 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey Snowheads, just on looking for some helpful advice to finalise my Xmas break this year. Need to get the snow legs back before a 2 week trip to Japan in Feb/Mar 
I've narrowed down our options to either Chamonix or Tignes Brevieres. Firstly how does Chamonix usually stack up at Xmas, we are 2 intermediate pistes skiers (10+ weeks) who enjoy challenging reds and black, but not so much off piste?
Secondly how long does it take to get up high from Tignes Brevieres, and what is the village atmosphere like? By all accounts it appears to be the lowest and quietest village amongst the Tignes satellites. S
The accomodation I have reserved in Tignes is much superior to the dive in Chamonix, but skiing is the most important factor!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is no point in going to Chamonix for piste skiing IMO. Basically because there are far better ski in/ski out and interlinked options elsewhere.
It's a long time (15 years) since I stayed in Les Brev but I liked it at the time. The options to ski down aren't actually that great iirc - a tough black or long red "path". Also at Xmas it may be tricky to ski home and you may have to download.... I don't know how good the snow making is. It's isn't the most convenient in some ways but after going there I did want to go back to stay but for various reasons never did!
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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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@debtors#2, This ^^, Cham is a great place later in the season (that said you can get some decent early snow), imo there's better places to be for piste skiing. If I was going to Tignes at Xmas I'd be up in the higher resorts but its not especially festive up there, for that you want to be over in Val, or 3V I'd say. With an early dump and cold temperatures it can be great in Brev but I'd not want to be stuck down there below the snowline.
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| debtors#2 wrote: |
| .... we are 2 intermediate pistes skiers (10+ weeks) who enjoy challenging reds and black, but not so much off piste?...... |
Good luck in Japan then 
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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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As Mark says - nearly. Brev is normally ski in by Christmas, it is the second quietest village (Boisses is very quiet). It is, though, a proper Alpine village with a nice feel and last year they did quite a lot of activities down there - Santa visits etc at Christmas. However it is not on the free navette service so once the lifts shut it is car or taxi if you feel the need to come up the villages around the lake. You can easily download on the bubble if you don't want to do the red down. There is an easy track also - which is a road in summer. I'd save the black Sache until you have practiced moguls though
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Depending on where you stat in Chamonix Les B is likely to be more convenient for piste skiing. More skiing, less faffing. Val claret or Lac even more so, obviously.
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Tignes no doubt for snow security/crowds etc etc. All you'll miss is apres vibe (& to be fair that's just cos Chambre 9 is one of the best bars on the planet for Scandis go wild)
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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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Zermatt.
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@Whitegold, RTFQ
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For piste skiing at that time of year - Tignes over Chamonix.
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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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Thanks guys for all responses, looks like leaning on the side of Tignes at this stage. Just an after thought but would Les Houches be better for piste skiing at that time of the year rather than Chamonix itself, or is too low and risky?
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@debtors#2, Its certainly good for piste skiing, but limited in area and yes it's low....but who knows regards the weather, we've had a few poor Christmas's regards cover and everyone is tad concerned regards potential for another (me included, I'm booked to go to St Anton), but I'd rather be in a ski resort than in UK at Christmas so going anyway. There's plenty on Brevent and Te Tour in Chamonix, and its a great place if the surf's up but like most places if snow cover is limited its not great.....Val has never let me down, that's where I'd be going, and get out before New Year when all the hoorays arrive.
I'd suggest high up in Austria personally (Obergurgl/ Solden/ Ischgl or Arlberg). CH-land clearly another option but mega-bucks and out of my league.
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You know it makes sense.
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@debtors#2, Betwixt Tignes and Les Houches for Xmas? Tignes.
And I rent out apartments in Chamonix...
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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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I do not think there was much snow in Chamonix last Xmas. I was at Clubmed Chamonix January 2015 and was told that it was a dry Xmas although not at the bar as it was All-inclusive.
Been to Tignes four times but never Brevieres. Most snow sure resort for early season snow.
Worthwhile waiting for a late deal. There are often Xmas late deals. Imagine a nice Austrian resort would be great...... if they had snow! Bear in mond there will be more deals if there is no snow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Done 13 seasons in Chamonix.
Tignes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| chocksaway wrote: |
| @Whitegold, RTFQ |
Read it.
Tignes will be freezing. Cham will be green and full of unwashed bums.
Zermatt is the way to go to celebrate the birth of Santa.
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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, Tignes it is I think. Coming from Northern Ireland unfortunately we do not have the luxury of waiting until last minute, as there are so little flights and no last minute options from Belfast or Dublin. I'm also going 26th to 31st so not a full week, which further limits my flexibility. Now my issue is transport, no BensBus on Mondays!!
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I've never skied in Cham, so can't comment too much there. Its reputation is more for the off piste stuff though, and from what I've heard has limited (and not all that practical) piste skiing. Have been to Tignes a few times, so will try to answer on that.
Brevieres is a bit out of the way. I've never stayed there, so no ideas for atmosphere etc. Personally I've always stayed in Val Claret which is a better skiing base as it allows fairly quick access to all areas, including Val d'I. It's also I think the only way to get to the Glacier, in that the only lifts that get up there leave from Val Claret. Given that the last few years have been a bit dodgy at Christmas, might be something worth considering. Having said that, it's a pretty ugly purpose built resort, and atmosphere-wise doesn't have much to recommend. Le Lac could be a decent compromise, easy access to most of the resort, and from what I've heard better après than Val C.
You asked "how long does it take to get up high from Tignes Brevieres", and I guess it depends on what you mean by up high. It's easy enough to get to the Aiguille Percée: you take a bubble from Brev, then the rather slow Marais chair, but will be up there in 15 minutes or so if you beat the queues. The Aiguille Percée peak is at about 2750 metres, and that sector has some lovely skiing, including some very nice reds and blacks. Myosotis is a really nice red, though short-ish, while Sache and Silene are both fine black runs, though their difficulty is very conditions-dependent: I've skiied them after a powder dump, when they are gorgeous, and in more icy/mogul condition, when they are more... challenging. That area also tends to be quite quiet, due to the slow nature of the Marais chair. I'm not sure how busy Tignes tends to be at Christmas though, we were there during half-term last year and it was busy, but manageable, nearly all our queuing was under 5 minutes, though the pistes could get crowded. I'm guessing this is much less of an issue at Christmas, but the quietness of the area around Aiguille Percée certainly made a nice change.
As you describe yourself, I don't think you'll want to spend the entire week pottering around that area though, nice as it is. To get to the other areas, you basically take a couple of lifts and then gently ski down into Le Lac, from where you can access the rest of the domain fairly easily. I guess it depends on how much you value your skiing: the group I go with only manage a week a year (costs, mainly, but also holidays, due to my brother being a teacher), so our absolute priority is spending as long as possible on the slopes, with anything else a very distant consideration.
Hope this helps, happy to answer any other queries, and there's plenty of Tignes "experts" on here, although I'm told the public is tired of experts nowadays 
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