 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, as the title says...We've always avoided busy holiday weeks, preferring the week before Christmas, but the Mrs not happy about coming back so soon before Christmas on the 23rd next season-she takes Christmas far more seriously than I do. I can see the world and its dog is on holiday that week whereas it will be very quiet 16-23 (which is when I want to go) but does that translate to packed slopes and big queues? Thinking of 3v, probably Les Menuires-flights to Geneva and then hire a car. Can take a bit of extra travel hassle but it's the super busy slopes I don't like.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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In my experience, things tend to get busy in ski areas from the 26 or 27th. Lots of families who drive to ski don't stick to weekend to weekend holidays like Brits do on package trips.
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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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| snowhound wrote: |
Hi, as the title says...We've always avoided busy holiday weeks, preferring the week before Christmas, but the Mrs not happy about coming back so soon before Christmas on the 23rd next season-she takes Christmas far more seriously than I do. I can see the world and its dog is on holiday that week whereas it will be very quiet 16-23 (which is when I want to go) but does that translate to packed slopes and big queues? Thinking of 3v, probably Les Menuires-flights to Geneva and then hire a car. Can take a bit of extra travel hassle but it's the super busy slopes I don't like.
Thanks in advance. |
We did those dates this December just gone and went to Flaine. It wasn't too bad but busier than I hoped. However later spotted that France had their school holidays that week as well. It certainly was nowhere near Feb half term. However next year I note no other school holidays conflicting. We have booked Flights that week to Munich and will book somewhere in austria.
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As others have said its busier but nowhere near peak new year and Feb, people don't tend to be out skiing as much (24&25th)either. Nice time to be in resort.
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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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I've been over Christmas the last few years including 3V this year and Zermatt the previous. I find it is great between about the 17-24th, it is still reasonably quiet until about the 27th then it is packed until the new year.
If you know your way around the mountain and can anticipate the bottlenecks and it is possible to avoid a lot of it, apart from the necessary lifts at the start and end of the day.
Saying that I am not sure I'd go again, we spent a week in Tignes from 17-24th and the 3V to the 1st and the value for money for the second week just wasn't worth it for me.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Depends on where you go, friends went to our apartment in the Maurienne valley on 27th December just gone and skied Valfrejus, La Norma and Aussois before we joined them on 29th and took in Val Cenis, Valfrejus and Aussois again for a few days. Longest queue we had in the whole 7 days between us was less than 2 minutes with quiet slopes and whilst not great low down snow conditions were pretty good overall.
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We did 3 valleys 21st dec to 2nd jan. Stayed in 1650 and it was pretty quiet most of the time, probably queues around 10mins for suisse lift when we got the timing wrong. Much quieter than feb half term.
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Usually week of Christmas is "less" crowdy than week of new year. This year it was the case at La Plagne despited week of Christmas was more crowdy than other years
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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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Been lots of times at Christmas and a couple previous week - see latest and list of TR's if you have time to read.
Summary is week before definitely quieter but Christmas week is also a fine.
We were in 3V (La Tania) Christmas week 2017.
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I stayed in les menuires Christmas week 2021-22 season, snow conditions were excellent and it was not particularly busy, but caveat to that was that was when brits had to be in France by the Friday evening of the preceding week at short notice (covid rules).
fortunately I was able to get out in time before the borders closed, not sure if this impacted many other UK travellers and hence skier numbers?
was planning to go to 3V's this season as well at Christmas, but family commitments did not allow this, may look at going this Christmas instead.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Are you locked into 7 days?
When we go to Canada it's for 2 weeks across Easter weekend (when the world comes out to play). We ski Sun-Fri, book something else Sat-Sun like a dog tour or shopping while there is chaos on the slopes, and ski Mon-Fri following.
You could have a very quiet week skiing, stay in your hotel/apartment etc doing Christmas, relax and go home.
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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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If staying over Christmas definitely ski Christmas Day - it's quieter because people celebrate Christmas Eve and take it easy the next day.
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We were in the PdS over this Christmas. Wasn't overly busy. No real queues anywhere apart from where the masses were coming up from Morzine and Les Gets due to their pistes being closed due to lack of snow, so probably felt busier than it would have usually if the whole area was open.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for all the replies. Pleased to read that it is a bit busier (particularly in the second half of the week) but not completely mental. I hate lift queuing with a passion.
