Poster: A snowHead
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Trying to decide between the two resorts for my second outing on the mountain in March. Don't know much about Serre but it looks impressive (piste map) I like the tree lined runs which I love to cut through. But Chamonix is legendary even though I hear its difficult to navigate. I have searched the forum for more details but would be nice to hear from a boarder who has been to both.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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haven't been to cham (yet) but have to say i loved serre chevalier. really easy to navigate and spot lines between runs from the lifts. great tree riding too, lots of good natural terrain, gullies and the like which all seemed to be quite negotiable. aiming to remedy the chamonix issue in the next couple of seasons.
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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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They're two very different resorts.
Serre Chevalier is really good, great sustained gradient with minimal flat bits! Tree runs are awesome, some of the best anywhere, and there's good freeriding too. Downsides are a few drag lifts and it's more southerly location - can mean awesome powder due to storms coming off the med, but can mean poor snow in a bad season.
Chamonix is unique, there's nowhere else quite like it. It's really half-a-dozen small resorts rather than one big one, meaning that if you generally ride groomed pistes, it feels pretty disjointed. Getting around is a pain - there aren't really any lifts from town (even the Brevent lift is a bit of a hike up a big steep hill) so you have to get buses everywhere which can often turn an early 8 o'clock out of bed into a late 10:30 first lift. It's often very, very busy and the "in-bounds" powder will be annhialated in minutes after the lifts open. On the other hand, for adventurous off-piste/backcountry riding, it's the best place in the world - but you will almost certainly need a guide unless you're very experienced.
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stevomcd has it right.
You've got to do Chamonix at some point. But you could probably miss SC without missing too much. Chamonix is like Venice, whereas SC is like Budapest.
The thing is, maybe you should go to SC first just so you enjoy Chamonix better when you do go. Then again, go to Chamonix twice.
SC is a fine area, with three or four resorts strung out along a valley, but it lacks the magic of Trois Vallees or Espace Killy.
I suggest you go to Chamonix in January, SC in February, and then Chamonix in March.
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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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I like the idea of natural terrain with trees etc coupled with ease of navigation. Dont like the possiblilty of bad snow, but that could happen anywhere right?
Can I add another spanner in the mix then; how about Les Deux Alps vrs Val Thorens?
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Gainz, You should probably start a new thread then.
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Gainz, do a last minut ebooking - if you can get a bit of flexibility with your work/partner/crew it works out really well. it's what we do - usually s/c for around €300 so it's cheap and best of all you get to watch the forecasts and pick a week it's going to dump
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Gainz wrote: |
I like the idea of natural terrain with trees etc coupled with ease of navigation. Dont like the possiblilty of bad snow, but that could happen anywhere right? |
There are several tree lined pistes coming down into the bottom of the various Chamonix and Argentiere areas, which you have probably spotted on the piste map, however in the several weeks I skied there they were rarely in good condition, which is a shame because they are of a nice pitch amongst very attractive scenery.
It is ten years since I was last there so they may well have snow making equipment now to improve things.
Despite its altitude Chamonix conditions do seem to vary a bit. I was there one new year's eve celebrating and when we went to bed it was snowing. Up we got with great expectations on new year's day when I noticed that there was no snow on the trees. It had rained overnight.
I was told that that can happen quite often in Chamonix because it is big open west facing valley and gets a lot of warm air.
Chamonix regulars might have a different viewpoint. It is a wonderful place in the right conditions though.
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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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Chamonix is like Marmite you either love it or loathe it - I fit into the latter category - some of my mates love it - they go a fair bit (without me) - that said where are they all coming to in March?
You say your second outing, is that second ever or second in the season?
If you're an intermediate / advanced boarder then Serre is 40mins away from La Grave - and that is where many people tired of Chamonix prefer and choose to ride / live.
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Weathercam wrote: |
where are they all coming to in March? |
where?
Weathercam wrote: |
If you're an intermediate / advanced boarder then Serre is 40mins away from La Grave. |
interesting, really interesting. I think SC is edging it now, fingers crossed for serious dumps over March, (snow dumps that is!)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Quote: |
Despite its altitude Chamonix conditions do seem to vary a bit
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the fact that it fairly often rains in Chamonix is because of its altitude, rather than despite it. It's pretty low. the town, that is - the top of the Grand Montets, or the Aiguille du Midi, on the other hand, are very high. It's a resort of contrasts.
