 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sybelles is a nice area if it is the kind of place you are looking for. The ski area is quite pretty though Le Corbier and La Toussuire are not. It reminds me a bit of Portes du Soleil in that it's a large spread-out area in mountains that are not too steep with lifts that are a bit more horizontal than vertical. Lots of pistes and lots of lifts. Off piste is limited. Several nice little family resorts all linked up. People don't like Le Corbier much because of its tower block style. Saint Sorlin D'Arvres is the most characterful but the most remote by road. You don't mention your boys' age but if they are learning on-piste then it should be a fine choice. Good luck
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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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We own an apartment just up the valley in St Michel de Maurienne and can second the above. You could also consider Valmeinier or Valloire which are nice areas to ski and Valloire is a lovely French village which would offer you the cheeky apres end of day beer and both can be pretty much ski in/out depending on the apartment you book.
Enjoy if you end up in Les Sybelles or further up the valley it’s a really nice area.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Ed_sec, yeah, the architecture is definitely not a strong point is it! Boys are 11 and 12, well used to piste skiing so off piste (or lack of!) not a biggie, they do like to bounce off round the edges though!
@andmelffion, will have a look at those resorts too, thank you
@davidof, will have a look at the link, thanks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| andmelffion wrote: |
We own an apartment just up the valley in St Michel de Maurienne and can second the above. You could also consider Valmeinier or Valloire which are nice areas to ski and Valloire is a lovely French village which would offer you the cheeky apres end of day beer and both can be pretty much ski in/out depending on the apartment you book.
Enjoy if you end up in Les Sybelles or further up the valley it’s a really nice area. |
Sounds like we're neighbours (google my BnB name per my message footer to see exactly where I am). I live here full time now so Saint Michel is where my local shops are. Send me a PM when you're next around 
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| Ed_sec wrote: |
| andmelffion wrote: |
We own an apartment just up the valley in St Michel de Maurienne and can second the above. You could also consider Valmeinier or Valloire which are nice areas to ski and Valloire is a lovely French village which would offer you the cheeky apres end of day beer and both can be pretty much ski in/out depending on the apartment you book.
Enjoy if you end up in Les Sybelles or further up the valley it’s a really nice area. |
Sounds like we're neighbours (google my BnB name per my message footer to see exactly where I am). I live here full time now so Saint Michel is where my local shops are. Send me a PM when you're next around |
Will do just that as it would be good to know somebody local, am heading over in a few weeks for a very brief visit to bring our car over for the winter season
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We're in St Sorlin just before Christmas, we've skied here 3 other times and I'd have to say the best variety of skiing is in St Sorlin. Some of the links used to be horribly slow although someone did say some had recently been replaced, we'll see lol. It's the prettiest village in the area IMHO as well, we've picked up a nice apartment with Sunweb so looking forward to it.
We did stay in St Jean one year - it was cheap but its really a long way off the main area so i wouldn't recommend it.
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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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@andy n netty, thanks you, does look nicer than Le Corbier / La Toussiere but I wasn't sure about the lift connections. Have also been looking at Sunweb, even for HT their prices are "cheap" (in as much as a ski holiday is cheap!).
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Chalets Les Choseaux is our accommodation with Sunweb - a bit nicer than I'm used to if I'm being honest lol
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Even though it is pug ugly, I really liked Le Corbier when I stayed there. St Sorlin is the most attractive village, but Le Toussuire almost the most convenient and you can ski down the main street.
I liked it as a ski region - not the fastest lift system, but functional nonetheless and few pinch points, maybe the drags by the snow park above Le Corbier but the capacity is pretty good.
I never went in Feb half term but I would imagine it is a good choice compared with 3Vs or Paradiski those weeks and there is loads of skiing - it is a big region and lots of run variety.
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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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| Quote: |
I would imagine it is a good choice compared with 3Vs or Paradiski
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It's not obvious why you would imagine that. I am very familiar with the Espace Diamant, which is well off the British half term beaten track, with no UK tour operators, but still very busy with French visitors. The bigger areas often have faster and better connected uplift - slower, older, systems can get stuffed up more readily. That's particularly true in the two "Paris weeks", which this year is the fortnight ending 4 March. Mind you, I would still tend to prefer a smaller, more French, area without hordes of Brits. But if forced to ski in the 4 week French winter holidays, I'd go to Italy.
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Skied two half terms in Les Sybelles - based in Toussiere. As others have said not the prettiest but lots of options to travel. Never found it very busy, even though one of the weeks clashed with Paris. Stayed with Sunweb both times, cheap and cheerful. I'd go back if/when i'm stuck with school holiday skiing again but as my granddaughter is only 2 i'm guessing we've got a few more years before then. 
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You know it makes sense.
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I stayed in St Jean in late March directly after 2 weeks in Alpe D'Huez.
Other than the one lift out, one very slushy run back the rest of the area was more than enough to keep me occupied!
Back there late January for a few days on the bicycle 
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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 think I was just very fortunate to be generally able to avoid holiday weeks in France. My idea of a tolerable lift queue is to wait for maybe 4 - 8 people in front. Skiing straight onto a lift is even better. It's not just the lifts, in half term week, it's also the high costs and, if you drive, the risk of major delays. I would always prefer to take a chance on Christmas or Easter. Christmas isn't always perfect on the slopes, but it beats eating and drinking too much whilst watching too much.
telly.
You will become one of those useful skiing grannies, @snowlamb. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
I think I was just very fortunate to be generally able to avoid holiday weeks in France. My idea of a tolerable lift queue is to wait for maybe 4 - 8 people in front. Skiing straight onto a lift is even better. It's not just the lifts, in half term week, it's also the high costs and, if you drive, the risk of major delays. I would always prefer to take a chance on Christmas or Easter. Christmas isn't always perfect on the slopes, but it beats eating and drinking too much whilst watching too much.
telly.
You will become one of those useful skiing grannies, @snowlamb. |
I have driven into The Maurienne at Feb Half Term - compared to The Tarentaise and resorts nearer Geneva, it was a joy, with much less traffic. I think the risk of delays there is much reduced.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A lot depends on which French regions are on holiday which weeks.
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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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We don't coincide with Paris this year but most of London seems to be off that week so that'll add to queues this side. TBH, we've driven coinciding with and without Paris before and we've not noticed much difference but we've never driven to the Tarentaise at HT, only Geneva area resorts, so hit those bottle necks instead! @Yellow Snow, that's useful info about the Maurienne valley as a whole.
@pam w, it must be bliss to be able to travel outside school holidays and weekends but unfortunately, we're at that stage of life with kids in high / grammar schools where bunking off would be much frowned upon and not the brightest move. Another few years and they'll be working or at uni so we can leave them and go when we like and leave the blighters behind 
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FAQ
about it, I guess it's a more French folks destination. Yes, I am aware it's French HT week too but we've survived the drive and other French resorts before!
