 Poster: A snowHead
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Dear  collective - I would appreciate your advice and observations.
Planning the impending season I find myself definitely spending 3 weeks (and possibly 4) in one or more of the 3-Vallees (3V) resorts so I have done a bit of number-crunching on lift pass costings based on the info available on the Val Thorens (VT) website (SETAM not yet online/available).
If I were going to one of the resorts in the 3V for a week I would undoubtedly buy a full area pass.
Sometimes links are closed, but that is the risk one takes - they may be open! I am not going there for one or two weeks though.
Based on 4 weeks' skiing:
Season Pass (3V) - €1190
4x 6-day Passes (3V) - €1025
Liberty Pass (3V) - €1020 (includes subscription fee)
If I went for the 3V Liberty I might shave another €60 off if I skied Mon-Sat and some more if I only skied in one valley/region on any particular day during those possible four weeks.
Should I go for the Liberty Pass for the sake of a small saving (but an inter web subscription jobbie) or just accept the minor extra cost?
Pretty small saving in the grand scheme of things...that's an hour of my life that I'll never get back!
PS: All my annual leave is spent skiing BTW.
PPS: December trip confirmed and paid for; April trip - time booked off work, willing to pay but no flipping buttons yet; March inevitable and January flexible right now!
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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 have a Liberty Pass and really like it. I don't have to think which pass to buy in advance, if I take a day off I don't pay for it and of course you do get the discounts you mention. Also you can go online and check all the lifts that you took and at what time (if that is of interest to you). Note that you also get a free day after the 9th day and then every 6th day after that.
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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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with the liberty pass i think that..
you only pay for the skiing you do (kind of like a toll doofer)
you get discount on saturdays and other discounts
you get a free day for every 8 days or so.
go for the liberty pass would be my call.
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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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HossDoc, Can you not buy a discounted 3 valleys season pass if you buy it early?
The paradiski pass can be bought for 750ish euros if bought before the end of November offering a saving of at least 200 euros. Is something similar available for the 3 valleys?
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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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Liberty Pass price calculation included the 9th, 15th and 21st day of free skiing and took the 10% discount into consideration.
In order to establish a 'level playing field' all the prices were based on the full 3V pass.
Have been to the 3V for 5 weeks in the last two seasons and still looking forward to discovering new runs and routes!
Well aware that there will be days when the links are not open - had 3 or 4 like that last season after all 
I tend not to have many 'duvet-days', though.
If I only spent three weeks in the 3V the Liberty would cost me approx €15 more based on full area access...
Going to go for the Liberty pass methinks!
Cheers for the replies,
Mark
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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HossDoc, is the Dec trip the PSB? You know that the ski pass is included in the PSB package? The saving wouldn't be the same cost as a normal 200 euro ski pass.
I wouldn't spend all that money so far ahead of time. What happens if you injure yourself on the first week of skiing? That's £800 down the toilet.
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skichampcouk,
I regret that I am only a punter rather than a resident/property owner!
My costings are based on the info available on the VT website - SETAM (who are the lift operators, headline "Le Domaine est actuellement ferme!") so not sure is early birds might get the worm here...hence why I posted!
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erm - since PSB isn't 3V, I'd be more likely to guess that the December trip is a trip to the 3V rather than EK the week after PSB (which is where I'm going instead of, or even as well as, PSB)
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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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Mistress Panda,
My first week's skiing this year will indeed be the PSB!
My second week (immediately following the PSB) will be based in Meribel.
My last week this season is likely to be the EOSB (time already confirmed off with work, just waiting for BUTTONS).
Last time that I looked Tignes was not covered by the 3V lift pass (Liberty or otherwise) but Meribel and VT are. This situation is extremely unlikely to change since the French system is based on little autocratic fiefdoms who don't get on with their neighbours!
Apart from the €30 to register the card for the 3V I will only get charged once I go through a lift on each day for that area - full 3V access charge if I go through a lift in a different area on the same day.
So worst case scenario I will be down €30 plus €45-60 if I suffer a season-ending injury on day one in Meribel after passing through a lift access...only €30 if that happens in Tignes (God forbid either circumstance happening). I will not be spending £800 in one go - as far as I understand it will be billed weekly according to my lift usage. If I am in the 3V I will ski more than 2 areas most days if the appropriate lifts are available.
