 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Anyone heading to Chamonix UCPA over xmas this year? I went to Flaine in jan 2012 and was really impressed with the whole UCPA setup. Any ideas on how Chamonix compares? Am an intermediate-to-crappy level skiier (red runs are doable once I've worked up to it for a few days!!).
Look forward to your thoughts and/or seeing you there 
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Should also add:
- Am looking for full-time ski lessons
- Argentiere seems to have been refurbished this year and is also running from Dec 21-28. May also be a good idea?
- I don't speak much French at all, so an English speaker or two would also be a useful thing (but, if Flaine is any indication, I can make do with minimal french for ski instruction:P)
Excited!
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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'm booked into Val Thorens UCPA for xmas week (full time lessons).
I thought about Argentiere or Cham but the skiing spread out along the valley with busses needed to get to and from some of the runs put me off a little. I'm sure the skiing can be worth the small amount of extra hassle and I'll probably go when I can take advantage of some of the off piste.
For my 1st week of the season Val T seemed to make more sense for me as I'm only an early intermediate atm.
I'm sure you'll have a great time wherever you go.
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mrme, you can get by in Chamonix speaking English alone because almost everyone there speaks a bit of English. Check with UCPA about transport to the ski areas — I always see UCPA buses dropping people off and collecting them, which makes me think it's part of the package.
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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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I thought about Argentiere or Cham but the skiing spread out along the valley with busses needed to get to and from some of the runs put me off a little.
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Oh really? That's quite a turn-off... hrmm. I was under the impression that it was a just one bus to get to the ski area, and you were good to go from there. This is a whole different ball game !
Maybe Val Thorens is looking better - and I imagine snow cover will be a bit better. Argentiere seems to have the benefit of having a ridiculously cheap student offer, though (450EUR!)!
I went through this same pain of deciding last time, and Flaine was excellent, so maybe I should just pull the trigger on something 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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mrme, you can get by in Chamonix speaking English alone because almost everyone there speaks a bit of English.
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Cool, that's helpful. But I'm pretty good with hand gestures too  Do I need to be concerned about snow quality in mid dec? (sorry, I'm from Australia - don't know these resorts at all, really).
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You'd only really use the bus at the start and the end of the day in Chamonix, unless you mistakenly end up at a poor area (due to prevailing weather) and have to change - but with an instructor that shouldn't happen. Each area in Chamonix is more than big enough for a days skiing (or many days!)
If it was me I'd go for Cham centre, but that's because I like to be right in the middle of everything. In Argentiere though you're already at one of the (best!) ski areas, so less travel, and there are some good bars locally, and I'm sure plenty of entertainment in the UCPA.
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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'm also and heading to UCPA this season (Chamonix). Shame it's not until the last week of January or you could have had a fellow Aussie to ski with!
Sounds like I'll have to keep the La Plagne UCPA in mind for future trips. Always so hard to decide which French resort to go to with so much to chose from. I decided on Chamonix as I'm already going to Meribel this trip so wanted something a bit different for my second French location.
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Daishan, good choice re Val T UCPA - its super convenient for ski-in ski-out and you normally go back for lunch which I liked as you got a chance to rest for an hour and dry out. The boot room has heated boot racks and its lovely putting on warm boots after lunch!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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I went to Chamonix UCPA over Xmas 2 years ago and then Val Thorens UCPA over New Year last/this year. If I had to choose between the two I would pick Val Thorens but I'd like to go back to Chamonix as well.
In terms of the centres, VT is much nicer (it's only been open for a year I think) but nothing wrong with Cham if you're there to ski.
Resort wise, in Cham you need to get buses to/from the ski areas which isn't really that bad but I don't like it. UCPA does a bus at the beginning/earlyish end of the day but there are lots of free buses that you can take instead. In contrast, VT is all linked together and if you're at the UCPA then it's ski in/ski out. In general I preferred the pistes of VT, though I'm not sure I can tell you why.
Do you like trees? There are none in VT, and lots in Cham. Even if you just go slightly off-piste you can be going through trees. It's not something I'd really done before then and I thought it was fantastic!
Definitely take the lesson option if you can, it's incredible value for a week of lessons and I've never had a problem not speaking French at UCPA. You'll also be in a group with other people your level so if you want to find people to ski with then it's quite easy.
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You know it makes sense.
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Daishan, 4 trips? Thats just greedy! I've booked Argentiere late march so will be a little late to report back.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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All great stuff - thanks guys, really helpful.
One last thing: anyone with experience with cross-country skiing at Argentiere ? Thinking I might do a week of that and then a week of downhill skiing at VT.... may be able to squeeze it in
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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regarding the Cham UCAP: english speaking? not an issue,
more like can you speak Swedish? Beaucoup de Suédoise!
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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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mrme, I haven't done any cross county skiing but Cham has well-maintained routes (I passed them every day). You'd be crazy to go Cham and not ski on the mountains though — they are spectacularly high. Quite breathtaking, really.
OliC speaks the truth about the Swedes. There's a big Scandi expat community in Chamonix.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I meant lots stay at the ucpa, a couple of single mate's of mine have even joked of trying to going drinking in the UCPA bar to try and pull...
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