 Poster: A snowHead
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A new family dilemma, looking for something festive with village level snow for a week in the 2nd half of December, probably 21 to 28/12/2024.
Christmas tree lights are not enough, done that in Zermatt and Obergurgl/Ischgl before and that's all they had.
A Christmas market, festivities and firework are what they are dreaming of.
I ruled out the following week (NYE) due to crowded pistes and restaurants, no chance of a Christmas Market, higher prices etc. but it probably has the firework and perhaps a torch parade.
I will be taking a beginner boarder with her early intermediate BF so I will be needing easy enough blue pistes.
Initially I considered La Rosiere, Montgenevre, Val Cenis, Les Saisies or Les Arcs 1950 in France, anyone been there in Christmas week and remembers any festivities?
For Christmas Market I would rather choose Austria but my previous experiences that week in Solden, Ischgl and in Obergurgl were bleak.
Saalbach vs Hinterglemm? Mayrhofen? Perhaps somewhere in Ski Amade, Radstadt as a proper city should surely have a Christmas Market but it is too far from the sloped for a torch lit descend.
Obertauern should be snowy and wintery but I am not sure it will be Christmassy.
We can arrive 2 days earlier and spend them in Innsbruck/Salzburg for the classic pre-Christmas Austrian experience then continue to a ski resort, any idea where we can find fireworks/torch parades etc.?
TIA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Anywhere can be bleak at Christmas. It's the winter solstice! Les Saisies is quite nice at Christmas but low key. I will be there but I don't expect fireworks. French families are at home or eating expensive meals in restaurants on Christmas Eve. There won't be a Christmas market as such, if you want stalls selling expensive tat probably made in China. But will be lots of shops open till early evening selling lots of great food and drink.
Christmas Day is a normal day on slopes.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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1. Lech
2. Val Thorens
3. Saas Fee
4. St Moritz
5. Davos
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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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@drporat, who is driving this dilemma?
If I may be a little straight talking for a moment. I think you need to decide if you want to have a festive/christmas market trip or a ski trip. IME there isn't a way to blend the two.
Hard to predict what the conditions will be like at Christmas. Tree skiing is handy at that time of the year and if you get some snow it's lovely in lower regions. But equally it can be handy to have access but not stay at higher altitudes.
My experience is mostly France.
Compromise is everything.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Saas Fee? I was there in early December a few years ago and I remember it feeling very christmassy. They were already doing festive events at that point, not spectacular but more of a Swiss village feel. Christmas market will most likely be a one off from the look of it and you may miss it depending on dates. It's very chocolate box and you'd have a half decent chance of resort level snow.
Here is last years Christmas line up:
https://www.saas-fee.ch/en/events/top-events-in-winter/christmas-time-in-the-saas-valley
Slopes wise it looks like a lot of red runs on the map but my beginner/intermediate son found enough of the red runs were fine.
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Of the places you mention I have been to Les Saisies, arc 1950, Montgenevre and La rosiere in Christmas week. La rosiere was the most festive as they do a good job of decorating the narnia trail between the two villages but none of these places offer what you are looking for in terms of festivities. There will be the ski instructors torchlit descent and a few activities for small children but not much more. We have self driven and taken our own decorations and picked up the French buche de Noel but not done much more than that.
In terms of a beginner boarder I’d avoid Les arcs as it will be busier. La rosiere gets good snow but has few trees on the French side in case of a whiteout and of course the access to the Italian side isn’t beginner friendly. I think Les Saisies or Montgenevre would be best for the boarder and would probably go for Montgenevre.
I haven’t skied in Austria or Switzerland at Christmas so others will advise you on them.
If you want to do a Christmas market maybe drive and stop somewhere festive for a few days before 21st and then there will not be the pressure to find a resort that has everything.
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I’m not sure you’ll be able to tick all those boxes, to be honest.
As regards Austria:
Village snow - you weren’t overly impressed with the higher resorts and the typical valley town resorts may not have much snow by then (although last season the snow came early and many areas were quite wintry).
Christmas Markets - many ski resort valley towns/villages probably have them at the weekends and during the Advent period. Away from the ski areas you’ll find more options, more frequently, if not daily. Salzburg, although busy, is well worth considering. From there, and given you’re group needs, I’d probably recommend the 1.5hr drive to Saalbach Hinterglemm which has a good Christmas vibe with plenty of things to enjoy/appreciate plus night skiing/boarding in Hinterglemm. The resort has a decent snow record down to the town. Plenty of blue pistes, easily accessible.
Fireworks - not had much experience of these at Christmas but New Year’s Eve seems to be the favoured display event. Everywhere!
