 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I'm planning a cheeky week in early feb. I'd really like to go somewhere that has the following:
1. lots of flattering, cruisy runs (above and below the trees)
2. pretty village
3. Quiet - both on slope and off
I'll be self catering on a mid range budget. As an example I can do Saas Fee, but not St Moritz!
I particularly like smallish resorts that from which other similar resorts are easily accessable. I don't mind a ski circus though.
Any ideas?
Cheers, Liam
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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 should add that I'm happy to go anywhere in Europe!
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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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La Plagne - plenty of satellite villages away from the "main" areas that are a little bit prettier
or
stay in La Tania for access to Courchevel and 3 Vallees....
or
Les Carroz for access into the whole Grand Massif area
or Gressoney/Champoluc in Italy...
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lrx28,
Never been before, but I'm off to Selva in January. It might fit your criteria. Saalbach is also a lovely circuit.
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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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La Plagne has to be the cruising capital of the world, but it's not the prettiest resort. Soll and the associated villages of the Ski Welt would be a good alternative.
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Thanks all!
Yes, I've been thinking of Soll (well, Scheffau). I'm a bit worried about the throngs though! I'm doing my best to avoid the whole of Europe's half term holidays, so maybe it won't be a problem.
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lrx28, I'd second the Gressoney/Champoluc idea
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Hmm.. How does Monterosa sit with nervous skiers (not me!)? I know it's famously quiet, so it does tick a lot of my boxes.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| lrx28 wrote: |
| Hmm.. How does Monterosa sit with nervous skiers (not me!)? I know it's famously quiet, so it does tick a lot of my boxes. |
What are they nervous of?
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Everything, practically! Aggressive skiers and anything too taxing/vertigo inducing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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lrx28, I think you will struggle that week if you want peace and quiet on the slopes of any big resort in Europe. However off slope you could try Itter for the Skiwelt, Campitello for the Sella Ronda and Leogang for the Skicircus (Saalbach Hinterglem)
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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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lrx28, Champoluc ticks most of your boxes BUT theres not much self catering in the pretty village area, and theres a short sharp nerve inducing red bit on the blue moving away from the home runs (which can be circumvented with a 10 minute bus ride up the valley in the name of getting to Gressony quicker) Having said that my bunch of nervous skiers managed it all bar the one who never moved off the nursery slopes - for the third week in her skiing career.
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lrx28, Depends a bit on whether you are wanting to traveo between resorts by public transport or if you may rent a car. If you are going the first week of feb before the French holidays and renting a car there are a lot of resorts in the Maurienne valley which have a cheap lift sharing arrangement and are very pleasant.
You could also try the ski Amade area which has some great cruising and loads of different resorts on a shared pass, many of them are doable by bus I believe though I drove when I tried them..
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You know it makes sense.
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lrx28, Before I read further down (that one of your criteria was 'pretty village'  ) my first thought was Flaine. But as kitenski suggests, Les Carroz would fit the bill and you can still ski Flaine and area.
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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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Kitzbuhl - seemed pretty 'cruisy' to me when we were there in Feb this year even the blacks didn't seem that hard..just avoide the home run as it's a bit of a bitch (especially if you take a wrong turn  ) Very pretty and quite chi chi if thats' your bag.
Cervinia is quite cruisy too but less pretty..have the option of cruising to zermatt which is fun...
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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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lrx28, take a look at La Rosiere, ticks all the boxes you've listed and it has the advantage of sharing the ski area with La Thuile in Italy so you get two countries for the price of a single, great value lift pass.
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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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The Espace Diamant, staying in Notre Dame de Bellecombe - staying at the Mond Rond level. You can ski La Praz (in one direction) and Les Saisies and Crest Voland in the other. But go the first week in February at the latest; the previous week would be quieter.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Chatel is worth a thought. Part of the Portes du Soleil - and not that noisy at night - unless more recent visitors than I say differently.
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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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Try Les Contamines, pretty village, 120kms of piste and has Megeve, Les Houches, Chamonix to name a few as easy day trips (if you have transport). I like the slopes at Les Contamines as the have lots of easy cruises to make you feel pretty damn good! There are some flattering black runs amongst the main pistes and lots of reds, with a nice one going down through trees to Belleville on one side. Sonds like it may fit some of your criteria.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes, Les Contamines would be a good one.
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lrx28,
Zinal or Grimentz.... base yourself in either and use the bus to get around the valley.
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| pitchski wrote: |
| Try Les Contamines, pretty village, 120kms of piste.. |
I would second that, dont know what the villiage is like but the runs are f crusiey and is more snow sure than cham.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks again everyone! As it happens most of these resorts have occurred to me, especially Les Contamines. A decent piste map is hard to come by online, however! How about La Clusaz or Valloire? Anyone been there?
L
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How about Samnaun in Switzerland. Have not been but heard it is really nice and quiet too. Linked to Ischgl etc and loads of crusing plus if you really wanted to party the odd day/night, then you would be hard pushed to beat Ischgl. Was considering it for my family trip this year but opted for Stuben instead (halfway between Lech and St Anton) due to the fact that I will not be going my boys trip to St Anton too and need my Arlberg fix. The prices in Samnaun were actually pretty reasonable, plus it's duty free and I've been told the runs into Samnaun are stunning long cruisy reds. Stuben could also fit the bill, but the cruisy skiing would need to be done around Lech and Zurs, which are only 10 and 5 mins away respectively. Stuben is a lot cheaper than St Anton and certainly Lech and will be dead at night.
Val d'Isere has some great cruising too and in my opinion quite pretty, though not as pretty as say Kitzbuhel. Downside is probably not mid budget?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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boabski,
I was in Samnaun a couiple of years ago with the family. Interesting spot. There are actual a few different villages that are in the valley. Some are very pleasant and rural but some are a bit souless and seem to be there for the duty free guests only.
If lrx28, is interested in the area the Paznaun valley may be a better bet as there are other very pleasant smaller ski areas in it like Galtur See and Kappl. Accessing other resorts from Samnaun is not easy.
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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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Quiet village? Villaroger....access to Les Arcs/La Plagne for an abundance of 'easy' skiing, pretty, traditional village, so quiet you can hear a mouse guff....
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lrx28, I think La clusaz's best features are a nice town and near to Geneva - the skiing looks like it would suit you in good conditions but it is a bit low, with no high altitude alternative unless you drive to Flaine (with everybody else!) 
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