 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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Welcome to active Snowhead status gamer2471 - you may find it addictive.
Not many completely traffic free places - might it be enough that there is only light traffic and no through traffic to somewhere else? The best slopes for snow are normally North facing so resorts tend to develop those slopes more. Austria is even quainter than Switzerland on the whole and much cheaper. Someone will probably be on who knows Austrian resorts better than I do. Switzerland is the most expensive largely because, as you say, of the exchange rate.
La Plagne in France might suit some of those requirements except, like most French resorts, it isn't quaint (someone may be on later to say which La Plagne village). The transfer from the airport is fairly long, but you can go out and back on the overnight train instead of flying, if you wish, which gives you 8 days skiing instead of 6 for your week at the hotel. The Sella Ronda area in the Dolomites in Italy are spectacularly beautiful and the slopes sunny and the skiing not difficult but the transfer can be difficult.
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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, from another first-timer 
Maybe have a look at Les Gets? Although it isn't car-free and doesn't have huge mountains you can reach out and touch (though there can be nice views of Mont Blanc), it is pretty, very good for beginners (as well as more accomplished skiers), and fairly close to Geneva. We started going there ?? years ago, mainly due to the British-run ski schools (who have always served us very well), and have always enjoyed it. There's quite a strong British presence. Nightlife exists but not obtrusively. There are prepared paths for winter-walkers but no long sledge runs of the Jungfrau sort. It can be busy at peak times but out of school holidays I wouldn't have thought it would be a problem. Not sure about relative costs ...
I hope this helps - I'm sure others will have other suggestions!
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gamer2471, snowmum123, welcome to Snowheads. 
Zermatt is "car free" but probably fails to qualify on a number of the other counts. Avoriaz is car free but not "quaint" - though it is very unusual.
I suggest you drop the "car free" and then your choices will be much wider. Plenty of resorts, throughout the Alps, would be worth looking at.
You might also find, depending on when you travel, and the weather that year, that you would regret being anywhere where almost all results are sun-facing.
But one such is La Rosiere - it's not car-free but it's small and manageable, there's good skiing for beginners, the views are lovely and there are good ski schools.
Of the places I know the one which comes closes to fulfilling your brief is Megeve. The town centre is car-free and very attractive. There's loads of very well groomed easy and intermediate skiing, plenty of sunny slopes (but also shadier areas, for when the snow on the sunny slopes is suffering too much) and stunning scenery (Mont Blanc "in yer face").
One specific suggestion is Simon Butler skiing http://www.simonbutlerskiing.com/
I've not stayed there, and have no connection, but they get good reports and because the ski instruction is fully integrated with the holiday it's a good formula for people on their first trip, as it takes a lot of the uncertainties out of the picture.
Megeve can be an expensive resort (few places outside Paris have more Michelin-starred restaurants) but if you are in a catered chalet you don't need to patronise them! And don't go to the "chalet nick-nacks" shop where large amounts of Alpine tat is on sale at silly prices. Nowhere but Megeve could charge you several euros for a pine cone. 
There are beautiful shops in Megeve centre, with very covetable clothes, boots, ski gear. But again, you don't need to shop there.
The slopes are quiet out of peak season - a lot of people seem to go there to stroll around the shops looking chic, rather than go out skiing and risk their mascara running.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Consider Zell Am See in Austria. Very easy short transfer from Salzburg airport (80 minutes), very quaint, beginner friendly, sunny slopes & much cheaper than Switzerland.
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Oooo! thanks Ben..
looks just like the sort of place we were thinking... found this website and has GREAT interactive piste maps :
http://www.zellamsee-kaprun.com/en
probably top of our list now - been looking at this place with great interest - so thanks a Million ! 
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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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How about Murren ? 
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I've been to megeve and stayed at the Simon butler chalet, I liked it so much I've now been 7 times, the tuition is excellent as is the chalet but most importantly the ski area is superb.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Obergurgl? High, treeless, purpose built. Lots of good points, I'm sure, but "quaintness" can't be one of them. Look at Obergurgl on google images.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Obergurgl? High, treeless, purpose built. Lots of good points, I'm sure, but "quaintness" can't be one of them. Look at Obergurgl on google images. |
True. Not as bad as e.g. Avoriaz or Flaine, but not quaint either.
this is quite a flattering view.
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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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those were the views i saw on the net... looked small and , well... "quaintish"
I'll bow to your better judgements.
Still searching for S/C places in Murren - we have a good relationship with Dorothee of Chalet Services in Wengen - need someone like her but over in Murren for a change..
BTW - do the Von Allmen's have a monopoly on Wengen ? - or is it just a co-incidence i see plumbers, electricians, residential sales/estate agents even their "shopping service" goods come from a shop registered to that Surname...
Quite a little empire ?
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Poster: A snowHead
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gamer2471, Several different families with the same Name they may be related in the distant past but it's certainly not an empire, for instance Paul Von Allmen owner of of the Hotel Alpenrose has a sister Margrit who is married to Erich Leemann and they run the Park hotel in Wengen but that's it as far as his immediate family is concerned, however the family has been in the village pretty much since it started, they owned the very first hotel there, so it should come as no surprise to find it a common name, up until well past the middle of the 20th century it was still uncommon in the mountain villages to marry anyone from any great distance away so you get certain common names
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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gamer2471, Have a look at Lech, and OberLech. Lovely places, Oberlech is entirely car free, you get to it through a network of underground tunnels. Close to (skiable distance) St Anton if you want gnarly stuff, but Oberlech in particular is gentle blues and easy reds. Not cheap, but nor is Wengen, and IMHO Oberlech is far better, more modern lifts, better groomed pistes, not living of old glories etc etc etc.
Plus they are in AUSTRIA! 
If it's of any interest we stayed in the Hotel Petersboden which was very comfortable indeed and literally on the side of the piste.
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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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gamer2471, what Axsman, is spot on, especially if you like some sledging. The Rodelbahn is open till 10 at night and starts right outside the Petersboden (think it's actually the Sporthotel Cresta) but only 20m of a difference. It is expensive to stay there (ie accomodation) but ok pricewise to eat and drink on mountian - ie cheaper than the big French resorts and probably most of Switzerland.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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www.oberlech.com and use the search facility for apartments. A few apartments in oberlech and the ones I've seen are in great locations.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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gamer2471, what exactly do you mean by a s/c chalet? Do you want an entire building/small house to yourselves? If so, there are plenty of very nice ones available but they would be for more people, and be quite expensive. But if you want an apartment for 2 or 4, there are loads of them, everywhere. In France you can get a very wide variety of apartments, from very cheap to very expensive, and loads of different locations (slope-side, middle of town, etc etc). I daresay Austria and Italy have plenty of apartments to rent, too. Where are you looking? Or are you looking for a hotel where you can have your own suite?
What are your requirements?
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Axsman, You are aware that HMRC read this Stayed in Lech by the piste! where is his return?
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Cynic, All funded with tax paid monies. Honest guv. 
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FAQ
By middle of the week I could slalom and turn on a six-pence 
