 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone!
I was wondering if i could use your advice.
My gf won some sort of lottery which's prize is a coupon for any Club Med resort in Europe for two people. I have skied in South America mostly and i am not that experience with Europe (corviglia, corvatsch and diavolezza in CH and Flaine in FR only), so i don't really know what to pick. I did my research but it's all based on second hand info so i though you gentle people might be able to point me in the right direction.
I've narrowed it down to three places (but i'm open to suggestion. Don't be shy, please). Course my questions to you are more about the general place but if anyone is familiar with the resorts, any tips are more than welcomed, too.
-Val Thorens Sensations, Val Thorens France
-Peisey-Vallandry, Peisey, France
-Pragelato Vialattea, Pragelato, Italy
A bit about me and my gf. We are both well rounded skiers. She goes 100% on-piste and takes it easy, but can handle pretty much anything, and i'd say I'm about 40% on-piste/60% off-piste on average. Ski quality and decent (not crazy) off-piste are a priority.
We would really, REALLY like a walk ski in ski out place.
We wouldn't like a ghost town in terms of apres-ski, but we wouldn't like a spring-break-non-stop-party-like either. Somewhere in between is what we're aiming for.
We have no preference in terms of countries.
Any tips, advice or suggestions are more than welcome. If anything is unclear, please let me know.
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Cruz
PS: i'm kinda busy with this trip right now but have every intention of joining some of the events you guys organize. That's why i joined the forums.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 29-12-15 15:50; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Cruz, welcome to SH
The Club Med in Peisey is ski in/out and you are right by the link to La Plagne as well. Haven't stayed there but is one of their newer resorts and looks nice. I'd say peisey is more towards the ghost town spectrum personally (that's why I like it) does seem to be mainly families there.
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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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Hi Cruz and welcome to Snowheads.
I suppose the big question is when do you need to use the coupon? If it's in the next couple of weeks then your choice will be dictated by who has any snow. Of your shortlist the only one I know is Val Thorens which should be as safe a bet as anywhere in Europe right now (which admittedly isn't saying very much). I would also suggest you look at Val d'Isere and Tignes Val Claret. Friends in the Espace Killy this week report that pretty much everything above the level of the main villages is open and there aren't many places that can make that claim yet this season.
If you have more flexibility to use the prize later in the season then I would wait to see how things change. The models are suggesting that conditions will change around the New Year and you should have more choices in February or March.
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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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Hi @Cruz,
Done Club Med (CM) Peisey-Vallandry and can highly recommend it. Just beside the La Plagne/Les Arcs cable car (Vanoise Express). This is a large ski area and perfect for your Mrs and OK for you too. It's definitely ski-in/ski-out
Going to CM Val Thorens Sensations in March, so I can't comment on that too much. It is also ski-in/Out and being in the in one of the 3 Valleys resorts it should be excellent.
Not been to Pragelato Vialattea but I'm not sure it's ski-in/out.
CM is FULLY inclusive - including ski-school, lift passes, lessons, meals and drinks. This means your GF and you could both take the included ski-school and get the ski-ing you both want. They tend to go back to CM at lunch time, so you'll meet up to exchange stories  I've never really felt the need to investigate the local resorts in the evenings - for me it's too convenient to stay where I am.
Any other questions - just post them
Skitrack
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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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Hi@Cruz
Suggest Val D'isere. Beautiful place with easy access to off-piste and a huge, snow sure area. Val D'isere is also a lively town for apres-ski and evening time withouth being too rowdy.
All the best
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the quick and insightful replies, much appreciated!
Good point about the snow. I took that for granted. Every time i've skied in Europe snow has always been good (from ok to outstanding).
I can use the coupon any time i want this season (Jan-April), but prefferably, between 15-Jan and 15-Feb. Right now, we're kinda leaning towards the first week of Feb.
I guess the question becomes, in terms of snow, which is the safer bet?
One additional question if you don't mind: the places i've been to in Europe have all seemed to be quite safe (you can walk through the street at night safely, never seen a fight at the pub, you can leave skis/poles at the mountain bar/restaurant and know they'll be there when you're done). Are the places i mentioned different? I've heard some stories about Val D'isere, hence my question.
