 Poster: A snowHead
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After lots of deliberation my family & I have our February half term ski holidays booked.
We are now contemplating going away to take in the New year celebrations (not Christmas), probably France.
Criteria.
Date 27/12/2014 for 1 week.
SNOW SURE. As we have no choice but to go in the school holidays and paying a fortune, we need somewhere with an excellent snow record.
My wife is a timid beginner, so good for beginners with a good ski school.
Good Intermediate skiing for my twin daughters and I.
Great New year celebrations.
Flights from the North of England, we will not be driving.
Please guys no "do you have to go then?" questions. Yes we do...............
My wife is a teacher and we would not take the girls out during term time.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
DJ
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 29-04-14 0:07; edited 1 time in total
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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 Menuires ( Reberty) works for me, choice of ski schools, I have used both in Reberty and much of a likeness. New Year celebrations with fireworks and band etc in the centre of town.
For really snow sure Val Thorens and Tignes.
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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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Thanks for that blahblahblah, I will have a good look at Les Menuires.
I have seen the Tignes videos etc for New Year, looks great but not too sure about suitability skiing wise for my wife.
Regards,
DJ
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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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Drunkenjoiner, Tignes might prove to be trickier. In Les M or Reberty you are right on the slopes no faffing around.
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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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Also have a look at ARC 1950/2000 depending on budget, and it is probably worth hiring a car for the transfer for any of these destinations. 4 of you in a bus will be expensive.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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blahblahblah,
In terms of Les Menuires is there a good point to stay in terms of the ski school meeting point?
Thanks,
DJ
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Drunkenjoiner, Or Vallandry - have been several times at Christmas and always had snow - is easy to get up to Arc bowl but there is lots of easy skiing above Vallandry. As a satellite resort I think prices are slightly cheaper as well - can book through tourist office site
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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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Thanks Guys,
All your help is greatly appreciated.
I will look at Vallandry, Boris. Cheaper sounds good at this stage. Having to go in the school holidays both breaks the bank and my heart 
That said the right place and a great holiday means more to me than a few quid.
Regards.
DJ
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Drunkenjoiner, you have a PM 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If opting for Les Menuires, and using ESF, you could do a lot worse than the Ski Amis Chalets de Bruyeres: they are literally right on the piste, 20m from the Bruyeres gondola, and the ESF have a meeting point about 20 m away too. I stayed with them a couple of years ago the week before Christmas and had a great time. I think they have a 10% off deal running this week too. The rooms aren't the biggest, but they are pretty reasonably priced.
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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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Drunkenjoiner, if you rent via the tourist board, you can often get discount on lift prices as well. feel free to drop me a PM if you'd like any more info - I have no affiliation with Vallandry, just like it and we have been as a family there for the last 8 years!
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Drunkenjoiner, just a word of warning; you can not, of course, be guaranteed "excellent snow" at New Year anywhere and the places which have both very high altitude pistes AND tree skiing for those cold, windy, flat-light sort of days will be amongst the most expensive.
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You know it makes sense.
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Drunkenjoiner, we have stayed in La Tania for the last three new year holidays and although low there the snow has been fine further up and we have had three good weeks as it is part of 3v
One word of caution is to book things like ski school well in advance as it can get booked up with some of the schools. We always self cater and the village has some fire works at midnight etc.
Each year we wonder if we will try somewhere new, but then my wife is a timid skier and likes to go to runs she knows, and uses the bus to get to Courchevel from La Tania on some days and just skis the green runs so we book to go back. It is a holiday after all and I cant be doing with getting grief for the run near accomodation being "too hard" - which I got when we went to Reberty
Weather at new year can be quite dark and variable compared to later in the season, but we enjoy not being in the UK after the chaos and busy time of Christmas that our family has (for reasons too boring to go into here)
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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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but we enjoy not being in the UK after the chaos and busy time of Christmas that our family has
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can sympathize with that - that's why I try to be in the Alps for Christmas. Will be in the Alps for New Year too but, as for NY 2014, you'll not find me near an alpine slope that week - far too busy, difficult to find a parking spot, big lift queues. Worst week of the year.
