 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm not sure whether to go to Les Saisies next year or Cervinia so I was looking for accommodation recommendations in both resorts to see if that helps decision-making. I have posted Cervinia separately so as not to confuse my poor befuddled brain!!
My wishlist is as follows:
A 3 bed apartment, preferably in a hotel
Close to restaurants (or with meals at hotel)
Swimming pool
Quite central to town
Close to lift(s) -
or ski in/ski out on an "easy" run would be good
The winning number for next week's lottery would be good too 
Many thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bambionskiis, I'd recommend you try the Village des Lapons or Chalets d'Emeraude. Peak Retreats feature both. the latter is newer and more expensive. Both have pools. There are plenty of restaurants around and both are fairly close to lifts. There is only one hotel with a pool (The Calgary), it is expensive and has no apartments.
There are more central apartments but they don't have pools.
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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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| bambionskiis wrote: |
| I'm not sure whether to go to Les Saisies next year or Cervinia |
Fascinated: not sure i would ever have thought of putting Les Saisies and Cervinia in the same basket.
Have been to Cervinia, not been to Les Saisies (to be corrected next Month) but have looked all round the piste map (encouraged by pam w's enthusiasm).
Interested to know why you chose these two together.
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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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Hi Jon. Purely that I'm a nervous skiier and these resorts seem to fit the bill, ie, lots of cruisy blues and some greens. Am a bit put off Cervinia as wind and fog seem to be a bit of an issue, although others say it's just fine. Yes, if I'm honest, I think Pam's enthusiasm is infectious. Would rather have some local knowledge than the cobblers brochures/internet feed us! Thanks for the piste map link; will have a look.
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"Where will keep me happy and occupied as a nervous beginner/intermediate" is a really easy question to answer compared to "where will keep me happy and occupied as an excellent and adventurous skier". (Ignoring off-piste)
The correct answer is 'pretty much anywhere will be fine, with a handful of exceptions', some easy stuff, some stuff you like, some you don't... For some reason the original thread became fixated with these two chalk and cheese resorts, even though the solution space encompasses hundreds or thousands of resorts.
La Rosiere?
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bambionskiis, la clusaz is part of the Aravis ski domaine and quite a distance from les saisies and the espace diamonte (sorry re spelling pam w!) la clusaz is quite a bit bigger and busier in the town than les saisies but nevertheless attractively built. The residence you are looking at is a little bit on the outskirts but nowhere is too far away really. Have skiied in both resorts and like them both a lot .
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bambionskis - I think Les Saisies would suit you better than La Clusaz. Les Saisies is higher altitude for the easy slopes. The higher altitude part of La Clusaz contains the more difficult runs. There are lots of easy runs near the centre of Les Saisies resort and it really is a good resort for confidence building. I would let yourself be guided by Pam's enthusiasm 
We went to Les Saisies in 2011 and stayed in Le Hameau de Beaufortain booked through Peak Retreats. It has a lovely pool and is ski to the door but is out of the village. The chalets D'Emeraude look nice and I think are a bit cheaper so I'd be tempted to give those a try.
La Rosiere would be ok but you probably wouldn't like the red run to La Thuile so would be limited to just skiing the blues in La Rosiere which are a bit samey and there are no trees on the blue runs. Once you feel confident on reds it is a nice place to go with the kids.
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La Clusaz is a good choice for absolute never-before skiers as it has a wonderful large nursery zone on the Beauregard plateau, with beautiful views, and 2 lovely cafes. Poor choice for a nervy inter though IMHO. If you're off the nursery slopes the 'progression' blues are harder than the average blue, can be extremely busy with home-run traffic, and often have appalling snow (particularly the main Merle area, which I hate).
I was kidding about La Rosiere by the way.
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I'm being extra hard on LC there, due to skiing it hundreds of times. Familiarity and contempt and all that.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cheers both. MR P, TBH I found that I was going around in circles looking at the many different resorts and these two just stuck out as being suitable. It's just nice to be able to focus on some places. La Rosiere does look good on the brief scan through, so won't rule it out. Loatie, thanks for feedback. I don't mind being on the outskirts as apres ski doesn't bother us, but it's nice to have some shops relaatively close-by for a nosy round during the week. Good to know that both resorts are good to ski.
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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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| Mr Pieholeo wrote: |
I was kidding about La Rosiere by the way. |
I realised that.  However not everyone would. So why mention it?
