 Poster: A snowHead
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I am trying to find a resort for mid April for a party of 7, with one beginner.
I realise high is best but we have been to Vale Thorens, Tignes, La Plagne and Meribel/Courchevel, so was looking for somewhere different. I have come across accommodation in La Rosier, has anybody got experience of skiing there in April?, is the resort suitable for a beginner.
Thanks in anticipation!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When I asked about La Rosiere for mid April, it was pointed out they had a lot of South facing slopes, so haven't yet as April are the only school holidays weeks we can afford.
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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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What about Les Deux Alpes? We went there last April, large glacier areaif poor end of season.
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Many thanks, good point. Would consider any other resorts if anyone has suggestions. One of our party will be driving so Austria may be too far
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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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Thanks for that NickyJ, will set my personal tour operator on the case!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@jackfrost, Does it have to be France? I love skiing in France when I'm on a trip on my own doing off piste guiding etc but for a holiday I overall prefer small Austrian resorts. We're heading to Obergurgl on the 11th April
Sorry just read your post further down where you say you're driving!
LDA is a good shout although the home runs have a bit of a rep-true of many areas particularly at this time of the season I guess
Les Arc would be the other obvious one in France.
I found it was difficult getting flights from my closest airport to the regional ones in the alps.
Not long returned from Gressoney and really enjoyed the Monte Rosa area, but don't think it would be great for a beginner, Champoluc would be the most suitable base. Cervinia is another obvious high altitude resort and of course Zermatt and Saas Fee amongst others if your budget can stomach it!
Pila is a lovely area, and can confirm it's snow sure-ness into April is usually very good.
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| Bene wrote: |
@jackfrost,
LDA is a good shout although the home runs have a bit of a rep-true of many areas particularly at this time of the season I guess
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When we were there last mid April the lower slopes weren't great but that's not an issue as you can download from the lifts even the chair lift that bought us close to the hotel and to the bottom of the slope that we should have been ski in ski out from.
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@jackfrost,
Might cost a bit more, but with Austria off the list and favourable exchange rates, Val D'Isere might be worth researching. Something for all levels of skiers and generally snowsure until early May.
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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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Sorry not to have replied to you all earlier, thanks for your help. With one beginner and one driver, I think the suggestions for Les deux Alpes are good. Val D'isere is just that bit further than LDA for the driver. Interestingly the English ski school we spoke to with schools in many resorts gave us a list of the resorts they would still be offering lessons at that time, which was basically Val D, LDA, Tignes and Vale Thorens. I suppose that says it all!
Thanks again for your input.
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| Quote: |
| One of our party will be driving so Austria may be too far |
According to Google Maps, distances from Calais are as follows:
- Tignes 999km
- Ischgl 990km
- Soelden 1060km
Either of the above Austrian resorts would fit the bill in mid April. Cheaper prices than France too - especially Soelden.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@jackfrost, Davos works well in April in my expereince
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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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@mountainaddict, What is Soelden like in mid-April? It looked truly depressing at the end of March last year? Better higher up I presume, but the runs down to the resort were brown skid marks, unlike Obergurgl which still had plenty of snow in town. It also looked like a sh1th0le.
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@Bene, monterosa is south facing. April??
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You know it makes sense.
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foxtrotzulu Big vertical at Soelden - have skied there twice in mid to late April with no problems. Yes it will probably be grassy or closed on resort runs but there'll be a lot of skiing open at altitude. We skied powder down to Hochsoelden in the last week of the season.
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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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LDA is v good shout as far as I am concerned in April.... You don't nec ski home at this time of year (some years yes... But assume not) but it doesn't matter. Would pick there over Les Arcs at that time of year any time..... Only been to Tignes at beginning of season so no reference point for that!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@katedenhaag, Hi 
We've skied Val d'Isere/Tignes every April for the past 10ish years and never had a bad trip snow wise. The kids were beginners way back at the start and they had lessons with New Gen,
TDC and Evolution 2.
My only experiences with Austria mid March have been awful snow wise. My sons school go to Solden the last weekend in March every year and they always seem to have a good time.
Off to Val d'Isere again in 5 weeks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for all the suggestions, I may have forgotten to mention that apart from one driver, and one beginner, we also have 2 non skiers. Because of this the accommodation is also important. We have found several chalets with chefs and facilities that would keep the non-skiers happy. Deux alpes is looking good, and we have some options in Val D'isere.
We can't find any suitable accommodation in Val Thorns, but someone has suggested Rebirth. Any views anyone?
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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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Re-birth! Predictive text! Reberty!
