 Poster: A snowHead
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Can anyone recommend a couple of resorts in Europe over Christmas?? We're having a white Christmas this year so dates aren't flexible. I've heard the snow's not fantastic in many European resorts until mid January. Have had good reports from places like Val d'Isere, Trois Valleys and St Anton, but any other advice would be greatly appreciated. We'd probably arrive around 19 December, which is a Saturday- apparently bookings are taken Saturday to Saturday. Thanks 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For the last two years, we have skied in Lech the week before Christmas. Snow has been fantastic!
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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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Most places can have good snow at Christmas, but it's impossible to predict where the best snow will be more than a week or two in advance. I've skied Courchevel, Les Arcs and Val d'Isere many times at Christmas and always had plenty of snow, and sometimes excellent conditions. The usual advice is to choose one of the higher resorts in whatever country you choose to ski because if it's unseasonably warm the higher resorts are more likely to have snow, although that's not always the case.
Welcome to snowheads, by the way 
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brian
brian
Guest
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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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snokittah, and if you are going to the 3 Valleys, be aware that some of the resorts are pretty low, and you could well be rained upon. At Christmas, you're better off staying at 1650 or above. But it does depend what you're looking for and some of the high resorts are fairly charmless.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| snokittah, and if you are going to the 3 Valleys, be aware that some of the resorts are pretty low, and you could well be rained upon. At Christmas, you're better off staying at 1650 or above. But it does depend what you're looking for and some of the high resorts are fairly charmless. |
Is that "fairly charmless" in the same sense that death valley is "fairly warm" ? 
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theres always deals on over xmas which I presume will continue if things carry on going as they are..or just book flights to a hub airport like geneva and try and follow the best snow near the time.
Zermatt is pretty night and very snowsure over xmas...or Saas Fee...or if you want totally car free and choclatebox then one of the altesch resorts..
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snokittah, Ischgl is a pretty safe bet, and a nice alternative to some of the better known resorts listed above. Most of the skiiing is above 2000m, and they pride themselves on being one of the first resorts in Austria to open (and one of the last to close). It's certainly got more charm than some of the higher resorts in the 3V
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've been reading up on Xmas skiing in Europe, apparently these are all worthy of a look...
{EDIT, it's all rubbish apparently} 
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 20-02-09 4:36; edited 1 time in total
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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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powderoo, VT is the highest resort but doesn't have the highest skiing. When I've been there the 3V hasn't been open and then the ski area is quite limited IMO. Tignes is no longer open all year round either. Watch what you're reading - it would seem to be out of date. Look at the TO websites and also at the snow reports on here for the last year of two - you'll find it more interesting I suspect. 
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powderoo, welcome to Snowheads. That extract you quoted, as well as being inaccurate about a number of things (easiski points out just some of them) includes a real howler. Take my advice, and never try to ski from Chambery to Avoriaz. (They mean Champery).
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You know it makes sense.
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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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I would go where the snow is. If you go the week before christmas than you will have no problem finding a place to stay. Then you can go to a place that has gotten a hit of early season snow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Even at christmas itself places won't be too crowded - I would strongly support the suggestion that you book late. Can't you book your flights from Oz, but decide on a resort and exact accommodation much nearer the time?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pam w, I'm not sure about next year though - it might be that a number of usual New Year holiday makers will go at cheaper Christmas instead. coming all the way from OZ I do think it's sensible to get it all sorted before. It's one thing to wait after a 1.5 hours flight - another thing after 27 hours or whatever it takes these days. 
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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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| Quote: |
Tignes is no longer open all year round either.
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But they could be if they wanted to!! The months that the glacier shuts (for lift maintenace - allegedly) ie May and September usually have fair snow conditions - whereas they stay open in July & August purely because it is high summer season. Having said that, we have had surprisingly decent July skiing there in the last 2 summers.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Spent xmas week in Zell am See a couple of years ago, lovely picturesque location and you can always go upstairs on the glacier if the lower snow disappointing.
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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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ok, been looking at some more appropriate literature, seems that info I've posted was very misleading. Thanks to everyone for the heads up.
Can anyone rate the following as far as Xmas skiing goes?
Zermatt
Davos
Innsbruck
St Anton
Lech
TIA
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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mountainaddict, So could we, but the glaciers have to be protected (have you seen the pix from there and here at the end of Aug?) and the lifts do have to be maintained, but mostly not enough people are going skiing to make it worth while opening I think.
powderoo, Zermatt would win every time for me. Innsbruck isn't a ski resort, Davos is fragmented and expensive and not very pretty. I don't know St Anton, but I hear it's expensive. Zermatt is very pretty, has the Matterhorn, has guaranteed skiing with the highest skiing in europe (3,700m) and the only year round opening glacier. .... + everyone should visit Zermatt at least once in their life.
