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Options for France week before Xmas 2012

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi,

We already have a trip with a large group organised for Bulgaria in March '13 but I would like to do a trip with the kids just before Xmas this year (15 Dec ish). I was thinking of somewhere like Val Thorens or Val-d'Isère - i.e. some height to ensure some snow but am open to recommendations, especially as height at that time of year can also = more risk of bad weather and much colder weather.

There will be five of us, 2 adults & 3 kids (7,9,11). The kids have all been skiing before and are fine with blues, greens and just progressing onto reds.

This will be a cheapo special so I will probably drive and s/c. We will not put the kids in ski school but will need to book up some ski hire and passes obviously.

Any suggestions on resorts and accommodation would be most appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pigbite,
Quote:

This will be a cheapo special so I will probably drive and s/c. We will not put the kids in ski school but will need to book up some ski hire and passes obviously.

It really makes very little sense IMO to do anything other than wait and see where has the snow. Sometimes the high resorts do have the best snow early season but it is far from invariable and the prealps or southern alps are quite frequently better. If you are dirving and self catering you gain nothing by booking early whereas you may lose quite a bit. The lower resorts are usually cheaper and may have better snow. If they don't have better snow which is quite possible you have lost nothing by booking late there will be no difficulty getting self catering accommodation at the big high reosrts pre christmas.
Personally I would add Montgenevre and Serre CHe to my list both of which often have good early snow as well as the Haute Savoie resorts. I would book nothing till I find out what the snow is like though.
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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?
Cheers T Bar - good points and thanks for the pointers the other resorts. I should have been a bit clearer that I was planning on watching the snow but with so many options I wanted to try and narrow things down a bit.
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At this notice, I would go high for anything before Xmas. VT and Val D'Isere and Tignes are where I'd start, and there's loads of deals as the TOs have mostly only just released their pricing for next season - and as a result will do a deal to fill quite a few spaces for the early season.

Personally, with kids progressing on to reds I'd go for VT, but really we are splitting hairs, because the runs home in VT are all blue/green, whereas in Tignes and VDI runs home can be limited and black - check out the piste map if you've not been before. Both have cables to get you home, but it means ski in/out is really neither in many cases Smile

You might be surprised by the price of some catered deals in chalets at that time of year - perhaps worth exploring vs self catering costs, and reduces a bit of the pressure on you as parents to be skiing, cooking, or generally looking after the kids, as communal areas in the chalet will usually have adults around if you feel like an afternoon snooze.

Also check the lift pass cutoff dates - the first couple of weeks of Dec are often cheaper than the rest of the season.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
pigbite,
One other thing to add.
Quote:

but will need to book up some ski hire and passes obviously.

A lot of the lower ski resorts will offer all in deals for these low season weeks which include accommodation/lift passes and sometimes ski hire it is worth going to the resort web sites and checking them out but next seasons deals will probably not be up yet.

PS also if the high resorts do have all the snow I would add Les 2 Alpes to the list which is a bit cheaper than the other two and better scenery as well.
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Some smaller French resorts won't be open (or not fully open) from 15 December however good the snow. Some will open on 22 December and some will probably not have decided yet! You could have a look at the excellent all-in deals offered by mountainsun in Tignes, including passes and transfers from Geneva. Tignes is as good a bet as most places, early season, and it's easier to ski down than it is in Val D'Isere.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Snow-trex.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
There are lots of deals to be had for accommodation plus lift passes in the early season...ask again in September. Try AbSerti/Alpes Horizons. If you are driving and self catering you are fairly flexible.. We have skied this week or over Christmas in Les Arcs for lots of years and have always has plenty of snow varying from just enough to "Oh God which of these is our car....". Pistes are quiet until after Christmas.
Weather wise it can be mild, but can equally be wickedly cold, so make sure you have very good skiwear and scarves and good gloves especially. Take spares if possible(clothing & gloves).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Excellent advice - thanks all.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
try wastelandski.com, I managed to book lift passes, ski hire and accom for 7 nights for 13 of us for £180 each in the Easter holidays (booked in Jan) they had similar prices for the Christmas holidays, we did go toSt Sorlin though which is considerably cheaper than VT
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