 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello everyone, thanks for your input in advance.
Has anyone been to both Tignes and Peisey-Vallandry? I would like to do a season at one or the other, and cannot decide. I am a snowboarder, intermediate level. I quite like small towns, but party scene is good too.
Any feedback much appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Tignes. Les Arcs is Flatistan.
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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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Thank you! Flat is not good.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I did my first working season in Les Arcs (1800) and absolutely loved it. Amazing ski area, extensive and plenty for a whole season yet compact enough that you can cover a whole load of it in one day and get wherever you want to really easily (most places are no more than 2 or 3 lifts away at any time). There are better ski resorts out there in a whole load of ways, but Les Arcs remains my complete favourite after that season, it was nigh on perfect.
I'm not sure how I'd have felt about Peisey-Vallandry for a whole season, though. I only went out there in the evening a couple of times, but I found it very quiet compared to 1800. I think I might find it a bit too village-like for a whole season; but then I know people who have done multiple seasons there, so its horses for courses.
If you can find Bertie Bassett's blog thread on here, he had a diary from a few seasons back which he spent in Peisey-Vallandry. Some very good tips in there (and it was actually the tipping point for me that made me decide to have a career break and do some winter seasons).
Tignes is also a superb resort and incredible ski area though, so its a decent choice between the two.
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| stevomcd wrote: |
| Tignes. Les Arcs is Flatistan. |
Nonsense. La Plagne on piste is Flatistan but Les Arcs has loads of very challenging skiing on piste plus lots of challenging off piste (40 - 50º or more off the back of the Aiguille Rouge!). Actually I think it may have a higher proportion of difficult pistes than Val d'Isere. Admittedly most of the toughest pistes are over the top in the next valley rather than the side you would be staying, but you only have to ski down the piste to Arc 1800 and take a lift up to the top.
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Nice comments ok, thank you. Giving me a good insight  It does sound like Tignes will be the one for me. I am not ultra good, intermediate as I say so that will be enough for me. Dav - I will look up Bertie Bassett's blog, sounds cool!
Hyst - it is funny you say that - I live in a campervan. But not in the winter in the mountains !!
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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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drewonthehill, just out of interest. Do you have a couple of job offers that you're deciding between? If so, and if you don't mind posting, what/where are they? It might help get you some more information specific to you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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drewonthehill, Are you working and how old are you.
As a non-working 35 year old when I did the season above then for me P-V was perfect - made it very easy to get to know people even to ride and/or drink with as it's not very big everyone get's to know everyone. During my season a couple of workers transferred to other parts of les arcs as the 'apres was too tame for them'.
If I was in my 20's and working then I think I might have preferred tignes as there's more going on and as a worker you have an instant 20+ buddies to ski/drink with
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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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Hey Dav, Hey Bertie. I am 33, I design websites and travel as I work. I was thinking about working on the hill to get a ski pass, as I have spent all my money travelling this summer.
It is an interesting point you raise above tho Bertie. I am a young 33, I like to party, but I have done a lot of that the last few years travelling and want to concentrate harder on snowboarding, learning a language and getting some other skills.
Does anyone know if there are: skate rinks, indoor climbing walls in either? Also which is the best for nordic skiing? When I think about it, I would like to do more of that too.
This is really helping me think about what I want, thanks!
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drewonthehill, I was in PV for the last 2 seasons (first season at 34). It's true that the night life is limited but there's enough to get by. There are plenty of opportunities to practice French out there, mine imporved massively.
If you want nordic skiing then there is the Vallandry National Park easily accessible from PV (and very cheap too) which has a huge cross country ski area, you can also get down to Bourg pretty easily where there is a wider range of things to do. No climbing wall that I know of.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks dheason. I was going to head to Tignes to check it out first, but you and Bertie have changed my mind. I will head to PV first to check it out. Excited. Cheers guys!
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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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Why use a climbing wall when you can climb for real (could you afford a local guide for a half day ice climbing?)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Keeping fit and up with the game Snowball. I will look to see if I could afford and ice climb, I would love to do that too. Sorry we got on to climbing when this is meant to be about snow...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The lake at 2100m in Tignes has plenty of skating (and a fair cross-country track around it).
If you are looking for work then I would guess Tignes has more jobs available than PV.
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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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They also do diving under the ice of the big lake behind the dam (though you wouldn't catch me doing it).
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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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dheason, The nordic ski area is actually outside the national park, but still in a beautiful quiet valley. I think I would prefer that to skiing around the lac in Tignes. However both resorts offer excellent opportunities for ski mountaineering and ice climbing.
The nearest proper indoor wall I can think of is Grenoble, but I vaguely remember a kiddies one in a shopping centre in either Val Thorens or Courcheval. There is a very good sports crag in Bourg and another one at Courbaton
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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rjs, It looks very spacious and very good. It almost makes me want to go to Tignes just to try it out. Is it at Tignes le lac?
5 euro for an evenings entertainment is good value. Excellent value in fact, a whole evening of apres ski for the price of a couple beers. I wonder what they mean by "a licence must be presented" what licence? a driving licence?
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You have to show that you can belay before you can partner someone; I'm going to take a wild guess at this permit being something you are given once you've proved to them that you are safe.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
| . I wonder what they mean by "a licence must be presented" what licence? a driving licence? |
Come now JohnE you've spent enough time in france to know that you need a license for just about everything even farting...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| bertie bassett wrote: |
| johnE wrote: |
| . I wonder what they mean by "a licence must be presented" what licence? a driving licence? |
Come now JohnE you've spent enough time in france to know that you need a license for just about everything even farting... |
Pay ha ha!!!!
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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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That's awesome Bertie! Will be a great intro. And affordable...
I love this forum
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| johnE wrote: |
rjs, It looks very spacious and very good. It almost makes me want to go to Tignes just to try it out. Is it at Tignes le lac?
5 euro for an evenings entertainment is good value. Excellent value in fact, a whole evening of apres ski for the price of a couple beers. I wonder what they mean by "a licence must be presented" what licence? a driving licence? |
Where would you get 'a couple of beers' for 5 euro? 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Where would you get 'a couple of beers' for 5 euro? Shocked
New post Sat 02 Nov, 13
10:07 Reply with quote
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Arc1600
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FAQ
And still no night life!