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, it is the best week of ski ing for us though - only week we all go as a family, and I dont find the queues too bad in 3v - well not the three years we have been going anyway
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks everybody for all your input.
At this stage I really like the look of Les Menuires and I'm on with getting prices together for lots of different options in and around there.
Because of the time my family and I have to take our holidays I am fully used to the fact that I will be subsidising people to go at less peak times and that my holidays are going to cost a bit.
Queues do not bother me either, yes I would rather be up the mountain skiing, but echoing chrisb's sentiments, I am holiday with my wonderful family having an amazing time, in an amazing place, what could be better. While in any queue we just talk, where we've just been sking, where we going next, what we did last night, what we doing tonight.........................get the picture.
Any more suggestions still appreciated
Regards
DJ
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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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If you are not determined upon France, then Austria has a lot going for it, cheaper eats and drinks, good accomodation, lots of fireworks. We have done 2 New Years in Mayrhofen and are returning this year. Found costs with Tour Operators to be pretty steep, flights to Munich and train worked well for us last year, driving from Munich is a lotrtery esp that day as it can be horribly busy. Kids travel free on the train so train is an affordable way to get to resort.
The Hotel Rose currently has double rooms half board for 1500 Euros for 2 adults.
I'm sure others shall be along with their favourite resorts, Austrian and other.
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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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Corvara
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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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Salzburgerland, Austria takes in about 40 resorts. The better known ones are Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Bad Gastein, Zell am See but there are plenty of others and lots of trip reports here on Snowheads. Search for the Saalbach and Ski Amade threads.
New Years Eve is always excellent in Austria. Ski instructors' show, back indoors for 'Dinner for One' followed by dinner with family and friends, a few drinks then out to the village square for general good-humoured pandemonium, fireworks and church bells at midnight.
Easy to DIY from Leeds-Bradford or Manchester with Jet2 to Salzburg. Look at the local Tourist Office websites for accommodation ideas. Transfers max. €150 each way from Salzburg to any resort. Max transfer time 90 mins. All ski schools speak English, and there are plenty to choose from.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the further suggestions and "no" I am definitely not completely fixed on France. I will look at the options you have all recommended.
My brother goes to Mayrhofen every year in spring/summer and loves it. Slightly different I know when we are talking winter holidays but he assures me I would love it.
Do not know anything about Corvara but love Italy so will take a look at this.
If I felt the snow was a little more guaranteed (I know its not guaranteed anywhere), Saalbach would be at the very top of my list. A place I will definitely go to in the next few years.
Thanks guys, plenty of googling ahead tonight.
Regards
DJ
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| Quote: |
If I felt the snow was a little more guaranteed (I know its not guaranteed anywhere), Saalbach would be at the very top of my list.
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I have done 10 New Years holidays in Saalbach, plus another couple in Zell am See down the road. There has always been snow. Sometimes a huge amount, sometimes not as much, but always more than enough for a week of good skiing, particularly as you say you want somewhere for one timid skier and 3 good intermediates. Presumably you're not too bothered if there is not 100km of steep, gnarly off-piste, so many of the Ski Amade resorts will fit your requirements well. Saalbach-Hnterglemm in particular has invested over €200 million in snowmaking, piste management and lifts in the last few years - they take it very seriously as the entire resort economy depends on good snow cover.
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quinton, Thanks for that, I really like the look of Saalbach and have for some time. I will investigate TO and DIY holidays there.
Coincidentally my daughters are going to Zell at half term with school, with the wife and I going back to Italy at the same time (she is a teacher)
This is mainly why we want to get away at New Year, so as to spend some time skiing together.
I was hoping this would be a little more straight forward, but it seems the choice is bewildering 
Many thanks
DJ
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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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If you are still looking ,have a look at whitedogchalets.com just below Les Menuires
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We're going to Obergurgl which ticks all your boxes.
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FAQ
