 Poster: A snowHead
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I am looking at a week in Courchevel beginning 4 January. Normally, I would expect this to be a slow week but Russian Christmas is on 6 January. Will the place be overcrowded with Russians? Will elsewhere in the 3V (Meribel) be a better bet for avoiding crowds?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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chraya, This is a very busy week in The 3 Vs and I'm not sure Meribel would be very much better than Courchevel. Does it have to be 3Vs or that week?
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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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4th Jan is getting a bit quieter but still peak.
I would avoid Courcheval at that time personally.
St. Martin would be a good option.
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chraya,
Stayed in La Tania 5th Jan this year. This was a good bet as La Tania is popular with Brits, and not too busy that week. It was my first time in the 3vs so can't compare, but it really didn't seem that busy at all. Only time we had to wait for a lift was if it had broken down. Even managed the escapde in a day.
Some pistes were busy, but nothing compared to Keystone on NYE, or the Tignes Glacier a couple of weeks ago, all IMO of course.
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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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chraya, you will get to see lots of real animal skin attached to ski gear. La Tania should be quieter but Courchevel market themselves quite hard to the Russians for that week so it is a lot busier than it used to be, but not as busy as the week before
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| Montana wrote: |
| chraya, This is a very busy week in The 3 Vs and I'm not sure Meribel would be very much better than Courchevel. Does it have to be 3Vs or that week? |
Has to be that week. Does not have to be 3V, just that I have never been there. Other options are Verbier, Espace Killy, St. Anton (all of which I have been to) and any other snow sure resort.
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It will be a relatively quiet week. You might see a few more Russians around but the area is so large that it won't feel crowded. I've skied that week in the 3V, albeit usually based in Menuires, and it has always felt pretty quiet.
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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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Because stereotypes are sometimes accurate?
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have been in courchevel several times over russian new year and it isn't crowded at all , much less busy than xmas or NY week. Not much in it between Meribel or Courchevel but if you're concerned Meribel would probably be a better bet as most Russians stay in Courch
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Have skied that week in Courchevel quite a few times and it's not very crowded on the slopes. The Russians don't ski that much and spend most of their time in the shops, restaurants,clubs and bars!!!
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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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We ski that week in the 3 v's most years staying in La Tania, usually fairly quiet overall. In fact we'll be there on the 4th Jan as usual 
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Good thing about Russian new year and Xmas in Meribel is the town puts on two new year's eve fireworks displays! You never see the Russians much in town or even on the slopes, they seem to stay in their chalets most of the time. Though admittedly I probably don't try to get tables in the kind of restaurants they would go for - if you lead a 5 star lifestyle it is probably very hard to eat out during those two weeks. Barwise they'll venture into Barometer and Le Poste but nothing else. Certainly not the same, "I buy this bar, I buy this piste" nonsense you get over in Courchevel. Over the last few seasons in Meribel I noticed a change in clientele from the super rich well-travelled types towards less refined (even gangster) sorts who always come in blind drunk with their scantily clad 'nieces' in tow, which is quite unpleasant.
Friends in Courchevel report that the Russians gave realised that prices for everything shoot up during their two weeks and are not happy about it. The Telegraph recently reported a 17‰ fall in Russians in French ski resorts last season (without any mention of this though), so either way there could be even fewer this year if the trend continues.
In any case, in Meribel it's nowhere near the same nightmare as the school holidays.
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You know it makes sense.
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I didn't think it was that busy in Courchevel for the same week last year. Agree with other posters that it is definitely quieter than the main new year week.
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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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| albinomountainbadger wrote: |
| sorts who always come in blind drunk with their scantily clad 'nieces' in tow, which is quite unpleasant |
Yes I can see that would be most unpleasant. Could you point me toward the establishments in question please so I can witness this sordid scene for myself?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| albinomountainbadger wrote: |
| Good thing about Russian new year and Xmas in Meribel is the town puts on two new year's eve fireworks displays! You never see the Russians much in town or even on the slopes, they seem to stay in their chalets most of the time. |
+1, probably the same in Courcheval. Certainly the same in VT for that week last year.
