Best location for group of 9?

A snowHead

Hi Guys,

First post on here so go easy please! Very Happy

I am looking for places that is best suited for our group. We are a group of 9, 5 skiers and 4 boarders with mixed ability (some have only been once, some have been a few times and 3 of us have been skiing our whole life).

We are all in our late 20's so Après is high on the priority for us, looking for a self catered Chalet not fussed if it's close to town or not (will use shuttle buses). We are aiming for the first week of March, would prefer a medium sized resort, we went to Meribel last year and it was awesome but prices for alcohol was a little steep for us, although we got used to it by the end of the week.

I've had LDA on my mind but I am seeing mixed reviews, we are easily pleased so I can't see it being an issue however, welcome to other ideas.

A snowHead

The first week of March is still French holidays, so accommodation will be expensive, and pistes crowded. Following week better. When you say "chalet", you presumably mean an apartment, not a self-contained building? Which would be ££££££££££££ If apres is important, you don't want to stick yourselves in a place where the nearest bar is a schlep - transport after lifts close is often sketchy. You'd probably like LDA - but the point about timing still applies. There might be somewhere in Austria which would suit you well - I don't know how busy the first week of March would be there.

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

Val Thorens, Val d’Isere, St Anton, Verbier would all suit although your drinks bill won’t go down!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@Ryanwhu93, welcome to snowHeads!

I think LDA could be a good choice for you. It's got good skiing, is snow sure in March (it has a glacier at the top that is used for summer skiing in normal times, this summer with the frequent heatwaves that's had to be somewhat curtailed) and there are plenty of après ski bars in town. A year or two back the lift operation in LDA was taken over by the company who runs the lifts in nearby Alpe d'Huez and I think with a week's LDA lift pass you can get 1 day skiing at ADH on it. There's a bus goes from LDA to ADH on certain days of the week, costs a few Euros from memory, although I think you have to book it beforehand (I'm sure LDA tourist office can confirm details). So two resorts in one week, what's not to like?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Ryanwhu93, Definitely not St Anton, i'd say with the mixed level of experience you'd be better at Val D'Isere/ Tignes or Meribel/ 3V, or if Austria Mayrhofen, Kitzbuhel/ Kirchberg or Saalbach. It'll not be cheap though, my advice is use the chalet as a base, buy alcohol from supermarkets and go steady on the apres.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Thanks all for your input.

We didn't want to go back to Meribel as a few have been a couple of times and want a change of scenery and most wanted to keep costs to the minimum so they have more for Après! Very Happy

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Ryanwhu93, Welcome to SH's.

LDA is a complete marmite resort, loved by some, disliked by others. So it would be a bit of a punt for you.

Might be easier to find 2 x 4-6 people apartments than one for 9.

As pam says mid-March better.

Alcohol is steep in most of the Alps except for I believe Andorra or Bulgaria. I know some guys or shall we say as equally into Apres as they are skiing who go to Andorra every year. I don't think the skiing is too bad either.

Generally Austria is regarded as the best for Apres.

After all it is free

L2A, Alpe D'Huez is another good call for mixed ability and a bit of action in a not too expensive wrapper.

Maybe somewhere in Austria that isn't the Arlberg or Ischgl? Soll? Saalbach?

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snow reports

what about sauze d'oulx, i know its not everyone's cup of tea and was sometimes labelled as "Benidorm on ice", but it has a reasonable ski area (the milky way), and a fairly short transfer of around an hour.

though i haven't been for some time, i do remember it being cheaper than France and had a lively après scene.

Bit of a left field suggestion - Livigno in Italy. It's a duty free area for historical reasons so booze is cheap there, and being high (the town is at 1816 metres with skiing up to 2798 metres) is snow secure. The only major drawback is that being quite remote up a valley it's a long transfer from any airport (usually Milan).

You know it makes sense.

@Alastair Pink, i went to livigno the same year that i went to Sauze, it was in the mid 90's, you are right it was comparatively cheap booze compared to the high French resorts i had previously visited.

a big drawback with the resort, is that it is spread out over the valley, and you require buses to get from one side to the other

it was a torturous 5+ hours coach journey from Bergamo airport, the transfer was that long, that on the way there you stopped half way for a meal, all the holidaymakers (it was 2 coachloads) were given a baguette and a drink, but the coach drivers and reps had a full meal with wine!!!

