 Poster: A snowHead
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The mother is a German teacher, and always manages to get onto her school ski trip as a supervisor - she's just asked me for some advice regarding her school's ski trip in 2010.
Apparently, the leader has decided to go on the 12th December and is staying very firm with that decision even though some people have voiced concerns about going at that time. Anyway, the leader has received a few quotes from some companies and asked my mother if she had any opinions on the resorts, so I said I would make a post on snowheads, since some of you will have real experience of skiing these resorts this early.
Passo Tonale - However, the hotel is in the town of Temu which is linked into Passo Tonale I believe. I would have concerns that Temu itself is quite low and the link to Passo Tonale doesnt look that easy.
Cervinia - Staying in Valtourneche.
Les Menuires - This is the most expensive quote, and I would expect it to be the most expensive resort once there too?
Claviere
Mayrhofen - Hotel is situated near the Finkenberg lifts.
So, does anyone have any experiences of these resorts, in particular, this early in the season? Also, bearing in mind this will be a trip with about forty 11-18 year olds. I think I personally would be inclined to choose Mayrhofen, because if the snow is good then its not as exposed as the other areas, and if its bad, there is always Hintertux to go to. I would also question whether a school party really needs to go to the 3 Valleys...
Anyway, thanks for any help, or comments that will enable my mother and the leader to hear something other than the biased catalogue speak.
Markus
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Markus,
Les Menuires although cheapest part of 3 Valleys is a bit pricey for average far. Lift pass certainly won't be cheap. It does have access to some awesome skiing and is a superb base for 3V. Not everyone likes it as a resort although I love it as I think its a good skiing base. Ski hire here is extortionate. Be sure to either use ski republic or www.snowrental.net these were the best prices I could find on 2 trips there last year. (Unless they get some deal on ski rental from the tour op)
I think your instincts for Mayerhofen would be good. I've not been but think it might tick more boxes. Your mother beiing a German teacher might be better able to Justify Austria too. 
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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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Markus, I assume the quoted prices will include lift passes and ski and boot hire, so they can be taken out of the equation? For a school trip they are usually included
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Helen Beaumont, yup, the quoted prices include pretty much everything. I guess in Les Menuires the kids could ski back to the hotel every day for lunch to keep the costs down - but then that pretty much limits how much you can explore, especially with the not so confident skiers. I think that for the last couple of years, the groups have always eaten in the mountain restaurants (in Austria) and that's always worked out well, but I'm guessing you'd be hard pressed to find a nice lunch and a drink for less than 10 Euros in the 3 Valleys.
Les Menuires was the most expensive quote, but I guess that can be justified for the convenience it offers - I'm assuming that on your average season, you can ski down to Les Menuires in that week? Also, having never been skiing early season before, do they get lazy when it comes to preparing runs and opening lifts etc. ?
RPF, haha, the reason my mum has gone on the last few trips has been because of the German - they've always previously gone to Austria, and they've found from experience that it really helps to have a german speaker when it comes to hospital etc.
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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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Markus, you wouldn't find a plate of chips and a drink for less than 10 euros in 3V.
I couldn't believe how much more expensive Val Thorens was compared to Serre Chevalier ( 7 € for a carton of chips at Knife and Fork) , but Les Menuires is a bit cheaper I think.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Markus, Cervinia seemed reasonably priced and Valtournenche even cheaper when I skied over there from Zermatt at half term. Valtournenche is the lowest point of the Cervinia area with only one run and a gondola down to it. Didn't look to be too much in the village itself. Quite a hike to get across to Cervinia itself. No idea what the snow would be like in December but the area is very high and there will certainly be plenty of snow higher up.
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Since when haven't school trips taken a packed lunch to eat in the "Salle hors sac"?
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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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Helen Beaumont,
Val T is a rip off, and knife and fork in particular, however, I did have chicken and chips for less than 10 euro in Orelle
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| Colin B wrote: |
| Markus, Cervinia seemed reasonably priced and Valtournenche even cheaper when I skied over there from Zermatt at half term. Valtournenche is the lowest point of the Cervinia area with only one run and a gondola down to it. Didn't look to be too much in the village itself. Quite a hike to get across to Cervinia itself. No idea what the snow would be like in December but the area is very high and there will certainly be plenty of snow higher up. |
Can you get out of Valtourneche these days without needing to take a drag-lift? Otherwise that might be difficulty/tricky/impossible for snowboarders, or is that frowned upon on school ski trips.
