Over 60's ski season - single or multi-resort?

A snowHead

Not quite there yet, but always good to plan early. As an intermediate skier (15 weeks) who started late and doesn't do off piste (yet) the idea of a ski season in the Alps really appeals. It would be my last chance to improve in one big hit. My non-skier wife would join me and we'd probably drive from the UK. We could hop from resort to resort or rent an apartment or small chalet for the season to which we could invite family and friends. Resorts? And any particular things to think about?

A snowHead

I'd guess it's cheaper to get an apartment for the entire season than rent two or three places for a month at a time. If you have a car you could choose a base which is central to a number of resorts so you have the option of different places to ski.

One possibility is to base yourself in Bourg St Maurice, which is a proper valley town but linked to the skiing of Les Arcs and La Plagne by a 7 minute funicular ride. It's also 40 minutes drive from Tignes and Val d'Isere, closer to La Rosiere and St Foy, and about an hour to the Trois Vallees. That's a lot of skiing to sample in a season. Being a valley town the accommodation is likely to be a bit cheaper than in a resort.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

A large town, where you would stay during the whole season and invite friend/family would be my choice.

Do you have a country in mind?

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What rob@rar said, or Chamonix....in France at least

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Bourg St Maurice does indeed offer quick access to a lot of resorts but, town or not, I've always found it dead boring. I'd much rather stay in a resort than in BSM.

Having a non-skier wife with you will be tough, what will she do all day? From that point of view, being in a real city with skiing on its doorstep, such as Innsbruck, may be better, though not quite the ski season you may be thinking of.

Maybe something in the Dolomites? Loads of skiing plus great scenery and good local cuisine, plus Venice nearby for the mrs.

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...or Grenoble or Briancon

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Colin Bell, you can get some great bargains on season ski passes - many areas offer discounts for early booking, too.

One possibility would be to base yourself in St Gervais (the Evasion Mont Blanc season pass gives you a wide choice of places to ski). St Gervais is an attractive "real" town and it's convenient for Geneva - for visiting friends and relations. But you can also get quick access to the slopes. I'd prefer to be there than BSM, I think, even as a non-skier.

Whether it would be a problem for your wife depends on the kind of person she is, clearly. But I personally wouldn't find it a big problem provided I had some visitors to look after from time to time. Not being able to do "Shopping" would be a real plus, as would having plenty of time to read, walk in attractive surroundings, cook nice things, learn French, do my Pilates exercises etc etc. We do spend big chunks of seasons in the Alps and I spend a lot of time doing all those things, not just skiing.

Off hand I can't think of anything you could do in BSM that you couldn't do in St Gervais.

After all it is free

One place, pick a town that's got enough other stuff going on that you don't get cabin fever. One season pass though with stuff like the Mont Blanc Unlimited you can ski a lot of places (and get additional days in some others).

I have based myself in Fieberbrunn in Tirol, though probably on a permanent basis. But anywhere in this area would be a good base, e.g. here or St. Johann, Westendorf (Kitzbühel itself is probably more expensive). I have seen various apartments being offered for rent.

I have a Kitzbüheler Alpen AllStarCard season ticket (costs €520 till 06.12, €585 thereafter). With that you can ski from the Alpbachtal and Wildschönau in the west, by the SkiWelt area and Kitzbühel, past the Steinplatte and Fieberbrunn, to Leogang/Saalbach/Hinterglemm and Zell am See/Kaprun/Kitzsteinhorn glacier. I find that enough to keep me happy for the season Very Happy

. And if you don't mind paying for the odd day ticket extra, you can ski in the Hohchkönig as well.

With a car available, it is easy enough to have a day in Munich or Salzburg too. Life is obviously simpler if you speak the language but it wouldn't be essential.

The same as above would be true for towns in the other large Austrian areas, e.g. Ski Amadé.

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Thanks all for the advice. The options are endless but I like pam w's approach although we don't know St Gervais.

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Colin Bell, a snowhead called Annie spent a season in St Gervais a couple of years ago - they loved it, and she knows the place really well. She'll probably see this thread but otherwise you could send her a PM if you need any info. They rented an apartment, and she did quite a bit of research, so would probably be able to give you some leads on accommodation. I don't know it well - but I drove through it a few weeks ago and was reminded how attractive it is.

you might enjoy this thread http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=47053&highlight=gervais

The Austrian areas sound nice too - when we were buying an apartment I'd have liked to look at Austria as I spoke more German than French (not that that's saying much) but the OH spoke not one word of German so we bought in France - and my French is now much improved, though still far off fluent. I have to say that my skiing, though much improved, is still not exactly epoch-making either. I decided it would take more than one season. wink

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Colin Bell, That's a great plan. I'd love to do the same, I'd also like to join in with local village life but I think it would be too dull for my town loving wife and are struggling to come up with the location, In the states, Aspen is easy choice but in the Alps I don't know, I would have to have a test run to see how she goes.