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Have been skiing in early December in Canazei in the Sella Ronda a couple of times. Pretty good snow coverage considering. Cervinia would be worth considering - not as pretty as Zermatt, but you could always ski over there, and it would be significantly cheaper....
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I would stay away from those areas as they are the most famous areas in Europe and will be most likely to have crowds. Innsbruck is not a ski area it is a city. There are several ski areas within an hour of the center but the ski buses are not all that great. Do a search on this forum and you will find info on it. I was there over Christmas last year and it wasn't that crowded and the ski areas were rather empty too. I would find a smaller, but still good ski area and go there. I am confused. Are you going over christmas or before? If you are going before christmas than I would not book ahead. You will have no problem just turning up and finding a place. If you are going at christmas than you will need to book in advance.
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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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I would play real safe and stay in Lanersbach and ski the Hintertux glacier, apart from the last two years snow in December has been pretty scarce, even the higher resorts such as Val D'I have struggled. We skied Ischgl in mid December a few years back and that was excellent. Zermatt is a good option but it (like France) is very expensive, Austria is much better value for money.
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j, Kaiser846, The guy gave us a list - recommend somewhere from the list!
Kaiser846, Not all france is expensive - I do wish all yous would get off the haute savoie super circuit bandwagon!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cool your jets easiski, from the list I have done Zermatt, St Anton & Lech, I would choose St Anton out of those but would wait until near the time to book accommodation as it may not have the snow in December. There is loads of cheap accommodation in St Anton and for me it knocks the spots off anywhere I have been in France! As far as France is concerned wherever you go it will be considerably more expensive than Austria, sorry but that is fact.
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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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Kaiser846, If you wait until nearer the time, you'll struggle to get a room over the Christmas week. Anyway, Lech is a better option, or Zurs. Better snow than St.Anton.
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Kaiser846, I don't think so, and clearly you didn't read Hopingfor Snow's report from Mayerhofen! I only live here!!!
erica2004, Precisely and they are coming over from OZ - doesn't make sense to wait and see if coming that far.
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You know it makes sense.
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powderoo, personally I have always wanted to visit Lech - it sounds fantastic. But it's also very expensive. It also depends a bit on what kind of skiing you've done in the past, and what you're looking for from your holiday.
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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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thanks for all the responses, I've been reading up some more, seems that the countries would go in some sort of $ ranking. Would I be right in saying generally the countries rate like this:
$$$$ Switzerland
$$$ France
$$ Austria
Maybe if I list some of the parameters it would make it easier for suggestions.
1. Ease of transfers. We're only going for 2 weeks, and travel from OZ so it would be best to make sure that transfers were easy and quick, close to Geneva or Zurich and quick transfers from there.
2. Guarantee of Snow, we'd be arriving on the 19th of December and doing 2 weeks.
3. Chalet accommodation, we've got 3 couples and one child under the age of 3, so we'd like some sort of privacy, no one wants a screaming child in a lodge.
4. Village, one of the people coming doesn't ski, so some sort of a decent village or other things to do would be helpful, so the chocolate box houses would be preferred to the Tigne condo's
5. Ease of travel for all, the couple with child are coming from the UK, the rest from OZ, so obviously an easy option for both parties.
6. Cost, accommodation, lift tickets, flights, transfers etc.
in response to skiing ability, most of the party is at intermediate/advanced, no experts. And all have had experience and are comfortable with groomed/spring and a little powder. but the option of more powder skiing would be great.
Again thanks for all the info, it's helping to make a informed decision thats going to have to be made in April. Powderoo
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Poster: A snowHead
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powderoo, ermmm..
Zermatt has pretty much everything and the swiss there certainly knows its value so you will pay for it...but then as easiski said everyone should visit it the once so if a holiday of a lifetime, then that place could probably impress more than most. Not a great ski area for beginners, so if that applies, ( it doesn't..) then think again. Otherwise, if money isn't the real issue, put at the top of your list, IMV.
Switzerland can be regarded as expensive but that mostly applies to the big resorts like Zermatt and Verbier, the smaller one work hard and know the value of repeat business, IME. A lesson that other coutries may well have to learn these next few years..IMO
France does indeed have it world class resorts and Val D Isere would be one of them. Not a bad choice at all and no 2 on your list all things considered.
St Anton seems to me to be more about ski bums than familes so has a younger ambience. I haven't been there at Xmas time so might be a bit out here but it would have the best apre for the younger visitor. Lech would be a better family choice and might shade it for xmas, IMV.
Cheaper alternatives in Austria might be Obergurgl and poss Ischgl...and mostly hotel based...but accept they weren't on your list
You haven't listed any of the cheaper places and all are world class resorts pretty much. Innsbruck is indeeed a city but right in the middle of the mountains... If the snow level is low, this wouldn't be a bad choice necessarily.. but expect to travel daily to the snow...
Reading through your group spec... Zermatt wins hands down for the non-skier..and would be right up there in any of your other criteria. It is a town tho, so not uber pretty, but nice enough.... but when the ski is clear the Matterhorn overrides any of that.. None of your list can be described as picture post card village tho..maybe Lech has the best chance of that..
