 Poster: A snowHead
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We are a group of 8-10 planning our third ski trip for february 09. We were lucky to get to Zell am See for our first trip xmas/new year 04/05 and then Val d'Isere new year 05/06. We loved them both - loved the austrian charm in zell and the excellent ski area in Val but it was expensive. We're pretty much wanting it all - picturesque village with good apres ski for confident beginners/improving intermediates. Any suggestions....?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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kikki, welcome to Snowheads  As pam w, says, if you are looking at the peak Feb weeks (pretty much any week then, with 14/2 the worst) everywhere will be busy and crowded - and expensive. If you can go 31/1 or first week of March, you'll find more choice, less bods, lower prices. For picturesque villages, Austria IS hard to beat, but if you fancy France with apres ski too, take a look at Morzine, Les Gets, Samoens - all very pretty 'real' villages, handy for Geneva, and with a good variety of skiing. Living where you do, are you restricted to any particular airports? 
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kikki, welcome to snowHeads
Have a look at Saalbach. That has a fairly extensive ski area, that is great for people who've skied a few weeks, and there are a few good apres bars. I've been to prettier villages, but it's aesthetically far nicer than Val, and has a good Austrian atmosphere.
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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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Anniepen,
Many thanks for the suggestions. We're not really restricted to where we fly from as we have direct flights to aberdeen, edinburgh or glasgow and you can get to pretty much anywhere from edi/gla. Really want to avoid going via london but should be okay. We'll definitely be avoiding the school hols though!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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kikki, continuing the different country theme, Wengen in Switzerland might well suit you all. Good skiing for all, with plenty of mileage and scope for visiting Murren and Grindelwald. Nice village to stay in too.
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kikki, Kitzbuhel would suit the skiing abilities of your group, and it's very attractive on and off the slopes. It won't be less crowded than anywhere else, but the lift system is good and there are now few queues. The town is low but you should be fine in Feb.
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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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kikki, Welcome to 's! I would echo both of Alastair Pink, 's suggestions. Out of the two the Dolomites is my favourite. It sounds that your group would enjoy Soll in Austria. Not too challenging for 3rd week skiers, but has the added advantage (some may say) of having a cracking nightlife!
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kikki, Sella Ronda does sound suitable. (says he having never been...  ) The tyrolean resorts mentioned are in many ways ideal but would have very much the the same feel as ZaZ and although I'm a great advocate of Cervinia, picturesque it ain't.
as Ray Zorro says Wengen is hard to beat for scenary, not cheap though historically but of course the poor old £ had taken a bath against the € and may have fared better against the CHF making Switzerland more affordable.
With a party of 8-10 you could look at filling a small chalet - brilliant fun - and opens up the more expensive French resorts as you can save money by starting the party at 'home'.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Someone's reply mentions Morzine and Les Gets, warmly seconded by me for chocolate box scenery and, uniquely for any ski area that I have personal experience of, small family-run restaurants on the slopes in addition to the slick large catering operations that you can also find there.
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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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If you like Austria how about Schladming. Reasonable prices, close to Salzburg, beautiful town, good ski circuit. Dolomites in Italy would be a good alternative though.
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you could look at filling a small chalet - brilliant fun - and opens up the more expensive French resorts as you can save money by starting the party at 'home'.
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this is a good point, and is the reason we mostly went to France, because frankly, eating out with the family and buying all drinks at "bar" prices was just far too expensive. If you have a catered chalet you can bring your own spirits (but buy mixers and beers from the chalet staff; they need to extra dosh and it saves carrying it) and with "free wine" with your meals you have the ingredients for a great evening without breaking the bank. I would not, however, describe either Morzine or Les Gets as "chocolate box"; not the towns, anyway. Snow covered mountains are always beautiful, but the mountain scenery in, say, Les Gets couldn't compare with Wengen or Zermatt etc.. The scenery in the Dolomites is fantastic and very different. The Italian atmosphere is great too (the apres ski "passegiata" in Cortina is pure theatre; you've never seen so many mink coats in your life); snow not always quite so fantastic though and skiing tends to be less convenient.
You do need to decide on what your priorities are; mountain scenery, picturesque town, good skiing on the doorstep, high likelihood of good snow conditions, reasonable prices, lively apres, reliably high quality tuition,.... All important factors for your holiday but you can't have it all.
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FAQ
Bearing in mind cost, how's about Italy? For confident/beginners/improving intermediates Cervinia would be good - if you pick a good day weather wise you can even have a day trip over to Zermatt (Switzerland) for a proper view of the Matterhorn! Alternatively if you liked the Austrian charm, why not try the Val Gardena area (resorts Selva or Ortisei) - this used to be part of the Austrian South Tyrol until the end of WW1, so the towns have Austrian architecture and food is is a mix of Austrian and Italian!. As a challenge, from there you can do the famous 
