Opinions on 2017 Easter skiing at Val Thorens

A snowHead

I'm considering an Easter trip next Easter (during the school holidays) to Val Thorens, as I've read it's snow sure. Can anyone give me any insight to the Easter skiing experience there? Crowds, snow coverage- that sort of thing. Also, is there enough skiing to keep us busy for 8 or 9 days?

Any other affordable (so no Switzerland) Easter choices? We did Tignes at Easter and it was f***ing brilliant snowHead

A snowHead

Les Deux Alpes is always very reliable at Easter (3600m at the top), never very busy (I've done the last 10 years at Easter) and is a very affordable resort.

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Been there the last three Easters (but not overlapping with the actual Easter weekend) and already booked for next Easter. The only time it has been uncomfortably busy for us was for three days this year when strong winds shut other nearby resorts, including Les Menuires, so there were twice the number of skiers in what was a limited opened space in VT. Once they reopened, we barely queued. There are some intersections where people come in too quickly at all directions where you watch over the kids, the usual people cane it down blues too quickly and too close, and some runs I would avoid at certain times of the day (Plein Sud) but overall, no more risk than anywhere I else I think. Lift system is really good but probably makes it busier and the village seems to be expanding quickly (and more quickly the number of pistes). We've found 150 km is fine with the kids because it is all still open, unlike other resorts which may have more in total, but less open because it is lower down. If I was with adults only (and good skiers), I would probably go 3V pass for some variety over 8/9 days. Loads of apartments if you're SC, just make sure you know which residence they are in-lots are proper ski in/out so it would be a waste to choose one which isn't. It can get quite wild and there is nowhere to hide if the weather comes in-so perhaps not the best place for 4 or 5 year olds, but ours are older now so able to take it. Also, the apes activities are a bit limited for the kids compared to some other resorts-pool is quite basic, there is bowling (expensive). We have a great instructor who we use for lessons each year-the girls love lessons with her-otherwise, we would probably look at Les Men as well. Meant to be very good for families, and VT is only one lift away if snow is poor. Runs through VT itself can be get busy as the village is compact-les Men is more spread out and when I've stayed there, it has seemed less squashed and more chilled.

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I don't know when Easter is next year, but this year we (my nine year old and I) were out for long weekend from 14th April. The snow was starting to get slushy in the afternoon and very hard going, but in the morning it was great, especially as we were still getting regular dumps of snow. It was not crowded at all, but it wasn't the actual Easter holidays.

That said, outside Val Thorens it was very patchy. The slush started a lot earlier further down and lots of runs were closed. Several had a lot of brown snow or worse. We made the mistake of doing the flat run (Boulevard Cumin) from Val Thorens into Les Menuires which was pretty much a muddy strip in places, and I have never heard so much whining in my life, especially as it was quite warm! Meribel lower down was a disaster in terms of coverage and snow quality and it was sunny that day and it was far too hot.

Despite the above we had a fabulous time and I'd thoroughly recommend going as at times the mountain felt empty and earlier in the day the snow was unbeatable. The runs into Orelle were brilliant too.

The EOSB goes there late every year (bumped into a few actually!) not sure if that's ever coincided with the Easter holidays though.

We did La Plagne at Easter in 2013 and that was terrific as well, not busy at all. The same slush issue but there was less brown, that was probably a seasonal thing though.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Easter Sunday next year is on the 16th April. Which weeks are school holidays seems to vary wildly

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Related but slightly tangential...daughter has chance of school trip in croisette Les menuires 15 to 22 April next year as well as family trip. What are the les men slopes like then? Popping over to VT not an option. Thx. Am hoping/thinking very soft lower down but should be plenty of good stuff in the top half of the area?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

EoSB 2017 is Sat 15th - Sat 22nd April.

After all it is free

VT is the highest resort in the Alps with the best lift system on Earth.

VT is as good as it gets at prebooking Easter.

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Cheers. Was looking specifically at LM for 15-22 without VT access. We are going to VT three weeks earlier en famille for the same reasons. Was just hoping enough on the slopes just above LM for that later week?

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Val Thorens alone has about 160km of piste and extensive, easily accessed off-piste. People come back to the EoSB year after year and never complain about a lack of variety in the skiing.
Often the 3V links are still open, adding another 3 or 400km or so - that's a bonus but far from essential.

IMO VT trumps Tignes at the end of the season. As the highest resort in Europe at 2300m and 6 points on the lift system above 3000m, the whole place is open and barring the occasional freak occurrence elsewhere, conditions will be better than anywhere else.

You know it makes sense.

Thanks all. @Layne, agreed she will find the ski side of things limiting, but it is her final year at prep school and they are all going off to different secondary schools, so it is more a social thing than anything else. Price isn't bad though for a school trip-£700 all-in at the Skilt, but only worth it if there is any snow!!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

The Skilt is excellently located, right on the edge of the snow in the centre.
I've never seen it un-skiable at that time of year but the conditions in VT, a few km up the hill will be 10 times better.

I'd take a chance on Les Men in April for sure

...as indeed I have done in the past and it paid off snowHead

, as it has good access to VT. But restricting yourself to a Les Men only pass at that time of year = Big gamble for little gain IMO.

A snowHead

If it's a school trip and they have had a few warm weeks then I can't imagine that they wouldn't ask people to stump up for a VT extension. If I knew how to post photos i'd post a few from April looking down the valley showing snow all around VT and below the village all brown/green other than a few pisted runs back into Les Menuires.

A snowHead

It's a brave choice to put on a school trip to Les Menuires at that time of the year without including a pass to VT. As others have said it was pretty brown/green around there during the EoSB. Pistes still had cover but even further up the valley it was a slushfest after about 3pm even above VT. I found it really good fun but suspect it could get hardwork if it was much warmer or conditions were poor in the lead up.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

We avoided Les Menuires like the plague after just one visit when we were there last month mid April. Even where there was snow, it was so hard on the legs as it was so slushy and heavy. We stuck to VT.

Of course, every season is different so you just never know!

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What would be the best transfer option, assuming we went Friday 7th April 2017 to Monday 17th?

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Opinions on 2017 Easter skiing at Val Thorens

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