serre chevalier

A snowHead

I'm sure it's been on before so apologies but...our bloke (8 of us late 30's all experienced) ski trip next March is looking like serre chevalier or Alp duez. Some of us have been to Alp Duez on more than one occasion so we know what to expect but no one has been to serre, Where to Ski rave about it...so, what's the skiing like? which is the best village for both slope access and apres / nightlife ? it's the two middle ones isn't it? we are far to kronky to be up clubbing all night but we need a few good bars and restaurants. Alp duez v serre chevalier?

A snowHead

andyjc, either Villeneuve or Chantemerle for more choice, but Monetier-les-Bains has a good if smaller selection of restaurants and bars too. Easy access into main skiing from the middle vllages, but Monetiers snow is always better wink

. 250kms of pites, take your choice, good off-piste if you want it, especailly from the MOnetier sector. Trees for bad weather days, sunny slopes for good ones. I am biased though, as I have an apartment there, but there's loads of of other fans too.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

thanks helen..you lucky devil! what about entertainment afterwards...is there a better village? any recommendations on self catering chalets?

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andyjc, the Pierre and Vacances apartments in Villeneuve are good, and I believe the Jardin Alpin are quite nice too. If you go independent look at www.skiserreche.com for more accommodation. There's loads of independent owners on there. Claire at the Tourist office is also very helpful (she found us an apartment at very short notcie when our completion was delayed, even though it was nearly Xmas). There's some Monetier accommodation on www.eurekaski.com . I think there's a night club in Villeneuve (we've never been though).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

andyjc, Serre che is the best place in the world, if it weren't i wouldn't have moved here with my sponsord snowboarder of a son!

We have terrain to suit all standards, excellent trees and off piste as well as scary blacks to easy greens.

The best place to be for nightlife is chantemerle or Villeneuve. There are 2 nightclubs in villeneuve, la baita and bam bams and there is also two in chantemerle. There are numerous bars in either.

there is also monetier up the valley but in my opinion it is far to far away. It costs a fortune in a cab if you want to go to the other villages to eat or to have some apres ski, and in my opinion there is only one bar worth going to there which is the Alp'en.

All the villages link to eachother via the moutnain it doesn't take very long to get from briancon to monetier.

As much as i like the boarding in Monetier i find it a little resricted compared to villeneuve and Chantemerle. The snow might be better sometimes but it still lacks the amount to do in my opinion. It does have great off piste and some great trees, just not enough of them!

You wont be disapointed with either resort you have chosen. If you are looking for somewhere for march (i am full) you could contact my good friend Kate at www.snowmonkees.com they have a lovely 8-10 appartment at the foot of the piste in Chantemerle.

Good luck might see you in march!

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andyjc, Serre Che is a great resort but have to say that overall my preference (as you would expect) is Alpe d'Huez. We offer away days to Serre Che as part of our holidays as it is covered on your lift pass for a days skiing there - so you could have the best of both worlds? We also offer great discounts to snowheads.

If you are going to go for Serre Che I would recommend either Villeneuve or Chantmerle for access to the slopes and nightlife. That being said Monetier is a much more attractive town and certainly has more French character than the other two. It is quieter though and access to the mountain is via 2 long chairlifts which depending on the time of the season you are intending to go, can be rather chilly!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Helen Beaumont, Can you reccomend any of the Hotels there? Mrs Axs and I are thinking about it for the week from Jan 30th. (I checked your appartment but you are booked already!) Looking at the serre che website the Bonnable looks nice?

After all it is free

I'd go for Villeneuve - nice bars, decent selection of restaurants in the old village and Le Bez. Make sure to eat at Le Frog. In terms of nightclubs, Bam Bam and Baita are easily as dire as the Igloo in Alpe d'Huez, so you should feel right at home. Best access to the system as well - only a short hop to Monetier where the best snow usually is, easy access to Chantemerle for lunch in the Cafe Soleil.

Right...now I'm really gonna put on Helen and Snowangel...because we are all blokes do you know of any self catered chalets with as many single beds as possible? as i say I think there will be 8 of us,i know we will struggle to find 4 twins, but maybe 3 twins a double and a sofa bed? if not, is there anywhere I can contact to find out?

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Try this:
http://www.eurogroup-holidays.com/xq/ASPX/EstId.37/SeasonId.1/qx/EstDetail.htm

Jardin Alpin is quite pretty for a purpose-built development, handy for the Pontillas cablecar, easy walk to the old village etc. Standard of the accommodation is quite good, from what I've heard.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

andyjc, I've been to Alpe d'Huez once and SerreChe 7 times so you can guess which I prefer.

I've always stayed in Chantmerle, but it's apres ski scene took a big hit last year when the Yeti and Underground bars were bulldozed to make way for new apartments.

If you're game for a laugh then the Grotte du Yeti in Villeneuve is a great bar. It's run by a Clive, a crazy English guy, and has live music on most nights (several different bands, but usually featuring Clive aka Torchy). If you don't want to join in with drinking games, or suffer sense of humour failure when someone takes the micky out of you, then stand well back from the stage.

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AxsMan, The Bonnable is on the top of the Col du Lautaret which is miles from Serre Chevalier. It's probably great as long as you don't want lift-served skiing!

I've always stayed in apartments at SerreChe but have spotted a few interesting hotels.

I've eaten several times at www.hotelbouledeneige.com

The restaurant is excellent and the rooms look great.

If splendid isolation is your thing then have a look at www.chalethotel-serrechevalier.com

It's at the mid station above Chantemerle. Once the lifts close you're stuck there.

I've been to Serre Che 3 times, it's probably my favourite resort.

I've always stayed in Villeneuve, twice at "le lievre blanc" & once in apartments above "le frog".

