 Poster: A snowHead
|
I know everyone says France is really busy at half term due to the French schools taking their holidays depending on the school zone.
But how busy is it really and what are the other european resorts like?
I'm thinking of going away with the kids again if ( a big if ) I can get something reasonably priced, but I dont fancy fighting at the lifts like we seem to do in scotland.
Any suggestions, I have considered Norway but I am struggling to find cheap accomodation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Make sure to avoid Austria at Fasching, which i think is the first week in February. Also, when i was in the Zillertal last year over half term, the biggest problem was the Dutch; all 6 million of them seem to flock to the alps (or maybe just the Zillertal  ) when they have "Krokus" holidays.
During busy times you can either go to a resort with an ultra modern lift system where you wont queue, but will be fighting for space on the pistes as everyone is shovelled up to the top as quickly as possible - or if you go somewhere with a more antiquated lift system then you will undoubtedly have to queue but at least the pistes will bear less resemblance to the M1.
A tip for Austria may well be the Hochkoenig ski area. Its great for families, offers reasonable skiing and most importantly should remain fairly empty. If you get bored skiing there, you have the whole Ski Amade at your front door, offering 800km of runs.
http://en.skiamade.com/skiresorts/hochkoenig/
Finally, its important to remember that even in the most busy of resorts its still possible to escape the crowds! Like i said, the Ziller Valley over Half Term last year was a nightmare, but i still found some great empty skiing! How? From 8am-10.30am was empty-ish, skiing over lunchtime and having a later lunch is a good idea, and if you can be bothered ski till lifts shut and the last hour will be great  Its also easy to find runs that dont attract the crowds - usually ones with slow/long draglifts or old chairlifts
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Curtains, busy, busy, busy. It may be a bit better this year as there seems to more of a spread among UK schools than usual, because Easter is early and so some schools are having their Easter hols early and some aren't so half terms ... zzzz. All the big Euro resorts are busy at UK half terms.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Tignes/Vd'I 4 years ago; busy, but only a few bottlenecks and plenty of reasonably quiet pistes and lifts. Kitzbuhel is not too bad, and getting away from the major crowds is fairly easy. St Anton was OK last year, but busier than you'd like and with a major traffic problem coming home at the end of the day. Hoping it's a bit quieter there this year.
N.America seems to know almost nothing of these problems. I haven't skied there at half term, but in the Easter hols it seems fine, except for Easter weekend itself, which can be busy.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 24-01-08 17:32; edited 2 times in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Cheers,
we love Alp D'huez but even the intsructors say avoid it in Feb holidays, has anyone skied ine the USA or Canada during the feb holidays ?
Was it quiet ? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Curtains wrote: |
Cheers,
we love Alp D'huez but even the intsructors say avoid it in Feb holidays, has anyone skied ine the USA or Canada during the feb holidays ?
Was it quiet ? |
Yes, watch out for President's Weekend then. A public holiday in the States, when many take the rest of the week off. Can get busy but not like in French half-term. It's more likely to be a pain as its more expensive and there may be limited flight availability
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Switz' is busy, but as a generalisation a lot less busy than France.
The french tend to stay in France, and then add the Brits etc etc to them.
The Swiss don't have such a defined 1/2 term ski holiday culture, maybe because most of them can just go as day trips or weekends all season long. The Brits, Skandis etc go of course, but you don't have the huge "local" influx to compete with.
If you chose one of the numerous "other" resorts that the Brits don't usually go to then it need not be very busy at all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
President's Weekend is apparently 15-18 Feb this year
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Curtains, it needn't be busy if you go to a smaller resort, there are some photos in the gallery on our website taken 2 yrs ago at Feb half-term that show empty pistes in La Rosiere, however, the problem you'll have is finding accomodation, although if you're prepared to stay a few miles out you should be able to get something. You could try the Hotel Belvedere on the RN90 between Seez and La Rosiere www.hotelbevedere.fr or the Auberge du Val Joli in Villard Dessus - www.aubergevaljoli.com good luck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Anothe vote for Val D'Isere/ Tignes - last year at half term - tons of snow (in worst winter for a thousand years) - just one out of control lift queue all week. Just make sure you get on a good long lift before the ski schools organise themselves and start moving out - ie before 9:15 in VDI centre - or have a lie in and come back after 10 - or stand in a queue from 9:15 until 10.....Also ski buses at end of day could be swamped - avoid if you can. Otherwise no probs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have to agree with David@traxvax, we did La Ros. at half term a couple of years ago and it did not seem like half term hardly ever saw any queues on the French or Italian side. Previously been to Les Gets and the queues were horrendous at times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
David@traxvax, kevinrhead, that's jolly good news hopefully. La Thuile/La Ros for me this Feb 16th-23rd and queues were something I was worrying about a bit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
We were on the Sella Ronda last year at half term and it didn't strike us as particularly busy. I understand the locals have a half term holiday in the week containing Shrove Tuesday and that week is busiest. More people are around at the weekend as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
