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Another tell us where to go thread! :)

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We just had a great week in the Ziller Valley, and are now looking for next year Smile

Going at half term (16.2 - 23.2) or New Year (29.12 - 5.01) and flying from the North East.

Criteria:
1.After this year i want it to be high. The resort doesnt have to be particularly high, but i would like skiing atleast to about 2500m, but would prefer up to 3000m or higher.
2. Atleast 100km of runs
3. Mainly intermediate standard, but would like the runs to be quite diverse - i.e. long motorways, nice tree-lined runs, moguls, steeps, pleasant cruisers
4. Quite cheap (basically in resort and when booking hotels)
5. Although i would like high skiing in case of not so good snow, i would also like the skiing to go fairly low down too as i love tree lined runs, and especially if its bad weather. If the resort has lots of vertical i have snow-sure and lovely tree lined runs if there is good snow.
6. Not too busy - i guess that kind of eliminates France? I know anywhere will be busy, and i dont mind queueing for a few minutes at busy chairlifts, but i dont want it to be mayhem.
7. Resort with a bit of charm
8. Dont want the resort to be dead, but not over lively

I realise thats quite a lot of criteria Very Happy My initial thought was Serre Chevalier as i would love to go there and it seems to fill all the criteria, but ive been told to stay away from France in February. How busy does Serre Che get?

Thanks Very Happy


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 3-03-07 16:26; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Flims

Actually other ones that you could include that get a few but not all of your criteria

Obertauern
Not as high as you want but fairly snow sure if you take an extended lift pass as we did last year you can go down the valley to Zauchensee for tree skiing and increased mileage. (Flachau also possible but very crowded.)

Bad Gastein
Never been but with Sportgastein up the road fits a lot of your criteria.

Milky Way
All bits of it are not snow sure but Claviere / Montgenevre are usually reliable.

La Thuile
Loads of threads on it recently. Very quiet at nights and not a lot of steeper stuff.

Lech
Not as pricey as is made out but not really cheap either and most of it is above the trees.

Arraba
Never been but looks good on paper.

Klosters/Davos
Nice but not cheap

Zermatt
Ditto


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sat 3-03-07 16:41; edited 1 time in total
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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?
Flims
St.Moritz ( not so good for trees though, and maybe the cheap criterion will be stretched a bit )
Scuol ( bit smaller, but snowsure and very charming Engadina village )

Also there are a few resorts in Vorarlberg that almost never get a mention here on Snowheads like
Montafon
Schruns-Tschaguns
Gargellen
Kleinwalsertal (A stones throw from the Arlberg but only reachable from Germany!)
Most of the Vorarlberg ones might struggle a bit with the height criterion, but face it, even in times of global warming the chances of getting a winter that's as screwed as this one are not going to be high. If they are then the European ski industry will largely disappear in a few years Sad
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Markus wrote:
We just had a great week in the Ziller Valley, and are now looking for next year Smile

Going at half term (16.2 - 23.2) or New Year (29.12 - 5.01) and flying from the North East.

Criteria:
7. Resort with a bit of charm

My initial thought was Serre Chevalier as i would love to go there and it seems to fill all the criteria, but ive been told to stay away from France in February. How busy does Serre Che get?

Thanks Very Happy


I'd avoid Serre Chevalier if you want charm, The skiing's ok but it's a dump.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Markus, How was your trip to Zillertal - I believe you stayed in Zell am Ziller? Did you get a chance to visit the newly linked Kaltenbach-Hochfugen area? (one of my favourites).

Regarding recommendations for next year, you could consider Saas Fee in Switzerland (I went there this Christmas). As regards your criteria:
1. Highest lift goes to 3600m (glacier with world's highest revolving restaurant!)
2. The area (which includes lower Saas Grund) has 140km piste. The area lift pass also includes 1 day skiing in Zermatt which is in the adjacent valley (takes about 1 hour journey - the tour reps usually organise a minibus excursion (which unfortunately you have to pay for Sad Toofy Grin )
3. Mainly intermediate runs.
4. This is difficult to quantify - different people have different assessments of cheap or expensive Toofy Grin , however I stayed at the Hotel Elite with Inghams on Half Board (the evening meals were really high standard) and the early 2007-8 brochure price for week 16Feb - 23Feb 2008 is £625, there are early booking/online booking discounts off this price of course
5. Coming down to Saas Fee village there is a trail goes through the trees. Also Saas Grund is at lower level and I think has some tree runs (not absolutely sure - only went there one day!)
6. Although I was there during Christmas week, never found queues aproblem.
7. Saas Fee is traffic free - no cars only electric taxis. Many of the old traditional Valais/Wallis buildings survive.
8. I think the level of apres ski, bars etc will meet your requirements Toofy Grin

