 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
Well its that time again. Sadly it's going to be our last season in the alps, as my wife and I are planning to go home to Australia next year. We'd like to go out with a 'winter bang' so to speak, so would like your advice on where we should go for our last ski-fling. At this point, we're trying to decide between: Ischgl, Lech/Zurs, Serfaus, La Plagne or Zermatt/Cervinia. We're both confident intermediates looking for long, sweeping, well groomed pistes and good snow conditions. Any thoughts would be more than welcome.
Thank-you!
Shannon.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shagsa, Whilst all your suggested locations have their attractions, if you have not previously been to Zermatt then I would definitely recommend that - it's somewhere where every skier should go at least once IMHO.
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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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shagsa, I'd agree with Alastair Pink. It must be done. 
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Well it sounds like Zermatt, incidentally we haven't firmed up a venue for our trip would you consider making it a bigger bang?
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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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| shagsa wrote: |
| looking for long, sweeping, well groomed pistes and good snow conditions. Any thoughts would be welcome. |
My thoughts.. "Oh yes!!!"
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shagsa, of your list I've only skiied in Lech/ Zurs but it certainly ticks your boxes. The pistes are impeccably groomed and the snow seems to have a different quality to that in St Anton just a few miles away - and there's tons of it! I haven't been based there - travel by bus from St A but it would, I'm sure be a fantastic last Alpine experience. Great hotels, lovely food, heated chair lifts, virtually no polling sp. (pushing yourself along, not voting before anyone wise-cracks!) to do and you can partake in my favourite lunch/ sitting on chair lift past time of looking out for the most outrageous Bognor ski wear being worn by our Euro-cousins. Great entertainment!!
As I said, I have no experience of your other short listed resorts and I'm sure they are wonderful but if someone asked if Lech/ Zurs would be a fitting last trip I would definiteley say yes! Have a great time wherever it may be and safe trip back down under.
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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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Stay in oberlech - stunning part of the world. Most hotels are ski in ski out. Have stayed at the hotel Montana twice and the food is quite simply the best I've ever tasted. Ischgl is nice and skiing very much on a par with lech, in fact it's arguably better (if you take St Anton etc out if the equation) but lech is a nicer village in my opinion - pretty sure lech doesn't have a burger king with a strip club below it 
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shagsa, I'm a big fan of Lech and Ischgl, spent a lot of time at both places and there is no doubt they would give you both what you want but there is something really magical about Zermatt as Alastair Pink, everyone should go there at least once in their lifetime!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| shagsa wrote: |
...........long sweeping, well groomed pistes and good snow conditions.
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The above describes Cervinia perfectly. Half the price of Zermatt, less crowds, especially tofty Brits and better food.
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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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shagsa, having skied lech,ishgl,la plange and zermatt my choice for a final European fling would be zermatt as it's a wonderful alround alpine resort , the only draw back being in overpriced , overhyped food, but as mollerski says cervinia gives you a great option for a one days trip and for the best mountain pizza ever 
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sun 3-10-10 10:32; edited 2 times in total
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^^^ also ugly village, no classic Matterhorn view, samey pistes. Zermatt wins hands down for overall experience. Don't know Austria but it would get my vote for France/Switzerland.
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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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| Ski Tyke wrote: |
| ...of your list I've only skiied in Lech/ Zurs but it certainly ticks your boxes. |
Ski Tyke, Boabski, thanks for your great feedback. Is the trip to St Anton easy enough to do for a day trip? I've heard that Lech/Zurs is a little quieter than St A, which I think Mrs S would approve of, but the option of exploring another great area like St A would be nice.
When do you think is the best time to go? We were thinking the start of March (not sure when school holidays happen but will try and avoid them I think.)
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
Is the trip to St Anton easy enough to do for a day trip?
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Absolutely.
Lech is definitely quieter than St Anton (words like refined and exclusive spring to mind). St Anton is a bit more rowdy (but in a way I like).
That said Lech does have some good bars too. I'm fond of Schneggarei's and further up Rud-Alp is a great place to enjoy a drink in front of the fire or on the terrace.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shagsa, as nozawaonsen, says it is very simple to get to St A for the day. We do the reverse, stay in St A with the great unwashed and ruffle the feathers of the glitterati by skiing on their snow while they take a two hour lunch after a late start following a long breakfast! Just hop on the free bus which shuttles between Lech, Zurs and Alpenrauz (sp) which is a nice ski from St A village, couple of lifts away IIRC.
Also agree with nozawaonsen's, description of the difference between the two places. When I'm old(er) and rich I'll stay in Lech for a week although I'll probably decline the standard issue one piece gold Bognor ski suit!
boabski, is pretty well qualified to tell you more about seasonality etc. I've been in Jan, Feb and March and never been dissappointed by the snow.
I will also make the effort to get to Zermatt one day, probably when I'm even older and richer than when I go to Lech!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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So much will depend on when you want to go. Early or late and Austrian snow is down to the toss of a coin, mid season and French school holidays put La Plagne on the 'do another time' list.
My choice would be LP outside of the holidays and Zermatt/Cervinia if mid season. Can't comment on Lech/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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At this stage we're thinking of going around the start of March (just after hols end)...not sure when Austrian/German holidays are though...if it makes any difference to an Austrian trip?
