 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey all, thanks for the many helpful replys to my previous post.
We still planning to head to the Three Valleys area in mid March however i just noticed that the accomodation which we were going to stay in is actually located in Brides Les Bains. From the numerous searches i have done on this area it seems quite far from Meribel itself (half hour gondola ride). My query is, would it worth paying more and staying somewhere nearer to the slopes? Also what resorts would people recommend for a week in the Three Valleys area, bearing in mind we are on a tight budget after our week in Andorra.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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thedavman, I think I know the accommodation you mean. We were offered this on a late-availability trawl of TOs and turned it down on the location. We worked out the gondola trip at around 30 mins which really put us off, and not really making up for the lower cost. As to other 3 Valleys locations and a tight budget, they don't really go together! You could look at La Tania, Courchevel 1550 or La Praz which generally have lower prices than the more prominent 3 V resorts. Good luck  (I'll send you a p.m. too)
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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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thedavman, Yes, I think this is the one. The phrase 'just a 30 minute gondola ride away' is a gem of positive spin 
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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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if you dont mind the gondola ride you'll be fine in Brides especailly as it sounds like budget is important! best make sure you can walk to the gondola though as a drive/bus then the gondola would in my opinon make it a bit of a drag
also if you like some apres ski straight off the slopes you'll be a bit limited as i think the last gondola down is 530 or so...
we've skiied many times in the 3Vs and prefer to stay somewhere in the meribel valley as it's then easy to head off either way
if you have any more questions that i can try and answer pls let me know
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The budget is definately important but we would much rather splash some cash and get decent accomodation than be stingy and suffer the consequences. So that is Brides definatley off the list so. Will have to keep looking to see what comes up in the next while.
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The gondola ride wouldn't be so bad if they weren't the type where you sit in the middle and face outwards. Anyone over 5'6 end up with their knees under their chin!
I found the ride in the morning wasn't so bad, but it did really drag at the end of the day when all you want is to get back to a hot bath/shower/beer
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thedavman, We stayed in Brides a couple of years ago see here http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewpost.php?p=91935 we used the car to go up and down the mountain as our one experience of the gondola ride wasn't much fun and it didn't run late enough for us (we were doing a New Generation Clinic that finished late in the afternoon at Meribel). If you're happy to splash a bit more cash then stay up in the main resort!
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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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thedavman, another thing to bear in mind is that once at the top of the Brides gondola you are still only in Meribel and will likely have to walk and then queue again for another chair / gondola before you can start skiing.
I would recommend Meribel Mottaret as a great place to stay in the 3V if access to the skiing is the most important factor. I think La Tania may be cheaper and is well located (although I have never stayed there). Brides may be an option if you want the cheapest holiday possible but I think it is worthpaying more for convenience personally.
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Trenmold, is right in every respect. the self-catering flats in the Hameau at Mottaret are not too dear and superbly placed for the cream of the skiing. There is also a cheap (by 3V standards) bar there and a good little 8 a 8 supermarket.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I don't really get the Brides de la Bain concept. If money is an issue then go to a smaller and cheaper resort than the 3v which has far more convenient skiing. By having convenient skiing, and based on an hours travelling per day, you get an extra days holiday.
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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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Where would you recommend for smaller and cheaper resorts?
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thedavman, French resorts e'.g Clusaz/Grand Bornand, Val Cenis, Puy St Vincent, St Jean De Sixt, Corbiere... the list is fairly endless, and of course LA ROSIERE
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You know it makes sense.
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I have stayed at Brides Lea Bains at the good old cyble apartments on a last minute deal for new year for a 5 day break with crystal and we had a fantastic time ,the apartments where a good size and there is a bus to the gondola so saves the walk,downside is there no real night life and the last gondola down is around 5pm so theres no chance to have any drinks before you go back down to Brides,other main problem is to access the best sking in the 3vs you need a 3vs lift pass to get to Courchevel so my advice is if you dont have use of a car and dont want to spend a fortune stay at La Tania or Courchevel 1650/1550 etc and just buy a Courchevel area lift pass as the sking in Courchevel is in a different league to the rest of the 3v or as Frosty says go elsewhere France is full of other good cheaper resorts its just the main tour operators dont like you to know that.
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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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Had a couple of drop offs in Brides last year.... Rather long way even by car/bus and also seems an extremely low resort... Meribel-mottaret would be a good place. Cheap accomodation if you go with the right tour operator and not half as expensive as Meribel itself!. Residence Le Hameau du Mottaret would be a good bet. Lovely appartments and not that expensive.
Door step skiing and nice bar too....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Courchevel 1650 usually has reasonable offers and really isn't too inconvenient. I was there in heavy snow a few years ago, cut off from the other valleys (even 1850 on skis) and it has delightful slopes in its own right.
At the other extreme, Les Menuires is cost-efficient for access to Val Thorens and Meribel. Its also got substantial slopes of its own but the resort itself is attractive in a Canvey Island sort of way!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have stayed at Brides a couple of times and the gondola is a pain and at peak times (Feb half term for instance) there can be big queues (>20mins) at the top for the return journey.
What about the 4th valley - Orelle? does that work out to be more cost effective?
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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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Where would you recommend for smaller and cheaper resorts?
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I have never seen Valmorel mentioned much on SnowHeads. Its a nice smaller resort with some good skiing and situated in the Tarentaise near Moutiers but not joined to any of the other big ski areas. Probably cheaper than the 3V etc and I think most UK tour operators will go there. Had a great holiday there in my formative years of skiing many years ago and Mrs Trenmold first cracked parallel turns on the pleasant blue and green slopes!
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I agree 'TRENMOLD' Valmorel is lovely with excellent skiing , AND a little cheaper i FEEL
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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 have searched the net and the Irish tour operators i know of and most of them only do holidays to the main French resorts. You seem to have alot more options flying from the UK. Does it work out alot cheaper if you organise the flights, transfer and accomodation yourself?
Brides is deffo off the list now. There is no way i could hack the 30 min gondola journey up and down every day.
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thedavman, usually isnt cheaper organising everything yourself BUT it is a lot more flexible and you can travel at times/from places to suit. also it's great to be able to ski more than one resort per trip if you have a hire car
cheapest way i think is to book last minute via a tour op....
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Yeah i reckon that is what we will do but i would love to have it booked and sorted out now. How close to the date should you risk it when booking last minute?
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