 Poster: A snowHead
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well, as some of you may know, Mrs NBT and I have been lucky enough to win a ski holiday thanks to some tickets we bought from PG in support of the Junior GB ski team.
The brochure arrived today and we've been scanning it eagerly to find the best hotels / resorts / skiing
we've kind of narrowed it down to about six resorts now, so it's time to see what you guys think - in no particular order, the resorts we've seen are:
Alpe d'Huez
Les Deux Alpes
Maria Alm (in austriam part of the Hochkonig ski domain)
Sestriere
Vars
Artesina (italy, linked to Prato Nevoso)
Any thoughts on the above resorts?
Cheers all!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alpe d'Huez - fantastic. You always feel like you're skiing to somewhere. When I was there, nightlife was pretty good and on one night lunatic (Smithys).
LDA - very straight up and straight down, a bit like US, but if you have a GUIDE fantastic. Runs back into resort, if they've got the snow are fantastic. Good night out. One of the best days I ever skied, we were supposed to be in lessons and this Welsh ski inst. took us off for a day in La Grave. There were points where I took my skis off and walked round stuff.
Sestriere - has some fantastic high speeed lifts, you can ski to France or Sauze. To be honest though, I'd go for either of the above first.
The others I've never hear'd (is that legit ??) of.
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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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nbt, I've not been to Maria Alm specifically but I have been to that region and it's stunning.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Be adventurous and go to one of the places you've never heard of. You'll probably end up going to Alpe d'Huez or Deux Alpes at some point in your skiing life so take this, free, opportunity to try somewhere different.
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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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nbt, transfers are a bit long to Vars, part of the Forêt Blanche domain link to Risoul on the other side of the mountain, it's not the most prepossessing of places, but it has the laid back southern French approach that I miss here in the Savoie, to be quite frank. Agree with Ben, something different sounds good. But I do understand that you have to opt for the most expensive hotel/holiday possible! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You got it 
Been to ADH a;lready, but as a 2 weel beginner I was none too confident to I've still to enjoy the sarenne black run. ADH and Maria Alm have the best chalets, by far, though...
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Sestriere is off the list anyway.
See the thread in snowNews ( http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=16117 )...I'm buying it (subject only to them agreeing to my price and the ensuing legal documentation) and one of my first actions will be to ban all freeloaders and Northerners!
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P.S. If you tell me how to turn an url into a link then I'll relent on the freeloaders thing...just this once.
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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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[url=http://blah blah]link name e.g this thread[/url]
You can check it's worked by previewing instead of submitting. It only works if you have a properly formatted url e.g my example above won't show as a link because it's incomplete
This is your link
Can I have a free lift pass for life?
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nbt, I would pick L2A fantastic skiing some great off piste and I know a good instructor who is based there
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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nbt, If you come here you can also pop over to ADH to enjoy the Sarenne (if it's open). (Serre Chevalier too of course) We have skiing you'll love for the off piste and on piste that will challenge and help Mrs nbt to improve too. Steep runs back to town - the best are the unpisted and sometimes unmarked ones! Is there a time limit? Couple of Snowheads coming out already booked who wouldn't mind some snowy company!!  Chalets can be a pain, but if it's not too snowy you can borrow my car if they're far from civilization. Many chalets are now ski in/ski out with the new green piste at the Petit Plan end of town - see newsletter on my website and interactive map on LDA website.
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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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nbt, I'd say choose the one you'd choose if you were paying with your own money.
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Maria Alm very highly recommened by the people we met while in schladming - I'd be tempted to give that a go - had a great time bussing around the area trying various small hills - very different to my standard french mega-ski. aj xx
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You know it makes sense.
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I would go to Alpe D. Loads of terrain
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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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thanks aj - Mrs NBT is not too keen on the bus thing so that makes a difference :s
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Poster: A snowHead
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nbt, I'd really recommend Where to Ski and Snowboard 2006 to give information - both positive and negative - on most resorts. I've found it really helpful and accurate.
I've only been to Sestriere from your list, while staying in Sauze, and have to say I don't think I would choose to go back there. But we were not very lucky with the snow so that probably colours my view.
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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 total agreement here with SkiBod's views on Sauze, I went there in crap snow conditions last Jan, the best conditions were over in Sestriere but it wouldn't be on my list of first choices.
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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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FenlandSkier, Yes, 'not very lucky with the snow' is a big understatement!!! I was there Jan 2005 too - never again!!!!
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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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I've got the '05 book thanks SkiBod, and it is informative - but it's nice to hear other people's opinions of places that don;t get a full metnion such as Maria Alm. Mrs NBT's skiied sestriere before and quite enjoyed it, so I do think snow cover can be a factor
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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 would say though that the only thing that saved the week for our group was the hotel. The spa in particular was a big hit with the girls. Skiing wise I wouldn't go again but if I could put that hotel somewhere where there's plenty of suitable skiing then it would be a damn good start.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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nbt,
I'm still in favour of Alpe D despite it raining for 2 days upto 2800m in Jan 2004 during my stay. Conditions do change your view of a place, but I've still no doubt Alpe D is a great all rounder 
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nbt, Do agree, it is good to hear other opinions as well as the book.
Think I was just a bit unlucky with Sestriere because it was my second week's skiing and what passed for my mates decided it would be good for us all to go up the lift marked 'for very good skiiers only' despite a couple of people's voices of concern (including mine!) ~ and it was an ice sheet and a total nightmare. So the conditions, and my standard, and mates all didn't help my opinion of Sestriere!!!!
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Bumping this one back up - we'd plumped for Alpe d'Huez, but when we went to book we found that we'd have to pay "a bit" extra as it was not an equity run chalet. Fair enough, we thought, but the "bit extra" was £242 each!!. When we checked, it transpired that all the places we'd chosen were the same...
so we went back to the drawing boards and have decided on (and booked) Le Corbier. Not been before, but it looks interesting. Fingers crossed, and thanks for your help - look out for the resort report in march next year
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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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Hmmm - doesn't sound like much of a free holiday to me!  Did you alos have to pay a supplement for Le Corbier?
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nope, no supplement - flights (from manchester), transfers and accomodation at any equity-run chalet or hotel - we overlooked that last bit is all  Should have been £529 plus manchester flight supplement, so it's saved us almost £1100. I'd calll that a bargain!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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That's good! Defo a bargain
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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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nbt, Be interesting to hear about it afterwards
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easiski, LDA was a close call, ADH won out becasue of the luxury chalet - but LDA is also run byt "sister company TOPS" and thus would have required a supplementary payment.
Rest assured I'll be writing a report: I noticed a couple of seasons back when Mrs NBT bought me the book linked above that Le Corbier was linking with other resorts (St Jean d'Arves, St Sorlin d'Arves, La Toussuire and another) to form "Les Sybelles", and I've had it on the list since then. It'll be nice to try it out, especially as so few british tour ops currently go there.
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