 Poster: A snowHead
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I appreciate that this topic may have been discussed before...
Previously I only ski in Alpes during January and March, sometime April but avoiding Easter.
This year, however, it looks like a trip from Boxing day till New Year's eve is likely going to happen.
From your experience, especially for big ski resorts, such as Les 3 Valley, Tignes, Avoriaz, during the period of time I have described, how busy does it get? How long of a queue do you usually experience?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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In Tignes, very busy especially in the lead up to New Year. Whilst January and March have started to catch up with more busy times, the festive period is very busy often with 3 generation families. Dodging NYE itself will help as there is a very big party and the place is mobbed by folk who are not necessarily slope users.
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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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@skiboarder007, Friday to Wednesday in crossing 2 weeks at the busiest time of the year. Are you sure you can get accommodation? You might have to stay in a valley and drive up every day
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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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@skiboarder007, busy, and lack of accommodation for a short break at the peak week of the year is likely to be a problem. You might find something from 27th but will need to pay for a full week. Good luck.
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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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @skiboarder007, Friday to Wednesday in crossing 2 weeks at the busiest time of the year. Are you sure you can get accommodation? You might have to stay in a valley and drive up every day |
I was able to get an accommodation since I booked a refundable one early enough. (And the price was reasonable)
However I am concern about how busy the slope and the lift lines can be as I do value skiing a lot more than other stuff such as apres...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@skiboarder007, OK. So tell us where have you booked so.you can get a specific answer
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @skiboarder007, OK. So tell us where have you booked so.you can get a specific answer |
Ah thanks! The accomodation is at Orelle, within like 5 minutes walk to Télécabine d'Orelle. May consider drive to other part of 3 valley for a day or so.
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| Quote: |
I was able to get an accommodation since I booked a refundable one early enough. (And the price was reasonable)
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Hmm. How can you be sure that the owner won't succumb to a MUCH better offer and is treating your booking as a "bird in the hand" whilst others gather in the bushes? It happens.
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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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@Origen, has that happened to you? That sounds unfortunate....
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@skiboarder007, not sure why you have avoided Easter - it's not busy.
We go Christmas week, which is medium busy I would say. But when we drive out early Saturday evening people are clamouring for parking spaces and the traffic queues coming in are immense - similar to Feb HT. This is for the Tarentaise.
That said, I think the beauty (or not) going these busy weeks is in the eye of the beholder to some degree. There are things you can do to mitigate the issues - get in resort early on transfer day, ski early, lunch, late to avoid the busiest times, know/avoid the pinch points, chill and have patience.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@skiboarder007, it's not happened to me - but has to other people on Snowheads. I had my own place for ages and otherwise have always booked through the local resort websites. Which don't have any non-standard rentals available for the peak weeks of the year and where owners who failed to honour bookings would probably be chucked off the list. I've booked places for the last two Christmas weeks - and for Christmas 2025 (through VRBO) and had to pay a very substantial deposit to confirm the reservation - a deposit which will be forfeit if I don't pay the balance six weeks before. As usually, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. And a 5 minute walk on an owner's listings could be a tad optimistic.
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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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@skiboarder007, how/who did you book the accommodation with? That would be a factor on any cancellation shenanigans.
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@Origen,
Ah I see, thanks for the concern.
I have booked this place before, so its location checks out.
Regarding the owner not honoring a contract, if it does happen it is going to be unfortunate. I will surely work on a backup plan.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Layne, I booked through airbnb. I don't know about other's experience, but mine has been always positive, plus I do have discount on airbnb so it has worked out for me.
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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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@skiboarder007, like you, we've only had generally good experiences with Airbnb. We did have 1 cancel on us in Annecy over New Years once, and Airbnb sorted us out a discount plus some extra credit as there was nothing else available in that price range and location.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| skiboarder007 wrote: |
| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @skiboarder007, OK. So tell us where have you booked so.you can get a specific answer |
Ah thanks! The accomodation is at Orelle, within like 5 minutes walk to Télécabine d'Orelle. May consider drive to other part of 3 valley for a day or so. |
The queues at the Orelle lift in the Valley can be quite long first thing in the morning as can the lifts that then link up to Val Thorens. It’s one heck of a drive from Orelle to anywhere else in the 3 Valleys so you might want to consider looking at The Haute Maurienne areas which are much easier to drive to and back in the same day…and are generally much quieter than the 3 valleys.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We've done new years week 3 years on the trot, once in Morzine/Avoriaz, twice in Val thorens. Morzine and avoriaz were incredibly busy, mostly due to a lack of snow fall that year. Val thorens has been good both years, think the longest lift 'queue' we ever waited on was 5 minutes, other than the magic carpets which took a while. Restaurants have been a different matter though, always try and book Hogmanay in advance of going and the other restaurants on the first night.