If we don't end up in Zermatt for this ski trip, we'll probably look to do some walking near the Matterhorn over the summer, before we set off home...
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shagsa, I don't think you'll have any problems with that time of year.
Austrian holidays are in February and April I think. Have a look here for other school holidays, they are scattered around, but I don't see any great threat...
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=64301
Weather should be great as well. Even if you went "late" to the places you have suggested in Austria like Lech/Zurs and Ischgl the snow cover would be likely to be good, the Arlberg and Ischgl are both high and I've always (certainly every year in the last five) had great snow in April...
So you'll have no problem at all with early March!
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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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Ah yes... Fasching... Doh...
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Last ski holiday in Europe has to be Zermatt. It's as near as you'll come to the perfect resort.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cervinia, very high + sunny side of The Matterhorn.
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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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Cervinia is a great place for cruising the blues and reds. The village is not as ugly as everyone makes out, and it's certainly a large wedge less expensive than Zermatt.
However, don't go there on the assumption that it's the cheaper way to ski Zermatt. The top lift is very often closed due to high winds (1 day open out of 6 on my last trip), and if it is open every day the trip over and back each day can get a bit tiresome. If it's your big bang trip, then pay the extra and stay in Zermatt, or consider Courchevel 1850; the local pists can hardly be beaten anywhere for cruising.
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Do a week in Zermatt. Go heliskiing.
Then rent a car and go to St Moritz for a week.
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You know it makes sense.
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shagsa, If you do decide on Lech/Oberlech, the probably avoiding Fasching would be better than say UK half term, as the majority of visitors to Lech are German/Austrian. When we stayed in Oberlech it was end of Jan each time and slopes and lifts deserted. Lech/Zurs restrict day passes so that the slopes are kept quiet. When I head to St Anton with the boys it's either last week in Feb or 1st/2nd week in March - we had never had a shortage of snow. Zurs gets a lot more snow than St Anton, although personally I find Zurs a bit soulless. If you want a plush hotel and don't want to step outside the hotel after skiing then I'm sure it could do the trick. Although the clientele is well healed middle aged folks, I've always found the atmosphere in Lech very pleasant (coming from working class Glasgow, Beruit could be well healed in comparison ) - even had fun watching some Bogner bedeckt (sp?) Germans chucking some snowballs up at a chap on his balcony reading a book in the sun, whilst they were dowing their Flying Hirsch's (Jaeger bombs).
Getting to St Anton is pretty easy - either get the free bus or taxi (c. 20 mins by taxi and around €50???)
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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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shagsa, Do as Whitegold, suggests but spend the second week in Zermatt as well! St Moritz is over rated and not great IMO!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Zermatt would also get my vote. I've been there 3 times, most recently in January on my honeymoon and it has a magical feel to it that is hard to match. It isn't cheap, and lacks the convenience of some other resorts, but for a last trip to the Alps, it has to be the choice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Zermatt for the win. Been there numerous times, favourite place on the planet. Don't do Cervinia, do it properly.
La Plagne is a concrete jungle, and French
St Anton and Lech/Zurs certainly ticks all the boxes, although I wouldn't describe post 2pm skiing in St Anton as "cruisey"
No experience of Serfaus but I know someone that used to go there for weekends when he lived in Bavaria, and wouldn't compare to Zermatt/St A
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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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| Roy Hockley wrote: |
| shagsa, Do as Whitegold, suggests but spend the second week in Zermatt as well! St Moritz is over rated and not great IMO! |
Zermatt is a poorman's St Moritz.
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Zermatt has better views and better skiing! St. Moritz is the old mans Zermatt!
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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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St Moritz has a bigger buzz.
Zermatt is for the pretend-rich.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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shagsa, Cannot think you would be dissapointed with either Zermatt or Lech. Personally I think Zermatt has marginally the better food and scenery though there is only one view and Lech marginally the better skiing (with St A). Both places are great though. Ischgl is fun but for a one off trip the others are just a wee bit better.
Never been to Serfaus and La Plagne is great for fans of neo brutalist architecture and has some decent skiing and views that are better than the rest of the Tarentaise (which is in itself not a big recommendation) but is not where I would go for a special holiday.
boabski,
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coming from working class Glasgow
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The denizens of Eaglesham will be deeply distressed on discovering they are a prime example of working class Glasow. 
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Whitegold, So you prefer the expensive, over rated old mans resort!
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T Bar, From Kings Park originally
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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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Wow, thanks for all the feedback everyone…just thought I’d sneak my first look at the forum after a week and a half from hell at work. I’m now torn….I was very close to going for Lech (thinking about the last week of Feb now – thanks for the advice Juliad) but the obvious enthusiasm for Zermatt is infectious. My only reservations about Zermatt (and they may be unfounded) is how easy it is getting around/to the slopes…like everyone here I’d rather be on the slopes than waiting in queues…any thoughts?
Also I think Mrs S’s ideal skiing week would involve a distinct lack of moguls/ice….from what I’ve read about each resort though it seems this won’t be too hard to avoid.
So its down to two…Lech & Zermatt…
Man thinking about this makes me feel alive again….beats working that’s for sure!
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We have skied Serfaus, Lech and Zermatt in March, and I would add my vote for Zermatt -
if possible you have to ski Zermatt once in your life.
Getting to the slopes depends on where you stay of course, but getting around not difficult.
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FAQ
