 Poster: A snowHead
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I've always avoided half term when skiing, both English and French. However due to my accident of 3 weeks ago the earliest I can get away is 20th Feb. English half term finished but Paris area just starting.
Just how bad will it be in Belle Plagne the week of the 20th-27th?
Obviously there will be bottlenecks and the restaurants will be busy at lunch. But if I avoid those will it be intolerable compared to quiet weeks like I'm used to?
Would Pas de la Casa (Andorra) be better as its further away from Paris?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Michael B, If you can only do the Paris half term, it might be worth thinking about one of the other alpine countries - though there may be local holidays there to be aware of, too.
But if the earliest you can do is 20 february, what's the latest? Mid March will be much more pleasant in French resorts.
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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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Doing Flaine 20th March but wanted an extra week. 1 week in March is all my buddy can do, so Feb 20th or nothing.
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I went to Belle Plagne that week about 4 years ago, and I can honestly say it is the only time in my life I haven't been able to enjoy myself when skiing. The lift queues were awful - over 30 minutes in places, pistes rammed and ruddy kids everywhere. As Pam says, if you can, I'd strongly recommend that you try elsewhere for that week.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ajpaul, Boredsurfing, Thanks.
So do you think Andorra would be better?
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Michael B, Never been to Andorra  But I'll take a wager that someone puts an old photo of chaos at Bellecote up! Bear in mind that since the photo was taken and ajpaul's, visit 2 of the lifts have been replaced by hi speed lifts. One of which (Arpette) is an 8 seater (was 4). The other is a 6 seater. So whilst busy and with long queues at half term at least the queue is moving quickly.
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We've only done La Plagne when we could take the kids out of school but my brother and family/friends went to Belle Plagne during UK half term 2 years ago. They said it was fine, but they had an instructor in the mornings for the whole family and he showed them how to avoid the bottlenecks. I imagine avoiding the Arpette chair mid/late afternoon when people are heading back to Les Arcs might be a good idea? It's a great lift though - as Boredsurfing, says, very fast moving queue. Our experience of skiing at half term has meant getting stuck in queues a couple of times at first then planning accordingly. We usually get 4/5 days of (big)queue free skiing but start early (i.e. up first lift) to avoid ski school etc.
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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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It obviously varies from resort to resort, depending on the number of Brit packages, but round here the Paris half term will be far, far, more crowded than the UK one this year (because they don't coincide this year, thankfully for all concerned). Not just more crowded, but much worse behaviour. the locals dread the Paris weeks, which is when queue-barging and general yobbery will be at its worst. There's none, normally. But having ski lessons is certainly an excellent way to deal with the crowds - lift priority plus top local knowledge. For expert skiers taking a guide and heading off piste must be a good idea too. And don't even think about eating between 12 and 2.30. As noted above, that's the time to ski. when the afternoon ski lessons kick in, it's time to go home.
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Last year, we had a short break in La Plagne (Les Coches) the same week as you are planning. We expected the worst but it wasn't bad at all.
The only queues we found (and they were big queues, to be honest) were for the Roche de Mio cable car in Plagne Bellecote. At the time we didn't know about getting on at Belle Plagne (much faster) or getting the chair that runs parallel to the bubble. The second time we used this lift, we got on at lunchtime while the French were eating. The queue was 20 people rather than 200.
It be won't be empty (Tignes last two weeks was deserted - bliss) but its perfectly acceptable if that's your only option on dates.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Road access up is worse than usual, the season we were there saw more accidents and visitors that weekend (ie Parisians, so the locals told me) stopping in the middle of the road to attempt their snow chains having got stuck.
There is also a special rail car that is attached to the train from BSM that acts as a makeshift hospital ward for the increase in casualties.
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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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Cars from Paris are easily identified with 75 or 77/78 on the number plate and also their driving attitude as T Dub mentions above  .
(Not to be confused with 73 and 74 which are Savoie and High Savoie).
The outer Paris area also has 91-95.
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| Quote: |
Tignes last two weeks was deserted
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I'd hate to see your definition of busy!
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| It obviously varies from resort to resort, depending on the number of Brit packages, but round here the Paris half term will be far, far, more crowded than the UK one this year (because they don't coincide this year, thankfully for all concerned). Not just more crowded, but much worse behaviour. the locals dread the Paris weeks, which is when queue-barging and general yobbery will be at its worst. |
Last season in Les Arcs I thought there was more general yobbishness when Zone B (Marseille) was off, but luckily that's not when the OP is planning on taking.
I have some weekends free in Feb and have absolutely NO intention of taking a long weekend in France during those weeks...
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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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Worried now, Im off to Morzine in that week!
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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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| Quote: |
I might find I can't do it (or ski)
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 Given what your physio says, and the fact that it will be one of the least pleasant weeks to ski in France, it seems a big gamble. It's not just queues - fast modern lifts can help take care of those. But crowded pistes too. Even if you are skiing well within your capability, to spare the muscles, some idiot (there'll be plenty of them about and all of them in a hurry) could knock you over.
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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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pam w, I know you are right, but I want to go.
I'd love it if the holiday disappeared off the tour ops site and the decision was made for me. However they keep reducing it now as it's only 2 weeks off.
When push comes to shove I don't think I'll go for all the reasons above. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| stevomcd wrote: |
| Quote: |
Tignes last two weeks was deserted
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I'd hate to see your definition of busy! |
Flights half full, hotels half full, resort half full.
The only lift queue we saw in two weeks was the one off to the left from the top of Palafour. There must have been the thick end of 25 people queuing. That's deserted in my book.
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FAQ
The only area that we haven't found alternative routes for is Champagny. But skiing down there and getting the lifts out whilst they are all at lunch seems to be the key to shorter lift queues, indeed skiing between 12 and 3 will certainly find the slopes and lifts much quieter 
