 Poster: A snowHead
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As you may or may not know I have put my booking to Valmorel on hold due to tour operator website change. however when I looked at the snow coverage I read a few resorts that said sometimes the snow is not good, ARe there new snow cannons there (some of these reports went back to 2005).
They also said that the lifts were very slow and that it was very croweded.
Another down ppoint which concerns me the most is that it says the lifts were badly set out and you often find yourself having to walk uphill to the next lift, the same with the restaurants, they said they seemed to be set in a dip so that you have to walk back uphill?
Can anyone shed any light on this? we are planning going in beginning March
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not my experience. In my two visits I was able to ski station to station everywhere. I also skied other resorts in Tarentaise Valley and did not find the snow condition different from the rest of the valley. If the snow condition is bad in Valmorel then it will be the same case in 3 Vallees. One of the trip was in January new year. There were plenty snow but otherwise a bit gritty (contained stone and gravel occasionally)
Don't think I ever walk in Valmorel but quite a bit in La Rosiere/La Thuile (mainly the longest San Bernado run which is in Italy). The restaurarnts I used were all ski-in and ski-out. I can vouch for every restaurant but it may be a different case if a beginner is confined by less choices and forced to eat in busy places.
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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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I agree with saikee. I've been a couple of times and had no problem. Last time was an early Easter and although the snow was typical Spring it did cover everywhere, and you could ski back to the resort. Took my kids many years ago and had a great time.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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thanks for the replies. that sounds like good news then. so you didnt have to "pole" or sidestep uphill to get to a connecting lift?
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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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Went once donkeys years ago (early 90s) during februaury holidays. Snow was good (but it does mean much..) but more useful for you is that I don't remember having to walk between lifts at 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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thats good, thanks for the info.
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Just an update is that I have booked my trip to Valmorel.
I have heard another negative which is the lift is very busy first thing in the morning. does anyone know what time ski school starts and also do you know is there only 1 lift onto the slopes? if not did there used to be only 1 lift? I have been advised to get up on the slopes well before ski school starts. the reason why i booked during term time was so i could avoid it being busy (we are going 6th march)
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I skied there a while ago and I think there was just one lift from the centre of the village up. I had a look at a piste map http://www.valmorel.com/images/stories/PDF/plan-pistes.pdf and it still looks the same. I think ski school started at 10.00 (memories of dragging one child alongside me with the other on my shoulders and both skis in one hand!). We skied at an early Easter and although the snow was slushy low down you could still ski right back to the village.
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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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pam w, It must be over 20 years ago that I went from Valmorel to St Francois Longchamp. A great day trip mainly on blues is my recollection. Oh, and falling when I came across a ditch in the piste I hadn't noticed. Didn't hurt myself in the fall, but my brother-in-law, who is about 16 stone, did the same thing and had a softer landing as he landed on me! Missed a morning the next day as I couldn't move my arm.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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There's some surpirsingly nice off piste in the area too.
Don't recall it being more inconvenient for lifts than anywhere else, there is one slightly oddly placed eatery close to the resort, but I seem to recall a rope tow. Great views from it though. Had poor snow in 1992 or thereabouts, had great snow a couple of years back, loads of freshies. Such is the way of the sport wherever you go.
La Marmite is good for an evening meal, the guy selling from the giant tartiflette in the main street is good for a snack and a break at the Col De la Madeline sign is a must if you watch the Tour de France. Have a good trip!
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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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Ah Pam, I hope he didnt hurt you too much lol.
I am really looking forward to my trip but I am finding it really hard to find reveiws on Valmorel or much information. That could be a good thing because it means not many people go there. fingers crossed.
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I have been Valmorel twice and would rate it a cruising paradise for the beginners and early intermediates.
Every time I skied from Valmorel to the far end passing St Francis LongChamp. Think the last chairlift at the far end is called St Francis (without the LongChamp). It is a day's skiing in itself and very enjoyable with nice restaurants dotted along the route.
I think Valmorel is an ideal place for a family with mixed abilities as it allows everybody enjoying the sport together on a wide and flattish terrain with very few skiers competing for space.
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You know it makes sense.
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can anyone tell me what are the prices on the alps for say drinks and lunch?
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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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I learned to ski in Valmorel last year and had a great time there.
It was the week before half -term and although the resort was packed with French families, I haven't noticed any significant queues at the lifts. Having said that, I wasn't usually the first one at the lifts in the morning though.
