 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
A group of 8 of us (late twenties) are hoping to go skiing next year. 4 of us are fairly good intermediates and the other four are absoulte beginners. Last year I went with a couple of the same people, but in a group of six to Morzine and had a great time. We enjoy a bit of drinking, but not full on partying anymore! Morzine was great for the beginners and there was great skiing for us too, but it was slightly annoying logistics wise, getting back to meet for lunhc if we did want to go off to Avoriaz direction, so we felt that we certainly didn't make the most of the lift pass. I wouldn't be against going back but would like some suggestions for maybe a more compact resort, preferably not a purpose built looking one (dont like avoriaz).
We are going the last weekend and from the south west, so bristol or exeter which on price, limits us to Geneva or Chambery (110 flights) or possibly Salzburg (180 flights) but thats probably too expensive.
So far I've thought about Flaine, Tignes, Valloire, Sauze D'oulx, Les Arcs or Alpe Dhuez. I keep going round in circles though, and not really getting anywhere now. So I suppose what we want is good beginners slopes, some good runs for the intermediates, easy enough to meet up after beginners have lessons (not necessarily every day), and a few bars for some drinks at the end of the day
We tend to self cater (did it last year, all in 650 pounds, which was pretty good). Not expecting to be that low again but if we can get accommodation with three bedrooms for around 1200 pounds then we should do it for similar price.
Thanks very much
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have you thought of La Tania, 3 Valleys? Would seem to tick the boxes for good (village centre) beginner slopes, very good intermediate skiing, easy to get back to the village (ski in/out) to meet for lunch and then ski off again, and a couple of decent bars with happy hours, live music etc., but it's not as lively as Morzine - the apres couple of hours is pretty good though. Lots of s/c fringing the village and you might well find an OK apartment for budget and your dates
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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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weaselofthewest, if you plan to drive from Geneva Les Saisies would fit the bill - easy to get back and meet for lunch after ski lessons. A lot more attractive than Avoriaz and more snow-sure than Morzine. Not a party town but plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from. Four absolute beginners could share private lessons at €75 for two hours (group lessons would be in French, and bigger group). Some lessons might be good for the intermediates too, especially if they are interested in finding some of the local off-piste options. The slopes will be very quiet end of Jan. Plenty of 3 bedroom places from around €800 for the last week in January. But if you don't drive, transfers are difficult. No easy buses and though a minibus taxi is good for 7, you might struggle to find one with 8 seats at an economical price. Plenty of free parking available.
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Does it have to be France? You'll get much better value in Italy. Check out Passo Tonale which has lots of good skiing for beginners and intermediates and is linked to Ponte di Legno further down the valley. Just find some flights to any Milan airport then hire a car and you'll be there in a couple of hours. Lots of lively bars too, better food than France and often sunny at end of January.
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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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You'll get much better value in Italy
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I agree Italy is good value but if you're self-catering there's little or no difference on price (Italian supermarkets aren't cheap) and there is much less choice of self catering accommodation. Nothing much to choose on lift passes anywhere. And the OP can only fly to Geneva, Chambery or Salzburg (personally I'd go for Geneva over Chambery because it's far more reliable; Chambery is often disrupted with flights diverted elsewhere).
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Thank everyone. I had thought about Italy, and exactly, we have been struggling to find self catering apartments for us. But thought about Courmayeur and Sauze D'oulx too and wondered what people thought of them for a mixed group hoping to meet up most afternoons? Les Saisies does look good, though I wonder if it will be too quiet. I'm turning more towards Grand Massif, but again Flaine looks the obvious choice but that sound fairly ugly! Any advice is gratefully received though
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weaselofthewest, Flaine is ugly - no doubt about that. Can't have everything, though, and some parts of the GM are rather more scenic, though further from the centre.
Thing is about Les Saisies is that there are no tour operators so if you like loud bars full of half-cut Brits and pavement pizza at 2 am, you'd be sadly disappointed. 
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If you want to stick to France have a look at Sainte Foy in the Tarentaise. Great value ski-pass and easy to meet up with your friends at lunchtimes etc. It's quite small but the skiing is excellent and there's lots of little bits of off-piste to play on under the chairlifts etc. Plenty of catered chalets and some self-catering too. Still very charming with a handful of really lovely old bars & restaurants.
And have you considered Austria? Still cheaper than France but with even better nightlife. You'd even find some deals at St Anton for end of Jan which I can highly recommend.
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Thanks again for all the advice. Think we're favouring Les Saisies at the moment. Big enough ski area for us to explore, whilst not being so big we can't meet up again for lunch with the learners on a few days.
