Skiing recommendations
Posted by: nicnaim on 27 February 2006
Any skiers out there?
Just got back from the Porte De Soleil area. Fantastic snow, after a big drop the previous week.
Good varied skiing over a wide area, with good quality mountain restaurants.
Kids all enjoyed ski school, which is often not the case with French resorts. A good time was had by all.
Picture shows us somewhere above Champoussin (on the Swiss side) looking towards the Dents Du Midi. I'm the one on the right, with my two kids next to me (The wife was taking the picture).
My all time favourite resort is probably Courcheval, but this area is definetly worth a punt. We stayed about 3km from Chatel.
Regards
http://img139.imageshack.us/full.php?image=chatel20068ii.jpg
Nic
Just got back from the Porte De Soleil area. Fantastic snow, after a big drop the previous week.
Good varied skiing over a wide area, with good quality mountain restaurants.
Kids all enjoyed ski school, which is often not the case with French resorts. A good time was had by all.
Picture shows us somewhere above Champoussin (on the Swiss side) looking towards the Dents Du Midi. I'm the one on the right, with my two kids next to me (The wife was taking the picture).
My all time favourite resort is probably Courcheval, but this area is definetly worth a punt. We stayed about 3km from Chatel.
Regards
http://img139.imageshack.us/full.php?image=chatel20068ii.jpg
Nic
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by Nigel Cavendish
Had a week in Nassfeld on the Austrian/Italian border. Excellent weather and snow, mainly red runs but great fun particularly a 7.6km run from the top to the bottom which was a bit of a thigh burner
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by Huwge
Just had a week in Stuben, a small village between St.Anton a/Arlberg and Lech-Zürs. Great snow but some shitty weather leading to some (very) poor visibility. The White Ring which is a combination of ski route and piste and which takes you from Zürs to Lech and back is a great tour without the need for a guide.
It is an expensive area to ski, but there is some great off-piste. Would love to get across to the French Alps but we can get to Stuben in 2,5 hours door-to-door by car from here.
Have had some good skiing in Süd-Tirol with added benefit of Italian cuisine but the last years have had poor snow coverage and I hate artifical snow.
Huw
PS - for thigh burning madness try the World Cup Abfahrt from Kapall in St.Anton or the Zürser-Tali in Zürs.
It is an expensive area to ski, but there is some great off-piste. Would love to get across to the French Alps but we can get to Stuben in 2,5 hours door-to-door by car from here.
Have had some good skiing in Süd-Tirol with added benefit of Italian cuisine but the last years have had poor snow coverage and I hate artifical snow.
Huw
PS - for thigh burning madness try the World Cup Abfahrt from Kapall in St.Anton or the Zürser-Tali in Zürs.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by nicnaim
Huw,
Sorry to hear you had poor visibility. It is a great area, albeit expensive as you say.
We stayed in St Anton 14 years ago, which from memory had pretty good apres ski (in the days before kids). Lech, was Lady Di's favourite resort I seem to remember. My abiding memory of the place, was the very rich riding up on chair lifts in the latest designer gear, walking to the nearest restaurant, staying there all day and heading back having not skied at all. What a waste.
The best equipment investment I ever made was some custom injected boots from Stroltz in Lech, to fit my odd shaped feet. Bloody expensive but they fit like a glove. Sadly they are now on their last legs and need replacing.
Regarding thigh burning, there is a 22 Km run in Cervinia, which had me knackered when I was a lot younger and fitter, that you might want to try.
Regards
Nic
Sorry to hear you had poor visibility. It is a great area, albeit expensive as you say.
We stayed in St Anton 14 years ago, which from memory had pretty good apres ski (in the days before kids). Lech, was Lady Di's favourite resort I seem to remember. My abiding memory of the place, was the very rich riding up on chair lifts in the latest designer gear, walking to the nearest restaurant, staying there all day and heading back having not skied at all. What a waste.
The best equipment investment I ever made was some custom injected boots from Stroltz in Lech, to fit my odd shaped feet. Bloody expensive but they fit like a glove. Sadly they are now on their last legs and need replacing.
Regarding thigh burning, there is a 22 Km run in Cervinia, which had me knackered when I was a lot younger and fitter, that you might want to try.
Regards
Nic
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by garyi
I worked in Courcheval 1550 for five months.
