Half term 12-19th Feb frenzy or not?

A snowHead

Hi all,

I am wondering what half term will be like this year given the current covid travel situation plus those with teenagers not wishing to travel.

Would usually be put off booking due to the stress and overcrowding in resorts however am thinking of squeezing another week in whilst the little'un is off.

Perhaps those involved in accommodation have some insight into occupancy levels?

Would usually never even consider France however have started to toy with the idea if not going to be as mad busy as usual.

Thanks in advance.

A snowHead

On the Sainte Foy FB page there seems to be a few places coming up because of cancellations but they go quick , seems to be plenty who couldn’t go at New Year now going HT . I expect Sainte Foy to full to the rafters as usual

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Not all schools have the same dates for half term. My grand daughters are at school in Hampshire and their half term starts Monday 21st February (actually starts Friday 18th as that is an INSET day). I have no idea about the rest of the country.

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we cancelled our half term trip when the restrictions came back in December

have booked it again now things look more promising that we'll be able to go

our school half term is 21st week (so we arrive in France on 19th)

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Based on what I have seen regarding requests for chalets, ski instructors and nannies the 12-26th looks to be VERY BUSY.

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Please tell me your Scottish based, I thought English half term was Sat 19th. & I throught I had missed that

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Finding a resort thats not popular with brits should help, last time we were over two years ago we had a free day in les carroz we had a 45 min queue for one lift, then found a tiny resort the next day only about 20 runs but the only brits there, wasnt too busy and noticable lack of uncontrolled skiers.

After all it is free

20 Feb - 6 March is Paris holidays - I wouldn't personally go to any French resort then if I could help it. If the dates were unchangeable I'd go to Italy.

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Yep. I agree with Pam, Skiing in France at HT is normally busy but when it clashes with one of the Paris weeks then it really is too busy to be enjoyable.

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The experience from New Year here was that any cancellations were quickly filled by French Belgiums and Dutch ( who were in lockdown? ). Presumably the same will apply to the 'holidays'. Any apartments that have been put up for sale are quickly snapped up by the French, mainly Paris based who now appreciate the open country side. At least 3 'blocks' that were mainly English owned now find they are in the minority.

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12th-19th is less busy, but busy
19th-26th is rammed and the main UK half term

Obviously you have the French dates as well, from different regions. However I'm reliably informed that the first week is not so bad, compared to the second one.

We're going 19th-26th February when booking with Eurotunnel that week came up cheaper than the week before they're pricing was based on the previous week being main half term.

What I've found is first lift can take 15-20 mins to get to the front of the queue but other lifts higher up no issue at all and its never felt overcrowded apart from last run down end of day always more busy.

I'm struggling to think of anything else at the moment so desperate to go away and avoid another dose before we take 24 LTDs on the 18th February my wife runs a nursery and that's out us in the firing line before.

You know it makes sense.

A lot of London is 12-19 Feb from what I know - all three of our schools are.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I have always avoided HT but this year we are forced into it because we ditched the Christmas trip and my daughter wants to be somewhere else Easter weekend so it is her only opportunity.

I have read plenty of threads previously and I think two years had a thread about going HT and if I was nuts.

You seem to get different stories a little and that may be down to expectations more than anything. If people tell you to avoid it at all costs and it's carnage then clearly you will be delighted if you have a 10 minute queue in the morning and the piste isn't like the M25 on a bad day! On the other hand if you normally ski off peak and haven't really considered the effect of the HT rush then you could be quite taken aback.

A snowHead

Thank you all for your input so far, good to hear the Paris holidays are the following week at least that keeps some of the crowd at bay.

We recently returned from La Thuile which was very quiet therefore was thinking of hitting Italy once again however I am unsure how quickly the situation in Italy may deteriorate as I have noticed La Thuile have moved to orange and now limiting lift pass numbers.

I have been considering Austria however the thought of France may appeal given the recent relaxing of UK travel rules and hopefully no more rule changes until half term.

A snowHead

Here is the thread

I am going with this "@Layne, stick with what you know. You know the choke points and times from experience. They will be busier, but you can avoid the worst with your knowledge."

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For those who drive, the Novotel in Reims Tinqueux is already full for the Friday night stopover. It wasn't full at Christmas, if that gives any indication.

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Every half term we've been to in France (admittedly to the more renowned ones), it's been very busy - La Plagne was about the worst with hour long queues on occasion and blues coming back to the villages were M25esqe. Then we discovered Grandvalira Andorra where queues were minimal to non existent. As it's seen as a beginner's resort, the reds and blacks were almost deserted. Heard that the Pyrenees has great snow this season too.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I work at a dry ski slope, and we seem to be just as manic at the moment as any other year trying to fit in lessons for everyone who is going at half term and has left it till just before they go to try to get lessons. So I would not expect it to be any quieter than normal - it may even be busier, like opening the flood gates and releasing the pent up demand after 2 years of no skiing...

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@karin, you'd expect more people to be dry sloping as they can't go to the mountains.

That said I still expect a normal HT in France.

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Grandvalira is busy from Saturday to Shrove Tuesday. Everyone goes back to work/school on the Wednesday.

After all it is free

@Jonny996, we're in Scotland and off 5th-12th Feb.

Which do you guys think would be the best option for half term skiing then?

Italy
Austria
France

Puzzled

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@scoman, general consensus over the years is anywhere but France.

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I'd second Aosta Valley. La Thuile is great and you can ski into La Rosiere which is relatively quiet for a French resort.

Thanks,

Recently returned from La Thuile, have Passo Tonale and Cervinia short listed. Cervinia does tick a lot of boxes.

Help!!

Half term 12-19th Feb frenzy or not?

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