 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
New here so not sure how it works but here goes:
I must organise my first ever skiing trip (I more of a follower than a leader) so I would like some advise.
Will be group of 4 (2 couples) – 1 complete beginner, a second weeker and 2 reasonable intermediates.
Most of the group seem to prefer hotel accommodation and as long as there are a few nice pubs the après ski is sorted.
Courcheval seems to be the front-runner on the short list of possible resorts and we were thinking of going middle Jan 06. First question- likely snow conditions??
Since none of us would like to remorgage 1850 is a dream unless anybody could recommend a reasonable hotel.
One of the group has been to La Tania before (a few years ago). He is worried though that the 2 weeker wont be able to ski down to La Tania but he can vaguely recall that there are rumours about a green run on the drawing board. Is this true or are there other ways of returning to La Tania.
Is 1650 the sensible option?? Any comments ,advice and recommendations re 1650 or Courcheval in general will be much appreciated.
Nice to meet you all!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Louis, I stayed in La Tania last year in mid jan - first 2 days I had to ski around a 30ft patch of grass and ice on the way over the mountain to Courcheval, stones coming through and general nastiness - but that was only 1 part of the mountain, conditions were good once you got down. Started snowing the 3rd day and didnt stop - great conditions then on!
The blue back to La Tania ( folyeres?) is pretty challenging for a 2nd weeker - but they could always get the bubble back, loads of people do.
1650 has the nicest runs for intermediates in 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?
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Louis, welcome to snowHeads 
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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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I've stayed in 1850 with Ski World on several occasions. They have a couple of budget hotels in the centre of the resort (the Catina and Auberge Ensoleillee), which are £530-£550 for half-board in mid-Jan. They are both basic hotels, and the Catina in particular needs to have some money spent on it to improve the standard of decoration, but they are ideally located and both have lively bars for easy apres-ski. The catering in both is fairly basic, but you won't starve. All rooms have en-suite facilities.
Courchevel has a very good reputation for managing its snow, so it should be at least OK in mid-January if not better. If skied there many times at Christmas and never had a problem.
1650 will also be a good choice for your group as it has lots of easy terrain for novies. There are two excellent ski schools for you to choose from http://www.supremeski.co.uk/ based in 1850 and http://www.skinewgen.com/ based in 1650 and 1850.
Welcome to snowHeads!
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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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Louis, Hi and also welcome to Snowheads. There are four Courchevels 1300 (Le Praz), 1550,1650, and 1850.
I agree that 1650 has possibly the easiest ski-ing, but personally I prefer 1850 as a place to stay. I would particularly recommend the Hotel Courcheneige, having stayed there at least 5 times. It's a little outside 1850 but right on the green Bellecote piste. Close to the hotel is an area called Pralong, which has to be one of the widest beginners slopes I have ever seen, which I believe has been upgraded from drag lift to chair-lift.
Back to the hotel, It is a family run with very comfortable public lounge areas. The bar is the centre of activity with a large open fire, and prices that won't burn a hole in your wallet. The restaurant serves excellent food although mostly the menu choices are quite limited. If you travel by car there is an underground car park beneath the piste. The hotel also has its own ski-hire shop in the hotel itself.
Courchevel 1850 has a reputation as a bit of playground for well heeled Parisians, but although the Courcheneige is not cheap it is in my view very good value for money.
As I said there are good beginner areas in 1850 and there are excellent English speaking ski-schools. It is relatively easy to get across to 1650 and back even for a 2nd year skier. However there is quite a steep POMA on the final lift back to 1850 unless that also has been upgraded as well.
So there you have it 1850 to stay and 1850 and 1650 for the ski-ing. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| DAVID SNELL wrote: |
Louis, Hi and also welcome to Snowheads. I would particularly recommend the Hotel Courcheneige ...
It is relatively easy to get across to 1650 and back even for a 2nd year skier. However there is quite a steep POMA on the final lift back to 1850 unless that also has been upgraded as well.
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I agree the Courchneige is a nice place to stay, but it's a long way from the centre of 1850 so you need your own car or take one of the hotel or resort buses to get to and from entertainment in the resort. It's also at least a couple of hundred quid more expensive than the budget places I mentioned above.
The steep drag linking 1650 back to 1850 has been replaced, fortunately! It was very intimidating looking up the drag line from the bottom 
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Louis, I would 2nd 1650, we stayed there with a large mixed group last year and had a ball. We stayed with www.skiolympic.co.uk in a large catered chalet (slept 24). They have 2 large chalets Mors and Monique i(2 n 1650 with the latter being the more luxurious. It was about 250 mtrs to the lifts, 100 mtrs ski back, and 40 mtrs ski bus stop. Some of the people that came with us previously travelled with www.finlayski.com in 1550 who were similarly excellent. If you have not tried a good chalet company then give it a go. Both companies offer sli hosting which is a great way to find your way round resort. You will love Courchevel 1650 as others have said. It is a quite little corner of thhe 3 valleys well away from the scrum of 1850
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If you want a reasonably priced hotel in 1850, try La Potiniere http://www.la-potiniere-courchevel.com. It's within 2 minutes of main gondola lifts, so extremely convenient. Good food, reasonable facilities, and I suspect it's significantly cheaper than the Courcheneige, since it is only 2 Star, versus either 3 or 4 for Courcheneige
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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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Rather than a hotel I'd go with a chalet in 1650 to avoid the ludicrous mountain restaurant lunch prices - we went to the 3V this year for the first time in 5 or 6 yrs and the prices seem to have shot up. 1650 has the best long easy blues in the 3V, 1850 is fantastic for flat greens and good reds/blacks but for your group I think 1650 is better, and at that time of year you may find the higher stuff at 1850 very cold or occasionally closed due to dodgy weather.
If you want to explore the rest of the 3V La Tania is much better, but the beginners may have to get the gondola down at the end of the day.
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Louis, We took the kids to 1850 last year during Easter, stayed at the St Louis which is a thomson/crystal club hotel. don't know what the prices are like in jan but didn't think it was too bad for Easter. we put the kids into supremeski ski school and thought they were great.
As for lunches, the St louis does packed lunches for you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Beginners and early inters better off in 1650 or 1850. I would recommend the Auberge Ensoleilee in 1850 but contrary to whatrob@rar.org.uk says the rooms are not all ensuite.
Most important of all avoid the front balcony rooms facing on to the road, unless you like being woken every morning at 3am by snowploughs and dustbin lorries making a racket. As you are looking at January you won't use the balcony, and the views out the back of the hotel are much better anyway.
Apart from the noise I thought it was pretty good and our friends who paid less for the "inferior" room at the back slept like logs!
You can never tell nowadays if January in the Alps will be okay but Courchevel is one of the safer bets, and if you go for 1850 you will be able to ski back to base even in a bad year.
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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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Louis, Don't go there!! OK I'm biased - I admit it but why pay OTT for the 3V? Look for other alternatives for your mixed group that are less expensive and offer more choice. Our region has 3 big resorts and several smaller ones - all reasonable prices compared to 3V, and no Russian Mafia bullets to dodge! 
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easiski, It can be done on a budget if you are careful, and you have to admit the skiing is great.
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