 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anybody here got much experience of skiing in the Les Sybelles area?
We're staying in Saint Jean D'Arves from 16th March and have never been there (or the greater Les Sybelles area) before.
If you have been I'd love to hear what you thought was good and/or bad about the area.
What should we definitely ski? Any runs worth avoiding unless we want to skate/pole for miles?
Any lunch spots that should not be missed?
Basically any hints or tips about the area would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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 spent a day in the Sybils last year:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1995912
Seems a fine family area but I'd avoid trying to move about too much - just concentrate one one area each day. The flatlands in the middle are fairly slow going.
We're off to the Maurienne again on the 17th March and, no doubt, will be visiting Sybil again on one of the days.
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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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Cheers for the links.
It sounds like it is going to be pretty much like we expected. Not hugely challenging but a lot more 'French' than anywhere I've been skiing in France before. After my Dec trip to LDA and Jan trip to the 3V I'm quite looking forward to the change of pace. Hopefully it'll be a nice week of cruising around in the sunshine enjoying the views, the food and the vino 
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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 have found the Maurienne valley a breath of fresh air after big resorts; I am sure that you will love it Have a great time.
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Declaring an interest because I have an apartment in Le Corbier (not a vested interest, because I don't let out it commercially). Les Sybelles is a gem. Not a Val d'Isere or a Chamonix for sure but there are challenges a plenty if you know where to look for them. The red pistes are mainly "proper" old-school reds. French claim it to be the 4th largest ski area in France (they don't include PdS as it's part-Swiss). How many people would get that correct in a pub quiz?
Pros: Intermediates upwards can clock up huge daily mileage and each of the 6 resort (six-belles, geddit?) has a character of it's own from farming village to "Le Barbican sur Alpes". I'm not defending the much-derided Le Corbier, but for ultra convenience it can't be beaten and the view from my 14th-floor balcony is to die for (I can see top lift stations at VT and Les Menuires. Oh and no tower- blocks)
There is vast amount of "beginner" off-piste, adjacent to pistes, because the terrain is on the whole pastureland (the highest in France)
€4.50 for a pint - in a mountain restaurant!
It's very French (plus some Belgians), international mass tourism is kept out - it's friendly, cheap, and vomit-free. English is spoken but as always a courteous bonjour or merci really helps.
The links between village are for the most part 6-pack detachables, and lifts have gradually been upgraded to be faster and with higher capacity
Cons
The high-level ridge link from Le-Corbier to other parts are drag lifts as a concession to environmental factors. It can be cold. However the low level link, via chairlifts has been open all season
There are no covered lifts. It's all chairs and drags. There's talk of a gondola.....one day
Navigation is sometimes tricky, although signage is much improved in recent years. The resorts are form branches/roots of a tree with the trunk being the Ouillon ridge
PM me if you's like any more info. St Jean d'Arves looks really pleasant. It has a 5-min shuttle bus link to St Sorlin (you could ski there in oo, 2 hours). The home run |(the white hare) is a beaut.
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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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geraldo, sounds great. If we come up with any specific questions between now and then I'll be sure to send you a PM. Thanks.
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geraldo, it sounds terrific. But - is a 14 storey building not a tower block?? Good to have someone from that area. 
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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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geraldo, oh right, sorry. I live in a 'seventies 3 storey town house with big windows. Hideous architecture, but I look out on nicer stuff. Know what you mean.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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I stayed in those towers in about 86 or 87 maybe (bit of a guess). I recall the skiing as being quite good, and quite liked it over towards La Toussuire (sp?).
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Poster: A snowHead
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@geraldo, hi Geraldo!
Im headed to la toussuire Tom am. My boys are good skiers and will be off on their own. My wife and I are beginners looking for the best beginner blues, gentle wide with no steep drops. Can you name the best of them in the sybelles? We have a car but can also get around byifts if there aren't any major steeps on the connectors... Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Seeing as not many people know Les sybelles and it's been 10+ years since this thread last active I'll add what I can - but not sure how helpful.
I can't remember the la toussuire side (few years ago) but as a relative beginner did go over from St Sorlin over that way and back without much trouble, suggesting that the connecting pistes are not particularly tricky. From memory the red on the way back is just tricky due to the sideways angle on the slope.
