 Poster: A snowHead
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Recommendations please.
My husband is an advanced and experienced skier but loves lazy blues too, I am a cautious skier and I’ve never moved off comfortable, ideally tree-lined (no visible edges) blues. We are considering going away for Christmas 21 (if we get to the travel stage of the pandemic by then).
We’ve been to Bulgaria, Andorra, La Plagne, Morzine and have another booking to Corvara.
Any suggestions for somewhere new to us with snow in December that we could enjoy together?
Ideal would be somewhere that we can afford to eat & wine in resort without selling the house.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Bardonecchia would be cheap & full of blues... if you can put up with drag lifts
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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 Mr Egg but modern lift system would be preferable.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I think, once you've done Corvara, you'll be hooked on the Dollies for life.
Cortina is awesome if you just want lazy.skiing, great food and amazing views
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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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Thanks @cameronphillips2000. I hope you’re right but this one will just be 3 weeks before Corvara, so an alternative might be better.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@skiseekers,
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Ideal would be somewhere that we can afford to eat & wine in resort without selling the house.
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How much is your house worth? * 
@cameronphillips2000, +1 Another Dollies alternative, maybe, the opposite side of the main Dolomiti Superski 'doughnut'? For example, Canazei, Alba, Pozza di Fassa.
Accommodation generally lower cost than Corvara and gives easy access to a lot of varied skiing.
Alternatively, Tignes (see snowHeads Pre Season Bash), Courchevel *, maybe Les Arcs/La Plagne.
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@skiseekers, Did you ski in Les Arcs when in La Plagne? If not then it should fit all of your requirements and I personally preferred it to La Plagne but have only spent a little time in La Plagne
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Morillon -
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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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@rambotion - no, I got to the top of La Plagne side but bottled out & didn’t head down Les Arcs side. A couple of our party said it might be a better option so I’d be happy to try it. I take it there’s plenty on Les Arcs side if I wasn’t keen to do the journey back from LP?
Thanks for the suggestion.
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| skiseekers wrote: |
@rambotion - no, I got to the top of La Plagne side but bottled out & didn’t head down Les Arcs side. A couple of our party said it might be a better option so I’d be happy to try it. I take it there’s plenty on Les Arcs side if I wasn’t keen to do the journey back from LP?
Thanks for the suggestion. |
IMV. The Piste skiing in Les Arcs is more interesting and it's where I'd rather stay - but the link means you can enjoy both areas.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
I am a cautious skier and I’ve never moved off comfortable, ideally tree-lined (no visible edges) blues.
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I may be wrong, but aren’t tree lined pistes the dangerous ones? If you leave the piste and hit the trees you can be seriously injured or killed.
There are lots and lots of resorts that meet your wide criteria, but I suspect the strictest ones will be snow in December.
As others have suggested Tignes may be a good choice, but there will be few tree lined runs to explore that are open. Tree lined pistes and December skiing have, IMHO, a low correlation
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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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| PeakyB wrote: |
| Alternatively, Tignes (see snowHeads Pre Season Bash), Courchevel *, maybe Les Arcs/La Plagne. |
Tignes is hardly what I'd call tree-lined, albeit most runs don't have a drop off to the side.
TBH I'd say Austria, was in Ski Amade for Christmas 2019 and plenty to ski even though there hadn't been a huge amount of snow in the preceding weeks. Not got the 'in resort' thing, but does have the flexibility of a ski pass to a massive area and being able to cut your cloth to the conditions/snow.
As a separate observation, have you had many lessons 1 to 1? May be helpful for the confidence to open up more options of places to ski.
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@johnE, for a skier lacking confidence, an open drop is far more scary. Also think it's unkind to plant that kind of idea for someone who has said that they are cautious.
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You know it makes sense.
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| johnE wrote: |
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I am a cautious skier and I’ve never moved off comfortable, ideally tree-lined (no visible edges) blues.
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I may be wrong, but aren’t tree lined pistes the dangerous ones? If you leave the piste and hit the trees you can be seriously injured or killed.
There are lots and lots of resorts that meet your wide criteria, but I suspect the strictest ones will be snow in December.
