 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all! Looking for advice from experienced skiers where to book for a Christmas 2024 ski week? We have two kids aged 6&8 who are beginners and adults that are intermediate.
Key for us is good snow at Christmas as we had terrible snow experience last season in Avoriaz. I wanted VT but now reading comments on this forum I worry the whole area might be too cold/windy at the start of the season despite being snow sure?
Is Tignes better? Val Disere seems very expensive…
Any other snow sure resorts with good blue runs back to resorts we should look at? We also have a toddler so will look at childcare but really snow guarantee and good ski conditions is all we care about!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You could look at Courchevel 1650 (aka Moriond). It’s excellent for beginners and intermediates with north facing slopes and some trees. I think that would be far better for smaller children if it’s cold too. As beginners/intermediates you don’t need a huge ski area or resort. There’s always a trade off between snow depth and skiing below the tree line. Perhaps take a look at Montgenevre , La Rosière, and maybe Sainte Foy. I’d say there’s not a great deal of difference between VT and Tignes- good snow record, no trees, good slopes for beginners, but maybe a bit bleak if the weather is bad.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 21-02-24 0:04; edited 1 time in total
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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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Thank you! I am actually towards advanced but I guess I can leave the majority to relax and go up to explore VT a few days
Is it snow sure? 1650 seems very low for no snow issues at Christmas..
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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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Edited my post to make other suggestions. There are never guarantees, but invariably there is snow. Maybe you need a resort with access to high altitude skiing nearby. Reberty/Menuires is pretty snow sure (still no significant trees) and it’s a short ski to VT.
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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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Welcome to snowHeads @ekatmeerkat 
The olde wisdome is that Christmas is not time for a ski holiday, it's time for a Christmas holiday and if you get a bit of skiing into the bargain, then that's a bonus!
In recent decades though, snow-making has proliferated and people tend to take for granted that skiing will be on the cards. If it doesn't get cold though, even snow-making can't work.
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I worry the whole area might be too cold/windy at the start of the season despite being snow sure?
Is Tignes better? |
The thing is, you're asking "where will the snow come soon enough?" and then saying that you're shy to go to somewhere that might have 'bad' weather.
It needs to be cold to snow, and the storms that bring the snow, well, being storms, they often have wind in them. Avoid anywhere prone to cold and wind and you are avoiding the places that are most likely to get snow, see?
If you want snow-sure + likelihood of good weather, go to Val Thorens in April.
If you want to go at Christmas it will be necessary to balance your chances of snow against your chances of snowy weather!
We use Tignes for the PSB at the start of Dec, not because the weather is better than VT - it isn't - but because there is the remnant of a glacier there which is the only actual guarantee of snow and even then there are weather conditions that could potentially block access to it.
As a town and as a ski area, I much prefer VT over Tignes.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I hate to disagree with @admin but I have been skiing at Christmas (pandemic aside) every Christmas since 2009 and it's most definitely a ski holiday.
Here is my latest TR with links in the OP to many others.
IMO people make the mistake of going high. Christmas days are short, weather very variable, sometimes bleak. My go to is Les Coches because I love the trees when the weather closes in, it's home runs are protected because of the links to the VE and it's central to Paradiski, among others. But as we drive, S/C, ski in/ski out France is where we look.
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| Layne wrote: |
| I hate to disagree with @admin |
One of the nice things about snowHeads is that you can disagree with whomever you like 
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Thank you it’s great to get different perspectives! Unfortunately we can only go on holiday in Christmas and August and there is no skiing in August
What about Les Arcs? Is that better Les bleak? Frankly yes I just wanted to go super high but after reading this forum starting to realize that a balance is better.. leaning towards Bruyeres/Reberty..
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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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@ekatmeerkat, both sides of the VE are heavily tree lined and are good options.
As you will see from my TR's I have been other places too at Christmas but I personally would prefer not to be in Val T or Tignes or Arc 2000/La Plagne for example in December.
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I have gone to Tignes a few times before Christmas and to Reberty once.
If you're going purely to ski, Tignes can't be beat - it's as snow sure as anywhere could reasonably be, the lifts are great, and lodging can be inexpensive (and also tiny and loud, but it's a bed). We go most years before Christmas. Sometimes it's pretty good and sometimes it's absolutely amazing.
But if you'd also like to enjoy the holiday part, i.e. you want a decent hotel, you'd like a meal or two out at a restaurant, you enjoy long mountain lunches, you may enjoy a drink at a bar - then lReberty (or VT) is better.
@admin is right of course - snow storms are what most people would call bad weather, so high, cold exposed mountains will have the most snow. You're going to risk poor visibility, high winds and ice daggers in your face. It's an absolute blast if you're up for that!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We were in Tignes for NY this year (our first time not at Easter). Snow was incredible but it was cold and windy and Tignes has surprisingly few easy routes which can be done without an exposed chairlift in that weather. Personally for beginners and intermediates I think a bit of pleasant skiing is better than a lot of cold, windy, low vis skiing.
All the beginner/early intermediate skiing easily accessible from Tignes and Val is treeless as far as I can think. I’d say Val has more options for beginner skiing than Tignes, all high, so snow sure but also exposed to the weather.
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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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If you are not limited to France or Switzerland and are not planing to ski off piste then the Dolomites are a reliable option for Christmas. Virtually all the snow there is manmade which makes opening day (more) reliable than waiting for adequate natural snow cover. Consequently they tend to have more lifts and runs open than other parts of the Alps and plenty of different areas to access the system and avoid the crowds. The sheltered location south of the alpine ridge and the tree lined runs mean the Dolomites are less likely to have lifts or runs closed by strong winds, poor visibility, rain or avalanche risk. They are also more likely to have sunny weather and tend to be reliable to get to, particularly if flying into Venice. The last couple of years the Sella Ronda circuit has opened by the first week of December with all 1200kms of the Dolomiti Superski lift pass area open by New Year. The skiing is predominantly shortish blue and red runs and the pistes are usually very well groomed indeed. There are lots of gondolas for sheltered uplift on cold days and numerous superb refugios to eat and shelter in if necessary
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sun 25-02-24 11:20; edited 1 time in total
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We were in VdI the Christmas and it was warm, still and had super snow.
Downside - expensive period, very busy
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