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bambionskiis, over the years of group ski holidays we've had absolute beginners and extremely nervous near-beginners in:
Serre Chevalier
Verbier
La Thuile
Courmayeur
Sauze d'Oulx
Morzine
Meribel
Tignes
Grand Bornand
You could argue the whys and wherefores about pretty much none of these being a great choice. But everyone enjoyed themselves. Don't overthink it.
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You know it makes sense.
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(Sorry to derail, this would have been better for the discussion in the other thread).
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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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Oh bloody hell Mr P - more choices . Kidding. If you'd seen me falling apart last year on an aparently easy blue in Elmau though, you'd realise why I'm a bit jittery (shudders). However, I was encouraged by my improvement this year and even tackled a bit of what did appear to be an easy blue in Norway, so perhaps doing myself an injustice!! The rest of my family are however (fortunately) less wimpy than me and were tackling trickier blues, so I guess a complete beginners resort isn't what we're after. No probs about cross-threading; I'm checking both equally, so can pick up info on both. Cheers
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Poster: A snowHead
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bambionskiis, Given the very specific requirements you've given, I wouldn't look at Meribel where the "home runs" to the centre, even if easy in themselves (and they're not, particularly) get very busy with people speeding through. Tignes is a good choice for late season but there again there are a lot of good skiers whizzing around and it's a fairly busy place. And a lot of places in Meribel are very far from "ski in/out". Courmayeur is even further from meeting that criterion.
In Les Saisies your criterion of being close to a range of restaurants would rule out the Hameau du Beaufortain - it's a drive into LS town in the evenings (there are some buses but infrequent and stop early).
Will reiterate my warning though - I wouldn't recommend Les Saisies at half term. Big queues for the main lifts you would want to use for the easiest areas. And it's really not high enough to be a sure bet for Easter, either.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cheers Pam. From living in the area, what do you reckon to Le Clusaz v Le Saizies for us (The Grand Alpes apartments do look really good) but not at the cost of not being able to get to some greens/easy blues. Ref restaurants, providing there is somewhere to eat close-by, it's fine; we definately aren't foodies and are fine with staying in or at least having one restaurant.
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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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pam w, i will be picking your brains about Les Saisies in a week or two.
Now bambionskiis has made his criteria clear, the reosrt he really wants to go to is of course La Plagne - probably Belle Plagne to be precise
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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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| bambionskiis wrote: |
| From living in the area, what do you reckon to Le Clusaz. |
From living in the area, and doing two consecutive seasons in La Clusaz, I reckon what I posted earlier. Does that help?
Honestly, the blues are pretty intimidating in Clusaz generally, and lots of scratchy man made snow around due to the low altitude. The Manigod/Merdassier sector of the area fares much better, but it's out on a limb, and you're not likely to be staying there (and it's an unpleasant schlep to get there on piste).
I stand by "don't overthink it", and would recommend "stick a pin in the map, and get some lessons" over trying to find a holy grail resort X. But knowing LC as well as I do, no, it's not for you IMHO.
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Ok thanks Mr P; didn't realise you had such intimate knowledge, so I'll take on board what you say. If you reckon a no to blues in Clusaz, I reckon I would bat myself; no good for my self-esteem!!! Thanks too for the suggestions on La Plagne Jonpim - not thought of that one. Starting to think a week skiing in Tamworth Snowdome is what I should be doing . Cheers
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Bambionskiis - If you are looking for high end apartments like Les Grandes Alpes you should look at staying in CGH MGM apartments - this company has apartments in a large number of resorts many of which would suit you more than La Clusaz. I have only been to La Clusaz once but my memory matches what Mr Pieholeo says.
Have a look at Les Carroz (Chalets de Jouvence) Samoens (La Reine des Pres) - lovely and near village but not ski in ski out, Montgenevre (Chalet des Dolines), Val Cenis (Chalets de Flambeau) and La Rosiere (Lodge Hemera or Cimes Blanches). In my opinion all these resorts would be better than La Clusaz for the skiing you are looking for.
In terms of skiing I would still say give Les Saisies a go at half term and risk the lift queues. However if you want a higher level of accommodation I'd suggest the CGH MGM places above. Le Hameau de Beaufortain in Les Saisies is also CGH MGM but is as Pam says too far from town for you.
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| Quote: |
risk the lift queues.
