 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone. This is my first post and there seems to be lots of good stuff on here! I'm looking for some ideas on where to spend next season. I'm after hidden gems....
Here's some details to fill you in:
I am a long and experienced rider, but haven't done a season for 5 long years now. I'm now after a location that will suit both me and the inexperienced missus. Chamonix fits the bill: it's on good roads, has good transport, is a bigger town, great riding, not far from an airport but i've had it with Cham. It's just too cutthroat in the liftques on fresh days, 3 top to bottoms and it's tracked and i think that if i was to go back to the type of riding off the midi i was doing the poor wife would be worried sick every time i was an hour late coming home...plus i felt it ws getting a bit too cool for school.
Ideas so far:
Samoen: might get better value accom, and flaine gets good snow. Could always drive to cham for a day or two. Terrain might be a bit lacking.
Les Carroz: as above but i've heard that with a little local knowledge you can ride fresh throught the trees here for weeks after snow. Anyone confirm (did get some here a couple of years back way after snow but limited by direction finfing)
Les Contamine: Great location- but is it good enough or have enough scope?
Bourg St Maurice: Further from airports but cheaper accom and big town - though les arcs was a bit dull but loads of others around that should give the goods.
La rosiere: never been but folks on here seem to like it.
Briancon or area: Years since i've been to serre- remeber it being quite low but briancon is a good town i seem to remember and i did like alp' d huez and la grave is just up the road. Les 2 alpes can do without me though....Anywhere around here reccomended - oz en oisans etc? Vaujany?
I'd like to stay on for summer biking and paragliding so obviously pds scores high but those low resorts.....
any thoughts appreciated. It really is a tough one this time!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Southern Alps! Plenty off off-piste for an experienced rider, and lots for bird to enjoy and progress on. Add Bourg d'Oisans to your list of possibles - cheaper than living in resort.
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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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futurecut, Bourg sounds god. Access to huge volumes of terrain. Hit the nbiggies for the fresh and then St Foy and La Rosiere after 2-3 days for the remaining.
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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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Frosty the Snowman, pricey on the lift pass fron though, as you need a different one for each area. On the other hand, one season pass here gives you unlimited skiing in both Alpe d'Huez and 2Alpes, as well as days in Serre Chevalier, Puy St Vincent and the Milky Way, and discount at La Grave.
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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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futurecut, I'd go with Lizzard's Suggestion, with a difference, based in Serre Chevalier it is easier to get to the Milky Way, and it's an hour max to ADH and L2A. Accommodation in Briancon is fairly cheap for a season. Are you going alone, or with friends?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Helen Beaumont, that would do. I think you get better value over here though, as you get unlimited access to two resorts rather than just one, plus days in the others.
futurecut, I see you're not a fan of 2Alpes. If you'd asked me this time last year, I'd have said much the same, but having done the whole season there I find it has grown on me. Your bird might appreciate its total lack of drag lifts if she's not that experienced.
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futurecut, PDS is physically low but gets rather more snow than it should. Better skiing around Avoriaz this year than many of its neighbours...and IMHO better weather typically than Chamonix...can't comment on ADH/L2A as don't know areas that well - but that necks of the woods ought to be good suggestion....
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David Murdoch, absolutely dire in Morzine and Les Gets early season though! Did it get better?
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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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I was in chatel third week in january. Low cover first few days but was still plenty good but it rained the lot off and closed on the thursday/friday. PDS is def an option, esp as near places like annecy but i think there may be some places further south that offer more accom options at better prices. Anyone own any or got links to good agencies? Thanks and keep it coming folks!
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Easiski has an apartment for sale in 2Alpes! 400 - 500€ pcm gets you two bedrooms in Bourg d'Oisans, not sure what resort prices are like at the moment.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lizzard, OK, we'll agree to disagree then . 
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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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BernardC, how awful for you!!! 
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You know it makes sense.
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futurecut, welcome to snowHeads 
Have you thought about looking outside of France? If you're looking for fresh tracks, go to an intermediate resort where everyone stays on piste.
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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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Les Carroz: as above but i've heard that with a little local knowledge you can ride fresh throught the trees here for weeks after snow. Anyone confirm (did get some here a couple of years back way after snow but limited by direction finfing)
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I can confirm that is normally still the case. If you decide on a season there then I can put you in touch with a few others
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Poster: A snowHead
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Think we've decided to go to Mayrhofen. We had a week there a a few seasons ago and i liked it. The penken area was good, theres a pipe for when it's cruddy, hintertux up the road was just like grands montets except dead quiet, zell is not far, it was much cheaper than i'd expected- way more so than france, innsbruck isn't far and theres good paragliding in spring too and biking in summer. Plus we could do a few trips towards the italian lakes and dolomities so i think it's a goer. Just need to learn german now. Thanks all.
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