 Poster: A snowHead
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Any ideas for a resort which would meet most or all of the following as we are going with a group with very differing needs  :
- Snow sure as it will be New Year
- Close to Geneva, flights already booked, absolute max transfer 3 hrs, ideally closer to 2
- Ski in/out convenience, or very minimal walking!
- Good for mixed ability group: nervous complete beginner 11 year old so very good ski school needed, 2 beginner snowboarder kids, 2 second week adults, 2 intermediate kids, 2 intermediate women, 2 expert men and 1 baby with non skiing parent!
- Good for off slopes activities i.e. pedestrians allowed up the lifts, possibly public pool, ice rink perhaps
- Ideally reasonable 3 * ish hotel with pool and decent restaurant
- Possibility of some childcare for the baby
Don't mind france or switzerland.
Smaller resorts might work out better so that the kids can be allowed a bit of freedom in the evening, or resorts where everything is centred around a main place or square.
One of our group has suggested Avoriaz and I'm not so sure....
Thanks, any suggestions much appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sarah, Well the Tarentaise resorts, Val d'Isere and the like, are out as they are a minimum 4 hour transfer. I wouldn't recommend Avoriaz or any purpose built resort frankly . These are all pretty soul-less places for the non skier in particular which you have indicated that you need to cater for. So I would think or a traditional village which existed before ski-ing arrived. This leads me to think that Switzerland and in particular the canton of Valais and the Rhone Valley would be worth considering. The closest to Geneva is Verbier, but this is not reckoned to be great for absolute beginners, but on the plus side there is plenty of good accommodation both in chalets and hotels, plenty of English speaking ski schools, and it is a haven for both ntermediates and experts - a tad expensive but good quality and reasonably snow sure at Xmas, but not guaranteed.
Further up Valais and the Rhone Valley you have Saas Fee and Zermatt at roun. Haven't skied either but have visited both in the summer. Both places are traditional Swiss alpine chocolate box villages with plenty for every one, both skier and non skier, and also both have high level or glacier skiing ensuring ski-ing even in the poorest of Xmas seasons.
If you didn't know it, the great thing about Switzerland is there is not a town or village in the country that isn't served by a combination of rail and post bus, so travelling independantly is a "piece of cake".
Suggest you check the tourist office web sites for mor details.
So there are 3 resorts to think about. I am sure you will receive lots more advice in due course.
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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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sarah, Megève meets most of your criteria. Ski in/out depends of course!
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Thanks a lot!
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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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Sarah, we had the same dilemma as you except for Christmas - two very nervous adults, 5 keen adults, 5 kids of varying ages and abilities and two non-skiing grandparents, we did loads of research and decided on Courcheval 1850 and Val D'isere as (especially Courch) they are relatively snowsure and have things to do in resort including good access up the mountain and on the buses. We also decided on Mark Warner - bit more expensive, but great for kids with childcare and with varying abilities of ski hosting and other people around in case we get on each other's nerves(!). Courch was amazingly already booked for the accommodation we needed, so have gone for Val. Don't be put off by the long transfer, it goes very quickly and really worth it to get to a high resort, what's an extra hour in the coach for a good week's skiing. You will be spending a lot of money plus precious holiday time, and to have limited snow would be a disaster. Another resort worth thinking about is La Rosiere, closer to the airport and family orientated - this was number 3 on our list but I was outnumbered. David will no doubt give you better info on this, he has a chalet in the resort and was very helpful with my enquiries about this resort! Good luck.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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laundryman, would Megeve be "snow-sure" at NY?
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Manda, I would have thought that Megeve with a resort height of around 1000 metres might be problematic in some years - nice resort though and somewhat "chic", I believe.
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Manda, this year was the easily the worst NY I've had there (3 out of the last 8 or so). Here is my report. If you don't want to follow the link, the overall conclusion is not great, but by no means disastrous. I can't speak for other years, but I have been before Christmas on at least 3 other occasions. There's always been some decent skiing then (sometimes just Côte 2000, which is not suitable for outright beginners), but we've also been driven to other resorts for extra variety at times.
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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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sarah, For snow sure you'l have to go high ! Have you thought of Zermatt - you can get all the way by train. Lot's of varied terrain, and lot's to do in the resort.....
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Have a look at Adelboden.
Although not ski in ski out and they dont bother opening too much before Xmas holidays.
You wont get too far in 2hrs on Swiss trains. Lovely and clean and efficient, but not particularly fast.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks very much everyone!
sallyanne, Courch 1850 would have been my first choice too but same as you struggling to get accomm there!
laundryman, would love to try Megeve but perhaps later into the season
ski, Zermatt is our 'usual' resort!! It's my favourite resort ever, But I couldn't take beginners there...all that trekking would finish them off before they even got going IMO!!
T-Dub, Adelboden looks interesting but again is it snow sure enough?
Thanks all very much...
Now looking at Les Deux Alpes (although there was a 'bad' thread about it recently), Alpe d'Huez and especially Les Diablerets
???????
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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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I know a resort that would match eveything you listed except the t/fer time.... It would take 3hrs 30mins but in my mind it would be worth it for all that you require....... Murren...Switzerland
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Why Murren ??
Snow sure as it will be New Year ....YES
- Close to Geneva, flights already booked, absolute max transfer 3 hrs, ideally closer to 2 ....NO ish
- Ski in/out convenience, or very minimal walking ....YES
- Good for mixed ability group: nervous complete beginner 11 year old so very good ski school needed, 2 beginner snowboarder kids, 2 second week adults, 2 intermediate kids, 2 intermediate women, 2 expert men and 1 baby with non skiing parent!...YES
- Good for off slopes activities i.e. pedestrians allowed up the lifts, possibly public pool, ice rink perhaps...YES
- Ideally reasonable 3 * ish hotel with pool and decent restaurant ...YES
- Possibility of some childcare for the baby ...YES
What to find out more visit -
http://www.wengen-muerren.ch
or
http://www.jungfrauwinter.ch/pages/english/JWR/index.php
or
visit the Jungfrau thread and ask ..
ps...click below on the 'my photo gallery' of pictures of Murren
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You know it makes sense.
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Alpe d'Huez is a good bet for snow - whilst overall it is a purpose built resort, the main body and Vieux Alpe are really quite pretty and have heaps of other activities for both kids and non-skiers. Have a look at this link either www.alpedhuez.com or www.mountain-logistics.net for more info on the resort. PS There are free shuttle buses opperating throughout the resort and several lifts again in resort and up the mountain for pedestrians. PLus a great sunshine record!!
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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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sarah, have you looked at La Rosiere 1850? Very snow sure, a 3 hr transfer from Geneva, 21/2 hrs on a good day. Alos fits your criteria ski wise. We can't help you as we're fully booked and there aren't many hotels but there are some superb new appartment complexes with swimming pools/saunas etc. The La Rosiere website lists all the accomodation available.
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Poster: A snowHead
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sarah,
David@traxvax looks a good bet or Courmayer but the latter is not ski in/out. Belleplange seems to fit most criteria
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David, how does La Rosiere fit the criteria off slope activities - "Good for off slopes activities i.e. pedestrians allowed up the lifts, possibly public pool, ice rink perhaps" ?
There's no public pool, or a hotel with pool open to the public, no ice rink, or anything else we could find as an off slope activity, and although the non-skiers can go up the new chair lift there's nothing there when they get there other than pistes and skiers. Lesson timing isn't too good in high season either with the children's English speaking beginner lessons at 9.15am to 11.15am, the experts need to go to Italy, but other than that I agree, it's ideal for a mixed group, provided that the local weather conditions are OK.
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