 Poster: A snowHead
|
Stuck between these three resorts for february half term with some mates, just seeing if anyone has had any experiences with any of these resorts (good or bad  ) as these three resorts are new to me.
the prices are as follows: Meribel £569 self-catering
Livigno: £499 self-catering
Tignes: £609 self-catering
any info on any of the resorts would be appreciated and also feedback on if its worth getting the advanced ski passes in resorts such as Meribel for the whole of the three valleys.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Been to all three;
Go for Meribel - its streets ahead of the other two, except in the are of food and general value for money where livigno tops the class.
As for the passes - depends if your all absolute begineers then the meribel pass will do, if not then get the three valleys, I can't recall the price difference being that great.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I like all three resorts. Livigno has limited area compared to the mega mileages of the 3V & Killy Espace. If you can tolerate the long transfer Livigno is duty free making it a fraction of the price of the french resorts. Half term will be horrendously busy there is more room to disperse at Tignes & 3V. Better if you can up your budget to £760 & escape half term madness by going to Banff. Don't know about lift passes in advance - if you are using a tour operator cheeck their offer against local official price - it depends what exchange rate they are locked into.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
When including Livigno you're comparing chalk & cheese with the other two. I'ev been to 3V a vew times, and Tignes as a day out from Val d'Isere. I'd go to Tignes again, but not Meribel. Although the ski area is large it can get rammed. I loved Val d'Isere - it's certainly worthy of its reputation. We stayed in La Daille which made a perfect base for us, with easy access to four lifts within a five minute walk.
£309 self-catering including flights & transfers, booked as a late deal. The current brochure price is £400 for the same week wewent (15 March).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
well its a mixed group, a few advanced, a few intermidiate and 1 who has only been once.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
there is a Val D'Isere offer for £629 self catering, worth considering?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've been to all three several times & would rate Tignes as by far the best.
Livigno is more suitable for beginners & early intermediates.
Meribel gives good access to the rest of the 3v, but half term queues out of Chaudanne will be horrendous.
Tignes is a real eyesore, but the slopes are superb & the snow is a lot more reliable than pretty much anywhere else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| edmac wrote: |
| there is a Val D'Isere offer for £629 self catering, worth considering? |
Val d'Isere has better nightlife than Tignes, if that's your thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I couldn't think of anywhere worse to go than veryhell at 1/2 term. It's a cross-over point between courchevel resorts and les M / VT
I skied 3v about 4 years ago at half-term (with a bunch of teachers) and meribel was horrible..stupidly busy, long queues either way out and the snow gets knackered in 3 minutes just due to the volume of people passing through it. Yes the rest of the 3v was busy but you could find spots that were lovely (La Masse for example) or other less frequented parts of the network.
Personally I'd probably choose Tignes based on that selection although I haven't (as yet) skiied it 1st hand but hope to this season
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Half term can be a bit busy but with some creative routes you can avoid most of the big cues, you just have to think a little laterlaly
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
I've been to Livigno and Meribel a couple of times each and Val D'Isere more times than I can remember so I know Tignes quite well too.
Livigno doesn't have enough challenging terrain for the advanced people in your group. The few black runs they do have aren't really blacks and are quite short anyway. On the plus side, it's very cheap and would be great for beginners and inters. Accomodation tends to be better than the French resorts as well. It's a killer transfer from the airport though, about 5 hours.
Meribel is great out of school holidays but as others say it will be busy at half term. Plenty of skiing for all abilities in the 3V. Very expensive.
Tignes probably has the best skiing but only just. Quieter than Val which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preference. Val is very expensive again so I presume Tignes is the same.
If it was me, I'd probably go for Meribel. For the beginners, a local pass is probably fine, otherwise go for the full 3V pass as it's not much more expensive and gives you a lot more skiing to choose from.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Never been to Livigno, but been to Meribel twice and Tignes last year.
I think Tignes shades it as a ski destination.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Been to all three and Tignes would be my recommendation for overall quality of skiing and variety. Inspite of the 3-Vs and all it has to offer, I reckon Tignes on the basis of better all-round value for money and the options for your group mix.
Livigno is really two domains either side of the valley in which the town sits, linked by good bus service. Great place for beginners and intermediates. The snow conditions there in March were some of the best I've skied.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Where in Tignes...?
Meribel at half term....?? not for me...or any other time, but I wouldn't say that about skiing the area just the resorts
Val at half term would shade the whole deal as far as I am concerned.
Livingno.... might be a compromise as I would expect once you are there, it would be cheaper if on the lash.
Val has the dead zone for apre as well, IIRC..!!!