Thanks again!
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I would agree with all but leaving your skis unattended. I have certainly never felt threatened in any European ski resort but there have definitely been incidents of skinappers at work. Although I have never had a problem I do know people who have had skis taken. Most mountain restaurants will have a rack to which you can secure your skis if you carry a small lock for that purpose. It shouldn't be too much of an issue if you are at Club Med and returning to the hotel at lunch times.
As for the snow, the only rule that has some validity is the higher the better although even that doesn't always work out. This is why I would suggest leaving it as late as possible to make a choice. That way you will see whether the snow we are being promised early January actually materialises and if so where.
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Of the weeks you've mentioned I'd go for the first week of February to give time for the snow to build up, especially if you want off piste possibilities. After that for four weeks will be French school holidays.
What a great prize!
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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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Pretty sure vialattea is not ski in/out
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Never felt threatened in any ski resort. Always separate my skis with a friend if stop at a mountain restaurant.
First week of Feb is probably the best date or after first week of March (as people state above).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Serre Che. Great alround ski area, loved by females for some reason and La Grave down the road - possibly the best off piste ski resort in the world.
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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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Thank you all for all the responses.
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| Cruz wrote: |
One additional question if you don't mind: the places i've been to in Europe have all seemed to be quite safe (you can walk through the street at night safely, never seen a fight at the pub, you can leave skis/poles at the mountain bar/restaurant and know they'll be there when you're done). Are the places i mentioned different? I've heard some stories about Val D'isere, hence my question.
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I've been to Val d'Isere many times and not experienced any problems of that kind. The main night-time risk seems to be getting drunk and falling into the river which unfortunately someone does most years with fatal results. I don't think theft of skis from mountain restaurants is much of a problem although some are taken by mistake, one pair of skis looking quite a lot like another. If you think about it, it would be pretty inconvenient way to steal stuff. Thefts from ski storage rooms are more common and personally I don't use them.
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You know it makes sense.
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I highly recommend Val d'Isere. Great skiing, nice town and brilliant apres.
As said, ski theft can happen anywhere but I don't think it's worse in Val than anywhere else. Just be careful outside the Folie Douce and Cocorico.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I have visited a number of Club Med's over the last few years;
Arcs Extreme - Fairly basic CM in terms of decor and facilities. High being based in Arcs 2000. Ski in / ski out at a push as the ski out involves a drag lift. Ski in a shush and a possible slight uphill walk if you don't make it in one go. Nightlife in Arcs 2000 very quiet.
Alpe D'Huez - Again fairly basic in terms of decor and facilities (although does a small indoor pool). Ski in / ski out and quite high. AlpeD'Huez has a fairly lively nightlife but the CM building is slighty remote from the main hub of the town.
Tignes Val Claret - Very high and ski in / ski out although long stair case from the ski room to the slopes. CM has been given a make over in the last few years so has nice rooms and nice bar (with open fire) and restaurant. Has a small pool.
Serre Chevalier - Very large CM. Excellent facilities with proper sized pool. Wonderful food and ski in / ski out. Lovely tree lined resort.
Avoriaz - Slightly dated decor. Ski in / ski out. Excellent food. Wonderful views over the resort towards Morzine in the valley floor.
My favorite? Tignes Val Claret or Serre Chevalier.
Griggs
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Val d'Isere.
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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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Hi all again. Just wanted to thank you again for all the comments and suggestions. Ended up going to Paisey Vallandry and very happy with how that turned out.
The snow was quite good, enough to have decent off-piste almost every day. Wasn't as deep as i'd liked but deep enough to entertain myself for a week.
Weather was a bit gloomy the first couple of days but still with a good enough visibility. Only experienced one closed lift and that was only because i was unlucky enough to arrive while they were setting off charges at the time. One our later it was functioning again.
The place was easy to navigate and big enough, both on and off piste.
Apre was quiet but found this place (Solan) where they took care of us as if we'd been going there all our lives. Good wine, decent beer, amazing atmosphere, superb attention and able to watch pretty much every footie game i could think of.
Thanks again all.
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