 Poster: A snowHead
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Some advice please from SNowheads who have booked a last minute Easter trip.
We have to stick to the holidays due to the wife being a teacher and kids in school. We had a great chaterd chalet holiday in les coches over Christmas and now looking at the next trip over Easter. Christmas was the expensive holiday so now looking at keeping the costs low for Easter. The last two years we have been to Les Deux alpes over Easter staying in half board hotel which was great but now looking to save £.
We will be driving down family of four in the car. I'm thinking of booking the ferry now but leaving the accommodation until last minute and following the snow.
What are people's experice of booking accommodation last minute at Easter? Are there places and options available?
Should I book now and aim high?
Do you have any other tips for keeping cost down?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Boarderfarce, Easter is a lot less busy than Xmas and driving conditions are normally better - certainly more daylight
Your plan sounds good
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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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@Boarderfarce, can you not look on sites like booking.com/vrbo etc and see if there are any availability of apartments with free cancelations?
i tend to do this, same with any overnight stops en-route, just in case my circumstances change nearer the time, this also helps with driving as you have lots more flexibility on Eurotunnel (and certain ferry fare) tickets than flying
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@terrygasson, @red 27, thanks. Had not considered vrbo for free cancellation will look into that.
Any recommendations on which day to travel or arrive in resort? We are not tied to Saturday to Saturday.
We could do Friday to Friday, Sunday to Sunday etc.
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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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@Boarderfarce, As the first of the school holidays don't start until April 6th and Easter is March 31st there should be plenty of accommodation choices and they will be a lot cheeper than Christmas. Nevertheless I'd have a look at the usual suspects such as the Tarrentaise resorts. We'll be in Les Arcs over that period. Though this year we will probably drive down on the Monday before Easter and leave on the first Sunday in April. In the past we would drive down overnight on Maunday Thursday and start skiing on Good Friday. As we had holiday from work on Good Friday, Easter Monday AND Tuesday that meant we could get 9 days skiing for 3 days of holiday from work. However beware the Belgians. They appear to desert the country that night as they flock to the Med. and for skiing.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 8-01-24 23:07; edited 1 time in total
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we travel down on the friday, it will be easter friday this year to Val Thorens, and stay in albertville for an early start on saturday to get to resort before the traffic gets busy.
most changeover days are sat-sat, or increasingly sun-sun as well, but you will be lucky to get fri-fri transfer as it will straddle over two weeks, but again just input your dates in any of the above accommodation sites.
also, saturday skiing is generally quieter, as it is the main changeover day
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@johnE, our area school holidays start on easter friday (march 29th), so am assuming there are other uk regions with the same holiday dates
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@johnE, School holidays do start on 30th March and that week will be the most popular of the Easter school holiday weeks I'd imagine. We have always booked early for Easter to get early booking discounts and to get our choice of accommodation - tend to book high end self catering with pool/spa. We have picked resorts with access to high north facing slopes and there has always been enough snow for a week's skiing. It is also nice to have the holiday booked and to be able to look forward to it.
There will be places available to book last minute but you will just get less choice than booking now.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@terrygasson, I hadn't thought about UK schools. Most of the people in Arc 1600, where I go, are French. It is their holidays that have the biggest affect.
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@johnE, that makes sense, sorry for the confusion
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@snowymum, do you have any recommendations for self catering with pool please? That sounds ideal.
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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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@terrygasson, will it really be that busy on the roads on Easter Saturday? We're also heading to VT but were planning on a more lazy start (near Macon) Saturday morning (having been used to Feb half term traffic I thought it would be less busy).
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@Boarderfarce,
I would suggest looking at these places for starters;
Montgenevre - Le Napoleon
La Rosiere - Alparena apartments or Alpen Lodge (local slopes are south facing but its high altitude with a good snow record and you can ski over to La Thuile for north facing slopes)
Arc 2000 - La Cime des Arcs or La Source des Arcs (pools are on the small side and no jacuzzi but excellent location and very good for teens)
Tignes Val Claret - Ynycio
Val Thorens - Montana Plein Sud
If you need a self drive TO we have been to these places and others with Peak Retreats (their prices include eurotunnel flexiplus but they also do the ferry for a lower cost if you ask)
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You know it makes sense.
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@kettonskimum, am not sure how busy, or not, it will be, just like to get a head start and get into resort as early as poss and get some turns in before getting into the accommodation.
we have done the same routine the previous couple of 3v feb half term trips, before last seasons easter trip to VT.
we have been fortunate to be able to do the bulk of the driving through France on the Friday, and get close to the alps and a supermarket shop, before a Saturday morning jaunt up the mountains
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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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We’ve been on many Easter holidays and have never particularly followed the typical ‘aim high’ advice. As you have suggested, you could book the crossing now so that you have the dates sorted. Then you could hold off booking somewhere until you know what the conditions will be like. It means that you could have a much wider choice of destinations than those with access to really high skiing.
