 Poster: A snowHead
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Any thoughts good or bad idea ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm not sure. Had a lovely holiday there once but it was early Feb. Hope someone can help who has been there later in the season.
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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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Went to Valmeinier (next door) at Easter about 8 or 9 years ago and it was fine. I don't know if it was a typical year though. It's the only time I have been there, but it was good and I would go again
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Are you thinking of Valloire that is next door to Valmeinier. I too have been thinking about Valmorel in March but waiting to see what the snow is doing. Taking my son and his girlfriend who is an absolute beginner - do you know if it is a good resort for beginners?
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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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| Kay wrote: |
| Taking my son and his girlfriend who is an absolute beginner - do you know if it is a good resort for beginners? |
I went there many years ago as a near beginner and had a fantastic time, it's mostly blue runs and lots of runs below the tree line, you have to go out of your way to find anything difficult.
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I went there many years ago as a near beginner and had a fantastic time, it's mostly blue runs and lots of runs below the tree line, you have to go out of your way to find anything difficult.
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Many thanks - I thought there were quite a few wide blue progression runs but was concerned about the green initial pistes, I was toying with the idea of Francois Longchamp as it seems to have more greens. But not sure how easy it is to get across to Valmorel for my husband.
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@Kay, there are surprisingly few reports on SHs about Valmorel. It might be a bit low for an Easter holiday but Easter is early this year and the slopes broadly face north.
I wouldn't worry about which slopes will suit your beginner. If she's booked into ski school, which I presume will be the case, instructors will know exactly where to go.
It would be good to have a trip report about Valmorel. 
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Hi, I took my eldest daughter about nine years ago to Valmorel in the last week of March and we had a fantastic week.
I used to go there regularly when my kids were little as a family because it is such a charming place. Now the girls have pushed on and out ski their old man ten fold, so they choose the big resorts with challenges galore.
Apart from one day of rain in village and most slopes, but falling as snow on the top slopes, and a morning of bad fog we were lucky with conditions and had a genuinely sunny and good time.
Only problem I can ever foresee there is snow quality as for the Tarentaise/Maurienne border, where it is situated, it is low with village down at 1400m, so home runs get slushy and icy.
But withholding of that.....Its a cracking resort for a beginner and it has a lovely feel and makes you feel you are genuinely in the Alps.
The beginner areas that the ESF use there are genuinely good for learning and outside of half term its a good ski school....just chaotic in half term as like everywhere the ESF struggle with the big numbers at that time.
I wouldn't book Francois Longchamp as its a bit fragmented from Valmorel.
For a week of charm and a good week of progression you could do a lot lot worse
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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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Been at New Year and half term and it's a great place for beginners. As others have said lower slopes can be slushy/icy on the way home in the afternoon.
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@Markab1971, Are you asking generally for our views of Valmorel or specifically how the resort will be at the end of March? Many years ago I went in March and there was lots of untracked powder, but as you have probably realised the resort is not the highest and it is relatively flat, but it is north facing ish and goes up to, IIRC, 2800m. In some respects I liken it to La Rosiere which was OK in mid April last year. Of course you cannot be sure of any snow conditions but my view is that they will be typical spring. If you are after a good beginers resort then I would say "go", but don't blame me alone for global warming. If you are after something more challenging then I would look elsewhere, which of course explains why few snowheads review it.
Of course also look it up in Where to Ski and Snowboard
@JohnHSmith, you are thinking of Saint Francois Longchamp as the resort the other side of the pass. This, however, is largely south facing and if the reports from my friends are true, even flatter
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Kay wrote: |
| Are you thinking of Valloire that is next door to Valmeinier. I too have been thinking about Valmorel in March but waiting to see what the snow is doing. Taking my son and his girlfriend who is an absolute beginner - do you know if it is a good resort for beginners? |
Yep
I need to engage my brain before replying 
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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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| johnE wrote: |
[b]@JohnHSmith, you are thinking of Saint Francois Longchamp as the resort the other side of the pass. This, however, is largely south facing and if the reports from my friends are true, even flatter |
No. I was somewhere in the Maurienne Valley and not reading the original post properly. I was thinking of Valloire / Valmeinier. I wish I could blame the drink, but it's just old age
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Thanks for replies regarding Valmorel as a beginners resort - I will await the snow report nearer the time but it sounds good, and yes our beginners will be in lessons every morning.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Kay, the key thing for beginners is to be in ski lessons. Really, that's much more important than where you go. Lots of resorts have decent learning slopes though in a few cases the "step up" from nursery slopes to proper blues can be a bit steep. Good decision to wait till nearer the time; there should be plenty of choice and the weather has been so strange, anything could be happening by Easter! Thigh deep powder or grassy slopes, crocuses and marmottes!
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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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@Markab1971, I was at Club Med Valmorel w/c 10/4 two years ago - it was the last week of their season and snow was just about OK into resort, and pretty good higher up, in the mornings. Very slushy from around 1 -2 pm, and hard work. Lovely for sitting out though 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Markab1971, I was at Club Med Valmorel first full week of March for the last two years. Concur with @Montana it can be slushy approaching resort level in the afternoons and Froid is the biggest misnomer for a run I've come across! You should be fine unless there is a massive melt between now and then.
PS Did get rained on one day - best to find the bar!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have been to Valmorel several times, usually in late January or February. The town is built around a precinct and is very nice and quite French when compared with the 3V's up the road. The skiing will keep you busy for a week. Excellent mountain restaurants. A bit cheaper than the mega resorts. Easter is early this year so normally would not think of March being a problem, but the weather does seem quite weird this year so no guarantees.
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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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Thanks for your replies 
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Hi, I've been in Valmorel in April each of the last 3 years and we're going again on 3 April this year. There's always been plenty of snow, although a couple of the runs into the resort can get a bit narrow.
In 2013, it snowed overnight most nights and conditions were superb. In 2014, we went w/c 10th April. Or thereabouts and that was too late, resort was half closed and all but the highest runs were a bit soupy, especially after lunchtime.
We travel as a group of mainly intermediate skiers with a couple of experts, and a group of kids, ages from 5-12 who are rapidly overtaking us in terms of ability. It is universally loved by the kids. We're all now sufficiently familiar with it that it feels very homely, and we are all big fans.
Best runs imo are over the Madeleine chair into the St Francois de Longchamp area. Cruisey blues and reds, no queues and quiet slopes.
Was about 24 degrees in the afternoon when we were there last year, so take plenty sun cream.
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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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Welcome to Snowheads, @aljay, A nice positive first post. My season lift pass for the Espace Diamant includes a free day in St Francois de Longchamp - will get over there, one of these days!
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Cheers Pam. I should add that for the OP looking at beginner lessons, we had a friend along last year in a similar position. He had 20 hours plus on the mats but went to Val D'Isere the year before and failed to get along with the lessons.
However, the ISF guys in Valmo had him on some adventurous tours and down red runs over at Longchamps within the week. He now swears that Valmo is a better resort than Val D and that its only a matter of time before the rest of the world catches on.
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