Also, the time i went there was landslide between Bormio and livigno, so we had to spend the night in Bormio. to this day, i am still amazed how the T/O's reps managed to get us all beds for the night in Bormio, along with a meal, we all got p!!!!d together in a bar that night!!!

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

Mayrhofen would suit your crew, France doesn't hold a candle to Österreich when it comes to apres.

A snowHead

We went to Livigno from Zurich - might be a bit quicker. I think we stopped at St Moritz for a wee stop

A snowHead

Les 2 Alpes would be as good as anywhere in France I'd say it's fairly livley, few decent pubs and fair bit cheaper than the mega resorts.
Austria definitely best bet tho for your overall requirements, Kitzbhuel or Mayrhofen would be my choice.

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

@Ryanwhu93, wherever you end up, how would you be travelling there? That might make a difference to choice of destination.

Drive in own vehicle(s) the whole way?
Fly, then hire vehicles?
Independent, separately booked flight, transfers and accommodation?
Package deal with flight, transfers and accommodation?
Something else?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Good questions and just as a guide for the OP, driving typically costs between £500-£700 return, depending on route and vehicle. Last season, a lot of people switched to driving because the flight situation was so disruptive, with cancellations and delays commonplace. As it stands, on personal experience, it still seems that way now. Of course, driving can still be subject to delays and issues as well. Additionally, last season saw phases where car hire was exceptionally expensive, so self-drive was sometimes far cheaper than fly-drive: it's not clear yet whether this still applies, so worth checking for your dates.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Welcome to the mayhem - and as always, some excellent advice above.

- I didn't like L2A when there....but it is subjective.

- Val D'Isere ticks most boxes but will be expensive and the skiing suits the better skier. There are great ski schools and reasonable skiing for less competent skies (who can download on lifts to avoid the tricky runs into the resort).

- Tignes is a cheaper option. The apres isn't quite as good, but may be enough depending on what you are after

- If hitting the French school holidays, it will be crowded and more expensive as highlighted by Pam

- As mentioned above, Austria is known for its Apres.

- IIRC Livigno and Andora are duty free, so booze is cheaper. I went to the former years ago and it was a 7 hour schlep in a bus from Milan. I haven't been to Andora, but heard good things about it re nightlife and ski instruction.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Ryanwhu93, if you want sensible booze prices then look to Italy or Austria and divorce yourself from the French fleece market.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@Ryanwhu93, travel sounds great.
Have you booked accommodation already?

@Ryanwhu93, good job on making a decision and trying DIY.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Get yourself over to Austria
Hinterglem or saalbach
Great fun, good interlink lifts to Leo gang too

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snow reports

My general rule for a large group is er on the side of the better skiers. Most beginners will ski very limited slopes and really don't know any better anyhow. Almost every resort has sufficient green terrain. Progressing skiers generally are not as adventurous. The quality skiers, or solid intermediates, will ski lots of miles and want varied terrain and challenge. They will be the most upset if you limit them. I book large groups every year and try to find a snow sure place, good Après, good Intermediate terrain and plenty of challenge.

You know it makes sense.

@Ryanwhu93, follow the TO page and instagram etc. Morzine and Les Gets did do a black Friday sale last year for example so its not unheard of.

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

A snowHead

For the experienced skiers in your group: of course with LDA you can go to the top of the skiing area and only a short walk takes you over into the off-piste challenges of La Grave. Of course without a guide you are really restricted to the two main routes down which quickly become un-groomed pistes, which you should stick to (so don't go over with restricted visibility). For more challenging off-piste, hire a guide (not sure if there are guided groups to join in LDA, as there are in La Grave.)

A snowHead

@snowball, Last time I skied la Grave the glacier drag lift had not been put into operation for the season, without which it's a long taxi ride back to LDA. Easy enough to check, but don't just assume (and I imagine it would be well signed at the top if not).

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

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@Chaletbeauroc, oh OK, I haven't been to La Grave when the drag lifts weren't working.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@snowball, This was Jan 2018. The drag was still there but the glacier level had receded so much that the poles would have been about three metres above the snow. Normally glacier lifts are re-sited each season, but they clearly hadn't done so that year. ISTR the story was that they didn't have enough money to do the work required. Sad

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Ryanwhu93, I think you missed a trick not looking at mayrhofen. It would suit you guys down to a tea.. sorry beer!

Help!!

Best location for group of 9?

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste