Delving a bit deeper it's the news that for the last winter season 2018/19 the UK's largest ski tour operator, CrystalSKI, had 32% of its customers heading to Austria. France was just behind at 30%. The article explains how the market share has changed over the years.
Speaking personally I've found some great ski areas in both countries, although my preference is for Austria for a couple of reasons (amongst them being the fact that I speak better German than French, enjoy the Austrian ambience more and I know a number of sHs resident in Austria).
Hope this doesn't trigger the old France vs Austria forum war! (shades of Marie Antoinette. )
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Austria being significantly cheaper once you get there will have a lot to do with it I imagine. 4 euros a pint on the mountain vs 7/8 and food is way cheaper. I live in Cham because I'm into the off piste and touring but if I was a once a year holiday skier I'd head to Austria no question. For your average holidaymaker after nice piste skiing and good apres, it's a no brainer.
France are pricing themselves out of the market. The rates for season/annual rentals only ever increase as well, and the rise of Air bnb hasn't helped.
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?
It is all personal impressions. I found the difference brtween Soelden and Les Arcs fairly marginal in price (.33l of beer per serving vensus .25) but the difference in friendliness of the staff pretty big. In Les Arcs the lift company staff took some time to look through and advise on the best lift price options and even offer advice that was not to the company's maximum profit; in Soelden they went by the book and because I didn't specifically ask for an extension didn't even mention the possibilty to me. Never mind smoking in bars and the big lift queues. Anyway it is such tiny things that swings our opinions.
Anyway thanks @Alastair Pink, from offering such a trivial distraction from the nightmare of Brexit and Trump.
Last season I did four trips. 3V, Niederau, PDS (France) and Tignes. I went to Niederau with Crystal and self propelled the other three to France. Loved them all but Crystal will have counted me in their Austria 'vote' when I actually spent far more time in France.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
food cheaper in Austria, acomodation of the same level - in France. And ski-in/ski-out chalets are norm in France, but exclusive in Austria, where you usually live in the valley.
Less people going to Italy which in my experience offers better value for money than both France and Austria with no loss of quality.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Mike Pow, shush, we don't want everyone to know!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Looked around in all known to me websites looking for a decent house/apartment in ski area in Italy - returned with almost no results (8-10 persons without bunk beds, decent looking, <3000 eur per week self catered). The closest finding was Chalet Alpina in La Thuile. If I decide I like living in hotel - Italy will be the first choice.
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Apart from food and language there is more variation within countries than between them. Val D'Isere and St Anton have far more in common with each other than they have with say St Veran and Gargellen.
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Non-Austrian visitors to Ski Amadé tend to be German, Dutch and Scandinavian, not many Brits. But maybe that's because the TOs only go to Schladming and Obertauern.
Plenty of British voices to be heard in places like SkiWelt, Saalbach and Kitzbühel, but not in comparison with places like Méribel (more British than French!).
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@T Bar, Stop spoiling the argument with common sense. You are, of course, right.
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.
Lots of affordable 4 star hotels in Austria with pool and spa facilities. Hardly any in France and the ones that are there tend to be 5 star and very expensive, (also full of "me me me" rich guests with no manners!). Austrian staff seem more welcoming too as the hotels are usually family run. France does have some terrific skiing, though.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
kosmoz wrote:
Looked around in all known to me websites looking for a decent house/apartment in ski area in Italy - returned with almost no results (8-10 persons without bunk beds, decent looking, <3000 eur per week self catered). The closest finding was Chalet Alpina in La Thuile. If I decide I like living in hotel - Italy will be the first choice.
Had a quick look on booking.com
Plenty of options well under 3000 euros first week in March (may not work for you) in Madesimo and San Martino di Castrozza
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
San Martino di Castrozza
The poshest town I've ever been too. So posh we even got stopped by the finance police when leaving a shop. I suspect cos we looked poor. I have never seen so many 5* hotels in one place. A 10 person apartment for less than 3000 sounds a good deal to me. Whats the skiing like? The climbing is good when it stops raining.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
johnE wrote:
Quote:
San Martino di Castrozza
The poshest town I've ever been too. So posh we even got stopped by the finance police when leaving a shop. I suspect cos we looked poor. I have never seen so many 5* hotels in one place. A 10 person apartment for less than 3000 sounds a good deal to me. Whats the skiing like? The climbing is good when it stops raining.
Great skiing from absolute beginner to best of Dolomite off-piste.
