Poster: A snowHead
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next easter me and my parents are going skiing, and we were thinking of staying with club med at either val d'isere or tignes.
in tignes, we'd have one interconnecting room for 3 people in the petit claret part of the hotel.
in val d'isere we'd have two normal club rooms.
does anyone know what the 3 person room is like?
in general, which is the better resort? i think i'd prefer tignes but i'm worried the room will end up being really cramped (its about the same price anyway, so thats not an issue).
we are intermediate/advanced skiiers.
btw, we're driving so we'll need parking.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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BobbieShamrock, I don't know either of the Club Meds but they're both great resorts, and good for a late season trip. I'd prefer Tignes, too, but that's just a personal thing. I wouldn't worry about the size of the room. You have your own space; just you and your ski gear in it! You'll only be there to sleep. If you were on a Uni trip you'd probably have at least eight people in the space of an interconnecting room for 3 in Club Med.
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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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BobbieShamrock, I've been to Club Med in Val d'Isere several times. Can highly recommend it as far as the food and general atmosphere is concerned, and of course it is ski in ski out. I have not been back for the last ten years but can tell you that the double rooms are small and functional! You are not expecetd to spend a lot of time there. At any rate I would not want to go for a three man room, so I would probably choose to take two doubles.
As far as the Val vs Tignes is concerned... People will spend a lot of time arguing about it, but in my opinion they are equal in every way, and they are after all part of the same ski resort! The village of Val is inifinitely nicer than Tignes though!
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BobbieShamrock, Val d'Isere every time, having stayed there often at Club Med and having skied in Tignes and stayed there a lot in an apartment in Lac but have visited the Club in Tignes for lunch. The Club Med village at Val d’Isere has been renewed and you have the pretty resort to visit; Tignes is just Club Med at a virtual moon station of self catering tower blocks in Claret. The skiing immediately from Club Med in Val d’Isere is better whether you are piste or off-piste orientated and you can ski to the door everyday. I personally would not stay at Club Med Tignes because of its bleak outlook and it is usually more expensive.
You can park at Val d'Isere Club Med.
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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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thanks everyone it looks like val d'isere would be the best option
another question: does anyone know what the ski lessons are like with club med (the ones included in the package)?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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no clue about club med other than when I looked at one a few years back the costs were coming in at extortionate prices.
but the parking in tignes was €75 for the week. free down the valley though, where presumably there's a bus up to both tignes and val d'isere.
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does anyone know what the ski lessons are like with club med (the ones included in the package)?
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Very Very good, level 4 off-piste all time strong skiers about BASI 2 standard, there is no instruction as such he just guides and gives basic tips, Level 3A technical class for good piste skiers and they fly along, level 3 more relaxed good social skiing
They have a ski off to get you in the right class so you will be matched with ability. They always come back for lunch, if you cannot speak French go for an English class, Group 4 seldom has a word of English. So English 3A might be a choice. The French learn by emulation so the skiing is a bit follow me by ESF, but CM use only the more sociable of the bunch and most will have some English even if it is a French group, so no worries at all on that score.
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They have a ski off to get you in the right class so you will be matched with ability.
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what time would they do the ski off? I always take a while to get used to the skis again so will need a few hours to practice to get back to my level...
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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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BobbieShamrock wrote: |
in tignes, we'd have one interconnecting room for 3 people in the petit claret part of the hotel. |
Sharing a room with one's parents should stop at the age of about 3 months. Go to the other place is my advice
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BobbieShamrock, Depending, if you arrive on Sunday it will be next day at usually 9.00, they always expect people to be rusty so don't worry, but because the French are a ski nation they are usually quite handy, so I would go down to your local Snowdome or plastic slope and get in the swing again before you go. Shame to spend all that cash and not to be prepared.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cynic, sounds like a good idea, thanks for the info
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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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"one interconnecting room" is a bit of a contradiction in terms, really. One thing can't interconnect. I imagined this was a room with an interconnecting door to a smaller room, so you can go from one to the other without going in the corridor.
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Haven't stayed in the Tignes CM, but the locals describe it as 'le plus sportif' of the two. Val is fantastic, I would only have changed the aged 'instructor'.
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You know it makes sense.
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BobbieShamrock, I assume you know there is a flight included in the price and you need to drive? CM will give you money off for driving but it is nowhere near price of gas and tolls. If you are going on a week where there are no flights from England and there are such weeks, CM becomes French speaking only as they do not expect English guests, all other times French English and German is used in all announcements and in the floor shows, theatre and night club and for other conversations.
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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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Cynic,
If the flight is included - SO is the transfer! Normally by minibus or taxi - one of the plus points for CM.
I've also been at various times to non-"english" CM and never found the attitude to speaking english as negative as you seem to have found. This includes the CM at Tignes!
Skitrack
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Poster: A snowHead
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Cynic, CM give you the option whether to include travel in the price or not. we decided to drive as it would be cheaper and we could bring slightly more with us.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skitrack, I think you misunderstand me, some weeks no flights are provided by CM at all from England, so no transfers as you say are provided either and they do not expect many English people to come; last time I did it on a week when no flights are included (usually at the end of the season by my own flight and transfer) there were 4 English people at CM Val d'Isere.
ButBobbieShamrock, is travelling by road so he can bring more kit but usually CM only drop say £100 from the price so I was expressing toBobbieShamrock, that he perhaps was making a mistake, but was assuming he had to drive because someone didn’t want to fly. Rather badly but there was a question mark.
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I assume you know there is a flight included in the price and you need to drive?
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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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We stayed in CM Tignes 3 years ago and the rooms have all been renovated and are large for Club Med. It was what you would expect in a Hilton or Marriott and was tastefully furnished. There were plenty of English speaking guests which meant that the lessons were split between French and English.
It is ski in ski out and handily placed for a number of lifts including the funicular up to the glacier.
Lunches are taken in the hotel but you can always ski over to the Val D'Isere CM and have lunch there.
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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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Quote: |
but you can always ski over to the Val D'Isere CM and have lunch there.
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Thats good info
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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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kat.ryb, You have to let them know you are coming. I was going to bring a friend to lunch, their charge 60 euro, luckily he wanted to go to the Spar
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I checked on the CM website and there's quite a big price difference between flying and not flying (a few hundred).
you have to go back to the hotel for lunch?! I assumed they'd just give out sandwiches for you to take with you on the mountain.
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Quote: |
you have to go back to the hotel for lunch?!
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Oh but the lunches are AMAZING. I stayed in Avoriaz a few years ago and lunches were A. Big. Deal. Admittedly I didn't manage to make it back one afternoon after a particularly nice lunch & wine, it was a bit low vis that day is my excuse... Wasn't ever an issue in Avoriaz although it would have been a pain if we'd been all the way to morzine.
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BobbieShamrock, You get changed and go down for lunch, although it is not obligatory, to get changed that is. Pre lunch drinks in bar all included in price massive lunch, good skiing, back for afternoon tea and drinks on the terrace, in Val d, then perhaps a class in gym, or sleep, then in to bar for snacks, then down to dinner, on to the floor show and then the night club. You didn’t think you were paying that sort of price for a French Butlins as I have heard it described by SCGB members, its absolutely full board. Driving you will have room for a DJ and some nice frocks.
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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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thanks everyone! we've decided to go for it, will probably book tomorrow
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I assumed they'd just give out sandwiches for you to take with you on the mountain
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mais c'est la France, mon ami! Il faut manger chaud le midi.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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BobbieShamrock, As Ricay, points out Tignes has a pool Val does not if that is important, Val is definitely ski in and out
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