As others have suggested Tignes may be a good choice, but there will be few tree lined runs to explore that are open. Tree lined pistes and December skiing have, IMHO, a low correlation |
I much prefer tree lined pistes. I find them far prettier. I wouldn't say they were dangerous though, unless they were very steep and narrow with minimal room to turn.
You're right about Trees and December though. You need to be pretty low to be below the tree line, and that normally means touch and go for good snow early in the season. Might be OK in Austria though?
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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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I’m quite an experienced skier, 10 seasons, mostly 1 or 2 holidays per season but didn’t start skiing until I was in my 40s..main issues are a bit of vertigo, drop-offs, ledges and crowds. I can control me but I prefer gentle easy skiing. I’ve had a 121 lesson and plenty of group ones.
Just to be clear, these are still my favourite weeks of the whole year!
Thanks for all the suggestions you knowledgeable people.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@SnoodlesMcFlude, What I was trying to point out is that open drops are not actually as dangerous as trees.
Personally I like a variety in my ski domain. Wide open vistas gazing across the mountains, tree lined pistes for those bad vis days, bump fields, steep bits and, if you can find them, empty cruising reds and blues.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| johnE wrote: |
@SnoodlesMcFlude, What I was trying to point out is that open drops are not actually as dangerous as trees.
Personally I like a variety in my ski domain. Wide open vistas gazing across the mountains, tree lined pistes for those bad vis days, bump fields, steep bits and, if you can find them, empty cruising reds and blues. |
You can have it all at once. Though skiing here in December is touch and go.
https://imgur.com/gallery/D2TI1iz
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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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| skiseekers wrote: |
I’m quite an experienced skier, 10 seasons, mostly 1 or 2 holidays per season but didn’t start skiing until I was in my 40s..main issues are a bit of vertigo, drop-offs, ledges and crowds. I can control me but I prefer gentle easy skiing. I’ve had a 121 lesson and plenty of group ones.
Just to be clear, these are still my favourite weeks of the whole year!
Thanks for all the suggestions you knowledgeable people. |
I think you might enjoy Sauze d'oulx or Sestrierre - relatively high but lots of tree lined runs, wonderful food and reasonable prices
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@SnoodlesMcFlude,
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PeakyB wrote:
Alternatively, Tignes (see snowHeads Pre Season Bash), Courchevel *, maybe Les Arcs/La Plagne.
Tignes is hardly what I'd call tree-lined, albeit most runs don't have a drop off to the side.
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True, though the OP did say ‘ideally tree lined’. Tignes in mid December in a Bash is good value. The OP looking for affordable wining and dining.
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TBH I'd say Austria, was in Ski Amade for Christmas 2019 and plenty to ski even though there hadn't been a huge amount of snow
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Christmas increases chances of snow but certainly increases costs significantly and more crowds to contend with, eg on narrow ledges with drop offs.
If the OP is happy with Christmas costs and crowds it widens the choice of areas likely to have decent snow.
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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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@PeakyB, Christmas in Ski Amade wasn't crowded, at least not until after Christmas day.
New Year in La Plagne and Avoriaz were mental busy and I'd avoid.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@SnoodlesMcFlude, There is a big difference between Christmas and New Year weeks. Christmas week in the Tarrentaise is usually mid level in terms of busy, whereas in the Tarrentaise New Year week is one of, if not the, busiest week of the season.
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Both weeks more expensive than those without a bank holiday in but I guess the OP is well aware of that.
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@PeakyB, I'm just commenting on my experience of December skiing, with a reference to the fact that there wasn't much snow at the time but plenty of skiing. Going earlier in the month is still an options.
Having been on the PSB for a week when students were in Tignes, my experience was that it was actually pretty busy even in the first week of December. Apparently other years are much quieter though.
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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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Madonna di Campiglio
Looking at going there ourselves Xmas 2021/2. Hotels better value than comparator areas (posted TO prices at the moment at least).
And I'm hoping (if we go )and there is a need for artificial snowmaking, it's as good as the stuff they produce in the Sella area.
Lots of tree lined runs but plenty to keep hubby interested as well.
