 Poster: A snowHead
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Trying to persuade a friend whose skied twice and lost confidence to come out for a weekend and try again, without any pressure from being in a bigger group/skiing with her boyfriend etc.
She wants wide, quiet pistes, in my experience the best I've come across are around Courchevel, even better in that there are gondolas to access them, so handy in poor weather.
Anyone care to suggest anything similiar or better? Looks like I can get decent flights from Leeds to Grenoble.
Cheers,
Greg
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi Greg,
La Plagne is a good choice for big wide blues with plenty of room. They have a system called "piste tranquilite" which are a few runs put aside for nervous/quiet skiiers which are supposed to be calm, quiet and without too many fast skiiers wizzing past.
The Les Coches and Champagny areas are particularly good for this in my opinion.
Happy planning. . . .
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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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I agree, the best place for gentle wide blues is Courchevel
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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For a very quiet area try Albiez Montrond, or for lots of cruisy blues try St Francoise Longchamp, both in the Maurienne and relatively near Grenoble.
You might try somewhere closer like Chamrousse or St Pierre de Chartreuse but I have no idea what the ground is like and it might get busy at weekends.
This brochure should give you a few ideas too:
http://smbt.g-r-c.fr/userfile/file/1345470285_Guide_Station_BAT4-optimise.pdf
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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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kitenski, Sella Ronda in the Dolomites, especially the area around the San Cassiano corner of the domain.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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altis, thanks, I should also add I know Courchevel is reasonably snow sure, decent height and north facing. I'll look at those places...
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rob@rar, not that close to Grenoble is it???
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kitenski, worth flying to Venice or Innsbruck for. I love Courchevel, as you know, but for your friend I'd say that part of the Dolomites is considerably better.
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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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Or Cervinia if you can get to Milan.
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rob@rar, sadly us poor Northerners are not well served by cheap flights to such areas 
especially as we are trying to fly from Leeds/Bradford
got £126 return to Grenoble at the moment inc bags and skis!
!hm, but £122 to Innsbruck from Manchester......
What's snow record like Rob and any accom recomendations??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Not sure about the snow record, but their piste maintenance is extremely good. Was there in March when most of the Alps were basking in a heatwave, and when the Dolomites didn't have so much of the great early season snow to help build up a base. Despite that almost all pistes were open, and generally in great condition. Our coaching groups had a great time despite unfavourable conditions, mainly because of the hard work of the Italian pisteurs. It offers amazing scenery, great food which will feel much better value for money that Courchevel and loads of gentle pistes.
The only accommodation we've used is Mountain Sun's hotel in San Cassiano. It's cheap and cheerful and offers a brilliant ski in/out location, but I doubt if they offer short break accommodation. There seem to be plenty of nice hotels and pensions in San Cassiano, so maybe a quick search on teh local tourist office website would come up with something suitable.
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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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kitenski, I would second Rob's suggestion. What you will get is perfect grooming and much quieter slopes than Courchevel. Dont stay in La Vila though, the home runs are both tricky. San Cassiano, Colfosco & Corvara would be best.
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Frosty the Snowman, thanks, off to look further! Got any recommendations for accommodation?
rob@rar, website says they are full that week, they do offer this place, Chalet Hotel Diamant Dolomiti Superski - KRONPLATZ, San Martino in Badia, Italy, is the skiing as good(easy) in that area do you know???
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You know it makes sense.
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kitenski, I've not skied Kronplatz, but I've looked closely at the piste map and had a a good look at the home run and, to be honest, I don't think it's that suitable for a timid newbie. The home run to the valley is a steep black, so it would be downloading in the gondola, and there would be a bit of travelling up and down valley sides to get to the main skiing on the Kronplatz plateau. Kronplatz is not connected directly to the main Sella Ronda circuit, so if you wanted to ski from village to village you'd need to catch one of the valley buses to get in to the main lift network.
The Diamont is also a minbus ride to the main lift, so on balance I'd look elsewhere. It's a nice hotel and the drawbacks aren't significant for more experienced skiers, but for your friend I'd say that San Cassiano, Colfosco or Corvara would be best, as Frosty the Snowman said.
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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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kitenski, some photos here if you need any more persuasion.
