Chamonix or Verbier or someplace else altogether???

A snowHead

We are a family of four, kids 15 and 18, all expert skiers hoping to do our first Eurpoean ski trip. We've traveled extensively in Europe so are comfortable going wherever although we've hiked in the Wengen/Gridelwald and Zermatt area in the summer and think we'd like to ski someplace we haven't already been to. We have one week in mid-Feb and are thinking about Chamonix or Verbier b.c. of the elevation for snow conditions, amount of expert terrain and also relative proximity to Cran Montana so we can go to one of the World Cup races. We'd like an enjoyable town, prefer the idea of the interconnectedness of Verbier to what sounds like would be dependence on the bus system in Chamonix, but are also concerned about crowds. We're also considering a self-catered apartment. Any advice or thoughts most welcome. Thanks in advance for your help!

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I have done seasons in both. You have zeroed in on the keys issues. I would suggest Verbier just for the buses. You could also look at Zermatt depends on your budget CH is not cheap. Both resorts will be busy that week. There is lots of self catering in cham less so in Verbier.

There is a World Cup downhill in Chamonix (les houches) 4/5 feb.

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roadrunner, welcome to snowHeads!

Chamonix is a much nicer town than Verbier (more 'real', less ski-dependent) but you're right, it's useful to have a car there. The slopes will be rammed in both places in mid-February. I wouldn't say it was difficult to get to Crans from either of them, though Verbier's a bit closer.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

roadrunner, hello and welcome!

The answer is BOTH!

If you hire a car you can ski both areas on one lift pass. The drive between them is reasonable.

But I have not actually visited Verbier so my comments are based on partial ignorance.

Chamonix is however a fantastically beautiful place skiing or not. If you are on a budget there is self catering and as it is a proper town there ar eproper shops. The muntains are the mountains of your dreams and whether you decide to stay in Chamonix or Verbier you will want to visit for the skking. A family trip down the Valle Blanche- perhaps not by the normal route just might be the highlight of your life so far.

The descent in Chamonix is massive and you can ski on marked but unpisted deserted runs for a really long way (from the top of the Grand Montets to Argentiere via Point de Vue and Variant Hotel) and have a fantastic lunch (about 2000mm of down- that's 6000+feet in just 2 lifts)

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St Anton...

After all it is free

I hear there have been, on rare occasions, ski races in Austria too.

Have to confess I'm in complete ignorance of the racing calendar though, so other than the Hahnenkamm have no idea where the WC will be when.

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Thanks all for your input - our dates are fixed, unfortunately, due to school vacation week so we're talking the week of feb 18th. World cup race is 2/25 in Crans Montana.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

More questions re Verbier -

1. I"ve read alot about how crowded the slopes will be mid-February, particularly France and to a lesser extent, somewhat, Switzerland. Has anyone been to Verbier during this time and will it be overwhelming? We're really not interested in being somewhere where we have to jockey to get on the lift, but are also juggling the desire to be relatively near Crans Montana for the end of the week to see a world cup race.

2. What is the town like? Is this someplace that will be enjoyable to be during the non ski hours. I've read Verbier is not particularly interesting and while certainly the primary objective is to ski someplace with sufficiently challenging terrain (largely more for my companions than for me, I might add!!), it still would be nice to be somewhere that is enjoyable to wander.

3. Does anyone have any experience with renting an apt. directly from owners and if so, what web-site did you use? We did so in Murren previously and found it to be a great experience and far less expensive than going through a rental agent that of course adds on their fee to the rental cost. We've been to the Verbier.ch web-site and found it to be largely agencies rather than direct, VRBO doesn't have much at all and otherwise, haven't found other options.

Thanks again for your help!!

snow reports

Another Verbier question -

My husband and kids are advanced and all want to be certain they're sufficiently challenged for a week. I'm comfortable on black diamonds in the US, but I don't refer to myself as advanced - maybe I"m modest, but I want to be realistic since it is a vacation, afterall. I don't want to be in over my head in Verbier! Thoughts?

roadrunner, Verbier will be busy at that time. You will queue for lifts at times. If you avoid the mayhem when ski schools start it will minimise the queuing at the base station.

Verbier doesn't have that narrow, ancient street feel that Zermatt has, but it is in a beautiful position and has some of the best apres ski in the Alps. There's plenty to do.

