 Poster: A snowHead
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A plug for the main French Riviera resorts in this article. Ok they and other southern French Alps lack the expanse and resources of the richer, traditional ski areas, but what they lack in terms of sheer size they make up for in charm, sunshine, much lower prices and more often that you might think, better snow conditions!
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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 must be hundreds if not thousands of skiing resorts that are worthy of our visits. Our ability of getting there is dictated by the budget (depth of our pocket), opportunity (do tour operators offer them to us to choose from as package holiday) and information (publicity as you are alerting us). I wonder if there is some kind of a consolidated league table for the punters to aim at. It would be nice if we could know what we are missing out in relative terms.
Doing DIY skiing hoildays mainly I have been driving a 4x4 to do one resort per day in the last three to four years. The French Southern Alps is pretty down in my priority list. Would you for example advise that I should drop the 40km Italian Selva Ronda circular circuit (aimed at this Christmas) to do Isola 2000 instead.
High on the list are Austria St Anton, Switzerland Davos & St Moritz, French/Italian Milky Way and what about crossing the pond too.
Is there a logical and orderly way to cure this skiing virus?
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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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It would be hard to draw up a league table that caters for everyone's tastes and abilities.... and on line it's hard to find out much about the smaller resorts.
One useful site - in French only - has the 'bare bones' of information about virtually all of the French resorts, even the tiniest.
www.hiver.com ...... go to the bottom of the page, and enter the name of the resort under "Moteur de Recherche Stations". You will find resorts that aren't even mentioned in the main ski info sites.
Other than Isola/Valberg etc, one area I would recommend is the Barcelonnette region in dept. 04, where you can ski at:
Pra-Loup / Val d'Allos (170km of piste, 1600m - 2600m)
Le Sauze / SuperSauze (65km, 1400m - 2400m)
Sainte Anne la Condamine (35km, 1800m - 2400m
Saint Jean Montclar (45km, 1350m - 2500m)
Chabanon (35km, 1550m - 2050m)
I'll try to put a few southern French Alps 'circuits' on line at some time...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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saikee, you need to be cautious about either area at Christmas. The December storms don't always happen, or could benefit either of those areas. Personally, I'd keep my options open until the 1st or 2nd week of December, or book any accommodation with a cancellation option.
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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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There's usually last minute self-catering or hotel accommodation in and around Barcelonnette down in the Ubaye Valley, so it certainly makes sense to wait as late as possible. That said, cover was far better down south last year at that time than up in the Savoie!
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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 feel a lot safer by going to a resort with a glacier. I thought I did well with Kaprun last year but so was everybody across the Alpes.
After David Goldsmith's warning (Isola & Selva Ronda are not know to have height) I am thinking moving down to may be Briancon. It seems to be a nice centre for the Christmas week to strike Serre Chevalier, Sestriere, Sauze Oulx, Montgenevre (putting Le Grave and PuySt. Vincent on a back burner). Any comment? Know anybody there? It doesn't seem to have accommodation for the DIY type skiers though. May be I can then move North to either the Italian Selva Ronda or move South to do the Pra Loup/Barcelonnette or Isola area (don't know how to get there though) in the New year week. My motive is trying to see as much as possible the skiing world. Driving between 0.5 to 1hour in the morning to a resort is no big deal to me.
It will be nice if there is a Boug St. Maurice Mark II somewhere. If I find a PG Mark II then it will be truly icing on the cake.
The company closes the office between Christmas and New Year so I have nothing to do except to ski.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 22-05-04 23:06; edited 1 time in total
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If you start in Briançon, and do Serre Che/Montgenèvre/Sestriere/Puy Saint Vincent etc you won't have many of your 7 days left! Near Puy St Vincent is the small resort of Vallouise.... spent a couple of days there at the start of last season, the Alphand brothers Luc & Lionel have a bar/restaurant/brewery in the village - excellent food (lots of dishes with beer-flavoured sauces)... and I sampled a selection of their brews, some were really good http://www.brasserie-alphand.com/
No need to head south as far as Pra-Loup/Barcelonnette from Briançon if you have time to squeeze a couple more resorts in.... just after Guillestre you have the linked resorts of Vars and Risoul, the 'Forêt Blanche' domain, as well as several smaller resorts (I once spent a great day in a tiny place right next to Guillestre called Crévoux, no blacks, barely more than 10 miles of runs, but there was deep, fresh snow that day (right at the end of December) and all the holidaymakers were in the popular resorts, Crévoux was really quiet....
Or just beyond Guillestre heading towards Gap you have the town of Embrun. Les Orres is the biggest resort in the area (with a reputation for being the coldest resort in the south, 88 km of piste, a highest point of around 3,000m). Just across the valley from Les Orres on the other side of Embrun is the resort of Réallon, 30 km of runs and some testing blacks.... again a quiet place to visit when it's crowded elsewhere)...
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PG that link brings up a virus warning for me. And did when someone else also used it on another thread recently.
