 Poster: A snowHead
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Morning Snowheads! 
My group are looking at France for 2008 after the last two seasons visiting Austria. Between all of us the 2 main areas no-one has visited (remarkably) is the above so we are going upmarket next year.
After some brief research the resorts that appeal are Val d'isere, Val Thorens and Meribel.
There will be 6/7 of us all top end intermediete boarders who like the options of racking up some mileage and off piste when the powder is available. We also like a beer or three but are not going specifically for the apres ski (although we want a lively resort).
Val T and Tignes look a bit bleak and desolate which makes me favour Val D and Meribel as they seem to have more options in terms of location and nightlife. Am I correct? Is Val D a boarder friendly resort like Tignes? People seem to love or loathe Meribel. Why?
Any opinions would be most welcome.
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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People seem to love or loathe Meribel
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The night clubs can be full of public school ruperts sometimes and most people hate it here because you dont have to have a single word of french as all the pubs are completely full of english during the half terms
Try courchevel if you want a bit more of a mix of nationalities or Mottaret which is higher up the valley from Meribel and although a bit smaller is much more "French" you can then get the free resort shuttle bus to the pubs of meribel for nighttime shenanigans.
If you want to rack up mileage 3 V's is IMO a bit better linked than VD tignes. No walking across villages or buses home to contend with. BUt i would say that wouldnt i being based there.
in terms of nightlife Dicks tea bar in Val D isnt much different from Dicks in Meribel.......
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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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I would agree with skimottaret, and also in relation to Mottaret instead of Meribel proper. Better access to the slopes without the ridiculous queues. Hope you are not impuning all the "Ruperts", as I have had the edges rounded off by living in Ireland all these years. Dicks Tea bar is incidentally is owned by a "Rupert" that went to my old reform school. As Tim Nice But Dim would say "A bloody nice bloke actually". , and a good company.
Couchevel is also a good choice, can be over to the Meribel valley pretty quickly. 1550, 1650, La Tania and La Praz.
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Not much in it in my view. Don't try boarding back to Mottaret down the Ours run - very flat. Go via Rossignol instead. The 3V are superbly linked. Can't help re off-piste.
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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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Sorry to contradict but I'd go for Val D'Isere over 3V every time - better lift system (in my opinion). If you're flying to Geneva rather than elsewhere in France you might want to consider Verbier as well. The piste extent doesn't compare to either Val D or 3V but if you're 70% off-pise and 30 on then it is a great alternative.
skimottaret is right about the Ruperts - Verbier is just as bad.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Roy Hockley,
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Dicks Tea bar is incidentally is owned by a "Rupert" that went to my old reform school.
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Is that the nice chap that use to own Meriski and brown rock ski at one time?
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I reckon Courchevel would be a better place to stay, less "icy" pistes in the morning, and seems to hold the snow better than the Meribel valley. Good off piste in the area, and not as well known as Val D'Isere, so still possible to get some tracks a few days after fresh snow.
There is a decent boardcross track in Meribel and half pipes, fun park in Courchevel.
Cheers,
Greg
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I wouldn't sweat over your choiceFico, as both ski areas are excellent, on or off-piste. If you are going early or late season avoid Meribel as it generally has less reliable snow than the other options, and yes it can be busy, and yes speaking french is a waste of time while you're there.
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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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boredsurfin, No the Mark Warner group bought it off him.
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Fico,
I'm a skier not a boarder so am probably not very sensitive to all requirements. From a skiing area perspective they both offer fairly similar things, ie very large well connected ski areas with plenty of good skiing. The skiing on the door step at Meribel is largely East and West facing so can suffer from slush and or ice. Connections over to Val Thorens are a bit longer than the connections to Tignes form Vald'Isere where the connections are seamless. Val d'Isere's local skiing is mainly north facing and usually has decent snow. From memory there are rather more long flat bits in Meribel particularly coming back from Val Thorens or Mont Vallon (the local north facing hill) which may be off putting for a boarder.
Off the slope you will probably find both places pricey compared with Austria and both have quite a dominant British culture. I have found Meribel very expensive in the past but Val D'Isere isn't cheap, neither place exudes charm but both can be lively.
Personally I think that Val d'Isere has slightly more interesting slopes and a livelier feel to it, neither are a particular favourite of mine but you can certainly have a great holiday in either.
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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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Fico, Tignes is very well linked with a good lift system and I do not remember having any problems as a boarder, plus you can head down to Val D for variation or head down to the town/resort (Les Brev ???) below Tignes if you want some trees instead of moonscape, I think there is a snowboard based hostel there from memory
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Fico,
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Val Thorens, is it a moonscape like Tignes
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Yes, horrible - except when you go over the top/back towards the 'fourth valley', then it's extremely beautiful.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Go to Val d'Isere if you want offpiste and nightlife.
Go to Tignes if you want reliable snow.
Go to Courchevel 1850 if you want style and good food.
Go to ValTho if you want ski-in-ski-out convenience and reasonable nightlife.
All of the above 4 would be a fine choice. On balance, overall, Val d'Isere probably just edges it ahead of the rest, but it really is a close race.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've boarded Espace Killy twice, 3V twice.
I think Espace Killy is far superior to 3V, especially for boarding. Lots of so called pistes in 3V are just cat tracks and there are lots of flat sections.
I'd choose Tignes for access to slopes or Val d'Isere if nightlife is more important.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Moonscape? Not last week 
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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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boredsurfin, airbrushed the trees out, have you? 
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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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Hurtle, They are on the edge of the lake, just visible between the first and second umbrella, my car is parked under them for shade from the blazing sun 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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boredsurfin,
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id you take the funicular up to the Grand Motte?
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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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boredsurfin, thanks. I think I must get out there next summer...
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| boredsurfin, thanks. I think I must get out there next summer... |
You must! I still have to do the Val d' glacier in summer
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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boredsurfin, did it open this summer?
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| boredsurfin, did it open this summer? |
I believe so, IFIR correctly Davidof put some pics up on here somewhere I think!
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