Slovenia has even better hospitality and is even cheaper, and even cheaper still for fuel for the rental car. And it has the only cake hotel that could compete with the one near Aviemore (that's now sadly closed). So definitely don't go there. Don't want that all busy. It's already swarming with Dutch and Danish reg plates in summer.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
45km pistes in San Martino di Castrozza , that's good for a day or two. Other days drive to nearby resorts?
45km pistes in San Martino di Castrozza , that's good for a day or two. Other days drive to nearby resorts?
Piste skiing only and not wanting to repeat runs? Then yes.
Off-piste? Season's worth.
The second video I posted was the Tognola area. Rode the one gondola all day and skied the same forest lap after lap without crossing a track except to join the cattrack at the bottom.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
That looks sweet. Girlfriends/wives will have to step up their game for offpiste then Thanks
Chamonix also looks small based on prepared piste kilometers, but rarely anyone goes there for pistes
After all it is free
After all it is free
@kosmoz, There aren't even any pistes marked from the Rosetta gondola.
Does it open in the winter? I know many Dolomite gondolas are summer openning only
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johnE wrote:
@kosmoz, There aren't even any pistes marked from the Rosetta gondola.
Does it open in the winter? I know many Dolomite gondolas are summer openning only
Yes.
That's the first video I posted.
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Mike Pow wrote:
kosmoz wrote:
Looked around in all known to me websites looking for a decent house/apartment in ski area in Italy - returned with almost no results (8-10 persons without bunk beds, decent looking, <3000 eur per week self catered). The closest finding was Chalet Alpina in La Thuile. If I decide I like living in hotel - Italy will be the first choice.
Had a quick look on booking.com
Plenty of options well under 3000 euros first week in March (may not work for you) in Madesimo and San Martino di Castrozza
looked deeper in those offers - 4 adults in studio, or someone sleeping in bunk beds, or sofa in living room It is what I pretty much said. In pretty much all France and half of Austria for same money you'd get a house with two persons per bedroom, most of them en suite type, sauna and sometimes jacuzzi. Better finishing quality also.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
kosmoz wrote:
Mike Pow wrote:
kosmoz wrote:
Looked around in all known to me websites looking for a decent house/apartment in ski area in Italy - returned with almost no results (8-10 persons without bunk beds, decent looking, <3000 eur per week self catered). The closest finding was Chalet Alpina in La Thuile. If I decide I like living in hotel - Italy will be the first choice.
Had a quick look on booking.com
Plenty of options well under 3000 euros first week in March (may not work for you) in Madesimo and San Martino di Castrozza
looked deeper in those offers - 4 adults in studio, or someone sleeping in bunk beds, or sofa in living room It is what I pretty much said. In pretty much all France and half of Austria for same money you'd get a house with two persons per bedroom, most of them en suite type, sauna and sometimes jacuzzi. Better finishing quality also.
You must be on fat skis, need to go a little deeper and be creative
Plenty of Yanks feel it's worth travelling to Europe to ski
Having skied a couple of times in North America and Canada I prefer to have TWO European holidays rather than ONE North America holiday.
As regards the "poorer folk" going to Austria and Italy …………………. NOT where I tend to ski. Lech-Zurs and the Aosta Valley. The really poor folk end up like sardines in micro-apartments somewhere in an "Espace" or a "Domaine" believing that the overpriced and over-rated French resorts are really worth the money and hassle. Whilst there is certainly the fair share of world-class skiing in France (and Switzerland for that matter), the combination of French indifference, over-priced resorts, lift queues, and lads/lasses on the pi$$, means I now choose rather selectively where and when I ski.
I've chosen not to ski in France since Val d'Isere the week after the World Cup in 2009. And I admit to missing some of the best piste and off-piste skiing in the world, but I don't miss the French.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
those "not missing French" usually are even worse then French.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@skimastaaah, hahahahaha
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kosmoz wrote:
those "not missing French" usually are even worse then French.
At least they can spell in Yorkshire,...………… you must come from Lancashire "then"!
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I went to Soelden once and I have to admit the prices in the shops were eye watering - 1000 euro ski jackets. Austria is certainly not for the poor. I have to admit that the lift queues in Soelden and St Anton really put me off skiing in Austria. 30 minute lift queues are just not acceptable, never mind 3 one after the other. I really enjoy friendly French resorts where the lift pass staff carefully explain the different options available, the bar maids shake your hand as you come into the bar, the lifties say good morning and the restaurant owners simply give you a glass of genepi at the end of the meal. Sorry the myth of more friendly Austrian resorts is just that - a myth.