 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking to go to Chamrouuse at Easter. We unfortunatly went at Christmas, lack of snow. Is it worth it, snow, crowds,etc.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you haven't booked yet, I would be very inclined yo wait until last minute see how the snow is doing. This season is completely nuts, and places which are normally fine may not be... Depending on what happens over the next month.
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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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Yep, wait. There's no good reason to book now.
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There will be lots of resorts offering fine skiing. Unless you have a reason to book early (kids, ski in and out accommodation, really fussy on accommodation) I would hold fire and book nearer the time.
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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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| Mike-H wrote: |
| There will be lots of resorts offering fine skiing. Unless you have a reason to book early (kids, ski in and out accommodation, really fussy on accommodation) I would hold fire and book nearer the time. |
Except now isn't early (unless OP meant next season?).
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Yes skiing this year, Easter only 4 weeks away. It's early this year. Thanks for all the comments.
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Now is too early to book for Easter with such unpredictable conditions.
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@pam w, +1. If you have flexibility book when you know conditions are good. In 4 weeks a lot can change.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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We ski each Easter, and this time around have definitely found more of the accommodation options we have been looking at disappearing quicker. As @Mike-H, says if you have particular requirements - kids, groups etc, you might want to investigate your options sooner rather than later.
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I was in Chamrousse, during easter 4 yrs ago......with Snowtrex. Just briefly, its a great resort for families, Split into 2 different areas which really requires a car if you want to use the busier area. The higher area 1700m is really residential only. There is a rental shop, convenience store, esf, couple of bars but not much else. The other area is busier. more shops bars etc. Accommodation through Snowtrex there was pretty spacious.
For the time of year I went, it was the last week and the resort was definitely gearing up to closing.
lots of angry guests complaining that nursery drags at the foot, (and the most accessible) slopes were not operating. Eventually the management gave in, but it took a lot!
Also piste bashing was very sporadic. Infact it was dangerous in places. Spring conditions which made a mess of the pistes......frozen overnight resulted in leg breaking mounds and divots all over. IIRC they bashed the pistes every other night.
That said, i thought that the mountain was great. Esf school had my daughter bombing down by the end of her first week.
Id go back, but due to northern alps getting hit pretty hard with snow, and getting a a very similarly priced deal........Chamrousse loses my business.......mainly due to the piste bashing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@louiscrow, Snow can be great, or terrible, or ok! We've been skiing Easter many years and have arrived to green lower slopes and had them feet deep days later - I've never had an Easter with no snow
Crowd wise it is a lot quieter
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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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I've just recently and quite suddenly booked an Easter trip to St. Anton. Maybe it's a gamble, but I'm thinking that at least the higher slopes should have sufficient snow. And Easter seems very popular over there, so I dare not wait any longer. All of March is still main season, so I'm optimistic.
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@louiscrow, you went somewhere at Christmas where there was a lack of snow. There were lots of high altitude resorts at christmas with reasonable good on piste snow. At Easter you're picking a reosrt that starts at 1400 metres and tops out at 2200 metres.
My own offering would be once bitten twice shy. I know Easter is early this year but if you are at all concerned about the conditions then book somewhere like the 3Vs. I am usually in Val Thorens at the end of April each year and the snow is invariably pretty good still.
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You know it makes sense.
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| SkiingDad wrote: |
| I've just recently and quite suddenly booked an Easter trip to St. Anton. Maybe it's a gamble, but I'm thinking that at least the higher slopes should have sufficient snow. And Easter seems very popular over there, so I dare not wait any longer. All of March is still main season, so I'm optimistic. |
We were in St Anton mid april last year. Yes outside the runs at the bottom there was no snow but there was still great snow higher up and in Lech etc. I am sure it will be great.
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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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@louiscrow, I would book now but I'm not sure if I'd book Chamrousse. Have you considered Val Cenis? Les Arcs would also be a good option but maybe a larger resort than you are looking for.
I think I also noticed an apartment left at Le Hameau des Airelles in Montgenevre on Peak Retreats newsletter yesterday. Check current snow depths..I think Montgenevre had a slow start this year but now doing better.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I would book now but I'm not sure if I'd book Chamrousse.
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Chamrousse hasn't had great snow up to now (along with other southern resorts). Things could change a good deal in the next couple of weeks BUT the forecasts are absolutely all over the place. Some resorts will do well with others, just over the hill, doing much less well.
