 Poster: A snowHead
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Off to Ste Foy on the 23rd January - tad worried that it may be too small although the reason for booking was that everyone said the off piste is truely amazing. Been skiing NA for the past 5 years and now a bit panicky that it may be too small - anyone ever been and what's it really like? I suppose I'm a pretty good skier, still haven't mastered the 50mph bumps but pretty confident on anything black. If it was golf I'd say 4 or 5 h'cap!!
Many thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I went 6 years ago. If you get the snow and you are up for off-piste then you'll have an amazing time. Only 3 lifts but loads and loads of terrain. You can even ski/board over chalet roofs if you know the routes!! There wasn't much nightlife, though. My mates family had an apartment out there. If the conditions are only good for piste then you have the Paradiski area a few KMs away. This is Les Arcs/La Plagne. You will have to buy some flavour of pass to ski either/both resorts (I think there's a new lift connecting the resorts but I read somewhere it had a cable fault which may be repaired by now) as it's not included in the Ste Foy pass.
Be more care ful than me as Ste Foy is where I sustained my worst injury (fractured dislocation of elbow). I'll never get full extension back but I'm only 3-4 degrees off. The doctor said I was lucky as he's seen people have there plaster off(from wrist to shoulder for 6 weeks.....not much fun) and never be able to move it to a usable extent again. Apparently it also took 3 people,in the operating theatre, to hold it steady and snap it back into the socket!! nice!! I had to take 3 months with full pay off work(tragic, obviously) as I was an insurance risk to them in case I fell over and hurt it again.
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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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Thanks for the report....until you started about your elbow! Perhaps we won't show this to the wife then! Hope all is well now.
Looks as though the snow is there at the moment so we'll keep fingers crossed.
flog.
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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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flog873347, small but epic skiing, I had a day out there from La Roz, but was skiing with a severed Achillies, so a bit limited as to where I could go but the terrain is stunning. To get the best and safest of it you will need a local to point you away from the nasty bits. The night-life is apparently best described as you a beer and Madam Palm with her five lovely daughters 
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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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flog873347, The place where the instructors from Tignes and Val d'Isere skive off to when there's powder.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I went last year and am going again this year. I really loved the fact it is smaller than other resorts and without any crowds. It was also nice to have a more laid back nightlife because after a little bit of fresh snow and a long day of skiing I couldn't be more grateful that the night was not littered with drunks and/or constant booming bass which seems to echo further than morning avalanche blasts.
I would say that if the snow isn't good enough for the off piste areas or you just want a little bit of groomed snow then it is worth having a day trip or two to a nearby resort (there are plenty to choose from) because there isn't much variety there, but looking at this seasons snow there shouldn't be any problem with the snow. I would doubt you will want to travel far once there because the off pistes is exceptional and will keep you busy finding the best routes down. Not to mention you can get a great view of your pristine tracks coming down after a snow fall or having found some untouched snow. If you have trouble with powder or feel rusty getting a morning refresher course of powder skiing can be really helpful. I took a half day ESF instructor to ensure I could get everything I could out of the resort and it helped me loads, but then again it had been a while since I'd had to do so much off piste.
A lovely resort with some generally impressive accommodation so if, heaven forbid, you do take a bad tumble it isn't too bad being forced to relax with a drink and a view to put a muse to shame 
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Milamder
Thanks for the heads up - from what I've read it should be good and I'd be looking to get an off piste lesson - is the ESF easy to find, presume it is but if you have any local knowledge would be good. I'm there from 23rd for the week, trucking down from ferry so may get out and about for the day. Thanks for the info, cross fingers for more white stuff!
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flog873347, I spent a week in Ste Foy. Fantastic resort when there's fresh snow. Easy to get to Villaroger for Les Arcs(it's just across the road, call in to La Ferme for food and Mutzig) easy access to Tignes?Val D'Isere and La Rosiere/La Thuile too.
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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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ESF was easy to find but they do have a helpful map to pin point the building here:
http://www.esf-saintefoy.com/index_en.html
I'm afraid I don't have much local knowledge. I can't remember much about the restaurants, I was thinking about it and realised that most of my memories of the food were in fact from a completely different resort. The only helpful thing I can say is that I found the off-piste area under Plan des Veaux (Red 7 on the piste map) was a lot of good fun and it might be worth checking it out early in the week when it could have better conditions.
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flog873347, I am there on the 25th, will keep an eye out for you 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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i too am there from the 22nd, and it would be great to link up with somone for some off piste?
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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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t-humphreys, this thread is from 2 years ago so the guys have been and come back  Maybe the "bump" will attract someones attention who is there this year.
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haha what a moron. oh well!
edit: looking at the last post, i thought that was dated today, but american style!
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You know it makes sense.
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Awesome place to go, will return one day. I went there for a week in 2006 and we were hit with fresh snow nearly every day (in fact some days there was "too much" according to some in our group). Yes the night life is limited and tends to end early but what is there seems to have a good atmosphere and is good quality - make sure you book your table for evening eating out or you risk not getting into places. Pisted runs can be covered in a couple of days but then you start turning your attention to nipping off the piste; Its a great place to introduce yourself to powder and a bit of off piste safely as you can still remain close to the groomed runs and I found even when taking myself away from the groomed runs that there were still plenty of people about.
Our group was myself (skier), my brother (boarder), both our missus (novice skiers), my dad (70 yr old ex-army ski team), my mum (non-skier), and our two labradors. We rented a large chalet and had a fantastic time. My brother also learned the valuable lesson of not abandoning your beloved Audi RS4 on a slope all week whilst it dumps with snow... at the end of the stay he attempted to put his chains on and whilst looking the other way the car silently took itself off down the road! Fortunately no damage done but that gives you an idea of how much snow we had!
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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