 Poster: A snowHead
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Just booked a last minute trip for 27th Feb to "Les Olympiades" apts.
Firstly any info about the area etc gratefully received.
Secondly as I am still recovering from my torn muscles I need some gentle slopes to get me going again before I start to venture on reds. Suggestions please. 
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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, don't know the apts, but you'll find loads of gentle blues and greens in Val T, and many of the reds are not too scary - but they do tend to be long. Moraine (a blue, off the top of the chair of the same name) is one of our favourites but there are loads of others. Once you've got your legs back, do try to get over to the 4th Valley, Orelle, via the Moutiere and Grand Fond lifts and then down the lovely Mauriennaise red. It's a long red but not too difficult (there's a blue alternative but it's a bit pathy). The other way overto Orelle, via the Cime dr Caron, leads to a black which (I'm told) is not particularly nice.
Also, try to get lunch at the L'Ours Blanc restaurant above Les Menuires. Ski down the side of the Doron chair (keeping it on your left) and the restaurant is signposted on the left of the piste. Ski down the short track and it will be in front of you. It has a magnificent sunny terrace and views overlooking La Masse. Service and food is excellent and prices are about what you'd pay elsewhere on the mountain.
PM me if you'd like any more info on the area
Enjoy.
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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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There are some nice blues off the Cascades and Moraine lifts. Also the blues and reds off the Boismint chair will be pretty quiet if you need some elbow room and the reds aren't too tough.
Try Chalet Marine next to the Dalles piste is an excellent spot for lunch, but fills up if its too cold/snowy to sit outside.
For Apres any of the bars along the strip (Frog & Rosbif; Viking; Saloon) are relaxed and often have live music and happy hour. Don't miss Toss the Boss in The Viking (I think).
<disclaimer: it's 2yrs since I was there last>
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks guys
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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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Michael B, Les Deux Lacs is also a good lunch spot. It's at the top of the chairlift with the same name.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another query.
How long/far is it to the Courchevel end from Val T?
Is it a day trip to enjoy or a morning out?
This is assuming I can ski normally, which equates to intermediate, comfortable on reds.
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Michael B, I'd say it's 3/4 of a day there and back (depending on your speed and how far over/down you want to go in Courchevel)
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Michael B, We skied with an averageish group from Courchevel 1650 to Orelle (ie from one end of the piste map to the other), comfortably in less than 3 hours, with some extra runs en route. It was with a group of 12 averageish skiers.
PM me if you would like me to give you an itinerary.
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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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Michael B, if I'm thinking about the same "Les Olympiades", the apartments are in a great position just down the rue pietonée de caron right in the centre of resort. Huit a huit supermarket on one side, lift pass office on the other and shopping center opposite. They were cheap and cheerful but great location - if there's recent snow you can ski right back to the front door. If not it's a one minute walk from the top of the retour magic carpet.
For gentle skiing, particularly in the morning, I would check which runs have been pisted during the night. A pisted red is often easier than a bumpy blue. It's certainly true on the runs off Boismint - which are often a bit less busy than elsewhere.
As written above La Moraine and the Genepi variant are probably the longest gentlest blue runs. Be warned that it is a long cold chair if the weather is cold or blowy. Consider also heading up to the top of Grand Fond and dropping down into the 4th valley in the morning. It is a red but south facing so the snow usually softens quicker here and if there's sun can get a bit chopped up by the afternoon. Plein sud is also very nice in the morning although it gets bumpy as the day goes on.
If really charging it is possible to get from the bottom of Plein Sud to Courchevel 1800 in one hour assuming no lift queues - that is approx 40 mins on lifts and 20 minutes skiing. So if you leave early, even if you take it in a leisurely style and fit in a Mt Vallon in on the way over you should have plenty of time to get as far as Courchevel 1650 (very nice gentle slopes) and get back again. It is a fair distance though and less strong/fit skiers can get tired towards the end of the day and this can really slow down the return so leave yourself some extra time on the way back. Assess your group carefully and perhaps leave it towards the end of your week when people have their ski legs back.
Also note that the long red down to Mottaret from the top of Val Thorens is quite steep at the top and can be icy. After the first pitch it's fine though. Similarly skiing into Mottaret in both directions can be a bit icy and busy. Coming back into VT I would suggest to avoid the Goitschel black and take the Pluviometre? blue (one of the nicest in VT but not well known!). Goitschel gets heavilly mogulled by the end of the day and isn't much fun.
Brings back good memories of my season in Val Thorens many years ago as an Inghams rep. I fancied the pants off our posh rep in Courchevel 1850 so hammered the run over and back many a time!
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Hi everyone, managed a fantastic deal this leaving tommorow! Staying at the "Les Olympiades", booked with Inghams through lastminute.com @ £159pp!! Would of been £109pp but as its just me and the girlfriend it bumped it up slightly. Lift pass will cost more, and certainly alot more than 11 days in Banff last week!
Couple of questions:
Should i pre book lift pass or is it same price as at resort?
How close to centre is the appartments?
I know is school holidays but just how crazy will it be?
Cheers!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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bobinch, Great info thanks. You are correct about the apts position. I'm chuffed about the position 'cos you never know if you haven't been before.
Now if it's not TOO crowded with Parisiens then it'll be a complete result.
Are there any known bottlenecks to avoid if it is busy?
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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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Although Goitschel can get a bit chopped up, in the morning its a lot of fun, and the bar at the bottom of it seems a bit lively in the afternoons, with a DJ etc. Be careful right at the bottom though, back into VT. People seem to congregate on the bridge over the road, and get right in the way. A boarder friend of mine ran into a group that stopped dead and filled the whole width of it.
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Michael B, the lift system in Val Thorens is one of the most modern and advanced in the alps in my opinion. It moves a lot of people very quickly. I've not been at that time for a long time but usually the only real bottleneck is the Cime de Caron Cablecar (which unfortunately is the best lift for the offpiste  )
waring192, check the local price on www.valthorens.com and convert it with xe.com to compare it against the pre booked price. For 2nd question have a read of the post above. Will leave someone else with recent experience to answer your 3rd.
If you want to eat on the mountain my favourite lunchtime spot is Chalet Les Deux Lacs above the deux lacs chair (French Onion Soup, goats cheese salad and the Pizzas all come highly recommended) but make sure you reserve a table if it's busy.
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You know it makes sense.
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Tete Ronde from the top of the Peclet is a good run down (and gets you to Chalet de la Marine). Worth going into Orelle via the Grand Fond - snow is normally top quality and new Rosael lift gets you back up quickly (but inclined to give the restaurant at the bottom a miss.
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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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does anyone know if it is possible to buy a VT lift pass and then just upgrade it to 3V on a daily basis? Or would you have to pay the full 3V daily rate?
Thanks
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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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bobinch, another vote for Deux Lacs, nice place and the french onion soup was wonderful!!
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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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Thanks for the info all.
Anyone know of any free Wifi bars/places in Val T?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Michael B, The Restaurant/Hotel/Appts Montana advertise Fre wifi. They are pretty central. I haven't stayed there yet (going in March) so don't know the password - sorry.
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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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FAQ
) if you like to eat out on the mountain, you'll make some of the money back by lunching in Les Menuires 
Chalet des Neiges on the Allemandes piste, for example - give it a go, nice food for a lot less than you'll pay in VT...