 Poster: A snowHead
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Would love some input on where to go this season..
(28th Feb - 6th March).
Group size 14. Hand full of beginners, lots of intermediate and a hand full of seasoned skiers/boarders.
Looks like Geneva gives us maximum flexibility in terms of flight options from London.
We’ve previously done Chamonix and liked the amenities (non ski activities/restaurants).
However defo looking for more of a ski in/out experience this time.
Our dates are mid-week to mid-week so might be a problem for accommodation given its high season.
Thinking of Avoriaz or Val Thorens. Any thought or alternatives please?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I can’t imagine you will have many options. The first part of your dates 2/3 of France and most of Switzerland are on holiday, the second part 1/3 of France and canton Neuchatel.
A valley town with access to a resort?
Welcome to Snowheads but you have posed a tricky question.
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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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Obvious choices are something like Les Gets/Morzine or Avoriaz. Or Flaine. Look for hotels as you’ve got a better chance of booking with a mid week start date. I also really like Grand Bornand though it’s not that extensive an area there’s enough to keep you happy for a week. You could also look at St Gervais which is kind of ski in ski out but a proper town too and also gives an option to ski at Les Houches and Contamines.
Edit. What @DJL says about school holidays, you might struggle.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 9-12-23 10:02; edited 2 times in total
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Thank you both.
I’ve just started looking at Val T and Avoriaz accommodation for my dates and there’s nothing. So I think I’m going to have to go back to the drawing board with dates….
Thanks again
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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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The really quiet period is after New Year week up to half term, so that would be Sat January 6 to Sat 17 February* 2024. After then, you’re going to coincide with holidays of one sort or another for the rest of the season, albeit UK pupils are back at school 24 Feb to 30 March. But this is just my quick reading of internet info - you probably need to do some more research using the EU and Swiss sources to see when the quietest period is post half-term.
*EDIT: Some UK schools have half term a week earlier, meaning your ‘safe’ period ends 10.2.2024 - see below …
And none of this guarantees you won’t coincide with some university outing. For example, we’ve been out end of January when six hundred French medical student and friends arrived in the 4 Vallées. Similarly when a London University students’ week coincided. Researching this can be difficult, other than contacting a candidate resort’s Tourism Office and asking them if there are any big groups or events scheduled.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sat 9-12-23 16:38; edited 4 times in total
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@LaForet, I think parts of France including Paris and indeed some schools in the UK and Holland have half term in the week of 10th February.
The quieter periods are between New Year and 10th Feb, and then after 9th March. Even then midweek to midweek with a large group might need a bit of searching out accommodation options, you might not necessarily get everything you want (e.g. ski-in ski-out).
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Thanks all - I stumbled across this helpful resource for European school holidays. It aligns with everything you guys have suggested.
Currently looking at between Jan 27th-Feb 6th as our window to go. Ideally would like to do it mid-week to mid-week as there's less time off work, but crossing two weeks even in Jan it's looking tricky.
I'm looking directly on the resort's site as well as Airbnb. Let me know if I'm missing any accommodation sites.
Thanks
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@AllTheGear, I wouldn’t choose Avoriaz. Max elevation is 2400m. If you’re unlucky and get a warm spell you have no high altitude options. Val Thorens and Tignes both good ski in/ski out destinations but don’t have the non ski activities like Chamonix
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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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Thank you that’s good to intel. Yea don’t want to risk no snow.
I think we’ll have to compromise on Chamonix level of amenities but that’s ok.
Any thoughts on Val Cenis?
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@AllTheGear, while climate change means extremes have become more likely, I think @BobinCH is being pessimistic suggesting you shouldn't go anywhere unless they have slopes above 2400m. There is a pretty high likelihood at the end of January of skiable snow down to 1400m.
And thinking again about the dates, my experience has been that Swiss resorts don't have quite the same surge at half term so there may be options there for your original dates (with the caveat that my experience has been of Swiss resorts further east, accessed from Zurich). But prices will be higher if you are paying with British pounds, and wherever you are travelling midweek-to-midweek will limit options.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| j b wrote: |
@AllTheGear, while climate change means extremes have become more likely, I think @BobinCH is being pessimistic suggesting you shouldn't go anywhere unless they have slopes above 2400m. There is a pretty high likelihood at the end of January of skiable snow down to 1400m.
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You would think the same for Mid-December but have you seen the forecast for next week! It will be a complete washout below 2300m. Already the 3rd time we’ve had rain above 2000m in the last month. I agree that it’s unlikely in mid-Jan but if you have to book in advance why choose a low resort and take that risk?
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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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| AllTheGear wrote: |
Let me know if I'm missing any accommodation sites.
