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France vs Austria

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I had only ever skied in Austria (one time in Switzerland) until we went to Courchevel 1850 last week. I think in comparison that the runs in Courchevel were fantastic. We skied all the reds and blues in the Courchevel valley - the area above 1650 being particularly nice. However, to me, it lacks the Austrian friendliness. I found Courchevel a bit pretentious. We stayed in Le Carlina on the Bellecote piste. Very convenient, very expensive, mediocre food and dog fleas in the bedroom, and full of people with pokers up their a*ses and Louis Vuitton suitcases! (Is it so hard to say 'good morning' ? )Wouldn't recommend it.
However, we loved the skiing. Had a couple of lessons from New Generation, then set off exploring on our own. We skied for about 5/6hrs every day - we exhausted Courchevel, then did a fair chunk of Meribel/Motteret, then headed to VT and skied to Les Menuires and St.Martin.

Where would you suggest for 3V slopes and Austrian feel good factor?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
erica2004,

Just back from Soll (First time to Austria) Had a fantastic time, have ski-ed France about 5 times and really loved the sense of travel in Soll, we did have fantastic snow conditions which will sway my opinion.
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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?
We've just got back from Obergurgl, and were thinking much along the same lines - the hotel and mountain eateries seemed more friendly in Obergurgl and Westendorf than in Val Thorens.

p.s. Erica Mrs H got some Strolz boots - flippin' magic and she got a free schnapps thrown in! snowHead
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erica2004,
IMHO the best compromise is Italy, as long as you avoid the more fashionable resorts.
I went to La Thuile last year (just over the border from La Rosiere). Friendly locals, still has a bit of a small town feel to it, and good skiing, particularly with the link to La Rosiere). Not a Louis Vuitton suitcase or head up a*se in sight.
Not sure what the snow is like there at the moment.
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Dave J,

I would agree with you on this one
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Ian Hopkinson,

Hope the snow was as good in Obergurgl as it was in Soll. Get typing that report
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
johnboy, I think you had more snow than us - did you get over to Westendorf? Conditions pretty good in Obergurgl, although v. cold (-10C and below) and windy (generally 20km/h). Had a great time - will write report shortly.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
erica2004, seems that Courchevel has gone in this direction in the last few years. For some reason it seems to be in the process of turning into a French version of St.Moritz. This seems to have started happening when the Russians started buying everything in sight about 10 years ago. Last time I skied 3V was about 15 years ago, and then Courchevel was just the usual French concrete monstrosity sitting in the middle of the alps. I didn't notice any of this pretentious crap going on then, but maybe I was too busy skiing to notice!
Depends what you mean by 3V slopes. You only find Austrian gemuetlichkeit in Austria! You can find several places in Austria with wide open pistes and nearly the same length of run as you will get in 3V, just not quite the same altitude. Have you done Kitzbuehel yet? Or of course the obvious one is the Arlberg, whereby I would point you more in the direction of Lech/Zuers rather than St.Anton if intermediate is what you are looking for.
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Ian - Mrs.H will tell you that you need the schnapps to overcome the pain, whilst having the boots injected with the foam - ouch !!
Hi Mike - I've been to Lech 3 times so have skied it to death!
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erica2004 - why not try Bad Gastein, lots of good intermediate skiing and connected to Hofgastein, unusual spa resort, but quiter than other Austrian resorts. Would recommend Hotel Wildbad, excellent service and friendly; good snow record. You can get the train from Salzburg direct to the resort.
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erica2004, If you will go to snobby 3V! wink For the same degree of ski-ing, and a much nicer atmosphere you should try the Oisans area. Les Deux Alpes, Alpe d'Huez and Serre Chevalier. All very different in look and feel, all with masses of ski-ing of every complexion, and all with friendly people. Of course it's not Austria - only Austria is like Austria as previously mentioned. None of these resorts are pretty in the conventional sense, Alpe d'Huez being the ugliest (sorry Sarah@), but they all have character.

None are expensive, and they are all good value for money. Be advised that Serre Chevalier is quite low and so not so snow-sure as the other two. LDA is 1650 with nearly all the ski-ing above this level. ADH is 1800 with a mix of above and below, best runs I think are below the village in the direction of Vaujanay.

LDA is mostly NW facing so holds the snow well, whereas ADH is quite a lot of south facing slopes - better in mid-winter than spring. ADH had more tree ski-ing whereas LDA has almost none. Serre Che has lots of trees but only goes up to about 2800 at the top and the highest of the villages is only 1500.

