 Poster: A snowHead
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I am a late convert to skiing – first trip age 42 and I left thinking “why didn’t I start skiing when I was younger?” – I have now been 6 times (Les Arcs, La Plagne x 3, St Martin de Belleville & Meribel). I go skiing with a similarly aged mate who is of a similar level (since Mrs Foggy popped a cruciate on first morning of 3rd holiday). What we enjoy is the catered chalet environment and piste bashing between coffee/ vin chaud stops. In planning this year’s trip (likely to wait until last minute to book 2nd week in March - although budget is not a massive issue) I wonder whether we would find smaller resorts limiting. I am thinking of trying to go to Espace Killy or PdS this year – are we going to miss out if we ignore other smaller resorts or other countries?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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yes
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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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foggy, yes you are missing out.
All the main ski countries have great, but different, ski experiences. I would be happy in an area with more than 50 km of skiing
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I'm yer actual run-of-the-mill on-piste-only tick-them-off-the-piste-map sort (keep your groans to yourselves, please, "proper" skiers...), and I set my mileage limit at around the 150km mark for a week. So Foggy, if you meet us half way anything with around 100km will be alright for you - and that's a lot of places in a lot of countries. Get out there man!
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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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foggy,
What you enjoy is what the French mega resorts are best at, other countries are not as good at that particular combination IMO.
What are you missing out on?
Atmosphere , hard to describe but once you have found it you will know it, French mega resorts ain't got it.
Prices, your € goes a lot further in other areas than the French mega resorts for most things.
Uncrowded areas. The French mega resorts have quiet areas if you know where to look but the main lifts and runs create the biggest scrums in high season.
Lots of other places have decent quantities of skiing, just about everywhere has mountain restaurants for your stops, a lot of them are a fair bit more attractive than many of the French mega resort ones. You can get catered chalets elsewhere though they rather miss the point IMO.
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Same here. I pretty much stick to piste-skiing and like to cover a fair bit of a piste map in a week. I have skied in France many times as a child with family and on Uni trips in my much younger days and a did a season in 3V in 1991/92...
However, now I'm a 'self-sufficient' grown-up I'm on a tight budget and I travel alone so France is not really suitable. Far too expensive and single rooms are a rarity. I've found quite a few resorts in Austria and Italy which have 100km+ of pisted terrain plus there is often possibilities of visiting neighbouring resorts by bus within the week to add to variety...
Generally Austria and Italy are populated with hotels rather than shoe-box apartments, which can be good value, and the other huge advantage for someone like me is nightlife, which many French resorts seem to lack...
Obviously, if you aren't on a budget like me, there are expensive resorts in Austria and Italy (Ishgl, St Anton, Cortina, etc.) that look amazing, but sadly I can only dream about...
Definitely sounds like time to broaden your horizons... 
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One word:
AUSTRIA
You've not skied until you've skied in Austria. 
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I would say Austria, Switzerland and Italy (in order of merit) are better for skiing once a skier has done the initial round with the French resorts.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 1-12-08 9:17; edited 1 time in total
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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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saikee, why's that?
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Foggy, You could take a look at the Sella Ronda thread on here. I've never been but other  's seem very knowledgable.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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foggy, I would say try a Schnitzel or some Spaghetti, if you don't like it, you can always go back to the melted Goat's Cheese.
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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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Austria and Italy much better value than the French Mega resorts.
Soll is great value and plenty of milage too.
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foggy - if you can then find the time to head over to the west coast of Canada. Great skiing and great instruction.
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You know it makes sense.
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foggy, it's not like you've got to compromise on size of ski area, for example:
Switzerland
Verbier-410km
Davos/Klosters-310km
Flims/Laax-220km
Italy
Milky Way-400km
Sella Ronda-450km lift-linked, 1220km on ski-pass
Austria
Arlberg-276km,short bus ride links two areas
Kitzbuhel & SkiWelt-395km, short bus ride links the two
Ski Amade-800+km, not lift-linked but on same ski-pass
Ischgl-210km
Zillertal-620km, not lift-linked but on same pass.
