 Poster: A snowHead
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My husband & I have just got back from our first skiing holiday (Obergurgl) and really enjoyed it, so I'm already planning our next one (Jan 2013 - I plan things very early on!). Ideally, we'd like to go to a resort:
- with lots of wide easy runs to build up our confidence on. We'd probably spend the first morning practising on nursery slopes but would then like to strike out on our own rather than take more lessons,
- that isn't too busy on the slopes or has lots of lift queues.
- that has charm and character.
I've narrowed it down to Corvara (Chalet Verena with Colletts), Saas Fee (Hotel Elite with Inghams) or Valmoral (Hotel Du Bourg with Crystal). I'm angling towards Saas Fee as I've never been to Switzerland, but from what I've read, Valmoral might be more suitable. Therefore, I'd really appreciate hearing any advice on this or about peoples experiences of these resorts.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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musywhite, chalet verena is highly recommended here. Do a search and you'll find quite a few threads on why - we went last year and loved the place.
I don't know Saas Fee or Valmorel, but Covara is perfect for early intermediates. (I might as well be the first to say, unless you are "naturals" you might want to consider some lessons at first; it will be over a year since your first week and it can take a while to get back into the swing of 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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Valmorel is great for ski-in, ski out and you there is a nice trip to St Francois Longchamps once you have gained a bit of confidence. I don't know Covara but Saas Fee is bigger and might not suit as well as Valmorel in your situation.
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Forget Saas Fee. The best runs are all Red and some of the Blues are high up on the Glacier which can get a bit daunting for Low Intermediates, also they are serviced by T-Bars which will cause fatigue!
Corvara has to be the best option. Collets provide super guide services and their chalets are located in the Alta Badia zone of the Sella Ronda which is perfect for you. No T-Bars, well served pistes and best of all, its Italy! Food better, lots of stand-up type spots for cheap lunch or super Italian Restaurants. We try and do the Dolomites at least once a season and Corvara/Colfosco is our favourite.
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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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I agree withpanaga52.
Saas Fee can also be very cold and dark in Jan - because it's surrounded by 4000m peaks the village does not get the sun then. It is magical place but my advice would be to go there when you have a few weeks under your belt and go in the Spring.
Corvara would be perfect - wide long gentle slopes and magnificent scenery. It is a fascinating area - you'll here German spoken just as often as Italian ( the area was part of Austria till 1919) and they have their own incomprehensible language -Ladin. Great food as panaga52 says.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I haven't been to Saas Fee but am going there at the end of January. It is unsuitable for the 2nd weeker I would have thought and its 100km piste is the smallest of the three.
Covara is part of Alta Badia of the Italian Dolomites which has 1200km piste in 12 areas in which Alta Badia is just one. Alta Badia is one of the 4 corners of the might Sella Ronda circular circuit with 510km linked piste! The area with the most beginner friendly runs is in Covara/Colfosco so this is a suitable area for a 2nd weeker and the vist brings in the prestige of both Dolomite and Sella Ronda (having the biggest skiing loop of the world). It has to be understood a 2nd weeker will not be able to make much use of the Sella Ronda circuit which is dominated by the red runs, one or two of which are close to the black standard.
Valmorel is in France and known to have a huge number of green runs which are not available in resorts in Italy, Austria or Switzerland which start with the blue.
Thus Valmorel is the best resort of the three for skiers who have just started their skiing experience. Valmorel has 152 km piste. Geographically it is a very long resort and can take an early intermediate a day to ski to the far end and back. The extreme end is St Francis and St Francis Longcham is the one before the terminal end. The route is predominatly "green" runs!. The only drawback I would advise the visitors is that the resort owner could have overdone the attempt by classifying as many runs as green to attract the beginner skiers so a few of the green, near the descend to St Francis Longchamp, could be challenging, otherwise this is a cruising heaven for every early intermediate skier.
I would say for improving a beginner's skiing Valmorel is impossible to beat because this is not a well known resort and so it isn't crowded by the French standard plus it is reasonably large, totally modern (as against Saas fee dominated by the drag lifts) and has vast space (many runs are lierally over the entire mountain). Google the piste map of the three resorts and it will be immediately obvious.
Saas Fee and Corava are more suitable for those who go there to enjoy skiing, comfotable with the red runs and therefore able to explore the area.
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Thanks for all your replies and advice - I appreciate it. I think Valmorel it is!
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I went in a large mixed ability party to Saas Fee, and would endorse all that's been said above. Yes, the scenery is spectacular, but because much of the skiing is on glacier, a number of the lifts are drags (it's technically difficult to put othe types of lift on a moving glacier), and it can be perishingly cold in mid-winter. The other negative is that the village is very long and narrow, with only limited availability of transport (it's car free), so you can end up doing a lot of walking.
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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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We stayed in Hotel du Bourg, Valmorel some years ago. We were happy with the hotel and as it was B and B enjoyed eating out in different restaurants in the evenings. I can't remember the details of the ski runs but friends who were complete beginners went there last year and had a great time.
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musywhite, welcome to skiing.  Frankly, however keen you are, I'd not book anything now for January 2013. It'll be low season, you'll be spoilt for choice. Could be that Valmorel will have rubbish snow and Corvara excellent. Or vice versa. Or they might both be very poor and Saas Fee OK. Wait until much closer to the time and you'll be able to pay less and go where the best snow is.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, unless the OP decides in the end to go to Colletts in Corvara - while there's no need to book now they do sell out all weeks very quickly and I'd be looking to book Jan 2013 over the summer
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