 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone been here for the Christmas and New Year weeks even through into first couple of weeks of Jan?
I am not going to ask what conditions will be like (as I don’t believe in crystal balls) though if anyone wants to venture a good forecast to make me feel better please go ahead.
I could do with some info on the ski school though, and what to expect in terms of language flexibility from the instructors. What are the group sizes and is there any option of 1 to 1 tuition?
Also has anyone been there for the Christmas or New Years days what’s the atmosphere like?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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newbie45, I've been to Les Contamines for several odd days in the pre-Christmas/Christmas/New Year periods. Generally the conditions have been pretty good or very good. I do remember a couple of occasions where the coverage was wide but thin. The pistes are quite stony underneath, and I wrecked a ski once on a stone that I just didn't see. Fortunately, it was the last run of the day. I've no experience of the ski school(s) or après ski there, so can't comment. Overall, I'd say your chances of getting good conditions is pretty high.
The village is in a deep valley, so it can be very, very cold there early in the morning! The slopes see much more sun, and their setting is absolutely stunning.
Let me know if you'd like any more info on the skiing.
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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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newbie45, I've done a couple of pre Xmas trips which included days at Les Contamines, conditions have been pretty good on the slopes, but can only echo laundryman's comment about the temperature. It can be a very cold valley esp. if there is cloud cover.
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newbie45 i agree with already been said, we have skied there over Christmas/NY period when conditions in other resorts aound Mont Blanc have been a lot worse
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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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newbie45, I've skied quite a bit in Les Contamines, but always approached from the Belleville Valley (the Hauteluce side) where the lifts take you right to the very top, so I don't usually go right down into the village. In fact, I only ever went there once, when I had left a purse in one of the mountain restaurants, and it had been sent down to the lift pass office (with all the money in!). It can feel quite cold and bleak at the top of Les Contamines, and the wind can fairly whistle over the Aiguille Croche. But if it's cold and windy, and snowy, there is plenty of skiing lower down. If the snow is a bit thin, that top area is the place to be.
Can't comment on the village atmosphere. Frankly, I'd suggest that there isn't a lot. The village straggles a long way along the valley bottom. But there are some nice cosy restaurants (NOT Le Signal, which is far from cosy, but they were the ones who found my purse and looked after it, full of money, and sent it down to the lift pass office after a couple of weeks, during which it had been too snowy for me to get back over to Les Contamines). There is far more English there than in our resort (Les Saisies) and some fantastically good looking ski instructors, we noticed (if you're a girl, you'd appreciate them.....). I don't think you'll have a big problem with English. If the snow is sparse, as it was last Christmas/New Year, the high, east-facing slopes in Les Contamines, quite a good mix of long cruisy reds and long cruisy blues, hold the snow well. If it's cold and bleak, the slopes on the Belleville side get lots of sunshine. Some mogully black ways over, but some nice cruisy blue ways too. I can't imagine any French ski school which doesn't give you the option of 1 to 1 tuition, if that's what you'd like, though at New Year you'd need to book up well in advance. Have fun! It's a great ski area.
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newbie45, My wife did her first week there in ski school (ESF) and got on very well. It was a few years ago though. We have been in the first week of Jan 2 of the last 3 years and conditions have been better than the surrounding area each time.
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looking again at your question, I would always choose early January over New Year or Christmas, both for the better likelihood of snow, and for the lack of lift queues. You've also a better chance of not having heaving great classes in the ESF.
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les contamines has two superb websites Lescontamines.com and les contamines.net which have lincks to both ski schools ESF and the international ski school who specialise in indervidual lessons.Also you can hire equipment . I usually spend most of jan there and as a general rule conditions are are usually better or as good as surrounding resorts last jan we had quite a lot of people coming in from surroundoing areas!If you would like further information p.m me I am pleased to help.
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