We’ve been to Kitzbuhel, Ski Amade, Saalbach, Serre Chevalier and Andorra at Easter and had great conditions. None of them have access to really high skiing. I think at the time they all offered a free kids pass when an adult one was bought which saved a few quid - that could be worth researching.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| snowymum wrote: |
@Boarderfarce,
I would suggest looking at these places for starters;
Montgenevre - Le Napoleon
La Rosiere - Alparena apartments or Alpen Lodge (local slopes are south facing but its high altitude with a good snow record and you can ski over to La Thuile for north facing slopes)
Arc 2000 - La Cime des Arcs or La Source des Arcs (pools are on the small side and no jacuzzi but excellent location and very good for teens)
Tignes Val Claret - Ynycio
Val Thorens - Montana Plein Sud
If you need a self drive TO we have been to these places and others with Peak Retreats (their prices include eurotunnel flexiplus but they also do the ferry for a lower cost if you ask) |
Hi. How far ahead do you tend to book something like Montana Plein Sud? Looks the equivalent of a 4* deluxe hotel, lovely. Sold out.
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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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If I was driving over and looking to stay to a budget , I would look at sunweb as they do cheap deals that alway include lift passes. Note for a normal 7 night stay/6 days skiing you need to select “7-night/8-day holiday” as this gives 6-day lift pass. Don’t know why they claim this is a 8-day holiday!.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Boarderfarce wrote: |
Some advice please from SNowheads who have booked a last minute Easter trip.
We have to stick to the holidays due to the wife being a teacher and kids in school. We had a great chaterd chalet holiday in les coches over Christmas and now looking at the next trip over Easter. Christmas was the expensive holiday so now looking at keeping the costs low for Easter. The last two years we have been to Les Deux alpes over Easter staying in half board hotel which was great but now looking to save £.
We will be driving down family of four in the car. I'm thinking of booking the ferry now but leaving the accommodation until last minute and following the snow.
What are people's experice of booking accommodation last minute at Easter? Are there places and options available?
Should I book now and aim high?
Do you have any other tips for keeping cost down? |
We are regular Easter goers (DIY, driving + S/C). All my TR's are listed here
I have booked late on occasion, 2019 I booked 2 days before but generally would book a few weeks, maybe 2 months before.
As you will see from the TR's we have taken a bit of liking for Les Menuires. Plenty of options, most stuff is easy to ski/ski out, on road parking.
Keeping costs down? If you are family of 4 driving and going by ferry you are doing all you can on that score. To save a bit on fuel dive off the motorway to supermarkets. I can give you a couple of examples if you want. Avoid parking charges if at all possible. Les Men has plenty of on road parking for example.
Do a supermarket stop in a big supermarket in the valley before driving up then you only have to buy bread locally.
Accommodation wise in Les Men this is a direct owner who is really nice and has great situated apartments but anywhere just use local immobilieres. Last time in Les Men we used www.agencedesalpes.com for example.
Lift pass you can't do much about aside using any Family discount they have.
We don't hire gear or have lessons so can't recommend much there.
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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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@hammerite, saalbach could be a good idea. Slightly longer drive but no French tolls. Would also be a different holiday to what we are used to in France.
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@Layne, thanks will also look at les menuires as not been there before
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We stop near Mâcon and not had a busy time getting to resort at Easter. Busiest it gets are the supermarket car parks in Moutiers…
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There will be lots of accommodation options much cheaper than those "high end with pool" options. Easter is far cheaper and less busy than Christmas. And usually snowier. I would leave it till much later to choose resort and accommodation if keeping costs low is your priority. Often times you won't need high altitude skiing. Aspect is more important later in the year. I think some Austrian resorts do good deals on family lift passes in April. Plenty of time for research!
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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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One key means to keep costs down is an apartment where you can have lunch. Family lunches on the slopes are expensive!
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Totally agree on lunch - it’s getting more and more expensive for a family. Restaurants are now pretty much out of the question for us - 120 euros for lunch is crazy. Recommend when you pick somewhere finding out where the snack bars are or places you can get a couple of pizzas between you and do a mixture of that and lunch at home. We would be spending 45-60 euros on lunch for 4 in Les arcs at Christmas - crazy.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Any recommendations on which day to travel or arrive in resort? We are not tied to Saturday to Saturday.