Colin Bell,
Briancon is a very pleasant town and there is a lot of accommodation that you can rent for the season at a reasonable price. The old town is an attractive place to wander around for non skiers. There is also a pretty decent sports centre with swimming pool etc. There are stunningly beautiful cross country areas nearby as well. Being in the SOuthern Alpes it has a slightly sunnier climate than St Gervais but hte snow is still pretty reliable.
You can get a lift pass for the season pretty cheaply if you buy in advance. The lift pass also gives you several days in neighbouring resorts such as Montgenevere (milky Way) Puy st Vincent Les deux Alpes and Alpe d'Huez.

You know it makes sense.

Stay in a high resort in France.

Daytrip to multiple resorts by car.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Colin Bell, I'd go for real town over resort in order that your wife doesn't go mad. Preferably somewhere which gives you access to several ski areas.

Bourg St Maurice - Paradiski, Espace Killy, 3Vs, Tarentaise resorts. Seem to think there are reductions on day tickets in some resorts if you hold a season pass for one of them.

Briançon - Serre Chevalier, plus free skiing in Montgenevre, Milky Way resorts, Puy St Vincent, 2Alpes, Alpe d'Huez, Alpe de Grand Serre.

What is non-skiing wife planning to do? Will she want to go out a lot, or does she read/write/knit/build scale models of ancient Greek architecture? If she's an out and about sort, does she like urban shopping, concerts and museums, rural walks ..... ? You'll probably enjoy your season wherever you go, but you need to think about what she's going to like doing for five months on her own while you're out skiing all day.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Colin Bell, As pam w, says, here I am! Whether St Gervais or not, I definitely agree with the consensus of a proper town and in contrast toWhitegold, can't think of a worse idea, particularlyy for your wife, than staying in a high resort which almost certainly would be ski focused to the exclusion of pretty much everything else (alcoholic poisoning aside perhaps!). Another thing is that once you get into the swing of things and don't feel compelled to hit the first lift every day then the based in resort element becomes less vital - and that makes for a far more cost effective season!. St Gervais worked for us briiliantly with loads of skiing on the doorstep, pretty village, noticably warm and friendly, great school (ok probably not a consideration!) easy access to anything you'd ever need in Sallanches at 15 minutes max....in fact thinking about it, I'd probably be quite tempted to look at Sallanches, Passy or Domancy as possible bases as well as the more obvious ski resorts in the area .

Also think Briancon would potentially work very well too.

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Just to muddy the waters further, Innsbruck might be a good choice on the Austrian side (though I don't know the skiing around there so well myself). Innsbruck is an attractive town with all facilities. For the skiing there is a Tirol Snow Card season ticket (€608) which covers more ski areas than you could ever manage in a winter!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Another vote for St Gervais as a base, but you would get easier access to more skiing from BSM. Who wears the trousers - you or your wife!!

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Going to be 62 myself when I ski Vermont of USA in December and Austria/Italy/France next Jan.

I too started late, in fact very late after I turned 50!

I suppose staying at one place is cheaper but moving around is not too expensive either if you have a car. This year for a couple I am paying 80 Euro/night B&B in a few miles from Stubai glacier, 73 Euro per night for self catering in Solden/Obergural, 62 Euro per night B&B in Braincon and finally 114 Euro/night half board in L2A. This is cheaper than staying in many cities in Germany or Austria for two persons with an en-suite room.

Having hit 8 to 10 resorts in every 2-week trip I don't think there are many resorts I could stay for a week without getting bored if going through the same lifts and runs every day.

Think there are about 1000 skiing resorts between Switzerland(178), Austria (338), France(?) and Italy(129). That is more than most skiers can do in a life time. And there are skiing places in Spain, Scandinavia, America, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Japan, Korea, China, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Cyprus, New Zealand, Australia too, not forgetting there are real snow in Scotland and England as well

So my suggestion is come out to see for everything yourself.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

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I'm with pam w, on this one - did a week, did another week, then did a sesason, then did 3 single weeks and will be doing 2 weeks (at least )in St Gervais this year - Wish that it was MY home in the mountain but knowing exactly what I'm going to find there - some of which is technically mine anyway, not having to dig around for piste maps, knowing the confidence boosting bits for friends and those I only do when I feel at the top of my (rather limited) game, having a good idea where to get a decent coffee/lunch/dinner and where to find a supermarket I can afford are all plus points for me. I accept that some people (and probably me 20 years ago ) would find it incredibly limiting but for me there is something VERY good about the connection I feel with somewhere I know so well (and wish I knew better)

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I'm hoping to get a season in too before my body gives out. Exactly when depends on the economic situation, my pension fund and what my daughter decides to do in 4 years at 18. Whatever, I shall be nearer 60 than 50. I'll definitely base myself in a resort, or valley town, but with reasonable access to others.

Currently I like a bit of a mixture. I usually have a couple of trips each year to familiar resorts but then one to somewhere new. This winter that means trips to the familiar resorts of Tignes and Les Deux Alpes and one to St Anton which is new to me.

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Have a look at Lech, if the wallet will stretch that far. Very nicely placed in the Arlberg - and away from the St Anton youff in the evening, so pleasant for Mrs Bell when she drops by.

pam w, rob@rar,

I have kept a place for 8 years in Chamonix. Each year I had go back to the same place and eventually got bored wondering what were places like St Moritz, Zermatt, Ski Amade, Dolomites, Milky Way, South Alps would look like but was quite happy going back to Megeve, Flaine, PDS, Verbier and places close to Chamonix.

One day I hit really bad snow, actually it was skiing on water , so we started to venture out to Tarentaise Valley and have never stopped since.

There was a time I came to know Chamonix well enough like the back of my hand but that is no match to the experience of 120+ other skiing resorts I sampled elsewhere. Skiing can be different things to different people. To me it is the freedom to enjoy to go anywhere I want.

I don't need to touch the suitcase. I simply go to different resorts close by if I feel like it. Do many of us know Chamonix, Megeve, St Gervais, Les Contamines, Flaine, Sameon, Les gets, Courmayeur, Avoriaz, La Clusaz are all about 45 minutes from each other in a car journey? If one stays in Bourg St Maurice of Tarentaise Valley a distance of 17 miles in and out of the valley can cover 1600km piste on offer from the 9 to 12 (depending how they were counted) resorts there.

Many skiers like to drink so driving isn't everyone's cup of tea but that is what many Continental skiers do. In talking to them I know I am not doing anything different.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

pam w, Annie, and all, this is really helpful and very exciting. We love the idea of a base where there can be a continuous stream of friends and family. Personally, I'm torn between staying high for snow reliability and not having to drive or trek to outlying resorts, and staying in a real town/village. I know which my Wife would prefer! Again, my preference might well be France. I know the high resorts reasonably well, but the clincher for my Wife would probably be somewhere like Lech where we've spent some glorious family holidays. Having said that reports tell me that Megeve has some similar characteristics. If it were just me I'd probably rough it more. As always, compromise will be the order and I think if we were able to add a bit of style that would work well.

A snowHead

Colin Bell,

The snow condition of Megeve is in a different league to Lech though.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

The base station of Megeve is about the same as Chamonix at 1000m. It is pretty warm in a valley well populated and on the trunk road between Chamonix (or Sallanches) and Albertville. The last time I skied Megeve was on water. From the various trips I made to Megeve I managed only skied down once to the bottom of Princes station from Mont d'Arbois but never down to the bottom of St Gervais because of lack of snow. The top of Mont d'Arbois can also be rocky if you hit it at the wrong time. If there is rain a big chunk of this resort can disappear overnight. The place is a market during the French mid term school breaks

Lech is at the deep end of a valley in Arlberg in Austria. A place known to be the of the most expensive place to ski hence not many residents there. The base station starts from 1450m. The last time I skied Lech was in a condition similar to the all-white scenary I found in Sweden and Norway during Christmas time. Dead end valleys not well populated in Austria are known to preserve the snow better from my experience. Lech is also the home of the "White Ring" a circular circuit linking with Zurs. The place can only be reached by a bus ride (or a car) 5 miles from St Anton.

It is difficult to compare an example in Tarentaise where Tignes/Vad D, with base station starts at 1550m, would be the equivalent to Lech but there isn't a skiing resorts you can ski down to the main road whcih is the case for Megeve and St Gervais.

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I suspect Lech and Oberlech often have better snow conditions than Megeve - the village is quite low (like all "proper towns") and the top of the ski area isn't very high. It shares the characteristic of being very expensive, though I suspect Megeve has more and better restaurants. Most Michelin stars outside Paris, I believe, though all that is rather irrelevant to me!

I think it is possible to stay in a reasonable town where you can walk/lift to the skiing. St Gervais is one - a more "authentic" place than Megeve, which is attractive in a glitzy and expensive way with women in furs and shops with impossibly expensive clothes (at least, I assume they are - many of them have no prices on).

