 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
meribel46, I haven't been to ADH so can't comment on that but one thing I would say is that hotel facilities, quality and general ambience would be the most important thing to me if I was only going to spend limited time on the slopes.
a nice pool, spa and gym and comfortable areas to sit and read / surf would be what I'd look for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I'm going to be a pain and suggest somewhere else, having been in a similar situation, and focusing on 'making sure she likes it'.
I HATED skiing with a passion, but had been persuaded to give it another go a couple of years ago. We decided to go somewhere that was likely to tempt me to give skiing another go, and also provide plenty to do if I quit on day one.
After much research, we settled on Samoens, which is in the Grand Massif ski area. Samoens town is very pretty, with plenty to see and do. You go up in a bubble from the town to the skiing (which also means a non-skier can easily meet you for lunch) and there are VERY extensive nursery slopes. I had private lessons and really just played on these big nursery slopes and a couple of other slopes for most of the week gaining confidence. If you go up from Morillon (a couple of Km away on the ski bus route, or by car) then you have a very long (5Km, I think, but not 100% sure) green run. By the last couple of days I was comfortable on this and just kept repeating it, enjoying not being terrified of skiing.
The Grand Massif area is big, so there would be plenty for the keen skiers to do, and it's easy to get up to Flaine from Samoens.
That holiday completely turned round my view on skiing, and I am sure that this was the result of having plenty of easily accessible nursery slopes, rather than just the usual more limited ones, plus that lovely confidence-building green.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I've been to both ADH and VDI. I agree that Val is the nicer town, but I think ADH is better for beginners as there are lots of green runs into the town - and there is plenty to do if she hates skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
The Alpe really has quite a lot going on, and has a bigger area for walking around; it's quite a rambling village. Also easy for a non skier to get up the hill using the gondola. I would recommend AdH.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Can I ask how hard it is for a non skier to get from Oz to AdH to spend time wandering around and shopping etc, during the day while the rest of us ski? thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Having been to VDI with a non skiier I can confirm there is feck all for them to do unless they are happy doing outdoorsy things on their own. But as far as high altitude ski resorts go its about as good as it gets, they are all 100% devoted to winter sports and not much good for anything else.
Having said that the new pool is very nice, there are some nice walking routes around and from the town and both peaks can be reached by cable car so you can meet people for lunch.
It's quite popular to bash VDI as a place to learn as you can't ski back to the town and a lot of the pistes are quite hard but I think this is wrong. The green triangle at the top of the Olympic lift is by far the best beginner area I have been to. Huge, long flat pistes all reached by fast lifts. Perfect for learning and you actually get to experience being out on the mountain rather than on a crappy nursery area close to the town. It means you can enjoy more of what skiing is about to encourgae you to persevere rather than just being frustrated that you aren't good enough to go up the mountain. You just need to be pragmatic that you need to head back to town on the lift.
Not been to ADH so I can't comment on that but being a high altidue ski resort I imagine it is much the same. If you genuinely want a dual purpose holiday then a proper town within reach of a ski area will be much better but for that you probably need to look outside France.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fruity, Not too hard - a couple of lift rides. Not sure what the score is for pedestrian lift tix though
TBH, the shopping at ADH hasn't been the greatest in the past (it is a few years since I had a proper look round there though) but it is much more extensive than Oz. Daytrip to Grenoble might be worth looking at.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Thanks, she comes with us every year and takes a good book.. sometimes meets us for lunch - certainly it was worth the money in Whistler for her to take the trip up to the top of the Gondola. She got a bit bored in Bansko after a while...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My niece teaches in a school in Weymouth. They have had a school trip to Alpe D'Huez this current week and she has heard from her colleagues and friends that they have had to give up on skiing and organise some mountain biking instead. She said the webcams showed snow and some skiers right up the top but I guess the kids were mostly beginners and there wasn't enough snow for them lower down. A shame. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
We are trying to plan a trip to the alps for Christmas with our friends. The idea is to drive there which doesn't present any problems but having been given the task of sorting out I'm struggling with the resort.
) With this in mind the OH decided he'd rather go somewhere we've skied before so he has an idea of the runs & wont get them stuck anywhere they'd struggle to get down.
) but does Val D have as much because I don't remember? I do remember that its a much prettier town though so my question is if you were a non skier which of the two resorts would you prefer to be in for the week to be as entertained as you can be in a ski resort?
