 Poster: A snowHead
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Well, after a number of Feb half term ski holidays we bummed out by booking for Easter this year. Hopefully we, and many others, get through the forthcoming number of months. But thinking ahead I'm wondering about going skiing for Christmas this year with the family. Obviously this needs to be played by ear a little due to travel restrictions/snow but my (hopefully logical thinking) tells me that if Christmas doesn't come off I can then plan for Easter instead. What I don't really want to do is put all of my eggs into my Easter basket again as there's very little/no leeway to push back if something rears it's head.
So, my simple questions are really where are good resorts to go to (French alps please) for Christmas, is it expensive, it is much colder/darker (husband whinging that it's solstice) and is there usually plenty of accommodation (we DIY). Have kids (11 and 13) so no real expectation of santa but a nice Christmassy feeling would be appreciated. Thanks!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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In general there is reasonable availability of accommodation for Christmas week (definitely better than New Year week). To me the main consideration is that it's relatively early in the season, and there may or may not be much snow. This gives 2 main options:
1) Go fairly high, so Tignes, Val Thorens, Arcs 2000 would be the most obvious, but you don't (normally) lose out much by being a few 100m lower
2) Wait, wait and keep waiting till a few days before, to see where the snow is (and isn't). There will be last minute accommodation, and sometimes cheaper, but waiting till last minute isn't for everyone. Also, if you're definitely set on the French Alps, then this won't help too much, as the greatest variation tends to be over a wider area in the alps
As to your other questions:
- It's normally a bit less expensive than the other peak weeks (New Year, Feb half term)
- On average it will be colder, but it can vary a lot. You don't really notice it being darker, as it'll be light when the lifts are open, but don't expect to spend much time sitting outside in warm sunshine (it may happen, but more likely not)
- The local tourist office normally put on some Christmas show (fireworks, torch-lit descent, santa-impersonators on sledges / 2CVs), and there are likely to be market stalls selling vin chaud
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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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Higher resorts tend to be more functional than "chocolate box" prettiness - so you have to offset that against decent snow likelihood.
It will get dark earlier: expect lifts to close perhaps an hour earlier than at half-term. And light later, so pistes stay firmer for longer until they get a chance to warm up.
In Europe Christmas Eve dinner is sometimes more of an occasion than Christmas Day lunch.
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@kettonskimum, We've done it twice, the first time we played it smart and waited until three weeks out after a lot of snow had fallen, so we had a great time -- we even got about 40 cm during the week.
The next year, full of confidence, we booked 2 months out and got skunked. At least the weather was mostly sunny.
So, by all means, block off that time, scope out 4-6 likely stations and sit tight. If there's a lot of snow already on the ground by Nov. 30 then go for it.
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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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It's a funny one this year as Christmas is so late in the week - essentially you'd be travelling back boxing day for a normal changeover (and conversely New Year week starts on Boxing Day). We were just talking about it too, normally go at Easter, but my youngest will be doing A Levels, so can't go at Easter, couldn't go last year cos of GCSEs and had this year cancelled! So potentially a 3 year break. So I was thinking of Xmas/New Year, but if the season is up and running will it be the busiest ever with everyone being keen to get back to it?
If so I would be sticking with Val D'Isere (where we were due on 4th April) because it's high and relatively snow-sure at that time of year.
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We've been skiing the last 11 Christmases. Latest TR here with a link at the top to all the others.
For me waiting until the last minute isn't an option. Being restricted to school holidays and unable/unwilling to go in Feb half term means we either do it or we don't. At Christmas things can change very quickly. So even if you wait until a week before it's still a bit of a punt. I've seen the rain come and wash away all the snow at station level (1350) only to be replaced by several inches of fresh the next day. We've had very barren years but real classics too.
Days are shorter and the sun doesn't get as high, or at least for as long. So, yes, it's darker. But you are at least out and about during daylight hours rather than stuck in an office or at home. The weather is a factor. It can be bleak, it can be wintry. It is very different to Spring/Easter. For that reason I prefer to be at a lower station and have some tree skiing but with access to higher altitudes.
Apartments are generally easy to come by and mid-price. Completely off peak will be cheaper but New Year and Feb Half Term much more expensive. If you leave it late you will have reduced choice but would still have options. It's fairly busy but not rammed.
My first choice is Les Coches. In the same domain, Vallandry would be good. If going to 3V La Tania/Le Praz, in ADH, Oz-en-Oisans.
If you are not big in to the traditional family Christmas in the UK it's a good way to get away from it all. We take a small tree with lights and a couple of pressies. That's all. We don't have a special Christmas meal.
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Given Ischgl (Austria) is now widely seen as a start of Europe's pandemic, it is likely that European skiing will be very different in the 2020 / 2021 season.
Rules will be much stricter.
No packed clubs or bars or festivals or restos or apres.
No shared glasses, buffets, or whistles (popular in packed clubs).
Avoid all trams (cablecars) and gondolas (bubbles).
Never share a chairlift or T-bar with a stranger.
Never wipe nose with glove.
Drive, not fly.
And so on.
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All will be forgotten by Christmas!
Unless, the virus is still around, in which case probably no skiing, period.
Put another way, if there’s skiing, it will be just the same as before.
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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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As an aside and only loosely linked (sorry OP) we were surprised at how short a time the ski lifts were open for in Montgenevre 9:30 to 4:30 most days in feb half term. Prior to that we’d done Scandinavia so we’re spoilt there as very often it continued into night skiing so we were still skiing at 8pm.
Ok back to OP. We loved Montgenevre and it’s got a very good snow record. Being smaller it may not have a wide selection of accommodation as other places though.
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