 Poster: A snowHead
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A friend of mine has yet to venture beyond La Plagne on ski trips with his family (though he has been to Verbier on mates trips - loved it but didn't like the idea of carting kids + skis to ski school on the bus). His children are 9 and 12, whole family skied about 4 to 6 times. He likes the "ease" of La Plagne, ski in ski out, size of ski area etc.
I've been trying to persuade him to venture further afield! Which resorts would you suggest, that won't disappoint him after La Plagne.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tignes 
or Wengen
(Just to beat DGO to it!)
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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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beanie1, we enjoyed La Plagne, we also love Serre Chevalier, and La Rosiere, both smaller, but convenient. La Ros has accomodation close to the pistes,and no need to get on a bus. Serre Chevalier has a very good ski bus service if you need it, but ther's plenty of accomodation close to the lifts. Our new apartment will be 200m from the pistes, and there's a good ski school. Incidentally we went back to La Plagne last season after a gap of a few years and we were quite disappointed.
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you could look at puy saint vincent, we went with a company called snowbizz www.snowbizz.co.uk they were fantastic couldnt fault them for a great convenient family holiday.ABSOLUTELY NO LONG WALKING REQUIRED.They run classes up to race training level for the kids in small groups of under 6 with great in house instructors. The area wouldnt be as large or varied as la plagne but there is plenty for all levels for a week and it is relatively cheap once you are there. You fly to turin then its 2.25hrs past montgenevre and your there.All the skiing is above the accomadation at 1600m so there is no traffic and as it is compact the kids can do there own thing and still be very safe.A few hotels at the 1400m level but 90% of accomadation is in apartments if you diy.
another snowhead petel seems to know and reccomend the area as well,if you need any more info no problem just ask.
hedley
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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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Well it's not far from La Plagne (and not too dissimilar) but you could suggest Les Arcs. If your friend is into catered chalets Ski Beat are in the Peisey end of Les Arcs, just above the Vanoise Express. Your friend could use that for a quick trip over to La Plagne if he felt the need. There's also a new Club Med opening in Vallandry this season. Might suit a family.
Flaine is another possibility. Short transfer if flying to Geneva.
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We did La Rosiere last year and have booked again for next.
La Ros is rubbish, useless ski school, long lift queues, crowded piste, dangerous skiers, unfriendly people, very inconvenient accomodation, with much less skiing than you would hope. They hate kids and are not interested in the family at all. Please dont go, and if you do go then please tell everyone how cr@p the place is.
Hopefully La Rosiere will then remain the quietest and best family resort in the Alps.
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Frosty the Snowman, I saw the lights of La Rosiere twinkling from my balcony at the weekend and despite what you say I will be giving it a try next season at some point. That would be my recommendation too beanie1, although Les Gets is a great family place but so low and so unsnowsure!
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Mouth, From La Rosiere, Aime 2000 looks quite dramatic and opens the debate of "icon or eyesore". I would imagine that Montalbert is similar to LA Ros, and would be my choice in La Plagne to own. We (30 of us) went to La Plagne, first week in January. A very quiet week. The lifts and slopes were far far busier in that week than they were in La Ros at Easter when it was rumoured that nearly every bed in the resort was booked.
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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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Frosty the Snowman, I would say "eyesore" with reference to Aime La Plagne! Montalbert was just great last weekend - a lack of snow for sure but looking forward to the season.
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Mouth, have they opened the little Bellecote glacier above La Plagne this summer?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kuwait_ian, No I dont think so. The website says it is not open this summer and from the top of Grande Rochette the glacier was indeed looking quite bare and blue. For walkers only this year I fear 
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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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Frosty the Snowman, surely you mean Arc 2000, which is an eyesore IMO, it also has to be one of the least sunniest locations in the Alps, in mid-winter the sun doesn't hit until about 11.00 and its in shadow again by about 15.15. Having said that, I believe that Les Arcs has the best piste skiing in France and is a much better resort than La Plagne however, La Plagne has the highest visitor numbers of any French resort. Although as far as I'm concerned that's another good reason not to go there.
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David@traxvax, Whilst sat out on the always sunny balcony I did note that arc2000 was one to be crossed of the list. I never saw it in the sun. Bet its freezing in a cold snap. I was serious about Aime2000, we had a good debate on its merits whilst suppijng beer. La plagne can be very busy around Bellcote, and Centre. It doeas however have lots of lovely bits where one can hideaway with thye kids. the area around Le Clapet, Montalbert, and over the back in Champagny are always fairly deserted. We spent 2 days messing about in sunny Champagny where there is great fun to be had with the kids.
