 Poster: A snowHead
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I am planning a January ski holiday to somewhere in Europe with my 2 brothers and our families. We have skied in OZ and North America where we have found it easy to rent self catered houses that can accommodate all of us together. All of us equals 6 adults and 9 kids ages 4-16. We have always booked accommodation through owner direct websites with great success, so I am looking to do the same in Europe.
If anyone could help with contacts or websites for French or Austrian resort accommodation that works for large groups like ours I would appreciate it. We are not after hotels we want a house that is either self catered or possible with some degree of catering, provided we can use the kitchen facilities ourselves.
The duration of our stay would most likely be 3 weeks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ashski, welcome to snowHeads! 
Can't help you with your question, other than to say that you'll be looking for a 'chalet' and there are plenty of those around - I've not had any experience of them but many others have.
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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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Ashski, welcome to snowHeads.
For self-catering you could try www.ernalow.co.uk, but you might find it better to speak to them and find out what accommodation they have that would fit your group size, as the site search facility is by resort rather than by accommodaton type.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ashski, what are your other criteria (type of ski-ing, importance of night life, how far from the slopes you are prepared to be, etc). And when in January? The later the better, from the point of view of snow, but not later than the first week of February, because from 10 February the resorts will be very crowded and accommodation at a premium. It might be best to try to get a short list of resorts and then ask their tourist offices about accommodation available. There are not too many self catering places that size - loads of catered chalets, but as I understand it that is not what you want, as you would generally be banned from the kitchen!
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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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Ashski, welcome to snowHeads. This place is in Val Thorens is near where a big group of snowHeads were in April and sleeps up to 16 bookable direct with the owner, and is self catered with a pool, hot tub etc.
I think all the chalets on chaletfinder's website are bookable direct, and you can search by number of people.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ashski, Welcome!
I don't know how well this will suit your budget or skiing requirements but we are in the middle of renovating a house in Chamonix into 3 apartments.
If you haven't skied Chamonix, you should. It definitely is an area that should be ticked off & has excellent skiing for most skiers - up to the very (very) highest level. It's also a great base for exploring the surrounding areas: Portes du Soleil, Megeve, etc. You would want a car for that.
The house is in central Chamonix a couple of minutes walk from the Brevent bubble and with fenced gardens front and back. Parking for 3 cars. If you're staying 3 weeks and taking all three flats we'd cut you a keen rate. PM me for more details or mail david@northinfo-europe.com. I can send you some "work in progress" pictures and floorplans.
Of the apartments, 2 will have 2 bedrooms - 1 double and 1 twin (which can convert to sleep 4 in bunks through a cunning Italian extending bed feature) each - and one will have 1 double, 1 twin (similar 4 bunks possible) and a bunkroom. Sofabeds in sitting rooms and the larger one also has a mezzanine which could be sleeping space.
One bathroom and one shower room (ensuite to the double) each. You might find you have an excess of cooking space - although it does mean a degree of autonomy for each family - and you will certainly find the accomodation of a very good standard. They should be finished in a few weeks.
Our expectation is that typically one would would want to sleep 4-6 in the smaller ones and 6-8 in the larger one. Clearly a lot of flexibility has been built in. Assuming a reasonably even distribution of children to adults in your party, I would presume you'd have adults in the en-suite doubles and 2-4 kids in the twins with 2 in the bunkroom. So no need to use the sofabeds.
As pam w suggests you really want to avoid the french holidays - dates are at this link - but basically you ideally want to avoid France between 10th Feb and 12th March. Although the French stagger their shool holidays to an extent, from 17th Feb till 5th March the entire country is on holiday (and many of them are skiing!!!)
Good luck!
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Hi there,
Try sending a private message to sarah@alpedhuez as I'm sure she may well be able to help you with a self catering chalet for 3 weeks in Jan. If you can't get hold of her you can PM me your contact details and I'll ask her to get in touch with you! 
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Hi Ashski, as RachelQ mentioned www.chaletfinder.co.uk lets you search for self-catered chalets/apartments.
Alternatively, if you choose the resort first then look for accomodation within that area the local tourist office will have details of plenty of properties that aren't advertised on the internet.
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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www.peakretreats.co.uk have worked well for me before. But also just hit the local tourist info site of the places you want to go - loads of local places on their usually. aj xx
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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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Ashski, There are lots of websites that specialise in private chalets; www.holiday-rentals.com www.ownersdirect.co.uk and www.homelidays.com are others I think are very good and I advertise with them and have also found accommodation through them.
If Alpe d'Huez is of interest then I have a 16 bed chalet in the centre of the resort which might suit your group. Catering can be arranged to suit you so this might just be a real option!!
PM me if you would like further details or have a look on the sites above - chaletsdirect is a very good site although the majority of the owners offer a catered service whereas the other sites are all self-catered with 'extra services'.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks everyone for your welcomes, advice and helpful links.
My arrangements are starting to get a little more complicated. I have decided to look for an off snow location for my family because we are intending now to have 6 weeks in the Alps starting December 1. The other 2 families are now waiting for me to sort out my exact plans so they can fit in their weeks with ours. They are also now talking about only staying for 2 weeks.
A friend has suggested that for an off snow base in France the town of Bourg St-Maurice will give direct access to Les Arc and Le Plagne as well as a miriad of other great ski areas including Val/Tignes. I am now looking for accommodation in BSM but also contemplating breaking up this off snow accommodation with 2 weeks on snow and teaming up with the other families. They are keen to stay on snow.
So if anyone has accommodation in Bourg St-Maurice that has three bedrooms plus living area I would be interested to hear from you.
Again many thanks for your help. You have a great forum here at Snowheads!
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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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Ashski, why be off snow? I've never stayed in BSM but can see the advantages...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
Alpe d'HUez has been mentioned a couple of times. The village at the bottom of the valley, Bourg d'Oisans is an ideal off-snow location. It is 20 minutes from Alpe d'Huez and 30 mins from Les Deux Alpes. We have just finished renovating our home in Bourg d'Oisans, see www.bourgdoisans.co.uk. For a long visit you should defnitely consider being in a french village - you'll get an awful lot more accomodation for your money if you don't mind having a short journey to the slopes. If Bourg d'Oisans doesn't suit then check out www.tourisme-oisans.com which gives info about all the villages in the Oisans region.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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cannonjones, welcome to
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brian
brian
Guest
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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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easiski, not a lot else to do today huh!! Do you think that summer is officially over?
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