Typically, after speaking about it with a colleague at work today, he listed a number of places he'd been and recommended Chamrousse, Valmorel or La Clusaz. So now just looking at those too! If anyone's been to any of these, feel free to give your thoughts again!
Thanks very much
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Sell am see in Austria - 1 hour transfer from Salzburg, with kaprun a few hills over - would be perfect for you guys. But stay in Zell,the night life is better and suited to late 20s types... Austria is fab, cheap, with better beer and far prettier, I also hate concrete clad ski centres!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Zell, not sell. God damn predictive text!!! 
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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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weaselofthewest, les Saisies is a good suggestion, it's a nice size ski area and a really sweet town... I do kind of think group would be better off in Austria though. Zell is really good call. It's got a lot more going on and is in a stunning setting.
Remember when comparing prices that although the flight to Austria might be a bit more expensive, the transfers, eating on the mountain and apres drinks will all be considerably cheaper in Austria. I think you'll probably have to hire a car to get to Les Saisies or La Clusaz (pam_w correct me if I'm wrong!) whereas there are trains and scheduled buses that run to Zell (and many other Austrian resorts). Lunch on the mountain in Les Saisies cost me €15-25 per day, lunch in Zell was more like €8-15 per day. I think you'd save that £70 back over the week easily on total costs.
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Zell am See and Saalbach are both just over an hour from Salzburg. Easiest transfer for 8 people is a private minibus from one of the transfer companies - see the Salzburg Airport website for a list of which companies serve which resorts. For Zell am See and Saalbach it is Holiday-Shuttle.at. Price for a one-way transfer is about €200. Resorts closer to Salzburg (Bad Gastein, Lofer, the Ski Amade resorts) will be a bit less.
weaselofthewest, One apartment for 8 might be difficult to find, but 2 apartments for 4 in the same block should not be a problem in places such as Zell am See, Saalbach, Maria Alm. Use the Tourist Office websites, Google or HomeAway for options. You should be able to find something for max. €1600 / £1300 at the end of Jan.
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You know it makes sense.
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I think you'll probably have to hire a car to get to Les Saisies or La Clusaz (pam_w correct me if I'm wrong!)
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no, you're not - absolutely right, as I think I mentioned above. It's one of the things that keeps the place so nice - transfers are not easy and there are no tour ops.
There are plenty of apartments you could easily return to for lunch, including plenty with 3 bedrooms.
La Clusaz is a good spot - but more scattered areas for returning for lunch together or after ski lessons etc.
Chamrousse has some good reports here on Snowheads but I've never been. Valmorel is rarely mentioned, but supposed to be brilliant for beginners.
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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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weaselofthewest, Belle Plagne an option, perhaps? Would suit your mixed-ability group with some excellent progressor slopes for the beginners. Good SC availability and some fun apres bars without being banging. Good variety of lunch meeting points that are all accessible. Quite a lot of BP either is or is close to ski in and out.
As purpose built villages go, BP is quite nice, IMO.
*edit: the beginners might not perhaps get the value out of what is a fairly expensive ski-pass in comparison to some areas.
The Saalbach suggestion is a good one.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, yep just depends on flights.if we could go later,say early march then Salzburg flights are ok,but much more expensive for dates out group had originally said. Saalbach and also obertauern look good to me. Again,struggling to fond anywhere to self cater and even cheaper half board deals get nowhere near price we could do as self catering. Anyone know any good apartments/chalets in these places? If the price was good,I personally rather go to austria but at present can't find much under 1800 pounds for the apartment whereas france we can get half that price. Thanks again
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1800 pounds for the apartment
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 in January? Mein Gott....
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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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No early march when Salzburg flights are cheaper. Tourist office sent us some options but still around that same price so looks like france will be cheaper option for us
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Might be that you need to look at total cost rather than individual aspects. Tried getting a golf trip £1200 pp all in everyone balked at it. When £800 +spends was acceptable.... (spends generally 4-600) 
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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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look at total cost rather than individual aspects
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if the apartment rental is so high it would be pretty difficult to save enough to make up for that. An apartment near the slopes means you can save on snacks and lunches - and whilst you can certainly pay €25 for lunch in one of the top restaurants I would practically never do so - maybe once or twice a season on a special occasion. "Plat du jour" and a glass of vino will cost around half that, or chicken wings and chips and a glass of vino for about a third of that - if you know where to go.
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Les Arcs is great for mixed groups, easy to get back to join each other. All 3v valleys I've found pants for that, _someone_ always wants to be exploring and someone else always needs to get to a lesson/can't do the linking run etc, everyone ends up annoyed.
Serre Chevalier? Seem to remember that one working well too and a bit cheaper than some other choices.
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Have you tried Munich flights? More choice than ski specific airports like Salzburg. Transfers by four seasons to Tirol resorts.
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