 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been skiing for donkey's years but I normally go to an airport, fly somewhere, get on a coach in the middle of the night/blizzard, get driven up a mountain and dumped in a hotel in a world of white - basically, on a map, I have no clue where most of the resorts I've been to are.
As I now have kids and thus no money, I'm planning on driving (and possibly taking my new caravan - don't laugh!) to my next ski resort. I live in Surrey but I still want the journey to be as short as possible, so any ideas of where the closest decent (reasonable height, reasonable mix of runs) resort is?
At the moment, I'm looking at somewhere like Samoens but I was wondering if there was anything in northern Switzerland/Germany?
Alternatively, a website with a map would do - the best one I could find seemed to suggest there are no resorts in Germany at all, which I'm sure is wrong...
Thanks for any help...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| nelmo wrote: |
| reasonable height, reasonable mix of runs |
These terms are a bit too nebulous...
Some of the ski stations in the Vosges near Strasbourg can be reached rather more quickly than anything Alpine.
I've been thinking along similar lines to you recently, and also happened upon the Massif Central (Mont Dore, Le Lioran, ...) and also Villard De Lans which is actually West of Grenoble.
They're all pretty close, but it depends one what you mean in the bit I quoted...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Because of the kids, I'll be going in Feb half-term, so snow shouldn't be a problem as long as the resort is a fair height (at least 1000m, say?). I want some red runs and the odd black would be nice but not essential. The kids have never been so will need several blues/greens and the wife hasn't been for a few years, so easy reds for her....
I was in the Vosges in the Spring (on a motorbike) but it didn't really seem high enough for skiing - does it have a decent snow record?
Thanks for your suggestions - I'll look them up...
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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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 Did my first snow-boarding lessons many years ago at the Tamworth one (is that still open?)...
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nelmo,
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Because of the kids, I'll be going in Feb half-term
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You have chosen one of the busiest weeks of the season for travel and for the slopes, also just about the most expensive week of the season if you are looking to keep costs down. Because it is Fasching German speaking resorts area likely to be almost as busy as the French and the roads will be busy.
If you can go at Easter particularly second week you will save a lot on money and crowds and in my experience with young children its at least as good a time to go.
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You could try Super Besse in the Massif Central.
It is the quickest of the massif resorts to get to and has a few campsites nearby. Also, prices are lower than in the alpes.
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| T Bar wrote: |
You have chosen one of the busiest weeks of the season |
Not exactly 'chosen' - the joys of kids is paying through the nose for any holiday 
I don't want to risk the lack of snow at Easter - probably OK if you go to one of the high resorts but they are probably the ones furthest away from the UK, no?
I was hoping to take the caravan, which saves a lot (campsite for a week is about £200 whereas cheapest accomodation for 4 I can find is about £900 otherwise) and that's also why I want the drive to be short...
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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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nelmo,
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Not exactly 'chosen' - the joys of kids is paying through the nose for any holiday
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Yup, have had my kids in tow for quite a few years now.
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I don't want to risk the lack of snow at Easter - probably OK if you go to one of the high resorts but they are probably the ones furthest away from the UK, no?
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I've gone every Easter for the last ten years and always had reasonable snow, often better than Feb snow. I certainly have not always been to particularly high resorts. But even to the high reosrts the extra drivng time is no ore than an hour compared with the foothills.
I don't usually drive but my understanding is that the Feb break is very busy on the roads you may well find that the travel time is quicker at Easter even for a resort further away you are also less likely to need chains.
I would imagine that the ferry charges and increased petrol charges for a caravan are significant, I have certainly had accomodation for four at Easter for around £200 self catering in some of the smaller resorts.
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Been skiing at Easter every year for at least the past 15. Never had a problem with lack of snow. You'll pay *MUCH* less than at February, because people think there will be no snow.
Closest major resorts to the UK are Flaine and Portes du Soleil. The campsite at Samoens was certainly open last easter.
You are too late to get a decent deal for February - even if there were any in the first place.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Why do all threads that even mention someone holdiaying at half term, turn into a chorus of mocking disapproval and enthusiastic endorsement of Easter?
He's asking for resort advice, not for you all to reorganise his dates for him.
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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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paulio,
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Why do all threads that even mention someone holdiaying at half term, turn into a chorus of mocking disapproval and enthusiastic endorsement of Easter?