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Poster: A snowHead
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kitenski, if you are considering the Dolomites over Courchevel then Alpe di Suisi might also be worth a look http://www.dolomitisuperski.com/seiseralm/en-US/ski-holidays-alpe-di-siusi-243EN.html
It is located at the western side of the Dolomiti Superski area and very easily reached from the motorway from Innsbruck. I have skied the Dolomites extensively but not this particular ski area. I have walked/hiked it in summer and think it would be awesome for confidence building.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi- just a thought some of the smaller French resorts can be a bit quieter / accommodating of nervous beginners?
Chamrousse from Grenoble or La Clusaz from Geneva may not tick all the boxes but could be worth investigating? Tend to be lower cost too.
Hope you have a good holiday,
L
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| laszlo wrote: |
| La Clusaz from Geneva may not tick all the boxes but could be worth investigating? Tend to be lower cost too. |
LC is pricey for what it is, and not that great for improving skiers, in my view. Grand Bornand round the corner fares a little better, but is limited.
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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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I'm leaning toward Italy as a nice experience for her all round..
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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kitenski, find her a good looking instructor simpatico. But yes, Courchevel takes some beating - there's that fantastic nursery slope the width of a couple of football pitches, with a drag up both sides. Near the altiport somewhere. Never seen another nursery slope like it. But Italy would be great to remind her how good it is just being out in the mountains.
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pam w, the good looking instructor is in the bag 
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Cervinia!
Cheep cheerful (Usualy sunny) mountaintop restaurants where you just go up and sunbathe ... don't bother to ski unless you really want to.
The Italians don't bother with that skiing stuff too much.
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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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Montgenevre and Claviere are fairly good too, esp. Montgenevre. Start with Montgenevre then if your friend gets more confident go to Claviere (same ski pass)
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Would second dsoutar, recommendation not too far from Grenoble either. Serre Che is closer and generally very good for wide quiet gentle slopes but the return runs to resort may be a little challenging for the very nervous who could download.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pila may be an option
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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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The three blues off the Rossa chairlift in Champagny are excellent confidence building runs and it is usually pretty quiet on there. Once she has gained a bit of confidence there are plenty of easy blues around La Plagne. It even has a gondola up from the village.
It is about 2 hours drive from Grenoble airport.
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kitenski, Have a look at Pila it is really quiet during the week with loads of easy wide pistes. We fly from Leeds into Geneva and hire a car. 2:30hrs to get there but worth it. pilaski.co.uk
Food and prices great too. If she is bored with the skiing and wants a "rest" you can pop on the gondola down to Aosta and do a bit of shopping/sightseeing
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You know it makes sense.
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| altis wrote: |
You might try somewhere closer like Chamrousse or St Pierre de Chartreuse but I have no idea what the ground is like and it might get busy at weekends.
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St Pierre will be too difficult for the OP. Chamrousse can be very very busy at the weekend will probably put the friend right off; lots of very very bad skiers on the easy runs.
Meadre in the Vercors would be a better bet locally or Allevard. Alpe d'Huez also has big, wide pistes but again can be very busy.
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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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kitenski, Fly to Grenoble - go to 2alpes - the blues at the very top are about as wide as you get, well linked easy terrain and some proper alpine views.
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Poster: A snowHead
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From Grenoble, I would say Montgenevre (long long green runs from gondolas and chairs, good protected nursery areas, good blue progression runs and good snow record). You can go from the top 2500m ish to the village at 1850 on a long wide green run - ie you get a real go, a sense of travel and acheivement without to much to scare you.
I found Alpe d@Huez, Serre CHevalier and L"Alpes good for absolute beginners or confident intermediaates but not so much for nervous beginners who can ski a bit - the blues can get a bit tough in my view and only ADH has greens (and these are limited to the lower half of the main bowl - good but no sense of travel adventure).
From anywhere - (Ive tried a lot!) you'd be hard pressed to beat Courcheval though!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| davidof wrote: |
| Meadre in the Vercors would be a better bet locally or Allevard. |
This is the sort of thing I was striving for. A small, easy resort that doesn't attract the hoardes. Somewhere that most Brits have never heard of!
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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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| altis wrote: |
| davidof wrote: |
| Meadre in the Vercors would be a better bet locally or Allevard. |
This is the sort of thing I was striving for. A small, easy resort that doesn't attract the hoardes. Somewhere that most Brits have never heard of! |
Your suggestion of St Francois or Albiez would be good too.
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