 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
A group of 6 of us, all intermediates with a couple of years skiing under our belts, are off to Val Thorens in April (6th) for a week.
Am trying to work out which passes are best to get for our ability levels, and also considering the time of year, and was hoping for some help!!
The 6 of us previously went to Montgenevre together (same time last year), and found the scope of skiing there just about right (although after a few lessons we are hoping to be better skiers this year compared to last), and were all comfortable on the blues and red's Monty has to offer.
4 of our group are a family, so will get a family pass, but we're trying to work out whether to get the Val T pass (includes Orelle), the Vallee des Belleville pass (includes Les Menuires & St Martin de Belleville), or the full 3 Vallees pass.
Price wise, for the 2 of us not in the family group, the passes will cost:
Val T - €207
Belleville - €246
3 Vallees - €260
Any thoughts on what the best options are for us?
Thanks all
Matthew
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Are you doing any ski school this year? If so I would get the local pass and maybe extend it for a day if you want to explore another valley (it is 29€ to extend for the day)?
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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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For us as a family who are intermediates who love to rack up the miles we go for the 3 Vallees pass. If we went for the Val Thorens or the Bellville pass we would feel a bit restricted.
With the 3 Vallees pass we tend to see what the weather is on the day and that determines where you go. If it's bad weather you can get lower or into another vallee where you hope the weathers better. Val Thorens is bleak if the weather closes in.
Meribel in the morning in the Sun then back to Val for the afternoon for the sun there.
Les Menuires is the sunnier sister to Val in the mornings.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Starting perspective is that there is plenty of ski in ValT to keep a family happy all week.
If you can afford the extra without too much thought, do it, but you don't need to. Worth mentioning that in bad weather the links from Val Thorens to Meribel often get stopped.
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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 for all the replies, much appreciated.
Dia_FindTransfers, we're not planning on ski school (2nd trip for 2 of us so funds are a little tight!!), and will probably not be first up and out on any day....
I was considering just getting local (or Bellville) pass and then extending for odd days, but if we do this more than twice it's more cost effective to go full 3 vallees to start with.
Jerby, We've not yet been people who "rack up the miles", Monty last year was ideal for us (and some slopes were closed as it was late season), but I do think that this year we'll certainly ski more than last...distance wise.....
I was wondering though, as it's late in the season, whether we'd actually want to be skiing in the other valleys (having heard that Meribel can get slushy etc)?
Ham, good to know there's enough in Val to keep us happy, thanks for the info re: links to Meribel.
Lots to ponder!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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More than anough skiing for you in VT if you are at the level you say. It is nice to visit one of the other resorts one day though just to say you have been.
I'm out there same week as you. It'll be dependent on the weather if i go to meribel or not. The snow is often not as good there at Easter as it is in VT.
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Snow depths are looking good so the refrigeration effect of that should, in theory, keep conditions lower down better than normal this year so getting out of VT is not likely to be infeasible.
For more prolific skiers, it's nice to go down to les Menuires and ski La Masse and to St.Martin where The Jerusalem is a favourite amongst runs. The faster skier can get from one end of the 3V's to the other in barely 90 mins so 'popping' over to Courchevel is doable but for your level of group, it's more of a day-trip/adventure.
But... of the 600km of piste in the 3valleys, VT has about 150km of it. That is easily enough to keep a person happy for a week - case in point: the success of the EoSB, based in VT in a week when the links to other valleys are sometimes not even open.
If I was looking to spend as little as possible, I'd just go for the VT pass as it'll be enough for a good week. Maybe get an extension to do a day trip across the domain and back.
Otherwise, the freedom afforded by having the full area at your disposal on a whim is, IMV, worth the extra.
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Just go for the VT pass, VT and Orelle together has 150 kms of pisted runs - plenty to do for a week! Orelle is great as well but can be icy if it is a windy week!
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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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garethjomo, thanks for the post, know of any good apres spots?!!?
badmin, cheers for this...I think based on the tips so far, I'm happy to book the standard VT pass and then buy extensions once we're out there if we feel like a bit of an adventure!!
Cheers All, much appreciated as usual!
