 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
I'm looking for a resort that has some tree-lined skiing, a decent number of miles for the better skiers in our group , flattering slopes for nervous intermediates and stuff for non-skiers (e.g. spa) and that also won't be rammed at half -term! Atmospheric mountain huts an added bonus!
I was thinking Morzine but I'm worried it will be too busy....
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Morzine and all
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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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If your half term is between 20 Feb and 6 March it coincides with Paris. So will be very busy. If I was planning a half term trip and didn't have an apartment I'd go to an Italian resort off the British TO list.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Edit...duplicated
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sat 2-04-16 4:55; edited 1 time in total
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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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@RosieL, or if you're keen on France, and ideally could miss Paris weeks then:
- somewhere in Paradiski area, eg Plan Peisey, Vallandry, Arcs 1800
- somewhere in Evasion Mont Blanc area, eg St Gervais, Combloux, Megeve
...might come close to meeting all those different needs of your group.
I wouldn't rule out Val D'Isere either. It gets very busy but has a lift system that copes better than most. Also much improved for beginners now that lifts and facilities improved on Solaise. Challenging for early intermediates looking to improve confidence and skills.
Not easy on the budget though!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The skiing in Val d'Isere is fine for intermediates provided they're not bothered by downloading by lift. And it's true the lift system is excellent. Bit of a shortage of trees, though....
I've never done St Gervais/Megeve in French hols but imagine they could get very busy.
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@pam w, ...or most intermediates can ski down to valley level at La Daille. Then hop on free and frequent bus to Val D centre, 5-10 minutes away. IMO La Daille is a very good base to stay for EK, especially during busy February weeks.
True Val D not blessed with lots of trees. Other areas win in that respect...but Val D has the snow, the challenge, plenty activities for non-skiers and a certain va va voom...at a price!
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Hi all!
Very helpful, thanks!
Not set on France particularly but our friends are keen. I like Italy and Austria myself.
Our week is the w/c 11th Feb so that's good if we miss Paris weeks.
Friends did mention Val d' Isere but I think it sounds very intimidating for a scaredy cat like me! 
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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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@RosieL, yes Val D generally can be challenging.
Sounds like a game of scissors/rock/paper to sort out which country your group goes to!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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What sort of accommodation are you looking for? If lots of British schools have that same week off a DIY holiday to a non-TO resort would be good. For Austria, need to check busy dates including Fasching and German and other school hols. Ski schools needed? Apray? Many small, quieter resorts are not noted for lively nightlife. 
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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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| intermediate wrote: |
@pam w, ...or most intermediates can ski down to valley level at La Daille. Then hop on free and frequent bus to Val D centre, 5-10 minutes away. IMO La Daille is a very good base to stay for EK, especially during busy February weeks.
True Val D not blessed with lots of trees. Other areas win in that respect...but Val D has the snow, the challenge, plenty activities for non-skiers and a certain va va voom...at a price! |
Are you talking about the "green" run down into La Daille? If so, I wouldn't recommend it for nervous skiers.
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| RosieL wrote: |
Hi all
I'm looking for a resort that has some tree-lined skiing, a decent number of miles for the better skiers in our group , flattering slopes for nervous intermediates and stuff for non-skiers (e.g. spa) and that also won't be rammed at half -term! Atmospheric mountain huts an added bonus!
I was thinking Morzine but I'm worried it will be too busy....
Thanks! |
Serre Chevalier might work well, but to be honest I think you might find Austria offers more for your group.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'd second @intermediate's suggestion of Paradiski.
The lower areas of the resort are tree lined, there are lots of blues of varying difficulty and plenty of area and harder slopes for better skiers.
Plenty of stuff for non-skiers depending on what area you stay in - there is a nice, new spa/pool complex in Montchavin which non-skiers staying with us rave about.
Some areas (Bellecote in particular) are likely to be busy at half term but the area is big enough that you can easily avoid bottle-necks at the busiest times.
Feel free to pm me if you have any questions
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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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Nope, the "green" to LA Daille and a bus, often crowded, is s crap alternative to a comfortable gondola ride having a larf a all the people who shouldn't have tried LA Face.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Rosie,
La Tzoumaz has everything that you are looking for. Very quiet blue and red runs, hardly ever a queue, tree lined runs, privately run cosy mountain restaurants, snow shoe trails and direct access through to Verbier and the rest of the 4 Valleys for the more adventurous.
We have both catered and self catered properties available, www.chaletlaluge.com
Regards,
Dan.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Snow and Sunshine wrote: |
Some areas (Bellecote in particular) are likely to be busy at half term but the area is big enough that you can easily avoid bottle-necks at the busiest times.
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I think this is over(under?)stating it a bit. If you know the resort fairly well and how traffic flows around it, and are happy on all marked runs, yes, you can avoid most of the bottle-necks. But some of these workarounds need red/black runs, and the OP says they are looking for flattering slopes for nervous intermediates, so I'm guessing the blacks at least wouldn't be an option for the whole group. The bottle-necks in La Plagne can be quite significant, with huge (40min+) queues if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Once you know the resort, you instinctively avoid these, but this is difficult to do in your first week there. The slopes will also be very busy. I'm a big fan of Paradiski, and have been there twice over the Paris holidays (when doing a season and on a freebie), but I wouldn't do it again.
