 Poster: A snowHead
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Good forum this, you have given me lots of great ideas so I feel a bit more confident.
Alright, I now have viable alternatives in
1. La Rosiere
2. Peisey Vallandry
3. La Tania
4. Les Gets
5. Peisey Nancroix (why is this price scarily cheap???)
Common sense suggests they are all great if it snows, but I thought I would push my luck and see if anyone had any extra thoughts.
Oh, and I just found out this morning that my ankle ligaments have not been damaged! I am trying to heal my multicoloured ankle through the power of thought, gin and tonic, and interesting posts from fellow skiers!
Thanks once again
B'boo
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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beccaboo, If this is still for the xmas week and comparing it with Tignes Les B.
I would say all of them would be fine but if the snow is good as you say: But a few comments on each.
Bear in mind though that I have skied in all these areas but stayed in none of villages that you mention so don't know the ins and outs of the particular villages.
1)La Ros divides opinions on this forum partly due to the very active promotion of it by a chalet operator. In genreal I would say it has a very good snow record but with this can attract a bit of storms and bad weather. Little tree lined skiing on the French side if the weather is bad and possibility of closed links to the Italian side in these conditions. South facing so in a cold winter you will have a bit of sun on your back but little problem of melt in December.
Piste skiing is largely intermediate with little advanced stuff but some nice off piste if early conditions are good.
In resort prices for eating on the mountain etc meant to be a bit cheaper than other places in the Tarentaise.(Not difficult)
2) Peisey Valandry is a bit higher than Nancroix and may be a bit more conveninet and sunnier, Both have good access to a huge variety of sking for all standards. Both above and below the trees.
3) La Tania Huge amount of skiing in 3V loads above and below the trees, In courchevel valley so probably the best variety of pistes in the area but eating on the mountain can be stupid prices. Though plenty of people report more reasonble prices if you hunt around particulary in 1650.
4) Les Gets, Nice area with apparently a good early season snow record though it is lowish. If you need to go higher it is a bit of a hack across to Avoriaz. If the snow is good there is plenty of good skiing on your doorstep. From my memories of each probably the most attractive village with a wide valley setting.
Good luck with the ankle, gin works well for most things. 
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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 would go for Les Gets or Vallandry assuming it is an adult group. I haven't been to les gets but the portes du soleil ski area sounds lovely and I'd imagine it would be nice there at Christmas. I have been to Les Arcs (Vallandry is in this area) and it is one of my favourite resorts. Les Arcs has a good variety of runs and is more snow sure than les gets.
If the group includes young children in first year or two of ski school La Rosiere would be better as less busy.
I don't like La Tania - ugly/modern and not best base for 3 valleys. Val Thorens better.
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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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I don't like La Tania - ugly/modern and not best base for 3 valleys. Val Thorens better.
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Hmm, rather depends which bit of thd 3v you want to explore. La T is better for the Courchevel end which if the weather is cold or windy is a better bet than the Belleville end.
Personal opinion is that Val T is not exactly a beauty and the whole Belleville valley is one of the duller ones scenically in the alps.
Have to say though that few Tarentaise resorts score highly on my list of charming alpine places.
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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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T Bar, spot on, except that there are some stunning views when you go up and over towards Orelle. IMHO Mottaret is the most convenient base for skiing the whole domain, but it's a fairly horrible place in itself too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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T Bar - I put 3 valleys last because I agree it lacks alpine charm. However if some one wants to go there at least they will have a good chance of decent snow in val thorens.
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1) Not skied La Ros, but have La Thuile (other - and the Italian - side of the mountain and, theoretically, skiable one to the other) and found that we couldn't get to La Ros due to the bad weather others mention. That was the case for the whole week, and not so unusual I believe
2) and 5) Not skied , sorry
3) We really loved La Tania, with a mixed group of very experienced skiers, couple of cautious adults, and two children in their first year out of ski school. Very convenient for getting around 3 Valleys (Courchevel 1850 and Meribel can be reached in two lifts) and understand LT has a history of very good early snow - we were there mid January. Really liked being able to ski straight into the village centre and meet up for a drink, or lunch in the sun, and our chalet was just a couple of minutes walk - as are many. Unlike snowymum, we didn't find it ugly, although it's not a pretty chocolate box village - I'd say more attractive than VT though, and less prone to the very high winds we experienced there, which prevented us skiing at all for 2 days.
