 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone - new to the forum and hoping to get some help figuring out where would be the best place to do a season next winter in the French Alps whilst working remotely. I'm really keen to be in France because I speak French and am considering moving permanently to France. Things that are important to me are:
- lots of varied skiing (piste and off-piste)
- fast access to slopes for lunchbreak/afternoon skiing during weekdays
- access to areas high enough for good snow throughout the season
- can bring my dog
- good Wifi
- ability to cook/wash my things at home
- easy to meet other people and make friends / have a social life (I'm a single 32yr old woman)
My questions are:
1) where would you recommend? I've skied in the Portes du Soleil area and Paradiski, but am open to any of the big lift pass resorts
2) where is best to look for accommodation?
Thanks in advance for any recommendations!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Do you have an EU passport or the right to work in France?
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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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Chamonix
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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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Good luck with "good Wifi" in France!
We don't even bother; just buy Airalo 5g data packages.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Verbier in the French-speaking Suisse Romande? 400Kms of pistes, highest point 3330m with the town at 1500m. Easily accessible by public transport. Still in the Schengen zone, however. Year-round resort. Useful to know if you’d consider CH or are fixed on being in France itself (which would be entirely reasonable). Post-Brexit, and unless you have an EU passport, then CH is on a par with France in terms of ease/difficulty of being resident for a year, and how you might, or might not, be able to get round the Schengen 90-in-180-days rule.
Like any Alpine location, your budget and other factors may dictate whether you would/can stay in a premier hub or have to compromise and locate in a satellite or down in the valley. I think we’d need a bit more background to offer focused advice (but appreciate you may not want to elaborate too much on a public forum).
Be careful about remote working, as there may be local/national tax implications. These may extend to your employer as well. There are a number of threads you might search for that discuss the issues around this as it came up a number of times during the Pandemic.
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Thanks everyone - I've heard a lot of people recommending Verbier, I assumed it would be more expensive but definitely worth looking into. Thanks for the remote-working/tax implication warnings, I'm aware of all of those and all of that is in hand, but appreciate it.
Has anyone got any experience of Bourg St Maurice and would you recommend staying there or not? I've heard it's good in terms of the funicular up to Les Arcs and the fact that food shopping and amenities tend to be better than in the ski resorts themselves, but I don't want to be too far away either.
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Realistically if you are seriously planning on lunchbreak skiing you need to be ski in out. Don't underestimate the time it takes to gear and boot up. Afternoons you can afford to be a bit further away.
If it was me I'd pick a valley town. More chance of meeting a wider community of working ski bums.
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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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What's your expectation of weekday skiing ? If you're working and aiming for lunchtime skiing, then you really need to be in resort. Another couple of options, which have worked for me in Austria, based on working to UK times are:
- First thing in the morning. In Austria, some ski areas open lifts from 07:30, so 06:30 UK time which allows a couple of skiing hours pre-work. Not sure if anywhere in France does similar
- Evening skiing. Either lift-server floodlit skiing, or night ski touring
If you're wanting a town, and the ability to ski in and out of town, then Chamonix and Briancon are your 2 main options
Re finding accommodation, if you can stay more than the 90 in 180 day restriction, then you're best looking for a seasonal rental via the local rental agencies. Note that this may mean you need to pay for the amenities (most obviously broadband) - the last time I did this was in the day of dial-up, which we had to sort out ourselves, but this was a long time ago (1998/99) and may have changed. If you are limited to 90 days (as I am), then one option is to split into 2 separate trips over the quieter times (Jan to early Feb, then mid March onwards), and you will probably be able to get holiday accommodation (via tourist office, or sites like booking.com (max 28 day stay) or AirBnB) which will include all amenities
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Austria
you can already speak french, so why not learn some german? You can get by using English easily enough as well.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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This isn’t as easy as you might think unfortunately. In France, You’ll need a visa if non-EU and you’ll need to be employed by a french registered business and pay social etc. There are no digital nomad visas so working remotely isn’t possible unless you can tick those boxes. (Sorry)
If you can sort that, then Morzine has a big freelance community with shared working hubs and solo meet up groups etc. and my wifi has always been strong enough for big files and video calls.
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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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@Nadenoodlee, if she intends to do it legally
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This is also not legal in Austria if you do not have the right to the Austrian labour market. You need to be either registered self employed in Austria or working for an Austrian-registered Business and paying for tax and social Insurance in Austria.
