 Poster: A snowHead
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I'd love to drive thru Europe in a campervan for a season's skiing. Trouble is, the only other time I've used one was in New Zealand in their summer, so I'm not clued up as to which resorts offer decent facilities eg electricity & water hook ups, showers etc...
When we were skiing in Cervinia last April we saw plenty of campervans in a car park outside of town and also by the main gondola but it didn't appear to have any hook ups at all.
Anyone tried this and got any suggestions??
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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FenlandSkier, thanks I've pm'd her. Anyone else?
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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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tessaventer, You could try PMing Masque, I believe he has looked thoroughly into this very subject, although I don't believe he has actually put it to the test yet. 
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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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tessaventer, I seem to remember that saikee does that sort of thing.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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No. I don't.
I had a static caravan, called mobile home in France, in Chamonic only camp site for a number of years until the site owner sold the land for housing development.
It is a struggle to keep a camp site open in the winter because one needs a bulldozer to clear the paths regularly or no one can get in and out. As far as I am aware there aren't many camp site open for skiing public because the poor demand. Before the camp site was sold the owner didn't find it profitable to open until the beginning of February.
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saikee, sorry I got it wrong!
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tessaventer, I think you'll find lots of sites just a little down from the resorts. I lived in LDA for 2 seasons in a caravan with hook up and it was fine. Snug as a bug, but our campsite was also sold for development. The nearest is now about 8 K down the mountain.
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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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A friend of mine lived in Les Gets for the entire season two years ago, power came from a mates flat via an extension lead, he brought his wife an two children with him (respect) !!!!! I lived in Ardent in the PDS last season (in a house) and quite a few people lived in the car park for a few weeks at a time in motorhomes, first tracks every day. Depends how much you want it I guess.
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Hi Tessaventer, all,
I've stayed at Lauterbrunnen's 'Camping Jungfrau' (Bernese Oberland, Switzerland) in both a caravan and camper van several times, winter and summer. Excellent for both. Have a look at their website for info. My last time was several years ago though, maybe check out the prices - it's a decent quality campsite, full facilities for tents, caravans, campers, inc. little wooden hostel type private chalets, etc. Weidstübli Restaurant was great - lovely building. Not too far to stroll into the village. Cheap compared to accomms in this region in general! Wee bus ride to reach ski lift transport.
http://www.camping-jungfrau.ch/willko_e.htm
Also, I've stayed at a campsite in Grindelwald in a caravan and camper van in winter (just up an adjoining valley to Lauter).
http://www.eigernordwand.ch/front_content.php?changelang=3
I could herringbone/pole back to my van from the Kleine Scheidegg side. (valley snow permitting).
If I were touring Europe (you lucky  ) I'd definitely try to take in one of these campsites... Enjoy!
Here comes the snow...here comes the snow...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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White Gold, welcome to snowHeads! Great choice of login name 
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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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White Gold, welcome to snowheads!
From the jungfrau website, it would appear they charge by the season rather than by the week! Is that true? - cos I wouldn't want to stay in one place for the whole season. Having said that, from their picture it also looks as if you might get stuck there for the season ...
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Only because I've seen them parked up in a car park in La Daille in Val D'sere, this may be a resort that caters for campervans
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You know it makes sense.
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tessaventer, pretty much every large French town has some sort of municipal space for campervans. I think that in most the facilities (water, showers etc) are only available in July and August but there are a couple of sites in the ski resorts in our area which are open in the winter so I would expect other resorts to be similar. I'm sure the info's on the web if you look for it.
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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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tessaventer, I did a season (nearly five months) touring the Alps in a motorhome in 2003/04 and would thoroughly recommend it. Parking and facilities vary greatly in different resorts/countries so it helps to be well prepared. I'm sure that Masque can help you out with the preparation side far better than I can (I had to learn on the hoof because I wasn't as well prepared as I probably should have been) but I can certainly fill in a lot of the blanks. Where were you thinking of going?
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Poster: A snowHead
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tessaventer, I don't know much about using a campervan specifically in the ski season, but I do know a bit about using camper vans in France in General.
There is a map and book you can get which shows all of the Aires de service (Le guide official etapes touristiques camping-car) - these are the places you can park up and spend the night and they are usually provided by the town. There are lots of different types - there are free ones where you can occasionally get hook up and water (hook up is usually 2 Euros per hour), then there are municipal sites which are like campsites (these are usually good and very reasonably priced) and then there are private ones.
As I remember it the Alps isn't particularly blessed with Aires. I looked at the map and noted how few there were. The ski resorts I know about with Aires are Mont D'Or and Super Besse in the Auvergne region (we stayed there this summer)
Here is a link
http://www.outdoorbits.com/product_info.php/cPath/33/products
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tessaventer
At the risk of exposing myself to ridicule  , I often spend time in La Rosiere, where I see camper vans parked at the bottom of the village, often with a little generator outside. There is also a campsite a little further down (10 minutes) serviced by the ski bus, where I think you can hook up. Never tried it myself; I don't mind roughing it, but not in anything below a 4* with en-suite.
