 Poster: A snowHead
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We're looking to go on a group holiday over the christmas/new year period but need a resort with enough activities to occupy non skiers.
Any ideas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Zermatt, Chamonix, Wengen are all places I've been to with mixed groups of skiers and non-skiers and all have worked out well. I'm guessing other places like Davos, St Moritz, Cortina & Innsbruck would be pretty good as well.
I would avoid any purpose built French resort if your non-skiers want to walk through snow filled forests and picturesque Alpine villages! If the non-skiers just want to drink and shop it doesn't matter too much where they go, any decent sized resort should be OK.
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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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Depending on what they want....
Zermatt is very pretty and has the glacier railways to take you out for the day.
Murren is lovely and I think you can also take railways from it - though it's only small. You can access the "James Bond" Schilthorn and the Eiger / Jungfrau railways from near here too...
Chamonix has a lot of non-skiing activities like husky sledding, paragliding, snowshoeing, the aiguille du midi - again it's got some great railways and you can visit Italy, Annecy, Geneva, lakeside towns like Yvoire and more as day trips.
Some good links at
http://www.chamonet.com/faq.php?id_faq_type=44#157
and maybe it is ok (admins let me know if not) for me to link to my own list here...still adding to it though!
http://www.chaletlaforet.com/chamonix/offtheslopes.html
The other place that I've heard recommended is Kitzbuhel in Austria - I've heard that it's really beautiful and might be good if they want some Austrian party spirit? I've never been there though.
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I've done Wengen, Kitzbuhel, Zell am See and Livigno with my non-skiing parents.
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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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| The other place that I've heard recommended is Kitzbuhel in Austria - I've heard that it's really beautiful and might be good if they want some Austrian party spirit? I've never been there though. |
Kitzbuhel is a lovely town. I went there a couple of years ago at Christmas and it was about as Christmassy as you can get. Its very pretty, had a lovely Christmas market, nice shops & restaurants.
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olliew,
Many of the Swiss Austrian resorts are attractive with good walks, x-country, sledging, horse-drawn sleigh rides etc. If you are looking for more than this I don't know too many places that really offer an awful lot. The two that I have seen mentioned most frequently but have not been to are Aosta in Italy and Innsbruck in Austria.
Briancon is place I know well and has a genuinely very attractive old town connects with great skiing in the Serre Chevalier domain. Apart from the old town and a modern sports centre the non skier will be left with the same sledging, x country etc. though.
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Aosta is a small(ish) town that has a certain amount of drabness around the edge, but has a nice central area, and some good Roman ruins (there are some castles nearby too). It has both bus & rail access to Milan, Turin and the rest of the Aosta valley (most in case of the train). There are some interesting places to visit in the area and you can get to most of the other ski resorts (though best if you have a car if you want a full day's skiing). The gondola goes from the edge of town up the mountainside to Pila (an alternative would ne to stay in Pila and the non-skiers to travel to Aosta - I guess you'd have to arm wrestle to decide which to do). It takes a little while, but is a pleasant run up. It will also be noticeably cheaper than the resorts themselves, though it won't have the nightlife (it not being full of holiday makers), though I'm sure there will be places (I've only been during the day).
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| Quote: |
I've done Wengen, Kitzbuhel, Zell am See and Livigno with my non-skiing parents.
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Good god: you put them through a 4 to 5 hour transfer to the middle of nowhere, to spend a week duty-free shopping...? 
Are they still talking to you?? Is there anything for non-skiers to do in Livigno?!
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We did Tignes ( Le Lac ) last Christmas and Mrs CP who does not ski found plenty to do - nice walks across the lake, spa, rides up on the Aeroski and funicular to meet us for lunch etc. And this year the new Aquatic centre 'le Lagon' there is an added bonus this year.
We have also been to Canada and the US where there are excellent facilities for non-skiers.
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I would vote for Chamonix, Zermatt or Wengen, loads to do round these places. We've done each of these resorts with non-skiers and they have loved the places, Wengen particularly so as you have the mountain railways etc, but also can come down to Interlaken and other nearby places too.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Megève would be the best place for non-skiers in the Northern French Alps IMO, and pretty good for skiers too. Charming town and all the facilities.
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