 Poster: A snowHead
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Getting a bit bored of the tedious search for a half term snow break only made brighter by the prospect of snow. So just wondering where you've had the best skiing in France? Personally La Plagne was very good but that was 8 years ago so not too sure.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Pi, are you looking for next month? If so, might be a case of finding somewhere with vacancies.
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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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Les Arcs is probably my favourite, followed by 3v.
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St Sorlin d'Arves
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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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Nope decided to go to the Dolomites this year!!pam w
Les arcs is somewhere I've wanted to go to for quite a while
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Favourite resort ≠ best skiing necessarily. 
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Les Carroz (actually the Grand Massif in total).
There's a great shop selling suitcases at the bottom of the blue into the village.
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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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Val d'Isere/Tignes is my favourite ski area by a mile.
I've skied a lot in France: Courchevel/3 Valleys/La Plagne/Les Arcs/Montgenevre/Flaine/Serre Chevalier/La Rosiere/Valmeinier/Valloire/Alpe d'Huez/Les Deux Alpes.
There are still many places I've not tried - but VDI is the one I keep coming back to.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Wed 15-01-14 23:23; edited 1 time in total
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Been to: Courchevel (1850, 1650, 1550), Les Menuires, Les Arcs (1800), La Plagne (Belle Plagne), Flaine, Val d'Isere
Favourite: La Plagne, followed by Flaine
Wish list: Serre Chevalier, Alpe d'Huez, Megeve
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Tignes is my favourite...absolutely luv it !
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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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Chamonix. Although to be fair, it's the only French resort I've been too. I just keep going back.
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Only been to two, La Plagne which I really enjoyed and Les Saisies which I really really enjoyed. Off to Morillon in GM next month so fingers crossed I will really really really enjoy that.
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You know it makes sense.
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I think Tignes, but only because I know my way around there pretty well now.
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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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| denfinella wrote: |
Been to: Courchevel (1850, 1650, 1550), Les Menuires, Les Arcs (1800), La Plagne (Belle Plagne), Flaine, Val d'Isere
Favourite: La Plagne, followed by Flaine
Wish list: Serre Chevalier, Alpe d'Huez, Megeve |
how can anyone can love flaine and la plagne over courchevel and val d sere. must have a love of bad 1970s architecture.would recoomend avoriaz you would hate megeve 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Stayed in: Chamonix, Les Arcs, La Plagne, Les Deux Alpes, Tignes, Val d'Isere, Meribel, Val Thorens, La Rosiere, Les Gets.
Favourite is Les Arcs, perhaps because I did my first season there, but it is also a brilliant ski area. Espace Killy is wonderful too.
Wouldn't choose to go back to Les Deux Alpes, La Ros, La Plagne.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My French favourites over the years have probably been Chamrousse, Villard de Lans and Samoens. My first ski trip was cross country in Chamrousse, and the trails around Villard de Lans are really enjoyable. I have since been to the downhill slopes at both and enjoyed them immensely - my son thought Chamrousse was the most awesome place he had skied at the time, although as we've since been back to Banff and to Avoriaz, he may have changed his mind. We only had a short break in Samoens, and my wife injured herself, so limited skiing, but I love the village.
Chamonix, I've only been to (lots) in Summer. That's on the bucket list.
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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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Les Gets, probably.
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La Clusaz, because it is small, friendly and authentically local - as my mum loves France and is a non skier, plenty for her to do and plenty of time to practice her French, yeah I run out of skiing near the end of the week but then I just pop round to Le Grand Bornand and do the wonderful deserted blue right over the back behind everything else.
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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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Have been skiing to: Les Orres, parts of Chamonix, Valmorel, Les Arcs, Val Thorens (plus other 3 valleys resorts), La Clusaz, La Plagne, Puy St Vincent, La Rosiere, Montgenevre, Les Saisies, Val Cenis and Les Carroz (plus other grand massif resorts). My husband has also been to Morzine and Val D'Isere.
Our favourites are Montgenevre, Les Carroz and Les Arcs. We also liked Val Cenis, La Rosiere and Les Saisies.
However we don't tend to ski at half term. If I were booking half term I would not go to one of the well known resorts...would maybe give somewhere like Saint Gervais a try - it looks nice in summer  .
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| dan100 wrote: |
| how can anyone can love flaine and la plagne over courchevel and val d sere. must have a love of bad 1970s architecture.would recommend avoriaz you would hate megeve |
I particularly liked Flaine and La Plagne because of the sensation of travel around the slopes. Flaine had the best snow (I know this is just luck) I've ever experienced - a depth of 7 metres and snow lining the autoroute on the drive down. A lot of people complain about queues at La Plagne, so we must have gone at a good time of year to avoid them.