Still nothing quite like 'skiing into another country' which is pretty cool in a James Bond kind of a way..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lots of school trips go to Passo Tonale. I went there in March 2006 and was quite shocked/disappointed by the numbers of unruly teens outside of school holidays.
Good bits are that it's high and snowsure and a reasonably easy resort. Bad bits from a school trip point of view is that there is very little to do off the slopes, hence might be tricky keeping the kids entertained. Temu is over by Ponte di Legno I think, which is lift/piste linked from Passo, but lower with less reliable snow.
I went on several school ski trips myself, back in the days. I went to Niederau, Andalo, Méribel and Tignes.
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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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bertie bassett, There is a gondola station there, takes you up the mountain. May be some drags too but I didn't look for them. Yes international skiing is different I skied over from Switzerland followed by the 22km run down to Valtournenche.
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I'd go for Cervinia/Valtournanche purely because of the height of the ski area. The 2nd week in Dec has been ok for the last couple of seasons, but it is a risk.
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You know it makes sense.
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The tour operator is unlikely to include the 3v area pass if you go le menuires, when we went with uni it was an extra £30 or £40, this then leads to half the group having different passes to the other which is annoying for everyone. Personally I really don't like les menuires, one half of the valley catches the sun awfully and I've found the snow there to be worse than in meribel which is much lower and the other side is really rocky meaning than you need a lot of snow to make the pistes pleasant to ride, it has the worst queus of the 3v and the village is horrible, I'm sure there are people who love it but I can't see any reason for taking a school trip there.
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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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Rambotion
I took a small school group to Les Menuires last Easter and it worked great. Mind you, it helped that our hotel served free drinks (alcoholic and softies) in their bar so at least we knew where they'd be in the evenings!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I also took a large school group to Les Menuires and found it a really rough experience. We were in Reberty and felt isolated from each other as the hotel put us in "apartments". Very squashed and annoying to have to go out to the restaurant for meals. Breakfasts were delivered to the apartments Also a logistical nightmare.
In terms of getting an overall impression of the country and the life style, my groups preferred the experience they got in Austria. They also found that more people spoke English when they needed it and prices were much cheaper. When given the choice, which I often did, they always chose Austria and after a while they always chose to go back to the same hotel in the same resort.
My groups were made up from pupils in Year 8 through to Year 13, plus ex-students, plus parents. So I had a really mixed bunch of repeat skiers as well as beginners. The ski school set up in Austria allowed the groups to eat together in the mountain huts if they wanted to. The apres ski opportunities were more varied and also controllable even in places like Mayrhofen.
I think you will get the best value for the money in Austria or Italy. Leave the "big ski area" temptation alone, only a few will really get any value out of it and it will spread the group out making the logisitcs a nightmare should something untoward happen. Let them discover places like the 3 Valleys when they go on their own trips.
Both Cervinia and Mayrhofen have good access to high level skiing should there not be enough snow on the lower slopes. So if you know in advance that you may have to go high in the resort, it is easier to do in Valtourneche and Mayrhofen.
Sue
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for all the comments guys - I have relayed all this to my Mother who has shown it to the trip leader, and apparently Valtournenche is looking favourable.
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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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Markus, Can you get on the trip too?
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Markus, I would agree with Cervinia, as having good access to high level skiing, and would be suitable for a school trip - when we were mid-december a few years ago (Dec 2006 I think) there were plenty of school groups in evidence. One note of warning though, that year vitually nothing on the Valtournanche side was open before Christmas - anyone in Valtournanche had to bus up to Cervinia to ski. Given that they are going in very low season the choices seem very poor - I would have thought that time of year it wouldn't be problem to stay in Cervinia itself which could end up being far less hassle - to stay in Valtournanche in mid-December I would want it to be very very cheap!
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FAQ
but its a pity the portion of chips cost the same 
At Courcheval 1800 the mountain restaurants were charging for a burger and chips what I'd expect to pay for Lobster stuffed with Caviar and truffles 