I'm struggling to think what the "magic" of the Three Valleys is - apart from huge numbers of joined up pistes. Convenient, but hardly magic. I'm not a fan of skiing in Chamonix because I ski almost entirely on piste and because the few times I've skied there it's been far more crowded than I'm used to. But it does have "magic" and I go for things other than skiing, and often not in winter.
Never been to Serre Che, but it sounds a lot more sympa than the 3 valleys.
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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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pam w, a lot of this is pretty much arguing about what flavours of ice cream are better than others.
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pam w wrote: |
Quote: |
Despite its altitude Chamonix conditions do seem to vary a bit
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the fact that it fairly often rains in Chamonix is because of its altitude, rather than despite it. It's pretty low. the town, that is - the top of the Grand Montets, or the Aiguille du Midi, on the other hand, are very high. It's a resort of contrasts. |
I take your point about the altitude of the town, however on the occasion I mentioned earlier it had rained right up to the top of the tree line, which was clear to observe because obviously there was no snow on the trees.
I think the tree line in the Alps is typically around 7,000 feet.
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You know it makes sense.
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Quote: |
the tree line in the Alps is typically around 7,000 feet
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A bit lower than that, I think. But it's not at all unusual to have rain at 1700m - or higher - it's forecast to rain to over 3000m in much of the Alps next week. I'd be surprised if Chamonix is any more rainy, at a given altitude, than other neighbouring resorts.
crosbie, yes of course you're right. I just did a double-take at the description of the 3 V as "Magic" as I'd not heard that word used about the area before. It's a word more often used about little pretty Austrian villages with traditional buildings and cows in the byres.
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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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You can have a great time in Chamonix at pretty much any level, despite the reputation, but if I was planning on going to both, I'd go to Serre Chevalier first.
The only downside to SC for boarders is that there are a lot of draglifts and they are fast, steep, round corners etc. It's been a few years since I was there so this may have improved. However I really liked it, and we were there in a bad snow year - it didn't snow once when we were there and we still had a great time. You can do a day trip to Sestriere in Italy which I highly recommend
If it's your second ever outing on a board I would not recommend La Grave at all, it's a wonderful place but it's not called "The Serious" for nothing, and especially on a board as you can end up stuck in a very nasty situation very easily.
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Poster: A snowHead
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firebug, no that would be my 2nd trip this season in March. I have been boarding for 4 years (around 5 weeks) but you are probably right. It looks experts only. I do get carried away sometimes... that's how I end up in trees awaiting a rescue!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Loving this thread as been to Serre Che last 2 years and off to Cham for 1st time in a months time. My 10 pence worth= Serre Che for boarding is brilliant. I can ski a little and had free skis thrown in with package but never used them as the boarding was TOO GOOD!
firebug, Only remember 1 drag lift at altitude!?
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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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firebug, many less draglifts than there used to be. Several of the steeper ones have been replaced.
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solstice21, there's that bug of a one at high altitude (maybe something like Euycachia?) and there was one which was hard enough to avoid making your way from the Frejus sort of area to the bit above chantemerle. Not too much of a bother though and like you say great boarding area.
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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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rogg, Eychauda? Yes, that is still there, as is Cretes from Frejus, but they will be replaced soon I think.
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Been looking at the 2010/11 SC piste map, and it does look like there are still a good dozen or more high drag lifts...
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Richard_Sideways, most can be avoided though (apart from Mea, Clot, and Eychauda), some are often closed (eychauda), and some are on nursery areas with drags above all the main villages. Hubby doesn't find drag lifts very good for his neck, and we've learnt to avoid them.
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Hells Bells, i've been avoiding drags for about 10 years. Could never fathom the Euro resorts fondness for drags - almost never find them in North America. Like the look of SC though - my kind of riding (liking the tree lines).
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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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That's good - it sounds like a similar situation to Les Houches, where they have put in a chair, but left the drag to augment it. I'd like to go back, we had a great day in the Milky Way too, - rode from Sestriere to Sauze d'Oulx and back - great tree runs!
