham. They've got places in Morzine and Les Carroz now too, and as it's targeted at solo travellers (I hasten to add, it's not a singles holiday) - you'll normally get a good crowd of people, with a mix of stay-in / go-out types, as well as a mix of abilities.
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IwishICouldThinkOfAFabNam, I think you're confused with your ski areas/geography.
The PDS that under a new name is referring to is the usual abbreviation for the Portes du Soleil ski area (Morzine/Avoriaz etc.) near Geneva, not the Paradiski (La Plagne/Les Arcs) near Bourg St Maurice.
You also need to go through BSM to access the EK and it's a longer transfer than the Paradiski, not shorter. Only the 3V's/Pralognan/Champagny are reached directly from Moutiers. Champagny is linked to the Paradiski but is only a small satellite and not really where the tour operators go.
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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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wozzad, welcome to 's. As Winderwoman says. Try Morzine.
Short transfer time, lots of flights from Scotland.
Great linked area, and a lovely town.
Contact Nina and see if we can accomodate you in the B&B. Doing some good deals on gap filling bookings.
Paul.
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| under a new name wrote: |
wozzad
I haven't skied Austria, but while it's a beautiful country, i don't think it would be "not-Scottish-enough". But I have heard good reviews... |
I'm not really sure you what you mean by that, but if you're suggesting that there's a shortage of big, jagged mountains and big ski areas here, you really (REALLY) couldn't be further from the truth!
I've skied plenty of places here that wipe the floor with the PdS/Morzine in every single way other than kms of piste - though there are places that are very similarly sized too. The only thing that's more 'Scottish' about Austria than France is some of the noises in the language.
France really does not have a monopoly on good skiing, big mountains, steep mountains, snow, good food, lots of pistes, lots of offpiste, etc.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Just avoid the busy times - New Year, and mid-February to mid-March, when pistes will be crowded. |
They don't have to be. Depends where you go, shirley.
Anyway, he wants:
| Quote: |
| Decent apres-ski, without paying £5 a pint |
so that means A U S T R I A
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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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clarky999, i'm on the pad here so excuse typos pls. Upi didn'tbwant to be rude or condescending at all aboutAustria, and frankly, if you want big f'off mountains, tour around Mont Blanc or Monte Rosa.
I just suggest that if you want to get an idea of scale, the PDS isIMV the most agreeable way to do so. Howev, I am interested in a non aggressive way for you to post your fave AT areas that kick the etc out of the PDS. I certainly won't comment on them but I would like a list of what to look at!
Thanks,
Uann
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You know it makes sense.
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Ummm, AT = alp touring and I was just looking for suggestions for trips! Ta!!
(I think I may have meant to type AT = Austria)
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Sat 26-10-13 18:20; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Fifespud wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
| Bergmeister, that's true. The worst ski lift queues I've ever encountered were at Aviemore. The second worst were in Chamonix in a poor-snow January. |
Out of school holidays and weekends I'd just like to say you can have some amazingly quiet, bluebird days, with brilliant snow in the Cairngorms and the other Scottish resorts!!
Last season I had some fantastic days at Glenshee - even a couple of Saturdays. |
Just spotted your post. I'm just o'er the brig.
I cut my teeth as a young teen at the Lecht ( season tickets for 10 years !) after that it was glenshee most weekends until i could drive, and then nevis range for a few years. These days i can't see past the uplift capacity at the Cairngorms.....though that walk to the top in boots is a killer !!!!
Speaking of which, Must buy new boots this season - you know if the balerno sale still happens every year ?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Chamonix, France
St Anton, Austria
Arabba, Italy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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wozzad, if you are buying boots do it properly....
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sat 26-10-13 9:21; edited 1 time in total
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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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Actually quite a few bits of Austria do remind me of Scotland, particularly the west of Scotland which is much "jaggier" than the east. You're right about the language too, there are loads of Scots words which are more like German than English, ken, kirk, cam, gang, nicht, licht off the top of my head (almost a whole song there  )
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
| there are loads of Scots words which are more like German than English, ken, kirk, cam, gang, nicht, licht off the top of my head |
Not just in Scotland lynseyf - some of those (eg gan, ken) are in use as far as 75 miles south of the border in North East England. Interesting stuff. Nicht may be in your list erroneously though - doesn't it mean 'night' in Scots but 'not' in German?
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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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yes mountainaddict, I suppose it should actually be northern Britain, but to a lot of people that means Manchester
yes nicht is not in German, but I think I have heard it being used to mean night or not in Scotland, probably massive regional varions
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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under a new name, just finished a 12.5 hour shift so it's beer o'clock now; I'll write a reply tomorrow.
lynseyf, my (Austrian) gf understands thick Scottish dialects much better then me, amusing given most of my family is Scottish and I spent 3 years at uni in Aberdeen!
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Hi
You may wish to look at Les Collons/Thyon we are the less well known area and much less expensive end of the 4 Vallées ski area. To give you and idea of prices hot chocolate on the mountan 4chf (2.75) pizza at La Luge from 12chf ect. I have lived here for over five years, please feel free to contact me for more info.
Best wishes Helen
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Have we established if the OP wants to ski off piste? wozzad,?? It does make quite a difference to reccomendations (Chamonix, for example is not such a good choice if you want to ski on piste. Argentierre, in case you don't know, is part of the Chamonix area)
And stop using all these abreviations guys, on a thread for someone who doesn't know these places. 3V = Les Trois Vallees (Courchevel, Meribel, Val Thorens), PDS = Port du Soleil, LDA= Les Deux Alpes, Paradiski= Les Arcs and La Plagne, ADH= Alp d'Huez, Espace Killy= Tignes and Val d'Isere, BSM= Bourg St Maurice (not a resort in itself)
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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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snowball, I have fixed my posts for you. Better?
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wozzad, I believe the Balerno sale still happens, but what I meant about buying boots properly was a. not second hand and b. properly fitted by a proper boot fitter. Obviously that'll be more expensive but a significantly better result all round unless your feet happen to be exactly the right size as the boots. Suggest Blues if you're in Edinburgh.
You miight find they have last year's stock on sale?
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