 Poster: A snowHead
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Given the choice between the following resorts for a New Year ski trip (mixed abilities) which would you choose and why:
Val Thorens, Les Arc (2000) or Val d’Isere
My thinking at the moment is,
Les Arc – Could be very busy over New Year due to the train link to Paris and the UK and people coming up from Borg etc. Some good blues / reds for the intermediates.
Val Thorens – Could be a bit rocky if snow cover isn’t great, no tree line skiing if the weather is bad. Excellent if three valleys links open. Managed to go on a ski trip to Val Thorens in November last year, not many runs open but snow was good.
Val d’Isere – Would be staying in Le Fornet so away from main town. Not sure how busy it would be at new year compared to the other two…..
Any thoughts….
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I thought Les Arcs was unusually quiet last New Year. Possibly because the poor start to the previous season put people off making holiday plans for earlier in the season. I'veskied Les Arcs and Tignes/Val d'Isere over Christmas and New Year several times and don't think there is much difference in how busy the resorts are - I don't think having the railhead in Bourg St Maurice means Les Arcs is any busier than other resorts in the Tarentaise.
I think the three resorts you listed would be equally busy, so perhaps better to decide on other factors such as choice of accommodation, suitability of the terrain, ski schools, etc. For a mixed ability group Val d'Isere would be my last choice because the home runs back to the main village (and Le Fornet to a certain extent) can be a bit challenging often requiring novice skiers to take a lift back while the more experienced can ski home. That's not the case with Les Arcs or Val Thorens as there are plenty of easy pistes running to the village.
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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'm not a Val D,Isere fan but it does have a stupendous lift system, with Tignes, so if you avoid some of the key bottlenecks you can escape the crowds. There's no problem taking a lift back down and watching all the intermediates making a mess of La Face  . That's what I do! (I take the lift, that is!). However, if it was actually me making that choice I'd choose Les Arcs simply because I've never been there.
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I would go to Les Arcs 1800. It is high enough to have good snow cover but if the weather is really cold you would not have to go up to the highest slopes..
I skiied in Val Thorens at New Year (2001) and would not particularly recommend it for New Year. The Val Thorens slopes had the best snow of the three valleys but it was really cold. The links to the three valleys were open but when we skied down to Meribel (1400 I think) en route to Courcheval the snow cover was not nearly as good and skiing conditions quite difficult...therefore I think 1800 wd be the best altitude at that time of year which is why I think Les Arcs would be better.
The three destinations you mentioned are all covered by the snow train so i don't think there would be any difference in terms of how busy they are.
I think Les Arcs would also be a better option for mixed ability. There are lots of easy blues and reds around Arc 1800. The three valleys is quite challenging in places and you need to be a good intermediate to cover the area between val thorens and courcheval..if you had less experienced skiiers they would probably only be able to ski at Val Thorens.. as you have to ski a red to get over to the next valley if I remember rightly.
Don't know Val D'Isere/Tignes..so can't advise on those resorts.
If you want to go by train book quickly as when we booked the $urostar direct train a couple of weeks ago it was selling out quickly and only first class was available coming back. More availability on the night $urostar I think.
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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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| snowymum wrote: |
| I would go to Les Arcs 1800. It is high enough to have good snow cover but if the weather is really cold you would not have to go up to the highest slopes. |
Les Arcs does have more tree-lined skiing than Val Thorens and Val d'Isere. This is a good place to head to if the weather is really poor, with low visibility and or high wind speeds.
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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 for the advise, much appreciated. I remember going to Arc 1800 when I was at uni mid December 2000 and the snow cover was good. I left a nice fleece in a club, maybe it's still there! I also managed to go to Val Thorens last November, not many runs open, but the snow was good and we were the only people there! Snowymum, your right about only reds to get out of Val Thorens! Decisions Decisions.
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mcboz, I love Val. The lift sytem is superb and easily copes with the volume of skiers - I have never really queued here in over 20/30 visits. La Fornet is 5 mins on the free bus (best in the Alps) into town and is a flat although bleak 20 walk if the weather is poor. The bus runs around every 5 mins into the centre in the day and every 20 mins in the eve until 2am/2.30 am. The skiing on the Solasie is pretty quite and the runs into La Fornet are great. It really is little hardship being in La Fornet unless you want to wander round the shops at your leisure. Even for nightlife it is fine as teh Train Rouge is so regular and spot on in terms of timekeeping.
There is fantastic piste and off piste skiing to be had on the system - although the off can get tracked out quickly. The off piste from the madeleine run is superb but do make sure you are fully equiped with the gear and a guide unlike many of the idiotic Brits that dip under the wire as there are hidden streams under the "Le Manchet" sector that when disturbed can cause avalanches and although it's great for intermediates it's dangers are greater than it's gradient! Le Manchet restuarant is worth a peep if you are off piste here. The Col du Militaire is also great for intermediate off pisters over in Tignes. Piste wise take your pick it has something for everyone but some of the grading is can be dodgey - the Santon blue run can often be (mostly late season) worse than the black Epaule du Charvet!
My four year old learnt to ski this April/May here and to see him almost catching his 7 year old sister up at an altitude of 2700m on the blues was just superb so the Espace Killy will always hold a place in my heart. 
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mcboz,
Where did you choose???
My current choices are
Les Arcs
La Plagne
Alpe D'Huez
Keep jumping between La Plagne and Les Arcs at present.
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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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Went for Val Thorens in the end, mostly for varied terrain (hopefully be able to do all four valleys) and best accommodation for our budget. Looking forward to it now! I’ve been a couple of times before, but never in the School holidays, so should be an experience. Fingers crossed for good snow and minimal queues  .
I remember driving to Val Thorens with four friends whilst at University in a Fait Punto with skis and snowboards. That was at the beginning of Jan and it was deserted, won’t be the same this time! Hopefully the Frog and Roast Beef will still be as good.
Nickster – I agree, went to Val d’Isere this January, had a fantastic time. As you said the lifts are very good, and the skiing excellent as was the night life, especially the fireworks which were put on one night, and of course Dicks Tea Bar. Not forgetting La Folie Douce at the top of La Daille.
Just need some new ski boots now…….worth buying them in the UK or out there?
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| mcboz wrote: |
| ... worth buying them in the UK or out there? |
Location is of secondary importance to buying them from a top class bootfitter, in my opinion. If you know there's a good bootfitter in resort you will be able to tweak the boots during the week you're there. But if you don't have a recommendation for a good boot fitter in Val Thorens you might want to consider a trip to Bicester (Solutions4Feet, run by fellow snowhead CEM) or Leamington Spa (for Lockwoods).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mcboz, yes, there's plenty of off-piste in Val D'Isere but it could be still pretty rocky and thin at New Year. As it could anywhere, of course, but the high winds up there can carry the snow away pretty quickly (and deposit it somewhere else, all ready to avalanche....
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