Innsbruck sounds a good possibility too, though there I believe the skiing within easy reach of the town (ie without getting in vehicle) is pretty restricted. I haven't been to Innsbruck for years.

Colin Bell, how does your wife feel about all this and what, exactly, does she want to be able to do in the town/village. That would help us advise. Being within reach of a really good town (e.g. Salzburg) for a day's outing might be nice. I wouldn't count Geneva - always seems terribly dull though maybe I'm doing it an injustice. Nor Albertville - good basic shopping, but not exactly one of the world's great cities.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

pam w, my wife loves the snow and, frankly, as a non skier has been spoilt by Lech (unless that's where we go). She likes the idea walking/snowshoeing and taking in the atmosphere with our dog. She might even try getting back on skis. She would really like good shops, mainly to look in! I also think that the thought of a stream of family and friends would be heaven to her.

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rob@rar, a hellava lot wetter most of the season Laughing

I did this when based in Strasbourg for 2 years - we went off in every direction every weekend and holiday and skied dozens of resorts in France and Switzerland. We had a ball but I would not say that we "knew" any of the resorts other than those we spent a few days in and even then it needed more than one visit to really form an opinion about the places.

Colin Bell, If you are serious, basing yourself in somewhere like Innsbruck gives you immediate access to the UK via the airport. so incoming relatives friends, etc, will be able to use charters and cheapies to get in. And, heaven forbid, should you need to return to the UK at short notice, you have a good quick means to get back. The city offers far more for a non-skier than some resort, no matter how swish it pretends to be! The cost and choice of accommodation has to be factored in. Living in a holiday let, day in, day out, for several months is not easy, especially for your non-skier, who will feel cooped up while you are whooping it up in neck deep powder! Basing yourself in Innsbruck or somewhere close by, you will both have an interesting time and you will have the space in which to live.

As someone has already pointed out, the Tirol Season Card costs only 608 Euro (pre-season sales). This gives you access to an unprecedented number of top resorts for as many or as few days as you want. The number of resorts on it this year is way better than last year and I suspect this will continue to grow. You would not be able to ski all of these in a season, so you can cherry pick the ones you want to explore.
Being in Innsbruck you are also quickly into Italy (Südtirol) and Aosta are not far to be honest compared to the distances you are currently prepared to travel. Switzerland is also only a couple of hours drive away.

We were based in Strasbourg because of work, but we decided that if we ever did this again we would look for a central base closer to the mountains and work out along the main routes. We thought that Constance on Lake Constance (Konstanz on Bodensee) was the best base because it did not involve trying to live in Switzerland (complicated and bureaucratic). Now I am based in the Inntal Dreieck and am only a couple of hours drive from any resort I feel inclined to ski in. All I need is an Austrian and a Swiss vignette and I'm off! The skiing world is quite literally my oyster.

As for the language - you will pick it up as you go along and the majority of people all speak some English; and being a country that primarily lives from tourism a lot of people speak very good English and are nearly always willing to help.

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Colin Bell,
I thought you now had a restaurant in Manchester (Whitefield).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Bell

After all it is free

I personally think Colin can do well with a season by hooking up with one of the SH who has a chalet in Chamonix, Megeve, Saisies or somewhere in Tarentaise like Les Arcs.

The French/Switzerland area around Generva has probably the highest concentration of skiing resorts even some of them lack the altitude. Driving day trips can cover a massive amount of choices like PDS, Chamonix, Domaine Evasion (Mege), La Clusaz, Les Saisies, 3V, Valmorel, Paradiski, La Rosiere and Espace Killy (Tignes/Val D).

There are so many nice cities and attractions to be visited; Geneva, Annemase, Annecy, Albertville, Chambery, Lausanne, Chamonix, Aosta Valley........... Every place has different attractions during the summer and winter and taking the better half to see the surrounding cities is a treat on its own, say do a bit of shopping, having lunch or dinner on resting days..

Colin can get a cracking deal from the chalet owners who are also SH as I am sure by staying for the whole season he will be popular with the chalet owners. The question boils down where is the most convenient to achieve what he wants. Remeber when the weather is poor, say foggy or wipe out condition it is time to enjoy the warmth of drinking coffee in a city mall.

Market day in French towns, normally Saturday, is a geat way to enjoy the Alps.

Austria is also a great choice because they do cheap ski pass for the whole region like Salzburg which is not available in France as far as I know. Skiing wise Austria has better snow and less people. All the Austria skiing resorts I have been parking is always available and free. For non-skiing activities France is hard to beat though.

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Over 60's ski season - single or multi-resort?

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