 Poster: A snowHead
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Puy Saint Vincent is an option for our 2026 season. Never been so I wonder what it would be like. We do a lot of/mostly off-piste and some touring, planning on doing more touring for 26. Also need Ski School for our 4 by then nearly 5 year old willing to teach at least 1st star level. Spent last season in Haute Maurienne and we previously visited Serre Chevalier.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@MAthert, PSV is lovely, but I'm not sure I would want to spend a whole season there.
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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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I skied PSV for the first time during this year’s SOPiB. It was fabulous for off piste. À relatively small resort however so as HB says you may want to reconsider for a season. Briancon / Montgenevre might be more central bases to access the multiple resorts in the area. Best of luck
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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I think being in quite a small spot for a season, especially with a young family, has a lot to commend it! Be a big fish in a small pond. 
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I live just down the road from PSV, 15 mins.
You say you mainly do off piste. There is some great off piste there, and if a good snow year at Pelvoux just down the valley. But it's not massive and can get tracked quite quick in the busy times. The off piste is mostly obvious or well know at least, so not too many hidden gems to ski days after fresh snow. By then its touring time
I used to get a season pass and found that a mix of resort piste/off piste, using the free passes for the other local big resorts that come with it and touring was a good mix.
Thats said I do tour a lot, so much so dont get a saison pass and have only done 1 day in resort over the last few seasons.
It's a good place for touring you can be in the Écrins, Quyeras and the Cerces easily, which offer three massive areas loads of touring. I do a free online touring guide to the area to give you an idea - https://www.ecrinscollective.com/guidebook/ski-touring
If you're looking to spend more time touring then it could work. But, if its more resort based a bigger resort maybe better. Also with the touring you will want to be able to drive to make the most of it, not a huge amount leaving from resort. This could be an issue if one or both need to be back around ski school hours?
I cant tell you much about ski school or kids lessons myself, but I have lots of friends who have kids so could maybe find out?
If you want more info or a chat about it feel free to reach out on here or via socials https://www.instagram.com/rob_benton05/ I have a Facebook group for my online guide as well.
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Great post. Just out of interest could you recommend somewhere to stay in the general area for a week starting 7th March.
We are looking at skiing the whole Serre Chevalier and wider area as a group of 6, but don't need to be based in any particular place as will have cars.
Looking for a nice, good value (doesn't mean cheap) hotel or a lovely apartment
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I am not sure I am best placed to advise on hotels and apartments. I would base my self in Serre Chevalier probably closer to Brainçon, Most of the time you will be skiing in Serre Che anyway and it easy to access the other resorts from there. Briançon city can be a bit of a pain to drive through at slope kick off time so something to think about.
For places you could contact https://stay-briancon.com Its run by Mel who is lovely. I am not sure if they have any where big enough but I am sure she will know some where that will work for you.
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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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We had 11 different weeks over 10 years in PSV 1600 with Snowbizz. Fantastic place, very fond memories for us all.
Ski schools …. pick the big one that isn’t ESF …. fantastic instructors fluent in English.
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| ecrinscollective wrote: |
I live just down the road from PSV, 15 mins.
You say you mainly do off piste. There is some great off piste there, and if a good snow year at Pelvoux just down the valley. But it's not massive and can get tracked quite quick in the busy times. The off piste is mostly obvious or well know at least, so not too many hidden gems to ski days after fresh snow. By then its touring time
I used to get a season pass and found that a mix of resort piste/off piste, using the free passes for the other local big resorts that come with it and touring was a good mix.
Thats said I do tour a lot, so much so dont get a saison pass and have only done 1 day in resort over the last few seasons.
It's a good place for touring you can be in the Écrins, Quyeras and the Cerces easily, which offer three massive areas loads of touring. I do a free online touring guide to the area to give you an idea - https://www.ecrinscollective.com/guidebook/ski-touring
If you're looking to spend more time touring then it could work. But, if its more resort based a bigger resort maybe better. Also with the touring you will want to be able to drive to make the most of it, not a huge amount leaving from resort. This could be an issue if one or both need to be back around ski school hours?
I cant tell you much about ski school or kids lessons myself, but I have lots of friends who have kids so could maybe find out?
If you want more info or a chat about it feel free to reach out on here or via socials https://www.instagram.com/rob_benton05/ I have a Facebook group for my online guide as well. |
@ecrinscollective Thanks for the input. We definitely try spend most of our time off-piste I could imagine getting to the point where I mostly tour but I'm still getting into it. I'm a splitboarder I wonder if there are many in the area, or ski tourers who wouldn't mind touring with one, I struggled to find people to tour with last season the Haute Maurienne (it was my first season splitboarding) so I would like to be in a place where it easier to find groups to tour with. What worked well for us last season (HMV) was being somewhere we could get a few runs in before starting work. Slightly worried about the transport situation because we would be in our camper which we probably only want to move about once a week. That touring guide looks great, I'm going to take a closer look at it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For the splitboarding there are a few I know local, and most skiers are happy to go out with boarders.
In terms of finding people to ski tour with, this is a little mixed. There aren't many seasionaire's working in Puy or Serre Che for that matter, so there isn't that big pool of people who are looking to meet people to ski with.
