 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Of the two, which resort would you choose and why?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
You need to say more about the ages and ability of your group and roughly when you are thinking of going.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
snowymum, agreed
In nut shell:
Avoriaz - Big resort feel, part of a Mega Area, masses of skiing
La Rosiere - Small town feel, much shorter runs, , far less skiing, prone to wind, south facing, some slow lifts
That said I would probably chose La Rosiere. as I much prefer lovely, small market towns over big sprawling cities
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
snowymum, +1 , and say what you are expecting from your holiday!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
That said I would probably chose La Rosiere. as I much prefer lovely, small market towns over big sprawling cities
|
Avoriaz is hardly a big sprawling city 
I would vote for Avoriaz every time even though I generally prefer Italy to France for skiing.
Although it is fairly ugly it is not as brutal as some of the other purpose built french resorts and the snowy, car free streets with horse drawn sleighs are quite picturesque (albeit a little smelly at times).
The skiing is much better than La Rosiere and the linked area of the Portes de Soleil is bigger and more of a challenge (in terms of actually doing the whole circuit) than the linked area of La Rosiere and La Thuile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Tiger2, luckily most of the skiing in the La Rosiere domain is in Italy 
It was an analogy BTW
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For nine-year-old newbies, which would you recommend? For both on and off the slope activities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
La Rosiere, definitely. No need to go to a huge place like Avoriaz if you are not at least parallel skier. La Rosi is GREAT for kids, good ski schools, good nursery slopes and nice runs for progressing skiers. If you choose carefully you will have access to a pool and if your kids have been skiing all day they shouldn't have much energy for off slope apres...
OK get ready to shoot me down re first sentence.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Completely agree with Snowyowl. La Rosiere is ideal for children learning to ski. The Cimes Blanches apartments have a lovely pool area plus jacuzzis etc. They are located in Les Eucharts area which has a small ice rink and bowling alley. We like Les Eucharts as it was quieter and had a lot less traffic than the main village. You can easily walk from Les Eucharts to the main village through a woodland path and both areas have ESF ski schools.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
La Rosi/La Thuile kept me and OH busy for a week in two consecutive years when our kids were learning, and we were then strong, fast and experienced (I say were...now we are weak, over 50, unfit but still fast and experienced!) We had good snow- too much in year 2 so the bowl between the 2 resort was closed for 2 days - but it didn't matter.
There are some interesting slopes in the greater area and we found quiet off piste and trees..I think you can find varied skiing wherever you go, it really doesn't matter if you ski the same bit all day, just ski it differently! You can also go heli skiing on the Italian side. And lunch is great in Italy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowyowl, absolutely agree, provided you can get to La Thuile. We found the local slopes in La Ros/Les Eucherts boring and we are not particularly mileage hungry and don't fuss about skiing the same piste several times if we like it. That said, La Rosiere would be a great place to learn (remember us saying it at the time) and there is excellent tuition available from ESF and others there.
Like snowymum, we stayed at Cimes Blanches apartments in Les Eucherts which were lovely. Quiet area but with access to local shop, restaurants, bowling and bakery and just a short walk through trees to La Rosiere village.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Come on guys showing a 9 years old newbie the Swiss Wall of Death?
Safer with La Rosiere.
Come to think of it I would probably take the 9 years old to the top of Les Houches or Les Contamines (of Chamonix as these places are easier to get to) and say turn left for Avoriaz and right for La Rosiere. Don't think a 9 years old newbie can tell the difference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
saikee, FFS there's more to Avoriaz than the Swiss Wall 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Strange pair to to choose from.
Chalk & cheese, but they are both in France so Camembert and Roquefort 
Why limit yourself to two very dissimilar resorts ?
La Ros is one to go to with young children.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Lechbob wrote: |
Strange pair to to choose from.
Chalk & cheese, but they are both in France so Camembert and Roquefort
Why limit yourself to two very dissimilar resorts ?
La Ros is one to go to with young children. |
Just as a comparison. Car-free and conveniences of Avoriaz is appealing, but lacks the charm of a more traditional village. La Ros seems like the charm is there, and is good for beginners, but have heard mixed reviews from the lifts and terrain.
Saint Foye and St Martin de Belleville are also intriguing as well. But Austria is also on the list.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 wrote: |
| Saint Foye and St Martin de Belleville are also intriguing as well. But Austria is also on the list. |
start narrowing the list rapidly otherwise you'll be here all night, and remember that most bigger resorts do most things reasonably well...
though my preference would be la roz over avoriaz
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Vgunn wrote: |
| Car-free and conveniences of Avoriaz is appealing |
I suppose there is that. Avoriaz does try to market itself for families. Avoriaz is perched on top of a mountain at the mercy of the elements, I didn't see it at the best when I was there, the weather was foul, the place looked souless and not on a scale that children would relate to.
