Skiing

[mightysaints]

Who's going where this year. Just booked a chalet for 10 of us in La Plagne flying from Southampton £600 each 2 week in March. There are some great deals out there. Wanted to go back to Verbier but the cost was just to high plus there are a couple of beginners, didn't think it was fair to take them there. Also going to do the Olympic ski sledge whilst we are there, cant wait

[mightysaints]

Sorry meant to say next year

[CB Saint]

Lech in March

[ericofarabia]

Looking at making a return to the slopes after a 3 season layoff due to Mrs EoA suffering a very bad leg break (non skiing accident).

 

Will be very tentative and nervy, especially trying to avoid snow boarders on the snow and getting off chair lifts!!

Planning mid March, hopefully not too icy and fair weather, plus low season between half term and easter hols. Looking at Val Thorens,

or similar in The Three Vallees area. Plenty of long wide meandering reds and blues.

Having been there several times we know the areas that would be ok and which to avoid, depending on Mrs EoA's prowess and confidence, although I'll probably be more nervous than her!!

 

In the meanwhile I've been making do with a couple of hours at The Dubai Ski Dome every other month. What could be better when its 46c in August than to have a couple of hours skiing then pop off for sunset and a few beers on the beach

[jawillwill]

Who's going where this year. Just booked a chalet for 10 of us in La Plagne flying from Southampton £600 each 2 week in March. There are some great deals out there. Wanted to go back to Verbier but the cost was just to high plus there are a couple of beginners, didn't think it was fair to take them there. Also going to do the Olympic ski sledge whilst we are there, cant wait

 

Went to La Plagne last year. A good resort for all levels of skier and not quite as busy as some of the other bigger resorts nearby.

 

Did the sledging too. Was great fun, but make sure you wear the helmet you're given (if you don't have your own for skiing). In the half an hour or so we were on it we saw some bad crashes including one person leaving on an ambulance- I was whacked my head so was grateful for the helmet!

[CB Saint]

Looking at making a return to the slopes after a 3 season layoff due to Mrs EoA suffering a very bad leg break (non skiing accident).

 

Will be very tentative and nervy, especially trying to avoid snow boarders on the snow and getting off chair lifts!!

Planning mid March, hopefully not too icy and fair weather, plus low season between half term and easter hols. Looking at Val Thorens,

or similar in The Three Vallees area. Plenty of long wide meandering reds and blues.

Having been there several times we know the areas that would be ok and which to avoid, depending on Mrs EoA's prowess and confidence, although I'll probably be more nervous than her!!

 

In the meanwhile I've been making do with a couple of hours at The Dubai Ski Dome every other month. What could be better when its 46c in August than to have a couple of hours skiing then pop off for sunset and a few beers on the beach

 

My missus got back skiing 8 months after a spiral fracture of her lower leg. My advice would be to get her to do loads of leg strengthening exercises. She will be massively favouring her good leg without knowing it and it be weak.

[norwaysaint]

Last year was pretty crap for skiing here, exceptionally mild. I think I only skied four times all year. Happily, as a result, they extended our season ticket to cover this year too, which is outstanding customer service. Now there'd better be a bit more bloody snow...

[Lighthouse]

Got a week booked in a chalet in La Plagne in January. Hopefully going to do a week each in Val Disere and Meribel in March.

 

Staying in Plagne 1800 this year, which will hopefully provide better nightlife than Bellecote did last year.

[The Kraken]

Got a week booked in a chalet in La Plagne in January. Hopefully going to do a week each in Val Disere and Meribel in March.

 

Staying in Plagne 1800 this year, which will hopefully provide better nightlife than Bellecote did last year.

