 Poster: A snowHead
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Where is the best place to go for some great value accomodation and deserted pistes the week before Christmas? Went to Chamonix last year but only the lower area of Grands Montets was open and everyone else was on it! The lift pass wasnt cheap and we had to pay another 35 euros to go to Courmayeur for the day (this is normaly covered by the lift pass but only after 19 December, the day we left). Came away thinking this pre Christmas week malarky is a complete waste of time!! There must be somewhere???
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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St Anton? Not sure on the cheap accommodation though. Or you could base yourself in Innsbruck, enjoy the christmas market, then cherry pick the local resorts for the best snow conditions, with the Stubai glacier as a back up in case of dodgy snow?
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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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Book as late as you can and follow the snow
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Defender, Why not consider Val Thorens?
Check out their Livecam film for past years conditions. Plenty of accomodation options as well.
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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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Defender, friends had a lovely week in val d'isere last year. lots of snow throughout espace killy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Resorts such as Hintertux, Tignes, Les Deux Alps have glaciers so you're guaranteed that something will be skiable. Then it's just down to luck as to how much skiable terrain there is. Val Thorens as BMF_Skier suggests is the highest in Europe and it opens way back in November so should be a safe bet for the week before Christmas.
The downside of a higher resort though is that it's more vulnerable to bad weather.
I'd tend to agree with kitenski. There's so much spare capacity during that week: book the time off, leave it late and go where the snow is.
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Defender, Flaine opens a week before the rest of the GM and does some fantastic deals -the snow is normally pretty good and certainly not crowded. Avoriaz/Morzine too had some deals and for once due to poor viz had better conditions but that's a reversal of the norm and they get pretty busy over the weekends. On balance I'd say Flaine. The week 11-18 will probably be 15€ a day and easy enough to check either by email contact@grand-massif.com or by telephone +33 (0)4 50 90 40 00 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
I've just remebered that the Faline ski/tourist office take some diect bookings and I recall speaking to some Dutch guys who paid peanuts for theri accomodation, food etc and incl ski pass and remember thinking it ws cheaper than living at home, so maybe worth a call +33 450 90 80 01
PM if you need more detailed info. 
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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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Our money is on Tignes this year, same as it was last year. It was brilliant - very very cold at times, but loads of snow, only downside is the cost of the lift pass, over £200.
There will always be something to ski in Tignes, they've got runs open through the summer on the glacier, but they seem to get good conditions early so almost all of the resort will be open. Combine that with it being a quiet week and you get very little queueing and quiet runs - we had foot deep powder all to ourselves on top of the Grande Motte last year.
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book as late as you can and follow the snow. Like the man said.  Pre-Christmas is certainly not necessarily a waste of time, but you definitely don't want to commit yourself early on to a relatively low resort. But if weather is a bit cold, windy and snowy, there are more comfortable places than Tignes.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, Good point
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| book as late as you can and follow the snow |
flights for that week are usually wide open unles of course you're driving in which case you are not necessarily tied to one resort!!! Potentially it's possible which good snow to do Avoriaz/Morzine/Les Gets plus Flaine/Chamonix resorts if your based conveniently. I've done that a few times based in Samoens and we join in with the loclas for the pre-season party week which is always fun.
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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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Defender,
Skied Lake Louise and Banff in November. Plentiful cold snow, but expensive.
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| Defender wrote: |
| Where is the best place to go for some great value accomodation and deserted pistes the week before Christmas? Went to Chamonix last year but only the lower area of Grands Montets was open and everyone else was on it! The lift pass wasnt cheap and we had to pay another 35 euros to go to Courmayeur for the day (this is normaly covered by the lift pass but only after 19 December, the day we left). Came away thinking this pre Christmas week malarky is a complete waste of time!! There must be somewhere??? |
http://livecam.lesmenuires.com/index.php?langue=2
Try this link and change the historical setting for a day you fancy last December, looks pretty good?? Christmas day looks a bit ropey.
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You know it makes sense.
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i know where I'll be
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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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Past two pre christmas trips have been to Ischgl and Serfaus. 4 days trips around about the 15th.Good snow, almost all mountain open (caught Kappl on its 1st day of the season - no-one there and fresh powder on the pistes), good prices (30 euro b & b) and good apres...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry, for Ischgl, I should have said possibly the best apres there is..
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Defender, I'd agree with harvey13, about Ischgl which tends to have good snow cover early, much of the mountain is above 2000m. You would need to be careful on accommodation, there are some excellent cheap B and Bs, but accommodation in the centre includes some pretty pricey places. Apres is excellent... 
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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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flangesax, me too!
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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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Jivebaby, I too am a Flaine lover but be aware that during that first week only a few lifts and runs are open.
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