 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello
We are tempted to go to Les Arcs (staying in Vallandry) 8/04-22/04 having not been there for 13years. I notice they have what is known as VIP tickets now and so was wondering if this was just a means to make money or if this was in response to it being extremely busy? I realise the first week of our stay is in school holidays so will it be rammed and just a terrible place to go? We are used to sliding (yes we're boarders - sorry) in relatively quiet runs in Austria and left the mega French resorts a long time ago but are considering Les Arcs again just because it ticks so many boxes. So from those in the know how bad will the queues be in the whole Les Arcs area at that time?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We went to La Plagne last season, in Easter. It wasn't too bad to be honest. I don't remember many awful waits, but then we chose the lifts that had the shortest queues. There were a couple of areas where people seemed to 'congregate' again we avoided most of those.
In my opinion you find most skiers on the learner slopes, so Green, certain Blues and certain Reds. If you avoid those ones or at least at the peak lesson times you should be able to get some decent mileage in.
We're in Les Arcs in the first week of Easter.. Just hoping it's more of the same! We were lucky with snow falling the week before and as we arrived. Then blue skies the rest of the whole week!
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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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@klang180, It's only zone B schools that are on holiday the first week of your trip so it should be pretty quiet. Other zones are later in April, but the then again the French don't go skiing en masse in April so it should be quiet, a lot quieter than most resorts I've been to in Austria. The priority lanes will most likely be dismantled by then and except in exceptional places such as the Aiguille Rouge telepherique there will be no one in front of you when you get to a lift.
I don't know what VIP tickets are. Are they the essential lift passes? If so you will not need them unless you are planning to go to La Plagne.
Snow may be getting a bit thin in Vallandry, however, so consider downloading.
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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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I am tempted to go back to Les arcs /la plagne one day but I am extremely concerned about the queues - we used to go in Jan, great skiing but queues were bad then and some were significant especially at the end of the day. the fact they have these VIP lanes now suggests that queuing has just got worse. My preferred resort is Les menuires as it’s so easy to access all areas, and get home when you want and even if there are French holidays at Easter it was only an issue just as the ski schools were setting off.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Queues really weren't bad when we went last Easter. I'll report back after this Easter... Although there were only 4 of us and we didn't hang about, plus weren't in ski school etc.. so could get on with things
Would like to go back to 3 vallees, haven't been for a few years now.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 2-03-23 22:18; edited 1 time in total
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Not too busy - but it gets fucking slushy most years these days so be aware of that
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| red 27 wrote: |
| Not too busy - but it gets fucking slushy most years these days so be aware of that |
Yep, so up early and then up high later on.
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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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If you're stopping in Valandry then you're in the quietest part of the resort anyway.
It's not been busy the last 2 Easters we've been there, I wouldn't bother with the essential pass just for the express lanes. The other discounts can be useful for other activities though.
We were there last week for the main half term holidays and the resort was rammed, we didn't spend more than 10 mins in even the scariest looking queues.
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| Gilly76 wrote: |
If you're stopping in Valandry then you're in the quietest part of the resort anyway.
It's not been busy the last 2 Easters we've been there, I wouldn't bother with the essential pass just for the express lanes. The other discounts can be useful for other activities though.
We were there last week for the main half term holidays and the resort was rammed, we didn't spend more than 10 mins in even the scariest looking queues. |
Cheers, we mainly went with Essential for the whole of the Paradiski area access and as we booked more than 6 passes in one go we got the extra 1/2 day on arrival access as well, so hoping to get a couple of runs in on the Saturday - massively optimistic, but in theory doable. Flights + transfers permitting...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks everyone that is so helpful. I feel quite reassured with your replies with no real concerns about it.
Thanks for all of your input oh and red 27 I really love slush, it's second only to powder as it is just so playful and fun.
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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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Been to 1950 mid april the year before covid. Was before the implementation of the tier system, but were already toying with perks. Folks who had the Paradiski pass were granted priority access to the Varet gondola. Hard to tell as there were noch queues there, but my estimate would be at least 5min advantage during high season which I find massive (really hard to tell, as I don't know how many people ski on which pass). Only queueing happened at the Aiguille Rouge cable car (1-2 cars) and there was no priority lane there back then. Don't know about now. And of course on the other side up the Bellecôte (there should be a new, much more powerful gondola by now) and at the most busy hubs in town (Plagne has too much beds for its ski area).
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@Tristero, The new Bellecôte gondola is not yet for this season.
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You know it makes sense.
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Over Christmas the we estimated the essentials pass saved about 10 minutes on the Varet telecabine. To jump the queue on the Aiguille Rouge telepherique you have to buy an extra slot for a specific time. From what I can see very few people do this.
Come April there will be so few people about that it makes no difference.
From what I can see from the number of people using the express lane and the normal lanes few people buy the essentials or higher pass, most just hvae the classic pass and don't, of course, go across to La Plagne.
There are, perhaps an excess of beds over slopes in La Plagne, but it is no where near as bad as other places. St Anton was the worst in my experience.
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