 Poster: A snowHead
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Just booked flights to Grenoble for Saturday 31st January. Most likely going to head to alpe dhuez. Group of guys (not as young as we used to be) but still enjoy the après as much as the skiing. Any opinions or advice on alpe dhuez? We tried saalbach last year however snow conditions were really poor and have previously been to Andorra, Val disere, livigno and val thorens. In addition to great snow conditions, hoping for some live music and dancing in ski boots! 
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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 can't comment too much on the apres, but we did Alpe D'huez in Feb and loved the skiing. I'd need to dig out a map to make any specific recommendations, but there was lots of variety. Both nature - above or below the tree line, and degree of difficulty (though we did not do the tunnel).
There is a Folie Douce (at the top of, I think, Marmottes) so your dancing in boots can probably be accommodated.
LR
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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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the saint, having been to Andorra, Saalbach, Val T, Livigno and AdH, I think I can say, with confidence, that the Apres in AdH would be the last in terms of lively in that list. The resort is fairly strung out, so immediate options close to where you end up staying will depend, of course. There are a few livelier places and I'm sure a few more recommendations will turn up.
Folie Douce is fun, as you may have experienced in Val T.
I liked the skiing there - its varied and, as suggested, challenging or cruisey, depending on what you like. You get a good sense of travel, yet strangely never seem to feel too far away from getting back home.
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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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What Caccia said .... Some good skiing, and reasonable amounts of it, with some challenging stuff if you want it. Apres is pretty average, not in the same league as Saalbach.
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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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Trip report here - a bit of additional info, if required 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Mods/Admin? The review of the url link to an AdH trip report goes to that report....but the link, when posted, comes up with the above? Some dodgy code been "hacked" in?
In fact, the word "the" in eblunt's post also seems to link to a dodgy site... 
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Woah!
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Actually it seems we have got some malware in here, every blue "link" seems to go to it. 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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thecramps, dangly bits, mate 
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You know it makes sense.
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I liked the skiing there - its varied and, as suggested, challenging or cruisey, depending on what you like. You get a good sense of travel, yet strangely never seem to feel too far away from getting back home.
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+1
I really enjoyed ADH.
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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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the saint, been to ADH a couple of times. Lots of varied runs, the famous long Saurene and the, at times, infamous Le Tunnel. The chair lift that goes down before it goes up. The Folly at the top of the Marmottes lift. Nice runs down to villages such as Oz.
we were there in January on both occasions and the pubs were relatively quite and we dont really do the nightclubs, so cant comment on them - I think there was one called The cave (?)
I also like the outdoor swimming pool at the end of the day - just remember the right kind of swimming trunks
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Poster: A snowHead
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The church is worth a look, fantastic organ representing the hand of christ.
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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've been 3 times and went for a couple of day trips from L2A last year too. I really like the place and echo some of the thoughts above. I've never really hunted out the nightlife but it doesn't seem that lively tbh.
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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 all the updates...while we like a bit of nightlife I always think it's that period between 4pm and 7pm or there or thereabouts where you get the best laugh and atmosphere. Hopefully a bit of live music etc. by all accounts it seems to have a decent enough ski area with enough variety to keep us interested. Is the trip to L2A an easy one and is the travel covered in the lift pass? Thanks
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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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the saint, someone was running helicopter trips to L2A in march but don't know how you'd book it, might be worth a google.
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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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the saint, You can use your AdH lift pass in L2A (and vice versa). Buses run on a couple of days a week I think that aren't particularly expensive. Less than an hour each way. There is a helicopter option too which is surprisingly reasonable (about 80 euros I think). Best bet is to ask at the tourist office when you arrive.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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nightlife was pretty much non existant when we went a couple of years ago, was early Jan.
I thought the lift system was abit rubbish and slow too, seemed to take forever to get up to the top. Liked the tunnel though.
Personally its a resort I wont be going back to, Id say it would be great for a group of mixed abilities though as all the runs come down to a similar point and it seems well thought out with the harder runs higher up and the easier ones lower down so you wont be too far away from any mates of different standards.
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I love the place and need an excuse to go back.
Great variety on the mountain and never seems to get too busy compared to some other big French resorts.
Après is ok but noting too crazy, some nice bars but it's tame enough. Les Deux Alpes is better for après but the mountain is not as good.
Depends what you are used to but it's one of the best resorts I can think of for a group of lads slightly older than they might like to be.
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The apres was deadsville in AdH and was marginally better in L2A. The mountain was excellent and plan to go back for a cheap late season trip. Chopper was about £100 and you need to book in advanced, well in advanced! There's also a lot of waiting around until you board but once up it takes about 15 minutes. I called them on the 2nd day we arrived and they were fully booked all week until the following weds. The coach was ok not too long. Worth a day trip. The park is bloody orsum for a beginner/ intermediate.
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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 for the responses although a bit worried about the deadsville description!!! Now booked accommodation in Pierre vacances les bergers. Anyone know it? Mainly to find out location ie proximity to lifts and bars!! 
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I like the Les Bergers part of town, its a bit up the hill from the center but well connected for lifts and has a few bars, restaurants & hotels, good for a ski up lunch if you are back down the mountain, and a nice nice laid back outdoor apres scene. Also a few ski shops and a supermarche etc.
The late night stuff (such as it is, a couple of crowded clubby bars) and the Irish bar are down in the center, you can get there in 5 mins via the shuttle bus but I don't think it runs much past midnight. Its quite walkable so not the end of the world if you stay out a little too late
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We was in ADH in mid Jan this year and found the nightlife as good as most in France - there are a couple of bars that do live music on a tea time and later on - the one's called The Underground which isn't too far from where you'll be staying the other which isn't so close but usually very lively later on is Smithy's Tavern.
It might be worth you seeing if you can tag along on one of the tour ops bar crawl nights (think ours was on a Monday night with Skiworld) - a good way of finding some decent bars and each place you visit will be filled by the ppl on the crawl - they took us to a bar that specialises in all different types and flavours of rum and you can have it by the jug so it got a bit messy pretty quickly.
As to the skiing and conditions you should be fine as ADH is high altitude with plenty of snow cannon cover if not much of the natural stuff has fallen - but by end of Jan i'd say there will a good base by then.
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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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Thanks. Great to have flights and accommodation booked. Just transfers to go and there seems to be a few decent options. Keeping fingers crossed for decent snow after a disappointing saalbach trip this year!!
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Stayed at pierre's. Good for lifts and a little bar type area, but not so lively.
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