I have to make a decision and I need some opinions. I'm open to other options outside of these two areas, however these are at the top.
Looking for a 'chocolate-box' village, rustic-chic and more upmarket, car-free would be nice or at least a pedestrian area, beginner and intermediate slopes with lifts close to or in the village, some options for shopping and après ski, chalets and small hotels over large resorts, and of course stunning alpine scenery.
Corvara, San Cassiano are at the top of my list for Alta Badia (Cortina is out as we've stayed there several times, we also stayed in Selva as well). Based on my criteria, would you recommend them?
Murren is at the top for the Jungfrau region, but how does it compare to Alta Badia? Would this be better than say Zermatt or Saas-Fee? I worry that Zermatt is too large and even though it's car-free there are electric taxis all over and the idea of a McDonalds in the village is a bit nauseating (not that they don't have a place in the world). Sans-Fee looks beautiful, but a bit spread out. Please give me your thoughts.
I've also looked into places like Megeve, Alpbach, Ortisei, Anniviers, and Oberlech as well.
Thanks in advance!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Vgunn, I have to say that if you want the Jungfrau region I'd choose Wengen over Murren (but only just) both Murren and Wengen do have a little traffic as does Zermatt, however in comparison to most places they are car free, Murren is quieter but that also means there's a lot less there in general, Wengen has a few more shops and a bit more apres ski, personally I prefer the views from Wengen but Chris Brookes will no doubt be along soon to tell you that Murren is better
I'm afraid I've not been back to Zermatt for 20 years but even then I felt it was far more built up than Wengen, feeling more like a small town than a village, though the views from there of the Matterhorn are of course spectacular.
Can't say how either would compare to Alta Badia as I've not been there
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?
Vgunn, Welcome to Snowheads!
I've been quite a few times to the Jungfrau region, staying in Wengen, but have also skied quite a bit in Murren. Murren is smaller and arguably prettier than Wengen and is certainly "chocolate box" and car free. It's less central to the whole Jungfrau ski region than Wengen is (so will take you longer to get over to Grindelwald if you want to), but it has its own ski area, with very nice skiing in the Birg area, and of course the famous OO7 black run down from the top of the Schilthorn.
If you've already stayed at Cortina and Selva you'll know about the stunning Dolomite scenery . I presume having stayed at Cortina you've alread skied at 5 Torri and done the Hidden Valley run from Laguzoi? Have you considered Colfosco - it's a bit smaller than Corvora and has its own nice small local ski area in the Edelweiss valley? Whilst in Alta Badia are you intending to visit Santa Croce north of La Villa? - it's also well worth a visit.
Looking for a 'chocolate-box' village, rustic-chic and more upmarket, car-free would be nice or at least a pedestrian area, beginner and intermediate slopes with lifts close to or in the village, some options for shopping and après ski, chalets and small hotels over large resorts, and of course stunning alpine scenery.
I would suggest Mürren, it matches your requirments but with one exception...not many shops here but excellent snow !!
Mürren
village paths
car-free (no access, cars left at the valley floor)
Hotel Jungfrau right on the nursery slope
higher nursery slope
The views
Personally i prefer Mürren than Wengen because its unique, unspoilt, more snow sure, easier access to the slopes,alot less cars,amazing views and peaceful....a break from the norm !
ps...check out the weather conditions via webcams of Mürren and Wengen-
Wengen...with a car on the webcam...lol
Mürren
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sun 8-04-12 10:52; edited 1 time in total
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
See I said Chris would be on later to promote Murren
I think it would be fair to say that Chris and I would agree that either Murren or Wengen would fill most if not all your requirements and either would be a great place to stay
See I said Chris would be on later to promote Murren
I think it would be fair to say that Chris and I would agree that either Murren or Wengen would fill most if not all your requirements and either would be a great place to stay
Agreed
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
For the last few year few years i have solved the Alta Badia vs Jungfrau by visiting both each season. If I had to make a choice it would be a difficult decsion although it would be Wengen in the Jungfrau and Arabba in the Dolomites. Neither of these two locations would be ideal for beginners or early intermediates, for beginners then i would go for Colfosco which has very good beginners slopes. For off-piste i would go to the Jungfrau. For food on the hill and apres ski i would go to the Dolomites. The Jungfrau cost more than the Dolomites. If i had to choose without taking the cost into consideration then it would be the Jungfrau perhaps!!!!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Alastair Pink wrote:
Vgunn, Welcome to Snowheads!
I've been quite a few times to the Jungfrau region, staying in Wengen, but have also skied quite a bit in Murren. Murren is smaller and arguably prettier than Wengen and is certainly "chocolate box" and car free. It's less central to the whole Jungfrau ski region than Wengen is (so will take you longer to get over to Grindelwald if you want to), but it has its own ski area, with very nice skiing in the Birg area, and of course the famous OO7 black run down from the top of the Schilthorn.
If you've already stayed at Cortina and Selva you'll know about the stunning Dolomite scenery . I presume having stayed at Cortina you've alread skied at 5 Torri and done the Hidden Valley run from Laguzoi? Have you considered Colfosco - it's a bit smaller than Corvora and has its own nice small local ski area in the Edelweiss valley? Whilst in Alta Badia are you intending to visit Santa Croce north of La Villa? - it's also well worth a visit.
Thank you for the welcome!
As for skiing, yes we've pretty much covered the Cortina area, Sella Ronda and Hidden Valley. I will consider Colfosco, if I remember right, it is very close to Corvara. Would you say the village is as nice as Corvara or San Cassiano?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Chris Brookes wrote:
Welcome to Snowheads
Thanks Chris for the welcome and the pics!
Certainly I'm swayed by Murren, thus the reason for comparing the two areas.
Do you know of any 4 or 5 star chalets to rent?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
D G Orf wrote:
Vgunn, I have to say that if you want the Jungfrau region I'd choose Wengen over Murren
Thanks for your opinion. Would you say Wengen is a bit more upmarket than Murren, or about the same? Sunlight (or lack thereof) in late December/early January is it a factor for Wengen?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
riverman wrote:
For the last few year few years i have solved the Alta Badia vs Jungfrau by visiting both each season. If I had to make a choice it would be a difficult decsion although it would be Wengen in the Jungfrau and Arabba in the Dolomites. Neither of these two locations would be ideal for beginners or early intermediates, for beginners then i would go for Colfosco which has very good beginners slopes. For off-piste i would go to the Jungfrau. For food on the hill and apres ski i would go to the Dolomites. The Jungfrau cost more than the Dolomites. If i had to choose without taking the cost into consideration then it would be the Jungfrau perhaps!!!!
Thanks for the response. Cost isn't a real factor, really it will be time and there probably isn't enough to do both places. We're flying from Cancun, MX where we live and will have our 9-year-old triplets in tow (they are beginners) so I think Arabba is out of the mix.
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.
The Hotel Jungfrau also has apartments (one in the hotel and 2 just infront of it) so contact Véronique who give you a price
http://www.hoteljungfrau.ch/en/home
Any other info or feedback on an apartment/hotel in Murren..just post here
village plan
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
Vgunn wrote:
As for skiing, yes we've pretty much covered the Cortina area, Sella Ronda and Hidden Valley. I will consider Colfosco, if I remember right, it is very close to Corvara. Would you say the village is as nice as Corvara or San Cassiano?
Yes Colfosco is the next village as you go anticlockwise from Corvora on the Sella Ronda (the two are linked by a virtually flat chairlift that goes past a campervan/caravan park midway). I have only ever skied there and not walked around the village (nor have I walked round the villages of Corvora or San Cassiano), so I can't really comment on the relative merits of those three places. However as you mentioned that you will be having your triplet 9 year old beginners along with you, I would echo riverman's comment that Colfosco has very good (and wide) beginners slopes, as well as the Edelweiss valley I previously mentioned which has:
1. A couple of blues (including one served by a drag lift which is very suitable for beginners)
2. A nice red from the Forcelles chairlift (which has a very nicely situated mountain rifugio at the top of the run for a chocolate/coffe stop or lunch )
3. A short black run from the Col Pradat gondola.
In point of fact, I'm looking into renting an apartment with some friends for a week in Colfosco next year.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Should I put San Vigilio di Marebbe on the list? I've never been, supposed to be very charming and I've heard Kronplatz is a good place for beginners.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Austria?