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Not intending to mock, but the OP is stating that his intentions are both to save time and money and going sking at Easter is likely to do this compared with Feb.
nelmo,
Not sure if Feb half term is as bad in 2011 for the German speaking countries 2010 does seem particularly bad because of Fasching.
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You know it makes sense.
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Sorry, that probably sounded more confrontational than I meant it.
Mentions of half term do seem to get pounced upon rather too readily though.
The 'half term is so busy and expensive that you may as well not bother' mantra that is commonplace on snowHeads is also not even actually true. I've been two half terms in a row to slopes no more crowded than equivalent hols in January, and driven on roads easily less busy than the ones I regularly travel in the UK. Anti half-term sentiment is very over egged around these parts.
You just have to pick your spot a bit carefully. I daresay it's a nightmare for the people who think that deciding on a skiing destination equates to nothing more interesting than '3 Vs or Killy this year, then?', but there's plenty else out there, and that's what the OP was after really.
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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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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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nelmo,
Also Carnival, basically just before Lent I think, it moves around a bit depending on Easter and is a holiday in lots of Europe. This season (2010) it coincides with UK half term and is helping to drive up prices and drive own availability.
paulio,
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I've been two half terms in a row to slopes no more crowded than equivalent hols in January, and driven on roads easily less busy than the ones I regularly travel in the UK. Anti half-term sentiment is very over egged around these parts.
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Fair enough, but this year half term does seem worse than usual for availability, personally I preferred Easter when the kids were young as the resorts seem quieter and it was cheaper. For my sins I now go twice and double the expense. 
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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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We drive too (with kids) and stay on a campsite in Le Grand Bornand which is a similar sort of distance from Geneva as Flaine, Morzine etc. We've stayed in the mobile homes on the site before (but are in a apartment this year). There are loads of camper van thingys there from memory but I can't remember seeing any caravans - maybe I just didn't see or remember them.
We've got the family thing off to a fine routine now in Le Grand Bornand:
~ (free) ski bus from campsite to bottom of lifts
~ skis and boots in lockers at the bottom
~ drop kids of at 9:30 in Mom'en Ski - they get a lesson, lunch and kids club 'til 2pm
~ me and Mrs Higs ski 'til 2pm inc quick lunch
~ pick kids up at 2 and either ski with them for a bit or go for a swim with them in the campsite pool (or have a short ski and a short swim)
The campsite is close to the centre of town for supermarkets, takeaway, croissants etc.
Because we don't live near the channel we break the journey with a night in Reims on the way there and Lille on the way back. The drive there's fine (as we're going on hols  ) . The drive home's a real chore.
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vijendrasnv
vijendrasnv
Guest
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Hi,
I think February and March the most suitable for snow places.
Not the busy busiest weeks of the season for travel and for the slopes and also not very costly at that time.
Thanks.
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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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Higs, took the words out of my mouth. Le Grand Bornand or La Clusaz also not too far.
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We've driven from Calais to Flaine several times in the past with our 3 young children - Grand Massif always seemed to us to offer best combo of nearness & snow sureness
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| Quote: |
I'll be going in Feb half-term, so snow shouldn't be a problem as long as the resort is a fair height
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the "non alpine" french resorts (eg those in the Jura) can be dodgy for snow - for example there was pretty well NONE in the Jura in February 2007 (not that the alps were good then, either). If you need to plan in advance you'd be better driving the extra few hundred miles, on empty motorways (though not at half term  ) and going to an Alpine resort.
Unless your caravan is uncommonly well insulated, though, you could be very cold. Maybe as it's cold in the UK right now, you could spend a few evenings and nights out in it, and see how it goes?
Accommodation in french resorts at Easter can be pretty cheap. Probably as cheap as the extra cost of caravanning.
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i have seen a few advertisements recently for MORZINE, it says "closest resort to london to drive". not sure how true it is but surely they would not use it if it was not true. We knowhow honest advertisers are
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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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Well that's plainly not true.
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| pam w wrote: |
Unless your caravan is uncommonly well insulated, though, you could be very cold. Maybe as it's cold in the UK right now, you could spend a few evenings and nights out in it, and see how it goes?
