 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi!
New member here. My family and I are planning on spending a few days skiing/snowboarding in the Alps during the last weekend of March 2019, and we're split between the above options. We are intermediate/advanced skiers/boarders (comfortable on black diamond/double-black diamond at US resorts) and are looking for suitable, relatively inexpensive terrain in a quieter location that will be snow-sure this late in season. If you think there's an obvious option that isn't ADH/Tignes/Val, please feel free to suggest those as well. For reference, we will be taking a train from Paris to Grenoble and leaving to the resort from there. Thanks!
Danny
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tignes/Val would be the safer bet but I have done plenty of good skiing in ADH in late March and April
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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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A fair bit of ADH's skiing is south facing so may suffer a bit at that time, though I don't know it well.
Tignes VD'I are very reliable.
Another place that could work is Orelle which is reasonably close to Grenoble not to expensive compared with other places and basically gives you a back door into Val Thorens and the three valleys.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Welcome to snowheads!
Have you already booked your tickets to Grenoble? If so, this rules out Tignes / Val d'Isère as they are a long way away (2.5 hours, and that's if you drive) - not worth it for just a few days!
From Grenoble, the easily accessible large resorts (no car needed) are Alpe d'Huez, Les Deux Alpes and, a bit further on, Serre Chevallier.
My preference would be Serre Chevallier. Resort bases might seem low (1,400m) but most of the skiing is above 1,900m and largely north-facing, the terrain is extremely varied - some of it tree-lined, some of it in open bowls - and the resort bases, especially Monetier, are very charming with some very good restaurants (standard of food generally better than in cheese-and-meat heavy Northern French alps, in my opinion). What it does lack is very steep on piste - but there is easily accessible offpiste with the proper gear and knowledge.
Alpe d'Huez has the edge when it comes to seriously steep pistes with huge verticals, however, in late March the runs can start to become slushy as they mostly face south. Should still be fine (resort doesn't close until well into April) but can be an issue. Also, the main resort base is sprawling and not very attractive in my opinion.
I cannot comment from experience on Les Deux Alpes. It is less extensive than the other two but should be cheaper, it is also very snow-sure but the highest runs are also the flattest, so no idea about snow quality on the steeper lower runs.
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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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If you have to decide now then it is probably Tignes, (good way from Grenoble though), Les Deux Alpes (closer to Grenoble and if conditions are good can have a day each in ADH and Serre Chevalier with 6 day pass), Alpe d'Huez and Serre Chevalier about evens except ADH is much closer to Grenoble.
Like @Arno, says late Mach and April can be brilliant in ADH. Decide late on, accomodation is not a problem normally that time of the season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have skied in Les 2 Alps and I wouldn't recommend it in late March unless we get a lot of snow between then and now. We skied it in 2016 over easter which was the end of March 16. Basically the lower reaches were unskiable slush or bare patches. The higher runs were ok, but nothing really awesome. Diablo was only half open (the top bit). Probably the worst aspect was the the run back to the village, Jandri, was a car crash waiting to happen. Slushy snow, all other village pistes closed or bare, it meant that you had all an sundry on what is a pretty narrow piste. I downloaded from the bottom of crete's.
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Thanks everyone for the responses!
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Welcome to snowheads!
Have you already booked your tickets to Grenoble? If so, this rules out Tignes / Val d'Isère as they are a long way away (2.5 hours, and that's if you drive) - not worth it for just a few days!
From Grenoble, the easily accessible large resorts (no car needed) are Alpe d'Huez, Les Deux Alpes and, a bit further on, Serre Chevallier.
My preference would be Serre Chevallier. Resort bases might seem low (1,400m) but most of the skiing is above 1,900m and largely north-facing, the terrain is extremely varied - some of it tree-lined, some of it in open bowls - and the resort bases, especially Monetier, are very charming with some very good restaurants (standard of food generally better than in cheese-and-meat heavy Northern French alps, in my opinion). What it does lack is very steep on piste - but there is easily accessible offpiste with the proper gear and knowledge.
Alpe d'Huez has the edge when it comes to seriously steep pistes with huge verticals, however, in late March the runs can start to become slushy as they mostly face south. Should still be fine (resort doesn't close until well into April) but can be an issue. Also, the main resort base is sprawling and not very attractive in my opinion.
I cannot comment from experience on Les Deux Alpes. It is less extensive than the other two but should be cheaper, it is also very snow-sure but the highest runs are also the flattest, so no idea about snow quality on the steeper lower runs. |
To clarify, I haven't yet bought any transportation except my flight to Paris. If VD'I/Tignes are for sure a better bet than ADH, I'd be happy to go through a different town than Grenoble if it's quicker. Any recommendations on that front? Thanks!
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Only been to Tignes in Late Jan/Early Feb so can't comment on March conditions, but would expect it to hold the snow quite well.
Visited Alpe d'Huez in Late March a few years back, we didn't really get any snowfall when we were there and as other posters mentioned the South facing slopes became very slushy midday/early afternoon. The skiing high up was good though.
Heard good things about Serre Chevalier and off out there in a few weeks. However, hoping for a few big storms before/during my stay as it hasn't had anything since 21 Dec and that was only 5cm.
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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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@dannyboy2233, if you can get a train up to Bourg St Maurice, that is pretty handy for Tignes/Val D’I. Moutiers and Chambery also have stations
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@dannyboy2233,
I don't know what the accommodation situation is for short stays in different places but Orelle which I suggested before is only 10 minutes from Modane by shuttle or taxi which has a TGV all the way from Paris.
It has access to Val Thorens which is pretty assured for good snow late season.
The actual location is quiet though the skiing won't necessarily be but neither will any of the other places suggested.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@dannyboy2233, I've been to Alpe d'huez, Tignes and Val d'isere in late March.
Had good conditions at all of them, but if I had to choose between them again for late March I'd go with Tignes staying in Val Claret or Le Lac.
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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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