 

Plagne 1800 is pretty quiet too; La Mine is about the only busy bar there. The busiest village in LP is Plagne Centre which I is the next village up and which you can get a bus up to, Scotty's bar always used to be the busiest. 1800 is largely just a collection of chalets.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of La Plagne, I find it too blue run heavy and disjointed. That said there is some great off-piste, in particular of course the north face of the Bellecote. I worked my first winter season in Les Arcs which I love, brilliant ski area. Meribel and Val d'Isere are also fantastic resorts, I've done seasons in both Meribel and Tignes (linked to VdI) and would happily go back any time. Amazing après ski in both too, in fact probably the best French resorts (with Chamonix) for après.

[TopGun]

My sister's self-board ski chalet in the French Alps near Samoens is available for hire by the week (950 Euros plus 200 Euros returnable breakages deposit). Sleeps up to 8 people (2 double beds and 2 twin beds). It's about an hour from Geneva Airport and there are regular ski buses or you can a hire a car. Samoens has not been invaded by the Brits yet!

 

Let me know by PM if there is any interest for 5% off 950 Euros for those booking by the end of October subject to availability.

 

http://www.chaletbellevuefrance.com

Edited 12 October, 2014 by TopGun

[Lighthouse]

Plagne 1800 is pretty quiet too; La Mine is about the only busy bar there. The busiest village in LP is Plagne Centre which I is the next village up and which you can get a bus up to, Scotty's bar always used to be the busiest. 1800 is largely just a collection of chalets.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of La Plagne, I find it too blue run heavy and disjointed. That said there is some great off-piste, in particular of course the north face of the Bellecote. I worked my first winter season in Les Arcs which I love, brilliant ski area. Meribel and Val d'Isere are also fantastic resorts, I've done seasons in both Meribel and Tignes (linked to VdI) and would happily go back any time. Amazing après ski in both too, in fact probably the best French resorts (with Chamonix) for après.

 

It's hard for me to pick a favourite between Val Disere/Tignes and Meribel/Courchevel.

 

Val D'Isere best for Après ski IMO, bars like Cafe Face and Dicks Tea Bar are always good. Of course there is also La Folie Douce on the side of the mountain with live music between 3 and 5. Best atmosphere après ski bar I've been too, even if it is 7 euro a pint.

 

Meribel has great après ski too, with a Folie Douce and the Rond Point further down the slope. I think the ski area is generally a bit better than VDI/Tignes but both are fantastic.

 

I'm going to La Plagne because a friend got me a fairly cheap chalet deal for a single traveler and I do generally enjoy the ski area, if you're including Les Arc. La Plagne on its own is a bit limited for on piste I agree.

[The Kraken]

It's hard for me to pick a favourite between Val Disere/Tignes and Meribel/Courchevel.

 

Val D'Isere best for Après ski IMO, bars like Cafe Face and Dicks Tea Bar are always good. Of course there is also La Folie Douce on the side of the mountain with live music between 3 and 5. Best atmosphere après ski bar I've been too, even if it is 7 euro a pint.

 

Meribel has great après ski too, with a Folie Douce and the Rond Point further down the slope. I think the ski area is generally a bit better than VDI/Tignes but both are fantastic.

 

I'm going to La Plagne because a friend got me a fairly cheap chalet deal for a single traveler and I do generally enjoy the ski area, if you're including Les Arc. La Plagne on its own is a bit limited for on piste I agree.

 

Comparing 3 Valleys and Espace Killy is a bit like comparing a Ferrari and an Aston Martin; they're both amongst the best in the world and we'd be nitpitting finding faults with either. If pushed I'd go for Espace Killy but more for personal memories than anything else. At the start of my first working season I did ski-guide training in Tignes on 1st December; the slopes were virtually empty and the conditions just utterly exceptional. Definitely in my top 5 days on skis ever, especially as the last 2 hours of the day were just spent being guided around the mountain finding all sorts of amazing spots where the fresh powder hadn't been touched.

 

As for Meribel, I lived opposite Dicks Tea Bar there for 5 months! Good lord, those were heady days...

 

I love skiing; I can't wait for the season to get underway, it's weird but it gives me a comfort when I know the slopes are properly open again. Still deciding where to get away to for Xmas/New Year, but Sauze in February can't some soon enough.

