 Poster: A snowHead
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OK. So just before I went to Vallandry, Mr B floored me by totally unexpectedly saying he wished he were coming too (not to ski though, but to sit in a mountain bar and admire the scenery). In June we are going to L2A, so that's going to be a sort of taster for him, but being summer of course it will be rather different (well I think so anyway!). Even though he's adamant he won't ever ski, I am keen to be able to share some of a holiday with him and he's happy to do his own thing a fair bit, providing there is something to do. We also have a small group of friends, some of whom have skied and some who say they are game to give it a go, mostly middle aged. (Oh that's a horrid term, but I guess it is accurate!). I suspect some of them, if they came, might not ski a lot so he'd maybe have company too.
So, I have been doing a bit of thinking, just gently to myself, so I can later in the year make some kind of suggestion for a group trip, probably for next January, while ankle biters are at school but a uni student could come with us. The one limitation is that it needs to be either Vallandry again, Courchevel, Meribel, Verbier or VdI.
Key factors
- easy & varied pedestrian routes & places to see/do (non-sporty activities) around the resort and hopefully wider area
- good for beginners/intermediates (not too bloomin far to walk in ski boots preferably)
- not too heavy on the pocket
My googling suggests Courchevel 1650 looks good on these counts, being less up-market than 1850 & having a navette service from early morning to late evening serving a good area. What I can't find out are what lifts are pedestrian friendly & whether there are mountain cafes accessible via these on foot. Also can you tell me if the resort centre is a night-life "flying bottle"?
Vallandry is a bit lacking in variety for non-skiers, but would be ok, as there are buses from Peisey down to Bourg for a day out, and next year the VE should be running for another, but there's no bus link to Les Arcs. However the drawback for older beginners is that you have to go up and ski off the chair lift to get to the novice slope, though it's lovely up there and you can come down on foot. Also there is one pedestrian accessible cafe at the top of the Vallandry lift. Of course I'd like to see somewhere new too!
I don't think VdI would fit the bill as from my memory of being in Tignes the buses don't connect between the two, and the slopes down to resort level aren't that beginner-friendly. Also I suspect it's one of the pricier areas.
Thoughts, chaps & chapesses?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Butterfly, well you know I'm a vallandry fan - but doesn't take long to walk along foret from vallandry to Les Arcs.
There are a number of snow shoe trips organised in vallandry as well if that would appeal?
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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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Most ski resorts seem to me to be a dead loss for non skiers, and Meribel, Verbier and Courchevel fit into that category from what I've seen of them. Have a swim, skate a bit and that's pretty much your lot, apart from sitting on the balcony with a decent book and a bottle of something soothing (which sounds OK, actually, when do we leave?). Austria seems, in my experience, to have plenty in the way of activities such as x-country skiing, cross country skating, and walking on marked tracks up the mountain and plenty of walker accesible mountain cafes, but you don't want to go there.
Jan is possibly not the best time for non skiers as the weather is more likely to be yucky then than later, forcing them to sit by the fire with their book and bottle instead of on the balcony.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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a uni student could come with us
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depends on their term times - some start back early January. I'm struggling with that for next year family hols.
Why does it have to be those places? I wouldn't choose any of them, given your criteria. Verbier and Val D'Isere seem a particularly bad fit. 1650 is great for skiing, but does lack charm. Probably the best of your bunch, particularly as there is some high quality tuition available (which will be crucial).
I dislike Meribel, but that's just my personal prejudice (full of Brits who drink too much and are too ignorant even to say "bonjour" when they march into a bar and order in English; though come to think of it, most of the bar staff don't speak French much either). Not the best access to skiing for under-confident folk, a bit low and can be slushy/rainy. I also agree with richmond, that January is not ideal for non skiers.
Sorry, all rather negative. Apart from all that, sounds a great plan, if you can get it together!
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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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Verbier.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Butterfly, As Boris says, its not far along Foret to Les Arc 1800 - then a hop in the bubble up to the Ice grotto & a reataurant up there. Lovely view too, if its clear
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my wife , now a non skier for 90% of the time( she cant see the point ..dooh) , loved Val D'Isere last year , it was March and 7 days of warm sun so it did help , bit of Yoga every other day , small bit of skiing on the free nursery slopes in the village , shopping (her credit card) , coffee and catching the sun and reading on the deck chairs , for the more adventurous there is paragliding and I am sure there are guided walks taking you through the valley towards Le fornet. . We were with a number of friends who all skied so always met for her for lunch , quite a few non skier friendly lifts for lunch on the slopes , she also often came up late afternoon to the Follie Deuce for an afterrnoon drink and join the party. Catered chalet so evenings all sorted , including a few early evening cocktails in the Hotel Blizzard. Think it is what you make of it , but wouldn't go in Jan , most likely freezing , even if the sun is out. If you find an alternative I would love to hear as she is not coming in March this year, but is planning to holiday with us in March 2009 so good alternatives would be great to hear about
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I'm not sure any of those resorts sound great for a non skier - not sure why you have limited yourself to those resorts.
