 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello from Australia!
Been a guest of this site for a while but felt it was finally time for me to pull my finger out and become a true snowhead!
I really want to take a small career break to spend 4-6 months away from work to do something I have always dreamed of. I would like to spend a season on the snow but also have a few small breaks to explore other parts of France, especially Paris. I am currently learning French just to get in the spirit of things in the hope that it will make my trip more successful.
Basically what I'm struggling with at the moment is understanding the overall costs of a trip that long. I am not really interested in working as I only plan on being semi stable. I have done a few trips to new zealand and canada but they are short duration/high expense trips that haven't given me much to draw on.
What I am asking for is some advice on where to go (thinking Val Thorens or Chamonix), where to stay, daily budget, how much it would cost over a period that long. If it helps i am a 23 year old male intermediate skier and dont really care about doing stuff cheap if i have to.
Thanks to anyone that can help! Looking forward to any advice any of you can provide!
P.S. if you need any more info etc feel free to ask!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@MattyW, Welcome to Snowheads.
Why Val Thorens or Chamonix? Not saying they are not great places, but they are expensive places to spend a season. If you explain why you are attracted to them we might be able to suggest some cheaper places that still fit your criteria. Don't forget to factor in the cost of a lift pass - Chamonix and 3V are particularly expensive in that regard.
There are some long term hostels about which can be good value for money and give you the opportunity to meet some like-minded people:
Chalet Chardons in Tignes les Brevieres (I think the long stay deal is half board)
http://www.chaletchardons.com/hotel-lodgings.html
Riders Hostel in Peisey Nancroix (5 minute bus ride to the lifts at Peisey which link you to Les Arcs/La Plagne).
http://chaletarc.co.uk/
Chill Chalet in Bourg St Maurice (in Bourg town centre, so 5 mins walk to funicular which takes you up the mountain to Arc 1600)
http://www.loftbourg.com/
I'm sure there are others; these are just the ones I have heard of.
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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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Thanks for your reply mate. From my limited knowledge of the area and from bits and pieces I've read these are just high alpine resorts with high likelihood of good snow and a good night life Plus chamonix has that village charm.
what I'm looking for is a resort that will give me a lot of terrain to explore over a season with cheap accommodation and good night life.
I would of liked to travel around and experience many different resorts but I'd expect to pay an arm and a leg for all the lift passes and would probably be better off sticking to the one place.
thank you for your links I'll check them out!
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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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@MattyW, As@Gämsbock, suggests the Espace Killy is a large area with lots of varied terrain for intermediates and above. Chalet Chardons is a good shout, though Apres is not that lively in Brev and its not easy to get to the main centres of Tignes in the evening. But in Lavachet (one of the 3 main villages in Tignes) you could try the Lavachet Lodge - who do fully catered deals at a reasonable price for long stays - in the order of €300 per week. http://www.tignes.co.uk/lavachetlodge.htm
As an alternative you are looking at about €7000 for a studio apartment - you would probably have to find a buddy to help cut the costs - try this gang http://www.theangelsden.com/
Whatever happens start looking and booking soon - places fill up quickly.
An Espace Killy season pass is just less than €1100 for a 5 month season (we ski into May from 28 Nov). It also gives you 2 days free in Paradiski (Les Arcs/La Plagne), 2 days in the 3 Valleys and 2 at St Foy.
We normally also have an Australian pisteur on 'exchange' with Tignes - but I have not bumped into him this season.
As for your other plans - the railway station in Bourg St Maurice (€10 on a bus - or an easy hitch) gives you access to the whole French railway system - trains direct to Paris and Lyon from where you can get to almost anywhere.
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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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@MattyW, chamonix season pass (MB Unlimited) gets you Courmayeur as well and 8 days in Verbier plus 3 days in other Haute Savoie resorts. Chamonix is a proper town, rather than just a ski resort.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If
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small breaks to explore other parts of France
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are important, then I agree with @Gämsbock and @chocksaway, Bourg St Maurice would be a good option. Most ski resorts aren't terrible easy to get to by rail (Chamonix is something of an exception) so trips away would be more costly if you have to pay for bus transfers. BSM is well connected to Les Arcs by funicular, or many other resorts by bus, and there are loads of trains to all sorts of places in France.
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@MattyW, should imagine Tignes would fit the bill.
My, now 25 yr old daughter did three seasons there, and @chocksaway, knows the craic.
I'll find out from her what she was paying in HomeClub (google that), and where best to find who is looking for flat mates etc, there seemed to be loads of people sharing apartments there and doing the season, some working others not.
I know you said, "small breaks to explore", but think once you get in the Tignes / Val bubble you will not be disappointed.
I know Val Thorens, and would not like to do a season there, Chamonix not so well, but you don't say what your skiing ability is, and if you are intermediate etc then Tignes etc will provide you with far better terrain.
Whatever you do then "chapeau" for doing it.
Regulars on here probably know we live in Serre Che, and whilst I think it's a great place to be, my daughter(s) prefer the buzz of Tignes 
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Fantastic replies guys thanks heaps. I'll have a good look at both BSM and Tignes but i see that to get to Tignes you have to catch the train to BSM anyway so unless i can find cheaper accommodation it will probably be BSM!
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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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| MattyW wrote: |
| Fantastic replies guys thanks heaps. I'll have a good look at both BSM and Tignes but i see that to get to Tignes you have to catch the train to BSM anyway so unless i can find cheaper accommodation it will probably be BSM! |
Staying in BSM involves a daily commute and a huge headache - choosing where to go - Tignes, Val d'Isere, La Rossiere, Les Arcs, St Foy and many more, all within 15-25 km radius ... tough live 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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£10k
Husband and I did a sabattical season in Morzine in 2011/12 - we worked part time as we wanted to meet people.
It worked as they were part of the reason we`ve moved back here full time.
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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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Chamonix isn't that expensive for a ski pass. Last season I got a MB season pass for £700 with unlimited access to Cormayeur (Italy) and Verbier (Switzerland).
I didn't work out there, essentially just skied for 3 months, was incredible! There are better piste mountains for skiing, but the off-piste is amazing, which brings huge variety with it.
The only issue I have with Chamonix are the crappy lifts and you have to get a bus to the bottom of each area.
Food is reasonable with 2 supermarkets in the main town, alcohol is cheap in those places too  Nightlife ain't bad, but drinks are expensive outside happy hour.
I rented an apartment out there with 2 friends. 3 months cost 5000 euro between us. Great price IMO! I found it on homeaway.com, think the company was called Mountain Base.
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10k £ is like 20,000 aussie dollars which is way more then i anticipated!
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FAQ
