 Poster: A snowHead
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I am wanting to book a trip for early january 2010, but with money being a little tight this year i am needing something of value, after morzine last xmas and paying 7 euros a pint and £220 for 6 days lift pass something cheaper is the order of the day.
Now my initial thought was pas de la casa but looking at lift pass prices etc it doesn't look like the value it used to be!
I am an intermediate boarder so needing plenty of kms to play on (so east europe are no go's).
Any ideas would be welcome
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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Price /= value but I suspect many shs will tell you Austria doesn't rip you off quite as much as France although the non "name" resorts can be good value.
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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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Italy or Austria
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You are right that Andorra isn't particularly cheap for the accommodation & lift pass any more. It is still generally cheaper for food & drink (particularly drink) once in resort.
Of the major ski/board countries, Austria tends to be the cheapest for large resorts IME, followed by Italy. Look at the Ski Welt (Soll, Scheffau,Ellmau etc), or Zillertal (Mayrhofen etc.) or Saalbach-Hinterglemmm in Austria, or any of the Dolomiti Superski areas in Italy (Selva, Arabba, Val di Fassa, 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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ady944, we had a 5day lads trip to Bormio last year and although it is a bit of journey from the airport it is fantastic value within a fantastic setting. Although the terrain is not massive it has big verticals and also some very interesting smallish local and easy to get to neighbouring resorts. The town is just great truly medivial and full of history, there is also a mountain spa which claims to be 1900 years old!!!
Pound for Euro, I have not come across better value anywhere....especially on the hill!
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take a look at snowtrex, prices include lift passes and lovelly resorts. I have been to a couple of them and have booked a couple for 2010 already. the smaller ones may not have quite enough miles for you tho.
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Cheapest of all is to wait till the last moment and select from the special offers as companies try to sell off unsold holidays very cheap. Otherwise, smaller resorts off the beaten track are cheaper and the need for mileage might be overcome if you go to an area where you can ski several of them on different days by getting on the local bus.
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| snowball wrote: |
| Cheapest of all is to wait till the last moment and select from the special offers as companies try to sell off unsold holidays very cheap. |
Very true, provided you don't have a large group, and are flexible as to where you go.
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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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many will say otherwise but value for money wihtout a doubt it's bulgaria.
as long as there is snow
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| mugen wrote: |
many will say otherwise but value for money wihtout a doubt it's bulgaria.
as long as there is snow |
Perhaps you missed "I am an intermediate boarder so needing plenty of kms to play on (so east europe are no go's)." from the original post?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ady944, Best value is open to sooo many interpretations - cheap is not necessarilly good value. I reckon Stuben round the corner from St Anton and Zurs is about half the price of said villages. Great off piste and snow record. Nothing in Stuben but what there is tends to be good quality and cheap - good gasthofs etc. Beer will set you back €3-4 per pint. Beer in St Anton is around €5
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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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| Quote: |
boabski
ady944, Best value is open to sooo many interpretations - cheap is not necessarilly good value. I reckon Stuben round the corner from St Anton and Zurs is about half the price of said villages. Great off piste and snow record. Nothing in Stuben but what there is tends to be good quality and cheap - good gasthofs etc. Beer will set you back €3-4 per pint. Beer in St Anton is around €5 |
I agree; IMO Stuben is an excellent area, but go to ski/board rather than for the night-life (i.e. there's not much compared to the big resorts!)
Cheers!
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I have just booked Stuben 23-30th Jan for a family of 3 flights, transfers and b&b for just under a grand!!!! with a little help from boabski 
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You know it makes sense.
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Livigno in Italy is good value - drinks are especially cheap as it's a duty free resort and the area is a decent enough size for a week. Long transfer though ....
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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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| ady944 wrote: |
| I am wanting to book a trip for early january 2010, but with money being a little tight this year i am needing something of value......Now my initial thought was pas de la casa..... |
PdC is shoite. The whole Grand Val is shoite. There is no soul.
| Quote: |
| I am an intermediate boarder so needing plenty of kms to play on (so east europe are no go's). |
Really? So you've been there?
John.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Really? So you've been there?
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went to borovets about 5 years ago (what a shite hole!)
Think we'll wait till closer the time and get a cheap deal to somwhere good, money we save on the hol can go on the more expensive lift passes and beer!
i guess with the strength of the pound cheap european trips are a thing of the past! wasn't that long ago i paid £170 to go to sauze and the milky way lift pass was £110
cheers for the replys guys
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| ady944 wrote: |
| went to borovets about 5 years ago (what a shite hole!) |
If you're really on a budget don't discount Bansko. There is plenty of terrain for your ability (and good lifts), and you can have a real budget holiday there, in every respect, especially if booked last minute.