Food and drink..it's Italian. No need to say any more really.
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The resorts with tree lined skiing will be the less snow sure at Christmas.
Having said that, we went to Saalbach Hinterglemm Christmas 2019 and the conditions were very good and all the main runs were open and there was plenty of snow in the village.
Kitzbuhel is similar, and IMO has more of those long, easy, tree lined blues you are after. Accommodation can be expensive, but you can stay in Kirchberg and access the same skiing.
Both Saalbach and Kitzbuhel have some steeper stuff if your OH wants to test himself.
Have a look on YouTube to see if you like the look of them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@SnoodlesMcFlude, of course, we’re all entitled to our opinions and trying to help the OP in response to their questions.
I suggested Tignes as a place with a good snow record in December, all month, though certainly lacking in tree cover and not pretty. I threw Courchevel and Les Arcs in too.
Having been on a Tignes PSB when 3000 students were in the area, I still thought it less busy on the slopes than a late Jan or mid March week, which I’ve done umpteen times. It helped that almost the whole area was open, as snow was good. The bars were rammed from about 2.30 though 
If there are snowsure, prettier affordable places elsewhere then I expect the OP may go for one of those.
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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 think les arcs or Montgenevre would be good options for Christmas week and we have done both in recent years. les Saisies has a lot of gentle tree lined pistes but is a bit lower so I would say Les Arcs and Montgenevre are the safest bets. If you can manage with fewer trees La Rosiere has plenty of wide open pistes with no drops but also offers advanced skiing on the Montvalaisan and in linked la thuile. It is mainly above the treeline on the french side though.
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Les Arcs does have a lot of tree lined runs. All the runs down to Arc 1600 below, say, the Arpette or Deux Tetes are tree lined. Below Plan Violettes all runs to Villaroger are tree lined as are those below the Enfant Terrible in Vallandry. There are some excellent runs amongst them such as Combe in Vallandry, Arolles and Mont Blanc in 1600, but these are not runs for the timid. There are also some terrible runs. In fact one of the least enjoyable runs I have ever done is the blue down from Arc 1600 to La Grange.
If you choose your location correctly Les Arcs is pretty reasnoble for food and drinks. A good Plat du Jour will cost 13 or 14€ and a beer 3 or 4
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You know it makes sense.
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For Austria, you could base yourself in Kaprun/Zell am See (both nice quaint towns in parts) or Mayrhofen, perhaps. There's glaciers to get at if the snow cover's bad, and a good selection of other resorts in the area, easily bus or train accessible, with plenty of pleasant runs (some are tree lined, others wide fields) of blue to red level (and above).
Others are available, I just know both of these fairly well.
I'd also suggest Alpbach, but not sure if snowsure enough for Xmas (though I've been happily in Jan).
Or, if you really want trees, and it's Xmas... Lapland/Finland?
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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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| johnE wrote: |
In fact one of the least enjoyable runs I have ever done is the blue down from Arc 1600 to La Grange.
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That sounds like the blue run down to the village in Les Gets below the cafes at the mid station. The first 100 metres is a horrible combination of sheet ice and moguls after midday. Absolutely grim. Much nicer to take the narrow red, Orchis, or if you can’t hack the red, start it, but take an immediate right down a shortcut through the trees which comes out just under the ice.
If Les Gets would snow sure in December it sounds like it would be perfect for the OP, but it’s only 1200m at the village and the very highest lift goes to 2000m
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Poster: A snowHead
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As mentioned earlier, Madonna di Campiglio has some fabulous tree-lined skiing. Plenty of blues and even the reds aren’t overly demanding. Lovely town and some really nice restaurants.
Serre Chevalier could be an idea. Stay in Monetier - at 1400m it’s the highest town in the area and has several ski to resort options. Overall, there are loads of blue runs, some relatively straight forward reds and a good range of more demanding terrain. Eating out isn’t a problem. A wander around Briancon is well recommended.
If there are any issues re snow cover lower down (after all it’s fairly early in the season), there is sufficient uplift to the higher areas and still good skiing possibilities, albeit not quite so many tree-lined routes.
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