 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi All
My friend and I have been skiing the third week of January for as long as we can remember. Resorts we have visited include Les Menuires, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne etc. We have always picked this week as it is quiet.
We are actually currently in La Plagne and have never seen so many people in resort. For example we tried to go across to Les Arcs today - we encountered a sizeable queue for the Vanoise Express followed by a horrendous queue at the Peisey chair. This was being topped up by 200 people coming off the Vanoise Express every 5 minutes. Essentially we didn’t move for ten minutes so bailed and came back to La Plagne.
In general I would say that the number of people here is like nothing I’ve ever seen before at this time of year. Do any of the locals know why it is so busy? In a way it has spoilt the week a bit and would put us off considering this area again. Is this crowding unique to Paradiski or is it across other resorts as well? Someone did mention that the resorts may be selling cheap lift passes - again is this Paradiski only or are others doing the same thing? If they are and by doing so are in essence wiping out the “low season” then count me out. I’d rather spend my hard earned elsewhere rather than being subjected to overcrowded pistes and multiple lift queues.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
A sunny period following weeks of mostly unsettled weather always brings out the crowds. It was the same in late January last year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
i think i saw a stat that said Val D'Isere was running at 81% capacity this week.......apparently way up on normal for this week of the season
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Area of the Dolomites we were in was busy Sunday and Monday the 14th and 15th but quiet the rest of the week. I suspect a lot of fairly local as car parks were busy those days.
The hotel we were in in Arabba was full both weekends with only odd rooms free mid week.
Noticeably more French about than normal I asum due to the dodgy start in bits of the French alps?
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Fri 26-01-24 17:50; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Our experience too. We’ve chosen this week to ski for the last 10 years and never known the resorts to be so busy. We’re in Val Thorens and the queues in some places within the 3V’s have been 20mins+ this week which we’ve never encountered for this week in Jan before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I'm guessing a lot of people want to ski when resorts are (relatively) quiet, leading to known quiet periods becoming busier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
And I genuinely think things are still bouncing back from COVID times, people choosing to travel more generally.
And, people are opting for the more snow-sure resorts even in January due to unreliability at lower resorts I recon is a factor. That will continue as lower resorts close over time, and the higher resorts get busier and more expensive as a result (triggers a massive debate about climate change  ).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I suspect it could well be a response to the general warm and wet weather that's around the alps at the moment. They only real options to escape the worst of it, at least in the alps, are going to be go high or head to the southern alps where it's a bit cooler and staying dry.
I did see that it looked to be staying a bit cooler further east such as Bulgaria but that looks to be warming up next week too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
We're in Les Saisies this week. The hotel has been full since it opened on 23rd December which is apparently not normal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It has been very busy in Alp d Huez as well especially at the weekends. I think it’s cheap day passes and a lot of the lower locals resorts being rained out that has sent the locals high.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Dolomites pre Christmas was not super busy, but not entirely deserted either... Nice to see that people are keeping resorts busier in the 'quieter' weeks. Hopefully more investment in infrastructure as a result! What would really keep places quiet is snowfall as half the people disappear  .
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Maybe this is due to the significant price increases in Austria? People searching for cheaper options and finding that in the French stations?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Les arcs did s big ski pass sale for non peak weaks, maybe its worked?
I am in Andorra atm, its fairly quiet, not mich snow tho!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Certainly not as quiet as usual in Chamonix 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
its the first proper year since covid that people have had change to ski with less risk and to avoid peak season.
It is a weird year this season, as easter is early, which is a mini peak for flight prices. Xmas, Feb & late March flights ramped up & only a small window for budget airline budget flights
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
That’s interesting as we ski this week almost every year and was in the 3 Valleys. It was busier than we expected too. Managed to avoid long lift queues but thought the transfer across meribel was incredibly busy.
We were spoilt last time as arrived the first week back post Covid in 2022 and it was almost empty
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Busy in PDS this week, including on “quiet” transfer day Saturdays
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Saturday in Tignes felt a lot busier than it has in the past yesterday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
My guess is still a post lockdowns “make the most of life”, with people maxing out on holidays and travel. The money’s there, in the UK alone households saved £150b during the pandemic.
There’s also a reaction to laws, kids are being kept out of school for all sorts of reasons including for holidays. Our usual Austrian hotel from 14 Dec 23 was packed with Hungarian, Slovak and Czech families with school age kids. Their schools were fully open, but the parents said skiing came first.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Was in Fiss last week, queue times were ok, there were a few bottle necks that could take up to 5 mins but in general it was sub a minute.
Lech the week after new year, there was close to zero queues anywhere, just once, about 5 mins getting out of Zurs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flaine is very busy too. We used to come this week when the children were much younger and have missed a few years so it may be a gradual increase. It will be interesting to see if it’s quieter tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maybe some of the people have read the many threads on here advising to avoid France in February? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Sundays tend to be busy with locals - restaurants do a good trade.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Peisey lift is always going to be a bottleneck, as well as regular use, as you found, it has to cope with Vanoise express traffic.
