 Poster: A snowHead
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I don't know how to effectively search for this so apologies if this has been asked before!
Does anyone have any recommendations for a resort that will be reasonably snow sure around the second half of January?
Other requirements:
- I only want to do 3 days of skiing so looking at 4 nights stay - so would be best not too far from a major airport (say 1.5 hour transfer max?) (we're flying from Manchester, incase that helps)
- I'm still learning so really just want one or two long cruisy greens/blues for practicing on. I don't need a massive ski area. My husband will be happy with a couple of blues, reds, maybe 1 black. Both of us are happy repeating runs (especially me, I'm happy to find one good one and keep at it for the whole trip).
- We're not into hyper apres, just looking for some excellent food
- Don't need ski in-out or anything like that, happy to jump on a gondola/free-bus to a ski area at the start of each day
Biggest concern is snowsure at that time of the year, without the common requirement of a massive ski area
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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Given the time of year I would just book flights to GVA for now and see how the start of the season pans out - you should be able to make a more informed call at the start of January.
Hopefully, the resorts within a couple of ours of Geneva will see a good start to the season.
If yes, then look no further than Les Gets / Morzine which is where we tend to go for a long weekend.
If you are keen on booking something now then I’d look at Avoriaz instead - it’s a normally safe bet at that time of year.
I can happily recommend hotels / restaurants if this is where you decide to book.
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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I was thinking along the same lines as @franga only I was going to suggest specifically Avoriaz. You can buy just the Avoriaz lift pass, and you're up higher to start with making your mornings easier to get out on snow, also solving potential issues with snowsafe.
You've got nice easy runs from Avoriaz down to the Super M gondola, and then back up again, plus many more, and it would suit your Husbands needs too.
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@STyler, Fly Manchester to Innsbruck (Easyjet) and plenty of options around there, eg Serfaus or Seefeld, or fly into Salzburg (Jet 2 or EJ) and Ski Amade area, loads of small areas all joined up and pretty snow sure end January.
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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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| Quote: |
I'm still learning
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Aren't we all!! When you've decided where to go, ask here for recommendations for a ski instructor. A couple of private lessons will make a vast difference to your skiing, and your enjoyment of your skiing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Or with a little imagination,
Laax, Arosa, Monterosa, Andermatt, Crans Montana, Val d'annivers, Arosa valley
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If you do go to Avoriaz, they do dynamic pricing on their local area lift passes, so well worth booking in advance (last year it was <€25 per day when booking in late November).
Alternatively, if you want the full (Portes du Soleil) pass, there's been a Black Friday offer in previous years which gives 50% off a January 6-day Portes du Soleil lift pass. Well worth trying to secure one as soon as the sale opens on Black Friday - it'll be a big saving compared to buying even just the local area pass when you arrive.
However, you did say you weren't fussed about going to a big ski area, so with the Portes du Soleil you may be paying for things you don't actually need.
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@STyler, second half of January should see snow everywhere. So it really comes down to your travel arrangements.
A four day trip needs somewhere with flights most days in the week from Manchester. Geneva certainly fits the bill, but you would have to check whether Innsbruck (for some of the other suggestions) does. And then the transfer to resort - obviously easy if you plan to hire a car but if using shared minibus or similar transfers the frequency can be lower midweek compared with weekends.
That is why Morzine/Les Gets/Avoriaz is so popular for short breaks, there is a very good choice of transfers. But there are lots of other places fitting your 1.5 hour transfer ideal, you just need to check how they are likely to work for your required dates.
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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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Thanks everyone!
For Avoriaz, at that time of year, would I be restricted to certain higher areas (i.e. Le Haut)? I remember Morzine basically being closed last January, but perhaps that's was a one-off
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@STyler, that was very unusual. Though of course it's not impossible that it could happen again next January. However, even last year:
- the Avoriaz slopes were nearly fully open during that period
- lasting snow came in mid January, and by the time I arrived and started skiing on the 19th, even Morzine was >95% open with excellent conditions.