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they're probably no worse than lots of other places, TBH. I just can't stand them, though and am spoiled by normally skiing with no queues and very quiet pistes! There have been reports of some big queues in Austria last week, too and there were some big queues on the Sella Ronda lifts in early February (though you could get away from them by getting off "the beaten track". You can do that in Les Saisies, too, particularly by heading over to the top end of Notre Dame de Bellecombe but the skiing is more technically challenging there, mostly red runs, hence my suggesting it wouldn't be ideal for the OP.
When you add the wish to entirely avoid slush, and to travel at Easter.......it's difficult to know what to recommend!
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Thanks Pam. Think we need to have a think about the time of year we go. Having school-age kids is a real pain. 
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bambionskiis, I get the impression that the season in Norway is relatively late - when I skied there, aeons ago, it was 20 April. If it suited you well, and you now know the lifts, might be worth going back - getting to know a new area, however benign, can be difficult if you're very nervous. Jonpim, looking forward to your picking my brains.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I had considered it Pam but hubbie not interested; he hates going back to the same place, unlike me (sometimes better the devil you know). I would definately go back and you're correct it is a pretty late resort.
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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 think there are apartments with shared pools in Crest Voland (linked to Les Saisies) - it's the area we take super-nervous guests to as it's all really, really gentle and pretty skiing. Good half term choice (although Easter is early next year).
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miranda, bambionskiis, yes, I do think Crest Voland is too low to be a wise base to choose for Easter - though if conditions are still good there it's a good place to ski to, from Les Saisies.
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You know it makes sense.
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bambionskiis, the hotel for you: the Carlina in Belle Plagne
The resort with the friendliest blues, and where my kids went from snow-plough anxious to parallel warp factor 7 in no time at all (sigh).
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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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Bambionskies, where in Norway did you go, would you go again, we book indpendantly and save thousands from brochure prices. Have skied in Trysil Hemsedal and Geilo, let me know if you would consider going again, i too very nervous skier, so am very up on green and blue runs in Norway!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bambionskies, where in Norway did you go, would you go again, we book indpendantly and save thousands from brochure prices. Have skied in Trysil Hemsedal and Geilo, let me know if you would consider going again, i too very nervous skier, so am very up on green and blue runs in Norway!
Sorry i think i have the name wrong, this is for the person who is looking for blue and green runs
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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 would second your vote for Les Saisies. Also good for your requirements is Valmorel and Courchevel 1650. Cant remember what the apartments were that we stayed in in Les Saisies but they were central and ski out and almost ski in (walk across a car park to recpetion) Would definitley stay there again. Sorry thats not much help lol. Ill see if I can dig out the apartments name
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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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polo99, I think the OP has decided to go to Val Cenis, so probably not worth digging out the name of your apartment (which IIRC was Village des Lapons).
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I think I may have mentioned this on a different thread but what about Finland for easy snow sure resorts. However belle plague is quite a good call as well.
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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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Good old Belle Plague.
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Sorry I've not replied to this thread sooner. Warbis66, Norway was lovely. We wouldn't go again to where we stayed (Radisson) as it was a bit isolated, the town was a trek and the buses unreliable; I'm not sure about the Park Inn on the other side of the mountain. The skiing was lovely I have to say with some lovely easy runs. Both myself and damobloke have written reviews, so have a search and see if there's anything else you need to know, as it may well be covered there. One thing you need to watch out for is the buses from the airport to the resort as they only go a few times per day and if you miss them, you have to wait hours. Sounds minor, but really, it's not. Thanks too Polo; Les Saisies was my original favourite but throughout everything, but finding accommodation we like (fussy bug) has been a problem. Must admit I hadn't really looked into Finland Dan as from what I remembered, the small bit of research I read said it was absolutely bloody freezing (uncomfortably so), which sounds daft as it's something we didn't find in Norway (could have been lucky). Belle Plagna is somewhere that features a lot as being what we are after, but I haven't looked into accommodation so may be good.
Since posting my "Eureka" post, I had a further quote for Val Cenis which was massively expensive; more expensive than the hotel in Norway and self catering so back to square one.
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bambionskiis - we've also been to Val Cenis recently. Do send me a PM if you need more info on it and how it compares to Les Saisies. On the whole accommodation is cheaper in Val Cenis and there are more ski to the door options. However some of the blues in Val Cenis are "purpleish" so you would find more in terms of gentle blues in Les Saisies. Val Cenis goes up to 2800m so you could cut your costs down by going at Easter, although the lowest runs might be a bit slushy then.
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Hi snowymum - have pm'd you.
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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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Bambionskiis - have replied.
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FAQ