It tends to be more locals who are getting out, who are mainly very nice. But being local they tend to already have groups and mates to go out with. I have found they are happy to ski with new people, but as they aren't really looking for new people, you do have to do a bit more of chasing to get in their group. The great thing about this is when you do they tend to know the area and the good places to go. There are a few Facebook groups and Apps to find people as well.
Using Puy for a few hours in the morning is great, its empty out of the holidays and never that busy in them. But being small it needs to be about the trans rather than exploring new areas.
For the use of the van it's tricky. you dont need it for the resort and there is touring from 1600, but not enough for a season. I guess it comes down to how many days you want to tour, maybe you can find a group and chuck fuel money in rather than drive to much? It is a little resort so also depends on how much stuff you want access to other than skiing?
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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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Thanks definitely lots to weigh up. A big pull for us is that we home educate our daughter and there is a group of home ed families going to Puy for 2026 which would bring a bunch of benefits.
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a group of home ed families going to Puy for 2026
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That sounds terrific. What an interesting idea.
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You know it makes sense.
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I am sure if you do come to Puy you will have a great time. It's an amazing part of the world for adventure stuff. Do you rock climb as well?
I just want to give an honest opinion of where some of the pitfalls maybe. So you can start to plan around them or at least be aware of them.
Happy to have a chat if that helps. or come back if you have questions after you have thought about options.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Fri 11-07-25 10:29; edited 1 time in total
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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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| MAthert wrote: |
| Thanks definitely lots to weigh up. A big pull for us is that we home educate our daughter and there is a group of home ed families going to Puy for 2026 which would bring a bunch of benefits. |
That does put a different slant on things if you are there as part of a group.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| ecrinscollective wrote: |
I am sure if you do come to Puy you will have a great time. It's an amazing part of the world for adventure stuff. Do you rock climb as well?
I just want to give an honest opinion of where some of the pitfalls maybe. So you can start to plan around them or at least be aware of them.
Happy to have a chat if that helps. or come back if you have questions after you have thought about options. |
Definitely going to PSV. There are around 15 families going so it should be interesting. A few of them are into touring so hopefully we should be able to get a crew together.
I have done a bit of climbing and bouldering in the past.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| MAthert wrote: |
| ecrinscollective wrote: |
I am sure if you do come to Puy you will have a great time. It's an amazing part of the world for adventure stuff. Do you rock climb as well?
I just want to give an honest opinion of where some of the pitfalls maybe. So you can start to plan around them or at least be aware of them.
Happy to have a chat if that helps. or come back if you have questions after you have thought about options. |
Definitely going to PSV. There are around 15 families going so it should be interesting. A few of them are into touring so hopefully we should be able to get a crew together.
I have done a bit of climbing and bouldering in the past. |
Lucky all of you.
Fond memories of 1600, whilst we also stayed once for a couple of nights en route in the attractive village of Vallouise in the valley bottom, another time in 1400 for two nights. 1600 has a surprising variety of shops in the big white building.
Hopefully the snow gods will favour you. PSV has a great snow record.
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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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@MAthert, are all 15 families doing a season ???!!!!!
And the logistics of "let's all meet at the lift at 09:00" could be amusing 
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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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It sounds terrific to me - so much scope for creative cooperation with kids and home schooling. I hope you'll write about it, @MAthert.
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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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| Weathercam wrote: |
@MAthert, are all 15 families doing a season ???!!!!!
And the logistics of "let's all meet at the lift at 09:00" could be amusing |
A number are doing the whole season but some are doing about 5 weeks in Jan-Feb or March-April some are doing both but will be away for the Feb peak period.
We haven’t done this sort of setup before so it will certainly be interesting especially as families are coming from different places around the world.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| MAthert wrote: |
| ecrinscollective wrote: |
I am sure if you do come to Puy you will have a great time. It's an amazing part of the world for adventure stuff. Do you rock climb as well?
I just want to give an honest opinion of where some of the pitfalls maybe. So you can start to plan around them or at least be aware of them.
Happy to have a chat if that helps. or come back if you have questions after you have thought about options. |
Definitely going to PSV. There are around 15 families going so it should be interesting. A few of them are into touring so hopefully we should be able to get a crew together.
I have done a bit of climbing and bouldering in the past. |
Glad you got it sorted.
I only asked for climbing as there is loads of climbing here and a lot of it is accessible and climbable year round.
Fingers and everything else crossed for a good year and may see you on the snow.
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A little update on this world schooling adventure, we have over 100 people going, not all at the same time, but about 17 Families in Jan and 12 in Feb (5 families doing the season).
Should be quite the experience.
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@MAthert, sounds terrific - do keep the reports going!
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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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| MAthert wrote: |
| Puy Saint Vincent is an option for our 2026 season. Never been so I wonder what it would be like. We do a lot of/mostly off-piste and some touring, planning on doing more touring for 26. Also need Ski School for our 4 by then nearly 5 year old willing to teach at least 1st star level. Spent last season in Haute Maurienne and we previously visited Serre Chevalier. |
PM sent
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We’ve been sent pics of beautifully snowy scenes in PSV. The best at this time of year for a few years possibly. Looks amazing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yeah, hopefully a good year. The snow pack is already a bit sketchy on northernly aspects with a PWL. It will be interesting how that develops.
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