 Poster: A snowHead
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Starting to plan our group holiday for next year....we need a resort to satisfy everyone....any suggestions? Needs to satisfy:
Up to 19 people ranging in age from five to fifty
Complete beginners to black run fanatics
At least five of the group have vertigo and can't stand gondolas
Needs to be fairly cheap as we've got families on a budget
Apres Ski to range from a couple of cosy drinks in the bar, through shopaholic to party animal!
So far my shortlist includes:
Alpe D'Huez - bit expensive
Flaine - not enough apres or shopping
Ski Welt - not enough tough stuff
I'd welcome any ideas.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Get someone else to organise it!!!
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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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Ha, ha.....
Actually, we've promised to advise on resort but I'm resigning from my post as lead organiser!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Chamonix? especially if you self drive and have a couple of cars available
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 9-03-04 14:06; edited 1 time in total
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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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Pas de la Casa
I enjoyed the ski school there and if you have a big enough group, they will do mixed abilities (I think)
Absolutly loads of shopping
Plenty of bars / cafes in all price ranges
Leisure centre for kids (or stay in the Himalaya Pas with its own pool)
No Gondolas on the front of the Mountain
Black runs a bit limited, but with the new Grand Vilara lift pass, there is a lot of ground to cover.
And the Piece de resistance is it can be made pretty cheap if you buy in the shops / duty frees rather than bars and resturants
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Steve Sparks wrote: |
| Chamonix? especially if you self drive and have a couple of cars available |
Isn't Chamonix a bit tough for beginners? Never been but I always thought it was a place for real hard nuts....
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homphomp. When in the winter is this ark departing? It will have much bearing on where you ski, if you want to be flooded with snow.
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The Briancon end of serre che is a possible, although it does start with a gondola
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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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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| homphomp. When in the winter is this ark departing? It will have much bearing on where you ski, if you want to be flooded with snow. |
Usual time is mid-Jan but this year that was a disaster because a week of rain virtually closed the resort! So next year we're thinking mid-March, still slightly out of season so will be cheapish but better chance of sunshine. With such a large group we have no choice but to book ahead so resorts with reliable snow are a must!
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Homp, have a look at La Rosiere, great for beginnesr and the black run fanatics can be accomodated, they can also go heli-skiing at the lowest prices in Europe. You'll need to book early for a larger group, too many for our chalet but Ski Olympic have a hotel and 3 chalets in the village. The local tourist office have a central booking service for self-catering, if that's your bag. There's enough of arange of bars and restuarants to keep most people happy and you can always stock up at the LIDL in Bourg St Maurice if you want to stay in and drink/eat. You can check out the snow record on the SCGB website.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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homphomp: two words: Alta Badia, albeit there are gondolae, or eggs...
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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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With that size group you need to pick a large resort with something for everyone. Les Arcs/La Plagne is cheaper than the likes of the 3V or Espace Killy, and you've got the lot. Good for beginners, kids, experts. You can get lift passes for a small part of the domain for the beginners, considerably cheaper. If you book early enough you can get adjoining apartments in Arcs 1800 for example and self-cater. Are you driving down?
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homphomp, I'm with PG here, but suggest La Plagne rather than Les Arcs (don't know Les Arcs so well).
Assuming you all want to stay together, try Les Balcons in Belle Plagne. (http://www.ernalow.co.uk/whitelabel/pando/accommrooms.asp?accommid=100&ResortID=17&ResortName=La%20Grande%20Plagne)
Belle Plagne has the best position; not brilliant shops (but enough), good restaurants (Matafan and the Kanter), and lively bars (try Le Cheyenne and The Saloon). The gondola through Belle Plagne, and the one out of Plagne Centre are not necessary to enjoy the resort: there are perfectly good alternative chairlifts.
Les Balcons is self catering appartments: the largest has 6 bedrooms (each with en-suite bath) and large living room - there are at least 4 of these. Les Balcons also has its own underground car park. For large numbers driving is excellent value.
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You know it makes sense.
