 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking for some advice on both country and actual resort here if anybody can help. Am planning a ski trip with my sister (20), mum (50s) and stepdad (40s). I am 23 and will ski anything, really looking to try and improve my off-piste skills this season. My sister and step-dad are roughly the same level, comfortable on all reds and the occasional black, but nothing too steep and deep (although they do enjoy messing around in a bit of piste-side powder!) My mum's technica skills are slightly lower, more blues and reds than anything else.
We're thinking of doing a drive to resort holiday in mid-january, and have narrowed it down to either France or Italy. Self-catering would be a preferred option, with a good selection of restaurants in the area. A variety of slopes is pretty important, to try and cater for everyone's skill levels, and some decent english speaking instructors would be good. Other than that, we're fairly open as to location.
Does anyon have any advice/suggestions? All would be 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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Grand massif is good and pretty near, with decent accomodation. Personally I would not go past Switzerland or Austria to get to Italy. Not that Italy is bad- its my favourite country, but the additional drivng is probably not worth it. Courmayeur is probably too small for a week, and little SC to my knowledge.
Recommend Samoen. Neige et roc has decent SC accomodation with access to pool.
If you arm could be twisted to go to Austria, with SC in mind I would immediately go back to Obertauern and the Glocknerin. Great hotel with superb pool and spa facilities and not particularly dear. Ski ing more limited than GM, but decent amount across the range.
My only strong recommendation is to make the journey part of the holiday and stay over on the way down and back, stop at a decent hotel and have a good meal. Taking the Friday off before would enable a really great start, overnight 2/3 of the way through France, up early Saturday to finish the job off.
Enjoy whatever!
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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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| twoodwar wrote: |
Grand massif is good and pretty near, with decent accomodation...
My only strong recommendation is to make the journey part of the holiday and stay over on the way down and back, stop at a decent hotel and have a good meal. Taking the Friday off before would enable a really great start, overnight 2/3 of the way through France, up early Saturday to finish the job off.
Enjoy whatever! |
That is exactly the way we do it but base ourselves at Les Carroz, return Fri at about 3.00 and stay over on the way back.
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gregor the viking, Although not common you can get ropey conditions mid january. Finding self caterd accommodation should not be a problem anywhere and there is very little advantage to booking early in low season if self driving.
I would wait and see closer to the time where the snow is good. Serre chevalier meets your criteria if you want a suggestion and offers good value. A bit futher to drove to than some of the more northerly resorts though.
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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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| Quote: |
Although not common you can get ropey conditions mid january. Finding self caterd accommodation should not be a problem anywhere and there is very little advantage to booking early in low season if self driving.
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+1
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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twoodwar, I ski in Flaine most years but I wouldn't have thought it was extensive enough (in difficulty and off-piste) for the OP but fine for rest of family. Loads of SC in Flaine if you don't mind concrete blocks. Nearest big resort from Calais.
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Thanks very much for the suggestions everyone, Grand Massif is definitely somewhere to consider, have already started looking at apartments there, has anyone ever booked through www.peakretreats.co.uk? Definitely a good idea to make travelling part of the holiday as well, I am always up for making the holiday just that little bit longer! So would you advise to leave it to a week or 2 before we leave to book everything?
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i got the peakreats brochure a few weeks back, as i am interested in a do it yourslf trip in a year or 2
looks an interesting prospect, planning a 36 hour jouney out, 5 days in a ski resort then about 4 days coming home, so at least this will appease non skiing wife, who spend a happy 5 days in resort bars and spas
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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gregor the viking, Bear in mind that Italians are unable to keep within the road markings even on dry valley roads.
I have not seen many self-catering apartments in Italian resorts, I have looked as I have food allergy problems that are easier to cope with if I can cook for myself.
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RJS Montgenvre is only 1km in France from Italy plenty of brand new apt complexs there, Livigno has quite a few apts too
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Personally given the criteria I would go to Les Arcs/La Plagne or Alpe D'Huez or Val D'Isere/Tigne. All have extensive skiing, plenty off and on piste challenges for all, are easy to drive to and get apartments.
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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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gregor the viking,
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So would you advise to leave it to a week or 2 before we leave to book everything?
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You have very little to lose by doing so. Although very poor snow conditions are relatively uncommon they do happen and 'ordinary' snow conditions are fairly common. There are often quite big disparities in snow in different areas. You are not going at a busy time so late availability is not a problem, sometimes you can pick up significant discounts.