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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 wonder what the Russians say about the Braying Yaas and Hoorays in Meribel?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 20-11-13 21:45; edited 2 times 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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| ed123 wrote: |
| I wonder what teh Russian say about the Braying Yaas and Hoorays in Meribel? |
Maybe that's why they go to the 3Vs rather than Val d'Isere?
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ed123, probably that they mostly stay in their chalets
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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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| red 27 wrote: |
| albinomountainbadger wrote: |
| sorts who always come in blind drunk with their scantily clad 'nieces' in tow, which is quite unpleasant |
Yes I can see that would be most unpleasant. Could you point me toward the establishments in question please so I can witness this sordid scene for myself? |
Well I worked in ski shops, so maybe pop into one around 6pm and wait for them to turn up? If you're late and it's closed they'll be the ones outside in leather jackets banging on the door...
It's always a circus when you get a Russian group in wanting everything at once and leaving chaos in their wake, but the Spanish are like that too (there is also a week in the calendar when Meribel is full of Spaniards, their Semana Santa) and the French aren't great at patience either.
Anyway that you can ignore, but our sales girls were thoroughly disgusted at the fat and balding men feeling up and slapping young girls on the arse in the shop, and disgusted at the young girls for letting them do it. I'm not for lazy stereotypes, and I know someone will say, "men all over the world behave like that" but to date the only ones I've ever seen do it are Russian.
It is true that they don't puke in the streets or get thrown out of bars a lot though, that is reserved for the Brits. Curiously the French are worst for starting fights in clubs.
Funny old world, and I bet it would be completely different just over the hill in another resort.[/i]
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albinomountainbadger, I'm half Russian and I've never slapped a young girl on the back bottom (or the front bottom for that matter) in a ski shop.
Please pass on my regards to your poor sales girls.
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red 27, perhaps your 'no sex please' British half is repressing your urges?
Tell me something though, is it customary for Russians to bow their heads when thanking people? I had one pair of gents who couldn't speak a word of English but after various fiddled attempts at gesture speak I'd managed to kit out. The happiest one kept bowing as he said spaciba and handed me two euros as a tip.
Honestly, the majority never even say thanks or goodbye so I don't know if this is normal or not.
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| albinomountainbadger wrote: |
[b]
Tell me something though, is it customary for Russians to bow their heads when thanking people? |
That is common over towards the Mongolian border I believe.
If he looked Caucasian, he may have been attempting a head-butt
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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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| red 27 wrote: |
| albinomountainbadger wrote: |
Tell me something though, is it customary for Russians to bow their heads when thanking people? |
If he looked Caucasian, he may have been attempting a head-butt |
red 27, yes perhaps he wanted change back from the 2€.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh this thread has made me laugh! I'm off to the 3V on 4th Jan - I've hopped for Reberty, I love LaTania but the thought of those russians put me off - however - we have stayed many times in early Jan when Russians are celebrating their New Year - to be honest they are never a problem, and it has never seemed crowded. It can be quite an eye opener - just spend a few minutes hanging around 1850 by the carousel - playing spot the Russian - I very easy game! - They only ever ski with an instructor and all seem to be part of the Russian Ski Team!!
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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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My concern is purely crowded slopes. I hate crowds. Nothing against Russians or scantily clad women cavorting with older men.
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chraya, from memory, last year really wasn't that bad (and previous seasons too) in Courchevel. There will be the odd queue on popular lifts and some of the pistes might be busier than others. 1650 seemed quieter -- although I did notice a few Russian groups having lunch at the Bel Air restaurant.
I generally chose to avoid the Suisses chair in 1850 and run that week as it always seemed busy. It is also worth keeping an eye out for the odd group of racing idiots (assumed they were Russian by their dress code  ) tucking it down some pistes but they are easy to spot. Like others have said, the 3Vs is a large area and you will be able to find some quieter runs if you are anxious about/dislike crowded runs.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm there on the 4th too! I'm not Russian though.
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