 Poster: A snowHead
|
Evening all,
A friend in the US has some of her friends coming over to Europe to ski, and they've asked me for some info. So far, I've just been asking questions back! This is what I've found out so far!
We have four adults and 5 kids. The adults like anything but prefer the relaxing beautiful view runs. 4 of the five kids are teenage snowboards that love it all.
We are hiring a car, because the train is too much money for our families.
We prefer the pretty alpine village the kids will probably ski a couple of days at each place and then like myself I prefer to ski one or two days, but then see the country, explore the villages, etc.
We will be staying in each place two to three days then travel to next country. You probably think we are crazy driving, but then we can see the country and we drive a hour to the closest town just for food and Supplies.
We are just guessing on miles from one country to the other,but I'm sure a lot smaller then the state of Colorado. That is why we are trying to map out our route.
We are looking for nice hotels, chalets, but not to expensive, because we have 5 in our family and price per head can add up. We were looking a houses to rent for all 9 of us, but they seem to prefer a week stay and depending on the route we can only stay two to three nights at each place.
So they fly into Innsbruck, and then fly out of Paris!
I've suggested St Anton or Kitzbuhel as a starter, then they want to drive to Switzerland, then Chamonix, then Paris!
Can anyone suggest a decent itinerary for them?
Cheers,
Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
VERBIER, it has it all 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Well it doesn't say how long for? but I would follow that Klosters/Davos then Simplon to Italy, do the lakes around Milan then Cervinia/Zermatt then tunnel to Verbier , drive around Lac Leman and back up to Chamonix, drive to Paris .. and they said they were working to a budget ??
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Agenterre,  , quite a large budget then?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
kitenski, start by buying a decent road map. I would say. Helps to know what distances you're dealing with.
Driving an hour just to go shopping?  I know we're talking Americans here, but surely they're not all completely mental?
Re renting houses/chalets - cheapest way to go, but they will indeed only be available on a weekly basis - for a few days at a time you'll be looking at hotels, as a rule.
For a trip which involves several resorts, recommend an area where one lift pass covers the lot, or gives discount on nearby areas.
Eg: Isere - Alpe d'Huez, 2Alpes, Serre Chevalier, Montgenevre, Puy St Vincent, Voie Lactee all on one pass. Good mix of villages and purpose-built boarder-kid friendly. Has the advantage of all being reachable on a daily basis, so you could rent a chalet for the duration and commute. Recommend Serre Che as a central base for this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Make sure to hire a GPS (with West European maps) with the rental car.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
kitenski, when were they thinking of travelling?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
That sounds like exactly the sort of thing my family try to do whenver they fly over to visit me. Every time I give them the same advice: DON'T DO IT!!! Go one or two places, relax and have a good time. Do they listen? No. They spend two weeks trying to go to 20 different places, don't enjoy themselves, get stressed out, and fight most of the time.
Tell them to spend a day or two in Innsbruck to get acclimated/over jet lag, it's a beautful city. Then go to a large resort with a lot of the charm that you don't get in the USA (St. Anton?). If they insist, make another stop somewhere to the west. Then drive to Paris and fly home.
As an American, I have to say that most of my countrymen have no idea how to chill out and enjoy a vacation. They won't see 'everything', so don't even try. Better to go one or two places and really enjoy it. If you're staying one or two days in each place, they will not get the atmosphere of staying in a European ski village. That would be a pity, since they can ski in the US.
@Lizzard, yes, we really do drive an hour just to go shopping. In fact, that doesn't sound at all extreme to me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think Length of stay is a critical factor missing from the equation so far.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| admin wrote: |
| I think Length of stay is a critical factor missing from the equation so far. |
| kitenski wrote: |
| but they seem to prefer a week stay and depending on the route we can only stay two to three nights at each place. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
You could try flying to Verona, Venice or Milan then touring the Dolomites... loads of stunning scenery (possibly the best ski scenery in Europe!?!?!?!), great villages, good food, good sking and lots of variety. Loads of differen large and small resorts in a fairly compact area, and gives you a real raste of Europe as opposed to skiing with thousands of Brits in France... The bigger bases are Cortina, Selva, Canazei, Cavalese, Ortisei, Madonna, Corvara, San Martino di Castrozza and there any number of smaller resorts to try... Pampeago, Obereggen etc etc. There's a nice mix of German / Italian / Ladino (the local dialect) speaking villages, the lifts are predominantly chairs which should suit the snow boarders, there's plenty of snow there at the moe, there are some truly stunnig long intermediate runs such as The Hidden Valley from the top of the Laguzio Cable car near Cortina, fine mountain retaurants which are reasonably priced... this area has an awful lot going for it..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
their trip is March 17to to 30th, I think the flight to Innsbruck is already booked......
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Thu 1-02-07 23:20; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
kitenski,
VDA .............
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
JT, you still in Switzerland ?
What did you get up to ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
kitenski,
Innsbruck -> St Anton -> Wengen -> Zermatt -> Chamonix -> Geneva
Forget Paris, no snow 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
brian,
Got back today... saw your apartment...how much closer do you want to get...???
Loved the drop off down to the the dam. Pistes in excellent condition even though the snow is retreating...
We did Engelberg, Andermatt and your valley..... will go back, for sure.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
kitenski,
Along the lines of brian's thinking, but maybe Isgchl instead of St A, then head down to Churs for one of those resorts, then drive through to the Rhone valley and pick off one of those. You are going to waste a day travelling to resorts when all is said and done so keep these to a minimum. For 10 days or so, you only want to take in 3 resorts, IMV as half day passes and half day ski rental racks up.
Also, you want to be driving during day-light and keep to good roads as mountain passs complicate things... altho' I would recommend the Furka pass from Gotthard on a good sriving day.
Paris is a popular and cheaper option for the U.S so somewhere west Swiss or near Chamonix is good to get to Paris in 5 hours or so
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
errgghh , I haven't got a clue . I here Vail is nice at this time of year 
