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What is your favourite resort and why.

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@cameronphillips2000, whichever paid them the most.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
clarky999 wrote:
@cameronphillips2000, whichever paid them the most.


Nope, we're not talking Fifa here
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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?
dogwatch wrote:
You've been lucky then. Go in a week when it's foggy and blowing a gale day after day and you'll understand why resorts with at least some skiing below the tree line have something going for them.


That's my experience. Superb on the one or two days we got clear sky, but plain frustrating for the rest of the week.
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Perfect week: 3 Days in St.Anton am Arlberg, 4 days in Lech am Arlberg.
Arlberg has it all. Probably the best skiing destination in the world.

(and please, please, stop saying that Zermatt is the best all-round skiing destination. It simply is not: Yes, great scenery, lovely village, but: mediocre skiing)
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anywhere where it snows all night and the sun shines all day and I can get a good pizza and a nice beer!

So Aviemore it is then!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
But probably the Hemmel Fridge may pip it!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Langerzug, +1 Toofy Grin Except 5 days in St Anton, 2 in Lech, 2 in Zurs and an overnight 1000 mile drive home straight after skiing because you want to squeeze every last drop out of those 5 days off work in such an awesome place!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Not entirely sure I'm with you on St Anton, Langerzug, but 100% agree on Zermatt
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Well I've just dug out my Good Ski Guide to confirm the results.
They have listed 27 desirable characteristics in a ski resort.

Joint 4th with 16 out of 27 boxes ticked - Courchevel and Zermatt
2nd with 17 ticks froma possible 27 -Alp d'huez
1st with 20 ticks from a possible 27 - Whistler.

All taken the 1997 Good Ski Guide
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Courchevel: Russians (they did no see that coming in 1997)
Zermatt: WOS (even more so in 1997)
Alpe d'Huez: Ugly (started to stick wood on concrete in 1997)
Whistler: Disney


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Mon 19-10-15 22:08; edited 2 times in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
WOS=Wildly Overrated Skiing
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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.
Langerzug wrote:
Courchevel: Russians (they did no see that coming in 1997)
Zermatt: WOS (even more so in 1997)
Alpe d'Huez: Ugly (started to stick wood on concrete in 1997)
Whistler: Disney


None of the resorts got 27 ticks. So I guess it would be easy to find the negatives in every resort.

Always best to define tou define yourself by what you like and the good you se in things rather than what you don't like and the negative you see in things.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Hurtle,
Nothing pointless about the thread at all IMHO.

Life is about experience and opinions formed by such experience. It's interesting to read the opinions of other Snowheads, otherwise all threads on the site would be pointless... Puzzled
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@cameronphillips2000,

The idea that AdH is the second best resort in the world is laughable. I quite like it but it's not even the second best resort in France.

I honestly can't tell you what my favourite resort is. It depends on what I am going for, who is coming with me and what the snow conditions are. Obviously I really like Les Contamines or I wouldn't have bought there but there is a difference between places you would like to own and places you would like to visit.

I suppose a good test is "if you could only ski one resort for the rest of your life what would it be?". Logistics aside Whistler, Courchevel, St Anton and Chamonix would be my short list. Probably come down to Courchevel or Chamonix depending on how much attention I was paying to my less ski obsessive mates who would have to join me Very Happy
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

One resort has considerably more ticks than any other in the world. Can anyone guess which one?


Saalbach-Hinterglemm? wink

Seriously though, many people's opinions will be influenced by such factors as the location of their accommodation and what the weather/conditions were like at the time of their stay; also whether it was off-peak or a busy holiday week. Such factors can of course be ironed out by repeated visits.

People will also have varying priorities too. Personally, my most golden memories tend to be of beautiful scenery, alpine charm and quiet pistes, with a large, fully connected ski area and availability of reasonably-priced ski-in ski-out accommodation being an added bonus. I also like to end my day on a high, so can't abide my last run of the day being a chopped-up, crowded nightmare, followed by a long walk back to my accommodation. Queues and extortionate prices are also off-putting for me. Lack of, or boring, apres-ski also regrettably leaves a box unticked.

I have no experience of North American resorts, but for what it's worth:
Favourite French resorts (for skiing - definitely not apres): Les Arcs/Vallandry, St Martin de Belleville, Serre Chevalier.
Favourite Swiss resorts (for skiing - definitely not apres): Champery/Champoussin, Zermatt.
Least favourite resorts: Val d'Isere/Tignes, St Anton, Verbier.
"Also rans": La Plagne, L2A, Alpe d'Huez, Badgastein, Cervinia, Mayrhofen, Baqueira Beret, Cervinia, Les Gets, Avoriaz

Favourite, all-time, all-round (i.e. all boxes ticked) resort (no surprises here!) Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
1. Arlberg - lift accessed freeride and great locals/ apres
2. Bregenzerwald - super quiet, deep powder
3. Verbier/ 4 Vallees - big off-piste terrain and variety
4. Chamonix - Grand Montets, Aguille du Midi/ Vallee Blanche, and Le Tour)
5. Ischgl/ Silvretta - the craic and après, loads to go at
6. Espace Killy - off-piste but too busy, St Foy and Tignes Le Brev my favourites
7. Davos/ Klosters
8. Val Thorens (stands head and shoulders above rest of 3V imo), never stayed there but headed up there at all times when been in 3V
9. Kitzbuhel/ Pass Thurn/ Jochberg - great tree runs and craic
10. Porte de Soleil
11. Zermatt/ Cervinia (prefer skiing in Cervinia, apart from Triftji bumps which are awesome)
12. Villars

Places I'm in no rush to go back to:-
Risoul/ Vars, 3V, La Plagne, Canton Glarus, Zermatt, Les Gets

On my target list:-
Oetz valley, Montafon, La Grave, Axamer Lizum, Salt Lake, BC, Andermatt, Dolomites, Engelberg, Alaska, Lofoten.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
A great thread, so subjective. Two of my most enjoyable weeks have been late season weeks in Soldeu (3 days of snow and 3 days of sun and virtually deserted pistes), but I dont think anyone would describe it as the best resort in the world.