La Rosiere could be a good fit, as already mentioned. No idea if it’s still possible but many years ago, one could pay a few Euros and actually take part in a torchlit descent….great fun!
Serre Chevalier, Chantemerle - seem to recall a nice enough vibe there and the torchlit descent on the Luc Alphand piste to the valley station is quite something. Don’t recall Christmas Markets, though….maybe one of the sH locals can advise (and also about firework displays). The old town of Briancon is well worth a visit. Very charming! The natural bowel above Chantemerle (Serre Ratier) offers access to some decent learner/improver terrain for boarders. Again, plenty of blue pistes.
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Thanks for the answers so far, appreciate your recommendations.
Basically I need to choose France or Austria, since lessons and rental will be needed so CH will be too expensive overall.
(I should check Alta Badia for Xmass though, me thinks)
From all the boxes I wish to tick, snow quality and mileage is less important than a Winter Wonderland experience (cheaper than the Hyde Park one 
It seems Les Arcs 1950 and Tignes Le Lac will deliver the snow AND the fireworks plus torch descent/main street small parade.
But they will be crowded for sure and my folks won't be able to appreciate all that the pistes can offer them.
I've been toying with going to Montgenevre for a few years,should look lovely at that time. If only there would be a town on the way with proper Christmas markets, like Austria's Innsbruck or Salzburg ones.
@Jäger, I love skiing in Austria and all their resorts I've been to had good snow conditions, it's just that I was surprised they had no really Christmas atmosphere and activities other than some lights and the tree of course.
I loved the atmosphere in Hinterglemm, low key and romantic with the small creek running next to the main road. I wonder if they have any festivities for Dec 24.
Zell will be festive for sure but it is low and might be snowless at resort's level.
Obergurgl had minimal stalls once every two days, nothing I can think of in Ischgl or Solden
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@drporat, if you haven’t yet been to Montgenevre I would definitely recommend it for Christmas. It has a good snow record, plenty of tree lined runs and is excellent for beginners and intermediates and less busy than Tignes and Les arcs.
We have stayed at le Napoleon, chalet des dolines and le hameau des airelles there self drive with peak retreats and I’d say le Napoleon is the best location for beginners and also the newest of these residences.
Maybe you could stop in Annecy en route. We stayed in the Novotel there once and it was well located.
In terms of the last part of the journey take the Frejus tunnel and it is an easy drive up from there.
Montgenevre is cheaper all round than the Tarentaise resorts and it has good ski schools. Whilst we ski we have been there with friends who are boarders and they liked it as much as we did
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@drporat, Briancon is a pleasant small city (town sized) and claims to ‘bring an air of enchantment’ at Christmas.
At one end of the Serre Chevalier area and not far from Montgenevre.
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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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Could someone explain Christmas markets to me? They have one in Birmingham every year and as far as I can see it is just a load of stalls selling tat _ plus some beer and some gluhwein. I was in Cottbus (Chóśebuz) a few years ago and apart from a ferris wheel it was the same. Are those in other parts of Germany better?
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You know it makes sense.
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@johnE, it's magic.
The one in Nurnberg in the old part of the city is famous.
Personally have not been there yet due to my darn interest in skiing.
So many places I plan to visit after stopping this pesky habit...
I liked the ones in Innsbruck, Strasbourg, Prague, Colmar and Vienna.
Good traditional fat fast food and plenty of
gluhwein, happy faces and cheesy music....
What's not to like? 
Will check Radstadt and might be a good time to return to Briancon, many thanks.
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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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| drporat wrote: |
@johnE, it's magic.
The one in Nurnberg in the old part of the city is famous.
Personally have not been there yet due to my darn interest in skiing.
So many places I plan to visit after stopping this pesky habit...
I liked the ones in Innsbruck, Strasbourg, Prague, Colmar and Vienna.
Good traditional fat fast food and plenty of
gluhwein, happy faces and cheesy music....
What's not to like?
Will check Radstadt and might be a good time to return to Briancon, many thanks. |
All the stalls still sell made in china tat though. The market is more traditional by being in the square & not sprawled out on the sideway of a street.
If you can ski close to Basel, then from Basel to Strasbourg has about 6 different towns with decent markets covering 3 countries!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Gored, interesting, which ones?
Strasbourg, Colmar, Freiburg perhaps?
Basel, evidently.
I could drive to Grindelwald afterwards but it might be too early for the season
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| drporat wrote: |
@Gored, interesting, which ones?
Strasbourg, Colmar, Freiburg perhaps?
Basel, evidently.
I could drive to Grindelwald afterwards but it might be too early for the season |
yes & there are some smaller ones like riquewihr & Mulhouse, but really depends where you want to spend a night.
Lots of guides around the internet & you can start at https://www.christmas.alsace/
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