 Poster: A snowHead
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Here’s my report from my trip (6 people) to Valloire 7th to 14th Jan 23
Travel – Flight from Gatwick to Turin and 2 hour taxi transfer (£700 return), very smooth as there was no snow between Turin and Valloire ! Used to drive to French ski resorts, but this was pretty stress-free
Accommodation – Chalet L’Igloo in the centre of town, above a very good restaurant, just a few mins walk to many other restaurants/shops and the two gondolas. 4 bed apartment with a balcony and a large living area approx. £1500 for the week
Valloire – Lovely small town with plenty of Alpine charm and lo-rise chalets. Good range of restaurants, two decent supermarkets, a couple of bars/clubs, ice-rink, bowling etc. It’s VERY French – only heard English voices TWICE in the whole week and some places didn’t attempt to speak English (which is fine), but still very polite. We also went to the International Ice Sculpture competition in Les Verneys on the Friday and there was a snow sculpture competition in Valloire the next week. Prices seemed VERY reasonable to me. Non-Fondue/Raclette meals worked out less than £30/head with wine and dessert, £40 for the Fondue/Raclette meals. Pizzas were £10 - £15, Vin Chaud was £4 or £5 and there was a local brewery selling reasonably priced beer. Mountain restaurants were generally pretty good, but we usually only had paninis/chips/soup. Never felt I was being ripped off. Had some great burgers in the Bar du Soleil at the bottom of the Setaz gondola.
Lessons – Most of us had a useful refresher lesson with ESI and the first-timer had group lessons with them all week (only 4 or 5 in the group though she was the only English person). She progressed well and was parallel turning at the end of the week. Most of our group were happy on blues and greens – a couple of us (me included) also took to the reds (I would do a black if it’s short enough after a vin chaud  ). We all rented ski equipment from Sport 2000 - they were very helpful and happy to replace/fix equipment.
Skiing/Snow – It snowed quite a lot on the first 2 days of skiing and the Tuesday was a perfect powder day. The 2 gondolas serve the 2 main mountains – Setaz has a range of runs for all abilities and also allows you to ski over to Les Verneys in the next valley via lovely wooded greens and blues. There was also a very steep icy red down the middle that we steered clear of given the number of people sliding down it ! The other mountain via the Brive gondola was a little more exposed at the top but again had a good range of runs up to intermediate at least but also the start of a beautiful (in decent weather) long blue back down the valley to the Setaz side. The was also a winding blue back to the base gondola that was a little steep in parts for the novice skiers and also a bit hard/icy/slushy at various points near the bottom. From the “Brive” side you could ski from the top down over to …
Valmeinier (included in the lift pass) – in good snow there should be 4 or 5 ways down, but due to the lack of snow prior to our week, only ONE blue run was open initially with a sign at the top “Not suitable for beginners” – too right ! It was probably the hardest run of the week, steep, mogully, narrow in parts, icy & busy. They opened a couple more at the end of the week which were better, but the gentlest run at the lower part of the mountain remained closed, so the novices in our group never skied over. Valmeinier itself consists of the purpose built 1800 resort in a treeless bowl + some lower down villages (accessed by an interesting chair lift across the valley !). The best runs were the two new reds right at the top of the highest point from the Sandoniere lift – the rest consisted of a fair combination of blues & reds, a fun park, plus winding greens that were rather narrow and often very busy, with the main green ending in a very steep (for a green) descent to the 1800 centre. Two of us took the long and at times flat, run down the valley to get the chairs back up to Valloire (you can also take a different route). We generally preferred the Valloire area for skiing.
Also, there is NO free shuttle service between Valmeinier and Valloire which was disappointing. We had to book a return coach between the two, which was fine when the 4 novices came to Valmeinier, but when I also joined them on the way back once, 2 coaches drove past us and the third eventually opened the door then told us ski boots were “forbidden” !! We had to take them off in the slush and put them with the skis to get on !
But overall, I’ve been to about 15 resorts over the years in Europe (3V twice) and Canada (& Turkey !) and this really was one of the best experiences I’ve had. Everyone had a great time and would happily go back.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to Snowheads @Gjhai1, what a great start! It's obvious you've not been here long and had not absorbed the frequently-repeated mantra that French apartments are cramped rabbit hutches in purpose built soulless resorts and the food and drink on the mountain a complete rip-off. 
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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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Did you try the burgers in the field/courtyard/play area just in front of where you stayed?
The blue to val. - is that the one that splits from the red? no idea why it's a blue.
How was the run back into the village? was it open?
Your lift pass also includes a day at les sybelles & I think you can also pay a small top up for Val Thoren via Orelle. Really need a car though.
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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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Didn't try those burgers, what was it called? We had lovely takeaway pizzas from the shack at the corner La cabane à Nono
Yes, I think that blue (Pierre du midi) does split from a red
Both the blue on the Brive side and the green on the Setaz side to Valloire were open. The green was more pleasant and in better condition.
We did consider the other options which is an added bonus, but without a car it was a bit of a pain. There was enough in the local area to keep us all happy for a week though.
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Ah yes, walked past it a couple of times I think. Couldn't see it from our place as there is an apartment in the way and it wasn't on our route to the slopes/ski shop
Looks good though, on my list should we return 
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Great report - feel like this is somewhere I would to ski before too long
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