Hope that helps. Very Happy
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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.
easiski, how is the Oisans area linked? Is it skiable or skibus?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Sportwelt / Sportwelt Amade has lots of intermediate terrain all linked together.
Filzmoos, Flachau, Radstadt, St Johan, Altenmarkt, Eben and Wagrain and kleinarl.

276 lifts and 865 kilometers of piste.
http://www.sportwelt-amade.com/f_homepage...2.html?_lang=en

They are not the highest of mountains so best to go on a good snow year.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
France or Austria?

easy, do both...... Courchevel in January, then Obertauern in April.... wink
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
erica2004, I used to be a 3 Valleys regular, including 4 times to Courchevel, but have now switched allegiance to Ischgl. Its skiing is as good, (not as extensive as 3V, but quite big enough for a week, and most of it high up, so more snow sure than most other Austrian resorts), its lift system is fantastic, and it has the atmosphere you expect from an Austrian village. Excellent hotels - friendly, with character, good food (Goldener Adler in Ischgl itself, or Hotel Post in Samnaun - Swiss village that links to Ischgl). Also the nightlife is in a different league versus the 3 Valleys.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:
France or Austria? ... easy, do both


Somehow we#ve never manage to ski Austria, but have skied in France many times. Although next trip we're doing both: one week in France then one week in Austria. The drive between the two could be interesting....
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
RobW, did that once - a nightmare journey. Left Pitztal at around 8pm, had to be in Les Orres in the southern French Alps to race at 8am the next morning. Via Liechstenstein, Montgenèvre, eventually got there at 5am, time to snatch a couple of hours' kip before collecting bibs. Now they've moved the British Children's/Junior Champs from Pitztal to Meribel - what a relief!
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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?
France is too far away from Austria and a day may have to be wasted in switching camp.

I don't think any snowhead in his/her right mind is going to leave out either country.
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Quote:
Ian Hopkinson:

p.s. Erica Mrs H got some Strolz boots - flippin' magic and she got a free schnapps thrown in!


Ian, didn't that make them a little soggy?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Quote:
Erica Mrs H got some Strolz boots - flippin' magic and she got a free schnapps thrown in!

I went through that procedure in Lech a few years ago. I definitely needed the schnaps so I could handle the pain! The result made it all worthwhile though. Strolz boots are simply the best, although I only say that AFTER I've managed to get then onto my feet in the morning. The procedure of attaching them to my feet is usually acompanied by a whole string of curses, groans and blasphemous behaviour. It's all worth it in the end though!
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Mike Lawrie,

Make sure the Strolz boots are in the car and see a bit of warmth before you put them on. If my Strolz are cold if feels like I'm trying to get into a boot 3 sizes too small. All that pushing & deep breathing then the relief and big ahhhhh, it's like giving birth wink
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
erica2004, I can recommend Saalbach for brilliant intermediate skiing - good lifts, long reds and blues (200km of pistes) and a great atmosphere. The town also has some high standard hotels without being pretentious. Or the Ziller Valley (Mayrhofen) but it means getting buses between the resorts, although they are all covered under one lift pass as are the buses and trains.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
hayley t, I agree with you. the skiing in Saalbach was superb and the atmosphere in the resort was just so good. I'd go back tomorrow.
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Peter B, we're going back next year - providing I can convince the others!
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I wish we were. We had booked for Ellmau for Feb 2006, but beanie is now 8 weeks pregnant, so that's skiing gone for next year as well as this one. Are you going back to the Hotel Bauer? It looked fabulous.
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I'm sure Hemingway wrote about this...and he ended up in Switzerland. wink
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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.
Peter B, congrats by the way! It's just one year and it will be worth the wait I'm sure. The Bauer is already booked for the week we want and Crystal are the only ones that go there. We're considering the Sport Hotel but it doesn't look as nice.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
hayley t, I think I'd prefer the Reiterhof to the Sporthotel.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Peter B, I know but it's about £100 more per head.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
DB, can't comment on giving birth. I always keep my boots in a warm place. They might be offended if I left them out in the cold...
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
hayley t, There were some significant on-line reductions when we booked for Ellmau about six weeks ago for 2006. See if anybody will do a deal. Fast Track holidays have always been really good whenever I've booked. Just do an internet search and then give them a ring. I can highly recommend them.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Peter B, will do, thanks for the tip.
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