David
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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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A friend of mine drove his campervan from the UK all the way to St Anton. After a few freezing cold nights he booked into a local B&B which turned out to be cheaper than the camp site rental (so he parked the campervan on the road).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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kosciosco, that website/guide book looks brilliant, just the kind of thing I was after, thanks.
Caspar, itinerary not finalised, but probably taking in at least one resort in each of France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, maybe even Slovenia?
DB, I've been told by Hannah29 that I need to get a european van that is fully 'winterised' and that UK campervans won't do - obviously your mate's wasn't...
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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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tessaventer,
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I need to get a european van that is fully 'winterised'
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Absolutely!!
Even with a fully winterised van, we managed to freeze the engine block solid when trapped on the terrace at Val Thorens in a gale for 2 days 
Keeping warm at night might be most people's initial thought when considering camper vans in the mountains but the primary considerations are making sure that essentials don't freeze and that you have adequate supplies of everything from water to gas.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Caspar wrote: |
| the primary considerations are making sure that essentials don't freeze |
How do you keep the engine/water from freezing overnight in sub-zero temperatures other than keeping the heater on?
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Surely the Ski Patrol would have something to say about this ?
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tessaventer,
The correct oil and anti-freeze should ensure it is fine. We were caught out by particularly extreme weather.
For everything else, yes - you should keep heating on a trickle. Otherwise, not only might your water supply freeze but also any other kind of liquid with a high enough freezing point. It's always entertaining to wake up with a frozen bottle of water on your bed - an inverse hot water bottle, if you like 
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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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ski,
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Surely the Ski Patrol would have something to say about this ?
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Caspar, I wondered what that was all about until I re-read the topic heading.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Caspar, Big campervan, crowded pistes ? What skis and boots would you fit on a campervan anyway ?
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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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You know it makes sense.
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tessaventer, One important thing to look for on Campervans if you are looking to take them into colder climates is that the water tank is internal. Obviously you don't want to be putting anti-freeze in your water supply!!!
My parents have just bought a new van from Germany - vans are cheaper there - and what they found was that on the continent they think about things like how the van works in snowy weather than they do in the UK.
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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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tessaventer, if you want to try Switzerland I know that you can hook up your van in Le Chable, the village at the base of Verbier (connected by a lift, so very handy). Failing that, we've got a big garden, PM or e-mail me when you've worked out what your plans might be...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Take the campervan skiing?
Camper van Beethoven? You can't, they're busy taking the skinheads bowling
(sorry, obscure musical joke) 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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There's a site right beside the piste at Les Saisies; see
http://www.lessaisies.com/fr/hebergement-refuges.html
It claims, at 1700m to be one of the highest "caravaneige" in France, with "Enneigement exceptionnel". I can vouch for that, it is in one of the snowiest corners of a snowy resort. Not explicit about hook-ups but the tarif notes that electricity is not included, so presumably it is available. Seems popular, there are always quite a few people staying there. At the other end of the resort, though still walking distance to pistes (no herringboning required!) there is a free municipal (I suppose) car park for camping vehicles, no facilities as far as I know.
One snag I could see about a season in a variety of places is being unable to take advantage of bargain offers on season lift passes. Maybe you could focus in on an area served by one lift pass (e.g. Mont Blanc, Evasion Mont Blanc, Portes du Soleil)?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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pam w That's a good point about the season's pass - maybe just one or two resorts then!
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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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tessaventer, you should consider Vaujany. It's low at 1300m but you only need take the main cable car which whisks you up to 2100m in minutes.
http://www.vaujany.com/en/hiver/hebergement_02.php?id_rub=24
The site appears to be free with a small charge for hook-up. There is a swimming pool complex right next to the camping park, you can use their showers, although you will have to pay.
There is a lift, as in elevator, which takes you to the cable car station. Also the village is accesable via the same lift and an escalator.
Staying at Vaujany will give you access to the whole Alpe D'Huez area.
I hope I posted that link correctly !
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thus far, posts have all been about either France or Switzerland. Has anybody been with the camper to either Austria or Italy?
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tessaventer, Yes. Generally, Austria is fairly strict about where you can park - for example, for St Anton you need to park a few km along the valley in the village of Pettneu and either drive or get the bus to St Anton itself. On the other hand, Italy is fairly laid back, depending on the resort itself - I have parked no more than 10m from the main quad in Sauze  .
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No. You will die!
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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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shoogly, it's too late now!!! Lizzard has already got all the fame and glory
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