I also have full insurance in place for the coming season - I have few concerns apart from challenging myself, learning loads and exercise the worry glands of my bosses every time I go on one of these 'high-risk' ski-trip-things!
I am grateful for you pointing out my potential oversight, however.
Andy
Look forward to meeting up with you on either trip - I'm seriously looking forward to both!
Regarding IOS trip - are you sharing a twin room (single male)? If so we may be room mates!
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HossDoc, It applies to punters as well as property owners for the early booking discount for Paradiski, maybe one of the 3 valley regulars may know if something similar exists?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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skichampcouk, sadly, there are no early bird season discounts in the 3V's and resident's discounts are only available to people who can prove residency for more than 9 months out of every 12 (so a proper residence, not a holiday home) 
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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 had the liberty pass last season, which worked well. You are billed weekly and can access the account online where it will tell you when your next free day is if you lose count. However, if you, like me, end up squeezing the odd extra day or 2 in towards the end of the season, it 's easy to get up to the cost of a season pass! My beloved, who didn't get in quite as much as me, ended up with the next day he could have skied being a free one, but couldn't take advantage of it. V frustrating! It does make you think sometimes about whether it's worth dropping down to a lift on the other side of the hill if it's the only one you will take on a day when otherwise you will ski in your own valley ( so many good powder days last year that we often didn't need to go far ) On the other hand, if it's a free day, make sure you take advantage and use it for the whole area.
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We have had the Liberty pass for the last few seasons as sons instruct in Meribel so we are out several times. The Liberty is best if you ski more than 8 but less than 27 days and gives the freedom to decide when and how much to ski. We always do 3V on free days but often have a Meribel only day between when conditions are good there. Also allows a day off if the weather is really bad - yes I can ski in any conditions but have reached the age where I don't feel the need to keep proving it.
HossDoc may catch up with you sometime in the season as not sure when we will be there yet.
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You know it makes sense.
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Am feeling very hard done by with discounts for ski passes in 3V for either buying a season pass early or woning a property
Can you get a liberty pass for children ?
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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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IwishICouldThinkOfAFabNam, in past years there has been a 3v family season pass where all 4 are at a child rate. Not much of a discount.
I've looked at the season pass v other options and always concluded that bright people have set the rates and frankly not a lot of difference if you think you will ski for a reasonable number of days ie in the twenties. I quite like the pain up front and then try to forget about the cost so go for the season pass. I've thought that if I have the Liberty I'd be too conscious that 'one more run in the next valley' would trigger a bigger payment hence hold me back from full enjoyment.
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Poster: A snowHead
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A couple additional advantages of a 3V season pass which you may want to take into account (but probably not the second if you spend all of your holidays skiing)
1. You get 2 days in Espace Killy and 2 days in Paradiski
2. The season pass is valid for lifts in the summer
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Before I emigrated to Austria I used to ski regularly in the 3V, but was getting fed up with the high prices 6 years ago. I just can't believe the costs you quoted for lift passes!
A season pass for EVERY resort in the Tirol costs €696, while the Kitzbüheler Alpen AllStarCard (which I'll be buying next week) covers the SkiWelt, the Kitzbühel ski area, Wildschönau, Alpbachtal, St Johann, Waidring, Fieberbrunn, Pillersee, Skicircus Saalbach/Hinterglemm/Leogang, Zellam See and Kaprun - and costs just €580 if bought before 5/12.
So if you are worried about the cost of your skiing - come to Austria!
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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 got the Liberty Pass 2 seasons ago - when I worked it out I spent nearly €1400. Spent ages working it all out pre-season and thought it would be the best option but it wasn't. Bare in mind if you take one lift you will be charged a full day on the Liberty Pass - no 3 hours or afternoon rates. A single day on a Saturday with the €10 discount on 3v passes makes it cheaper than the single valley - anyone can get that discount buying a one day ticket though.
Last season I bought a Courchevel Pass and 6 3V extensions up front and still didn't use one of them. If you find 3 people and buy together the 3V season Pass is down to €1125.
Insurance should cover you if you've bought a pass and are injured by the way.
Anyone know if there is a 3 Valleys workers discount this season? For the first time there was a residents 3V discount last year but not for workers (they both get single valley discounts).
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FAQ