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homphomp, don't want to put the dampeners on it, but Easter is early in 2005, my kids break up on 18th March for their Easter holiday
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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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What about Kitzbuhel? It's not that expensive, there is plenty of apres ski and something for everyone both skiing and non-skiing. I went there at Christmas with a small group ranging from 14 to 78 and it was a hit. It's a charming place and has some classic skiing for all standards.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Great ideas guys....keep them coming!
I'll be seeing the gang soon and we'll have to come to some decisions, it's always a bit of a compromise with so many people!
Thanks for the tip about Easter....may have to rethink and go back to the January slot!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Beverley,
Chamonix has got a good variety of skiing, there's plenty at Le Tour at the head of the valley and Les Houches at the other end which suits the less experienced.
Also, don't judge the weather on the basis of one year, I v'e been away early to late Jan for the last 7 years and normally get great snow and plenty of sunshine.
I reckon even David@traxvax, would be hard pushed to sell La Ros to shopaholics and party animals
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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 know it's a long way, but what about Banff-good deals available, shops for the spendthrifts, no gondolas ( Lake Louise anyway), budget and luxury accomodation, nightlife if you want it, peace if you don't.
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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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Steve Sparks, Well, what's wrong with nipping down to Bourg St Maurice for a bit of after-ski? ... Cough....
Ok, well, maybe there isn't any, but we do have an Intermarché AND a Super U, as well as a lingerie boutique.
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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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Super U? aww thanks! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Helen Beaumont, I'd be interested in the response you get, we've a group of around 20 looking to go to Canada with the kids next season. I'm a little worried about the flight, extra cold temperature and altitude myself.
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I'd second Les Arcs - especially as its now lift linked to La Plagne.
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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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Ah, so it's literal translation would give us.................."Spar Brain" 
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I'm arranging trip for next season too, late March though, so should be a little warmer. My kids were fine on the flight, seemed to get jat lag on the way back .Looking at Fernie at the moment, apparently not as cold either.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Steamboat, Aspen, SLC.
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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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Marc - I would be worried. It's a long way and it can be *very* cold, I remember one day at whistler it was down to -40 at the top once you toook windchill into account.
Having said that , Whistler would be a good destination for the trip you;ve described, I would think,
Helen, as you know I'm off to Fernie this weekend, watch out for a resport when I get back like the one that was done for Panorama
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nbt, right, but at least it's -40 at the top and warm enough to rain at the bottom. Not that it ever would. Would it?
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You know it makes sense.
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Didn;t rain while I was there. Snowed every day except the last, when the clear skies and stroing wind gave us the -40 mentioned above. It was only afterwards that we realised the empty slopes that temted us to miss a day around vancouver were empty because locals knoew what the conditions would be like...
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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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If you're looking at mid-late March, Banff should be OK for temperature. The last few years the conditions have been ideal at that time of the year.
January or February - now that's a different story. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Temperatures in the Canadian Rockies are prone to enormous variation during January. During our 2 weeks based in Lake Louise, temperatures on the mountain never dropped below -11C, were normally around -7C and even rose above freezing a couple of times at the base. However it's not normally that warm - the chairlifts in LL had signs on welcoming us to the tropical conditions. The week before we arrived they had temperatures of -40C, and even lower than that during the week after we came home.
Having said that, the skiing was fantastic  And March has far nicer weather.
I'd recommend Banff as a base if you head that way. LL has the biggest ski area but the village is little more than a truckstop and a couple of hotels. There are daily buses to LL (45 mins), Kicking Horse (2 hours) etc if you fancy travelling around a bit (and I'd recommend trying as many of the hills as you can).
Best of luck finding something suitable!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Decisions, decisions.....
Will look them all up in my "Where to Ski" book of words and do some pro's & cons. Last year it came down to a secret ballot and we ended up in Deux Alpes for the second year running....big mistake, at least everyone agrees we're not going there 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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Matteo - I'm with you on Alta Badia but probably not enough serious stuff for the black fanatics. Everyone else would have a great time.
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