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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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@jackfrost,
Solden, in Austria, is only 60 mikes further from Calais than (say) Val Thorens. I wouldn't rule out Austria.... As Mountainaddict says, there is great skiing in Solden in April and they do a brilliant job of keeping the resort runs open until late season. And the Austrian prices are rather more favourable than French prices. On our current trip to Austria we have dined out on main courses at €10 per head, with après ski large beers at €3.40 at the foot of the slopes.
I can't post the link but, if you have an idle moment, it's worth looking up the Adler Lounge in Grossglockner Resort. We were in there yesterday and it is in a stunning location at the top of the lifts. We expected to pay an arm and a leg but were staggered by the prices - €3.50 for a Grosses Bier!
Yes, in Solden you may well be skiing a strip (but a very wide and very deep one!) of snow across grassy meadows into the town but it's great fun and certainly beats taking the lift down. Higher up will be excellent conditions.
We are in Matrei in Ost Tirol at the moment, skiing said strip into the valley at about 900 metres. It's excellent!
Couldn't disagree more with Foxtrotzulu - regarding Soelden being a 5h1thole. While it's no Obergurgl, IMHO it's certainly nowhere near the ****hole end of the spectrum.
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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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@peanuthead, Monterosa is not south facing...
But it does shut down the weekend after Easter. Which means, iirc, April 11.
Somewhere nice near Hintertux glacier?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We skied LDA last April, and as was said before the piste run home was either a very slushy winding green, or a more preferable slushy black, or take the bubble down which was a good option with tired legs. It's a reverse glacier with the steepest runs towards the base and the top of the glacier being quite flat. We skied the bottom out of it in a week, but had a fab time doing so and experienced a range of weather conditions whilst we were there including some fresh powder. Definitely worth a go. We are also looking for something for around 21st March, we procrastinated to long over our initial choice,cervinia and are now considering Sestriere, which appears to have quite a lot of snow atm.
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| Bergmeister wrote: |
Couldn't disagree more with Foxtrotzulu - regarding Soelden being a 5h1thole. While it's no Obergurgl, IMHO it's certainly nowhere near the ****hole end of the spectrum. |
+1 to that. I find it bizarre that someone can condem a resort based on observations made when "passing through" on a transfer bus or taxi!
I've just booked a 4 day weekend there for the end of October and to be honest can't wait for the time to come around again.
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I think VD and Tignes have the greatest amount of skiing above 2500m in Europe.
I always find north facing more important than altitude when skiing in April. You only have to ski form Couchevel over to Meribel to see this.
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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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@cameronphillips2000, I would have thought Zermatt would have even more skiing above 2500m than Tignes or VD
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Some interesting suggestions, thanks. Have not really considered the drive to Austria, always thought it was too much for a week. Having looked at the distances it doesn't look to be lot longer than say La Plane or Vale D'isere. Has anyone experience of driving for a week. Would be leaving the midlands on a Friday afternoon. Whilst we were thinking of a chalet, Austria seems not to have many, however there are several Pensions that seem reasonable.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Some route suggestions to Austria here http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=105231
We drove to Mayrhofen last year . Decided on a Sunday-Sunday stay in the resort as we had Easter at the end.
Midnight ferry to Dunkirk, so landed about 2:30am ish . Went straight across to Germany and then south and stopped at Nuremburg - were there about 2:30pm (driving steadily with plenty of stops) .
Could have probably got to Mayrhofen in another 3 hours or so but we weren't in a rush and kids had had enough by then.
Returning made Dunkirk in about 10 hours I think.
You may gain time compared to some French resorts in that the approach to the resort may be nearer a motorway but all depends where you go.
The drive is easy for the driver as you're concentrating all the time (BMWs on the autobahn approaching from the rear at 130mph keeps you alert).
<edit> no tolls as well - apart from vignette for Austria</edit>
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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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@jackfrost, if you decide to drive to Austria on a Saturday make sure you get advice from one of the Austrian regulars - like Samerberg Sue - who really know where the worst of the holdups are.
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LOOKING FOR SKI BUDDIES FOR EASTER
Hi all, single intermediate skier, male 28 y/o teacher looking to join a group for 4-7 days. Flexible on where and when over Easter - just really want to go!
If you have any spare spaces or know any top tips that would be amazing thanks 
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi @toskilatedec2014,
We have spaces in our chalet Bluebell for 29th March - 5th April, and there is another solo skier already - no single supplement - details via the link below.
Happy planning!
Heather
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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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Would the smaller resorts be good for April, e.g. Risoul, Le Joue de Loup, montgenevere?
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