 Poster: A snowHead
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Look for advice on good ski resorts for Christmas '24. Myself, husband and two kids (1 tween and 1 teen) have been skiing over 6 years (bar Covid era!) and usually find ourselves in France, most recently Ardent/Avoriaz this winter. Keen to go again next Christmas and whilst i know it is early in the season, would be keen to know the best options to consider. A few things on my 'wishlist' below, but appreciate there is compromise:
Ideally self catering, but with nearby shops/restaurants
Ski in/ski out or as close to as possible - really keen to avoid buses or long walks if possible (esp as i suffer with feet/boot pain despite custom made boots - one for another post!)
Don't mind if we fly or drive - can do either
Good mix of blue and reds with a fee blacks, so family friendly
Not going to bankrupt me for the rest of the year!
and of course, best likelihood of snow!
I have tried to do lots of research but its hard to nail down a few options. Any recommendations on real experience would be very much appreciated. Don't mind if its France, Italy, Bulgaria, Austria etc. Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@MrsMc, welcome to SH's.
Every ski town will have some shops/restaurants.
Whilst there are some ski in/ski out options France is the most geared up/as the most options.
For a family of 4 self catering on a budget driving to France kinda wins out.
Christmas is early season but it's also coming into mid-winter - so generally cold, can be dull, can be a stormy and close in. For that reason I like to be down in the trees - my go to is Les Coches but there are other options. Certainly if you go to the likes of Val Thoren, Tignes, Arc 2000 you will have immediate access to the best snow but it's a bigger drive up the mountain and if the weather hits you will be very restricted.
Christmas is not a prime peak week (like Half Term or New Year week) but busyish.
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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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@MrsMc,
Xmas is early season nowadays, so I'd only recommend resorts with plenty of piste above 2500m:-
France. Espace Killy (aka Tignes-Val D'Isere); Paradiski; 3 Valleys
Italy. Cervinia-Valtournenche
The Swiss resorts would probably blow your budget.
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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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We found last Christmas that Christmas Day was quiet but the resort started filling up a lot a few days after Christmas and got busier as the week went on. The advice to go somewhere where you can get up to high altitude, but which also offers shelter down in the trees is good.
A few Christmases ago my daughter and family did a "family week" in UCPA La Plagne. It was "ski in/out", they had a family room and found the facilities and food very good, and a welcome change from self-catering. Drove themselves there. All inclusive but in a quite different price bracket from 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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| MrsMc wrote: |
Look for advice on good ski resorts for Christmas '24. Myself, husband and two kids (1 tween and 1 teen) have been skiing over 6 years (bar Covid era!) and usually find ourselves in France, most recently Ardent/Avoriaz this winter. Keen to go again next Christmas and whilst i know it is early in the season, would be keen to know the best options to consider. A few things on my 'wishlist' below, but appreciate there is compromise:
Ideally self catering, but with nearby shops/restaurants
Ski in/ski out or as close to as possible - really keen to avoid buses or long walks if possible (esp as i suffer with feet/boot pain despite custom made boots - one for another post!)
Don't mind if we fly or drive - can do either
Good mix of blue and reds with a fee blacks, so family friendly
Not going to bankrupt me for the rest of the year!
and of course, best likelihood of snow!
I have tried to do lots of research but its hard to nail down a few options. Any recommendations on real experience would be very much appreciated. Don't mind if its France, Italy, Bulgaria, Austria etc. Thanks in advance |
What’s a tween ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We only went over Christmas once when the kids were young.
We decided on Arc 1950 and it was excellent:
- S/C in an apartment that was much nearer Canadian standards for size
- Everything was only a stone's throw away
- Excellent ski school
- Ski In; Ski Out
- High enough to be snow sure
- Nice swimming pool
Downsides
- It's more expensive.....so might bankrupt you for the rest of the year
- Advisable to book early if eating out...at least that was the case with us
IMV. Highly recommended
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@Old Fartbag, that was my thought too when @Layne suggested Les Coches. Any of the higher Arcs resorts (I think 1800 would be fine) will have snow, and depending on conditions you can choose runs above (if poor snow cover lower down) or below (if weather/visibility means skiing below the treeline is preferable).
Les Coches is of course just the next hill across, but it is a bit lower so you could be unlucky and have slushy conditions in the immediate vicinity - but there is gondola access to/from higher slopes. And probably cheaper.
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@MrsMc, We have done skiing at Christmas almost every year for the last 30 years, usually self catering in Arc1600 and it has usually been excellent. It is not as crowded as the New Year week and we have always had snow. We have also done a couple catered chalets when our son was young and they were good.
Many years ago people didn't ski at Christmas as it was regarded as too early in the season, now with snow making and careful snow manangement many, if not most, resorts open for Christmas. You may find some pistes not yet open and pistuers skiing down in front of you putting markers in but there is skiing and it is much better than being stuck at home.
@j b, All the Les Arcs villages are high enougth and as snow sure as it gets. Vallandry is a little lower but we have never been unable to ski to it. Villaroger at 1200m is also generally open. Across the valley Les Coches, though quite low has IIRC had snow every Christmas I have been to Les Arcs.
For the record the heights of the Les Arcs villages are:
Arc 1600 - 1630m (Cachette lift)
Arc 1800 - 1700m (the Vagere chairlift is at 1734 and the Transarc 30 or so metres lower)
Arc 1950 - 2050m
Arc 2000 - 2150m
I know it is confusing but they are just names.
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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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| Restless native wrote: |
| What’s a tween ? |
Child under 13 who's already behaving like a teenager.
Age: Usually in double digits.
Gender: Usually girls.
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
We only went over Christmas once when the kids were young.
We decided on Arc 1950 and it was excellent:
- S/C in an apartment that was much nearer Canadian standards for size
- Everything was only a stone's throw away
- Excellent ski school
- Ski In; Ski Out
- High enough to be snow sure
- Nice swimming pool
Downsides
- It's more expensive.....so might bankrupt you for the rest of the year
- Advisable to book early if eating out...at least that was the case with us
IMV. Highly recommended |
When was that? Been there mid/late april '18 and the pool was absolute madness. They got one tiny tiny little piscine for the whole freakin town, fgs! I found that extremely dissapointing given their 5-star stance. There were a few (very few) outside hottubs scattered around the place, though.
Honestly, I wouldn't go to Paradiski at that time of year, as it's bleak. Comes into it's own in february, so good from march onwards, imho.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Tristero, It was quite a while ago and was to The Radisson building.
The question was about personal experience at Christmas - so that was when we went.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Wed 17-04-24 16:12; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Tristero wrote: |
| Honestly, I wouldn't go to Paradiski at that time of year, as it's bleak. |
If you said 1950/2000 I might agree with you but "Paradiski" or more specifically certain parts are very good at that time of the year.
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@Tristero, don't forget that one of the USPs of 1950 is the family oriented Christmas Eve street entertainment and parade: it is far from bleak during the week-long festivities however desolate the landscape outside the village!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Mjit wrote: |
| Restless native wrote: |
| What’s a tween ? |
Child under 13 who's already behaving like a teenager.
Age: Usually in double digits.
Gender: Usually girls. |
Ah ok….
Thanks, Andy 
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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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Ischgl. Stay in one of the many hotels garni above the Fimba Lift.
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Poster: A snowHead
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mayrhofen stay in the strass.
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