 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The_Mac_Daddy, if the snow's up to it (and early indications look ok) take a look at Serre Chevalier - Southern French Alps. Traditional villages at 1200-1500, loads of tree lined stuff, some great cruisey blues, some excellent reds, good bars, not the busiest nightlife, but enough to have a good time over the course of a week.
The lift system is fine and there is plenty to ski with many of the villages accessible via runs that should be within your ability.
Gotta go out now, but happy to post more info when have more time. Will put in a few links as well.
Cheers
Mark
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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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The_Mac_Daddy, 2nd week of Feb is right in the middle of 1/2 term, so you may not find too much available, now if you can make the 3rd week we could do something for you. La Rosiere has the best of French and Italian skiing on a single lift pass that's probably the best value in the Alps. Have a look at our ad in snowShops or go to our website www.tracksvacations.com for more details.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The_Mac_Daddy, our apartment in Serre Chevalier is free from the 5th Feb for 1 week. Brand new, our ad's in snowShops too.
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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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You haven't said whether you intend to do it yourself or book via a tour op. If you are doing it yourself then try Pra Loup. Fly to Marseille (BA £ 43 in March ex Gatwick) and then a 3 hr transfer but nearly all on motorway.
It's a nice resort well linked and suitable for most grade of skier. www.praloup.net will tell you more.
I may even go again this year if I can persuade Mrs Michael B to go in March.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The_Mac_Daddy,
You know I'm going to suggest the PDS. The only downside being that you are planning to go in week 1 of the French school holidays (bad, very bad). But it's great for intermediates. Would suggest Morzine or Avoriaz. No I have no fiduciary interest!
A more leftfield suggestion might be Baqueira Beret in the Spanish Pyrenees. Ski Miguel go there and use a friends building. Very well organised, good intermediate skiing, and very friendly folks. About a 2 hour drive/transfer from Lyon.
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The_Mac_Daddy, Megève could suit you.
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Have a look at Val Cenis and the surrounding resorts, great scenery, more of a village atmosphere rather than purpose-built, some good beginner/intermediate runs, and cheap ski passes. (the best thing to do is to ski in several resorts in the valley, you get even more tree runs that way).
Consider La Plagne, too, my parents who eat blues and reds really liked it. Hotel Les Balcons in Belle Plagne isn't bad.
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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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Ski miquel would be good but there's no trees, and they use the andorra flights. Great place though and a really good company to go with.
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Just to show I'm not just plugging Serre Che out of commercial interests, SKi Miquel go to Monetier too, if you prefer your holioday catered and there's trees too. The chalet staff are lovely too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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anywhere - no seriously you'd be hard put to go wrong at that tme of year for intermediate skiers.
What do you guys want most?
Lots of runs/valleys to explore?
Easy crusing runs?
Difficult reds to stretch your skillbase?
Ski in/ski out convience?
pretty village?
tree lined runs?
traditional atmosphere?
party atmosphere?
High quality snow?
Fast lifts?
My personal fav is les arcs - great convienience, ski train access, lovely varied, easy to navigate slopes cruising slopes, with a real feeling of 'travel', just enough bars for me to go out a couple of nights and have a decent time, good mountain restaurants for food. Also been LDA, Chatel (PDS), Serre Chev, alpe D'Huez, meribel, valT, courchevel, pas - of those I would say Chatel (PDS) was another interesting choice, icy runs, and occcasional queues but nice villages to visit and some great runs. The others I wasn't too impressed with, although all have their + and - points obviously....
jess xx
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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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Wow, great response already. Thanks everyone. By the Second week, i mean leaving on 4/5th Feb which I was led to believe was the week before half term? I have only ever gone on package holidays, and good job too as i'm not the luckyest of people and something usually goes wrong so it's good to have reps to help out. I have had my baggage go missing twice in the last 2 years! last time was this xmas where I got my case on the last day of my holiday, typical. Ended up borrowing clothes off the reps who were great by the way. Big thanks to First Choice staff in Les menuires 
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The_Mac_Daddy, if you enjoyed Austria then there are plenty of resorts where you don't need to catch a bus. We've just returned from Bad Gastein where if you stay near the main lift. it's just a few minutes walk between this and several hotels. Lots of long blues and reds and plenty of tree lined skiing.
Saalbach is a great resort with good access and no buses required. The runs are mainly red and blue, long and wide. Apres ski in Saalbach is better than Bad Gastein which is a more elegant resort with the bonus of thermal baths being a spa town. This just means a different type of apres ski I suppose. Both are about 1hr30mins from Salzburg.
Both have excellent snow which is set to see them through most of the season presuming there isn't a heatwave!
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You know it makes sense.
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The_Mac_Daddy, I think it will still be the first week of the French holidays, but probably the quietest one.
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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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If it is French half term then I may give, France a miss. Thanks for the heads up
So Austria is looking good now, especially as they've had good snow up until now.
Thanks for your help everyone.
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Poster: A snowHead
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The_Mac_Daddy, I've been to quite a few resorts in Tirol and Salzburg regions, so let me know if you want any further info.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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 Zell
1200m vertical.
Loads of trees
Very pretty
The snow is excellent at the moment
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm about to head off to schladming, which looks like the right sort of thing? Will let you know in a couple of weeks
aj xx
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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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The_Mac_Daddy, try Kitzbuhel then as it fills all the criteria. The Hotel Montana is right next to the main gondola and you can ski practically back to the hotel except for the small road inbetween! Most operators offer the Montana. Crystal or Thomson is usually reasonable.
There are hotels in Bad Gastein near the main lift (e.g. few mins walk) We stayed at the Salzburger Hof but this is a v.good hotel with a price tag nearer Saalbach levels. THere is another next door which is meant to be cheaper and comes recommended by another Snowhead - Hotel Wildbad. The only time you need to use the ski bus in BG is if you want to ski another area. Otherwise, the lift linked area of BG/Badhofgastein should be enough for the week. But the short trip down the valley to Dorfgastein is worth it as you'll find some massively long runs there and virtually all tree lined.
You'll need transport to the lifts in Zell am Zee if you stay in the town centre.
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I've found a holiday in Zell am See which sounds promissing, the hotel description is 'The charming Hotel Heitzmann is centrally located and is only 150m away from the Zeller gondola' anyone stayed there? any advice before i think about booking it?
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Well I've taken the plunge and booked it anyways lets hope it's a good-un
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Wow, has someone actually taken my advice!!!!
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FAQ
, Italy had lovely motorway type runs but the hotel rooms were very small and the 3 Valleys were just about perfect albeit a bit rocky in places due to going early in the season.