You could try here for apartments

http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/search_results.asp?specific_location_vchar=verbier&action.x=0&action.y=0&action=search&class=advanced&arrival_offset_int=-1

although their interpretation of "Verbier" in their search returns is generous.

Some of the best runs in Verbier are long, unpisted itineraries, which are often covered in bumps. Are you happy in bumps?

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

We're off to Verbier at the end of Jan, anyone got any good tips? Pistes not to miss, good lunch stops, the best après to head for, special happy hour deals, or good off piste ski schools as I fancy trying this properly if the conditions are right.... We're 5 mins from the Medran lifts if that helps?

TIA

A snowHead

WayneC, depends on your level. Most runs that you "must do" are actually unpisted itineraries such as Vallon d'Arby, Mont Gele to Tortin, Chassoure to Tortin, Gentianes to Tortin, Mont Fort, Plan du Fou... If there's bad weather, then head to Bruson in the trees. Then, if you're up to it, hire a local guide or offpiste ski school, and head for Banana Couloir, Stairway to Heaven, Highway, Superbowl, Rock Garden, Hidden Valley, the "other side"of Greppon Blanc...Then if you're still up for it, head out of resort down the backside of Mont Fort, or take up touring and head for Rosablanche. If all that is a bit much, there is loads of easy off the side offpiste, eg some good fun can be had on the Tzoumaz side of savoleyes under the 4 man and 6 man chairlifts. Theres not too many regular pistes on this list, which is probably a fair reflecton of verbier's qualities, although the 4 valleys do claim 410km of pistes.

Good offpiste skischools include Warren Smith Ski Academy, who mainly runs 5 day long courses, and Powder Extreme, who run 2 day clinics, but both may also be able to provide instructors for the day.If you want to head into the serious backcountry, then an IFMG guide is recommended (can be contacted through Adrenaline ski school). There are also some excellent english speaking schools (altitude, new gen, european snowsports) most of whom can provide clinics or private lessons for offpiste.

Lunches: chez dany (part way from ruinettes to medran) is good, carrefour a nice spot in the sun but v.expensive, as are most of them...but I tend to stick to skiing in the daytime and save the eating and drinking for the evenings. Main apres spots include farinet (apres bar from 3 or 4 to 7ish), pub montfort, fer a cheval, etc..

Enjoy!

A snowHead

roadrunner, Even though it will be crowded, your choices for resorts are solid. It sounds like you're likely American and so is my family. We love skiing in Europe and just got back from Meribel. I think your team will especially like Chamonix and the surrounding area with the options of driving to Verbier, or to Courmayeur in Italy, just on the other side of Mont Blanc. Courmayeur is particularly atmosphereic and it's on the sunny side of the mountain. It's definitely worth the short trip. I highly suggest you get a guide for at least half the time you're there if you are to get the full skiing experience. The guide will take you away from the crowds to beautiful places and will find the expert terrain that will only satisfy your crowd. Save some money on the lodging and go for a guide.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

roadrunner, Try Melissa at 'mountain beds' for your Verbier apartment. She is very knowledgeable and helpful..

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Thanks gra, plenty of good stuff there... We're good intermediates with lots of lessons, skied in some great places, 3V, Chamonix, Whistler. Sallbach, Wengen, Milky Way, Serre Chavalier, and a few others. But mostly on piste, but also moguls and fresh snow just to the edge or between pistes, and a bit of trees in whistler. Mostly we like to feel like we've fully explored the resort. But I would like some pointers for proper off piste if the conditions are right...And a two day clinic sounds ideal.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

WayneC, Lots if info here.

www.verbinet.com

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Thanks hedley, that's Useful but I get the impression that verbinet is paid for advertising. I was hoping for regular visitors or seasonaires top tips and it sounds as if gra knows his stuff!

Any more happy hour deals? Is it possible to navigate from pub deal to deal?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

WayneC, Verbier isn't a deal kinda place really although midweek and from 4-5pm sometimes you get the odd Happy Hour. There is so much choice of venue depending on what you fancy and how much you are willing to spend wink

Verbinet is a pay for website but it does have a lot of info on skiing as well including the best skiing tips for whatever your level is? Itineraries etc

I'm out on thurs for a long weekend so will try and post some current info on conditions.

After all it is free

Ooops Thanks hedley, I was beginning to sound like a cheapskate.... Embarassed

Have a good week-end and I'll keep an eye out... snowHead

Help!!

Chamonix or Verbier or someplace else altogether???

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