Avoriaz is the snowiest ski resort in the French Alps, so if there are problems there, there will be problems everywhere around Geneva, at least.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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All great points, thanks!
Out of curiosity, why do some people recommend Avoriaz rather than Morzine? Better for the cruisy greens? Or is Avoriaz a bit higher (I'm probs not clocking that on the maps I'm studying)
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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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@STyler, it's the higher altitude, that's all.
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@STyler, I would always go for Morzine over Avoriaz, but the reason I suggested Avoeiaz for you, was you wanted the height which avoriaz has 1800m vs 1000m and you're not fussed with Après.
Also, as you don't want loads of runs and you want easy runs to practise on, in my view start in Avoriaz and it saves you having to start the day getting up to the slopes, you could head straight down the very gentle Proclou blue run to start your day.
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You know it makes sense.
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Fly to Turin then go to Montgenèvre.....
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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@STyler,
How are you planning to transfer from airport to resort? (before recommending a destination airport)
Look at Ste Foy or la Rosiere.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Kenzie wrote: |
@STyler,
How are you planning to transfer from airport to resort? (before recommending a destination airport)
Look at Ste Foy or la Rosiere. |
Preference would be to book an airport transfer, coach or train. Least fave would be hire car
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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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Nice! Thanks!
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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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@STyler,
DM for more Norge info if you want it, or if you're ever near Manchester city centre/south Manchester for half a shandy that can be arranged! Norway and plenty more at the Birmingham ski show middle this month. And it was actually quite good last year...
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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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Morzine or Avoriaz
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| STyler wrote: |
| Kenzie wrote: |
@STyler,
How are you planning to transfer from airport to resort? (before recommending a destination airport)
Look at Ste Foy or la Rosiere. |
Preference would be to book an airport transfer, coach or train. Least fave would be hire car |
Possibly not Chambery airport, then.
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| STyler wrote: |
Thanks everyone!
For Avoriaz, at that time of year, would I be restricted to certain higher areas (i.e. Le Haut)? I remember Morzine basically being closed last January, but perhaps that's was a one-off |
It was extremely cold in the latter half of Jan last year and the mountain had somewhat recovered from the disastrous rain around Christmas. All things being normal you will not be limited to just above Avoriaz but you will also have Linderets and links to Châtel and Swiss side. There will be major issues in the Alps if Avoriaz has bad snow as it’s normally one or the snowiest resorts in the northern Alps.
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I would fly Manchester to Munchen easyjet. Car hire at Munchen is cheaper than at Geneva and go to Alpbach. A really lovely resort or you could catch the train to Kitzbühel/Kirchberg another really nice ski area.
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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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A car from Munchen will not only allow them to get to Kirchberg in 2 hours, but also to easily get to Westendorf/Brixen in SkiWelt (less than 15 min. if I remember) in order to use the Tirol skipass
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I don’t think you need to worry about the snow, even in very bad seasons resorts manage to stay open.
I believe your biggest problem is finding accommodation and transfers for a short period.
Chamonix has plenty of places to stay short term and transfers very easy via shared mini buses running all day every day.
If you got an early and late flights you could be skiing an extra two days.
However, the town and the skiing is disjointed and if you have never been there picking the right area can be challenging.
Alternatively, is there is flights from Manchester to Salzburg, I’d consider Zell am Zee, and get the train. With kaprun up the road snow sure but again would not worry about the snow.
Where ever you go you will have a great time and don’t worry about the snow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| chrise1967 wrote: |
I don’t think you need to worry about the snow, even in very bad seasons resorts manage to stay open.
I believe your biggest problem is finding accommodation and transfers for a short period.
Where ever you go you will have a great time and don’t worry about the snow. |
Not sure that I fully agree.
Whereas resorts usually manage to stay open. Sliding around on brown patches of slush in the rain isn't everyone's idea of a great skiing holiday.
