 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Morzine.
Oh, and welcome to Snowheads!
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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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aztek, welcome to snowheads. if you decide on anywhere in France, don't go till third week of March - French school hols.
Sounds like you should book up for a week's ski school with a really good instructor. You could take the advice of Ricklovesthepowder and have lessons with BASS Morzine. Third week of March.
If you want plenty of company, bargain prices, top tuition at all levels and a good choice of excellent resorts, look at holidays with UCPA, marketed in the UK by Action-Outdoors.
Some of their centres, including Flaine, have double rooms, rather than dorms, which would suit you better. Unbeatable prices.
I'm sure you'll get some good Austrian suggestions too - but wherever you go, sounds like lessons would make a big difference.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ADH
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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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| Quote: |
Les Arcs 1600 looks ok (at La Cachette) but we might be a bit bored in the evening as it's very quiet.
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Arc 1600 is very good and I will be there for the weekend of March 10th.
You will not be bored in the evenings.
THe Abravoir bar just by the Cachette hotel has live music a couple nights a week, but can be a bit quiet other nights. The bar in the Trois Arc building has been recently refurbished and is pretty lively. If you want a night club then get the navette to Arc 1800. When you want to come home you walk up inside one of the big apartment blocks there, go to the top floor and out onto the descending track to Arc 1600. It is roughly a 20 to 30 minute stroll.
PM me if you want to hook up (but I am only over for the weekend)
Oh and there is a UCPA in Arc 1600
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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If your willing to look at catered chalets, you could reconsider Courchevel, we managed a 3.5 star catered chalet for well within your lower budget in mid March. Mind you I haven't been before, so can't say if it'll fit your wish list
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aztek, another vote here for lessons - consider a private lesson for couple of hours.
That could work out as better value for two than a normal ski school class if you bear in mind that the instructor will have more time for you.
There are many resorts that Crystal go to which fit the bill for your level of skiing, don't get hung up on finding the 'perfect' one.
Look around, though, there are some deals about including some of the smaller catered chalet operators.
pam w, are you counting the holiday week starting 10/11 March as the 2nd or 3rd week of the month? You might both be talking about the same week...
Anyway aztek, check out the European School Holidays sticky at the top of this sub forum.
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pam w, are you counting the holiday week starting 10/11 March as the 2nd or 3rd week of the month? You might both be talking about the same week...
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good question. that's the first week when it would make good sense to go to a French resort, IMV.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
pam w, are you counting the holiday week starting 10/11 March as the 2nd or 3rd week of the month? You might both be talking about the same week...
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good question. that's the first week when it would make good sense to go to a French resort, IMV. |
Good, 'cos we're going to Vallandry that week 
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agw, should be a lot better than the week before - but obviously a popular week with those not stuck with school hols. Should be terrific. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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aztek, I'd think again about Cervinia. You'd be very unlucky to find all lifts closed there because of the weather and it meets all of your other criteria except perhaps tree skiing.
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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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Welcome to snowheads !
If you do fancy Austria try Schladming......hidden gem !
Dont be put off by height ,they are amazing at looking after their snow and it is north facing. 
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Yup, looking good and the annual weather and webcam obsession has already started ...
Anyway, back OT for aztek, if you want to keep the cost down then look at the cost of the lift pass as well as the accommodation/flight.
As wonderful as the likes of 3V, Paradiski and Espace Killy undoubtedly are you will still have a great time in a smaller area and perhaps save a few euros.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Thu 2-02-12 15:57; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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aztek, Zell am See worth a look too. Lots of snow now so fingers crossed will be good till March but if ropey the Kaprun glacier is very close. Obergurgl would also give you what you want. Actually that would be perfect for you.
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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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Two that I skied and enjoyed thoroughly when at your stage were Livigno and Kaprun. There's a long transfer to Livigno but I would really like to go back there.
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Poster: A snowHead
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aztek, La Plagne could suit you and I would recommend lessons with Oxygene ski school
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My usual recommendation fit's the bill - Baqueira in the Pyrenees - www.baqueira.es
150k+, lots of snow, good selection of ground, no queues. Available through crystal, or you could try www.baqueira.co.uk
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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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Hi,
Thanks a lot for all the great suggestions everyone! I think i'm going to definitely book some private lessons too. Yes, we deliberately planned on going on the 10th of March to avoid the French school holidays.
Bill.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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aztek, I think the package provided in the second (.co.uk) link includes a certain number of lessons as the guys also run a ski school there.