Accommodation in french resorts at Easter can be pretty cheap. Probably as cheap as the extra cost of caravanning. |
Our caravan is german, which I'm reliably informed is very well insulated - we were away in October and it was fine without the heating even on overnight, so shouldn't be a problem. However, if accommodation is so reasonable at Easter, that will be simpler, so will look into it...
Many thanks all for your very useful advice... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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nelmo, yes, I think the german vans are better insulated - but night time temperatures here over the next week, for example (at 1600m, not the top of the Tignes glacier) will be -22. Hard to imagine many caravans coping with that. Easter should be warmer, but still (one hopes) well below freezing at night, to keep the pistes in decent shape. Nice 2 bedroom, well equipped, piste-side apartment here would be 450 euros a week at Easter. See http://www.location-appartement-lessaisies.com/tarif.htm I don't know whose apartment that is - but it's in our development.
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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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Libertine, paulio, either Les Gets is no longer a ski resort, or there's a discontinuity in the space-time continuum which means that when you drive through Les Gets on the road to Morzine, the trip counter / odometer starts going backwards
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Not to mention all the ones I mentioned earlier, that are an hour or more closer than Les Gets.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| nelmo, yes, I think the german vans are better insulated - but night time temperatures here over the next week, for example (at 1600m, not the top of the Tignes glacier) will be -22. Hard to imagine many caravans coping with that. Easter should be warmer, but still (one hopes) well below freezing at night, to keep the pistes in decent shape. Nice 2 bedroom, well equipped, piste-side apartment here would be 450 euros a week at Easter. See http://www.location-appartement-lessaisies.com/tarif.htm I don't know whose apartment that is - but it's in our development. |
I'm just going by the fact that there are quite a few on a caravan forum I go on, who go every year - also, I think it's unlikely I'd ever manage to get my caravan 1600m up a mountain!
Thanks for the link - that looks great and I see what others have been saying about the price at Easter - half the price of Feb! Some of the links don't seem to be working (and my French is rubbish) - where is your development?
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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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nelmo, As well as the comments on weather the caravan will be warm or not then you need to factor in the costs of extra tolls (some 60 euro each way) extra ferry charges (sorry don't know) and extra petrol say some £100 in total. Assuming that adds upto to 200 and you're planing on paying £200 for the week to camp, in my view you'd be better off paying a bit more to have a nice warm apartment.
http://skiapartment.co.uk/booking.htm is £550 for w/c/ 10th April 2010 and is completely ski-in out and is right above the ski hire and ski school places - i.e. you couldn't get any nearer, is nice and new and looks to be well furnished.
http://web.mac.com/rob.rees/Les_Arcs/Home.html or this for £495
Or no doubt a bunch of other places nearer calais.
If you're dead set on camping then http://www.motorhomeski.com/ will give you some useful tips on locations and winterisation albeit for motrohomes, but I'm sure lots of the principles are equally applicable..
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Poster: A snowHead
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nelmo, you'd have no problem getting your caravan up to Les Saisies - which is in the Beaufortain, not a region well known amongst British skiers. At Easter, you'd be better off aiming to be at around 1500-1600m or higher. Not far from Albertville, not far from Mont Blanc, not far from Les Contamines. Our development is in a satellite called Bisanne 1500, a few miles by road or a ski over the mountain from Les Saisies.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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This forum is the bees cohunas - in one thread, I've had more ideas for other places to ski than I've got from years of actually going. I can't thank you all enough...
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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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Easter is a problem in 2011 as it is very late.
Certainly in Warwickshire, the school term does not end until Wednesday 13 April . I think this will bounce lot of Easter people to half term, and make Easter busy at the higher resorts.
PM me if you want cost and time breakdowns for budget family of four at Easter to Les Arcs.
Steve.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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There's also Winterberg, not that far from Dortmund in Germany - about 5 hours drive from Calais.
I've not been there but the piste map looks like it has a few runs - although the altitude is pretty low.
http://www.skiliftkarussell.de/panorama-karte
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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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For all the skiing resorts excepting France check out Bergfex. It has maps and details of the German resorts.
There is camp site in Chamonix but can't vouch if it is still in business. It normally open at the beginning of Feb.
Chamonix is of course within striking distnaces to Grand Massif, Les Contamines, Les Saisies, Grand Bornard, Domain Evasion (Megeve) Porte Du Soleil, etc, etc .
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pjd, wow, that's the winner so far isn't it. Under 5 hours from Dunkirk!
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