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Hells Bells, that would be the one - keeps that area good and quiet though
Richard_Sideways, i've only been boarding for 5 years (skied since i was a nipper though) and reckon Serre Che is the nuts. real nice variety of terrain and the trees are ace.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Richard_Sideways, You can ride most of the terrain and easily avoid drag lifts if you plan it with the map.
I liked the area but probably not that much to come back there any time soon. I agree with "great sustained gradient with minimal flat bits" although I remember a fair bit of cat tracks.
The best was the mountain on the far right end of the piste map. Overall nice riding but the whole resort did not feel "modern" at all for me. (I was blown away by the appearance, atmosphere and apres of Saalbach which I went to a few weeks after Serre. Similar terrain, maybe less varied than Serre but the rest was much better in Saalbach).
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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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These are two very different places and I am curious as to why you are caught in this dilemma . Chamonix, I guess, is actually wasted on most skiers though there is some reasonable piste skiing on the Flegere side and over at Le Tour. As for the rest of it, you have to be 'merde chaude' to get the best out of it as it is all high mountain, 'sauvage' skiing. I guess it looks good on the CV and one could boast they have done the cruise of the Valllee Blanche. You really need a guide and be absolutely honest about your abilities. There is some really hard stuff and then there's the seriously hazardous-go easy. This is high mountain skiing at its best based above a town that hosted Anselme Baude, Patrick Vallencant, et al.
Returning to earth, Serre Che is a fine mountain with excellent piste skiing accompanied by some decent off piste opportunities (I think the under 35's call it 'freeriding' these days, as though it were something recent). Anyhow, get Gavin out at Eureka and he'll give you a few Chamonix moments if you really want them. If you go to Cham, just make sure you don't make an ar*e of yourself on the Pas De Chevre............
Enjoy.....
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I ended up in SC a few years back when we were in La Grave. Not enough snow in la grave so our guide (who was from SC) took us to check it out. There was still some good snow and deep turns had by all. The places that we were taken would be somewhere I would feel very comfortable doing without a guide. However the best stuff that I did in Cham I would never attempt without a guide.
If I was looking for a week with some mates of differing ability SC would be fine. However, if ridingis what you want spend the same money on 3 days in Cham with a guide.
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You know it makes sense.
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So I just returned from from Chamonix and can say what an awesome week I had. The snow was incredible from the first day. 1.5 metres fresh pow followed by 3 days of sun, then another dump of snow for my last two days. At one stage we were swimming in it! I have never seen anything like it.
Chamonix as a town is gorgeous, its a proper alpine town. Really felt like I was somewhere special. Good nightlife too but the stickler for me were the bus rides to the various resorts. The worst being La Tour. Coming back to base at the end of the day from Le Tour was awful. The bus was rammed and by the time I got back my body had seized up. I would only go back for the vallee blanche as it wasn't opened yet, other than I probably wouldn't go back. Still had a cracking week and would recommend.
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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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Don't go back, the less there the better for me!
Seriously, if you base yourself further up the valley (Argentiere, for example) you've good access to Le Tour, GM and Flegere (and Brevent if the link is open) without more than 15mins on a bus. If you go to Chamonix you don't really go for a banging nightlife (which is about) more to pretty seriously board so you won't miss it. Plus I've found the beers to be cheaper in Argentiere anyhow!
Glad you had a good time sounds pretty epic!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've never been to Chamonix, but went to SC about 3 years ago. I'm a border, and out of the 10+ resorts (I know it’s not that many) I've been to in Europe, the boarding is the best I've had. Pistes are excellent for a 5 week boarder (if you were a good 10-15 week boarder then there may not be enough blacks), and the lift served off-piste is good and doesn't seem to get tracked out in the first few hours. I don't remember having to use many drag lifts
Take a look at 'world snowboard guide'. Serre Chevalier is one of the only resorts to be given 10/10. and the tree skiing is great
I got a great deal on half board (resort is quite expensive for beer/food) and will go back sometime. The only thing I would add is that the 'village' I stayed in (Villeneuve) was not a place for major partying, and I don't thing the other villages would have been any better (although Briançon is a major town).
Just checked and Chamonix gets 10/10 on world snowboard guide too!!!
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