 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I quite like the look of les sybelles or other resorts in maurienne valley, I'd like to know which resort would be best for a family of 4 who like a self catered apartment which is ski in/out
Also which resort would be best for
A) nervous mum who likes very gentle green and blues
B) dad who wants to hire a guide and do a bit of of piste
C) 7yr old who wants to get his esf 3 star with an English speaking instructor
D) 3yr old who wants to do a 1 hr lesson in the garden and a morning in an English speaking crèche
Any recommendations of resort/ accommodation/instructors would be most welcome
As I am a teacher we will unfortunately have to go either feb half term or Easter(very late this year will there be snow?)
Thanks in advance
Fizz
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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 Sorlin D'Arves is great for all of these things. I've skied there 10 times.
Easter is very late this year for all the resorts in the Les Sybelles though. I went at Easter this year but it was earlier. Slopes were fine but a bit mushy in the afternoons for the return to resort.
The Les Sybelles is a brilliant domain and the slopes are quiet even in the half term.
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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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fizz, I've been to St Sorlin a couple of times, trip resort here. I stayed here. It could be suitable for you, not quite ski in/out though. Just one thing, it suggests there are 2 bedrooms upstairs, it's all one room actually, another bed settee downstairs though.
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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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We stayed in les Valmonts de Val Cenis (Lanslebourg) and chose this resort and actual residence because of its proximity to the piste, ski school, ski lifts - all 100m away. The "jardin des neiges" is literally adjacent to the residence, the garderie is too called "petits Marrons", you can go straight from ski lessons to the garderie and vice versa.
I'm not sure how much English is spoken by the ESF staff, at the time we went, our children had been in a French environment for 6 months and already had quite an understanding of French, so English wasn't important. But I do remember other English speaking children in the groups our children were in.
The Maurienne valley is not frequented as much by English speakers (yet) so you may have to give a little on English, especially if you are going with ESF. We've never had any language barriers with ESF, even with hubby who is not quite yet bilingual.
We also considered St Sorlin and the whole of the Maurienne valley at the time we booked Val Cenis, in the end we chose Val Cenis because it was easy to get to by train and the residence was so close to the skiing area AND ski school.
Other places which look good are Aussois, la Norma, Termignon (linked to Val Cenis). There's loads of cheap self-catering ski-in-out in this area.
Oh and finally, here's where we stayed - Valmonts de Val Cenis has changed hands recently and the website of new owners is not yet finished, here's a PDF link
http://www.privilege-hr.com/images/hiver2010-2011.pdf
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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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La Toussuire is great, we have been 5 times and it ticks all your boxes, also have been at half term in feb in the past and although busy, it is not as bad as other resorts.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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http://www.goelia.com/vacances/alpes-du-nord.16.2.php
This company has loads of self-catering accommodation in the area you are interested in, all the above mentioned resorts, plus St Jean d'Arves, Le Corbier, Abiez-Montrand, St Francois Longchamps, Chamrousse.
If you were thinking of February 2011, you will be hard pushed to find anything left under 700 euro per week. Easter 9th April week should give you more options.
I already have the first week of April 2012 pencilled in on the calendar. The French schools start their Easter holidays the second April week, so the slopes at less well known resorts should be relatively empty.
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Fizz,
We have just returned from a wek over Christmas in Aussois. We are a family of 4, kids are 6 and 9, and never skiied before. I have skied a few times (but not for 10 years) and Mrs. Nuck has skied a couple of times, but felt very rusty! I chose Aussois because peakretreats.co.uk recommend it, but booked everything direct.
We had the most fantastic time. Obviously it helped that the snow was good, but everything else worked out too.
I would be very happy to chat about it with you: we drove: don't know if you would fly. We stayed in Troyes on the way there and back: tolls were about 70-80 euros each way, and it's about 600 miles in fuel. It is a REALLY long drive - we did get stopped by snow and traffic on the way down and back, but we really couldn't have done it in under 9 hours without absolutely thrashing the car: so it depends how good your kids are at travelling - we have DVDs in the back, which keeps them a bit quieter...! One good thing is that Aussois is only 10 minutes from the autoroute - and a big (cheaper!) supermarket is also only 10 minutes' drive.
The Flocons d'Argent residence is fine, if a little basic. We booked a duplex room which supposedly could have slept 6 - but even with the four of us it was a bit of a squash... But you are only 50 yards (uphill!) from the bottom of the ski runs, and the chairlifts up. I booked direct at goelia.com, including skipasses, which worked out reasonably cheaply. I booked ski hire at snowell.com, where they were offering free child hire for each adult hire. We pre-booked an instructor just for us for 5 lots of 2 hours, which worked out cheaper than all four of us going to ski school for the week. I would echo the fact that it is predominantly a French (and Dutch, curiously enough) resort - most people do speak English, but I am fluent in French, which made things much easier - our instructor certainly spoke English to a degree, but I did find myself translating quite a lot.
Overall, though, it had a really small, friendly feel - the chairlift attendants were unfailingly cheerful, and the tourist office organised a few early evening things (but both of these could be to do with the fact that it was the first week of the season, not near the end!). If you want more details, please PM me and I would be happy to chat on the phone.
Hope this helps,
Nuck.
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Slight thread drift here, but I went to Le Corbier back in the 80's and I'm fairly certain that it wasn't linked to all the other areas then. Anyone know when they were linked up ?
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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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geepee, I first went in 2006, I think they were linked 2 or 3 years before that.
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Colin B, Cheers, looks to be a good area now. It was only my second week skiing, so Le Corbier provided enough skiing back then. I'd like to go back one day and have a look.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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geepee, I liked St Sorlin, went twice, and may well return one day. Skiing is generally pretty easy though and there are very few fast lifts.
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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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Colin B, They have a new fast lift this year. Replaces the old three man and goes right the way to the top to link with the other resorts so everyone doesn't have to go up the six man. Also done away with all the drags and put a chair in for the slalom course.
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garethjomo, That sounds better. Have they improved the links back from Le Corbier and La Toussuire. When I went they were drags and both were a bottleneck.
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You know it makes sense.
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Stayed in the Sybelles last four years having driven each time. Usually 2nd week March. la Toussuire twice, St Sorlin & St Jean. I would agree la Toussuire is the most ski in/ski out. The Mousqueton apts are at the top of the resort and right on the piste. A variety of easy green & blues are available before you venture further afield. Everything is linked although there is still a reliance on tows especially if you are coming out of St Jean or Corbier.
St Sorlin most snow sure around les Perrons and the runs down to Chalet D'Olle
Well worth a run over to St Colomban Des Villards, although low holds snow well. There is also good off piste opportunities in this valley
Point to watch although Albiez Montrond is often mentioned as part of the les Sybelles it is covered by a stand alone lift pass.
Noticed that this years website and piste map no longer include Albiez, so not as confusing.
Even so about 30 minutes drive and worth and afternoon day pass for a 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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Colin B, I think those drags are still there. There is another way back if you go further over, if i not mistaken. Another way i get back is by skiing down to st jean d'arves and jumping on the navette which drops outside the hotel!
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