 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey!
I am mike,20 year old university student from Greece (!) looking for my first ski trip abroad! Unfortunately none of my friends have passion for winter sports.
I have been skiing for 5 years,mostly blues and maybe some reds.After some research i think tignes would be the ideal resort for my level,but i am really flexible
I am really on budget so UCPA seems the reasonable choice
Dates: 18 dec-10 jan,15 feb-end of season.I am interested for a week between these dates,xmas week(19-26) would be ideal!
I am also interested joining any group of people around my age
In case i cant find anyone interested to join me,do you think going solo in ucpa (tignes) to be a good idea?My french are really in basic level...Do you think i will have a problem socializing with other people due to language barrier?Do you find lots of brits in this ucpa center during christmas week?Also do you know if there are any english speaking ski instructors ? I am asking because i can see a major price difference between ucpa site and action outdoors (around 100 euros),so i am afraid that english speaking instructors will be available to people who have booked with action outdoors.I 've sent an email to ucpa tignes but no answer 
Sorry for the long post!
Thanks in advance!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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poromenos, hi and welcome to  !
ucpa is a very good idea - it's aimed at someone like you as they have all nationalities who stay there (not just brits & french people) and get instruction from them.
i've been told that most of the instructors speak english. and being tignes, it'll be full of english speakers anyway, as it's a popular resort with brits, scandinavians and dutch people.
if you're travelling from greece, i'd book directly with them.
(alternatively, consider some of the other companies that have posted up in the solos/groups threads about doing group trips too. they may have something suitable too, if you're travelling from the uk.)
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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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| poromenos wrote: |
In case i cant find anyone interested to join me,do you think going solo in ucpa (tignes) to be a good idea? |
Yes  I did that last season (but not at Christmas), and I booked through UCPA rather than action outdoors. The two are not quite comparable as from memory the action outdoors price includes arriving the night before which is an optional extra on the UCPA site.
The centre allocated me a room with English speakers (I didn't ask them to) who were friendly, but I ended up skiing with a french speaking group. My french is bad (I still tried), but the instructor made an effort and I had a good time. I did the guided off-piste.
Have fun!
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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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poromenos, I'm sure the Action Outdoors website says they charge exactly the same as UCPA so like .RO says must be the slightly different ittinery (spelling?) and maybe exchange rate. I had a very quick look and the UCPA site seems to be quoting a similar figure to the trip I've booked in Jan but my French is also poor so I struggled with their site.
I found the folks at Action Outdoors really friendly and helpful, they phoned me back 20 minutes after I sent them an email, so I'm sure they'd be happy to answer any of your questions (rather than having emails ignored by UCPA in tignes).
I'm seriously considering booking a second and maybe even third trip with them. Their inclusive packages are amazing value.
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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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Thanks everyone for the replies!
I am afraid that action outdoors are slightly more expensive than booking with ucpa directly,probably because they have to make a profit!
If i book ucpa directly for a week stay in tignes via ucpa site costs around 550 euros->464 uk pounds
Same package with action outdoors is 531 uk pounds(628 euros).Dont get me wrong,they may be an excellent company especially for all people from uk (with bus combined etc)
They do have a differnt itinerary but nothing really serious(they do sat-sat in contrast to ucpa sun-sun)
Anyway i am almost ready to book the package with ucpa,do you have any other practical advice??
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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poromenos, you get an extra night (the Saturday) through action-outdoors. Booking through UCPA runs Sunday-Friday but you can pay extra for the Saturday night.
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Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 26-11-10 15:46; edited 1 time in total
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Dorset Andy,
I have booked a week with UCPA in Flaine for the 5th March. Male in his 40s, going solo - if you are looking to book another trip with them, could be an option. I'm average intermediate.
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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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damobloke1, I may be out in Flaine that week. What course, if any, are you doing?
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damobloke1, That's interesting, 5th March was top of my list and I was seriously considering Flaine as its easiest for me to fly to Geneva. I'll just have to check and see if they have any off-piste packages available. Also I'm waiting to find out how much the Snowheads off-piste bash is on 12th March.
Also (not a total hijack of poromenos's thread) I had another go at UCPA's site as I was worried I'd been overcharged and I'm paying an extra £27 with Action Outdoors which for the extra night seems very good value to me. And like I said before, I found them very friendly and helpful so I'd pay the extra just for that on its own. Might be worth checking other packages though as poromenos has obviously found a problem with Tignes.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You can also save an extra tenner with action-outdoors if you use the discount code STSL2010 - (disclaimer: I get a tenner off a holiday too should I book with AO if you use that code)
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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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Sideshow_Bob, Dorset Andy,
Think we may have already hi-jacked the original thread but some of this is still relevant to UCPA. I found AO very easy to use. They were also reassuring about the flexibility on the upper age limit - and several Snowheads seem to have been with them well into their 40s.
I found there was no real difference to prices between AO and booking direct with UCPA when you consider the extra night. Much might come down to the exchange rate though. The extra night is a bonus, certainly, to get a day's skiing on the Sunday.
Having said all that, not yet been with UCPA before and am basically going off every one else's recommendation.
I am booked on the full time on-piste instruction. Only about £20 more than the part-time course. Not sure I'm ready for off-piste yet at the risk of being humiliated in front of all the proper skiers ! I have had 7 weeks ski time so should perhaps be pushing myself on a bit ? !
Flights to Geneva from Bristol - up to 4 a day with Easyjet - and the shortish transfer to Flaine, also appealed. I'm booked on the AO coach transfer, arrive Geneva at about 10 am on the Sat so if you are around, might have a few hrs to kill either in the bar or on the slopes !
Went for Les Lindars accommodation, too
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I don't know if you are interested or not Mike but a friend and I are wanting to go away at the end of season, all depends on money so not sure if it's a definate for sure but check out my thread: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=70198 We're both 21 too 
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