 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Me and my wife are looking to go skiing in early December, but we haven't got a value which resort would be best. We've both skied before but my wife as only been once. we'd be looking for somewhere what's got good snow at this time of year but we haven't got a clue where to start. Any help would be much appreciated thank you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Gazbo19, welcome to Snowheads. Of the resorts I know, Tignes would be much the best bet. Very few French resorts will be open in early December. If Mountainsun have places available they are very good value and can also fix you up with a ski school and help with transport to the slopes, if (as is likely, even in Tignes) snow cover is a bit sketchy.
It's not a great time to ski - your choices are limited. Mid January would be much better!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Thanks, we wanted to go in mid January but we can't get the holidays from work. Thanks again for your help.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Hi Gazbo19,
We have spaces from 16th - 23rd December if you think that might suit? They are located in snow sure La Plagne which has a glacier and 70% of the pistes above 2000m.
Details of the chalets via the link in my tag line . . .
Happy planning!
Heather
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Another place to look at is Obergurgl we skiied there mid December before and had good snow and it isnt too far to The glacier in Solden.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Gazbo19, even if you wait till later in December you'll have more choice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gazbo19, perhaps Pam W's been popping the 1/2 empty pills  and whilst v early days the high resorts of Europe have been treated to some nice snow only these past few days. Bar Tignes and other recommendations, you could add Val Thorens in France to the list of possibles as it is v high and unless we're bloody unlucky will have plenty of snowable terrain open by then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gazbo19, Wherever you go you will take a chance on the weather. All that lovely snow has to fall sometime so expect it to be cold and snowy and dress for it. That said, aim high if you can. The resorts generally manage the available snow very well. I skied in La Rosiere a few years ago on the first week of their season. Snow low down was pretty well non-existent but the resort kept at least one run open to resort level every day - not always the same run.
In early December I have skied in Les Arcs and La Plagne which were good. I personally prefer Austria so suggest Obergurgl. I've also done Cervinia in late November and Kronplatz in late November and both were fine
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
perhaps Pam W's been popping the 1/2 empty pills
|
not really - I don't think anything I said is inaccurate. It's true that very few French resorts will be open in early December. La Rosiere, for example, mentioned above, looks like opening mid-month.
If anyone is doing an early December holiday the very best thing is to wait till absolutely the last minute to book it - there'll be acres of empty accommodation and plenty of choice. There is certain to be a lot more resort choice and almost certain to be a lot more snow in mid January, still with pretty low prices and uncrowded slopes.
Early December trips are great for people for whom it is a second, or third, trip of the season (I enjoyed a few days in Tignes a few weeks ago) but if it's your only trip of the year, there are lots of better times to go. Even in the high resorts, like tignes, it will be pretty quiet. I've done a week's ski course in Tignes in early December and it was excellent, but we just used a relatively few pistes and were in a catered chalet so it didn't matter that great swathes of the pistes were closed along with quite a lot of the eating and drinking establishments.
And, of course, except at the very highest altitudes, all the snow fallen in the past few days will soon be just a memory.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gazbo19, I tend to agree with Pam that it's not an ideal time to go if you a) have to book well in advance and b) it's your only trip - and also what she says re resort & operator.
Last year - for example - there was nothing at all until the 8th of Dec and then a 3 day storm that closed all the lifts... For those of us smug gits who were able to then book quick and late that's fine but until the 12th there were lots of disappointed & frustrated people looking at green grass or a white out
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
The other thing we have done in the past is to book flights to Milan or Geneva or Turin, and also book car hire, but not book accommodation. As suggested above, book that the week before you go
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
1. Tignes, France;
2. Val Thorens, France;
3. Zermatt, Switzerland.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JohnHSmith, good idea... GVA makes most sense IMV as you've got all the Tarantaise stuff but also the possibility of going thru the MB tunnel into Italy (Cervinia say) where conditions can be completely different
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Hi - i'll put my two cents in. I would strongly recommend consider delaying until end of December although I notice that it has actually snowed recently!! As a previous poster said, also wait until the lat moment and check snow updates.
For us, we're off to Passo del Tanole on our school ski trip but at the end of December. Our second choice was Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun, and Bad Gastein in Austria.
Maybe check webcams and play it by ear if it's ESSENTIAL you have to travel at the beginning of December. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Your best bets if you're looking for good value as well as snow will be Tignes, Cervinia (over Zermatt) or Hintertux. Stubai near Innsbruck would also be a decent choice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Just go to a resort where the lifts are running dude......otherwise take skins
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Gazbo - the Espace Killy has a (slightly) reduced rate for the start of December on its website and that gives you both Tignes and Val D'isere.
However, YSE are an operator that does property solely in Val and I know they do a first week cheap deal where you have to get your flight out there arranged (they provide the flight back) but you get the lift pass for €130, which is pretty bloom' cheap for 300km of terrain. That deal is for the weeks beginning 9th and 16th December.
I stayed with them a few years ago on that first week and it was great - pretty much and empty resort and lots of snow. YSE have a flickr archive from the past few years so you can judge for yourself how much snow there has been early season, although what's gone in the past is never a guarantee of what'll happen in the future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Might be worth looking into Kuhtai Austria, small area, excellent for beginners/early intermediates, high, snowsure, twinned on liftpass with Oetz, also high. Ski in/out. Very short transfer about 45 mins/1 hour depending on traffic. Only drawback is lack of nightlife.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
