 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok folks here goes. I've been made redundant so money is tightish. I'm looking at two options for Easter skiing for me and teenage daughter for first week of Easter.
Me low int, her high int.
We will be driving.
Whichever resort we will be spending second week of Easter at a house halfway between Bordeaux and Bayonne. We love Tignes, but I don't like the drive up the mountain.
A) how feasible is it to drive out to Bourg, park for the week in Bourg and get a coach up the mountain? Are there services so that if I want to pop back to the car etc I can do it easily?
B) I've skied in Andorra but if we went Pyrenees I'd want to be maybe 3 hours ish from Bayonne, is there anywhere? Pro's cons, likes dislikes, après not an issue, friendliness, easy skiing and some private lessons for me the fraidy cat.
I'm happy generally driving in France, finding my way around etc. Pyrenees makes sense as we are there the second week, but only if there is enough to keep us busy, it's not too expensive and is friendly. If I go for Pyrenees then recs for kit, school and accom would be welcome.
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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As it is approx 900km from Tignes to the West of France, plus the cost of parking for a week in Bourg and then adding the cost of coaches (perhaps more than twice from your post), its hard to see beyond the Pyrenees, even if you decided to try 2 resorts.
It sounds as though you know Tignes quite well, so I'm slightly confused by the worry about driving up - I don't recall, from several trips, it being overly tricky. Certainly no more that some of the Pyrenean routes (not that I have experience of that many, but certainly some, albeit from the Spanish side).
Anyway, Baqueira-Benet, perhaps? Within 3 hours 120km odd of a variety of pistes and probably great for intermediates (appreciate that this isn't French Pyrenees). Bareges has about 100km of pistes to keep one happy for a week  - a couple of hours drive.
There are a couple of real Pyrenees experts on sH, so I'm sure you'll get some much more informed information very soon.
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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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Bagnères-de-Luchon is an old spa town in the middle of the Pyrenees. To save driving up the hill, there's a gondola that runs from the town right up into the ski area. Cheap accomm and lift pass but I'm not sure how secure the snow will be at Easter.
http://uk.luchon.com/
St Lary looks similar (but larger) but I've not been there
http://www.saintlaryresort.co.uk/winter/index.php
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The driving thing stems from going up to Tignes with an ex boyfriend a couple of years ago who picked holes in my confidence on the drive up, stupid it know but it has made me more worrisome about it. Yes I know it is a long way between the two,I really loved Tignes, I know the runs are more challenging than some other areas, and I am a fraidy cat, somehow I didn't feel out of place as a single mum with a teen there (though I won't do Esf ski school there again). I think I could manage the drive of the last bit if I did it at a quiet time, use the indoor parking again etc. price differences? Is Tignes really that much more than other places? I didn't think so doing s/c shopping at supermarket etc. the 900k down to Bordeaux doesn't bother me, I do it 5 ish times a year from the uk anyway. Other plus about Tignes seems to be good private lessons. I'm told my technique is pretty good, it is just confidence about speed that I need. Hence the desire for some one to one and lots of very casual practice.
What is the drive actually up the mountain in the Pyrenees?that might be my deciding factor. I'll already have the crossing for the2 ishweeks away, so the differences are cost in resort and petrol. If went Tignes I have a friends house I can break the journey at for free so no hotel costs. Driving out, last time I did it in 2013 we got a 5 star in Grnoble for 60 euro so that is negligible. Also most of what I am seeing in the Pyrenees is small hotels. If I do a hotel I'd rather something with a spa etc, if I do Tignes then self catering and a stroll down to the fancy hotel to use their spa.
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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 old spa baths in Luchon are still working. The building looks a bit aged inside but the place is huge and not very busy. We only went in once but you can buy a week's worth of tickets quite cheaply.
The town is low - 600m or so, so it can be quite warm. We must have been at around Easter and there were folks walking round in shorts and T-shirts - as well as others in full ski gear having just come down in the gondola. You'll have absolutely no problems driving to the town and, if you wanted to skip the gondola, the drive up the hill is pretty easy as I remember.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagn%C3%A8res-de-Luchon
Other spa towns are available.
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Hi jellybabe, your trip sounds like an ideal opportunity to try the Pyrenees; you're within three hours drive of some good extensive resorts. Saint Lary and Baqueira have already been mentioned, but there's also Formigal-Panticosa (on the Spanish side) and Grand Tourmalet (on the French side) as well as a number of smaller but good offerings. Note that the Pyrenees is a peculiar mountain range, and resorts won't necessarily be closer to Bayonne just because they're in France; it depends on the availability of tunnels and good roads. The only drive I'm familiar with from your area is the one to Baqueira, and it's completely straightforward.
Although Brits tend to have a fairly ingrained idea about what constitutes a ski holiday, the Pyrenees offers a different perspective on that, and visitors tends to be pleasantly surprised. For friendliness the whole place will impress you by its laid back vibe, and for easy skiing any of the mentioned resorts will work (since they're large with a wide range of options available). I don't have much to offer about private lessons, but Pyrenean skiing is a relaxed affair and I'd think you'd be able to find good attentive instructors in all the bigger resorts.
All of the mentioned resorts will be open at Easter and, although there are no guarantees, they should have good snow cover at that time. I couldn't say how that compares to Alpine resorts though. The Pyrenees are further south of course, and so you'll get a lot of sun, which is half the attraction really. At that time of year, it pays to make the most of the mornings on the slopes and the afternoon on the terraces. (Which seems to be what a lot of holiday skiers do in any place at any time of year!)
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@jellybabe, Pyrenees sounds risky to me late in season, into early April, from a snow quality point of view. I'm a big fan of Tignes. However if I was thinking of a base in Bourg St Maurice (is that the Bourg you mean?), interested in reasonably easy skiing and wanting to return easily to my vehicle, then I'd think about skiing Les Arcs. Direct and frequent funicular railway connection from town to Arcs 1600, included in area lift pass. Bigger area Paradiski lift pass available if wanted. Family friendly area, with lots of cruisy blues but also tougher slopes if you fancy them, good ski schools.
Where Tignes would trump the others is if snow conditions lower down are deteriorating. I've driven the Bourg St M-Tignes route many times, never had a problem, and sounds as if you do far more driving in France than me. On a cost basis I think Les Arcs slightly less expensive than Tignes, but not a lot.
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@Pyremaniac, you paint an attractive picture of the area - sounds lovely.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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+1
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@jellybabe, I'd go with Tignes at Easter if you need to book in advance as that will take away any concerns about snow conditions, the road upto Tignes i'd say is no worse than a lot of other resorts - if you're nervous then it be best make sure you get there in the light and just take your time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@jellybabe,
I always seem to recommend the same thing and I will do so here.
Why not wait and see? My general experience with snow conditions at Easter is good however you get the occasional poor year. In these years lower resorts suffer more. However in good years they can be delightfully uncrowded and the lack of crowds can leave better skiing conditions particularly if it is a bit stormy at altitude.
They are also usually much cheaper late season. In the very unlikely event that Tignes completely sells out there are plenty of other places with good high altitude skiing, going to somewhere like Orelle gives you excellent access to Val Thorens and will save you driving time and any awkward driving as it is just of the autoroute.
If the snow is good in the Pyrenees then you can go there.
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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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How about Bourg to les Arcs? You can get the lifts right from bourg 
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sounds like La plagne may also fit the bill perfectly - the drive up the hill is short from Aime and the road is seldom tricky. Oxygen ski school are great. Good luck and go for it!
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