My recollection of the area around La Tuissuire is a big bowl with loads of options going to similar place and you can easily see/pick what piste you want to take, which is good as I could never work out exactly where I was on the piste map...
On the St Sorlin side the main Col Des Lacs / Combe Balme blue down was pretty wide and good for the most part. Easter time one 150m mogul section of gnarliness which was entertaining on a board but I don't think the skiers found that funny.
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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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Interesting to find this post popping up. Hadn't heard of the place before yesterday's research - Easter, high, large km of pistes and a decent budget - led to St Sorlin, and we've a deposit down for a trip at Easter. Looking forward to exploring somewhere new to all of us travelling!
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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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Do write a trip report, @BigSouthernJesse. It's always good to hear of somewhere French other than the Tarentaise!
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Do write a trip report, @BigSouthernJesse. It's always good to hear of somewhere French other than the Tarentaise! |
Will do! Should be interesting - our group of 7 includes an 8yr old on her first trip, a 50/50 split of skiers and boarders in the adults, 2 are returning to the slopes for the first time in 9 years, plus one serious speed demon / mile-eater. Hopefully there is enough on offer to keep everyone happy...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thank you @ja203. This was a useful summary!
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@geraldo, Worth pointing out that the buildings of Le Corbier are all connected at ground level, so you don't need to go outside to go to the supermarket.
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Just spent a week in sybelles based in La toussuire. It's an excellent station. Plenty to do for 5 days skiing. My older boys who are good skiers found good steeps around st sorlin and generally enjoyed the skiing around the domain. My wife progressed very nicely under tutelage of esi La toussuire. My only gripe with la toussuire is there aren't a lot of wide progressively more difficult slopes to improve on. La rivierre is a good wide blue but is a home stretch so gets hammered. A place like alpe d'Huez or corvara is better for a timid intermediate to spend time really learning to ski progressively.
Overall, definitely will return.
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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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@joshsnowfiend useful info! I was looking at the area as I love doing 2 weeks skiing and doing 1 week at the less busy/more French resorts as a balance to the bigger touristy ones. Would likely do 1 week here and 1 in para or 3V. Do you think La Toussire is best base or would st sorlin be better (purely based on skiing). Group of 5. (2 experienced on/off piste, 2 experienced on piste and 1 intermediate)
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Shush! Don't tell eveyone how good it is 
I've been for the last few years, staying in St Sorlin. The end of the New Year week it was still lovely and quiet. Then most people went home! I've never had to queue for a lift, but I do avoid school holidays mainly.
Went late March a couple of years ago, despite very warm weather the snow was excellent and plenty of fabulous runs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@ldj226 st sorlin has the best skiing in the sybelles, as per my kids who ski very well. It's also a beautiful village. Like incredibly pretty.
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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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@ciderinsport it is great...shhh
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Agree with the comments above.
La Toussiure is a big bowl
Lots of piste facing restaurants etc At bottom with an interesting red at the top end.
Easy to cross over into other Sybelle resorts- St Sorlin is pretty as mentioned.
The village stretches up the mountain so a different feel to LaToussiure.
It’s on the Col de la Croix de Fer if you follow the TdF?
Rarely hear an English voice on the slopes- one of many attractions of this area- well worth a visit
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You know it makes sense.
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If snowcover allows, I'd suggest to go down to two lower villages for lunch at least once. It's a yourney back in time and great food at a relative bargain, because there you find normal mountain restos which just happen to be connected to a ski circus once in a while but really must function on a year round basis.
I remember having been there at easter and we were skiing down to Les Bottières on very nice soft snow and had lunch next to the lift. Afterwards a guy at the bar stumbled outside behind us - and put the drag on just for us. They radioed when we were all up top and the lift closed immediately. Our smallest one fell out off the second section, so they had to work overtime. 
You see, that way you'd bring your money to all the right places as well.
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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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been to La Touissiere many years ago (2012) and broke my shoulder taking shortcut to the loo can vouch for the ski patrol that got me down on a blood wagon (just scream if it hurts - why are you screaming? it hurts - ah, too bad, just have to get down)
Returned to St Jean D’arves in 2021 - drove to St Sorlin most days so I’d stay there next time if I was to return.
I like Les Sybelles - enough kms, cheap lift pass, close to Geneva and quite a few ski in/out appts - Chalet Goelia in La Touissiere is very reasonable
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