[sandwichsaint]

My sister's self-board ski chalet in the French Alps near Samoens is available for hire by the week (950 Euros plus 200 Euros returnable breakages deposit). Sleeps up to 8 people (2 double beds and 2 twin beds). It's about an hour from Geneva Airport and there are regular ski buses or you can a hire a car. Samoens has not been invaded by the Brits yet!

 

Let me know by PM if there is any interest for 5% off 950 Euros for those booking by the end of October subject to availability.

 

www.chaletbellevuefrance.com

 

We go to Samoens every Easter, Brit free, the way we like it.

[Lighthouse]

Plagne 1800 is pretty quiet too; La Mine is about the only busy bar there. The busiest village in LP is Plagne Centre which I is the next village up and which you can get a bus up to, Scotty's bar always used to be the busiest. 1800 is largely just a collection of chalets.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of La Plagne, I find it too blue run heavy and disjointed. That said there is some great off-piste, in particular of course the north face of the Bellecote. I worked my first winter season in Les Arcs which I love, brilliant ski area. Meribel and Val d'Isere are also fantastic resorts, I've done seasons in both Meribel and Tignes (linked to VdI) and would happily go back any time. Amazing après ski in both too, in fact probably the best French resorts (with Chamonix) for après.

 

My only criticism of the Three Valleys would be Val Thorens, which I just don't like as a town. Too studenty, not pretty and the bars generally had more of a chavy, rowdy atmosphere than the others. I wouldn't chose to stay there again, although it does have some of the best higher altitude piste conditions.

 

My only criticism on the Espace Kily would be some of the lifts up by the Aiguille Percee are a bit only and sh*t. Lots of old fixed cable lifts which swing around and break your legs, then move incredibly slowly. La Plagne was terrible for this when I went 3 years ago but they have since replaced some of the worst culprits. There is a new Colosses lift this year, which connects Bellecote up to the Plagne Centre half of the resort. That should be a massive help.

 

I actually stayed in the hotel above Scottys bar the first time I went, always a good atmosphere in there. I also stayed in the Morris Hotel above the Morris Pub in Val D'Isere. I would recommend both to anyone who likes their après ski but if you plan on an early night go somewhere else as the music makes sleep before about 1am impossible.

[suewhistle]

I've been to pretty well all the resorts mentioned bar Samoens, along with various Italian, Swiss, Austrian and Whistler a couple of times, but that was when I was employed and had money. I'll be going back to the Aosta Valley again this year but no idea where I'll be staying. I'll probably drive over and stay in a combination of friends, hotels, flats, whatever, and that way get to ski various places: Courmayeur, Cervinia, Pila, Crevacol, Monte Rosa, La Thuile. I did a translation job for someone over there and am being paid with one of the resorts' lift pass! Will also have a day ticket to the new Monte Bianco cable car. I keep myself reasonably fit for my age but thanks for reminding me I need to do some more specific strengthening, core and flexibility exercises.

 

Incidentally, if anyone needs Italian lessons, let me know as I need some extra income: the summer school money has been spent and skiing is an expensive extra!

[buctootim]

Im not much of a skier but my kids want to learn, so we're going to Obertauern in Austria the week before Christmas. It high enough to be snowsure and predominantly blue and red runs so perfect for beginners. Will take in the Christmas market in Salzburg too.

[mightysaints]

Plagne 1800 is pretty quiet too; La Mine is about the only busy bar there. The busiest village in LP is Plagne Centre which I is the next village up and which you can get a bus up to, Scotty's bar always used to be the busiest. 1800 is largely just a collection of chalets.

 

Personally I'm not a fan of La Plagne, I find it too blue run heavy and disjointed. That said there is some great off-piste, in particular of course the north face of the Bellecote. I worked my first winter season in Les Arcs which I love, brilliant ski area. Meribel and Val d'Isere are also fantastic resorts, I've done seasons in both Meribel and Tignes (linked to VdI) and would happily go back any time. Amazing après ski in both too, in fact probably the best French resorts (with Chamonix) for après.

