 Poster: A snowHead
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So here we go..........
Family of 4, (children 14 and 12) looking for self catering, France or Austria.
Looking to go 1st or 2nd week of Jan 15. So SNOW sure ish is needed.
Have been once before as a family so beginners plus a bit. Looking for wide slopes and lots of beginners and (beginners/intermediate) runs.
Will book independently or TO.
Transfer time from airport within 2 hours.
Resort, good pubs and places to eat not looking for crazy, late nightlife.
Preferably close to lifts and not having to bus in/out.
So answers on a Snowy postcard please.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Les arcs 1800 or1950 ticks those boxes
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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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Budget??
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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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| charlie26 wrote: |
| Les arcs 1800 or1950 ticks those boxes |
2 hour transfer? Where from? The train station?
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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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£3k to include flights, transfers, lift passes, kit and apartment
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Raceplate wrote: |
| charlie26 wrote: |
| Les arcs 1800 or1950 ticks those boxes |
2 hour transfer? Where from? The train station? |
airport
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Soll/ski welt?
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Les Gets
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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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Looking at the prices and the wife nervous of taking kids out, on previous years what would the snow be like over Christmas ?
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It's been fine in Les Arcs for the last 12 years. Some years lots of snow, some not, but always enough. Christmas week is reasonably quiet, new year is manic in France. If you go high you will be fine.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you fancy skiwelt try Westendorf for a family. ski school right in the village centre and nice mellow atmosphere. I will give Clive at Pension Christoph a plug (http://www.pensionchristoph.at/apartments.html). Has self catering units in a B&B which is a biscuit toss from the lift. He will pick up from Salzburg (1 hr) or Munich (2hrs) and is really friendly. We are off there for third time on 22nd 
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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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| Col the Yeti wrote: |
| If you fancy skiwelt try Westendorf for a family. ski school right in the village centre and nice mellow atmosphere. I will give Clive at Pension Christoph a plug (http://www.pensionchristoph.at/apartments.html). Has self catering units in a B&B which is a biscuit toss from the lift. He will pick up from Salzburg (1 hr) or Munich (2hrs) and is really friendly. We are off there for third time on 22nd |
And snow in December ?
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| Quote: |
And snow in December ?
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Not done it at that early. By early Jan it is fine. They normally open about 7 Dec and it can be a bit slow to fill in but Christmas week is high season and they normally have enough to open everything by then.
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You know it makes sense.
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.winter2009, snowyowl, +1 for Soll/Skiwelt. Plenty for everyone, less than 2hr transfer from innsbruck/salzburg/munich
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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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Great snow in the Skiwelt December just gone Col the Yeti. Lifts open around the 14th, it's great at that time of year- empty slopes 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Flaine or Arc 1800?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Go. To. Italy!
Cheaper, nicer, better. This forum is obsessed by France which wouldn't be so bad it it (France) wasn't full of the French.
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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 quite like the French, Homer. They are just like us but a little bit different.
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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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We go as a big group in early January. Due to group size, we book well in advance and the last few years we've found Tignes to be about the best bet in terms of easy to get to, snow sure, not bad pubs, etc. Second best bet would be Avoriaz. I mention these because you ski right through the village, unlike places like Morzine where you end up walking about a fair bit. They're not beautiful villages, but the skiing is excellent.
You can add a bit of beauty, but pay for it - Val d'Isère is in the same ski domain as Tignes and twice the price. I prefer the skiing Tignes-side anyway!
Less snow-sure (but I've yet to go wrong with it) is Valloire. Take a close look at this one: it's an easy drive from Geneva (straight down the autoroute and then just 17km up the hill). You can also take the train to Saint Michel le Maurienne and then get the local bus. It's very French; and that means that you're not being ripped off as a British tourist. Eating out is cheap, it's got a picturesque village and the self-catering rentals are very cheap for what they are. Many of the local offerings are on http://www.chalet-montagne.com/
Where you'll win with Valloire and a family is cost of the liftpasses - they're about half the price of the big resorts. Skiing is varied and good; plenty of all sorts. Good skis can be rented from about EUR50/week.
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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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winter2009,
If you compromise on one aspect of your criteria - time to resort - I think there are two Italian resorts that would be perfect for your group: Livigno, and Passo Tonale. At both resorts the range of beginner/early intermediate skiing is very extensive, early evening apres is good but neither is a 'head banger' resort, and you will be stunned by how much further your money goes in Italy compared to France. Without being Fracophobic, the locals are friendlier, and (IMHO) the food's better.
Of the two, Passo is more compact: Livigno stretches out along a road, I think it was originally three villages; but you're more likely to be able to ski home or almost to your door in Livigno. Both are covered by a few TOs I think. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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you could also try 'snowbizz' who go to puy st vincent. the only trouble for you would be a transfer of about 2-3 hours (but they play a dvd for the kids on the coach, and each flight is met by a separate coach).
it's a small resort (but with plenty of off-piste if needed), excellent ski school, sunny snowy slopes, self catered flats, but with restaurants nearby, couple of bars.
they run their own ski school so your little one would be in a class with other english speakers (and a nanny if under 5) and get some kid focussed entertainment. we have been 5 times with them, highly recommended.
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| Quote: |
Cheaper, nicer, better. This forum is obsessed by France which wouldn't be so bad it it (France) wasn't full of the French
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That's quite true! A lot depends on the departure point, though. From more northerly parts of the UK/Scotland there're fewer flights further afield (just due to lack of demand) so prices are higher. The easy routes tend to be into Geneva or closer French airports. Getting to parts of Austria/Italy outside of a package is (a) tedious and (b) expensive. As a guide, a flight from NCL-GVA will be costing about £120 rtn when the same day will be about £50 rtn from Stansted/Luton. Yes, NCL is further, but only by half an hour or so.
Conversely, those living in the southern half of the country have the option of train/car/coach because France is within easy reach in a day.
So, just by quirk of transport options, France wins for a lot of UK skiers - if only because it's easy.
I've skied Italy a couple of times (last trip was Courmayeur - drove from GVA) and I agree that your money goes a lot further, the food was better and we had a cracking trip.
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