Have never been to Borovets, but people I now who have, share a similar opinion to yours.
Obviously if funds allow, the Alps suits more people.
Sorry about going off on one about PdC/GrVa, I know they've just had an epic season, and it would have been interesting to be there. I just find the place barren, boring and more than a touch soulless.
Enjoy it whatever you choose.
John.
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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: |
Posts: 163
Location: SwanseaI have just booked Stuben 23-30th Jan for a family of 3 flights, transfers and b&b for just under a grand!!!! with a little help from boabski
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Stop rubbing it in. At best I'm getting to Kappl for around £2500 for a family of 5.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Is Bulgaria good value for money  I know it is cheap, but that does not equate to "value for money"!
I got both a cheap deal, actualy two cheap deals to the 3V's last year fully catred for less than €220, plus flights, plus transfers. Now that was a couple of holidays that were great value for money!
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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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Roy Hockley,
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I got both a cheap deal, actualy two cheap deals to the 3V's last year fully catred for less than €220, plus flights, plus transfers.
unquote
Bloody hell thats cheap............who was that with?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cheapest resort I have been to in recent years was Passo Tonale in Italy. Bit of a small soulless resort in itself but the skiing is great and high plus there are lots of other resorts (such as Madonna) on the same lift pass accessible by bus. The accommodation is all 3 or 4 star hotels but very good value for money and all within a stone's throw of the slopes.
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Cheapest resort I have been to in recent years was Passo Tonale in Italy. Bit of a small soulless resort in itself but the skiing is great and high plus there are lots of other resorts (such as Madonna) on the same lift pass accessible by bus. The accommodation is all 3 or 4 star hotels but very good value for money and all within a stone's throw of the slopes. |
I went to Passo a couple of years ago, and it was good value.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| mugen wrote: |
many will say otherwise but value for money wihtout a doubt it's bulgaria.
as long as there is snow |
Perhaps you missed "I am an intermediate boarder so needing plenty of kms to play on (so east europe are no go's)." from the original post? |
Perhaps he like me is mystified by the biggest is best mind set of UK skiers and boarders? A more rewarding holiday would be to progress actual ability rather than cruising a large number of mind numbing motorway pistes that suit current ability. The bottom line is much more variety and interesting terrain will be found in a small resort like or Kirkwood with 1800ft of vertical and 10 chairs and 1 T-bar than on 300km of motorway pistes. To be honest the same could be said for CairnGorm or Glencoe.
The need for "plenty of kms" surely only proves the mind numbing artificial nature of snowsports reduced to mere piste bashing motorway spec cruisers. I'll get shot down in flames for saying it, but the truth is the average UK skier has very odd ideas about snowsports. The vast majority of skiers around the world ski in relatively small, fairly unknown local ski areas, which also make up the vast majority of ski areas.
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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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| Winterhighland wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
| mugen wrote: |
many will say otherwise but value for money wihtout a doubt it's bulgaria.
as long as there is snow |
Perhaps you missed "I am an intermediate boarder so needing plenty of kms to play on (so east europe are no go's)." from the original post? |
Perhaps he like me is mystified by the biggest is best mind set of UK skiers and boarders? A more rewarding holiday would be to progress actual ability rather than cruising a large number of mind numbing motorway pistes that suit current ability. The bottom line is much more variety and interesting terrain will be found in a small resort like or Kirkwood with 1800ft of vertical and 10 chairs and 1 T-bar than on 300km of motorway pistes. To be honest the same could be said for CairnGorm or Glencoe.
The need for "plenty of kms" surely only proves the mind numbing artificial nature of snowsports reduced to mere piste bashing motorway spec cruisers. I'll get shot down in flames for saying it, but the truth is the average UK skier has very odd ideas about snowsports. The vast majority of skiers around the world ski in relatively small, fairly unknown local ski areas, which also make up the vast majority of ski areas. |
When i only get 1 chance a season to hit the slopes i like getting the miles in...i can pretty much do everything i need to do on a board, freeride or freestyle or what my body will allow before it can't get out of bed in the morning (not 21 any more).
i do know what u mean though as 1 of the best trips i ever had was in kaprun when it had a massive dump, they couldn't drag me off the maiskogel mountain! (12kms of piste)
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Best value resorts I have been to:
Passo tonale
Livigno
Soll
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| mugen wrote: |
many will say otherwise but value for money wihtout a doubt it's bulgaria.
as long as there is snow |
WHAT?!! Have you been to Bulgaria?
