 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Everyone, thinking of doing a week skiing & snowboarding with some friends in a chalet in Les Brevieres. From reading around it seems like it can be a little inaccessible at times - has anyone stayed there and can shed some light on how best to get:
1. from Les brev to le lac ski lifts (in the morning);
2. from les Brev to Le Lac, and back again (in the evening); and
3. From Les Brev to the main ski area up at Val d'Isere?
Any help much appreciated - thanks!
Matt
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@mattmcc11, Tignes is a top choice for range of terrain and good snow. Answers to 4 questions should give a good idea whether Les Brev would suit...
What time of season?
What’s the range of ability and experience in your group?
Everyone happy on red graded pistes in France, for example?
How late would you normally like to stay out at night?
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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 GreenDay - v useful!
PeakyB -
Late season (March/April)
Wide range of ability, for argument's sake say 50/50 beginner/intermediate (happy on reds)
Generally, late evening (8/9pm ish), but maybe one or two later nights (midnight ish)
Cheers!
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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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@mattmcc11, OK. Les Brev could still be OK for confident intermediates then. Not so good for beginners.
You’re taking a bit of a risk going to the lowest part of Tignes. But putting it in perspective, Les Brev probably still higher than at least 50% of all alpine ski villages.
Lavachet would be better IMO, just below 2100 (Le Lac). Much better access to ski lessons and evening drinks and food.
If staying lower down is your thing, then I think Tignes 1800 would be kinder to any complete beginners. It also has easy access to newish gondola for easier links to rest of Tignes. But not a lot there for evenings.
I think, all round, La Daille would be a better location. Even then, your beginners would need to get free bus 10 minute ride to lifts in centre for tuition and beginner slopes.
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La Daille is still a part of Espace Killy, so if you are looking to Ski/Snowboard the whole area, it's still a good option.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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If your mates are already booked in the chalet or own it, then go, it will be fine.
If you're choosing between chalets at the moment, then I'd avoid Les Brevieres. There should be a good choice at reasonable prices at that time of year. 1800 has evening buses and is one lift closer to Le Lac, so would be a much better option. Lavachet also good, or even better Le Lac itself.
Is there something in Le Lac that you're particularly interested in, or just that you know it's got better nightlife? @PeakyB's suggestions of La Daille is a good for skiing and it's own nightlife (inc bus to Val d'Isere), but it's an expensive taxi ride away from Le Lac in the evenings.
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I should have been clearer. I meant if it’s not essential to stay in Tignes at all, then I’d recommend La Daille.
It gives good lift access to both the Tignes and Val D’Isere sides of the lift pass area. It has nice home runs for confident intermediates and upwards.
It’s a 10 minute free bus ride to nightlife of Val D’Isere, which is much more varied and livelier than Tignes. It takes an intermediate maybe 40 minutes to get from La Daille to Tignes Val Claret on lifts and skis.
It takes a 10 minute bus ride for beginners to get to village nursery slopes. From there they could quickly progress, with tuition, to the top of Solaise/ Madeleine area. By end of week probably the ski tranquille area, Club de Sports etc. I don’t think Tignes is quite so good for beginners’ progression as Val D’Isere now the Solaise has been made so user friendly (except the run back to town-download in gondola!).
If staying in Tignes for a group with complete beginners in I’d rank them 1. Le Lac. 2. Lavachet. 3. Val Claret. 4. Tignes 1800. 5. Les Boisses. 6. Les Brevieres. Or thereabouts!
I assumed the whole group would stay in the same village, or is that not the case?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@mattmcc11, if you do stay in Les Brev then confident intermediates would still get from there to Val DIsere, even the glacier above La Fornet, for a day skiing.
Still plenty time for exploring ‘side pistes’ not directly on the route and an hour for lunch, if wanted.
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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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I stayed in Les Brev and liked it but wasn't really massively up for nightlife. We were in Chalet Chardons and had wine with dinner, then just popped over the road to The Bootroom for beers and darts and then on one of the nights we went to the club that was under Chardons. The lifts are perfectly fine for getting up to Le Lac and over to Val and there are buses that run during the day.
However, if nightlife is important to you, it's a pretty expensive taxi home in the evenings. We did do it one night (when the chalet staff had the night off) but probably wouldn't have bothered if we didn't "have to".
The blues that run down to Brev are relatively easy but a little narrow.
Having gotten the buses along the bottom a few times I completely understand what PeakyB is saying about La Daille. You just go up and decide whether you want to hit Val or Tignes.
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Thanks everyone - this is all massively helpful!
Basically, I was thinking about getting to Le Lac because I saw it as something of a "hub" for (i) beginner areas (due to mix of experience in the group), (ii) access to most of the main ski areas in Espace Killy (for the intermediates), and (iii) good nightlife (it is a big-ish group so likely that people will want to head out a few evenings).
The better value accommodation does seem to be in les Brev but looking at the bigger picture I think I am likely to go with Le Lac (or maybe Lavachet) now. La Daille sounds a good option too - next season maybe haha 
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You know it makes sense.
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| mattmcc11 wrote: |
The better value accommodation does seem to be in les Brev but looking at the bigger picture I think I am likely to go with Le Lac (or maybe Lavachet) now. La Daille sounds a good option too - next season maybe haha |
It was mentioned on the PSB that the Brevieres car park is free and therefore very popular with instructors seasonnaires who have camper vans! hop on first bubble of the day & ski down at end of day.
Presumably staying in Brevieres also helps with saving money on night life..
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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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@mattmcc11, your thinking (i)(ii)(iii) above is sound. Just that, depending on what type of accommodation you want and whether DIY or package trip, snowHeads may be able to suggest better options. That doesn’t necessarily mean higher costs overall.
It’s often tricky balancing the needs of beginners with confident intermediates. My philosophy is to always give a bit more priority to the needs of beginners. Yours may differ.
IMO you’ve made a good start with your planning. Espace Killy a good choice for late March/early April. Similarly I think some locations in 3V would be equally good, possibly better. Les Arcs/La Plagne not far behind IMO, some might say better.
The fine detail gets more important for beginners. EK, my personal favourite, can be less forgiving than the others I’ve mentioned.
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