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In France your choice of accommodation will be drastically reduced unless you book it Saturday to Saturday. But you can do most of the travel on Friday provided you are ready to "ski from the car" on arrival on Saturday morning, as accommodation might not be available till about 5 pm. Equally, if you ski the final Saturday then get a few hours north on Saturday evening, you can complete the journey on Sunday, which will be quieter. Saturdays are often much quieter - nice skiing.
If you need ski school, though, check that it's available, and make the booking BEFORE finally deciding on resort. There's often less choice at Easter as resorts are so much quieter.
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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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Well, resorts not full of Brits are much quieter..... a good reason to get away from the Tarentaise!
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@Snow&skifan, To answer your question I tend to book in May/June for the following season and by October at the latest for the early booking deals. Montana Plein sud is quite small so that is probably why its sold out. If the other options I mentioned aren't available you could look at Tignes 1800 (Lodge de Neiges or Kalinda). Flaine is also normally good at Easter if you don't mind the architecture! Having said I book early I'm actually planning a second trip for this season now but it won't be in school holidays. Even out of school holidays I'm not finding as much availability as I expected.
@pam w, My response to @Boarderfarce, was in response to their request for high end self catering with pool!
@hammerite, I haven't been to Serre Chevalier but would count it as high as the slopes are north facing and go up to 2500.
By high I mean a decent amount of skiing over 1800 metres and some north facing slopes so the village could be low like Val Cenis but have access to high altitude skiing. The pistes there go up to 2800m and it is all north facing. Val Cenis is a good budget option for Easter but there are other places i like more.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Boarderfarce, an alternative to the high end places with pools is a cheaper apartment with a nearby public pool. Tignes Le Lac, for example, has a pool.
When is your next trip, @snowymum? We always found the first full week after the end of the French school holidays (roughly second week of March) was pretty busy, as it's the best week of the season, by some margin, in many French resorts. But it was never anything like the four weeks of the French school holidays which, as far as I'm concerned, are often too busy to be enjoyable.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| One key means to keep costs down is an apartment where you can have lunch. Family lunches on the slopes are expensive! |
Easter skiing is often a great time for picnics on the slopes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, that's true, and makes a big difference. Some places have nice picnic rooms too. Les Contamines does, or did when I used to go there, and would actually be a good resort for an Easter holiday. Much more reasonable than some of the alternatives.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mayrhofen is good at Easter. If driving there's hintertux, Kaltenbach and Zell am Ziller all on the same lift pass all with ample free parking spaces all a short drive away or the local train up the valley to those said resorts
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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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| hammerite wrote: |
| We’ve been on many Easter holidays and have never particularly followed the typical ‘aim high’ advice. |
Similar with us, had many years staying in La Tania (1400m), sometimes we went the last week of the season and was fine, north facing ski area and the home run was never shut, then had another block of years staying in Stuben (1400m) , and once again could always ski back!
How old are your kids, staying low with higher skiing might be a better choice? Loads of apts in La Tania https://www.latania.co.uk/resort/accomm.htm
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@kitenski, do you regularly go to the Arlberg in April?
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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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On Saturday to Saturday booking there is some flexible off peak. Fairly recently we've done Mon to Mon and this trip just gone we did Fri to Sat (8 days) - both were Christmas week. Sunday to Sunday definitely some options too.
We picnic on the mountain - if the weather is good outside is fine, some places have picnic benches, in bad weather some places have indoor picnic huts which are hand or there indoor shopping precincts or even inside gondolier stations. There is always a way. For me going to the apartment is too big a faff.
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@pam w, I suppose it depends on where you go in the tarrentaise. In val d’Isère for example the place has a lot of English whereas another English voice in arc 1600 makes me turn around in surprise.
As to non Saturday to Saturday accommodation may I suggest phoning the immobiliers up and asking. During low demand weeks they are quite flexible. They would rather have a booking for a Friday night rather than the apartment staying empty all week. This flexibility is much harder to write onto a web site than in person where you have the experience of how likely late bookings are to come in and a portfolio of other apartments you can let if they do. I’d guess that 2/3 of rental apartments in les arcs are currently vacant over Easter.
I thing my cheepest lunch on the slopes (well not actually on the slopes but in vallandry) this Christmas was 3 euros for a portion of chips. Still expensive but someone cooked them for me. The most expensive was 17 for fish and chips in arc 2000. Though savings can be made we find my the time we’ve gone back to the apartment, taken boots and clothing off, eaten and got back to the slopes over an hour has gone. And we bought a burger from Rocky Mountain anyway.
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@kitenski, j see you have kids. any hotel recommendations? half board
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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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@kitenski, I'll drop them an email.
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