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You know it makes sense.
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@holidayloverxx, indeed
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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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I would narrow it down to towns which have decent co-working spaces purely just to meet other people doing the same thing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@caitfm92, given your criteria, I'd aim for Tignes
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| viv wrote: |
| If you're wanting a town, and the ability to ski in and out of town, then Chamonix and Briancon are your 2 main options |
Neither is optimal for a little lunch ski although both are nice-ish places to spend a season.
What about the Pyrenees? Bareges or somewhere? Snow may be an issue though.
I would keep under the radar if I did it and not go to co-working or tell ANYONE what I was doing, just say I was on an extended holiday.
It may depend on whom you are working for, the company I work for won't let you work outside the country and actively monitor for this. Still my wife is not officially allowed to work outside the department (ie 75 / Paris) but that is the govt.
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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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The bonus to France is if the OP doesn't have an EU passport they could apply for the 6 month holiday visa to allow them to stay the whole season.
Whether they choose to declare they're working or not would be up to them, but I'm fairly certain they won't be the only one doing the same thing....
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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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| caitfm92 wrote: |
Hi everyone - new to the forum and hoping to get some help figuring out where would be the best place to do a season next winter in the French Alps whilst working remotely. I'm really keen to be in France because I speak French and am considering moving permanently to France. Things that are important to me are:
- lots of varied skiing (piste and off-piste)
- fast access to slopes for lunchbreak/afternoon skiing during weekdays
- access to areas high enough for good snow throughout the season
- can bring my dog
- good Wifi
- ability to cook/wash my things at home
- easy to meet other people and make friends / have a social life (I'm a single 32yr old woman)
My questions are:
1) where would you recommend? I've skied in the Portes du Soleil area and Paradiski, but am open to any of the big lift pass resorts
2) where is best to look for accommodation?
Thanks in advance for any recommendations! |
Since you'll be doing most of your skiing at the weekends avoid resorts with short drives from airports or large towns and cities as these tend to have an influx of weekend warriors. Remote resorts tend to have quiet slopes at the weekends, especially Saturdays.
You haven't mentioned how you intend to get to/from resort.
Given your requirements I wouldn't consider BSM - too far from the slopes for a quick pre-work or lunchtime ski. You need to be up by the slopes.
Some accommodation providers:-
https://tignes.co.uk/seasonaires.htm
https://www.tignes-spirit.com/flats/seasonal_apartments
https://www.livetheseason.com/
Once you have chosen a few resorts to concentrate on try inquiring on resort linked facebook groups such as https://www.facebook.com/groups/670519632962525 and https://www.facebook.com/groups/149257458481247
At the age of 32 you would be at the higher end age-group of newbies, but there would be plenty of regular seasonnaires of similar ages to you. Just go around the seasonnaire bars when you get to resort and introduce yourself, including that you are out for the season. This will also alert the bar staff regarding seasonnaire discounts!
Ski areas to look at - Espace Killy (aka Tignes-Val d'Isere), Paradiski, 3 Valleys. In my opinion these three match your requirements, are large, high and have long seasons. Handily they are all very close to each other for when you fancy a change of scenery, and have two other resorts close by too - Ste Foy and La Rosiere.
The fact that you are asking now about doing a season means you have a great chance of finding the accommodation that suits you and your dog - the start of every season now seems to have people looking for accommodation, having left it late - too late for many!
Oh, and if I had to really narrow down where I would recommend then Tignes (Lavachet, le Lac or Val Claret) 
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 19-03-24 17:05; edited 1 time in total
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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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@Kenzie, lots of good advice. If I were to do a season again it would be Davos where I did a season once. Long winter, great accessible skiing and nice place to be.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Good luck with "good Wifi" in France!
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I suppose the 25Mbps doesn't count as good to many people but I find that download speed perfectly adequate in our Les Arcs apartment. However any data connection using the mobile phone network is nigh on impossible.
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Syane fibre is allegedly rolled out to large parts of Morzine so I think things are slowly getting better on the wifi front.
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I've thought about this lots.
Not sure how flexible you can be, maybe work 4 x 12 hour days then ski 3 days picking the days to coincide with the weather. You're going to have to be realistic, can you really bash the keyboard when it's a powder day? It's not that hard to do 3 x 14 hours given the right motivation leaving 4 whole days a week to shop & ski.