If it were me and money wasn't the over-riding issue, then for a holiday of a life-time, it would be Zermatt on the basis of ski area, scenery, ambience, non-skier boredom factor and the fact that Val and St A can be just as expensive anyway. Not sure of the chalet option tho'....
All the resorts you listed are within 4 hrs of an airport, max...
The really big ask in your question is a world class resort, near a glacier but with things to do for a non-skier... ???????????????
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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powderoo, Switzerland is not sooooooooo exspensive, and Zermatt is deffo the place for you. Find a hotel though.
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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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| easiski wrote: |
Kaiser846, I don't think so, and clearly you didn't read Hopingfor Snow's report from Mayerhofen! I only live here!!!
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That would be the report slated by everybody else who has been to Mayrhofen?
Where it turns out he was eating in all the most expensive places in the town - 5* hotel restaurants and the like. Nobody else has experienced anything like the prices he was talking of.
Of course what Kaiser846 said was still a gross over-generalisation. But I think from what I have read, it is generally true that in a similarly sized resort of similar popularity, the Austrian one tends to be cheaper than the French one. But there are certainly exceptions to that generality.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| powderoo wrote: |
thanks for all the responses, I've been reading up some more, seems that the countries would go in some sort of $ ranking. Would I be right in saying generally the countries rate like this:
$$$$ Switzerland
$$$ France
$$ Austria
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I'm not sure there is all that much difference between Switzerland and France. Austria does tend to be cheaper for similar.
But by the time you are flying from Oz, I think the differences in prices between the countries won't be that large a part of your overall budget.
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Maybe if I list some of the parameters it would make it easier for suggestions.
1. Ease of transfers. We're only going for 2 weeks, and travel from OZ so it would be best to make sure that transfers were easy and quick, close to Geneva or Zurich and quick transfers from there.
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Does it particularly have to be Geneva or Zurich?
Geneva has a huge number of ski resorts within 2 hours or so transfer, Zurich rather less. But other airports also have large numbers of ski resorts within easy reach - e.g. Salzburg or Munich for Austria (I doubt you would get flights to Innsbruck from Australia), or Turin/Milan for Italy & parts of France
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2. Guarantee of Snow, we'd be arriving on the 19th of December and doing 2 weeks.
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At that time of year, it is difficult to guarantee snow unless you have a nearby Glacier, or are in one of the highest resorts. It is still pretty early in the European ski season. Although the last two years have seen a lot of early snow, with almost everywhere open well before then.
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3. Chalet accommodation, we've got 3 couples and one child under the age of 3, so we'd like some sort of privacy, no one wants a screaming child in a lodge.
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I would have thought that what you call a "lodge" might have been what we call a "chalet", so I'm a little confused here.
What is described as a "chalet" in Europe normally means a moderate sized building, with room for anything from 4 to 30 guests (with the most common sizes being between 10 and 20), normally catered - Breakfast, afternoon tea, and 6 days of evening meal in a week (although they can be found without catering).
Self catering accommodation is more commonly called apartments, if taht is what you are looking for.
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4. Village, one of the people coming doesn't ski, so some sort of a decent village or other things to do would be helpful, so the chocolate box houses would be preferred to the Tigne condo's
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Well as others have said, Zermatt probably ticks most of your boxes, but isn't cheap. Verbier would be another, but again not cheap.
France has some pretty places, but I don't think ver many of the prettier ones are high enough to be snow sure at that time.
And while most Austrian resorts are reasonably pretty, again not all thaht many are realy snow sure that early. Soelden or Kaprun might be good choices for snow, but I'm not at all sure of the ambience of those two.
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5. Ease of travel for all, the couple with child are coming from the UK, the rest from OZ, so obviously an easy option for both parties.
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Difficult to be sure of what you consider "Ease of travel". All the airports mentioned above have a good number of resorts within about 2 hours travel, and all are major enough that they should be accessible from both Australia and te UK.
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6. Cost, accommodation, lift tickets, flights, transfers etc.
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As already noted, Austria will tend to be cheaper for accommodation and lift tickets. But probably not all taht significantly so when taken in context of flights from Australia.
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in response to skiing ability, most of the party is at intermediate/advanced, no experts. And all have had experience and are comfortable with groomed/spring and a little powder. but the option of more powder skiing would be great.
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Again, at that time of year, powder will be mainly a case of luck and how good the early season is. If the conditions are decent, then most of the resorts mentioned are likely to have some powder opportuinities - but the best known resorts will tend to see it tracked out more quickly.
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FAQ
We're coming from OZ so we unfortunately don't have the luxury of being able to book a few weeks before we go. I think Tigne or Val d'Isere may be the go, not only becuase they're high, but they also offer amazing value with the Expace Killy lift pass. thanks again 
