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Verbier Vs St Anton Vs Val D'Isere

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Ladies and Gentlemen

I'm in the process of chosing a venue for the annual ski trip. The complication is that it's for a large group (up to 25ish) of varying abilities and means.

To make it work we're nominating a week (between end of Feb to mid March) and nominating a resort - that way people can either book 5 star luxury now or get a last minute deal. So a good choice of accomodation is important.

The age range is 26 - 37 and we are on the whole a social bunch. So nightlife/apres ski is a requirement and if we can get it, reasonably priced (don't laugh) drinks and food since we'll be out everyday supping the nectar.

The ability level of the group is approx...
15% people with 1- 4 weeks experience (beginer/intermediate)
50% people with 4 - 10 weeks experience (good intermediate) who'll want cruisey corduroy motorways
35% people with 10 weeks plus (advanced intermediate) who'll want off piste thrills.

70 % skiers 30% boarders.

Ski in/out or very short walks to ski lifts are preferred as long unreliable ski buses are a big no-no, we did Chamonix 4 years ago and that was a pain without a car.

Any comparisons of the resorts by people who've experienced them first hand will be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks


BB
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Can't say anything about St Anton or Verbier, but I think Val is not well suited to your 1-4 weekers, especially if ski in/out is important. The runs into Val d'Isere can be intimidating for new skiers, and the gentler runs in La Daille will then leave you with a (always reliable) bus ride up to Val itself. For the other, more experienced skiers in your group Val will have lots to offer.
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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?
bucking bronco,


You wont go wrong with any of them.

With your group in mind, some thoughts,

St A, nightlife and apre-ski - KK etc very good so you can all meet up at 4 o'clock as they lead into the village. You might have to ski a couple of hundreds yards drunk but there you go. Skiing is all you could want altho' might be a bit crowded on the blues for timid skiers.
Shouldn't worry your age group.

Val D. Plenty of motorway milaege, good lift sys and good nightlife. Not as good as St A in this last respect IMV.

Verbier, good nightlife and lots of skiing..blah

You can't go wrong with any of them but i would guess that St A is the least suitable for snowboarders but that is based on a friend who snowboarded there and said he wouldn't go back there on a board. But then he doesn't go anywhere on a board now, we have convertd him back..ha..!!

As they are all pretty equal I would chose the resort by convenience of the accom and the price you can get. All are top, top resorts
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Having skied all three resorts a minimum of twice I'd definitely propose:
Val d'Isere
taking all your criteria into account.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
If you come to agreement on Val despair look at Tignes. Arguabley Val's best skiing is on the Tignes side. With the money you save from staying and eating/drinking in Tignes you will be able to eat and drink more Very Happy
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bucking bronco,

Is this mainly a blokes group ? We dont need anymore blokes in St Anton. Its allready getting a GAY status Sad

Depending where you stay in St Anton you will still have to walk to the lifts or take a bus.

Why in particular are you zoning in on these 3 resorts ?

Have you considered Ischgl, serious amount of top-end hotels, excellent apres ski & nightlife, superb skiing & lift system ?

Or perhaps somewhere like Saalbach Hinterglem ?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I was sure we'd compared these resorts recently but I couldn't find the thread, so here goes...

I'd agree pretty much with JT that you can't go too far wrong with these. I like all 3 resorts. I would choose to stay in Tignes rather than Val d'Isere though (although you lose out on nightlife). I've been to Val d'Isere/Tignes 4 or 5 times, St Anton twice and Verbier once. Next season I'm going to Tignes and Verbier again and I can't wait to get back to St Anton. So hopefully I'm pretty unbiased on their pros and cons.

Generally I think they would offer the range of accommodation that you want. All of them have stuff close to the slopes but obviously they also have hotels that aren't so convenient - nothing like Chamonix though. I don't think you'll go too far wrong with the nightlife either although I've not had a chance to experience Verbier's (apart from longingly from a balcony).

Skiing:
They all offer a lot for the better skiers, including lots of off-piste potential. Everyone on here will probably disagree about which is best and why but they'll all meet your requirements for the better skiers. Once you've decided, post again - I'm sure that you'll get lots of good recommendations for guides etc.

Good Intermediates. More tricky to assess but I've known some people not to have been too impressed with Verbier. I loved it but if you removed the itineries from the piste map then it may be a little disjointed and limited. Not sure it's a great resort for people who want "cruisey corduroy motorways ". Anyone else got any thoughts on that?

Beginners/lower intermediates. I'd be a little reluctant to take these to St Anton if they were nervous/timid skiers. Some of it's quite steep and might be a bit intimidating. However, I'm pretty someone else on here learnt to ski there and said they had no problems so maybe that's not an issue. I'd agree with Rob that the runs back to Val d'Isere aren't great but that's probably the only drawback there.

I suspect that Val d'Isere will probably suit the group best for skiing but it's my least favourite of the 3.
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 brian
brian
Guest
I've been to Val (twice) and Verbier but not St A.

Of the first 2, both would be brilliant for the top 35% but your middle 50% and beginners will be happier with the skiing in Val I'd have thought. Verbier doesn't really have the big network of intermediate motorways and the main link with the rest of the Quatre Vallées, Tortin, is a fairly serious bump field.

Both Val and Verbier have free shuttle buses that are free and frequent. I wouldn't let using them put you off either resort but there should be plenty of accom close enough to walk to the lifts anyway.
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My very first ski trip was to St Anton after having a few lessons at a dry ski slope. The first day was skiing with friends and that was challenging and scary. The rest of the week I went to ski school and that was great. St Anton was fine for beginners when I went.