We did Tignes this year, fantastic resort massive ski area for all grades

[norwaysaint]

Went out today for the first time this season, absolutely glorious conditions. Had a great day, so good that I'm not even bothered about missing a good win. Think this will be a really good season for skiing over here after a terrible one last year. Hoping to spend most days over the rest of the holiday out skiing now.

[Lighthouse]

Alps due a big dump this weekend (I'm talking about the mountains and the snow). Desperately needed in some places, temperatures due to drop down into the minus teens too.

[Monk]

A couple of us in our early twenties really fancy this next year, want to go somewhere with a good night life (nothing chavy) but we're also beginners. We're going to have a weekend in MK visiting the dry slopes first then book up.

 

Any advice on destinations to suit the above?

[TopGun]

Alps due a big dump this weekend (I'm talking about the mountains and the snow). Desperately needed in some places, temperatures due to drop down into the minus teens too.

 

Massive dump started last night. I am in Samoens and a good load on the ground now and still snowing hard.

[norwaysaint]

Lovely blue sky and perfect snow today, only problem was it was minus ten. I can feel my fingers again now.

[Ludwig]

norwaysaint is a lucky, lucky b*stard. He lives in a place where he doesn't need to sit on his hand before he has a w*nk. He can just go outside without gloves on for five minutes and then come in and knock one out and it feels like someone else is doing it. Someone with cold hands, mind. Like that fit one out of Frozen. Lucky, lucky b*stard.

[suewhistle]

Alps due a big dump this weekend (I'm talking about the mountains and the snow). Desperately needed in some places, temperatures due to drop down into the minus teens too.

 

From what I've seen of the webcams of my old haunts in the Italian Western Alps they desperately need it, hope it gets that far - sometimes that area gets the wet air up from the Mediterranean - but this year the issue seems to have been temperatures so they couldn't even make artificial snow.

 

I hope to go out there in January: jump in the car and go, snow tyres on already and just need to find a few places to stay so the texts will start going out soon!

 

Just checked the webcams: it's snowed a bit 20cm today at Pila, so looking up..

[suewhistle]

A couple of us in our early twenties really fancy this next year, want to go somewhere with a good night life (nothing chavy) but we're also beginners. We're going to have a weekend in MK visiting the dry slopes first then book up.

 

Any advice on destinations to suit the above?

 

Anybody on here is probably going to be ferociously biaised and already a decent skier so take my recommendation for Pila with a pinch of salt: decent nursery slope at Grimod though, the resort bars and the city below for eating and (largely low key) night life.

[Lighthouse]

A couple of us in our early twenties really fancy this next year, want to go somewhere with a good night life (nothing chavy) but we're also beginners. We're going to have a weekend in MK visiting the dry slopes first then book up.

 

Any advice on destinations to suit the above?

 

 

As Kraken said above, La Plagne has quite a lot of blue piste which is best for beginners. The Apres is reasonable enough in Plagne Centre but nothing spectacular. I'm hopefully going on Saturday (unless some cruel irony I am semi-expecting comes to fruition) so I'll let you know in a couple of weeks.

 

Everyone is biased as Sue said. Personally I don't think you can go wrong in the Three Valleys or Espace Kily.

[Goatboy]

Is anyone skiing in Bansko this week? Thinking of booking for next year but never been that early in the season.

[ericofarabia]

Booked up for Cervinia in mid March, between the half term and easter hols, hoping for empty slopes for Mrs EoA's re introduction to skis !!

 

Also have a weekend back in UK, but typically yet again I'll be home and it's a friggin Blank weekend due to International Break.

 

That's 3 visits in a row that's happened now FFS.

[Lighthouse]

On a slight tangent, who here wears a helmet whilst skiing or boarding?