Against this scenario I'd not book now!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@louiscrow, To go against a couple of 'more established'  posters on here, I would say just go for it... If you find something that suits and is affordable to you, why wait? We're only four weeks away from Easter now and my inbox has already been flooded with good deals for companies trying to fill their beds...
Got this this morning and they were selling 1 week in St Anton for under £600 pp (flights, catered and transfer), but I now see that this has actually already sold out for the easter week http://www.lastminuteskideals.co.uk/france/la-plagne/ingrid?kid=lmsd_2016_3_nl
A lot of these companies that sell package deal now are governed buy the flight prices, which these days will only go up, the closer you leave it...
With ref to location and resort, I too was thinking of a Southern Alps trip, down to Saint-Sorlin d'Arves however, I didn't go for it as I got scared off by the snow record there... I looked on J2ski's website for snow records (useful resource) of past few years and and at Easter, the low slopes had nowt on them... So, we've opted to go to Belle Plagne at 2000+mtrs and hope that the reasonable conditions up there continue for at least a couple of more weeks... Booked just last night with Ski-Weekends... 4* Chalet, piste side and fully catered for £691 pp, which I didn't think was too bad, when that includes flights (From Bournemouth) and transfers...
It's a tough call, but you could end up being left with some duff accommodation if you leave it (but you could also get a bargain)... This last week I've seen a lot of places sell out whilst we decided...
Good luck anyhow dude... 
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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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| emwmarine wrote: |
I know Easter is early this year but if you are at all concerned about the conditions then book somewhere like the 3Vs. I am usually in Val Thorens at the end of April each year and the snow is invariably pretty good still. |
Agreed, we tend to go to Val Thorens at Easter (which is generally much later) and never had an issue. Plus while conditions have been unpredictable this year, snow levels at the moment are currently higher than the last 2 years - essentially all the rain that has been coming down in the lower resorts has been coming down as snow in VT.
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| Handy Turnip wrote: |
| emwmarine wrote: |
I know Easter is early this year but if you are at all concerned about the conditions then book somewhere like the 3Vs. I am usually in Val Thorens at the end of April each year and the snow is invariably pretty good still. |
Agreed, we tend to go to Val Thorens at Easter (which is generally much later) and never had an issue. Plus while conditions have been unpredictable this year, snow levels at the moment are currently higher than the last 2 years - essentially all the rain that has been coming down in the lower resorts has been coming down as snow in VT. |
This... Like I mentioned before, a quick look at historical charts for snowfalls at upper and lower slopes will tell you that this year has actually been a very good snow year... I tis just the 'actual resorts' that seem to be suffering in that there is little snow on the ground at some lower village's levels... and whilst we all prefer to step outside into loads of fresh powder, it is the hill that matters...
Just go high(er) than the usual 1100-1500mtr resorts and you'll be fine mate...
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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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| AlpineAddict wrote: |
Just go high(er) than the usual 1100-1500mtr resorts and you'll be fine mate... |
I'm hoping everyone will go to Val Thorens and I can have the pool & spa in my low altitude resort to myself 
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@emwmarine, We went to Les Arcs at Christmas, that was one of the highest i thought?
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Hi All,
Thanks for the continued advice. Think i may go back to Les Arcs or Tres Alps?
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@louiscrow, I am booked to go to Gressoney with Esprit on the 2nd April. This weekend forecast is for ~1m of snow. I am getting cautiously optimistic.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@louiscrow, there are a number of places higher than Les Arcs.
Where is Tres Alps?
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Yes, if you want to go to one of the high, most snow sure resorts, and are happy with all that entails, including the higher prices, now is a good time to book. But I wouldn't book Chamrousse now....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@louiscrow, if you're coming to Les Arcs, then start thinking about ignoring the " leave it to the last minute" brigade. 1950 is already (and has been for some time) out of 2 bedroom accommodation.
4 weeks to go...
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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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Les Arcs isn't exactly low, I've always looked on it as about as snow sure as you're going to get in Alps, certainly for once a year piste skiers
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Les Arcs isn't exactly low
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indeed, it's quite high, but not one of the highest, exactly.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Les Arcs is the only place we've been to at Easter where we've had to take skis off to walk across patches of stones in the middle of a piste. And the only place we've been to where the piste has suddenly ended and we had to walk about 100 metres on straw covering the mud to get to the next lift.