9 y.o. is not so young and I'm sure they will enjoy learning to ski almost anywhere with a decent ski school. It makes life easier if the school meeting point is close to your accomodation.
A short transfer time to resort may safe so ear-ache.
After a days skiing the kids (and yourself) should be exhausted. I don't know if the new indoor waterpark at Avoriaz has opened but that should finish them off !
It also depends on your requirements.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Lechbob wrote: |
| Vgunn wrote: |
| Car-free and conveniences of Avoriaz is appealing |
I suppose there is that. Avoriaz does try to market itself for families. Avoriaz is perched on top of a mountain at the mercy of the elements, I didn't see it at the best when I was there, the weather was foul, the place looked souless and not on a scale that children would relate to.
9 y.o. is not so young and I'm sure they will enjoy learning to ski almost anywhere with a decent ski school. It makes life easier if the school meeting point is close to your accomodation.
A short transfer time to resort may safe so ear-ache.
After a days skiing the kids (and yourself) should be exhausted. I don't know if the new indoor waterpark at Avoriaz has opened but that should finish them off !
It also depends on your requirements. |
The waterpark just opened, so it will be available next winter--which is nice for kids.
It does seem like the place is a bit souless and that is a concern. I'm by no means sold on Avoriaz, just looking at various options.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Well it will open from June/July onwards!! 
Avoriaz is a good choice for families! Enjoy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sainte Foy?
It's not really a resort is it? (in the normal tourist sort of way...)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
Sainte Foy?
It's not really a resort is it? (in the normal tourist sort of way...)
|
Eh? 
You're confusing me now. There are apartments, chalets, hotels, bars, restaurants, a mountain, lifts, pistes, nursery slopes, ski-schools, etc, etc. What are we missing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Vgunn wrote: |
| Saint Foye and St Martin de Belleville are also intriguing as well. But Austria is also on the list. |
Sainte Foy would be ideal for 9 year old newbies if you stay at the ski station. There is a beginners' area in the centre of the village and the village itself is nicely self-contained, so you'd be able to give them some independence. Pretty much ideal. If I had kids and didn't own a place in Morzine then it'd be top of my list having visited this season.
I'd choose Morzine over Avoriaz if you want a "market town" - very good British ski schools (if you feel that's important); good terrain and lots to do in the village itself.
The only downside I can see for Sainte Foy is that it's not a place for intermediates who want high mileage cruising. Morzine would be much better in that respect.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sat 26-05-12 7:29; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| under a new name wrote: |
Sainte Foy?
It's not really a resort is it? (in the normal tourist sort of way...) |
It depends if you mean the village on the Bourg to Val road, or the ski station up the hill. The ski station is lovely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Ste Foy has 5 chairlifts and 30km piste It is often being promoted as a logical alternative to Espace San Bernardo (La Rosiere/La Thuile), Espace Killy (Tignes and Val d'Isere), Paradiski (Les Arcs and La Plagne), 3V (Courchevel, Meribel/Val Thoren) and The Grand Domaine (Valmorel and ST Francis).
There is nothing wrong with it but for people spending the annual saving for a skiing holiday they could do with an informed comparison of a target resort relative to the other choices available in the same valley.
All the above resorts are virtually next door to each other. All these skiing possibilities, with a combined total 1600km piste, are within a radius on about 17 miles with the centre at Bourg St Maurice. Ste Foy is about 10 miles from BSM which has a base station to access Les Arcs. Before one reaches Ste Foy one would have passed all the Tarentaise Valley's resorts except Tignes and Val D.
I would be interested to know what make its 30km piste (or 1.9%) stands out a better choice than the rest of 1600km piste in the same Tarentaise Valley. People say size is not everything but it does not mean the remaining 98.1% skiing opportunity has nothing to match this 1.9%.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
I would be interested to know what make its 30km piste (or 1.9%) stands out a better choice than the rest of 1600km piste in the same Tarentaise Valley.
|
You don't have to share them with the other 1,000,000 skiers in the Tarentaise valley...
Seriously, simply put the reason to come to Sainte Foy is quality. The best maintained pistes and usually the best snow quality around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| saikee wrote: |
| I would be interested to know what make its 30km piste (or 1.9%) stands out a better choice than the rest of 1600km piste in the same Tarentaise Valley. People say size is not everything but it does not mean the remaining 98.1% skiing opportunity has nothing to match this 1.9%. |
What makes the place stand out is the off-piste. But the beginner's terrain is very good. As I said, if mileage is important then it's not for you.
If you're a good skier, though, you can drop the kids at ski school and be hitting challenging off-piste in 10-15 minutes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
I confused myself because I was in Italy when I skied there.
Only just though. Avoriaz is another good place and don't forget the adults may require some varied skiing 