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So would you advise to leave it to a week or 2 before we leave to book everything?
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No. I would book your channel crossing now, but leave it more like 4 weeks before booking accommodation and deciding where, exactly, to go.
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You know it makes sense.
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No. I would book your channel crossing now, but leave it more like 4 weeks before booking accommodation and deciding where, exactly, to go.
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Agree with the channel crossing if it comes cheaper but if going in mid january I would wait till after New Year as resorts can get very heavily skied over the New Year period and conditions do change.
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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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Gregor, I have used peak retreats. No issues at all. Their deals can be cheaper than doing it yourself. Would trust their accomodation to be decent wherever.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We drove to Selva last Christmas. -12 to -15 all the way across Europe. We only did it because we love Selva and our kids have been every year since they were toddlers. For me? A hell of a lot of driving. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Which is why I'm very glad there are 3 of us to do the driving, and also why we're definitely going to stay somewhere overnight on the way down, especially as I have to make a detour to Wengen to pick up all my kit I left at a mate's house! Seemed like such a good idea at the end of last season...
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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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gregor the viking, if you have to go to Wengen anyway, why not stay somewhere round there?
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twoodwar, How can you say that Courmayeur is to small for one week,,, I had spend one seson there,,, and they had maybe the best offpisteskiing in the alps,,, if you know where to find it,,, and I had been skiing in more than 60 skiresort for the last 35 year,,,,
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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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freeheelskier - thinking of all the family, piste based, not just gregor, thats all.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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twoodwar, Courmayeur is exelent for familys,,, and for all,,,,
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| pam w wrote: |
| gregor the viking, if you have to go to Wengen anyway, why not stay somewhere round there? |
Where around there would you recommend? I was of the view that Swiss resorts in general were fairly expensive, and to be honest, don't want to stay in Wengen itself, as have skied there quite a bit and to be honest, am really excited about trying out a brand new resort!
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Swiss resorts are no more expensive than the French ones - in fact, the most expensive ones are in France (Where to Ski and Snowboard did a bit of research on this once - maybe look at their website).
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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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gregor the viking, I don't know the other Swiss sites at all - and I can see that you might want a change, but if you have to go to Wengen anyway, someone who knows that area and the routes well might be able to advise on somewhere which wouldn't require to much extra driving.
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Perhaps many are still unaware of that having a car when skiing means one can stay, say 15min, driving radius from a resort. That is an area of about 10 miles radius with which one can choose accommodations so expensive resorts become affordable.
When one is willing to drive one can choose the best resort first then the accommodation second. It works for everywhere in the Alps or USA.
Accommodations in Switzerland are more expensive than France, Italy and Austria. It cost me about 100 Euro per night B&B for a couple in an en-suite room to ski St Moritz, Zermatt, Davos, Flims, Engelberg... The same money allowed me to enjoy half board (for two) in Ski Amade of Austria and Italian Dolomites.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you are driving there then somewhere like Morzine is perfect, it is one of the closet resorts (driving time) to the UK and is a pretty village with plenty going on, links in well to the Portes du Soleil area offering an amazing range of skiing, similarily Les Gets (same points as before) is a good option. Have a look at our resort information for each, hopefully they can help you to plan your trip,
Morzine http://www.loveskiing.co.uk/reviews/france/morzine/
Les Gets http://www.loveskiing.co.uk/reviews/france/les-gets/
Hope they give you some ideas.
A great challet in Morzine is Chalet Jordan as well, stayed there several times a bit out of the resort but an amazing chalet and if you have a car that shouldn't be a problem 
Jim
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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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Swiss prices v French Prices
I think the comparison done by WTSS was a few years ago and the Swiss Franc has strengthened a lot more than the Euro since then. Having said that I found self catering accommodation a lot more reasonably priced in Nendaz compared with Chamonix when looking for my Easter holiday.
I suspect that the cheaper French resorts will give you a total bill lower than most Swiss places but the pricey French places (3V V d'I etc) are still pretty pricey. There is some pretty decent self catering accommodation inthe Swiss places at non excessive prices though.
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You know it makes sense.
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Have found a cheap apartment in Les Arcs, Arc 2000 http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/france/fr7100.htm. Stayed in 1950 a few years ago, while there was still a lot of construction work going on, and general facilities were fairly sparse. Has anyone been there recently and if so, what is the resort like? From what I remember, the skiing would be perfect, and over quite a large area with the Paradiski region.
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