@Orange200, Yes, as we need to rent an apartment which is pretty much Sat-Sat in the Alps. We usually go first week Easter but have got the GCSE/A Level double whammy next year.
@Layne, big fan of the week before Christmas-been plenty of times then, unfortunately the Mrs always puts herself under pressure to do A Proper Christmas with only two day lead up. I'd be happy with a turkey and stuffing baguette on the slopes.
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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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We have been going, with the exception of covid and chemo every Christmas for over 20 years . And it has mostly been OK crowd wise. The two exceptions being St Anton where some of the people in our chalet gave up completely due to the crowds and this year when Christmas fell on a Sunday and the french schools went back new year week. The fact that many resorts had poor snow forced a lot of punters to come to les arcs.
So my suggestion is yes Christmas week is a good time to come skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| snowhound wrote: |
| Yes, as we need to rent an apartment which is pretty much Sat-Sat in the Alps. |
For reasons I won't go into we booked Monday to Monday this Christmas just gone. Sat to Sat is still the standard but I think some flexible is creeping in - especially around the Christmas period when things can be messy anyway with how Christmas and New Year falls. So worth looking/considering if it helps.
| snowhound wrote: |
| We usually go first week Easter but have got the GCSE/A Level double whammy next year. |
That's us this year but I think we are still going. Feel it might actually be good for the kids to have the break - they have already done their mocks and will be studying full on until then anyway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IME, snow conditions at Christmas are becoming more unpredictable and more of a gamble.
Our Christmas just gone (in Wengen) saw:
1. Rain in the village. Sometimes, but not always, this was snow up top.
2. Limited lifts operating.
3. Lots of slope, and non-slope users.
This all boiled down to everyone wanting to stay high on limited open runs, it got very congested. If there was no new snow it was bulletproof, if there was new snow it was skied out by 10am. Add into the mix that the Jungfrau is a global destination for large tour groups of non-slope users, meant uplift/down lift was strained at times (we had a 40min queue for the first gondola, only about 1/4 of the queue were slope users).
On the plus side, my wife and I got to meet the very congenial Mr. Pink. (If our paths cross in Arabba in a few weeks, it’s our round!  )
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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 went to Austria Christmas just gone. We went Friday-Friday (23-30th). Slopes were quiet Christmas Eve as that was a Saturday, so transfer day. We spoke to a few people that evening that had arrived that day. Not too busy on Christmas Day, but busy on the nursery slope as it was ski school start day. Boxing Day onward it got busier and felt a bit nuts by about the 28th.
This was nn part due to the ski schools progressing up the slopes, partly because a key blue was partially closed due to poor snow cover on one section. This is a blue that is popular with ski schools as it's mild and links to the other half of the resort. It being closed essentially shut half the mountain to anyone unable or unwilling to ski the short, but steep and icy red that linked to the open part of that blue (I successfully navigated said red on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and it kicked my ass on Boxing Day due to ice. I didn't go for a fourth go at it). Also, visitor numbers noticeably increased after Boxing Day, but were stuck on one side of the resort due to that closed run.
Lift waits were the same as I've noticed on a previous trip. Absolutely nuts between 0930 and 1030 as the ski school gets going (and parents who have dropped off). Then busy at lunch and end of ski school periods. Little waiting any other time.
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| dode wrote: |
| IME, snow conditions at Christmas are becoming more unpredictable and more of a gamble. |
I don't think that is true. I mean climate change does mean in general that there are more weather events and they are a little more extreme but it's a subtle thing. Christmas or pre-Christmas we started going in 2009 and it's always been unpredictable but we've had some fantastic ones even recently and some dodgy ones (2014 for example). This year was a bit odd/extreme simply because the height of the freezing line and how it persisted at that level for many days. Actually, it was the same back when we went in April but I would be surprised if it wasn't different again come next Christmas.
