 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
Am thinking of treating my folks to a few days away in the mountains, next Christmas. Either in the few days before Christmas or the few days in between Christmas and New Year. I, myself am a skier but they are certainly not and not likely to try it. They're 69 and 65 and although reasonably fit and healthy, pretty un-sporty!
So does anyone have any tips for destinations that cover the following:-
Nice pretty village/resort
Things to do for non-skiists such as gentle walks and sleigh rides etc
Good pedestrian lift links for meeting me in the mountains (lunch, PM drinks etc) and for getting to other villages
Cost of food and drinks isn't really an issue....not being smug, just they don't drink that much!
Wide range of accommodation - not sure how we will cater, hotel, chalet, SC etc etc
Don't mind which country
Have thought about Courchevel as I've been there a few times but it would be nice to go somewhere a little different.
Be interested to know everyone's ideas
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@speedy, Mürren. Or Wengen. Hotel Eiger or Hotel Bellevue for luxury if Mürren - Eiger Guesthouse for charm and warm hospitality.
Both car free villages. Train access and access to mountain restaurants. Sledging, etc. Walking, etc. Better than average mountain views.
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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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Zermatt, Megève, Cortina come to mind.
Wengen's just too small to keep non-skiers occupied IMO.
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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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Westendorf
Kitzbühel
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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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If you go before Xmas make sure the resort is fully open but you will get some fabulous deals. Between Xmas and the New Year it may be difficult to book just a few days as its Peak Time.
Last Xmas we stayed in Morzine at Chalet Hotel Les Dents Blanche (with 90 year old Aunt) which does offer short stays. Hospitality was great and Morzine is a lovely area for non-skiers but maybe not the picture box pretty of some of the Austrian resorts. It does have 'le petit train' going round the resort as well as horse drawn carriages. Not traffic free so its easy to drive around the resort (or use the free navette) if you do not always want to walk.
Courchevel is a good choice as you know, and was really pretty at dusk with all the lights as we saw over the New Year. People watching at resort is really quite special 
Pralognan La Vanoise is probably the most beautiful area we have stayed at in France and wonderful for the walks through the National Park. It is a very French resort though.
Choice of accommodation could be key? The previous two Christmases we have chosen apartments in Chalets with a pool because my Aunt (and me!) likes to swim. Somewhere like Arc 1950 which is fairly pretty for a purpose built resort may suit? Easy ski in/out easy access to pedestrian lifts for nice walks, spa complex etc.
I have yet to find a truly chocolate box resort with really convenient and fairly reliable ski in/out but that may not be important for you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Megeve might work. Easy to get up the mountain to meet up. Very attractive traffic free town centre with absurdly expensive and chic shopping. Wonderful choice of eateries, not all fantastically expensive. Horse drawn carriages. Mont Blanc right over your shoulder.
Thing is, what do they like doing? I would have thought Wengen would be good - yes it's small, but we took my mother as a non skier to a small resort in Austria with practically nothing there (St Oswald) and she loved it. She enjoyed just being in the mountains and pottering out for a coffee and cake, watching the skiing. She really wouldn't want shops, or spas, let alone a casino (Megeve has one) or any other "entertainment". The apartment complex had an outdoor heated pool (thermal) and that was a great
success. We also went to the big pool in Bad Kleinkirchheim but we didn't like that nearly so much. Very big, very regimented, noisy, busy; we much preferred our little one in St Oswald, which we sometimes had entirely to ourselves. We could get out, wrap quickly in a bath wrap then dash through the cold the few yards to our very cosy apartment, with a big stove keeping everything warm. But people who wanted to go to a different lively bar every night would have hated it.
Christmas/New year isn't the ideal time, really, especially if you're not going to be there for Christmas. Later in the season with more reliable resort-level snow, long days, a bit more likelihood of sunshine, might be better.
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Grindelwald or Madonna Di Campiglio.
Grindelwald pretty itself but good connections to Wengen & a little further afield the larger town or Interlaken. Both accessible by train.
Madonna di Campiglio very pretty, good food & good connections from the village centre to the slope side restaurants.
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@speedy, Just spent Christmas in Val d'isere with our family of 8 - total mix of skiiers/non-skiiers, beginners, experts ranging in age from 24 to 65.
We had a fantastic holiday and were looking for somewhere that would enable my non-skiing mother in law to get up the mountain on a pedestrian pass to meet us for lunch and get some mountain views, pretty village for that "magical" experience and have loads of options of things to do for all of us. So much choice in terms of runs (glacier access was a godsend esp as snow was poor when we went), things to do in the town and accommodation types. Plus the Espace killy is just brilliant. Tignes is cheaper but Val has the magical feel about it as it's very traditional and they have invested a lot in making and keeping it looking great.
Unfortunately was not cheap (in terms of anything really....  ) but the pedestrian pass was brilliant for the non-skiiers and we had a brilliant very out of the ordinary christmas break away.
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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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Val has the magical feel about it as it's very traditional
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Hmm. Never been convinced by Val D'Isere as a magical traditional village. Sorry. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Saas Fee? Pretty town, "carfree" but most hotels have a milkfloat-type thing to whizz you around, lots of hotels shops restaurants, gondola/train to the top of the mountain
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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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Wengen/Jungfrau would definitely get my vote. Trip up Jungfraujoch, trip up Schilthorn, day in Interlaken, plenty of toboggan routes, winter walking paths, trains......I can't see a non-skier struggling for things to do. My parents don't ski but have done several winter holidays there.
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@FiFi_Trixibell, don't worry, I agree with you, I think Val is very pretty - especially with all the lights on.
My suggestions would be Kitzbuhel, Zell am See and Briancon/Serre Chevalier.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Elizabeth B, +1.
Bit pricey now, though .
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FAQ
I know you're not the biggest fan of Val! Maybe I should have said compared to Tignes? or just generally that stony buildings and wooden chalets with lots of christmas lights are prettier than say this:
