 Poster: A snowHead
|
Looking at the above for early March - At least one not so experienced boarder and two advanced intermediates. Obviously half decent nightlife and nice accomodation would be a bonus.
Similar dilema for February - St Anton or Val D'Isere group of 8(?) including 2 boarders, mixed abilities. Never been to Austria but enjoyed Val D 3 Seasons ago.
What are your preferences and why?
Cheers in advance.. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Simon L,
Welcome as a new user.
Never been to LDA and picked ADH for a visit instead so can only comment on the latter. Big area suitable for intermediates and above, good mileage and lifts and we had a big dump so that masks a lot of things. Lively-ish, for France- apre-ski and typical French type accom, not great but not too shabby either so shouldn't break the bank. Worth a second visit for us... Not classically linked as an area but no real problem if you can navigate. The Fench rate it very highly, certainly in their top 5 which maybe Meribel and LP might not make if they weren't connected as they are.
As you have been to VD then St A just pips it IMO. Very lively apre and the sking is set up for the adventurous. Couldn't pick many holes in any of the 3 you mention and I will surely get round to LDA soon enough...
Out of the top 10 resorts in the alpes you have picked 3, maybe 4 of them, quite probably, I would say.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Simon L, welcome. I have only marginally more experience on this than JT, but I went to ADH for my 5th week skiing, and had one day of that week over at LDA. That day was pretty cold and windy so the comparison may not be particularly fair (and of course I'm hoping to get a different impression on a brief trip there at the end of this Oct), but I much preferred ADH.
At that level of experience I was mainly interested in the more challenging reds and challenging myself on the blacks, and never went off piste. At the tougher end ADH has the Tunnel black and the Sarenne (20km IIRC) route - which is rated black but at least that year had short black sections linked by longer blue stretches, and the black sections were pretty easily bypassed if you wished. But the thing I really liked were some glorious reds which linked together to make a wonderful run with about 2000m vertical - which ended up being my pre-lunch and last-run-of-the-day leg-burner exercise. ADH also seemed to offer the more variations in linking together pistes in various ways and gave you more options on getting from A to B, whereas LDA seemed to be a lot more spread out, and so we spent much more time following long tracks and having our routes planned for us by the mountain. As a general characteristic, at ADH the tougher runs are at the top of the hill and the easier near the town, whereas LDA is the other way around. I really liked ADH village, there were plenty of facilities, a bit of nightlife, but it also had a feel of a real village (or at least a much more real feel than Flaine, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Tania). We stayed in a nice modern chalet (possibly through First Choice - I didn't make the arrangements) pretty much at the bottom of the village, near the bottom of the lift that runs right up through the village, and could ski all the way back down through the village at the end of the day. Of course I saw virtually nothing of LDA village as we only went into the valley itself once, near lunchtime.
There will no doubt be others along to give a fuller comparison (and easiski lives and works at LDA)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Went to both last year - preferred Alpe D'Huez for scale and variety of terrain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
The lift pass covers both resorts and there are heli rides (not too many $$$$) between the two, so why not do both?
I prefer the skiing in Alpe d'Huez, although L2A is definitely pretty good. Undecided on the villages. I might marginally prefer L2A, but I last went there in the summer so it may be an unfair comparison.
If you do go to ADH, please don't just ski in the bowl around the village. That's not a bad area for beginners, but for the rest it is too crowded. If you head to the edges of the resort you find the best skiing and it's less crowded.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Les 2 Alpes will give you decent apres ski, some good restaurants, nightclubs, plenty of nice bars, plenty of loud ones - depends what you like! Skiing/boarding is pretty sensational if you go away from the main runs. Few motorway pistes, but lots of challenging ones and loads of off piste near the lifts and further afield. Oh, and a lovely little apartment to rent from www.alpine-hideout.co.uk ! Go on, you know you want to! Cue easiski to say why L2A is the best place in the world, and why ADH is fat man's pants. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi Simon, as the others have said you can't go too far wrong with those choices but for what it's worth...
Deux Alpes v Alpe d'Huez
I've worked a season in Deux Alpes and only skied a week in Alpe d'Huez so it's probably not a fair comparison, but I much preferred Alpe d'Huez. I liked the town more and I found the skiing more interesting. However, I had some wonderful skiing in Deux Alpes as well so I'm probably being a little unfair.
Val d'Isere v St Anton
Had around 6 or 7 holidays in the Espace Killy region but usually stay in Tignes. I think I've been to St Anton only twice. I prefer the town and skiing in St Anton but they're both areas that I'm sure I'll re-visit many times. St Anton probably has less variety of terrain - I'd certainly avoid taking someone very inexperienced - but it's a great area and Lech, Zurs etc aren't too far away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi,
I've skiied both. ADH last year staying in Oz station and L2A for my second ever weeks skiing 9 or 10 years ago.
Oz is nice quite and no night life which is what I like as go skiing to ski not get p1ssed. It has 2 fast gondolas that link you into the whole of ADH that are quick and not too busy. Runs back to Oz are a couple of reds and at least one parrallel blue. Last year all the runs back to Oz had steep sections that got a bit icy, but the snow was a bit thin when we were there last year. A reasonable selection of reds and blacks, but most were relatively easy and with the exception of Tunnel all the blacks were regularly pisted so no good moguls. The Sarene black is about 15km long, but most of the height is lost at the begining in a series of steep pitches (the majority of which I didn't see how you could avoid except by off piste routes). Most of the length is at the bottom of the run and is an almost flat track for several kms along the bottom of a nice valley. When I was there last year it was regularly pisted and was relatively easy. My friends had done it several years ago when it was thigh deep powder. They said the flat track at the bottom was "interesting" ie sevearl kms of walking in thigh deep powder.
Went to L2A several years ago so my memory may be a bit faulty and it was only my 2nd week skiing. Runs back to resort are mainly reds and blacks with one green track which was horrible, narrow and full off lots of novice skiers with poor speed control. Prefered the blacks which tended to be reasonably quiet. L2A was where I had my first go at reasonably hard blacks and at moguls and I have fond memories of some nice wide unpisted blacks with good mogul fields that I remember as fun to ski. I also remember some steep icy pitches where I lost my edge and a group of boarders conveniently sitting in the middle of the piste made a rapid exit as I slid gracelessly into the mogul they had just vacated. I'm tempted to go back to L2A this year, but mainly because its a while scince I was there.
Hope this ramble is of some help?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
I think both resorts are very similar for skiing but ADH has a Curry house!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Simon L, Well - obviously I'm biased. If I liked ADH better I'd live there! Having said that, some observations about the two:
ADH has some wonderful ski-ing for moderate skiers.Mid March would be about the last weeks I would recommend though as it's mainly south facing and can be really horrid in the late spring. The best ski-ing is down towards Vaujany off the back, and down towards Oz on the front. The old part of the village is OK, but the newer large blocks in the centre of town are a monstrosity. I didn't find any atmosphere to speak of in the town. Reds in ADH are relatively easy - but not the Tunnel which is seriously black. Sarenne isn't really a black run at all - just good marketing.
LDA has more atmosphere in the town (it's not purpose built), and I think there are more residents there. The blacks down to town are pretty steep, and as already mentioned the green is horrid. However there are some handy chairlifts and gondolas to use instead. Most runs are marked easier than ADH, so be warned - many blues are really red! I think there's a lot more off piste in LDA, and the mountain is fairly complicated to get a handle on - there are more links than people think, but they're not always obvious. We have a lot more difficult ski-ing than ADH. For snowboarders there are lots of natural half pipes and the snowpark gets bigger and bigger every year. A lot of the flat paths are currently being eliminated by massive earth-works - but I can't comment on how the new pistes will turn out.
Never been to St Anton (sadly) but dislike Val D with a vengence - snobby, expensive and claustrophobic!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Been to ADH twice and consider it a well structured resort, nursery slopes at the bottom, blues red's then blacks at the top. The Sarenne gets knocked for being a black as part's of it are blue and a long cat track finishes it off but it's still a very enjoyable run. It's a large resort so mileaters will love it. Nightlife is good by French standards and the only criticism i have is I thought the mountain restaraunts were largely poor, especially around the main slopes.
Did LDA on a day trip. Got round a large part of the resort. Just didn't like it at all. Loads of queue's and bottlenecks on the day we were there. Unfair to judge it on just one day but that was our experience. All the other groups we met at the altiport were of the same opinion. I have heard that skiers flying the opposite direction feel the same about ADH so your either one or the other it seems.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Philip Prior, Yes - I think that's true! If you love LDA you'll probably dislike ADH (too easy and boring) and vice versa. However - on a short one day trip, it's unfair to judge either resort. Bottlenecks can almost always be avoided, but you have to know where they are to avoid them - goes for all resorts!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
easiski, it was 10 years ago and my memory isn't great but I can't think of anything in Deux Alpes that is as challenging as the Tunnel. Am I forgetting something or are you thinking about the off-piste?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
If you find ADH too easy, you're not looking hard enough
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
At ADH I didn't find any of the blacks particularly hard with the exception of the exit from the tunnel of Tunnel. And even Tunnel was OK once you had put in a few turns and dropped a bit to where the bowl was a bit wider. I liked ADH, there was plenty of variety and no real long lift queues that couldn't be avoided.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Is that the beginner piste? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Looks fairly easy.....
If you're a yeti 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
D G Orf, by the way, can I have my parachute back now?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
alan empty, Grand Couloir, Super Diable, Grande Pente, Belle Etoile, all pistes - Belle Etoile is always left mogully, Grand Pente and Grand couloir never pisted (too steep), but marked blacks. Of course 10 years ago the Fee chairlift wasn't there - that opened up 20 hectares of black ski-ing - some of it pisted. No I haven't mentioned the off piste!
Arno, Yeah - that looks dodgy, but we were advising middling skiers and that looks distinctly off piste to me! "At least one not so experienced boarder and two advanced intermediates, I was trying to be fairly polite!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Woops ! double posted and don't know how to delete it 
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 9-08-05 20:06; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What a fantastic response. Thanks for all the advice and insight.
Think it's time to flick through the brochures now. Both seem top resorts we will probably visit. But I'm not a yeti and no doubt will find plenty of challenges in ADH not to mention the curry house which is enough to sway the wife! So this will probably be first choice for March 4th (ish).
Next challenge is a right dilema. Go live the dream in St Anton with the boys or be sensible in a resort that will better fit the mixed ability of the group????? 
Many thanks
Simon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Look at Arno's, picture and turn your monitor on its side. Now I mght tackle it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi easiski, just had a look at the piste map on the Deux Alpes site - needed to refresh my memory  . I used to enjoy skiing around the Grand Couloir area a lot - certainly one of the places we used to head for. IIRC, there were some nice jumps and drops and the powder used to stay untouched for a while if you veered left. I liked Super Diable but it was nowhere near as challenging as the Tunnel in my experience - however, the Tunnel had very large moguls when I was there so that may be affecting my perspective.
I'm not sure where Grande Pente or Belle Etoile are so I can't comment on those.
I'm not knocking the skiing in Deux Alpes too much. I just felt it lacked something and seemed a little disjointed - however, looking at the piste map I think the new area would address that to some extent. I used to ski a lot around the Le Fee area a lot but the lift you had to get out always felt a bit isolated.
I experienced the best powder of my life one morning in Deux Alpes. Lighter and fluffier than anything I've experienced yet in North America or elsewhere in Europe. Most of the area was shut but we managed to get onto the short red above the Thuit blue before anyone else had realised it was accessible. So it's not all bad memories for me!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Cant comment on LDA but really enjoyed ADH at the end of last season the only downside is the dreadful bucket lift from the old town to the main bowl, before everybody shouts only found the faster higher 2 man chair the day before we left.
Everybody gets hung up by St Anton and taking inexperienced skiers there, I learnt to ski in St A I dont think it is worse than any where else. After spending the week on icy nursery slopes I couldnt believe how fantastic it was in the fresh soft snow on the Valluga after my friends insisted I went with them. The only problem was I could only seem to snowplough turn right and not left. been back many times still love it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
alan empty, Yeah that red is super off piste - the nearer to the chair you go the steeper it is too. It used to be labelled blue though  it only went back to red 2 years ago! You should look at the piste map on the LDA website, and I think you'll see a lot has changed in the last 10 years - also they're doing a humungus amount of work on the mountain this summer. I'm really looking forward to the new pistes etc. they've finally got rid of the old Grand Nord chair (and also the Bellcombe chair), and are replacing the Bellcombe with a fast 4/6 person detachable with rolling carpet access - going to make a huge diff. Also putting piste down into Le Thuit from the corner of the Route du Thuit path, and the whole path is basically being removed to make a proper piste - wow. New piste from Bellecombe path to Grand Nord - work going on on left route of Jandri/bottom of Lac Noir - new piste at Lac Noir last year (called grand Creux) + since you were here the Jandri run has been opened out where it used to turn left or right above Lac Noir .......... I could go on, but I'm being boring - sorry.
Did you get to ski Bons? Les Travers? Bons over the back? Mont de Lans? (They're not always skiable being so low)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Simon L, I live in ADH and as Easiski says as a general view you either love one or the other - which obviously leaves you in no doubt where I stand! The great thing about the 2 resorts is that you can get the helicopter link between the 2, very James Bond and really very reasonable! If you are a DIYer and need a bit of advice regarding accommodation I'm sure I can help. Whichever you choose you'll have a great time - the begining of March is an ideal time to come in terms of snow conditions and lack of pistes filled with children! PS in terms of nightlife I've only experienced a couple of wild nights in Les 2 Alpes (hopefully Easiski we can rectify that!), but here in ADH I think its pretty good and definately something for everyone! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
easiski, I was with you on the later but found myself last week being dragged along to a very impromtu evening which ended up in the 'Igloo' partaking in a 'Soiree Mousse', it does wonders for pretty much everything!! And time to time definately beats an early coffee!! They've been talking about a connection for ages it seems that all mairies concerned are having difficulty agreeing - which is so surprising!! Do you really think it'll add something for the 2 resorts - seems a silly question but I'm not sure it'll make millions more flock here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
easiski, is that really true about le freney? that would make getting back up to both resorts (maybe ADH more so) after some of the wilder off piste runs a lot easier and cheaper.
always thought a gondola up to ADH from Bourg d'Oisans would make a lot of sense myself but it would be a serious piece of engineering!
note to self: investigate property in le freney
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
sarah@alpedhuez, I don't think it'll bring lots more people in to either resort - don't know about you, but I think we have enough anyway. However I think if they do it right all the day trippers will drive to Freney and not block up the towns! You know how hard it is to park in ADH - not much better here either! I do think it'll encourage people from both resorts to try the other though, which could be productive all round (except for the Helico pilots), but it wouldn't be practical for lessons as it would take too long to do. It would give us a really long blue through the trees, which would be good. Bons (red) is too steep at the top for "easy" red skiers, and Mont de Lans will be good next year with the new cannons, but they're bulldozing the narrow bit of the run, which I think will spoil it's character.
alan empty, We don't have to walk to LG any more - get dragged behind a piste machine - much better!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| easiski wrote: |
| alan empty, We don't have to walk to LG any more - get dragged behind a piste machine - much better!! |
Yeah, I'd heard that. Takes all the fun out of it! It was exhausting though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I think I'll have to buck the trend....I've skied both and liked both! L2A has the edge for tough stuff, ADH better for a mixed group? Linking the two would be fantastic, in that case I wouldn't know which to choose.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Simon L, This is the top part of the Sarenne ,6.9mb windows media video, (no sound). You will need to register and login to the snowmediazone to view it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
pistemeister, More nice videos - is it you taking them?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Its like a lot of places...what you can see from the map, what you can see on the hill and then what you can't see, but know about......
Thats why it is always best to go with someone who knows...qualified and knows, even better....!!
Listening to the pros and cons of skiing from people with V good local knowledge, I would go to either. Any offers..??
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actually, since we have 3 big resorts + La Grave in the Oisans region + an average 300 days of sunshine every year - why would anyone want to go anywhere else. LDA, ADH & Serre Che are all completely different in character both towns and runs, LG is a bit special anyway. There are also quite a few smaller resorts around as well. Nuff said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Everyone says it's still pretty good in LDA, but there's way too much "clubby" stuff for me(can't stand that music, or drunken bums). Being old and boring I now prefer an early coffee with friends, good conversation and a nice early night! 