 Poster: A snowHead
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Looks like half term will be our only option this year, and it will be the first ski holiday in 3 seasons since I did my acl in tignes.
So advice please.
We can leave on the Friday, so were thinking of driving down and overnight stop. So first question is which resorts are easy enough, not too much uphil windy drag with loads of traffic? Or is this even possible.
We are skiing as a family for the first time, so mainly blues, some reds, but my husband will want blacks, as he will go off and do them.
We like resorts you can travel around in, not just up and down one bit, then move to another hill!
Nightlife not important, maybe a couple of restaurants, as prob self catering.
I think we have been spoilt as we have skied vald'I, tignes, alpes dheuz and plagne.
I am thinking maybe vaujany, as have stayed there before, but can't ski back, or what about other small places that link in like montchavin, les cloches, st Martin de Belleville.
Any ideas, tips, thoughts? I wish we could go in jan as usual, but the dates are 100% fixed, it is then or not at all!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Portes du soleil? Les Gets or Morzine easy drives. Can't easily beat the PDS for travelling on skis.
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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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Crunchie13, if you're fixed to school holidays, have you thought about skiing at Easter? Less likely to be cold and windy, long sunny days to enjoy with the family, and as it is at the end of March next year, snow should still be excellent.
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Crunchie13, When is your half term? Most of the country is from 16th but some (inc ours  ) is from 9th which will be far quieter (in France anyway).
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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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Half term is the 16th, but at least we can travel on the Friday as kids have a non-pupil day. Easter is a no, and it still may not be possible to go at all. But I like doing my research!
Not looked at PdS really, which resort would be best.
We are all good skiers, but I am veering on the tentative side just in case, as I have not skied and my knee is not as strong as it was.
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Crunchie13, Les Gets in en route to Morzine, so shortest drive by 15 mins or so.
I like Morzine for my own historical reasons. It's rather better connected into the main PdS. The are Morzine based SHs who likely will volunteer if they have accom ideas.
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Crunchie13, Does it have to be France? I would head for Italy, less crowded and less expensive.
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...or Austria. Also likely to be less crowded at half-term.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Crunchie13, we've driven to vaujany twice, it's a lovely resort which links to a huge ski area (les deux alpes and alpes dhuez) no doorstep skiing but a super quick massive lift takes you up or a smaller bubble. The first time we drove as far as Grenoble on the Friday and stayed overnight the second time we left later on Friday so stayed in Lyon, both worked very well.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Crunchie13, have a look at St Gervais, part of Evasion Mont Blanc (I do have friends who have skied half term in Les Contamines, part of the same area, for years and love it, but haven't been myself). St G is a lovely town, with excellent skiing and from past clients who have been there at half term, it does seem to be quieter than other big ski areas.
There are some decent apartment buildings, both at the bottom of the gondola station, and within a 10 minute walk/two minute drive - loads of free parking. The drive is very easy, just 20 minutes or so gentle climb up from the motorway, and the views en route are stunning
Drop me a PM if you need some contacts
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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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Samerberg Sue, can you recommend any resorts in Austria that are a drive able distance, just did a quick look and it seems Söll is an hour further than Vaujany? We're still toying with driving but disregarded it as we'd rather go to Austria.
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The dreaded half term! Where shall we go? Please advise...
Crunchie13
I always have to go at half term - Went to Serre Chevalier last year not that crowded (never queued for lifts) but I don't think the southern regions were on the same half term. Great resort (large area so if there are lots of people they soon disperse to different areas) - good feeling of travel, from Briancon right across to Monetier. My husband -advanced skier said plenty for him for the week . Lovely reds and blues for me. We stayed in Chantemerle couldn't fault it- Appartments right by piste. Villeneuve looks a lovely town too but a further walk to the slopes.
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You know it makes sense.
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UK half-term does not coincide with Paris holidays this year, so Serre Che should be fine. Not the quickest of resorts for drivers though.
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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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Hells Bells
Forgot that. I made a mistake last year and booked a cheap flight to Nice and had to drive via Marseille to Serre. Probably why it was not that busy. But good easy drive from Marseille no need for snowchains. Big supermarket in Briancon but local supermarkets good price too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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feefee, Any of the Wilde Kaiser resorts are easily drivable, it just depends on what you want from a resort as to which one you might pick.
Söll has a reputation as a bit of a party town, it is quite lively but there are also some lovely quieter areas as well. Ellmau is one of my favourites and I love the funicular (Hartkaiserbahn). Scheffau is much loved by Bavarians as it is relatively quick and easy to reach for day trips and has good parking along the main road. The village (set back from the road is really nice and quiet) all the action at Scheffau happens down by the lifts, including the noisy apres scene. I really like the quietness of the slopes at Going, but it is a bit cut-off in terms of access to and from the rest of the area. But with a car you are quickly down at the Hartkaiser lifts in Ellmau. My favourites have to be Brixen and Westerndorf on the other side of the ski area. These are best reached via Wörgl, but you need a vignette (7.90 Euro) to go that bit further along the motorway. This is why it is to my mind better as you get less day tripper traffic on this side, plus they link in well to the Kitzbühel system as well.
Hope that helps! I live about 30 minutes from Söll but usually take a wee bit longer and travel round to Westerndorf for the Choralp lifts. If I'm skiing the Scheffau side I prefer to motor up to Ellmau and use the Hartkaiser lifts to access the area (but I'm a softie about funiculars and mountain railways!  )
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kay, having said that we drive there all the time.
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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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Crunchie13, +1 for Les Gets for range of runs and general family-friendliness.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Austria does seem real heck of drive, that saying my husband speaks fluent german. The size of resort puts of off.
