 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello,
I am after some advice - I am an ex seasonaire of a few years and I have a novice snowboarder girlfriend - we are looking at a weeks break in january last minute - seen deals for Risoul / Serre Chevalier - any input / opinions as its basically a holiday for her level of experience and she wants an 'authentic' ski experience...
Any local snowheads in either resort whom I could ride with woud be great whilst she is in ski school !!
Paul
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Serre Che is bigger and has more challenging skiing. It is also lower at resort level so can get rain and ice conditions which is not great for a beginner on steep home runs. It has charm though and Briancon is a lovely old town.
ALtough a big interlinked resort, it doesn't feel it like other French similar resorts and has charm - churceh sin teh valley etc. the downside of this is I found the lift system not up t the mountain and spent a lot of time queueing but I was there at New Year. I wasn't the greatest fan of it personally but don't be put off by that as I know some people who absolutley love it. I guess it's a matter of taste.
I love Risoul as many other people do. It's high, purpose built, but no ugly. There were no queus when I went (half term) It has lovely high skiing couple with some great tree runs over to Vars. I can't remember but some key lifts may be drags. I'd check out the piste map before you book as it may be a pain in the proverbial for a beginner boarder.
there's a decent free begiinners lift hing too, like a yogurt pot gondola which can reduce a beginner lift pass ofr hte first day or two. you can also get to teh top of the mountain and ski back on an easy blue which is a great feeling for beginners.
I think someone looking for more challenge woudl choose Serre Che, a beginner would be better at Risoul. To be fair though, I've skied at lots 'experts' resorts over the years Risoul/Vars had more than enough to keep me happy for week
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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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Can't comment on Risoul as we haven't been there yet, but agree with the comments about Serre Che,also has free bunny runs and the home runs are in good shape right now, and there'll be a few of us around to ski with!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Been to both a quite a few times in the past and would take Serre Che over Risoul every time if given the choice. Simply a far superior product and overall package.
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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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Serre Che is quite popular amongst boarders - plenty of natural bowls, easily accessible. The lift system has generally been well-upgraded over the last 5-10 years. It can get a bit congested at peak times uploading to the slopes, but not hideously. Once at mid-station, the crowds generally disperse quite quickly.
The area is generally authentic IMV. Traditional towns, larch forests, great piste variety, good off-piste options, nice mountain restaurants (in the main), fantastic sense of travel, good beginner areas and realistic progressor slopes.
The majority of the beginner areas tend to be mid-station, which does allow for convenient meeting up post lessons with options for boarding together afterwards. Monetier or Chantemerle would be my recommendations to stay at and to ski/board above. Good upload, good learning areas, easy to meet up. A reasonable beginner could well be able to ski/board down to Monetier IMHO (perhaps avoiding end of the day rush, possibly). Download would be the best option back to Chantemerle to avoid the Luc Alphand black or the Briance green (twisty. turny track, that can get patchy).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The experience will probably be made or broken by quality of instruction. I imagine it would be easy to get recommendations from the who know Serre Chevalier well. Provided there are learner areas up the mountain and you download together, sounds good!
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Depends what you mean by authentic. Serre Che certainly has more off the slopes as you can travel along the Valley, romantic meal out in Briancon etc.
Risoul is more, step out if your door on to the nursery slopes at 1750M.
If I was going with my ski biddies it would Serre Che. If I was taking a novice GF or wife, I'd do Risoul. My wife doesn't ski anymore and hated out last two trips - Corvara and La CLusaz. She quite enjoyed our Risoul trip though. My kids learnt to ski there and it was perfect. They were going from the top of the mountain after a few days.
Both resorts are southern French Alps which , I think, have a more relaxed feel than than further north. I'm sure you'd have a great time which ever resort you pick.
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