Hope the above helps!
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just wondering re cost of staying in saas fee and lech as recommended in 2 of the previous posts. thought these resorts were for the super rich only? i know one might get a good half board package for under 6-700 eur but what about the other costs like food, drink, lift pass etc. can the 2 previous posters tell me what the approx price of a pint of beer and a pizza might cost. please. was always put off by the reported costs of these resorts but would give them a go if they were reasonable cost wise. sadly the price of a pint is a big factor when booking for our group
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creedgearoid,
I haven't been to Lech for about 3 or 4 years and it was with family so price of pints wasn't a major expense. Our hotel was no more expensive than elsewhere we had B&B (Hotel flights and transport under £1500 for four high season) eating out was probably a bit more expensive than average but cannot remember exact costings.

telford_mike,
Don't agree with Serre Che being a dump though there are one or two bits around Villeneuve that aren't attractve on the whole though Most of it is pretty attractive.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
creedgearoid, I remember lunch being expensive in Saas Fee...

I'd suggest the Sella Ronda area, Arabba is definitely good for skiing - village is pretty quiet though...
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Quote:
I'd avoid Serre Chevalier if you want charm, The skiing's ok but it's a dump


telford_mike, you obviously didn't stay in the right village then. rolling eyes
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creedgearoid, 6 day adult lift pass for Saas Fee this season was 341 CHF (227.5 Eur) for the whole valley (includes 1 day in Zermatt) or for Sass Fee only 317 CHF (211.5 Eur). Didn't buy any pizzas so can't say Toofy Grin
As regards drink, you can get an idea from the Alpenbar website. "Bier vom Fass" i.e local draught beer (lager) 6CHF for 0.5litre or 16CHF for 1.5litre pitcher (I note they also have Guiness and Murphy's which may interest you in view of your location wink )
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Rather than start another thread, we're looking to get in another week before the end of the season. The only week we can make is 17/18th March. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for this week and the week preceding is pretty warm, particularly in France/Italy, not so bad in parts of Austria. We can't get away before that, and after that I have teaching committments followed by several weeks of learning to be an aerobics instructor (put off from February for my Mum's final illness and funeral).

So, the question is, where is good to go for guaranteed snow? We were thinking of Obergugrl. We prefer quiet resorts, don't mind if slopes are easy or hard or a mixture, but don't want to spend ages lugging skis around. It looks quite good, and the forecast temperatures for that weekend don't look too bad (+7 as opposed to +12-15 in some French/Italian resorts).

Also looking at St Anton, but rather expensive and we'd have to travel from Gatwick, which is a pain. Driving is not an option thanks to my need for frequent medical treatment en route (flying shortens travel time to something approaching respectable).

Any other suggestions. Has anybody else been worried by the weather/temperature forecasts for mid-March?
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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.
Markus, Serre Chevalier is a lovely resort, but it can get quite busy during half-term, as it is especially popular with the French. Monetier is not so badly affected by the queues (usually), and has lots of real village charm, and a thermal baths. If you are flying from Newcastle though, you'll be stuck with the Sunday Turin charter, so you will probably be staying in Villeneuve or Chantemerle with Crystal or Thomson. If you want an apartment, the Alpage ones are OK, hotel or chalet I'm not too sure about, although I seem to remember a Crystal one near the lifts at Aravet (Villeneuve).
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 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
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
Livigno

Village at 1800m

Skiing upto 2800m

Cheap

Some trees

Good apres

Has excellent snow record

Think 130km of piste
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hoppo, i was thinking about Arabba or one the other resorts on the sella ronda - how expensive is it out there? Ive found the lift pass to be quite expensive. Also, how full does it get?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Alastair Pink, had a great week in the Zillertal. I found the ski area of Zell am Ziller great. I'd heard horror stories about queues at the Gondola in the morning, but that just made me go up at 8.00 am and have a full days skiing Very Happy I also spent a day at the glacier with fantastic weather, and that was definitely a highlight of the trip. Skied HochZillertal and Zillertal3000 too, and found them both great intermediates ski areas.