To throw a few alternatives in to the mix - Wengen railways the eiger etc; grindlewald similar; chamonix (depending on whether your friends go), Megeve (if you have a nice fat bank balance), cortina (similar) for scenery; zermatt for scenery. Just some ideas -austria resorts for snow walking cross country
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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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Despite being one of it's biggest fans, can't say I'd go with Verbier on this one. My mother and father (non-skiers, although my Dad did give it a go - not bad for 65) have come out for the last two years for a four day weekend and enjoyed it, but that's possibly because my wife and I really like the place and the enthusiam probably rubbed off. I also think that the end of Jan is not a great time - my folks came out late April so could enjoy the sunshine and walk around, sit on the balcony in the sun and so on, which would be less attractive in January. Of the places I've been Zermatt and Chamonix probably have the most to interest a non-skier, although again later in the season would be better.
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I'd go with BGA, and say Zermatt or Chamonix, later in the season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For non skiers you need a proper town. Zell am Zee 2nd week in March is what you want. Loads to do and a direct rail link to salzburg.
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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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The reason for the choice of resorts is I have a NewGen lessons voucher to use, and that is where they are. I am interested in the comments about the weather - that's useful as my experience is very limited. In terms of stuff to do, hubby's favourite activitiy is to potter around from coffee stop to coffee stop, sit and watch the ladies go by(!), get on a bus or train or cable car to another coffee shop, visit a church or two if there are any, look at a nice view if there's not much effort involved in getting to the viewpoint., ........ get the idea?? If I suggested the walk from Vallandry to Arc 1800 it might be like suggesting the London marathon!
Don't get me wrong, I think the world of him, but he's just not as active as he ought to be in my opinion!
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franzman
franzman
Guest
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Courchevel is a great resort with skiing for everyone! Its our most popular destinations after Whistler Canada.
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You know it makes sense.
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Butterfly, that's exactly what my father did out in Verbier. Got on the bus round town, got off at each stop and had a potter about, taking in the views and enjoying the odd cognac in the coffee shops. Very civilised. Would definitely suggest that you reconsider your dates though. Far more pleasant later in the season for that sort of thing. Given that you are restricted fo the ones you list, out of those Verbier is not too bad an option, it's OK for transport links, you can go down the valley to Le Chable which is quite a nice village and from there get the train to Martigny, Vevey, Montreux or even Lausanne. It's not great for beginner skiers, but is OK for improving intermediates. Nightlife can be as you want it - full on in Coco Club, Farinet, Pub Mont Fort etc, or quiet dinner and a few drinks if that fits the bill better.
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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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sit and watch the ladies go by(!),
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Butterfly, tell him that all the fit ones are on the slopes, so he'll have to take up skiing to find them 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Butterfly, tell your party of X people that they can either go to Courchevel 1650, or to a more non-skier friendly place (e.g. Zell am See) for a small supplement of an Xth share of a NewGen ski lesson voucher.
By the way, I wouldn't rely on L2A in summer firing your husband with the beauty and interest of ski resorts. Nor, actually, of the Alps in summer. You will get some cracking ski lessons though!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Butterfly, Verbier not great for total beginners.... you'd be OK I think, after reading of your exploits in France... 
Should be OK otherwise, loads of coffee shops and loads of eye-candy for him to ogle!
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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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Butterfly, Don't all laugh but if you want a resort with fairly easy ski-ing which has more of the other things to do apart from ski-ing, then have you thought of Levi in Lapland??
Check out http://www.levi.fi/pages/index.php?id=1&language=eng_win
Apart from ski-ing you have dog sledging ski-dooing etc. Haven't been there yet but more UK tour operators are featuring the area ie Inghams and First Choice - could be worth considering but don't go there in January as there is only 3 hours limp daylight. But now it is great with some stunning low temperatures and not a lot of ice!! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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DAVID SNELL, interesting thought certainly - but not for this occasion.
pam w, we are driving in the summer, taking 3 days or so over the journey each way, so will have the car and time to visit other places too - any suggestions of places to see?
I am storing up ideas and will make a suggestion or two to all concerned in due course. Thanks for the info everyone.
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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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Butterfly,
Unless you have a huge voucher you will save far more than the price of the voucher in a lot of other resorts that are both beginner friendly and non skier friendly. None of the resorts that you have listed are cheap or good for non skiers in my view, though they may have other merits.
Personally I would sell the voucher or use it another time or forget about it and try somewhere like Austria/Dolomites/Slightly less fashionable Swiss/ Non purpose built French where you can stay in a decent hotel for a lot less than you would pay in the Tarentaise or Verbier and have just as good a time on skis.
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