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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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Hi aztek,
Just a point re: courchevel. The gf and I went to Courchevel 1650 with Ski Olympic in Jan for approx the lower of your budget, catered chalet hotel (les avals).
Basic ish rooms, but en suite, lovely food, great location (across the road from the lifts at 1650 & bus stop outside for a 5 min bus to 1850).
Ski Olympic were fantastic, really well organised, really friendly & couldn't do enough for us. My gf has a serious fish allergy and the chef spoke with her every day to ensure our meals would be ok to eat (prepared different meals / canipes when necessary). Ski Olympic also did free ski hosting every day, and have links with an excellent ski school (New Generation) who are based next door but one.
I think Courchevel has a reputation for being massively expensive, but we did most of our lunches & drinking at 1650 and found it no more expensive than Tignes was the year before, and we found the skiing at 1850 to be perfect - loads of lovely long blues, amazing snow etc.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
jellemr
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another vote for La Plagne here - fits all your ski requirements perfectly: High, so guaranteed snow (but where isn't this season?!) Long and fairly easy reds and blues everywhere (even the blacks aren't at all difficult when bashed) and there's lovely runs in the trees plus access to Les Arcs. Nightlife-wise - there's certailny good restaurants and quite a few bars but it's no St. Anton or Val d'Isere.
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aztek, if you had been looking at Ishcgl, why don't you look at Kappl just down the road. You will need to DIY but what the hell. http://www.alpenfrieden-kappl.at/index.php?id=13&L=1 is bang on the piste and serves great food and great value too. The runs in Kappl are great - pretty long and varied and deserted. The skiing in Ischgl really is excellent and only 10 mins away by free bus. Only an hour from Innsbruck and surprisingly good apres, despite the size of village. Fantastic apres in Ischgl.
Also, have a look at some of the places in Ski Welt and Ski Amade. There is absolutely tonnes of snow in Austria just now at all levels so don't be put off by height.
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aspect is at least as important as altitude, especially late in the season. Ideally you need a resort where some slopes get sun early on, and others later (or not at all),
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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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aztek, Try Pila next door to La Thuile smaller and great selection of wide red and blue empty pistes. You wont get there with Crystal but want to organise travel then Pilaski.co.uk would do the rest.
Should work out cheaper and quieter than France.
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| jellemr wrote: |
Hi aztek,
Just a point re: courchevel. The gf and I went to Courchevel 1650 with Ski Olympic in Jan for approx the lower of your budget, catered chalet hotel (les avals).
Basic ish rooms, but en suite, lovely food, great location (across the road from the lifts at 1650 & bus stop outside for a 5 min bus to 1850).
Ski Olympic were fantastic, really well organised, really friendly & couldn't do enough for us. My gf has a serious fish allergy and the chef spoke with her every day to ensure our meals would be ok to eat (prepared different meals / canipes when necessary). Ski Olympic also did free ski hosting every day, and have links with an excellent ski school (New Generation) who are based next door but one.
I think Courchevel has a reputation for being massively expensive, but we did most of our lunches & drinking at 1650 and found it no more expensive than Tignes was the year before, and we found the skiing at 1850 to be perfect - loads of lovely long blues, amazing snow etc.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
jellemr |
Another vote for Ski Olympic - no other connection but we are going with them again for the 3rd year running. W/c 11th march has been reduced to £595 for Les Avals in Courchevel 1650. http://skiolympic.snowsystm.com/blog/ and scroll down.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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aztek, The only way you can 'guarantee' snow is to head somewhere with a glacier. You're automatically ruling out a load of sking by saying you're dismissing resorts of <800m, these places wouldn't be viable if they had consistenly poor skiing throughout March. As boabski, says Austria have heaps of the white stuff and the piste management is such that baring a massive jump in temperatures have enough to ensure a good season.
Last season which was poor by most peoples estimations I was in Le Plagne when it hadn't snowed for weeks and lower down it was dicey, 2 weeks later I was in Saalbach and still hadn't snowed and Saalbach was in much better nick. The tree line is higher in France so as a result if things aren't too good chances are you won't be able to enjoy the tree runs anyhow. Being further east Austrian ski areas are less effected by the warming effect of the ocean and as a result it's generally colder.
I'd second Ischgl, brilliant area and as snow sure as it gets without a glacier perhaps and no offence to La Thuille (I've skied there several times) but I think there are far better Italian resorts along the Aosta valley.
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