Serre Chevalier pre-Christmas

A snowHead

Like to ski the pre-Christmas week (Xmas present to myself...) with a couple of mates - this usually means Tignes, Val or maybe VT because of snow conditions and percentage of resort open - but would welcome the chance of somewhere different.
Last year we went to La Plagne - snow was OK, but chunks of the ski area, including all the satellite villages and link to Les Arcs, were not open as they were saving the snow for Christmas week.
Considering Serre Chevalier this time, but don't want a repeat of the La Plagne experience - can anyone tell me how much of the resort is likely to be up and running (obviously snow conditions permitting) in the week starting 13/14 December?
Or, of course, anywhere else I should be considering as an alternative? Thanks!

A snowHead

40000thheadman, there are some Serre Chevalier experts on snowheads who will be able to give you more information, but I note that there are special cheap passes for sale that week - which could well mean that there is limited skiing available. http://www.serre-chevalier.com/hiver/ski-alpes/forfait-de-ski/fin-de-saison/

Many French resorts won't even be open that week. It's a good idea to wait till the last minute and see what the snow is doing, but if you really want to book now and want to maximise the chances of lots of good skiing (no guarantees....) you need to head somewhere like Tignes or Val Thorens.

If you hit good snow that would be a great week to ski, because few people about. But that's, of course, why they often don't open all the pistes!

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40000thheadman, the resort is due to open on the 14th, but opening can be delayed and the skiing limited, as there are simply not the numbers of skiers there to justify employing all the staff required. You can probably say the central Chantemerle/Villeneuve sector will be open as will Monetiere, but they may not be linked up until the following week, and not all of the pistes will be open in each sector. As there has been some rumour of opening for weekends before this date (although not confirmed ones), I'd say there is as good a chance as anywhere of getting some skiing in, but your problem at La Plagne may be repeated in lots of places that week. Montgenevre is close by.

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However, weather patterns in Nov/Dec often seem to favour the Southern Alps, so the conditions may be brilliant. The delayed opening last winter was an exception, it is the first time in 12 years that I can remember it happening.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

40000thheadman, the start of the season wasn't great in the northern French Alps last winter - but better than the South, and better than much of Austria. Other years Austria gets better early snow. Some times the Southern Alps and the Pyrenees do best. It's probably more variable and less predictable than any other time of the season. Unless you absolutely have to book now, it's best to wait.

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About five years ago (I think), I took a school trip in that week to Serre Che and they basically had six runs open for the whole week. All of them above the Monetier midstation; if it wasn't for two coach days to Deux Alpes, it would have been a tough week to keep the kids going. As we were staying in Villeneuve, loading 40+ sets of identical boots, skis etc on and off coaches every day was not much fun. That year had a very cold but dry November/December. We were also in La Plagne last year on 14-21 December and there was probably 20% of the resort open, and that which was open was not well pisted; fot example, the blue Murs back from the top of the cable car was often not pisted overnight-often carnage from mid morning onwards.

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Thanks everyone for the useful info/advice - looks like Serre Chevalier should be saved for a different week! Oh well, back to looking at early deals online for Tignes/Val and Trois Vallees. Take the point about waiting for last minute to get best snow conditions, but one of said mates is one of those anxious types who needs everything booked and paid for months in advance - getting him to wait until nearly October is an achievement, believe me. In fairness, the last four or five years we have managed to get good deals (admittedly crappy hotel with half board, flights, transfers AND full Espace Killy lift pass for just £320 anybody?) and usually decent snow, while keeping Anxious Roger happy with an early booking...