 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Everyone,
Me and the boss are trying to buy a campervan for weekends away and the odd longer break until we can justify retiring - which is long way off 
As and when we find the right one, one of this things we would like to do is head away for a bit of self catered skiing around Europe based out of our camper (it will be fully wintered etc.). Is there anyone else on here doing this and if so, recommendations on campsites etc. That run through the season gratefully received.
Not hugely fussed on locations so long as there's decent access to the slopes and plenty of skiing.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Do a search on here. This has been discussed numerous times.
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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 knew a chap who parked his camper van in Bourg St Maurice - though that was for 2 or three months. You then have easy access to Les Arcs, via the Funicular to Arc 1600.
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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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We do this every January and February, you have 3 levels of cost v convenience.
1. Park in a suitable skilift carpark with no facilities but v. convenient for lifts.
2. Find an "aire de camping car" (France) stellpatz (Austria Germany) camper sosta (Italy) which are cheap and usually convenient and will generally have a servicepoint. Not many in Austria, lots in France, quite a few in Italy.
3. Campsite, all facilities at a price (£40+per night in many Austrian ones). In valley bottoms so a long haul up.
France is by far the most popular amongst British motorhomes skiers, any aire will have at least a few UK vans. There are probably about 40 ski resorts with Aires in France.
You need to be aware of gas options, freezing water pipes, winter tyres, batteries, screen covers etc.
I like to be within a few hundred metres of a piste so do 1 and 2, plus I dislike valley gondolas anyway.
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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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You often get a few ski bums up in arc 1600 with their converted vans and trucks parked up for the whole season. They don't appear occupied for most of the time with their owners appearing for short periods.
It doesn't look a pleasant way to spend a season to me unless they have been really well converted.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| johnE wrote: |
You often get a few ski bums up in arc 1600 with their converted vans and trucks parked up for the whole season. They don't appear occupied for most of the time with their owners appearing for short periods.
It doesn't look a pleasant way to spend a season to me unless they have been really well converted. |
It's not something that should be encouraged because it just makes life difficult for everyone else. I wanted to park up a few nights in Morzine but it was very difficult without going to one of the specialized sites. The Aire in Les Gets is very popular, and its difficult to get in there without frequent return visits to see if a place has become available. Some of the vans in the Aire didn't seem occupied either. There's a lot of converted vans who abuse the short-stay ethos and park all over the town giving motorhomes a bad name. It's a shame because France is extremely positive towards motorhomes and for that we should respect their rules and guidelines.
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Yeah, we've been doing it every year for a while now - we go for 2 or 3 months, still hoping to get away next year albeit later than usual.
You'll find campsites in many resorts - some are ski-in/ski-out (Fiebs), some a short walk from the gondala (Soelden), usually on the ski-bus route too.
If you've never done it you'll be surprised how popular it is - esp with Brits, Dutch, Germans - it's not unknown to be unable to get a pitch unless you've booked in advance.
Campsites are expensive (As BoardieK says) and, unlike the UK, EHU isn't included in the price - you pay seventy to ninety cents per KW. But they are well geared up for winter campers and many have spa/wellness facilities too.
I'm not sure about putting links on here but there are several fb groups specifically for winterized camping, motorhomes and snow - it's probably easier for you to look at those rather than me repeating it all here as they are an enormous resource and discussion place.
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@jellylegs, There was a beat up converted van parked over a couple prime car park spaces in Les Arcs in October/November 2019. It appeared unoccupied then and was still unoccupied over the christmas period. I imagine it annoyed a lot of people. It had gone by Febuary, I suspect towed away by the police.
You rarely see factory manufactured campers parked up at altitude. They stick to the campsite in Bourg st Maurice, where I beleive the owners rn a shuttle bus to and from the funicular station.
Camper vans dominate the Dolomites over the summer peiod and annoy me no end as they crawl over the mountain passes, pull out of side roads without looking (hence confirming that they are driven by Italians) and make rapid un signalled stops as they try to pull onto a bit of earth at the side of the road. The car parks and official sites are jammed with them. There may be hundreds in the car park out side Misurina for example. I suspect most of them are spending most of their time just looking for somewhere to stop for the night. Caravans appear to have completely disappeared
Rant over
In the winter and in ski resorts they are really no problem so good luck @imull, and give the Camping Huttete in Bourg a try, or if you fancy cross country skiing Camping Lanchette in the valley between la Plagne and Les Arcs looks nice, but pretty isolated.
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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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Camping Huttopia is one of the few that we've found is "elec included" - think we paid about 28 euros a night. Site minibus to Funi or town buses just at the gates. Funi is walkable through the park but a chore in boots.
Aire at La Plagne - can be booked online, I think.
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