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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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| skiboarder007 wrote: |
| @Layne, I booked through airbnb. I don't know about other's experience, but mine has been always positive, plus I do have discount on airbnb so it has worked out for me. |
I've only ever used airbnb for non-skiing trips (maybe 8/9 bookings) and had no issues. However, my understanding is they could cancel, even last minute.
https://www.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/1cz9ekv/airbnb_host_can_cancel_any_time_and_its_your/
And as per swskier's anecdote whilst you will get refunded you may not be able to get somewhere else (or at same price) if busy time/location.
I wouldn't sweat it as such but maybe just something to have at the back of your mind.
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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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| Quote: |
May consider drive to other part of 3 valley for a day or so.
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From Orelle, it's a drive of several hours to other parts of the 3 Vallées, though there are other resorts much closer in the Haute Maurienne
I recall Serre Chevalier being AWFUL when we skiied New Year there 20 years ago. On the other hand, when we finally braved New Year again at Sainte Foy 2 years ago, it was fantastic, other than the inevitable 9am queues with ski schools we barely noticed any other queues all week
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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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It does vary a lot and it always helps to know how to avoid the local hot-spots. And to ski through the sacred lunchtime hours. But I'd do a lot to avoid that week - even the previous (Christmas) week is preferable in most places.
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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: |
it always helps to know how to avoid the local hot-spots. And to ski through the sacred lunchtime hours
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This - we've been in Les Arcs a few times and yes it is busy but you can avoid the worst by not stopping 12-2 and picking where you ski, in Arc the lower slopes above 1600, Vallandry were always quiet as everyone heads to 2000 and the highest points
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been twich this Week of the year in France, once in Flaine and once in LesMen.
Its busy. Have seen worst, but its busy. I think that Flaine was better, even if it was this Desasterous December, as everything below 1600m was out of operation and many from Les Carroz wanted to come to flaine for ski.
LesMen was relativ ok, but busier. I cannot remebmer once in LesMen without waiting at least 10 min , and for all the lifts you have to use in order to go to Meribel etc maybe more.
The worst think for us , is that the kids are in ski school, so the lunch break in the worst time is not to avoided.
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| skiboarder007 wrote: |
| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @skiboarder007, OK. So tell us where have you booked so.you can get a specific answer |
Ah thanks! The accomodation is at Orelle, within like 5 minutes walk to Télécabine d'Orelle. May consider drive to other part of 3 valley for a day or so. |
If my memory serves me right, if not I'll be corrected, you can get a lift from Orelle (cime caron?) straight into val thorens? Can't remember how long it takes though but beats driving?
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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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from Orelle until LesMen with the car is at least 1.30-1h.40min of driving....from Orelle with the lifts (without waiting queu) i suppose 20min? never been there but more as 20-25 min i dont think so.
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Did Via Lattea at Christmas last year and from Boxing Day onwards, the hoards arrived from Turin, not helped by lack of snow across the area so Sestriere was rammed. The day we left, even more were arriving for NY week, so that's definitely curbed my enthusiasm for a new year holiday at any time soon.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I can't comment on the Orelle lift first thing in the morning, but I can confidently say, based on experience, that the rest of the 3Vs will be absolutely fine in New Years week. Sure it will be busier than January or March, but not so much that it spoils anything. Maybe you'll have the odd 5/10 min queue and you'll quickly learn how to avoid the very few bottlenecks. Maybe a 20 min queue here or there if you are forced to go to the busy places at busy times, e.g. just after ski school drop off/pick up and you want to go back up the mountain.
Skiing in off peak weeks is glorious, skiing onto every lift, never queuing etc. but if you'd only ever skied peak weeks and didn't have that comparison then I don't think you'd worry about the peak weeks being too busy to ski in.
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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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@andmelffion, @Bergmeister,
I had a look at the map, you are absolutely correct, Orelle is a bit too far to any other 3V's location.
I think I will just pick up my pace a bit if I want to explore the rest of 3V 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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3 vallees was 98% occupied the season just gone over New years.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Since the new lift was put in the queue at Orelle move really quickly. It really only gets busy on Saturday and Sunday with day tripper. For a half decent skier you can easily get to Courchevel have a ski around and lunch and get back.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Since the new lift was put in the queue at Orelle move really quickly. It really only gets busy on Saturday and Sunday with day tripper. For a half decent skier you can easily get to Courchevel have a ski around and lunch and get back.
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FAQ