Generally clears reasonably quickly, unless it has to stop for any reason.
As an alternative walk, or take shuttle, around to Vallandry
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
La Plagne/Les arcs are always busy these days compared to the other Tarentaise resorts their bed capacity has increased hugely over the last ten years and has started to out grow its lift capacity , it’s inevitable to have Qs at the pinch points . I now only go to Les Arcs on a Sat .
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Biggest queue I’ve ever seen outside the local bun shop here in Val Claret, bigger than New Year week (we are never here at half-term). Always a good indication of how busy it will be in the slopes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alpe s hueze ,, sunday 28th Januray .. what on earth is going on ,, ive had less ques in half term! I get perhaps a lot of weekend warriors lets see how today pans out was much better in afternon from 2pm .. maybee the long range outlook of no signifcant snow and locals thinking this may be the best day for a while ..
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Quote: |
I now only go to Les Arcs on a Sat .
|
You and lots of others. Saturdays are pretty busy these days.
@Rob Mackley, I think you are right about the increased bed capacity, but our apartment block circa 1974 rarely has more than 50% occupancy and with the exception of half term month usually half of that. It's starting to get a bit like St Anton where the bed capacity massively exceeds the domain size.
For some reson bookings have been very high ths year, even normally quiet weeks are booked out. In fact the only time the resort is not rammed are when the school holidays start in April and the first week of the season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
@johnE, Club med effect ……same could be said for La Rosiere really busy these days really only go so I can get to La thuile .
I suspect the Tarentaise , with good snow , is nicking lots of punters from the lower resorts in the Haute Savoie and PDS .
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Last year did VT 3rd week Jan then Tignes 2nd week March. Both were busier than normal.
Mainly ski Tignes I have to say but am getting fed up with rising lift pass price and busier slopes. Went to Serre Chevalier for the first time last week. Empty for the first 2 days but Wednesday of course got busier, as was Saturday for obvious reasons. I was a bit surprised because the off piste was like skiing a granite quarry and the pistes were lethal.
I think partially due to the closure of smaller resorts such as La Sambuy, and partly due to the awful conditions lower down, both locals and holiday sliders are heading up higher.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Bookings also came in earlier this year. Normally we never see any bookings until November or December but this season people were booking in September.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
We have found Tignes/Val particularly busy over the last few days, not at all what we expected last weekend in Jan.
We headed over to Fornet this morning to see if it would be a little quieter but it’s not. This is Cascade chair at 11:30
Not used to these queues at all in Austria, not sure we’ll come back to Tignes now. Snow is good but the infrastructure is feeling very dated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Thats hardly a que for la France - looking at it 3mins tops - or just push your way to the front like ze locals!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Thats relatively quiet for the Cascades chair, yes some infra is a bit dated but a lot is state of the art and we get a new Vallon Gondola in the summer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Was really quite quiet in SkiWelt - conditions a little sub par but skiable and weather a bit meh…
Until Saturday when half of Munich must have been there. Someone told me it was closest resort to Munich with snow. And the weather was a bit better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| buchanan101 wrote: |
Was really quite quiet in SkiWelt - conditions a little sub par but skiable and weather a bit meh…
Until Saturday when half of Munich must have been there. Someone told me it was closest resort to Munich with snow. And the weather was a bit better. |
The other half were in Kaltenbach on Saturday, and every Saturday it seems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
or just push your way to the front like ze locals!
|
That queue, as @chrisdb notes, is not what you'd expect at this time of year. It does seem that "something is happening". It's predictable, I suppose given the huge contrast in past years between the peak 5 weeks and the rest of the season. Price (and comfort) signalling is having an effect. The reduction in lift prices to get bums on seats is a rational commercial response, annoying as it is to those of us offended by even a 2 minute wait for a lift!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@Origen, To be honest I would expect that sort of queue at this time of year at that time of day. Its about 3 minutes worth and accesses 5 fabulous intermediate pistes. Its also a sunny and windless day - so everyone heads for Pisaillas as often it is shut for days (a bit like going up The Grande Motte). One picture of a single chairlift queue is no basis for analysis. But Tignes and Val D'Isere are busier than they used to be at this time of year, when the weather is crap in the early season at the lower resorts, we reap the benefits and the disadvantages. And there has been no reductions in lift pass prices in the EK this year!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I absolutely agree that both Les Arcs and La Plagne are now both overdeveloped in terms of beds outstripping the available space on the mountain. I’m surprised to see that La Plagne are proposing another substantial development below the original Aime La Plagne building.
Last week as I said when I started this thread was unbelievably busy in La Plagne for this time of year. Skiing almost became a matter of the survival of the fittest - my friend was wiped out by someone who merely just skied away at the same speed at which he had left my friend lying on the piste. Shocking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