Just how bad is france in half term? PdS I have seen reports of terrible lift queues at Avoriaz and Morzine (also Avoriaz with a car full of stuff seems madness - cannot drive to apartment)
How is Chatel and Les Gets, or is Les gets really very young children? We have 11 and 13 yr olds
Ideally don't wnt to drive to the slopes every day. So wnt interlocking resorts.
It is so hard, Plan Pliessy/Vallandry is another option.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Crunchie13, it is not as far as you may think and the drive is relatively easy and comfortable. I used to commute alone from Bristol doing it in one hop quite easily. I still do it (in reverse), if needs must but I much prefer to take things easy and break the journey overnight as I do with my trips to France from here (not the Alps).
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Crunchie13, Les Gets is great for kids of all ages. Ours are 17 & 13 now and still rate it - something for everyone. Half term is the only time I haven't skied there, because we have avoided half term anywhere until now and because the locals have told us what it's like then (and I have seen the queues via the webcam!)
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We went to Morzine at half term and were pleasantly surprised at the lack of queues bar the odd one usually at the bottom of the Pleney lift. Les Gets and Morzine are part of the huge Portes Du Soleil area where it is easy to get away from the crowds and which has something for eveyone. The areas are very well linked IMO.
Maybe get hold of a piste map of the area which will give you a good idea of where places are in relation to each other. If you stay in Morzine you can get the Super Morzine up to the Avoriaz side (high and more snow sure) or the lift up the Pleney side that links over to Les Gets. The walk between the two lifts is only about 5 mins.
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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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Half term is the 16th, but at least we can travel on the Friday as kids have a non-pupil day. Easter is a no,
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In that case, whatever your destination, I'd get VERY close to it on the Friday night, so you can get up into the resort before 10 am. Expect very busy roads on the Friday though - loads of people have the same idea! Don't assume you'll be doing 130 kph the whole way. Problem is that your self-catering accommodation won't be available then (4 pm is pretty standard in France, and probably similar in Austria as time is needed for cleaning) so you need to be well organised to be able to ski from your car. Saturday changeover day tends to be a good time to ski in busy periods, whereas Sunday is busy, with all the newcomers plus local day trippers up the hill. On the way home, either leave the resort absolutely crack of dawn Saturday or - much better - ski all day (having vacated your apartment early - takes some organising, especially with kids) then just drive a few hours up towards home that evening, finishing the journey on Sunday.
Normally I never book hotel accommodation in advance, as I never know whether, or when, I will want to stop. However, on those weekends it's essential - and you will need to move really fast to book any hotel within easy reach of the big French resorts for that Friday evening. Austria might be easier but get some local advice (plenty on here) about timing a journey into Austria to avoid the Munich traffic if poss.
Personally, if faced with your decision right now, I would head to Italy first choice (maybe Bardonecchia, through the Fréjus tunnel, a more restful drive than the Mont Blanc tunnel) or go to Austria. I ski in France a lot because I have an apartment there, but I'd avoid it at half term if I had any choice. I know people say the lift queues were "not too bad" but I don't do lift queues, even short ones, if I can avoid it. Some place with efficient uplift can have horribly crowded pistes as a result (Flaine, for example).
It's a shame Easter is out, as Hells Bells' advice is spot on; a much better choice for people stuck with school hols.
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+1 for Les Gets, took sisters kids (10 and 12) there last year. Enough to keep me amused and not too difficult for the kids. Good access, short walk to the lifts, park outside the hotel/apartment.
Have fun
Paul
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I will chip in that we have been pleasantly surprised the last few years during vacances scolaires how reasonably not so busy the PdS and Chamonix have been. We ski generally Chamonix as we have a business there, PDS and Grand Massif as we have freinds living there.
In recent years, whether due to better snow, better uplift capacity or the recession, while the first lift of the day can be tedious, queueing is not normally a problem thereafter.
Reports of terrible queues in Avoriaz or Morzine are either dated, refer to people following obvious bottle neck routes, or plain wrong. The PdS on the French aide is really quite well organised these days.
I'd stringly suggest Morzine as a better bet than Les Gets if you want to more miles under your belt as it is better linked into the PdS system.
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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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under a new name, I think the reports of queues in Serre Chevalier at half-term are equally overstated,as none of my UK guests have commented on them. I think reviews (Where to Ski and Snowboard) probably refer to the times before the main chairlifts were upgraded.
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Easy - just avoid all the larger, big-name resorts. We're limited to half-term now so this year we stayed in St Jean de Maurienne and tried out some of the resorts nearby. There were very few crowds - especially so in the smaller places. For example, here's Albiez-Montrond just after 2pm on Tuesday, 14th Feb:
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You know it makes sense.
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PDS has queues at half term but it depends on time and place. First lift at ski school meeting time and a few key bottlenecks (e.g. Mossettes French side) get clogged but as 16 Feb only matches one of the French zones (and not Paris) it shouldn't be too bad.
I think pam w is laying it on a bit thick but the roads will be busy (especially if the weather is poor). If you stay in Northern France on Friday night and have an early start you will still be ahead of the Brits on early morning crossings but the French from the North who are on holiday that week will make it pretty busy. No Parisians so the A5 won't feed too many onto the motorway at Troyes which is a frequent bottleneck.
For those of us with school age kids it's the price we pay though this year will be our last!
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Hells Bells, Yep, I concur.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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So the popular suggestion is PdS - Morzine or Les Gets
I will look into them, thanks
The problem is that it will be weeks before we can book, my husband is an actor and we nee dto be sure he isnt working then, and we won't know til at least mid Nov - possibly december!
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FAQ
Small matter of taking boys out of school on the Friday - it is traditionally an INSET day but they couldn't confirm by the time we booked earlier in the year so deputy head said (and I still have the email 