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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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Wherever you go in France at half term it won't be quiet but this year wasn't as bad as sometimes and avoiding Paris weeks helps a lot. You need to get out and up the mountain early, before the ski schools, take a late morning break then ski through lunchtime. Last time I skied at half term we gave up when afternoon ski school coincided with the post prandials. A 30 minute queue would be totally unacceptable. I'd rather put my feet up with a drink and a good book.
Wherever, you need local advice. There have been reports of big queues in Austria too, but if its not local/German/Dutch holidays it might be easier to find a little off-the-beaten-track resort which fits your bill than it would be in France.
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Someone mentioned Megeve further up the thread - I don't think there are any major tour ops going to Megeve or St Gervais, which could make half term there quieter than a lot of places in France. Certainly when I've been there in Easter hols there have been no queues except on the weekends when the locals have been skiing.
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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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Can't recommend it yet as we are due to go there in March next year but Les Carroz ticked all those boxes for me and doesn't appear to be a major TO destination (we are DIY-ing). Our only experience of skiing during UK half term was in La Tania in 2013 when we booked last minute with friends who had school-age children. It was absolutely fine (apart from Chambery airport - never again). We tended to eat at 11 or 2.30 as others have said, to avoid rammed restaurants. This year we went to Morzine (late Jan) and the nippers (age 3) had lessons at 12.30 which meant that the slopes were very quiet and they weren't so distracted or cut up by people skiing down from Belvedere. Good luck.
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If past experience is anything to go by St Gervais will be rammed when our half term coincides with Paris - but probably not as busy as Portes du Soleil, which has always been busier when I've done both resorts in the same week or weekend.
I think @pam w, has the right idea - head across the border to Italy.
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@karin, there may not be any major TOs going to Megeve/StG but both (Megeve in particular) extremely popular with the French and have significant (large) apartment developments, let predominantly to the French.
If one was really keen on France @RosieL somewhere like Praz-de-Lys would probably just about suit on the skiing and while it's very popular with the French, it's reputation is as a XC station not alpine although the alpine skiing is really quite nice.
But you are smack in week 1 of Paris.
I'd go Italy. Champoluc might work (there's a new if rather expensive (to my mind, but I don't get spas) spa) and not nearly as busy. But still probably busier than usual. Mind you, from a very limited perspective, it seems rather busier than usual any weekend these days which is great economically, but...
Madonna di Campiglio?
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@under a new name, is 11 Feb 2017 going to be Paris? I must have mistaken the dates. I told my daughter it wasn't, too......sorry, @RosieL. 
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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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In terms of Austria, the good news is that the Dutch and all but one Germany region are not off that week. It won't be quite as good as last year as about half of the Austrian regions will be.
http://www.schulferien.org/oesterreich/ferien/
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Perfect fit for your list is Kaltenbach/Hochfugen. Just down the valley (and a free train ride away) from Mayrhofen, but off the radar for UK tour ops. Decent sized area, some tree lined runs on the Hochfugen side and it's all lovely skiing on not too difficult terrain. For non-skiers there's a spa in Fugen, Mayrhofen is a pleasant town to spend a day in and it's easy to do day trips to Innsbruck or Salzburg by train.
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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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We went to Morzine this year. Went week after main UK half term but coincided with Paris half term. We found that the Plenney lift at the bottom whisked you up to mid station with all but a 5 minute wait (seemed like lots of people but it's capacity was great). The lift queues on other slopes were fine, really no more than a minute or so to wait. some pistes were busy but not ridiculous, and some were quiet. Same with restaurants, busy but plenty of space. The only thing we suffered was lack of snow at resort level and quite a few home runs were suffering with heavy wet snow. A week later the conditions were excellent. Not sure how much busier it would be with combined main UK holidays too but it was fine for us.
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Thanks all! I'm tempted to try and swerve France now!
I will investigate the Austria options- I loved Austria last time. Also Italy! Someone mentioned MdC where we've been 2 consecutive years now- great place. It was pretty busy this year at half term though which I didn't enjoy so much. Is there anywhere similar in Italy? Either Alps or Dolomites?
Thanks!
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You know it makes sense.
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Longest queue I had this half term in St Gervais was 15 minutes and that was the gondola up to bettex from there it was 5 min max queue, this week it has been straight on, not 1 person In Front of us and it felt like the complete piste to ourself. So glad I found this place.
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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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@Jonny996, this year didn't seem bad, generally. My niece and family borrowed my apartment in Les Saisies and were delighted to report it was much less busy than previously at half term. A lot depends on which French regions are on holiday. You could find St Gervais significantly busier next year.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@RosieL,
Given your criteria I think you should definitely consider Sauze D'Oulx in the Milky Way. Big ski area, loads of tree-lined pistes, nice range of slopes, gorgeous mountain huts with wonderful food and because it is Italy it will be quieter than the French Resorts at half term. I've skied loads of resorts and I really think Sauze is spot on for your spec.
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