 Poster: A snowHead
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By saying less expensive I mean food/beverage prices on the mountain closer to Austria/Italy levels. Does there exist decent size skiing areas, where beer doesn't cost 7-9 euros per glass and Pizza Margherita 15eur?
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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've heard that the Pyrenees are a lot cheaper, probably cheaper than Austria or Italy.
I've never been there myself, but I hope to get there one day,
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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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They do exist, Les Sybelles fits the bill, big area €4.50/5 a pint and food reasonable, maybe not quite as cheap as Austria/Italy tho.
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@kosmoz,
Most resorts South of the Tarentaise are far more reasonably priced (as a rule of thumb)
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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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Espace Diamant in Jan 2018 - still possible to find mains for under €10, plat du jour €9+. Not much difference in price compared to where we've been in Italy.
Going to Megeve / St Gervais this year was a bit of a shock!
Restaurants with direct road access (e.g. at resort lift bases) tend to have lower prices, presumably because of reduced costs and evening trade. So ski areas with multiple lift bases / resorts can be good options (so you don't have to come back to your starting resort for lunch). Again, Espace Diamant good in this respect. La Plagne also not bad in 2017 - lots of villages to eat in even if "mountain" restaurants are more expensive.
I suspect the Maurienne Valley as well as southern France are also a good bit cheaper.
Or you could... not go to France. Pizza Margherita in Cavalese, Italy today was €5 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Isola 2000/auron very reasonable and pretty quiet too
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Vacation for me is a combined thing of skiing quality, accomodation, views, driving distance, food, prices, etc.
Since we drive, not fly - Pyrenees is out of equation.
Les Sybelles looks cool, but checked AirBnb and ski-france for accomodation - either unreasonable prices, either looks like poo-poo.
Found some decent accomodations in Flaine and Megeve areas, a bit worried about Megeve price level, heard some horror stories  and lift system is questionable, lot of drag lifts, old system, people complaining about main gondola beeing off for long periods of time (speaking days), because of some repairs needed or mayor saving money on electricity and/or preparation of pistes (you close half of the mountain - dont need to prepare pistes after a day).
Flaine prices looks like 3V, Paradiski.
Had been in Les Arcs, La Plagne, 3V, wan't to try something else. Don't find beautifull and reasonably priced challets in Italy nor Austria. So France again next year.
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La Rosiere is very good value in my opinion, not only do mountain restaurants offer the same prices as the village but food and drink in La Thuile, in Italy but on the same shared lift pass, is significantly cheaper. There is also the advantage of a less expensive lift pass than nearby larger resorts.
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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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@kosmoz, Italian and Austrian ski areas have literally masses of beautiful and reasonably-priced hotels and guest houses. AirBNB might not be the best place to look, try Booking.com or better still the tourist office websites for the ski areas that you like the look of.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@kosmoz, hotels and guest houses can be ski in/out and can have sauna and hot-tub facilities. By 'chalet' I assume you mean something that is British-run with British food and exclusively British guests? Admittedly this is much rarer in Italy and Austria, British guests are not numerous enough for accommodation providers to cater exclusively for them and it detracts from the Italian and Austrian charm that most holidaymakers seek. However to say that hotels and guests houses in Italy and Austria are 2-3 times more expensive than a French chalet is disingenuous and suggests that you are so limited in the type of accommodation that you are seeking that price comparisons are unrealistic.
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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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Megeve and cheap are very difficult achieve together.
La clusaz/le grand bornard might be more suitable for you
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The Massif Central and the Jura are less expensive. Easy drives.
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You know it makes sense.
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Challet = entire house just for my company. Catering not included. But there is simply more of them close to skiing area, they are more affordable and better furnished compared to Austria and Italy. Speaking about same price level.
If not in the center of Megeve, houses are no different priced than 3 Valleys, Paradiski, Flaine, etc. Ski pass in Megeve is even cheaper than 3V, Paradiski, Les2Alpes etc. Before I googled megeve I was thinking it's some kind of local low profile resort, based on ski pass price
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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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Yes, Megève is difficult to do cheaply, but I think it's possible to do the ski area fairly cheaply if you in one of the other resorts which has lower prices.
Also, the ski pass itself is very reasonable, so you're immediately saving a significant amount compared to 3 Valleys / Paradiso etc.
Have a look at our trip report here from St Gervais in January, which links into the Megève slopes. I put a cost breakdown at the end so you can see if it fits your budget. And I also listed the prices we paid in mountain restaurants on the relevant days.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@kosmoz, understood. I'd describe that as a self-catering property. You'd easily find suitable properties well within your budget in Italy or Austria. The tourist offices are your best bet. But it sounds as if you are happy with France for the time being, fair enough.
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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 think Val Cenis is pretty good value all round and there is the option of buying a pass to ski in other nearby resorts.
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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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Montgenevre - def cheaper than most of the 'main' French resorts (in terms of rentals / pass / lunch grub) and you can make further savings by nipping over to Italy for lunch . . .cheapest coffee I had this season was 1.5 euros!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Montgenevre - def cheaper than most of the 'main' French resorts (in terms of rentals / pass / lunch grub) and you can make further savings by nipping over to Italy for lunch . . .cheapest coffee I had this season was 1.5 euros!
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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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| snowymum wrote: |
| I think Val Cenis is pretty good value all round and there is the option of buying a pass to ski in other nearby resorts. |
There's a free shuttle to La Norma and Valfrejus both great little resorts to spend a day at.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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so good I said it twice . . .apols
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What if we eliminate less expensive from the equation, what's really worth visiting?  Austria, Italy or France, skiing quality first, +scenery, +skiing area size, +lift system?