On a side note, what would people say is the most picturesque resort in France? (must be a decent sized ski area). Been to a lot of the purpose built mega resorts and never had a bad week but I do love the ambience of the more quaint Austrian resorts.
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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?
spcsnow wrote:
On a side note, what would people say is the most picturesque resort in France? (must be a decent sized ski area).


Tignes-les-Brévières is very postcard-pretty and has access to the whole of Espace Killy, albeit it is at one extremity. More "hamlet" than "resort" though and you probably don't want to go there for wild night-life. Not to be confused with the purpose-built ski villages up the hill.


Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 20-10-15 15:03; edited 1 time in total
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@spcsnow, Champagny (feeds into La Plagne) or Pralognan-la-Vanois (small, but perfectly formed, and lots of fun)
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Jonpim, good shout on Pralognan - although you can ski it in a few hours it is beautiful and a lovely little town too.
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@spcsnow, saint martin de Belleville is very nice. I'm told samoen is lovely.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@spcsnow, of the ones I've seen, I'd say St Gervais, but it's stretching your criteria a bit - if you count the ski area as all of the Evasion Mont Blanc, it's huge... but it's not linked in the same way as 3V, Espace Killy etc. The skiing is stunniing though when the snow is good - it's pretty low, so lots of trees around, and fantastic panoramas around Mont Blanc. Plus the gorgeous little town of Saint Gervais itself.

And I agree - a great little thread, i love seeing what people think of different areas, and why.

I'm with @jedster on the Chamonix vs somewhere in 3V if only one resort/area for the rest of my life, but not sure which one would win. Head says 3V, heart says Cham...
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
And I was thinking of mentioning St Gervais too - some of the skiing is very pretty in the foreground with epic mountains in the background. If you stay in St G you can do the big linked miles over to Megeve and beyond plus take a taxi up to Les Contamines (10-15 minutes away) for a day or two. Of course I was very happy skiing 30 days in Les C last year but I don't value big mileage as much as some.
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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.
jedster wrote:
@cameronphillips2000,

The idea that AdH is the second best resort in the world is laughable. I quite like it but it's not even the second best resort in France.

I honestly can't tell you what my favourite resort is. It depends on what I am going for, who is coming with me and what the snow conditions are. Obviously I really like Les Contamines or I wouldn't have bought there but there is a difference between places you would like to own and places you would like to visit.

I suppose a good test is "if you could only ski one resort for the rest of your life what would it be?". Logistics aside Whistler, Courchevel, St Anton and Chamonix would be my short list. Probably come down to Courchevel or Chamonix depending on how much attention I was paying to my less ski obsessive mates who would have to join me Very Happy


I think, in perfect snow conditions, Whistler takes some beating. Huge avi controlled bowls with amzing off piste above and limitless long tree lined skiing below served by an amazingly efficient lift system.
Combine this with north American service like free snuffle stations (tissue dispensers on every lift) and free suntan top up stations and it just make you feel happier. Stage with bands at the bottom of the mountain when you come off, amazing food and apre in town and Vancouver as a stop over. Some may describe it as Disney but it's hard to criticise them for trying to make the most customer focussed playground in the snow on Earth. Ok, it's not Sas Fee, but then it never tries to be.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I must b the only person on this thread then that would quite happily just ski Kitzbuhel for the rest on my life.
Why?
Well its a busy town, with lots going on that can manage to attract summer visitors.
The skiing is low, so there is lots of tree lined skiing.
But although low the season does last.
The mountain restaurants have the "gamulichkiet" factor. (Sorry I don't know how to spell it, and only vaguely know what it means)

There are plenty off less used lifts around the valley and circuit, if you want it quite.
Plus you can go to plenty of other good resorts nearby if you really did get bored.

The apres is very lively.
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Ah .. Just noted MarkyMark has it down at #9 .. well done!
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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.
@queen bodecia, has it at #2 as well ..
emm I should have read the thread better!
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I would like to add that, for me at least, committing to my all-time favourite, 'all-box-ticking' resort is a bit like getting married to the perfect woman, after years of playing the field and serial monogamy. There is a surprising amount of commonality: heart-meltingly pretty, endearingly charming, very friendly and sociable, well-maintained, generally benign but enough challenges to provide interest, quick on the uptake, sunny disposition most of the time, just the right height, occasionally windy but seldom excessively cold and icy (even first thing in the morning), can be quiet and tranquil during the day but also great fun, lively during the evening, plenty of nocturnal action going on, great food on offer, more affordable than average, constantly improving with age, and queuing definitely not a problem. Toofy Grin
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I think I'd marry Whistler and have La Grave as a mistress.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
So as soon as you find a resort that's at least 8 hot and only 4-6 crazy that's the one?
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:

Stage with bands at the bottom of the mountain

Is that kind of obtrusiveness necessarily a good thing? Puzzled
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:

Is that kind of obtrusiveness necessarily a good thing?

Depends on who's playing!
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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?
La Plagne, only because we stopped at a piste-side bar for a coffee and as it was opening day all the beer was free.
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Tatman's Tours wrote:
occasionally windy


Shocked

I'm telling her you said that!!!
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