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Thu 2-10-08 17:33; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
JT, some of the bars really aren't that cheap in Livigno. However, were one to purchase drinks from the shops, Vodka (as an example) is about €8 a litre.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
stay in Mottaret, in gods country above the crowds in Meribel and ski mount vallon or take a 10 minute bubble ride to the top of courchevel and grab loads of off piste or pisted runs. I can get to the top of courch faster than anyone staying anywhere in courchevel. They should rename if Courchevel - mottaret.... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
found a Mottaret for £620, have you been in the half term time so we can be sure that it won't be ridiculously packed?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| JT wrote: |
| Where in Tignes...? ! |
Says in Val Claret.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
edmac, do you have to go at half term?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
edmac, There's a 30+ group of us in Tignes again at half term.
It's the first time we've repeated a resort, so it must have impressed last year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
edmac, This map shows the sprawl of Tignes
http://skisnowboardeurope.com/tignes/maps/tignes.netresortmap.pdf
Val C would be ok if it were me. I am not sure about the late night connections between the two complexes either side of the frozen lake or how much of an issue, but as you can see...Tignes is a name for many villages.
I am sure the 3V will be packed but there are so many lift options you should be able to get around that. The runs home might be THE issue, IMV...but half term is popular anywhere in the alpes so it is unfair to point the finger solely at the 3V
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ssnowman wrote: |
| edmac, do you have to go at half term? |
yes its the only option unfortunately 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
cheers that's a quality map, nice to know there are 2 lifts in the vicinity of where we are considering staying 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Val Thorens could be another option at £620, likely to be packed also though 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
edmac, 620 at half term is a good price, and yes i have been going for the last couple years. I find as long as i get out for first lifts and have an early lunch i miss a lot of the traffic coming up or down the mountain.
it will be busy and with english half term only one week this year even more so but staying high helps IMO
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
the price of meribel is down to £510 PP... is that just too good value to turn down even though the other resorts may over better skiing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
edmac, sorry bit pissed tonight thought you meant 620 for an apartment not 620 pp...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Tignes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
edmac, Sounds like pretty good value. As skimottaret says, if you're up early the queues won't be too bad and there's so much skiing in the 3Vs that you'll be able to find quiet parts even when it's busy. If the lifts out of Meribel really are packed then you could always get the navette up to Mottaret before the lifts open and go from there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Tignes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
A full 3V pass is worth considering even for the less experienced people in your group. You can get just about anywhere in the 3 Valleys by gondola or cable car.
Méribel at half term will be more than just a tiny bit Sloaney and extremely busy. Tignes is more down to earth though the superb ski-ing doesn't come cheap. Tignes is always spoken of as an ugly resort, yet its dramatic, beautiful setting beats Méribel hands down. (I always stick up for Tignes - huge fan!).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Tignes. Been at half-term, New Year, Xmas and Easter!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
My favourite choice at the moment in Tignes, but i sense that the price of £510 in meribel will be too hard for the whole group to turn down. I suppose if we get out early we will hopefully miss some of the heavy lift traffic
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
edmac, Tignes and Meribel are streets (sorry "pistes") ahead of Livigno, which IMO is probably the least favoured resort I have ever been to!
Either of the other two would get my vote!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
We have been to Livigno and Meribel a few times but we live and work in Tignes so it's obviously Tignes for us 
Take a look through our website www.tignes-spirit.com for some great apartments and chalets throughout Tignes. Or simply email us at info@tignes-spirit.com and we'll send you through some great deals! Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
narrowed it down to Tignes or Mottaret. both are the same prices, both are good locations which are ski from the door and both offer good skiing. decisions decisions!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
edmac, you dont want to delay too much longer, i am surprised you even found anything in Mottaret for 1/2 term week...
curious who you are using that still has half term availability can you post a link or PM me as i have a couple of mates still contemplating coming...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I have as much ski experience at half-term as anyone on here, as I am a teacher and have to have peak weeks. Both Tignes and Mottaret are amongst the very best for piste skiing and both will be wonderful. I have an ironic series of photos on the media zone entitled "crowded half-term piste" which show deserted places. There are plenty of places you can get away from the crowds, especially in the 3V. Mottaret is perfectly placed for all of the 3V and you don't need to go down to the sometimes-crowded Meribel at all. The new lift over to Val T means you can get anywhere fast from Mottaret and back again too.
Tignes also gives you the option of getting up to Le Fornet for example, which is usually quiet. Both places are brilliant for piste skiing. You cannot go wrong.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to snowHeads Tignes Spirit,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