Although to be honest it was a terrible end of season and wouldn't have been much better anywhere else.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@hammerite, Assume that was 2011.... Luckily we went skiing in Jan that year. My impression is that the snow depths are currently better than 2011...at least on the higher slopes. Maybe someone in the Alps can confirm this.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@snowymum, can't remember exactly, but 2011 sounds about right. If I remember rightly it had snowed lots early in the season then it hardly snowed from Jan until the end of the season. It was 26C one day, there was a group of girls skiing in bikini tops!
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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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| Quote: |
@emwmarine, We went to Les Arcs at Christmas, that was one of the highest i thought?
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There is no point making any kind of comparison based on this Christmas. None. Conditions were terrible EVERYWHERE. If you thought Les Arcs was bad, bear in mind they were probably in the top-10 of European resorts for snow at the time! No-where had snow - higher resorts in the Northern French Alps (including Les Arcs) were arguably the best of a bad bunch, except for maybe Cervinia or a few places that had made really extreme snow-making efforts.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
My impression is that the snow depths are currently better than 2011...at least on the higher slopes. Maybe someone in the Alps can confirm this.
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It's patchy, but certainly much better in the northern French Alps - including Les Arcs. And prospects for snow in the next week better, too. And Easter is earlier. It looks to me (fingers crossed, touching wood, etc etc) that this year will NOT be one where you need to head particularly high for good Easter skiing. Aspect will be important though, especially if we have lovely long sunny days. Need a range of slopes with different aspects for different times of the day.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Now is too early to book for Easter with such unpredictable conditions. |
based on a completely unscientific survey of two operators I know to a a degree, they are both fully booked for the easter week, so if you leave it too late you might find options are limited
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There will be plenty of accommodation in France. It's low season. Yes, British tour operators will have high prices for school holidays, but the fact remains that it's low season in terms of renting French apartments. Expensive weekend flights but DIY driving hols can be very cheap at Easter.
Trouble is, some resorts currently still have pretty poor conditions (and I think that Chamrousse, which the OP was looking at, might be one of them). That could well change.
If I were thinking of booking an Easter holiday now I'd be hoping to go to one of the quieter resorts NOT frequented by British tour operators, which will be cheaper and pleasantly quiet.
My family is having a big Easter get together in Les Saisies, which fortunately has very good conditions at present and a lot more snow forecast for this coming week.
A nephew who has just decided to join us, with his partner, has just booked a very nice 2 bedroom piste-side apartment, mid week to mid week, for under 500 euros. The French owner would not have agreed to a mid week let if she'd thought she could get two separate week bookings.
Flight prices are not bad at all if you avoid the weekends.
But yes, anyone wedded to British tour operators for a school-holiday time trip has to expect to pay the price.
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FWIW we are going to La Tania (1,350M) on 3 April – not concerned about the snow at all. As someone else has mentioned there may not be fresh powder outside the chalet’s front door (ground may be bare at resort level for all I care) but above 1,800M there should still be plenty of good spring snow (and given how unpredictable this season has been we may even get lucky and be able to ski some fresh). Aspect as pam w has said is crucial.
I’m also off to Zermatt in 3 weeks for a boys weekend – we tried to find 3 single beds in the following to no avail :
Les Arcs
Val d’Isere
Tignes
La Plagne
Les Gets
I think the relatively poor early conditions mean that most 1 week per season skiers (like the most of us) are trying to get their fix in March / early April.
So I would book now.
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Its worth noting that this year, because Easter is early, not all UK schools have the same 2 week period off. My sons 2 week school holiday doesn't actually start until 3rd April, the week after Easter, so there should be some good deals for those weeks. Only worry is that all the snow might have melted by then... 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
Only worry is that all the snow might have melted by then...
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there will be plenty of snow then. But not everywhere.
A lot of schools have that week off I think. And it's Belgian holidays too. But there'll still be an excess of accommodation. I just did a quick search for that week, for 4 people, in Les Saisies (which is a small resort) and came up with 292 results.
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Go to higher resorts and you will be fine. Lots of snow at altitude which won't all melt away in 3,5 weeks, and pistes should definitely be well-skiable. Lower down not so much as winter was very warm and every time storm cycle breaks even for couple of days it affects the snow very quickly. 2-3 sunny weeks may easily mean game over for lower resorts.
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FAQ