 

I never have and never really felt unsafe but it seems like in the last 10 years most other people have started wearing them (and telling me I'm dangerous for not).

[TopGun]

I had a hairy road trip off the mountains yesterday evening. The gendarmes were also stopping any vehicles heading into the mountains without wheel chains or 4x4. Flights out of Geneva running 5 hours late last night. I am due to fly out today so hoping it has improved at the airport.

 

http://m.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30613481

[Lighthouse]

The runway is clear in Geneva at the moment.

[Goatboy]

On a slight tangent, who here wears a helmet whilst skiing or boarding?

 

I never have and never really felt unsafe but it seems like in the last 10 years most other people have started wearing them (and telling me I'm dangerous for not).

 

Always.

[Window Cleaner]

I had a hairy road trip off the mountains yesterday evening. The gendarmes were also stopping any vehicles heading into the mountains without wheel chains or 4x4. Flights out of Geneva running 5 hours late last night. I am due to fly out today so hoping it has improved at the airport.

 

http://m.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30613481

 

Ah yes the absolute fark up caused by RTT at the DDE.

[buctootim]

I had a hairy road trip off the mountains yesterday evening. The gendarmes were also stopping any vehicles heading into the mountains without wheel chains or 4x4. http://m.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30613481

 

All having 4x4 does is give you the traction to get moving on slippery roads which your tyres dont have the grip to stop you again. On mountain roads a 4x4 with summer tyres is lethal. The important thing is to have good snow or winter tyres. They are mandatory in Austria and Germany but not in France or Italy - which is part the reason we went to Obergurgl this year rather than Cervinia. The prospect of driving a Turin hire car on summer tyres at 2500m in December wasnt that attractive.

[TopGun]

Ah yes the absolute fark up caused by RTT at the DDE.

 

Acronyms???

[hutch]

Acronyms???

WTF?

[mightysaints]

All of our group wear helmets now, its just not worth the risk

 

 

On a slight tangent, who here wears a helmet whilst skiing or boarding?

 

I never have and never really felt unsafe but it seems like in the last 10 years most other people have started wearing them (and telling me I'm dangerous for not).

[mightysaints]

Bansko ok from the top of the gondola but i don't think the snow road or runs below are open. Check out the web cams

 

Is anyone skiing in Bansko this week? Thinking of booking for next year but never been that early in the season.

[norwaysaint]

As good as everybody wearing helmets at my local place. I always do. I'd guess less than 5 % without helmets.

[buctootim]

Ive no idea if this applies to ski-ing or not but when motorcycle helmets were made compulsory the number of deaths dropped slightly but the number of severe brain damage injuries rose. Im not sure thats necessarily a good trade off (and I wear helmets for both).

[Ziggy]

Is anyone skiing in Bansko this week? Thinking of booking for next year but never been that early in the season.

 

My son's girlfriend's brother went yesterday. I'll try and get an update later. We are going to Bansko on the 10th Jan but never been anywhere except the Alps so intrigued to see what it's like.

Edited 28 December, 2014 by Ziggy

[Lighthouse]

Ive no idea if this applies to ski-ing or not but when motorcycle helmets were made compulsory the number of deaths dropped slightly but the number of severe brain damage injuries rose. Im not sure thats necessarily a good trade off (and I wear helmets for both).

 

There is an interesting psychology to it. I think Jeremy Clarkson alluded to something similar on Top Gear (or maybe QI) that if you remove all seat belts, air bags and replace them with a huge poisoned metal spike pointing directly at the heart, motoring deaths will actually fall.

 

Perhaps people weating helmets subconciously take more risks and fall foul of other injuries. I know that sounds like a lame excuse for not wearing one but I would be interested to see some stats.

[Ziggy]

On a slight tangent, who here wears a helmet whilst skiing or boarding?

 

I never have and never really felt unsafe but it seems like in the last 10 years most other people have started wearing them (and telling me I'm dangerous for not).