I'm a little forgetful about the villages I stayed when I skied there. But I distinctly remember some rather lovely looking villages with easy access to the slope. I don't think the village need to be car free to be lovely.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
abc wrote:
Austria?
I'm a little forgetful about the villages I stayed when I skied there. But I distinctly remember some rather lovely looking villages with easy access to the slope. I don't think the village need to be car free to be lovely.
Alpbach is a consideration, as well as, Lech/Zurs (though the lack of trees there is noticeable).
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
abc wrote:
I don't think the village need to be car free to be lovely.
I would disagree, a village resort looks so much more prettier without cars driving around and for parents with young children its a blessing.
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?
Chris Brookes wrote:
abc wrote:
I don't think the village need to be car free to be lovely.
I would disagree, a village resort looks so much more prettier without cars driving around and for parents with young children its a blessing.
Or at least a pedestrians-only section, which is nice.
I'm a little forgetful about the villages I stayed when I skied there. But I distinctly remember some rather lovely looking villages with easy access to the slope. I don't think the village need to be car free to be lovely.
Alpbach is a consideration, as well as, Lech/Zurs (though the lack of trees there is noticeable).
Alpbach is certainly chocolate box pretty and in fact I learnt to ski there on my first ski holiday. There are nursery slopes with drag lifts right in the centre of the village, but the main skiing is on the Wiedersbergerhorn mountain which you get to using regular free skibus from the village.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Our youngest last year sleeping in her baby hired sledge which we took everywhere around Mürren with us.... no cars just sledges !
Great thing for me is we can go skiing at anytime with 5 mins and then later ski back to Mürren and have lunch we the family/friends or meet them on the slopes as they are so accessible from the village.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 9-04-12 9:30; edited 2 times in total
Pretty village, not car free. Nice small ish hotels. Brilliant 2km beginner run (youtube "Miara" to get the picture) served by a gondola from the village. Very good value ski school.
Longtime since I was in Jungfrau so cannot provide a comparison
After all it is free
After all it is free
Vgunn wrote:
Chris Brookes wrote:
abc wrote:
I don't think the village need to be car free to be lovely.
I would disagree, a village resort looks so much more prettier without cars driving around and for parents with young children its a blessing.
Or at least a pedestrians-only section, which is nice.
Some do.
As long as there's a central area that's largely pedestrian, the rest of the resort car free or not won't be noticed.
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.
As I said earlier Wengen isn't entirely car free, in fact I believe there are probably as many as 30 internal combustion engine vehicles around the village, that said IC engined vehicles can only be owned by those people who live outside the center of the village, the rest have to use electric vehicles, so for example both taxi company owners have houses outside of the center of the village, many of the hotels have electric vehicles for deliveries and for picking luggage (and sometimes guests) up from the station, the Hotel Alpenrose is just outside the limits so can have their own baby 4x4 people carrier but other than the ones mentioned above the IC vehicles you see in the winter are limited to a couple of farmers 4x4's, the post van, the bin lorry, a fuel delivery truck and a road maintenance truck hardly busy, by any means of the imagination, except perhaps on a Saturday when there will be lots of people going to and from resort.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. I presume having stayed at Cortina you've alread skied at 5 Torri and done the Hidden Valley run from Laguzoi? Have you considered Colfosco - it's a bit smaller than Corvora and has its own nice small local ski area in the Edelweiss valley? Whilst in Alta Badia are you intending to visit Santa Croce north of La Villa? - it's also well worth a visit. 
)