Viruses apart, people, the Alphand beer is great. I tasted their 'red' draught variety a few years back in Chantemerle (Serre Che) in a bar on the corner opposite the Yeti. Lovely stuff. Why isn't there more of the like in France instead of the tasteless fizzy 'lager' they squirt into wet glasses in 99% of the bars ?
Oh and Luc was a great ski racer to boot. What a man.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Sun 23-05-04 15:24; edited 1 time in total
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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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kuwait_ian, Strange, I get no warnings from my AVG virus programme.... perhaps one of the IT snowHeads can explain???
Yes that draught ale really did hit the spot the evening I was there ... several times (at least) ...
I only drink the lager in the summer - and rarely the stuff they have on tap, but an ice-cold 1664 does go down well when it's 40° plus!
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PG, I too get a virus warning. McAfee announces:
“A Trojan has been detected an cleaned. The file C:\documents and settings\john\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5\wperwtyj\acueil[1].htm was infected by the Exploit_urlspoof.gen Trojan and has been deleted to complete the clean process”.
Maybe you should give your computer a good hoover and check your virus protector is up to date.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PG,
Thanks. I am actually toying with 2 weeks stay in that area now because of the large number of resorts available. Your information is a good reminder.
Wife and I are slow skiers. We are not black-slope hunter at all but wouldn't mind going for it if it is in our way instead of turning back, unless it is not safe for us.
Based on your information my preliminary plan would be
1 week in Briancon for
Serre Chevalier
Montgenvre
Sestriere
Bardonnecchia
Sauze d'Oulx
1 Week possibly in Guillestre for
Puy St. Vincent
Risul/Var
Crevoux
Les Orres
Realon
This will give me chance of any re-visit should some resorts prove really attractive. Alternatively I can always travel further to other resorts in the area if needed. If there is a lack of snow then I can cut my loss by going to those with most snow. Many of them have 2700m peaks.
Think I have covered the area enough? The next step for me is to get the reasonably priced accommodation at the intending locations.
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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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Jonpim, No trojans called Exploit_urlspoof.gen have made it through my combined AVG anti-virus + Ad-Aware 6.0 ! It's a mystery to me, but perhaps it's something to do with the Windows XP weaknesses that recently came to light? ... have you downloaded the patches to stop the latest programmes that can exploit these Windows XP security shortcomings? (If you have XP, of course)....
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saikee, it's around 30 mins from either Briançon or Guillestre to Puy Saint Vincent and Vallouise....
Are you looking for self-catering, or a hotel?
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You know it makes sense.
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PG,
On accommodation I am flexible. Getting the right location is more important. I usually try to stay off the resort to avoid the high 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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saikee, Monetier-les-Bains, at other end of ski area to Briancon, has some good independent hotels, Hotel Alliey is excellent, with wonderful food, and a swimming pool. www.alliey.com . Only about 10-15mins to Briancon.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Helen Beaumont,
Thanks for the info. Found the place on the map East of Serre Che.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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saikee, That should be west? (or north-west.....) - but I would have thought, if you're looking for less expensive accommodation, that Briançon would be better? Monëtier is at the 'exclusive' end of the resort, the highest of the villages that comprise the Serre Che domain.
Another base/tour itinerary suggestion, in passing....
GAP
Main resorts nearby -
Superdévoluy/La Joue du Loup (35 mins)
Orcières-Merlette (30mins)
Les Orres (30 mins)
Small resorts -
Céüze (20 mins)
Réallon (25 mins)
And on the road to Orcières-Merlette in the Champsaur, the following pleasant little resorts:
Ancelle, Saint Léger, Chaillol, Serre-Eyrauds
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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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PG,
You are right Monetier is on the West side of Serre Che on the main road coming from the Grenoble. Geographically, Briancon looks a better bet. A large town and villeage is what we want because competition on servives drives down the prices.
I know there are hundreds of enjoyable resorts in each country not listed in the published English packaged ski tours. Have you skied all the resorts you mentioned in the posts? I probably stop my direction going south because I want to come back to Boug St Maurice sometime. I would be lucky to get to Isola (future trips) because it isn't very accessible by cars coming from the North.
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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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| saikee wrote: |
PG,
I know there are hundreds of enjoyable resorts in each country not listed in the published English packaged ski tours. Have you skied all the resorts you mentioned in the posts? I probably stop my direction going south because I want to come back to Boug St Maurice sometime. I would be lucky to get to Isola (future trips) because it isn't very accessible by cars coming from the North. |
Skied them all, lots of times, because we were living down south until last year and our daughter skied for the Gap club (based in Orcières-Merlette). Just about every weekend during the season Sunday was race day at a different resort on the southern Alps circuit, so we got to know them pretty well after a few seasons. Wednesdays and Saturdays were training days at Orcières or one of the little resorts nearby like Ancelle, then off to a hotel in or near the resort where the race was happening the next day. Dread to think what the accommodation/food bills came to over a five month race season!