I have to admit that the apres ski is generally a bit on the quiet side though.

Of all the villages/areas, I think that Monetier is the nicest, but would be happy staying anywhere.

You know it makes sense.

AxsMan, we're free from 28th Jan to 4th Feb, but you could try the Rif Blanc hotel www.hotelrifblanc.com as it has being refurbished for next winter and is under new management.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

andyjc, again, I can only suggest you ask at the tourist office, if you were going in Feb, I could have found you 6 singles beds, but they only rent it out when they don't use it themselves (French school hols).

A snowHead

Helen Beaumont, who's got the Rif Blanc this time?

A snowHead

Lizzard, Paul and Lisa.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'd go with Serre Che andyjc. The key things for me are that there's alot more tree-line skiing in Serre Che and it's the type of resort where you can "go on a journey" - rather than just up and down the mountain. Horses for courses and all that though...

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andyjc, I stayed in a chalet in Villeneuve last March and had an awesome time. The ski area is huge and - I found - was quiet high up before 10.30 (we were even still getting fresh tracks on some red runs). I was initially worried about the snow conditions given it's altitude and a bad previous March. But it dumped it down all week. A fantastic and memorable time and would recommend it. As long as you're not all-night party animals then you'll find the night life in Villeneuve is more than adequate.

Haven't been to Alpe d'Huez but it's on my list.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

By the way, if you're not adverse to a big ski operator, then Crystal do a number of largeish chalets there which should easily accomodate your group (we were in a 4 double-room chalet).

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One of the things I like about Serre che, is that you can ski from one end to the other & back, you don't have to worry about getting stuck in the wrong valley.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

andyjc, We've been to both...for preference I think I'd plump for Alpe d'Huez. But if you decide on Serre Che then I'd recommend being based in Monetier for March. We went there in March a couple of years ago, admitttedly it was a very bad snow season, but by the end of the week everyone....and I mean everyone.....was trekking over to Monetier to ski....the bus back to the other resorts had to be seen to be believed!!!! We loved the skiing in the Serre Che area but I have a long standing "injury" from the bus ride between Monetier and Viileneuve and if I had a personal choice it would be Alpe D'Huez or if you plumped for Serre Che make sure you're staying up at the snow sure end in Monetier....

After all it is free

Was that bad year a one off in Serre Chev' I was in the 3 valleys that year in Jan' it wasn't good there. I didn't go again that year (2004)
I know its not as high as Alp duez or Les Deux Alps where I've skied before..but is there usually a problem in March? I'm getting worried now!
On a different note what (esp' Helen and Snowangel) do you know about the new apartments going up in Chantermerle le hameau du rocher blanc ? (get me) I've got a good quote from a french outfit on the net.

andyjc, yes2004 was a bad year-we went in January that year, and got the best week of the winter, all the snow fell just before we arrived. You'll be fine in March ina normal year. andyjc, when I last saw them, the whole place was a building site (July), so I couldn't say what things are like at the moment. In the early stages of development though. They'll be brand new and look like they'll be very nice, but the facilities won't be finished I don't think. Looking at our bookings, we may be looking at being there in March too. We've skied there at Easter three times and there was still plenty of snow.

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andyjc, yes2004 was a bad year-we went in January that year, and got the best week of the winter, all the snow fell just before we arrived. You'll be fine in March ina normal year. andyjc, when I last saw them, the whole place was a building site (July), so I couldn't say what things are like at the moment. In the early stages of development though. They'll be brand new and look like they'll be very nice, but the facilities won't be finished I don't think. Looking at our bookings, we may be looking at being there in March too. We've skied there at Easter three times and there was still plenty of snow.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I had my all time worst ski lunch experience at Serre Chevalier as described Here in this forum.

Hope it has improved since, it can't have got any worse, but I would still have to think twice about returning.

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CP, I had my best ever lunch at th Echaillon, but have also had one of the worst (they served us a curdled creme brulee). I haven't eaten at any of the Aravet restaurants, which I assume is where you ended up, so can't comment. The best ones are the Cafe Soleil, and the Troll at Serre Ratier (above Chantemerle), Peyra Juana (towards bottom of Rochamout piste, Monetier).

Helen Beaumont, I have lunched a few times at Peyra Juana and always found the food & welcome to be excellent.

You know it makes sense.

ssnowman, my only problem is the huge portions,and the tendency of the staff to try and feed you what you have left on your plate. They are equally welcoming when you just stop for a quick drink too.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I have eaten out all over the place in Serre Che and find most places friendly and pretty good. The only one I am not so keen on is the Pi Mai as I find the lady who runs it a bit of a snob. I went in with a (French) Asian friend and we were cut dead, pity as the food is good. Sad

I guess CP may have been unlucky on the day.

andyjc, I would agree that the snow is very rarely a problem in March. I have discussed this with locals and I think that Serre Che sometimes has a slightly weak start to the season but with its north facing slopes holds the snow very well. I have skied there every April since 2000 with the exception of 2004 and the snow has always been reasonable and often very good. I think the problem in 2004 was virtually every significant fall was followed by strong northerly winds which stripped the upper slopes.
Whereas it might not be quite as reliable as a glaciated resort it is pretty good. I have lost more days to bad weather than to lack of snow and with Serre Ches tree skiing you should always be able to get skiing.

A snowHead

T Bar, I agree, conditions were certainly not 'best on the upper slopes' that year.

A snowHead

I think it was 2005 the bad snow, as we skied there at Easter in 2004 and they'd had heaps of snow.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Helen Beaumont,
You are right I was counting back thinking year before last was when we cancelled rather than season before last. Embarassed

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serre chevalier

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