 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking for advice from 
Holiday needed for 2 people:
- Me (reasonable intermediate boarder)
- Jules (advanced/annoyingly good boarder)
We have both got the week off from Sat 1st March - Sun 10th March for the express purpose of snowboarding. We have to go this week as we both have work commitments stopping us doing other dates. We both have some money to spend on this project, but we're not drowning in cash. We'd be looking to spend no more than £400 on accom + transfer + flight, but wouldn't expect lift pass, food or beer to be included in that.
My question has 2 parts. Part 1 is a bit dull and predictable. I've tried the usual suspects (Crystal, Direct etc.) and can't quite find what I'm after. Part 2 is the exciting bit where experience comes into play.
1. Can anyone please please point me at a package holiday (or the components for a holiday) which fits this sort of bill:
We don't mind too much where we go, but it should have the following attributes:
- More than 100km piste so we haven't covered it all by day 3 (so nowhere in Bulgaria, for instance)
- Higher than 1000m at village level (we want snow, and preferably freshies)
- No ridiculous distance from accomodation to piste (so no "easy 15 minute bus ride and a mere 45 minutes in a gondola followed by a convenient 20 minute walk to the piste" craziness)
That's about it. We're really not fussy. Things we don't care about include:
- Nightlife. We can do all that stuff at home. We have MP3 players, books and can buy our own beer.
- Aesthetics. We don't care if the building we stay in isn't a marvel of architecture (so Les Menuires would be OK  )
- Creature comforts. Twin beds (rather than double) would be good, as we're close but not that close, and a shower and a toilet are both important. Other than that, we don't care.
2. The 'adventure' option
As the pickings for part 1 are fairly slim, we're half considering getting a flight to Geneva and a resort transfer and then trying our luck (i.e. wandering round hotels/tourist office etc. til we find somewhere to stay). With no girlfriends in tow to complain about the stupidity of this plan, we think it's possible. Has anyone done this before (or tried and failed)? All stories will be read with interest... our resort selection would be based on the above and we'd probably try for the 3 Valleys or something as we like it there and if we fail in one resort, another one isn't too far away.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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just a thought (and i defo don't know if it exists) does geneva airport have a tourist info booth that you could have a nosey at for resorts with available accommodation if you decide to wing it? alternatively, are you looking to stay for 7 or 9 nights? that may prove to be a problem if you're staying for longer than the usual week-long stay.
this is a link from the snowboardclub.co.uk forum which i also look at, and it seems this lady runs a good show in serre chevalier (sp?) www.highrockchalet.co.uk - worth looking at/contacting?
good luck if you go DIY.
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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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Shallimus, I know this may sound a bit strange, but I would fly to Geneva, and stay in Morzine as a base to access the PDS, perhaps alternatively stay in Avoriaz. You can ride 'the Stash', try some safe 'side of piste' and ride a different resort every day, it is also a short transfer from Geneva and you will do it within your budget, even maybe a catered chalet. Go to www.chaletsdirect.co.uk (or something like that) and post a request for a chalet/self catering/B&B etc. and you will have loads of replies.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Shallimus, sounds a great plan. However, that'll be a busy week in France - last week of the school holidays - so I'd go somewhere else. Austria, Switzerland, Italy.... where there might be fewer kids to mow down. I can't really suggest any specific resorts because I really only know the French ones. St Anton has to be one you'd look at, or the Ski Amade area, flying into Salzburg. Cervinia? There are plenty of Swiss experts on Snowheads who might be along with some Swiss suggestions. Verbier?
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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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pam w, St Anton and Verbier are not the cheapest of resorts, but would otherwise be my suggestion. France mega resorts will be busy but PDS is so big and a lot of it Swiss so I doubt it would be too bad. What is it like at the moment where are, busy? good conditions?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks all for the input so far - much food for thought as I know various contributors to this thread are pretty knowledgeable. I have checked out various options, and have decided to compromise...
I've now booked us a 'lucky dip'/allocation-on-arrival through Inghams. We're going to Austria (Salzburg) from Birmingham(!) which means a fair ol' drive to get to the airport from W London area, but it was what was available. I don't know what resort we're going to, so we could be very lucky (Mayrhofen, Kitzbühel?) or fairly unlucky (St. Wolfgang, which I hear is 30+ minutes' bus ride from the slopes... wtf!?)
Luckily this option was well within our budget, so if we get stuck somewhere tooooo awful we can probably fix it for at least a couple of days.
I'll let you all know the outcome if you're interested - once we get to Austria that is. Very excited as last holiday was planned 3 months in advance (so 3 months' agonising waiting)... now it's a mere 2 weeks but with the added excitement/dread of not having a clue where we'll end up).
Anyone been to the lower-lying resorts round Salzburg?
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Also I realise I never posted any pics from my last holiday, but don't have that many exciting ones. Will try harder this time 
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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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Shallimus, how much did that cost you if you don't mind me asking ?
Trying to look for something on the 8th march but the stuff left is either Bulgaria, Andorra or super expensive
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DebbiDoesSnow, wait until the monday before you want to go and check website special offer prices then. if you're still coming up short wait until the thursday and try again (choice might be more limited but prices are at their cheapest).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rogg, its gettting sparse  I just should of booked something weeks ago instead of trying to be clever and get a 'bargain'
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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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I was looking around yesterday for 1st march and really struggled ended up at a chalet stopped in in morzine last year and a flight from leeds with jet2 - other availability from non gatwick was zilch - Leeds is a good airport for me as 2 miles away!
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You know it makes sense.
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rayscoops, off anywhere good?
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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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DebbiDoesSnow, i'm looking at a site which departs from ireland and it's giving me about 7 or 8 options, so i guess it's different over there (in the windowseat of the hub of life). i'm still hopeful to bag a bargain for the 8th - forecast is starting to look up a bit too.
happy hunting
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stevew, no, just booked a Friday to Monday flight to Innsbruck and I am sending a few emails out to a few resorts, but St Anton is 75 minutes away by train 
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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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Cheers nigel b, havent been to Austria since 1992(ish) when they had the worst season ever and it was pure grass & mud, maybe its time to get over that horror and go back
rogg, bummer, did see some some Ireland bargains, but its bit too far from the Londinium 'burbs
rayscoops, you deserve to be sent to coventry for your constant trip taking
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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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We have one room left for that week in Les Melezes, Tignes Les Boisses - Sunday 2nd to Sunday. Within your price range and includes wine food etc. PM me for details.
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