Background: group of all level snowboarders, adults only, without kids. Visited 3V twice, Les Arcs/La Plagne twice, Zillertal (Mayrhoffen, Hintertux included).
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| kosmoz wrote: |
Found some decent accomodations in Flaine and areas, a bit worried about Megeve price level, heard some horror stories and lift system is questionable, lot of drag lifts, old system, people complaining about main gondola beeing off for long periods of time (speaking days), because of some repairs needed or mayor saving money on electricity and/or preparation of pistes (you close half of the mountain - dont need to prepare pistes after a day). . |
Megeve is lovely, but pricey re food and drink. Beers were eur 9 a pint at a bar in the centre of town and not much different up on the mountain.
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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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| kosmoz wrote: |
What if we eliminate less expensive from the equation, what's really worth visiting? Austria, Italy or France, skiing quality first, +scenery, +skiing area size, +lift system?
Background: group of all level snowboarders, adults only, without kids. Visited 3V twice, Les Arcs/La Plagne twice, Zillertal (Mayrhoffen, Hintertux included). |
Practically every decent resort in any of the three countries.
I'll start it off with Austria
Big - Arlberg
Small - Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis
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Food in French supermarkets is noticeably more expensive this winter - hence the Yellow Vests movement with food and fuel prices being part of the original protests ....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Austria is great for driving distance, however I didn't like neither Mayrhoffen nor Zillertal, which are always rated in top5 list of Austria. Maybe St. Anton area you mentioned would suit a bill 
| Mike Pow wrote: |
| kosmoz wrote: |
What if we eliminate less expensive from the equation, what's really worth visiting? Austria, Italy or France, skiing quality first, +scenery, +skiing area size, +lift system?
Background: group of all level snowboarders, adults only, without kids. Visited 3V twice, Les Arcs/La Plagne twice, Zillertal (Mayrhoffen, Hintertux included). |
Practically every decent resort in any of the three countries.
I'll start it off with Austria
Big - Arlberg
Small - Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis |
Maybe, but I didn't notice that. Prices are exactly the same, wine is even cheaper, than in Lithuania. Our supermarkets rails us in the ass big time, considering what we pay and how much we earn. Even in Val Thorens/Les Menuires Carrefour Montagne, which is a bit expensive than regular Carrefours, were totally fine.
| boredsurfin wrote: |
| Food in French supermarkets is noticeably more expensive this winter - hence the Yellow Vests movement with food and fuel prices being part of the original protests .... |
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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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@kosmoz, not sure what your budget is but we stayed at Adler Resort this year in hinterglemm and have just booked again for next Jan. Top notch rooms and are paying £2k for a week 75m² for 5 of us. Great facilities and views. Only 100m to slopes and you can opt in to fully inclusive, which we done 3 days during the week. My mate drove from Scotland with his mate and their wives flew with my lot. Cheaper and more expensive rooms are available.
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We usually find places for 180-280eur per person for third/fourth week of JAN, 8-10 persons. Can pay a bit more, if it's worth that. In my book driving 500 less is worth paying some more (saved fuel and time/energy). And price doesn't say everything about property, I just saw same house 1900eur a week in AirBNB and 3300eur on booking.com, and the best looking/furnished house (where I stayed for skiing vacation) was barely more expensive than the worst, and cheaper than other houses we had, which were very good, but not the best
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You know it makes sense.
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If you want value for money in staying in france try peak retreats, we have been lots of time with them and never had a bad place
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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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Val Cenis- lunch for 2 adults, 2 kids, + 2x leffe (for me- 50cls), 1 vin chaud, 2x lemonade c.55 Euros! Lift pass for 4 last year for 8 days including La Norma etc- c.600 euros- c.30Euros a night- we camp in our motorhome!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
180-280eur per person for third/fourth week of JAN, 8-10 persons. Can pay a bit more, if it's worth that. In my book driving 500 less is worth paying some more (saved fuel and time/energy). And price doesn't say everything about property, I just saw same house 1900eur a week in AirBNB and 3300eur on booking.com, and the best looking/furnished house
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Surely £2k for a 4* hotelappartment complex is pretty good, nein? https://www.adler-resort.at
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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 are looking for that type of acomodation, then it looks excellent. In my book it won't work just because we travel as a group of friends, one year there were only 7 of us, usually 8-12, one year even 17 people group gathered. That year we lived 4+4+9, guess how many times we all gathered in the evening for some party or just a chat? One. But when you live together, then it's totally different vibe. We ride a lot, after a day we are usually tired to go to bars/clubs to dance, but having a party at home is ok.
remember this house we had like 4 years ago, 5 bedrooms (4x2 + 1x4 rooms), each with bathroom, 240 sq. m., ski in, ski out. cost us 2400eur in total for 12 persons: https://en.ski-france.com/ski-area-paradiski/les-arcs-1600/chalet-deux-tetes-I/
or this one, last year cost 1304eur per 7 person (3x2 + 1x1 rooms), 1km from funiculaire: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/16176482?s=51
cozy, comfortable, big living room to throw a party in.
4+4+9 was here: https://www.sunweb.co.uk/ski/austria/zillertal/ski-zillertal-3000/mayrhofen/s-dorfl-chalets?Duration=4&Month=2019-04-01&Mealplan=LG&TransportType=SelfDrive&Participants[0][0]=1989-03-22&Participants[0][1]=1989-03-22
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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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I'm out in the Pyrenees just now. My favourites are Ax 3 Domaines (decent ski area, good town, excellent prices), Cauterets (small ski area, excellent snow record, lovely town, great non-ski area for snow-shoeing walking) and Grand Tourmalet (good ski area, excellent off-piste, added bonus of the Pic du Midi). All nothing like the french Alps for prices, plus you can fly to Toulouse, which is typically much cheaper than GVA
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