Val d'Isere has lots of terrain suitable for novices. This includes free lists in the valley bottom to access the nursery slopes. There are also easy slopes high up with lifts to bring you down at the end of the day, rather than skiing down.

Val d'Isere does not have much ski-in ski-out accomodation, but the bus service is very good. Busses are free and run every five minutes or so between breakfast and supper times. Rather than insisting on ski-in ski-out in Val d'Isere look for accomodation that is close to a bus stop.
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alan empty,
Quote:

Not sure it's a great resort for people who want "cruisey corduroy motorways ".


To get the best Verbier cruising grounds you would want to spend time in Savolyeres, which may impinge on you getting together as a group for lunch etc. Although the experts would enjoy themselves immensely in the trees there if you have fresh snow.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Guys

Thanks and keep them coming... Very Happy

Stanton - I guess the make up is 70% blokes 30% girls, I know what you mean wrt gay resort as we found this was the case in Chamonix a while back. This will always be the case in the tougher resorts as girls prefer to give these a miss, we even thought about Jackson Hole in the US of A but loads of blokes dressed as cowboys worries me. Shocked

I've actually been to Val D'Isere but it was 6 yrs ago and it was my first week's skiing. From what I remember it was expensive, lively at night and very much like Val Thorens at the top of the hill - cruisey motorways, and I downloaded everyday like a big girl. Apparently there is some good off piste to be had here.

Thanks once again guys and please keep your thoughts coming.

Cheers

BB


Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Thu 15-09-05 9:21; edited 1 time in total
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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.
bucking bronco,
Quote:

This will always be the case in the tougher resorts as girls prefer to give these a miss, we even thought about Jackson Hole in the US of A but loads of blokes dressed as cowboys worries me.


I think its the case in most resorts , woman dont like the cold. I think the only places I been where the woman to men ratio was reversed was once in Telluride & once in Aspen in Lady's week ! Incidently St Anton does one of these weeks now towards the end of the season when the suns out Very Happy

RE, Jackson , you just got to be careful you dont hit a US resort when there holding there Gay Ski Weeks. rolling eyes
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 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
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
Throwing another resort into the equation - how about Alpe d'Huez? This is a brilliant resort for all levels, and there's some great, easily accessible off piste for those looking for some challenges. I've been there with a big group before and everyone has always had a great time - good bars as well. i've heard of a great chalet in the altiport area which is ski in ski out - it only sleeps 16 though, so might be too small. very worth having a look at it if your group gets smaller... check out www.skialacarte.co.uk

Also spent a season in Val - a favourite of mine - but if you're with beginners it might be a bit daunting....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
bucking bronco, I don't know if there are any five star hotels in Val D'Isere. Last I checked there were a couple of fours - the Christiania (which I recommend) or the Latitudes.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
JohnnyC

The Christiania looks like the nuts!

The choice seems to narrowed now to Val D'Isere and Verbier now with the hard core lot wanting Verbier and the intermediates wanting to go to Val.

Can anyone give any info with regards to living costs in the resort and how they compare?

Cheers

BB
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Not been to Val, Verbier has plenty of reasonable eating options, I usually find that the price of pizza and wine is about the same as in Brighton. Beer works out about £2.50 -£3 for a half litre so about the same as my bit of the UK. Food on the mountain is more expensive, but it usually is, i guess £6 for spag bol depending where you go.

You will find it difficult getting groups of 25 in to the same place to eat and drink at the same time. Al Capone and the Pub Mont Fort restaurant could cope. You'd need to book everywhere in advance.

Of course if you want to go crazy you can spend as much as you've got, but if you want to have a good time it's not outrageously expensive.

I guess the single biggest item is lift pass cost which the respective rsort web sites will provide.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I would consider Zermatt as well.
St Anton - piste skiing not great for most levels in my opinion, good nightlife.
Verbier - again I don't think the pistes are great for its reputation - most intermediates will end up skiing the same runs the whole time.
Val D'Isere - I think has the best all round skiing of the three, the off piste not as good as Ver / StA, but sounds like you won't be doing that much off piste.
Would agree on comment on Saalbach Hinterglemm, given your level of ability, but not Ischgl: terrible queues and the area is a bit tedious (all samey)
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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?
And the 3V (yes another plug rolling eyes ). Obviously Courchevel 1850 and Meribel will steal your money, and personally I could do without them anyway (they're not all that) but there are nearly a dozen other villages scattered around the valleys, where the prices are comparable to ValD. And no-where else comes close for ski-in/ski-out high mileage for all abilities.
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Looking at the make-up of the group again, I would chose Val D. It wouldn't be my choice personally but it suits all the levels you have very well.
Lots of motorway and confidence building pistes and the more adventurous can pick off some good off-piste runs. It wouldn't be hard to get the group meeting up for lunch during the day if you pick the resturants sensibly. Better than Verbier and St A in this respect and as you are going as a group you should cater for this on one or two days at least
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Steve Sparks
Thanks for the info - prices look very reasonable.

Lewis
Good info

Manda
We've done Meribel the last 2 years and need a change, but you're right lots of motorway mileage.

JT
Think you've hit the nail on the head.


At the end of the day you can't please everyone in such a large group, the thinking is Val D' if the group stays large but if it's just the hardcore advanced people then Verbier is the winner.


Boys and Girls

Thank you Very Happy
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