Although you might be unlucky to experience this in mid January it would hardly be unheard of in recent years.
I also rarely find it difficult to get accommodation in low season for less than a full week.
If it was my money I would maybe book flights and then wait till nearer the time to see what conditions are like in the resorts accessible from wherever you have booked your flights.
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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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@STyler,
As you are only going for a short break your limiting factor will be transfers between airport and resort. These tend to be plentiful on the weekends, less so (or nonexistent unless going privately) the rest of the week.
If you give the days of the week you intend to fly then recommendations of airport- resort combinations will be easier.
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@Kenzie, Scheduled Manchester to Munich via Lufthansa, can travel every day of the week, and loads of places to ski nearby around Salzburg.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just to put your mind at rest on Avoriaz … last year we were in Les Gets for 4 days before the mid-January storm landed. Anything below 1,500 metres was bare. Mont Cherry was open for MTBing. But we had a car and drove to Ardent every day to jump on the bubble and head up to Lindarets and then Avoriaz. Avoriaz (as well as the slopes on the Chatel side) was very good given the circumstances. We loved it. So don’t worry about it. You’ll be absolutely fine.
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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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| Markymark29 wrote: |
| @Kenzie, Scheduled Manchester to Munich via Lufthansa, can travel every day of the week, and loads of places to ski nearby around Salzburg. |
That's a flight. I was talking airport to resort transfers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| STyler wrote: |
I don't know how to effectively search for this so apologies if this has been asked before!
Does anyone have any recommendations for a resort that will be reasonably snow sure around the second half of January?
Other requirements:
- I only want to do 3 days of skiing so looking at 4 nights stay - so would be best not too far from a major airport (say 1.5 hour transfer max?) (we're flying from Manchester, incase that helps)
- I'm still learning so really just want one or two long cruisy greens/blues for practicing on. I don't need a massive ski area. My husband will be happy with a couple of blues, reds, maybe 1 black. Both of us are happy repeating runs (especially me, I'm happy to find one good one and keep at it for the whole trip).
- We're not into hyper apres, just looking for some excellent food
- Don't need ski in-out or anything like that, happy to jump on a gondola/free-bus to a ski area at the start of each day
Biggest concern is snowsure at that time of the year, without the common requirement of a massive ski area
Thanks in advance |
Seeing that you ask for excellent food, how about some Italian options?
Flights to Verona or Venice open up the Dolomites. If you don't mind hiring a car, this is usually the cheapest transfer option.
Resorts like Madonna di Campiglio, Ortisei, Siusi, Corvara, La Villa, San Cassiano, Alleghe, San Martino di Castrozza & Cortina d'Ampezzo would fit the bill with regard to ski area and with extensive snowmaking they are snowsure for piste skiing in late Jan.
If you get an evening flight on return, you can work it to spend a few hours in Venice (or Verona).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Car hire is often a good bet for short stays - whereas transfers cost the same for 4 days as 4 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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| Quote: |
These tend to be plentiful on the weekends, less so (or nonexistent unless going privately) the rest of the week.
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Not so much the case for e.g. Chamonix. (Can't talk about anywhere else). Flixbus and Swisstours do fairly frequent returns (admittedly only to/from the Chamonix bus station, not door to door) for between (usually) €20-40 return, in season most (every?) day of the week.
The general transfer infrastructure around the Haute Savoie from Geneva isn't quite back to what it was pre- brexshit & covid but it continues to improve (although a shared door-airport transfer is between €80-100 return).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Fly to Munich.
Take the train (60-90mins).
Ski in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany).
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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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@STyler
I have booked 5 nights in an apartment (4 days skiing) in Avoriaz, flying from Manchester 2nd week in January. Booked it through WeSki, but very similar price with Heidi.com
Both sites allow you to pick how many nights accommodation and how many days skiing you want. I found it very flexible and played around with different departure dates to get the best price.
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FAQ
