Poster: A snowHead
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Hello!
I'm keen to rent a camper van and ski Espace Killy and 3 Valleys for a 4-5 weeks - any time between January and April really. I've had a look and 4 person campers are around 1400 Pounds for a month. Has anyone done this before or is up for a roadtrip? I'm based in London at the moment.
Marie
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 9-11-18 16:17; edited 2 times in total
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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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Hi!
Great tips, thank you! I haven't looked into parking yet tbh but it's on the list. I know Tignes Val Claret and Le Lac but want to explore more. And also thinking of heading over to 3 Valleys for part of the time so looking into places there (only know Val Thorens).
Have you stayed in a Camper in the snow before?
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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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Are you hell bent on a camper for that amount of£ you could probably get a studio in the main part of the resort. Camper vans are restricted to Brev and rarely see the sun.
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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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Yep. Price is per campervan not per person and looking for 2-3 people to join.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@marieskis, Have you checked the price of a 4 bed studio ?
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Thanks for the studio tips guys but I want to roadtrip/drive around. Hence the title of this topic.
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Do you mean like a panel van conversion? You'd need to make sure it would cope with subzero temps (apologies if this is an "of course" observation) but even many motorhomes that are sold as "winterised" will be far from adequate in the conditions you are likely to encounter.
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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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Check out motorhomeski.com
There's better places for a motorhome than Espace Killy.
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Scamper wrote: |
Do you mean like a panel van conversion? You'd need to make sure it would cope with subzero temps (apologies if this is an "of course" observation) but even many motorhomes that are sold as "winterised" will be far from adequate in the conditions you are likely to encounter. |
Have been looking at proper 4 berth motorhomes and been looking at the motorhomeski website for all the winterisation issues. I'm not so worried about it being mega comfortable just want to be able to move around whenever and not be tied to one place/apartment for a month.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Cool! It's a great way to do it 😀 German vans tend to better for winter living. Have you researched flying out and picking up something once you're there - might end up cheaper?
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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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We never took the caravan up to VDI or Tignes but camped down in Bourg St Maurice and drove up to the resorts. However you probably don`t want to do that but it is a very doable day round trip and a possible alternative to staying in resort. There certainly used to be campervans parked close to VDI but I did not see any a couple of Xmas`s ago when we were last there and I think they may now be banned? Others will probably know better than me.
In the 3 Valleys area I can`t recall seeing campervans parked up anywhere but maybe I just missed them.
Wherever you go, its truly great to have the freedom to go where you want when you want to get the best snow, have fun.
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You know it makes sense.
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I did look at doing this too through the winter but got talked out of it by friends and family (health conditions prevented me from doing it, no other reason). Are you looking at trying to do it parking for free or staying on "aires"? When looking I remember les menuires had some places to stay, iv seen campervans up in val thorens but you have to pay there and im not sure weather wise being high up and exposed would be fun. Can't remember finding much info on the val d or tignes area.... where i found alot of motorhome places which were geared up/cheap/ free was around alpe d'huez (that looked amazing), serre chevalier, montegenvre and les deux alps. All of those are kind of linked easily for getting to road wise and have a variety of resorts/runs/apres options. If you want the tarentaise valley, la rosiere has stuff set up, la plagne has an aire right on the piste so can ski to and from the van (always looks busy when I have skied la plagne) and you have the big proper campsite down in bourg st maurice which can also double up as a good food/drink refill station! I think some of the smaller and lesser known resorts are more happy to take campers too and at a cheaper rate. When I was working it all out financially wise, it looked pretty do-able and not too expensive but I get half price or free lift passes for me and a carer in most resorts (got to have some perks for not fully functioning legs!). website wise for check out park4night.com or something which has some good info and reviews too! all the best as it does look an epic way to spend a month!
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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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There used to be quite a few camper vans parked at La Daille in Val d'Isere a few years ago, but two things conspired to knock this on the head - first the occupants of one of the vans were discovered to be selling drugs, and secondly parking charges were imposed on the outdoor spaces. As already said, your only hope in the Espace Killy is Tignes les Brevieres.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We have a motorhome that we take skiing/boarding for 2 months every year for the last 6 or 7 years. When we first started it was tempting to go to some of the big areas but I now regard that as a bit pointless. This is because if you are touring around then you will probably be buying day passes so why buy a €55 day pass when a €33 daypass in a smaller resort will do for 3 or 4 days before moving on. Added to that there are a lot of good free or cheap aires in smaller resorts whereas bigger resorts either don't have anywhere (eg EK) or you have to spend a lot of dosh staying in a campsite which is generally miles from the lift. It's usually possible to stay for several nights in a ski lift carpark for free in low season then you are right by the lifts.
It all takes a bit of planning as you will need to access a servicepoint every 3-4 days or be very prepared with extra kit (collapsible waste buckets, 20 litre water containers, folding sack cart, extra gas bottles, manhole lifters, etc).
I've stayed at Tignes Les Brevieres and as far as staying places in a motorhome it's close to the bottom of my list of the 60 or so places we have stayed. Have a serious think about whether you want to rough it and/or be driving back down to BSM to service the van every 3 days or would visiting decent aires like Praz de Lys, Les Gets, Les Saisies, Vars, Montgenevre, Alpe de Huez, Vaujany, La Plagne, Valloire, La Thuile(IT) be better. Most of these are only about €10 per night.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@BoardieK, @john2, @hannahlucy89, @CaravanSkier,
Thank you for all the info/tips/things to consider. Much appreciated
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