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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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what about Val Di Fassa in the Dolomites. Stay in pozza is fairly quiet but links to Val gardena arabba/marmolada! Loads of skiing there and lots cheaper then france!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks everyone. You've given me plenty to think about - time to start annoying Mrs Foggy by spending hours looking at piste maps of the Milky Way, Sella Ronda and St Anton on the web.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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foggy, Two on the must do list
Cervinia and ski into Zermatt (or vice versa depending on prices)
St. Anton / Lech / Zurs - even if you go for a week and if yuo do base yourself in St.Anton then make sure you get upto Zurs for the day and do the 'white circle' into Lech and back - should be right up your street and easily doable in a day. Apparently the record is something like 45mins which sounds incredible to me....
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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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luigi,
and don't forget that if you're linking into the Ski Welt via St. Johann (lovely small town on the other side of Kitzbuhler Horn but not linked by lift and with more atmospheric mountain restaurants than you can throw a big stick at although limited, if any, advanced skiing), the wonderfully frequent and on time ski buses will take you to Steinplatte and Fieberbrunn. Steinplatte for easy cruising and Fiebs for amazing skiing/boarding and views once you get away from the two gondolas out of the base station. I know it's not to the taste or pocket of all to travel but we've stayed in Kitzbuhel and St. Johann, hired a car and skiied at different resorts each day from Pass Thurn to Fiebs via and including the Ski Welt. We've done it by ski buses as well but to a more limited extent. I'm a midle aged crank now and have grown to love France for its restaurants and food in the evenings but NOTHING surpasses the atmosphere in Austrian huts and that first of many apres ski drinks in somewhere like the Londoner in Kitzbuhel.
foggy,
if you only leave France once, it has to be Austria; there's nowhere else like it!
Aneira
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bertie bassett,
You mentioned that the record for skiing the White Circle was 45 mins when we met on the 20th in London.
Just thinking about it, that would be impossible because you need at least 6 lifts and that would take longer than 45 mins.
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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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| Aneira wrote: |
foggy,
if you only leave France once, it has to be Austria; there's nowhere else like it!
Aneira |
Hallelujah! Tho Zermatt is nice if you wanna spoil yerself
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rob@rar,
I meant in order of merit it is Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
That is the way I feel for value for money, snow condition and the way being treated by the locals.
I find skiing in France not much different from Scotland except the people are less courteous, the resort has more lifts and more snow.
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In general (though there are exceptions - such as Chamonix) French resorts are purpose-built post-war modern constructions, while Austrian and Swiss (and usually Italian - but not eg Cervinia) are old villages which have had new buildings added in traditional Alpine style. Austrian are generally the most Picturesque - though the old parts of several resorts in other places can be too - for example Alagna (Italy).
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foggy, I know where you're coming from as I did a fair %age of my early skiing in France and when my brother in law asked me to come along on the boys trip in 2003 (after a 7 year break with kids etc) to St Anton. My initial misconceived view were that the snow would not be as good, and the skiing would not be either. And as far as apres was concerned, I had never really experienced it. How wrong could I be. I have never looked back and although I've gone to France (Belle Plagne) and Italy since, I find it so hard to venture away from Austria.
Several reasons to go to Austria - lovely villages, genuinly friendly locals, great food, fantastic beer (lets face it the French suck at beer making), brilliant apres, better value, great skiing, nicer accommidation and beter value than France. You could argue that most of the big French resorts have beter ski convenience, but you can ski door to door in the likes of Oberlech, Obergurgl and Obertauren - and I'm sure there's plenty more that don't start with Ober 
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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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saikee, So quite a bit different to skiing in Scotland!
foggy, I would consider Sella Ronda a great place for a holiday. The beauty of the place matches the likes of Zermatt at a third of the price, if that is important to you!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Charlatanefc,
I'm from the Wirral mate, can't afford Switzerland. 
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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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foggy, I have only ski'd in Austria and France. I prefer France. I wouldn't bother worrying about the piste KM's really as Frosty the Snowman, says. If you can ski well, there is plenty of fun to be had.
Since you have been to La Plagne 3 times and Les Arcs, I'm assuming that apres is not the be and end all which is what sets Austria apart IMO.
You have said budget is not the main issue so a € or so extra for a beer is not going to hurt. Austria is cheaper in that regard, but the overall accomodation is not that much cheaper that you can get in France.
France has more ski in/out which is what i prefer. I hate Austria queues up first thing in the morning which seem horiffic, especially on powder days when all you want to do is ski.