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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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@Layne, we’ve been going from a around about the same time as you. The only memorable Christmas week we’ve had was in Banff, but that was a week where the stars collided and probably the only time I’ve experienced thigh deep, light as a feather, dry snow. Every one in europe has been more governed by snowmaking ability than actual snowfall.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| dode wrote: |
| @Layne, we’ve been going from around about the same time as you. The only memorable Christmas week we’ve had was in Banff, but that was a week where the stars collided and probably the only time I’ve experienced thigh deep, light as a feather, dry snow. Every one in europe has been more governed by snowmaking ability than actual snowfall. |
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@dode, looking back through my TR's
2009 - 19th to 26th Dec - La Plagne - epic, massive dump on the first weekend
2010 - 18th December to 25th - ADH - a bit of everything, started cold, warmed and rained below 1800, then got cold and snowed to low levels
2011 - 24th to 31st Dec - La Plagne - really good coverage of snow to lower levels and had a good dump towards the end of the week
2012 - 23rd to 20th Dec - Les Contamines - fantastic week - good coverage and fresh dumps
2013 - 21st to 28th Dec - ADH - very similar to 2010 - great conditions overall
2014 - 20th to 27th Dec - Tignes - really poor to start to the season and because Les Sept Laux didn't open had to switch last minute to Tignes - massive storm blew in on Sat 27th
2015 - 19th to 26th Dec - La Plagne - very poor year with lots of thin cover - no fresh snow
2016 - 17th to 24th Dec - La Plagne - been no snow for a month before we arrived and didn't have much when we were there so little off piste - pistes were holding up well though
2017 - 23rd to 30th Dec - 3V - fantastic week with fresh dump in the second half
2018 - 22nd to 29th Dec - La Plagne - very meh week weather wise - no fresh. And slopes/lifts quite busy
2019 - 21st to 28th Dec - La Plagne - 3 days of snow, then wind made off piste crusty but then couple of great powder days. Again busy.
2020 and 2021 - Covid
2022 - 19th to 26th Dec - La Plagne - looking back probably one of the worst we had - freezing level high which made precipitation no good - piste skiing all week. Lifts/pistes quiet.
Hope that helps some to assess conditions
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@snowhound,
I've worked in the Alps for about 5 x Winters and have visited for at least another 5 x Xmas and New Years.
As some others have said..... New Year is normally busier that Xmas.
New Year for me is comparable with Half Term Weeks.
I've always found that the visitor numbers build after Xmas with locals and 2nd Home owners (inc french) coming to resort just after Xmas.
So this year the Xmas week 2023 the Sunday 24th and monday 25th should be OK (Xmas Day actually not that many workers can get on teh hill). Then the visitor numbers should start to build from te 26th with it feeling busier again from the 27th.
I love Xmas week. rember that its shorter days and shaded runs get icy sooner in the afternoon.
Its a week to get out early, Ski till 3pm then the best skiing has already be done. I rarely Ski past 3:30pm December and January.
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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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@snowhound, My (limited) experience is that from 25th onwards it gets busier each day... 30th in Tignes this year was very busy. We left the following day (as planned) so do not know what is was like New Year week. But, I suspect, busy.
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@@247snowman, @Sfellows, many thanks, that's really useful and seems to be the general message. In the end, we will probably have to go for Christmas week not least because a friend can house sit the dog that week!
But I've just looked at car hire prices for Geneva (Swiss side) and blimey, it's expensive-and is the week 16-23 before as well. £700-800 for an intermediate car, I've never paid more than £350 for a week before.....The big plus is they come with winter tyres but not sure if they are worth the extra £400 on top of the hire cost from Lyon or the French side. Might learn how to use chains between now and December...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@snowhound, dont panic yet on car hire. I have been looking for the week before 16th Dec and lots of places it is a bit too early. So you may find better prices in next few weeks.
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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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@NickyJ, Fingers crossed! But when I do a search on Autoeurope/Holiday autos and the like, all the main hire company names are listed so not sure how many more there are to add. Maybe they're not sure of how many cars they'll have so selling the ones they currently have for top dollar.
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When I tried Expedia it wouldnt let me a couple of weeks ago. Tried again yesterday and could do 16th dec to 20th I think it was. Don't know if being Munich is making a difference?
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You know it makes sense.
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If you're used to New Year Christmas will seem quiet. If you're used to the week before Christmas, Christmas will seem busy!
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FAQ