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jellemr, go to Snesko! My favourite aprés ski bar - the live music is amazing with people dancing on tables! Otherwise Saloon, Viking, Frog and Roastbeef... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We got the 3V one last time we were there (12 days.) VT and Orelle would have been plenty. The link between VT and Meribel was closed on a good few days
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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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Dia_FindTransfers, all of these in the centre of resort? We're based in the Balcons area, I presume we can walk there and back easily enough??
Thornyhill, brilliant, thanks for the tip. Thinking VT pass, and then pick a good day later in the week to do Meribel and maybe further if we're all up to it.
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| jellemr wrote: |
Dia_FindTransfers, all of these in the centre of resort? We're based in the Balcons area, I presume we can walk there and back easily enough??
Thornyhill, brilliant, thanks for the tip. Thinking VT pass, and then pick a good day later in the week to do Meribel and maybe further if we're all up to it. |
which will cost 58 Euros, versus the additional 106 if they go for the full pass all week, is that enough to worry about?
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You know it makes sense.
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| jellemr wrote: |
Hi All,
A group of 6 of us, all intermediates with a couple of years skiing under our belts, are off to Val Thorens in April (6th) for a week.
Am trying to work out which passes are best to get for our ability levels, and also considering the time of year, and was hoping for some help!!
Matthew |
Contrary to what other people are saying, I would always go for a 3V pass.
e.g. I went to Les menuires at the end of January with Swiftoid and in the first two hours of the weeks skiing we were in Courchevel and that only took us so long because I was planning a route to go down Jerusalem and we were at the top and I suddenly thought "wouldn't it be cool to do all 3 valleys in the first 2 hours". We ended up doing more than 50km that day. It was Swiftoids 3rd week on skis....
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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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andyrew, so in your experience, even fairly inexperienced skiers would want to ski the whole 3V? Wondering about conditions in April in the other Valley's also....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Best snow will definitely be in VT, esp on the highest and North facing slopes. Meribel often gets icy / slushy at that time of year, except maybe Mont Vallon. Courchevel can be good, but you have to get through Meribel to get there. La Masse in Menuires also maybe worth a shout.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| jellemr wrote: |
| Dia_FindTransfers, all of these in the centre of resort? We're based in the Balcons area, I presume we can walk there and back easily enough? |
5 mins
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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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andyrew, I agree .... 3V pass for intermediates and above.
The VT area is actually quite small - its usually more fun setting out on a journey to the other valleys.
You won't have to decide until you are there so can see what the snow is like - it the conditions are good and all links open I'd always go for full area pass.
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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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jellemr, I have skied 3 weeks in VT this season (last time out 3 weeks ago) and can confirm that the 3V has had ridiculous amounts of snow so the pistes should still be in good condition. I would be surprised if the 'liaisons' are not open due to snow conditions.
At the very least go for a Belleville pass as it is very easy to 'explore' a couple of interesting runs and end up down the valley where a VT pass is not valid for the lifts servicing it. These runs are not signposted as such!
A Belleville pass would give you more freedom (and peace of mind) to explore a bit. Jerusalem as previously mentioned is well worth a visit, as is Grand Lac (serviced by Granges chairlift) - a cruising blue to enjoy at any speed! Also fab and not too expensive restaurant at the bottom of Granges...
Orelle valley is indeed awesome, and VT central can get crowded but heading down to Les Menuires for La Masse is well worthwhile (Belleville pass needed).
Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions!
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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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Would definitely agree with andyrew, has to be the 3V
For a relatively very small outlay, so much more skiing, and skiing across to courchevel and back for lunch etc is better than up and down the same hills, if your a "cruisey intermediate"
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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 would go for the 3V too for anyone other than a beginner. If three or more of you buy the same pass you can get the 5% discount under the "Tribe" option
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jellemr, Apres ski will depend where in the resort you are staying and what you are looking for? I go to VT most easters but family in tow with me this year.
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| jellemr wrote: |
| andyrew, so in your experience, even fairly inexperienced skiers would want to ski the whole 3V? Wondering about conditions in April in the other Valley's also.... |
Definitely in my experience! Swiftoid came with me last year to La Tania, it was his first weeks skiing (following 3 evenings on a dry slope and a day at Glenshee) on his second day we went from La Tania over to the top of Choucas (top of jerusalem) (via meribel village) back via the top of Sitelle, lunch in Mottaret, down Loze where everything clicked for him so we finished with a pop down Jockeys to Le Praz (where he only fell once when past the no.1 piste marker! (so technically a no fall first run of a black  )).