I say research what you do like. Most people dont like france because a bit more expensive, and often crap architecture (that does not bother me soo much) and the rude frenc (which i do not agree with). Austria has wild apres, few ski in/out, first morning lift queues, slightly cheaper, better public transport to resorts.
From sounds of things, i think france works for you so try smaller resorts, but i would say do try austria yourself so you can compare.
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You know it makes sense.
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foggy, Looking at your base posting I would say one of the resorts on the Sella Ronda will do it for you and your mate. You can get plenty of miles under your skis and will never be far from somwhere to eat/drink either on the piste or in one of the villages on the circuit. Arabba would be my choice, but if you are after wild nightlife then it will not suit you.
I really prefer skiing in Italy to France, Switzerland and Austria and so does my bank manager.
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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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| welshflyer wrote: |
bertie bassett,
You mentioned that the record for skiing the White Circle was 45 mins when we met on the 20th in London.
Just thinking about it, that would be impossible because you need at least 6 lifts and that would take longer than 45 mins. |
No it's not impossible just very hectic and I think it's 7 lifts though one is very small.
The route is officially called the Weiße Ring and each year in mid Jan there is a race of the same name, touted as the 'Longest ski race in the world' - we saw it 2 seasons ago. There are, I think, 3 or 4 start points around the circuit and around 700 people take part over the course of the day. They are all staggered, it's not Chinese downhill style.
As BB said, the record is 44m55s - but these guys are in helmets and race suits on downhill skis and naturally have priority in the lift queues 
All the details, including a flash anim of the route, here: http://www.derweissering.at/english/index.html
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
find skiing in France not much different from Scotland
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Well that's a novel point of view!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| saikee wrote: |
| I would say Austria, Switzerland and Italy (in order of merit) are better for skiing once a skier has done the initial round with the French resorts. |
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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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You could always go to somewhere like Serre Chevalier or Montgenevre and then spend a day or two skiing in Italy and see how you like it
My bet is that you will and you'll go back.
And... i'd also recommend trying the canadian or US rockies. the slopes are sooooo much quieter and the snow soooo much more dry.
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the OP hasn't even ventured outside the tarentaise yet. even if he sticks with France there are plenty of places to try with a very different feel to where he has been before
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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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foggy, sounds like Saalbach or Ischgl would suit your ability and give you the best of what Austria has to offer! Plenty of km of skiing, nice architecture, few lift queues as they both have several lifts out of the resort and good quality hotels. Not forgetting a taste of Austrian apres ski!
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start with a Rosti.... if they can get that right, then they'll likely get most of the other things right as well...
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Wayne,
It is not my intention to shoot down the French resorts.
On paper used to I run a mobile home (called static Caravan in UK) Chamonix for 8 years. The record I kept shows that I have visited some 42, 32, 18 and 15 French, Austrian, Italian and Swiss resorts respectively. The last time I skied France was in 2007.
I am just puzzled by thread title from the OP.
Skiing outside France was probably the best I have ever done with my skiing. I don't think I have seen eough skiing resorts, despite having visted some 11 countries so far.
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| saikee wrote: |
Wayne,
It is not my intention to shoot down the French resorts. |
Shoot away  I’ve have only been to France a few times, seems OK place. The skiing OK but the rest of it, prices, food, prices, queues, prices etc. all need a little shooting. Oh dear, don't want to upset the French-o-files  , so one good thing about France is standing at the top of the Arc de Triomphe and watching the traffic carnage - excellent fun, oh and the bread is nice. But other that, can't see why anyone would go there for a holiday when you have the rest of Europe to choose from
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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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... really cant understand why anyone would want to go to France... no... not when you have........ WIGAN !!!! 
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I suspect that there are many people out there like me who have missed the opportunity to sample lots of places when younger. I get to ski one week a year and so far I have found that the big French resorts work for me. Since I only get one week's skiing a year I want it to be good. One hears of problems getting up onto the mountain in some older resorts, of poor lift systems, of ski areas that are spread out so one has to take a bus half way through the day and many other probably minor gripes. My query was really are these significant or am I concentrating on minor problems whilst ignoring major advantages; from the various replies it sounds very much like the latter. I shall wait until a week or two before and book with confidence that there are many, many places that I shall enjoy.
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FAQ