It sounds ideal, get up early, 2 hours skiing for lunch (you are in France after all!) then back on the keyboard when everyone else comes out of the restaurant, but there's no way you're going to want to stop sliding once you've started.
But I'd forget about lunchtime skiing, get up extra early, work through lunch then ski after work.
Don't forget you'll want to get off the hill to go shopping once a week.
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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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Serre Che.
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| Thick As wrote: |
| Serre Che. |
+1 I've only been there once, but I can't imagine anything nicer than living in the historic town of Briancon, on the doorstep of a large and varied ski area. It's 'proper' France - la France profonde - (and, partly, proper Italy too!)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Southern hemisphere. You can work all night and ski all day.
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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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1. Val d'Isere
2. Val Thorens
3. La Plagne
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You know it makes sense.
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Honestly you can go all round the houses with your question but in the end the answer is Chamonix.
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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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| jedster wrote: |
| Honestly you can go all round the houses with your question but in the end the answer is Chamonix. |
I don't think it is, for what the OP wants. Fast access to skiing for lunch breaks/afternoons.
It's got Tignes written all over it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd look at something close to the funicular stop in Les Arcs 1600. From there you can access the high altitude snow easily. You'll also be able to easily and cheaply get down to BSM for practical stuff, shopping and longer trips on the mainline trains or busses along the valley.
This was where I was looking at doing something similar at the same age although it never happened because I started a family instead.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| swskier wrote: |
| jedster wrote: |
| Honestly you can go all round the houses with your question but in the end the answer is Chamonix. |
I don't think it is, for what the OP wants. Fast access to skiing for lunch breaks/afternoons.
It's got Tignes written all over it. |
Yeah... from that respect for sure but I'd think I'd find any of the high resorts a bit of a weird place to live for a season if I wasn't working as part of a team in the village. I loved my season in Courchevel 1850 (many moons ago) but by the end I was going a little stir crazy about everything that wasn't skiing and my social life was quite focused on my colleagues working for the chalet company. As a single person, working remotely, I think I'd find it a bit strange and lonely.
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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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| jedster wrote: |
| swskier wrote: |
| jedster wrote: |
| Honestly you can go all round the houses with your question but in the end the answer is Chamonix. |
I don't think it is, for what the OP wants. Fast access to skiing for lunch breaks/afternoons.
It's got Tignes written all over it. |
Yeah... from that respect for sure but I'd think I'd find any of the high resorts a bit of a weird place to live for a season if I wasn't working as part of a team in the village. I loved my season in Courchevel 1850 (many moons ago) but by the end I was going a little stir crazy about everything that wasn't skiing and my social life was quite focused on my colleagues working for the chalet company. As a single person, working remotely, I think I'd find it a bit strange and lonely. |
Exactly the opposite - as a solo you make more effort to meet people, so are not reliant on the small group working for the same company as yourself (I've done both, btw).
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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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| jedster wrote: |
| As a single person, working remotely, I think I'd find it a bit strange and lonely. |
I think that very much depends on whether you're happy in your own company or not. Lots of people are...
But no single female in a ski resort is going to find it hard to make friends! If anything, I'd think it's far easier in a ski resort than in a town. Especially as she's got a dog which gives the whole world an automatic excuse to say hello and start a conversation. 
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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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We have full fibre internet in Le Monetier-les-Bains, Serre Chevalier, but I'm told that much of Briancon doesnt have it yet.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Walk in to the Loop bar, have a drink and chat to the staff, you're bound to make some friends straight away!
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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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@caitfm92, I assume you would take a car with you? Ski in ski out would probably be unaffordable for the whole winter as it attracts too much of a premium (unless your job is amazingly well paid!). I'm not sure I'd want to be in a really high resort for the whole winter. I worked a season in Les Menuires many moons ago, but the far nicer place to be, where you can enjoy walks with the dog is below the tree line in a resort which is a proper community. I'm inevitably going to make a plug for St Martin de Belleville because it's a small and friendly community. Especially with the dog in tow, I think you would soon meet new people. Not a place if you are a party animal though! Seasonal accommodation is hard to get, but if you have a car you can expand your search to the satellite villages within a couple of miles and still be on the piste in 10 mins and still feel part of the community.
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FAQ
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