Val d'Isere was great, but I didn't like the resort runs - crowded and snow quality wasn't great. I realise other people's experienced could be completely different. Also felt like I skied the whole area here but still had more to do in Flaine and La Plagne. Courchevel was fine, but a bit busy.
Everybody has completely different opinions here - lucky really, otherwise we'd all end up going to the same resort!
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| a.j. wrote: |
| Les Arcs is probably my favourite, followed by 3v. |
I think the other way around for me, but perhaps because I know the 3V better. Chamonix/Argentiere also high on the list. I hate Tignes.
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Dav, denfinella is not alone. I don't like Val D and Courchevel is far up it's own a-re it's not true. As a 'ski' resort I'd probably go with l'Alpe d'Huez (even though it's not pretty); though I had an extrordinarily good week of snow when I did Les Contamines/St Gervais/Megeve about a dozen or so years ago. I liked the old world feel of Megeve and I seem to remember some very nice lunches
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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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Les Contamines - No TO's. VT after that.
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| pam w wrote: |
| If so, might be a case of finding somewhere with vacancies. |
Really? I've never had any difficulty at all with last minute bookings.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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dogwatch, that comment of mine was related to this half term - Feb 2014. The OP is thinking ahead about next half term, so for the moment is spoilt for choice. Last minute booking for half term is a bit risky, especially if you are planning to get ski lessons for any of the party, or if you are not flexible about every aspect of the holiday. But in low season, yes, last minute booking is a different matter.
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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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Been to ADH, Les Menuires (2), Val Thorens, Les Arcs, Valloire, La Daille & Tignes (4), non of which are bad and I'd go back to any accept possibly Les Arcs due to horrendous transfers which I may have been unlucky with.
Favourite has to be Tignes by a mile, but we're off to Canada in a week so this may change!
I know we're all different but I'm not fussed about dodgey architecture as I go skiing to ski first and foremost. And I can't understand why anyone would hate Tignes, but that's just me.
On the wish list is St Anton, Serre Che & Flaine.
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The only one I'be been to is Chamonix and I love it. Nice town, scenery hard to beat and fantastic skiing for all. Very close to Geneva is an additional bonus. Will never understand complaints of it being "disjointed" either. But I am not into clocking the highest mileage in a single day.
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You know it makes sense.
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Tignes would be my favourite and La Plagne would be my least favourite out of the French resorts I have been to. Perhaps I should give La Plagne another go based on the above (went there on my 3rd week skiing, so I probably didn't make the most of it)
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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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La Plagne - Skiing was good, village not so much but would probably go back again if a good deal came up. Vallmorel - Loved the traffic free village and enjoyed the skiing, although a little limited from what I remember. Chatel (Second time on Saturday) - Really like the village and the skiing which is vast if you take in Avoriaz. Alpe D Huez (5 times plus) Seem like I know this better than all others due to number of times visiting there. Love the skiing and the village although a bit bland, I like too, and the drive up there is great. Les Duex Alpe - Went with school and loved it, would like to go back and get over to La grave. Serre Chavalier - Went twice, once when there was hardly any snow so was put off but the first time it was great. Montgenevre - Again went with School and loved this place, went back recently and still just as good. Samoen - Villiage is great but not ski down which would put me off returning, also went when there was a lack of snow so limited and had to bus to Flaine. Les carroz - Great place one of my favorites with vast skiing and nice village.
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Poster: A snowHead
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never summer, + 1
gixxerniknik, Tignes is the bleakest place on earth, especially in bad weather. I need trees (and that's one of the good things about Canada.)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Pedantica , I have this discussion with my brother too as he loves more trees, I do agree with you in that Tignes is pretty bleak, and so is Val Thorens. I've experienced more lift closures in those two places than anywhere else and without trees a bad vis day is pretty grim but I've generally had good snow there which does it for me...each to their own I suppose!
The only thing that puts me off trees is they're hard if you hit them (brother in law broke his nose & wrist hitting one!)
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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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| Pedantica wrote: |
[b]gixxerniknik, Tignes is the bleakest place on earth, especially in bad weather. I need trees (and that's one of the good things about Canada.) |
+1 I think resorts in France in general fall into that category (obviously a few exceptions), pity this thread is so subjective.
Trees? Beauty?