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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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I am also v biased but I reckon Nendaz/Veysonnaz/Thyon/Les Masses offer extremely good value. You have the whole of the 4 Valleys, 440 km of pisted runs (allegedly), the exact same skiing as Verbier for a fraction of the price. Nendaz (not Super Nendaz) is the best for nightlife, although still quite quiet really, very family friendly but tonnes of bars and restaurants. Prices are cheaper in CHF than you pay in Euros in the 3V, e.g. beer 7 euro in Courcheval/VdI and 6 CHF (max) in Nendaz - thats at 1.7 CHF to the pound. Lessons are cheaper - just about everything. OK the lifts system is not so well developed, if its a bubble in the 3V it will be a chair in the 4V but once you know your way around its fine. Good skiing for beginners (although better at Thyon/Veysonnaz/Les Masses for beginners) and buckets of off piste. Cracking place much overlooked by the francophiles.
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| loffers wrote: |
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Cheapest resort I have been to in recent years was Passo Tonale in Italy. Bit of a small soulless resort in itself but the skiing is great and high plus there are lots of other resorts (such as Madonna) on the same lift pass accessible by bus. The accommodation is all 3 or 4 star hotels but very good value for money and all within a stone's throw of the slopes. |
I went to Passo a couple of years ago, and it was good value. |
Me too and I think I had skied every piste in the whole resort by lunchtime on the 1st day, BTW lunchtime is were the trip scored highly in VFM terms, nice restaurants for half the money of a bowl of Chilli in the French Massifs. But when you look at is a whole it aint value for money if you want plenty of miles for your €.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Kel wrote: |
Me too and I think I had skied every piste in the whole resort by lunchtime on the 1st day, BTW lunchtime is were the trip scored highly in VFM terms, nice restaurants for half the money of a bowl of Chilli in the French Massifs. But when you look at is a whole it aint value for money if you want plenty of miles for your €. |
With 30 or so lifts, and 80 Km of lift linked piste (including Ponte Di Legno), it isn't too small, although certainly not massive.
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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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| alex_heney wrote: |
| Kel wrote: |
Me too and I think I had skied every piste in the whole resort by lunchtime on the 1st day, BTW lunchtime is were the trip scored highly in VFM terms, nice restaurants for half the money of a bowl of Chilli in the French Massifs. But when you look at is a whole it aint value for money if you want plenty of miles for your €. |
With 30 or so lifts, and 80 Km of lift linked piste (including Ponte Di Legno), it isn't too small, although certainly not massive. |
Yes but it doesn't seem anywhere near like 80 km I very much doubt I could ski the 200 km or so of ADH in a day and a half even if I wanted too (so not trying to make out I'm a budding Bode Miller here), but I had skied the resort by lunchtime, it is that small. Most of the pistes are base to summit and no longer than 2km. When compared to resorts such as Tignes with high speed funiculare railways etc, the liftpass in comparison is not good value for money. Ady944 stated he wanted pleenty of KM to play on, Passo Tonale does not provide this.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Valloire are doing there pre-season season pass special again....under E200 for your season pass if you book before Nov 15, I've booked mine!
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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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Stubai valley
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mitchell, Sorry to get back to you so late! The first one was with a company based at the "rond point" fantastic food, and excellent location, cant remember the name of the chalet as I did not book it myself! The second one was with skiamis! That was in Les Menuires about 30m from the gondola! Again food was great and so were the staff and other guests! We booked it less than a week before departure both trips!
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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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bad_roo, I'm thinking of doing exactly what you said, what is the best central location you can recomend.
where are those two resorts ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I ski in some small French resorts but none of the lift passes is that cheap - for example Areches-Beaufort, which is hardly enormous (though very well worth a visit, particularly for people interested in off piste) is around 23 euros a day.
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Libertine,
St Pierre de Chartreuse
Le Mont-Dore
Both well worth visiting. St Pierre is great for storm skiing. Mont-Dore is possibly the best resort in France for instant access steep skiing.
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Thanks bad_roo, pam w, , what would you suggest the best base would be?
I am looking at 30€ a day budget ski pass (which woud be cheaper than the "mega" resorts). £300 at car hire for large car and 4 people and accomodation would be somewhat cheaper dowm.
So, looking at a basic map (we have a mixed group) i was thinking of bases accomodation at - Moutier or Flumet or Tannines... ???
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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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Libertine, Is there much accommodation in Moutiers ? Only driven through Taninges but it looked to have several hotels.
Flumet is a pretty good base, I had several weeks there last season and drove to Les Gets, Les Houches and Les Menuires for odd days as well as skiing locally. Booked an apartment through the resort website.
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I've stayed in Servoz for the Chamonix valley at very affordable rates.
I reckon Orelle would be a good base to explore the Maurienne with the possibility of a side trip to the Trois Vallees.
If you've got a group of you and are looking for accommodation in these off the beaten track places, homelidays.com is your friend.
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FAQ