All in all, i found the Zillertal to offer huge amounts of skiing, perfect for intermediates who like travelling, and at amazing prices.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Helen Beaumont, how easy is it to do DIY to Serre Chevalier? We normally find that TO charge way too much at holiday times...
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Markus,
Very easy I have been loads of times and never with a tour operator.
PS thats providing you dont mind driving or hiring a car there is public transport including a railway line but it makes it a lot less convenient. A car is also useful when you are there.
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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?
Markus, we were paying a pretty regular 10euro per person for lunch - which was better value than we got in the 3V's or Saas Fee and comparable to Austria. The Dolomitisuperski ski pass is about 200euro, which is about the same as the 3V's but you get access to ~1000km of pistes across the Dolomites, although the linked Sella Ronda circuit is probably about 400km or so. Obergurgl was about 190euro for a much smaller ski area.

We were in Arabba for one of the UK half term weeks, got the impression from the locals that this has a minimal impact on busy-ness for them. We found it to be fairly quiet, only queued over 5 minutes a handful of times in the week. The main exception to this was a trip to the Hidden Valley, where we queued about 10 minutes for a ski bus up to the pass and about 20 minutes or so for a cable car (well worth it though and it didn't feel like a major queuing experience). I understand the real time to avoid is the Italian half-term which falls on the week containing Shrove Tuesday, the Sunday was a bit busier than the rest of the week through day trippers.
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Hoppo, thanks. Do you know if it is possible to buy a pass for just the linked Sella area? I know you can buy just an Arabba ski pass but that is only marginally cheaper than the dolomiti superski pass, but with only something like 80km of runs.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

Has anybody else been worried by the weather/temperature forecasts for mid-March?

I am still too busy being thrilled that snow depths are much higher than anytime in the season, with cold weather and more snow forecast for next week, to start getting worried about the second half of March. I shall be in Les Saisies at our apartment then, and although I would not expect the lower bits of the Espace Diamant (1100 - 1500m) to be giving great skiing, the best skiing, which is just over the hill in Notre Dame de Bellecombe is higher (1500 - 2069m) and predominantly east facing and holds snow very well. I think conditions will be great, and if it's sunny, so much the better. Slope aspect will be as important, if not more important, than altitude by that time.
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Markus, I don't know if you can buy subsets of the Dolomitisuperski pass - I had a look at www.dolomitisuperski.com website - they do some family reductions (see here)
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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Markus, I've done it myself,several times, even before we bought our apartment, but we have to fly to Geneva, or travel to another UK airport. I've not tried to book a charter flight though. There's plenty of accommodation around, and we've usually found it cheaper than TO.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Markus, I've done it myself,several times, even before we bought our apartment, but we have to fly to Geneva, or travel to another UK airport. You'll need car hire if you fly to Geneva. I've not tried to book a charter flight though. There's plenty of accommodation around, and we've usually found it cheaper than TO.
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docsquid, Obertauern, just got back, never seen so much snow in my life, it never stopped for 6 days and more is forecast. Dual carriageway and motorway all the way from Salzburg airport, took 1 hour.
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sharon1953 wrote:
docsquid, Obertauern, just got back, never seen so much snow in my life, it never stopped for 6 days and more is forecast. Dual carriageway and motorway all the way from Salzburg airport, took 1 hour.

There was very little availability when we phoned up various people this morning. Nothing in Obergurgl, Obertauern, St Anton, Solden, or anywhere else, really. We ended up going to Kaprun, because all the other offerings were at low altitude resorts with dodgy snow records, whereas we know there will be snow at Kaprun, at least on the glacier, and there is Zell am Zee to play around in if the snow is better at low altitude.

Whatever, it will be in the mountains, we will be able to ski, it will be better and less crowded than the Snowdome, and it will therefore be fun. I hope it will also involve quite a lot of cake Smile
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Thanks everyone, quite like the look of Flims/Laax Very Happy
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