It is true that the main lift out of the village to where the main slopes are is the Altispace. However, there are two alternative routes to the same spot. Have a look at the Valmorel Pistemap and you will see that you could (1) take a short ski down from the top of the Pierrafort cabine to the Morel drag lift, or (2) could ski a little to the right of the Altispace and take the Lanchettes and Arenouillaz drag lifts instead. So there is no need to join the end of the queue.
As this was my first experience skiing, I cannot really compare the village to other destinations. It has a friendly architecture and is traffic free and very much a family destination. I didn't really explore the apres ski as I have a young child. It is a purpose built resort and quite small. Other than the skiing and the excellent nursery, there isn't much in terms of other facilities/activities. That, however, suited me fine as I loved the skiing and needed my downtime to recuperate.
I would certainly recommend it and in fact, am going back this half term.
there is only one ski school (ESF) and the hours are 9 to 12 AM or 14.30 to 17:00 hours. English classes are only in the afternoon, but do not expect them to be fluent speakers.
Let me know if you need anything further
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Poster: A snowHead
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Been there once in the mid 90s. Thought it was a nice resort with a friendly atmosphere. Good ski-in/out. No queues back then and I don't remember having to walk to lifts. Snow coverage was fine too in mid Feb that year for what it's worth.
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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'm biased as I've been going there for 15 years now, every year for 2 weeks at Easter, with 3 kids and various in laws! In all that time I have never not been able to ski to or from Valmorel. We stay at the satellite village Doucy Combelouviere which is on a branch of the ski system. A few times the green down to Doucy is closed in the last week or two of the season but not much else. The whole area is I think very underated. Brits tend to swamp the better known Tarantaise resorts, but if you want a relaxing good value for money holiday, and with a short transfer from Lyon or Geneva, and probably the first resorts you reach by car then look no further.
I've seen so called experts complaining about lack of ski area but as an ex instructor I can assure you this area has it all - cruising runs, trees, nasty bumps, long steep blacks, gentle and serious off piste, snow parks, ski cross tracks etc. Most of the Valmorel ski area is north ish facing so snow holds well. St Francois is more exposed and can get a bit slushy late on but when the snow is good (basically any time pre April) there is plenty to go at. The other thing is that the powder and off piste does not get skied out in 10 mins after a fall. Most visitors are intermediate and stick to the piste, and there is a huge off piste bowl about Valmorel itself that always has untracked snow even a week after a fall.
If you want all day and all night party action then stick to Meribel or Val. If you want a good value family holiday then there are fewer places that are better IMHO. Valmorel is less than 20 mins from Moutier and 30 mins to Albertville - both have good hospitals and supermarkets! Most of the apartments in Valmorel are either on the piste or a few mins walk away. When shown is good you can probably ski to the door on maybe 90% of the blocks. Not the case in Doucy but hey, exercise is good! Mountain restaurants are good IMHO. Best ones are towards St Francois and the one where the web cam is located here - one of the best terrace views in the Alps.
http://www.webcam-ski.com/interfaces/valmorel/interface.php?pk_interface=29&m=images&r=panoramique&width=960&height=665#conteneur_meteo
Ski highlights for me are always:
1. The main "motorway" red down to Valmorel from the Altispace - just a great fast cruising run
2. The Madelaine run from the Col de la Madelaine - another mega cruise
3. The off piste bowl above Valmorel
4. The show off off piste bit under the chairlift between the greens and blues above the Altispace
5. Chasing the kids down the ski cross tracks (there are two).
and if I am feeling like I can be bothered the steep and very bumpy black from Le Mottet.....which in all the years I've been I have only managed a top to bottom non stop once! Maybe again this year......then again probably not!
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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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quigs,
Welcome to Snowheads!
I echo your sentiments. I am please Valmorel has managed to keep its charm and attraction for all these years. Let the crowd trash the 3V, Paradiski and Espace Killy. I like Valmorel of what it is at the moment. It is refreshing nice place tp ski and certainly a rare gem in France.
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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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... and for a quick update on Valmorel should anyone be interested. They are in the middle of building a Club Med resort on what used to be the beginners area/tennis courts accessed by the Bois de la Croix chair. Club Med will open for the 2011/12 season but in meantime - for those of us going to Valmorel this year - we have lost both the Bois de la Croix and Creve Coeur chairs.
I am told by an ESF instructor friend that there is a moving 'carpet' available to get people from the apartments at Creve Coeur a little higher so that they can then access the Pierrafort gondola. Haven't seen it myself yet.
Roll on 2011/12 when we get a brand new telecabine from Creve Coeur and hopefully more lift updates with Club Med's investment.
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