As for Isola, well the best bet there is a cheap flight to Nice and a hire car. All the resorts mentioned are just 30 mins from the airport, plus the ones just across the border in Italy (which I haven't visited)...
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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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PG,
Hey, I thought ferrying the son to badminton clubs and the daughter to swimming clubs within a 10 miles radius In my city took away the best part of my prime years. Yours is a lot worse if you have take them to races and had to stay in hotels.
Having said the above many parents wouldn't mind trade their positions with yours. Seeing young kids developing what I consider a healthy hobby is the best way to keep them from trouble. They have friends who you have no problem in approving too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| PG wrote: |
| , but what they lack in terms of sheer size they make up for in charm, sunshine, much lower prices and more often that you might think, better snow conditions! |
The last two season's have been good but you can go whole winters when the snow is lousy except for Isola and the Val d'Allos. I've skied a number of the Alpes Maritimes resorts. An understanding of French weather systems helps. Usually the autumn rains on the med don't penetrate far inland and most resorts have to wait until late January for good snow cover. This was not the case last season when there was good snow cover from late October. These southern weather fronts didn't penetrate past the Maurienne so while Montgenevre was enjoying great conditions Val Thorens couldn't open.
Usually the snow is pretty good late season for Isola, I've skied in the morning at Isola and swum in the med in the afternoon... then again I was the only one swimming!
The lift systems are all being upgraded... paid for in part by the British taxpayer so you'd better take advantage of them. Even tiny l'Audiberge is getting a new chair this year. Allos la Foux had probably the worst lift system of the lot including a Kinder-Egg type lift and an abandonned 60s tower block reminiscent of Chernobyl. The kinder-egg lift has been taken down this spring and the ugly building is being dynamited in June to be replaced with luxury flats. Out of the Southern resorts this is the one I'd visit as it gets prodigous amounts of snow and has some serious off-piste. Some UK school groups go out there and of course if you must give your hard earned to a TO book for Pra Loup as it is a linked.
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| PG wrote: |
As for Isola, well the best bet there is a cheap flight to Nice and a hire car. All the resorts mentioned are just 30 mins from the airport, plus the ones just across the border in Italy (which I haven't visited)... |
Ah, I take it you've never driven from Nice airport to Isola then? 
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davidof, I just saw your comment about that the new lifts are being paid in part by the British taxpayer - can you elaborate on how we are paying for these as I don't understand................is it some euro scheme or similar?
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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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| Dan wrote: |
| davidof, I just saw your comment about that the new lifts are being paid in part by the British taxpayer - can you elaborate on how we are paying for these as I don't understand................is it some euro scheme or similar? |
about 50% of the new ski infrastructure in the Maritime Alps is funded through EU regional aid programmes which are funded by EU taxpayers in varying degrees. The UK pays about 11% of the EU budget, France 19% and Germany closer to 22%.
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thanks, just curious.
Also, i'm curious as to the drive from Nice to Isola................i've heard it takes 30 minutes and is pretty easy, from your post i guess i've been fed a load of bull 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Dan wrote: |
thanks, just curious.
Also, i'm curious as to the drive from Nice to Isola................i've heard it takes 30 minutes and is pretty easy |
Who told you that? An estate agent
The helicopter transfer takes 20 minutes!. From Nice airport to Valberg you can do it in 60 minutes if you are used to driving in the mountains. Isola takes a bit longer, closer to an hour and a half. After Nice there is a 'voie express' - a dual carriageway, you are then on a single lane mountain road to Isola (auron is just beyond) then a long and steep road to the resort.
All of this is assuming dry roads and light traffic. The Val d'Allos is closer to 2 to 2h30 drive from Nice.
Here is a map:
http://mapage.noos.fr/pistehors/images/maps/maritimes.png
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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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davidof, Never driven up from Nice, always across via Digne etc. I usually check the figures with Michelin - you're right of course, 90 minutes or thereabouts. Val d'Allos is 2 hours plus as you say - I knew another mad father who drove his daughter up there every Wednesday and weekend to train and race. Surprised he didn't put her with a club in Valberg or Isola...
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| PG wrote: |
| I knew another mad father who drove his daughter up there every Wednesday and weekend to train and race. Surprised he didn't put her with a club in Valberg or Isola... |
Isola has some good skiers, in particular some very pleasant and fast girls from the Nice University Ski Club who train there on Wednesdays. The surprising thing about Valberg is just how inexpensive the ESF teachers are. There are some excellent restaurants too, plus a lot of the skiing is tree-lined. Valberg is a bit like the wild-west but if you want Provençal charm the linked (almost, you have to pole a bit) resort of Beuil is your place.
It is good to see Bruno Malochet putting the case for Auron and Isola after his somewhat less than successful time trying to tie up Super Besse and Le Mont Dore. It is only after his departure that these two rivals seem to have been able to put rivalries behind them.
To get a small flavour of the Alpes Maritime resorts this is a home movie we shot a couple of years ago. Before you book a long vacation be aware that some of the smaller resorts only open on Wednesdays and Weekends.
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