 

Go boarding and skiing and always wear a helmet. More to do with protecting me from the idiots on the slopes rather than from my own behaviour.

[suewhistle]

They are mandatory in Austria and Germany but not in France or Italy

 

Not true: definitely necessary in Italian mountain areas where it shows the blue sign of a tyre with chains. I never used my chains but them or snow tyres compulsory from November 15th in the Aosta Valley ay least.

[suewhistle]

I've got a helmet but have never worn it, although I would if I went on serious guided off-piste or in the park. Only ever hit my head once, in moguls, in 30 years of skiing, and I avoid it when it's busy when the true danger arises: collisions. I find helmets affect my perception of distance and give me a false sense of security: always wear them horse-riding, sometimes cycling and never walking..

[norwaysaint]

All having 4x4 does is give you the traction to get moving on slippery roads which your tyres dont have the grip to stop you again. On mountain roads a 4x4 with summer tyres is lethal. The important thing is to have good snow or winter tyres. They are mandatory in Austria and Germany but not in France or Italy - which is part the reason we went to Obergurgl this year rather than Cervinia. The prospect of driving a Turin hire car on summer tyres at 2500m in December wasnt that attractive.

 

Changing to winter tyres is a legal requirement here, you get used to changing all the tyres a couple of times a year. You can choose studded or stud-free. Studded are of course much better if you live off the beaten track, but you have to pay a tax to drive in the city with them. You're also pretty crazy if you make any decent size trip out of the city in winter weather without chains in the car. I've had to put chains on quite a few times and that is a horrible job. Dragging pieces of freezing metal around your freezing tyres, usually with your bare hands deep in the snow. It's pretty common to scrape up your hands a bit doing it and they are always a fuss to get on.

 

However, once on, it's amazing the grip you get. A huge amount of road accidents over here are caused by foreign delivery lorries being taken over the mountains by clueless drivers with no chains and, unbelievably, with summer tyres.

[buctootim]

Not true: definitely necessary in Italian mountain areas where it shows the blue sign of a tyre with chains. I never used my chains but them or snow tyres compulsory from November 15th in the Aosta Valley ay least.

 

My point was that winter tyres are mandatory in those countries - ie all cars are equipped between November and April and not caught out by sudden snow falls or by driving frrom a dry area to a snowy area. France and Italy only stipulate carrying snow chains in certain areas when the weather is bad. They are such a pain to get on and off many people dont bother to use them until its too late and they are stuck / slid off the road.

Edited 29 December, 2014 by buctootim

[TopGun]

My point was that winter tyres are mandatory in those countries - ie all cars are equipped between November and April and not caught out by sudden snow falls or by driving frrom a dry area to a snowy area. France and Italy only stipulate carrying snow chains in certain areas when the weather is bad. They are such a pain to get on and off many people dont bother to use them until its too late and they are stuck / slid off the road.

 

Yeah, I think that is right about France. The Gendarmes were insisting on winter tyres on 4x4s on Saturday though, I didn't mention that before. Otherwise any other car in the foothill towns was being forced to put the chains on or go no further. I got caught up in a road block in a town called Tangines where it was being enforced for those going up the mountains. It was clearly the right thing to do as I was held up coming down by cars (and hire vans) that had got through beforehand that couldn't make it upwards on the fairly gentle parts even.

Edited 29 December, 2014 by TopGun

[mightysaints]

Been to Bansko loads of times so if you want any info on skiing there, best routes,best off piste places to eat etc give me a PM. Let me know where you are staying, i can also recommend a good ski hire shop close to the gondola

My son's girlfriend's brother went yesterday. I'll try and get an update later. We are going to Bansko on the 10th Jan but never been anywhere except the Alps so intrigued to see what it's like.

[Ziggy]

Been to Bansko loads of times so if you want any info on skiing there, best routes,best off piste places to eat etc give me a PM. Let me know where you are staying, i can also recommend a good ski hire shop close to the gondola

 

Cheers - just sent you an e-mail! Much appreciated.