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Sunweb
Snowtrex
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@AllTheGear, A good decision to move the dates from end Feb to end Jan. How about moving airport? You might find it easier to get midweek bookings in hotels in Austria or Switzerland than France. Are Munich or Zurich viable alternatives to Geneva? If so that could open up a lot of options.
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You know it makes sense.
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@DCG yea flights aren’t booked and dates have now moved so it’s all up for grabs. So I can certainly explore Munich & Zurich..
Which resorts did you have in mind?
Thanks
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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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| Gored wrote: |
| AllTheGear wrote: |
Let me know if I'm missing any accommodation sites.
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Sunweb
Snowtrex |
Thanks will check these out
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's interesting how often this very question gets asked. Maybe we should create a heat map of "stations within 90 minutes' transfer from GVA" and pin it.
All I'd say about European school holidays, as someone who has been yoked to them for 12 years...I can't wait to go on vacation out of holiday season! Just 3 more years for child #2...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1. Verbier
2. La Plagne
3. Les Arcs
4. Val d'Isere
5. Zermatt
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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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| BobinCH wrote: |
| You would think the same for Mid-December ... |
Well actually I wouldn't, the weather in December has always been more variable and there is a reason most resorts don't promise to open (and then sometimes partially) till the second half of the month. And if it wasn't for everyone having holidays over Christmas, they probably wouldn't choose to open till January.
I don't think it is reasonable to say that it is too risky ever to book a resort without lots of 2000+m terrain in January, February and most of March. However it is certainly the case that the lower resorts are more of a gamble in December and the end of March into April. @AllTheGear shouldn't feel his choice too constrained on the dates he is contemplating, particularly when he needs to cast his net widely to find available accommodation for a non-standard week.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| AllTheGear wrote: |
@DCG yea flights aren’t booked and dates have now moved so it’s all up for grabs. So I can certainly explore Munich & Zurich..
Which resorts did you have in mind?
Thanks |
From Zurich Davos/Klosters is a 2 - 2.5 hour easy train journey. It's quite some way east so has better snow conditions at lower altitudes. I know that Davos hotels are very flexible about bookings other than Sat-Sat. a very good ski area that would suit your group.
Lots of great Austrian resorts which would typically be cheaper. Search the forum for reviews
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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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| j b wrote: |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| You would think the same for Mid-December ... |
Well actually I wouldn't, the weather in December has always been more variable and there is a reason most resorts don't promise to open (and then sometimes partially) till the second half of the month. And if it wasn't for everyone having holidays over Christmas, they probably wouldn't choose to open till January.
I don't think it is reasonable to say that it is too risky ever to book a resort without lots of 2000+m terrain in January, February and most of March. |
Many (low) resorts don’t open until Xmas because there is less demand and they need a decent base of snow which takes time to build up. It’s got nothing to do with December weather being more variable. Verbier and other high resorts have been open since early November with some amazing conditions. But we’re getting more frequent temp spikes with rain up close to 3000m on occasions. And we’ve had similar warm spells in Jan, Feb and March in previous years. You may not be aware but Les Gets actually closed for a few days in January last year!!! In addition to the risk of rain, at lower altitudes the snow will typically be lower quality and pistes icier/slushier. Sorry those are just facts
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@DCG, Davos was one of the places I was thinking might be fine if you could get flights to Zurich, see my comment on Swiss resorts above.
@BobinCH, as I said in a previous post climate change has had an effect on risk but 2023's January problem was very unusual historically.
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| j b wrote: |
@DCG, Davos was one of the places I was thinking might be fine if you could get flights to Zurich, see my comment on Swiss resorts above.
@BobinCH, as I said in a previous post climate change has had an effect on risk but 2023's January problem was very unusual historically. |
Heatwaves used to hit the European Alps in the summer.
Now, heatwaves are also starting to arrive in the winter.
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@AllTheGear, You could consider Lech and Damuls in Austria. both just over 2 hours drive from Zurich airport and both having ski in ski out possibilities (particularly the hotels in Oberlech).
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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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@AllTheGear, I'm a great fan of Davos/Klosters but it's not really ski in / ski out. There is a lovely hotel in Klosters Dorf called the Sunstar Albina (part of the Swiss Sunstar chain) from where beginers have a short walk to the gondola for access to beginners slopes on Madrissa. Intermediates and advanced would mostly get the hotel shuttle bus to the cable car going up to Gotshna and the shared area with Davos(Paresnn) but it is possible to ski back to that hotel at the end of the day from the bottom of Parsenn.
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Thank you very much! I’m going to take a look at those options today and see how I get on.
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