4) Only been to Les Gets in the summer, when it is lovely, but it's a nice village with lots of shops, cafes etc., and easily reached. Lots of people on here love it for the skiing too
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snowymum, It is certainly true that if it is a bad snow year Val T will give you your best shot. However if it is a bad weather year (High winds or blizzards) Val T can be a pretty bleak place and very cold with difficult links to the more sheltered skiing. Whereas if it just poor snow with fine weather the links make Val T accessible.
Hurtle,
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there are some stunning views when you go up and over towards Orelle.
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True, the Maurienne as a whole has a lot of attractive places though the village of Orelle must be a pretty gloomy place in Dec being low down a deep valley.
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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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These posts nicely sum up the Christmas dilemma. Shortest days of the year, can be quite cold and windy, snow is by no means guaranteed. Do you low and cosy (Les Gets) or high and bleak and treeless (Val T?).
There are some places which are a decent compromise, though. How about Courchevel 1650? Some excellent skiing, it's less expensive by a long way than 1850, and when we spent a week there it had about the best snow in the 3 Valleys - Val T coverage was thin and stony. Very good ski tuition available from New Generation.
That's still very short list of resorts - there must be plenty of other possibilities.
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I think most of this has been covered already except why is Peisey Nancroix scarily cheap. Obviously I don't know what the accomodation you are considering is like. However, Peisey Nancroix is not a fashionable place to stay as some perceive it to be awkward to get to, off the main ski circuit and isolated -in my experience none of this is really true. To get to Peisey Villandry you have to take an old bucket lift up which takes about 10 minutes. You can ski back but it's not pisted and can be rutted and icy - we took the bucket lift down , it's not a big deal. There's a few small shops(including ski hire), a couple of small quiet bars and couple of restaurants. If you're after nightlife it's not the place although I think you could get a bus up to Peisey Villandry but would have to get a cab back (or a drunken bumboard).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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To get to Peisey Villandry you have to take an old bucket lift up which takes about 10 minutes. You can ski back but it's not pisted and can be rutted and icy - we took the bucket lift down
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That actually sounds a bit of a pain.
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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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beccaboo, Out of those options, I'd go for Peisey Vallandry - make sure the accomodation is in either Plan Peisey or Vallandry. Its a lovely place, good skiing & the opportunity to go over to ski in la Plagne if you feel the need. We have an appartment in Plan Peisey, so if you have any qestions, please ask  We are often there at Christmas - (will be this year) and the snow has always been ok, although a few years ago, the first snow of the season fell the day before the resort opened!
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T Bar,
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True, the Maurienne as a whole has a lot of attractive places though the village of Orelle must be a pretty gloomy place in Dec being low down a deep valley.
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Might be but I'm out skiing all day so not that interested what the village is like during the day Naturally, it's a bit quiet as it's not a developed resort and is essentially populated by locals. It's now T shirt beer drinking post ski.
The new apartments have livened up a bit this year and still represent good value 3V skiing - they aren't ski in/ski out but only a few mins off the motorway so no queues when getting there. You can get the trin to Modane/St Michel or there is no a coach link to Lyon and Grenoble airports I think.
Orelle, as normal, currently has the best snow in the 3V given the height and the fact that it's not as used as the rest - worth a trip over for anybody in the 3V.
Valloire worth a trip as a bit of a hidden gem with plenty of runs for a week - not particularly challenging but good fun blues/reds rather .
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You know it makes sense.
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Valloire worth a trip as a bit of a hidden gem
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yes, now there's a good idea - not sure how many catered chalets there are, though.
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