 Poster: A snowHead
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We're sticking with Scandinavia this year and we are off to Åre in mid-February. Looks like a reasonable resort for our family of four intermediates, especially given that we will have a car to access the Duved area. Any advice on the most interesting/best pistes, best cafes and bars? We're mainly looking at blues and reds, with some blacks and bumps thrown in for the daughters.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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VM8:an is a popular lift/piste. It's quick and also has night skiing available.
Duved is good, and great you have a car, but there are also free buses available.
Hotel Fjällgården is where the apres-ski is at, and it's the only place which is "on the piste". It's also accessible by a furnicular from the town. If you don't like rowdy apres ski, then this is also great for a hot chocolate earlier in the day.
Can't say I remember lots of places for lunch on the piste - many Scandinavians bring their own packed lunches, and this is actually encouraged. Many of the lifts have dedicated indoor pic-nic areas where you can sit in the warmth, and even use microwave facilities. Hot dogs are also cheap on the piste.
In Åre town then I can recommend Fjällpuben for dinner, or pop into Hotel Åregården for afternoon tea or hot chocolate. They also have a cool wine bar downstairs.
Enjoy!
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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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@Billyboy_687, cheers. We went to Hemsedal last year, so we take full advantage of the picnic/warming rooms. Most civilised. We will be 10 mins walk from VM8.
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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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There's a restaurant in Rödkullen, bottom of lift 17. From top of VM8 lift you go down Årevägen. We ate there most lunch times, quite reasonable. Next door is a larger indoor building to sit and eat packed lunch with microwaves also. It a nice little area to go (ski school for that area also meets here)
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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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For some nice quiet confidence building blues and reds, Duved and Tegefjall ares great. There's also a Wigwam somewhere in the sector above Tegefjall which is a great coffee stop. The Stortloppet piste below the mid station can get some really serious bumps. The Bjornen area is largely made up of easy runs but the whole mountain is good fun and it sounds like you've been to Scandanavia before so will be aware that it's quite different to the alps, with generally shorter runs and some 'T' bars.
Queues tend to build up at the cable car station (lift 29) so get there early if you plan on using it. There are also queues for lift 23 from early on.
One of the nice things about skiing in Sweden are the warming huts where you can take your lunch if you don't want to pay restaurant prices.
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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 would agree with most of the above. There is a fantastic old fashioned varm stuga near the bottom of the fjällvalls lift in the Tegefjäll area. It is a round stone hut with seating around the wall with a fire in the centre with various grills for cooking food on. It is always stocked with firewood. The wigwam is at the top of the lift.
Don't forget to take your passports with you if you go to buy booze in Systembolaget, they don't usually ask, but they are supposed to ask everyone, and it only takes one officious person to cause you hassle. Also, if you buy a few bottles and are asked, say it is all for you. You are not allowed to buy drink for others.
There is a good supermarket beside it, and also another good one at the train station.
Fjällpuben is good, and can be a laugh at weekends when it's full of drunk Norwegians.
Have a good trip 
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@Hyst, where else can you buy booze other than bars? it's not that much more than UK supermarkets, in fact might be cheaper now the pound is a bit better on the Krona.
One day I intend to sell another of my children so I can have a weekend in Copehagen again.
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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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@thecramps, Make it 2 then you might come closer to the costs.
Anyway - I go for the skiing and the nature - not the drinking, so not really a problem. 
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@thecramps, Systembolaget is the state run off licence. You can buy "light beer" up to 3.5% or so in the supermarket. But stronger beer, wine and spirits in Systembolaget. You need to plan head, they generally open 10-16 weekdays and 10-15 Saturday. You don't get the BOGOF deals you get in the UK, but do get very knowledgeable staff and the weak korona helps
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks all. Passes and hire kit booked this morning to get the "early bird" discounts. After a couple of holidays in Norway the beer prices in Sweden don't look too bad. @Ade57, I'll let the kids know about the bumps on Stortloppet - the girls will enjoy those. We'll be making good use of the Duved-Tegefjall areas - these "satellite" areas often seem to be a lot quieter than the main resort. Off to find some podcasts on beginners' Swedish.
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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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You won't need the beginners Swedish, we tried, they laughed, then corrected us in perfect English. Ulladalen (furthest left on the main Are part of the map) is really quiet, we've often had the slope to ourselves especially if the top of the mountain is open, it also has IMHO the best on-mountain food at reasonable (for Sweden) prices. The goulash is good and you can help yourself to more, standout dish for me was salt pork, potato pancakes and cloudberry jam.
If you like craft beer look out for Parkvillan, it has a decent range, the food is excellent but pricey, if they have live music on get there early.
Have a great time, definitely one of my favourite ski areas.
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Yes, everybody will answer you in english, but learn the little word "Hej" or Hejsan" whitch is use all day long to greet people you meet.
Otherwise you will find a lot of words familiar.
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You know it makes sense.
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@lilywhite, I know what you mean about the Scandinavians speaking perfect English. Last year, I went up to a family in Hemsedal and asked them what part of the UK they came from - even the kids were speaking perfect English. "Oslo" came the reply. @Hyst, I'd be interested to know from which countries the resort staff in Are come - in Hemsedal they were mainly Swedes and Danes.
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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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Mainly Swedes, some danes. But there will always being some from other countries, "the resorts" like to be international.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| lilywhite wrote: |
, standout dish for me was salt pork, potato pancakes and cloudberry jam.
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Raggmunk! Lovely.
Mostly Swedes working in Åre I think. You'll find Swedes and Danes working in Norway because if higher salaries.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Themasterpiece, that's what the Swedes and Danes said last year. More money in Norway but they did moan about the price of beer in Norway. So did I!
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