 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone know anything about this resort? We've just booked flights to Nice and it seems to be one of the closest resorts. How does it compare to Isola 2000, which is also close?
We are a bunch of 6 skiers with year 3 newbies to 20 year+ veterans who have slowed down from the black on black from 8am - 5pm but still like some challenges every now and then.
Having been to lot of the big names, we are trying the DIY approach this year.
If you know about the resort, is there any good accomodation?
Thanks
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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've only driven through Val d'Allos in the summer and it appeared to be a couple of huge 1960's appartment blocks and not much else. The resorts in the Southern Alps all tend to be small and often their seasons are curtailed by lack of snow. I have friends who live near Aix en Provence who drive to Vars / Risoul because they are more likely to have decent snow.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Another welcome, Cardweg. We've got a snowHead called PG who used to live in the south of France and will probably be able to help but he's off-line on a typical French August holiday. Bounce this thread back up early September if you still need info.
BTW since you're new to snowHeads can I point out the snowBase resorts database. In there is a link to the official resort web site, unfortunately in French only. Click on 'hiver' for info about the lifts and slopes. 170kms pistes, 54 lifts and 60 runs - so it's not too small. If it has snow ....... ?
Accommodation - the apartments section of the site is only showing availabilities up to end Jan 2005 at present. Hotels in La Foux 1800 - only 4 smallish ones listed. 2 in 1500 & 3 in 1400 
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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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| cardweg wrote: |
| Anyone know anything about this resort? |
Yes. It is pretty good for snow being on the mountain range dividing the alps maritimes from the north, apart from Isola it is the most snow sure of the southern resorts.
It is linked with Pra-Loup (the wolf's field) although the link doesn't always run. The pistes towards Pra-Loup are the more challenging. Quite a few drag lifts although they are upgrading the lift system quite a bit. The old 'kinder egg' telecabine has gone now. All the 'pods' were sitting forlornly in the village recently. The old 1960s colonie de vacances tower block is being wood clad and renovated into luxury appartments for next season. I think it is one of the few resorts that still has a 'beer crate' style open lift. I think a Brit school's operator goes there. Apres is obviously limited in such a small place. Out of the February holiday period the resort is pretty much empty.
The mountains are quite spectacular and the village is pleasant. It is a long drive from Nice although there is a train/bus service to Colmar and on to the resort. The nearby resort of la Seignus is linked by bus.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi,
I own a chalet in the nearby (10 minutes on the free bus and we run people up there as well) resort of Le Seignus and run catered holidays there ( www.chalet-ski.co.uk - not sure if this is allowed!).
We're the only catered chalet in the area but there are plenty of apartments to rent and a few hotels. The local tourist office will have details of these. They're pretty helpful and speak English.
They're putting in a couple of new lifts this summer which will make it easier to get from one ski area to the other. The best skiing in La Foux is on the section towards Pra Loup and is not affected when the link is closed. The link to Pra Loup is at the lowest point in the ski area but even when there's no snow on the one south facing slope down there you can take the chair across. I don't think the link was closed at all last season and the year before it shut for 2 separate days - due to too much snow.
Last season we had great snow - including fresh falls nearly every day in the 2nd week of April. Like everywhere else in the Alps, early February was roasting hot but the snow held up and none of the pistes were closed in either resort.
The best snow is usually in January - which is also when the slopes are at their quietest.
Seignus has a smaller ski area (about 35km) but is where the best skiing is - more blacks and reds and far fewer people. The blacks are fairly gentle so are a good confidence booster.
There's loads of off-piste in Seignus and La Foux, less so in Pra Loup which is more of a mainstream resort with lots of above the tree-line blues. All the villages have boarder parks of some sort - the best, by some way, is above Pra Loup.
Outside the school holidays the slopes are very quiet - perfect for skiing (no crazed school kids screaming as they bomb down the piste out of control and no lift queues) and if you're in a group then you'll be able to make your own entertainment. There are a couple of clubs in La Foux (as well as bars and restaurants) and there's also a nightclub, bars and restaurants in Seignus. La Foux has a cinema and small ice-rink. Obviously, our chalet has everything you need to keep you entertained 
During the French school holidays it does get busy but only as much as larger resorts in the low season e.g in the school holidays lift queues are similar to those I've experienced in Verbier in March, Deux Alpes in December, Soldeu in March and Risoul in February.
The ski school in Seignus is very good - although there are only a couple of English speaking instructors so you might have to book early to ensure you get them. The ESF in La Foux are also really good and were very helpful when a couple of our guests kept turning up late - they gave them credit for missing a couple of group lessons and allowed them to convert these into private tuition.
I've skied Isola as well (only 1 day) - the village is extraordinarily ugly and the ski area isn't as big as La Foux. The snow was OK for the time of year and it has a good record. I've not skied Auron, which is about the same size as Isola but is supposed to have better skiing than Isola, as it was closed for lack of snow when I passed by in mid-March 2003. My impression of Isola is that you get a lot more people from Nice and Monaco up there as well as various tour operators so it's a lot busier.
The really ugly concrete block of flats in La Foux was dynamited in June. This brought immense joy to a lot of people.
Transfer times in our minibus are under two and a half hours or there's a weekly bus service from Nice on Saturdays - this is run by Haute Verdon Voyages, I'm not sure if they've got a web presence. I think there's also a bus service from Marseille airport.
If you need any more info. send me a private message or post a reply.
Ben
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ben wright, another welcome. If you edit your post to put a space in after the bracket before www this wonderful software will magically make it link. Test it in Preview.
Now as to whether that is allowed ...........there is some debate going on right now - see the Chalet's & Apartments forum. Chalet Advert Removed topic.
Since you have been so informative and are responding to a request for info, there's a good chance your link will be permitted by the Powers That Be.
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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 belated welcome ben wright, Allos is one of my favourite resorts in France... that is, when the link from Pra-Loup is open! I've always had to access it from the Barcelonnette side. Used to take my daughter there (Pra-Loup) a few times in the season when we were based down south, mainly to take part in Grand Prix races and the very occasional regional competitions. Great to ski the whole, pretty extensive domain, when the link is open. Superb off-piste.
Came close to moving to Barcelo but opted for the Savoie instead, where we've been since the beginning of last season, so didn't ski the southern Alps at all last year. We miss the easy-going atmosphere of our former haunts. Of all the kids my daughter raced against in the Alpes-Provence circuit the Allos kids and trainers were the friendliest and in general that applied to the resort bars and restaurants too.
Reasonably good access from Nice too, not much more than a couple of hours' drive. Hardly any Brits when I've been there. Would definitely recommend the resort to the 'get-away-from-it-all' ski tourist... even in the southern Alps it's considered by locals to be off the beaten track.
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Hi to everyone in the forum, I've been reading this thread with some interest. I've been to Allos a number of times and really like it. Granted is can be quite in the evening. However when I've been the snow has always been great, the pistes outside school hols have been very quite . The off piste also looks fairly extensive but i'm too chicken to try it!
I haven't been to Isola but from what i can see on the web Allos is more photogenic , the only really concrete block at the foux was blown up in the summer.
The atmosphere is pretty laid back and the locals seem nice.
Different from a courcheval etc however still worth a visit, do it DIY get a easyjet/bmi flight to nice/cheap car and sort somewhere to stay. You don't need a package operator in a place like this, it's straight forward enough to do yourself.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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sherman-maeir,
I think not
Your wrong about this, the Seaolane was completely demolished on the 16th of July! The photo you have is from the 2nd of July, and only the marked the first phase of it's removal!
So no, I don't think there will be an apartment conversion this year as it's all gone.
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