3rd day skiing is about as inexperienced as you could find but he'd already got pretty good value out of a 3 V pass by the second day of the holiday. By the end of the week he'd also been to St Martin, Masse, Glacier de Thorens, all of Courchevel, never made it up Mont Vallons the lazy s*d...
From previous trips the whole of 3V has always been fully open when I've been there in April, I remember skiing down Lievre into meribel behind the guy bringing the piste markers in on Friday April the 19th - last day of the season. The exception to the rule (and I wasn't there in April so the previous sentence is true!) is 2011 when on the last week of March Folyeres finished under the bridge and you had to walk from there to the La tania bubble, Pralong in Courchevel didn't quite make it as far as the chair, but I think everyone will agree that was exceptional. I can't see that happening this year 
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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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Just counted up and we have been in 3V 15 times at Easter (plus other times) and the links are always open. It was bad in 2011 as there had been very little snow - we didn't go that year at Easter. Otherwise no problems and Easter is early this year. The areas that close first are the bottom runs in Couchevel but higher up should all be OK. We go out on 9th April for 2 weeks and expect to ski everywhere. I would say certainly get a Belleville valley pass as that allows so much more skiing and otherwise you will end up too far down the valley and have to pay extra or bus back. If you are likely to go out of the valley more than twice the 3V pass is better value. Also Val T can get very crowded on a sunny day - better to get out and explore.
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Wow, thanks for all the comments everyone, much appreciated and rather overwhelming!!!
We'll be discussing options this weekend, but as someone said, no need to decide now, we can wait till we get there and then look at the the snow conditions / weather forcast.
Regarding group discounts, I think families get to pay the child's price, so the family of 4 with us I'm sure will want to do that, meaning that the myself and the OH will be paying full price (unless our TO can do something for us??)......
garethjomo, we're staying in the Balcons area, sequoiaboard, 5 mins sounds like an easy enough drunken stumble home 
HossDoc, cheers for the comments - thinking we'll need to be careful what runs we end up on if we do only go for the VT pass!!
Couple of other questions - sorry!:
Looking at ski rental options, and there's a significant price difference from renting in the shop in Balcons (Surf Ski Shop) area compared to 1 in VT centre (Twinn Caron), is it worth us paying the extra for the convenience, or is VT centre easy enough to get to?
Also, I presume the lift pass office is in VT centre somewhere?
Finally, we'll be arriving on the Sat PM (hopefully lunchtime), and on previous holidays (in other resorts) have done a little bit of skiing on that first afternoon on a "free" half day pass (comes free with a 6 day or longer pass), does anyone know if this is also offered in VT?
Thanks again!!
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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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Not aware of any free 1/2 days in 3V area, think you will need to pay for a Saturday pm pass.
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badmin brilliant
mogulski, ok thanks, will look into that - presume there aren't many free lifts in VT?
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You know it makes sense.
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jellemr, If you are going with a TO they can probably sort out your passes for you. If not then there are several places selling them in VT. There is a lift pass office in the centre next to the Tourist Office, or at the Peclet lift station. As the passes can be activated online your reception might be able to sort them out as well.
I bought my skis from Twinner at Les Balcons and found them really excellent, but this was a couple of years ago.
In VT there are 5 magic carpets and 1 drag that you can use for free, for the rest you would need to buy a half-day pass.
I do agree that it is easy to get around the 3 Valleys and you don't have to worry about which pistes you go down on but if you want to save a bit of money I honestly think you can be fine just in the VT & Orelle area. It is a good idea to wait until you get there and decide what to do.
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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 agree with everyone here 
Basically, the small amount you'll pay extra for 3V's is certainly worth it for what U get and conditions look good enough that a worthwhile proportion of the area will be in good nick.
OTOH Val Tho has easily enough in itself to keep people happy for a week (many EoSBers come back year after year whether the links are open or not) so if saving money is important, it's no biggy.
Oh one thing that hasn't been mentioned - if you're a tree lover, VT being so high, has none so you'll need to get out of town for any tree-lined pistes.
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