Canada, Austria, Switzerland, Italy....now were talking 
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Tignes is fugly, as is Flaine, and Avoriaz.
Of all the places I've been, Tignes is the one that I've never properly been able to ski, because of lift closures, due to no snow, too much snow, bleak weather, wind, avy control, couldn't ski over to val d'isere confident of being able to get back, which is rather funny since it's sold as "snowsure". I'm sure it's ace on a bluebird day.
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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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Oh if you want trees, then Slovenia. Think it's the EU country with the highest ratio of forest to not forest. And they don't do fugly, or expensive either.
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I've skied more in the Trois Vallees than anywhere else but haven't been there for 8 years - just too pricy for the family in school holidays and not very accessible for weekends (transfer). I do like it a lot though. Hard to think that anywhere offers more for a mixed ability party of skiers. All things considered I'd say Courchevel 1650 is the best spot - quieter than anywhere in Meribel, more down to earth than the rest of Courchevel (relative concept). VT I like unless the weather is bad then it's brutal...
I don't like VDI/Tignes quite as much but it is close behind.
Skied La Plagne/Les Arcs/ADH and while they all offer a lot, I feel they are clearly a whole category lower in the quality and variety of skiing on offer. La Plagne in particular gets rather dull - loads of pistes but they are very samey and none is that interesting.
Chamonix is an entirely different experience - difficult to compare. I feel exhilerated just being there. But for a mixed ability group or family with young children it doesnt really makes sense. For a weekend of serious skiing - the best. Although you do know it is going to be a scrum fighting for turns on a powder morning.
Skied only a little in PDS which is charming, has some lovely skiing but altitude counts against it.
So... drum roll... my new and hopefully lifelong favourite (given I'm buying a place)....Les Contamines. FIrst up it simply doesn't compete with those mega ski areas - if what you love is cruising huge distances on different pistes without getting in a car then it is not for you. But the piste map is deceptive - the pistes are interesting, varied and there is lots of easily accesible off-piste. It's not that high but most of the skiing is at a decent altitude, faces the right direction, benefits from a local Mt Blanc micro climate and you're skiing over grass rather than rock - factors combine to give it an excellent snow record. It's slightly hidden away in a beautiful valley with grand mountain scenary (NW faces of the Mont Blanc Massif). It's a real old village (admittedly sprawled for skiing). It's unpretentious and good value for money. It's a very short drive to get access to the Megeve/St Gerbais ski area (10 min) and Chamonix is 30 mins. Geneva airport is 75 mins away (except in really peak periods). Lovely. But don't tell anyone, it'sstill a bit of a secret
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jedster, that sounds really lovely and has made me want to go there.
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Altitude may count against PdS, but I've had far fewer restricted days of skiing there than Tignes. Even when it rained in Les Gets we had more skiable piste in a week than several (most?) of my days in Tignes.
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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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| Quote: |
I think resorts in France in general fall into that category (obviously a few exceptions), pity this thread is so subjective.
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 There goes the most subjective (or actually, just plain woefully inaccurate) statement on this thread. France has some very high altitude skiing and trees don't grow at high altitude (doh). But the vast majority of French resorts (not a few exceptions) have plenty of trees.
Did you see the photos on this thread - http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=103566. Much more typical than Tignes of the more than 200 French ski resorts. I'm not very fond of Tignes though I prefer it to Val D'Isere or Meribel and most winter seasons, most of the time, you don't need high altitude. But if you want to ski in early May or in August when many French pistes are being grazed by cows with bells on, it's a good bet.
But this thread does show how pointless (if entertaining) the question is. Some people like Les Saisies, some people like Tignes - and they are probably polar opposites in most ways though LS, and the wider area, is much more "typical" of the hundreds of French resorts - but with more Brits, these days, than many. We don't even know what the OP is looking for.
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A group of families have skied together most years since 2003 at the following resorts: Kaprun, Courchevel 1650 & 1550, La Plagne, Les Menuires (Reberty), La Rosiere, Schladming, Wagrain, Radstadt & Pedraces (Alta Badia) and I asked the kids what was the favourite resort they had been to. They all answered La Rosiere. Yes the wind can be brutal, not a place to be in a whiteout (unless the low runs are open) but the town is a dead end on a road, it is quiet, friendly, accessible and very safe for young ones to "mooch" around. They had been to resorts where the skiing was better (and they are all good skiers) but for an overall holiday experience they all went for La Ros 
I could see where they were coming from and for me it would be between La Rosiere and Reberty Villages.
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