It was without doubt one of the most magical times of my life and one I know I can never repeat.
Imagine if you will £140 in my bag each week to spend on booze, a free season pass for the three valleys, free food and to an extent free beer.
All I had to do in return was cook for 30 guests. Typically rather cost conscious guests (my chalet was a shit hole) I was usually fine provided the food was good, they were never fussy. It was so cool. The one time in my life that I actually felt high when sober haha.
This particular season saw some of the heaviest snow in 90 years. We had three metres come down in 3 days which led to the fire brigade coming out the chalets to remove snow. It never ceased to amaze me how well the system was, our electric ran all season, the gas man turned up on time each week and the food arrived daily regardless of weather.
after that heavy snow fall though I experienced some of the most awe inspiring snow boarding ever, going from the top of courcheval, down and beyond 1550 was around 16 KM and after this snow fall could be done without stopping, amazing (and knackering)
sigh, baby due in a few weeks now, I rather fancy those days are long gone but I am so glad I did it.
It was without doubt one of the most magical times of my life and one I know I can never repeat.
Imagine if you will £140 in my bag each week to spend on booze, a free season pass for the three valleys, free food and to an extent free beer.
All I had to do in return was cook for 30 guests. Typically rather cost conscious guests (my chalet was a shit hole) I was usually fine provided the food was good, they were never fussy. It was so cool. The one time in my life that I actually felt high when sober haha.
This particular season saw some of the heaviest snow in 90 years. We had three metres come down in 3 days which led to the fire brigade coming out the chalets to remove snow. It never ceased to amaze me how well the system was, our electric ran all season, the gas man turned up on time each week and the food arrived daily regardless of weather.
after that heavy snow fall though I experienced some of the most awe inspiring snow boarding ever, going from the top of courcheval, down and beyond 1550 was around 16 KM and after this snow fall could be done without stopping, amazing (and knackering)
sigh, baby due in a few weeks now, I rather fancy those days are long gone but I am so glad I did it.
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by arf005
Good Luck with the new addition Gary!!
I had an amazing three weeks sharing a flat in Val Thorens a few years back, season pass for the three valleys too (I was intending on staying longer but that didn't work out) and the boarding was superb. I was raised a skier, from my youth on the dry slopes at Hillend, on the Pentland Hills Edinburgh, but took to boarding and loved it!!
Had a dump of snow just before coming home and that was a great end to an amazing trip.....
Would love to go back someday, using my own board in Scotland just isn't an option.
Cheers,
Ali
I had an amazing three weeks sharing a flat in Val Thorens a few years back, season pass for the three valleys too (I was intending on staying longer but that didn't work out) and the boarding was superb. I was raised a skier, from my youth on the dry slopes at Hillend, on the Pentland Hills Edinburgh, but took to boarding and loved it!!
Had a dump of snow just before coming home and that was a great end to an amazing trip.....
Would love to go back someday, using my own board in Scotland just isn't an option.
Cheers,
Ali
Posted on: 27 February 2006 by Two-Sheds
I went to Winter Park in Colorado in late January this year and had the best snow I've had in years. I started skiing around 87/88 I think in Europe and for the last few years have skiied in north america (banff a couple of times and winter park).
Banff was good, although the snow wasn't great when I went there. The big plus about the north american resorts I've been to is the lack of lift queues compared to Europe.
Banff was good, although the snow wasn't great when I went there. The big plus about the north american resorts I've been to is the lack of lift queues compared to Europe.
Posted on: 28 February 2006 by nicnaim
Garyi,
Ditto on the good luck wishes for the birth of your child.
Having kids will not stop you skiing, but it does ratchet up the costs, especially at peak times like half term. The bonus is that eventually you will be able to ski with your kids, which is really rewarding.
All the best
Nic
Ditto on the good luck wishes for the birth of your child.
Having kids will not stop you skiing, but it does ratchet up the costs, especially at peak times like half term. The bonus is that eventually you will be able to ski with your kids, which is really rewarding.
All the best
Nic
Posted on: 28 February 2006 by BigH47
My "kids" 23 and 22 now pay for their own skiing whichis nice. They are off to Les Arcs this weekend. My son should look a complete wally in his Swedish camoflague type ski suit.
Howard
Howard