 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all. Just getting some input on possible resorts for late Jan-early Feb 2022.
I want a resort that has lots of easy blues for one of us who loves sticking to blues and some reds for the other one of us who likes things a little (but not much) steeper. The resort should have lots of easy blues, not just a few scattered about the mountain. I would like a decent sized ski area too (by that I mean at least 100km or so of pistes).
There will be 2 or 3 of us (mum, dad and possibly adult(ish) daughter) and we will probably go self-catering; that could either be booked through a TO or independently. We are not too fussed about apres, though we would like to go somewhere with a little life (i.e. not La Thuile). A nice spa would also be good.
Not fussed as to the country - I'm open to ideas.
A couple of areas that springs to mind are Alta Badia and Risoul/Vars.
Cheers
Dobby
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Saint Gervais is probably one of the easier resorts to ski with a good number of blue runs.
It also has a world class spa
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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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Pas de La Casa in Andorra ticks a lot of boxes for you here; the Grand Valira network is extensive and there's not really a properly challenging piste on the whole thing. Certainly for cruising about, eating in decent restaurants and drinking (very) cheaply, it's a great spot. Last time I was there they were doing a deal where your lift pass included lunch at most of the on piste cafes / restaurants.
If you're thinking Dolomites, then we spent a wonderful couple of months at the Far Western extreme of 'Seiser Alm' in 2020. It's excellent for big, open cruisy red runs, and has plenty of blues as well. It's the highest alpine meadow in Europe so its suitably gentle, and the views are simply phenomenal. If you go for the Dolomiti Superski pass you've got access to a huge network, and if you stayed in Ortesei you'd be able to do Seiser Alm out of one side and head up Seceda on the other - the run down to Val Gardena from the top of Seceda, opposite the sasslong, is for my money; the finest morning piste in Europe.
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La Plagne would probably tick all those boxes.
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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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@johnE, Ortisei (St Ulrich) was the only time we have been out of France, and we had a wonderful time. To get out of there into the wider area though, you have to go down a red which in France would be an ugly, narrow blue. Not too bad, but the OP said 'true-blue'. That describes my wife at the time, and it was a bite the bullet moment. Each day lol!
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Stay in San Cassiano part of the Alta Badia ski area, I took a very nervous friend there and we had a great holiday, loads of mountain restaurants and the slopes were perfect!
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@dobby, Alta Badia would be a good choice given your criteria, and +1 for San Cassiano as a base. I love it there, though the night life is quite limited, that would be the only concern.
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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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@Scooter in Seattle, agree night life isn’t dancing on the tables Austrian style but we had some really pleasant evenings inc being handed plates of pizza with a bottle of Prosecco in some village bars and other bars talking us thru the Bomardino options so all very enjoyable!!
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I’m a big fan of Risoul/Vars but with no TO going there any more we gave Serre Chevalier a go and love it! Plenty of cruise blues and great to get all the way across the mountain from Briancon to Monetier (from whichever village you’re based in). And the natural hot water spa in Monetier is a lovely place to spend an afternoon. (We should be there this week but.............!)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Pinzolo. Fantastic spa just down the road in Caderzone and easy lift access to Madonna d C, Marileva etc.
But Monetier would seem to meet your spec.
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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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Ski circus has some great blue runs (Leogang in particular). stay in saalbach or hinterglemm. hit 2a first thing down to Vorderglem before heading to Leogang. Give fieberbrun a skip.
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If your going independently you could also look at St Francois Longchamp/ Valmorel
Plenty of cheap self catering appartments, look on Sunweb and Snowtrex, and only 12km off the motorway if you driving.
Good area and blues off pretty much every lift, blacks and reds higher up and pretty good lift system.
If you thinking of Vars/Risoul its a bit of a drag getting to and the lift system is probably the worst of any major resort ive visited in the last 20 years. 20 minutes plus slow chairs all over the place!!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Les Saisies would tick all your boxes, but would have to be DIY - no UK tour operators. Loads of linked blues in Les Saisies itself, and the possibility of travelling on blues to other parts of the Espace Diamant - more skiing than you will cover in a week. A nice spa and swimming pool, more than enough restaurants and a few bars - attractive village and great scenery.
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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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For self catering have a look at Peak retreats - they do lots of interesting resorts that 'access' the larger resorts so you might be able to please everybody.
Plein pessey for example would have lots of blues and then allow access to Les Arcs and La Plagne for the more adventurous of you.
If you didn't mind getting a bus you could try Val Cenis and then explore the other resorts in the Maurienne valley (I love Aussois for me and kids but might be a bit small for you; that said the reds and blues are excellent and you can stay VERY close to the slopes).
DO NOT go to Sauze d'oulx - i think it only has 2 blues in the whole resort (but it is cracking if you like reds  )
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Redial wrote: |
| Ski circus has some great blue runs (Leogang in particular). stay in saalbach or hinterglemm. hit 2a first thing down to Vorderglem before heading to Leogang. Give fieberbrun a skip. |
I wouldn't take a true-bluer down 2a at anytime. Not a run to boost any timid skier's confidence or enjoyment.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
For self catering have a look at Peak retreats
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Peak retreats market some accommodation in Les Saisies - all top end, quite expensive. There are a lot of cheaper options, many of them very convenient for the skiing and everything else. The Espace Diamant has almost 200kms of lift-linked skiing - Les Saisies itself being the highest, easiest and most popular centre. It's very busy in peak holiday weeks, not least because it invariably has the best snow for miles around, but in late January/first week of February (before the school holidays) would normally be quiet. Ideal time to visit. What next season will bring, of course, is anybody's guess.
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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 all for your input. The true blue skier is true blue because she loves her skiing nice and easy. She's more than capable of skiing reds, so the odd red (even a steep one) is OK. Too many reds and there'll be trouble 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Redial wrote:
Ski circus has some great blue runs (Leogang in particular). stay in saalbach or hinterglemm. hit 2a first thing down to Vorderglem before heading to Leogang. Give fieberbrun a skip.
I wouldn't take a true-bluer down 2a at anytime. Not a run to boost any timid skier's confidence or enjoyment.
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It is sometimes said that piste 2a is blue in the morning, red by lunchtime, and black in the afternoon  Although it is currently not only blue, but perfectly groomed all day long, thanks to the lack of traffic (every cloud has a silver lining, at least for the locals).
Personally I really enjoy my excursions to Fieberbrunn, which actually favours less confident skiers, in that they can always take a gondola to bypass any runs that they don't like the look of.
@dobby, the Ski Circus sounds ideal for the kind of skiing you're after - 140km of blue runs, 112 red, and 18 black. (Not including Zell am See, which is now linked). Saalbach is the most centrally placed village. If you PM me your email address, I'll gladly send you my comprehensive guide.
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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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valloire is full of blues. Even the reds are wide & short enough to blues elsewhere!
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La Plagne, the whole of the demain can be skied on blue runs and with 11 villages making it up, there's loads of self-catering accommodation to choose from (the majority ski-in, ski-out)
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