The kids did have even more fun in La Ros however. the highlights for them were: Skiing right down to La Thuille for lunch. Messing about on and off piste in the San Bernardo /Fourclaz area, the very convenient snowpark on the way home (and whenever else possible), messing about through the trees at the end of the day, and the torchlit descent. The older girlies were very impressed, nay I would say "moved", by the ESF floodlit display. La Ros has changed my view on what size of resort is required for a holiday.
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You know it makes sense.
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| David@traxvax wrote: |
| Although as far as I'm concerned that's another good reason not to go there. |
Reason 2) I'll be cooking there bwah ha ha!
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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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Nadenoodlee, I hope your'e not going to introduce those well known Glasgie delicacies; fried Haggis and deep-fried Mars bars. The French are dismissive enough about British cuisine already. Any Reading specialities you can export?
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brian
brian
Guest
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David@traxvax, deep fried mars bars are the business ! Some of the other things they deep fry up here are a little questionable mind you. Pizzas, mince pies, steak pies ... You name it, they'll chuck it in 
btw, only Russ Abbott calls it Glasgie, the locals say "Glesca".
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David@traxvax, Ha! the French I cooked for bloody loved Berkshire Cuisine! ( Yes they were all under the age of 14- but thats besides the point!)
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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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| David@traxvax wrote: |
| Nadenoodlee, I hope your'e not going to introduce those well known Glasgie delicacies; fried Haggis and deep-fried Mars bars. The French are dismissive enough about British cuisine already. Any Reading specialities you can export? |
Used to get a damn fine pie and pint of 6X at Sweeney Todd's - is it still there?
CP
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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For the sake of being boringly repetitive, the obvious French super-networks ("FSNs" for short  ), other than Paradiski, are Trois Vallees, Espace Killy, LDA, and Portes du Soleil. Personally I've gotten used to the convenience of FSNs, and absolutely resented the time-wasting 1hr traipse from hotel to snow in Grindelwald last season (slopes themselves were lovely).
Piste expance of resorts in other Alpine nations are hard pushed to match that of FSNs, but maybe your friend might enjoy the difference? Convience is less of an issue in the sense that it's an issue EVERYWHERE! - just book hotels next to the slopes.
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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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CP, It is indeed! Chicken and mushroom is unbeatable!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If he is willing to venture out of France, try Saalbach in Austria. You can walk from the centre and hotels to 3 lifts in a couple of minutes, the hotels offer excellent facilities, swimming pools etc and Zell am Zee down the road has a large ice rink.
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Still on the same topic. These friends are now planning to go at half term, but hate queueing. They would like a high resort, ski in ski out accom, good for kids and ski school and as short queues as possible! And ideally pretty and a large ski area, but know you can't have everything!
Thanks!
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beanie1, " Half term" and "No queues" do not go together - ever! Saying that 3 valleys would be the best bet - meets all the other criteria and because of the excellent lift system and the new hands free pass this year the queues will only be in resort and at beginning of day. Half term gets booked up so they had better hurry!
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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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Mouth,
Do you really think the 3 valleys would be best bet for half term? Would somewhere smaller and less well known not have fewer queues?
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beanie1, well you did stipulate "high" and "pretty large ski area" and "ski in ski out" so that is why. ANywhere at half term busy but the bigger and more spead out and more efficient the lift system the better. The lift system in 3V is fab
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Mouth wrote: |
| beanie1, " Half term" and "No queues" do not go together - ever! |
We have been skiing more than once at half term and not had any queues - Stowe and other ski areas in Southern Vermont. Just avoid the Presidents week(end) holiday, which can clash with our half term week.
CP
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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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CP, Ahh.. the reason you have no queues is because it is not half term in USA although you are right about presidents day falling around that time. I think beanie1, is looking for a place in Europe otherwise the US a great choice indeed
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Mouth, Sorry about that I did miss the point of the original post - I should have read the whole thread. Saying that though Stowe would fit the bill to a certain extent, shame they don't have the link with Smugglers Notch anymore.
I did the half term week at La Rosiere this February and have to say the queues were not that bad. I would go there again but not next year as we are doing Christmas and Easter.
CP
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