Skiing holiday in Europe.

[mannix]

I am planning on a short ski trip in france in feb of 08, has anyone been there and what place would you recommend?
I have heard Chamonix is good, any thoughts?
I was in the pyrenees last spring  (sightseeing) and heard it had problems with snow during the season.

[Rois]

Heading to Chamonix in January - got a bargain booking it myself with cheap flights and a dirt-cheap hostel-type room, though it won't be luxurious.  Chamonix's a bit of a party town by all accounts but the transfer from Geneva's one of the shortest into France. 

Val d'Isere is fantastic and we went in March and had massive dumps while we were there.  Compared to the Pyrenees where the grass was coming up through the snow in March the year before.

Just about to book a fantastic bargain trip to Les Deux Alpes in March - getting a catered chalet for £200 for six nights - cheaper because we're going home a day early. 

[Billys Boots]

had massive dumps while we were there

Was it the Guinness Rois?

[Mhic Easmuint]

Was in Les Deux Alpes a couple of years ago.  Good resort, lively and plenty of skiing area, with guaranteed snow as there is a glacier at the top.
28 of us going to Livigno on January 26th. 
Trying to get one sorted shortly for 15th March, not sure where yet.

[5 Sams]

had massive dumps while we were there

Was it the Guinness Rois?

f**k ye Billy I nearly spat my coffee all over the screen there

[Rois]

 

Very good.

Glad the report of Les2Alpes is good.

Livigno's great craic, very cheap to eat out and good food.  Resort's a bit spread out though.

Apparently St Anton is one of the best ski resorts in Europe, though pretty expensive, which is why we're not going there this year.  But if you've the funds, head there. 

[screenexile]

GOing to Les Deux Alpes myself in February and having only been to Andorra before I'm glad to hear good reports about it... I wish you wouldn't talk about it now though as I'm having trouble enough waiting til February without this!!!

[Rois]

Well leave some snow for group of Strabanimals heading there in March!

I couldn't wait till March so have two holidays booked this year - Chamonix is costing me £60 for return flight, plus about 140euro for five nights in a nightclub with a few beds up in the hostel above but you couldn't beat it for price, and we'll prob be in the nightclub anyway.  January for improving skiing, March for social skiing.

[loughshore lad]

Just out of interest who did posters book their skiing through - tour operator like ski mcneill or do everything themselves online?
Thinking of going again after christmas and previously used a tour operator but have been advised by a few people to do it all indepeendently on line?

[ludermor]

St Anton is good craic but not as good as we were expecting. There are 2-3 bard near the bottom of the slopes that are mental ( mooserwirt and the crazy kangeroo) but the town itself is not as mad. But i suppose if you drink enough in the apres ski you should have enough rather than looking for pints at 4 in the morning

[The Subbie]

Just out of interest who did posters book their skiing through - tour operator like ski mcneill or do everything themselves online?
Thinking of going again after christmas and previously used a tour operator but have been advised by a few people to do it all indepeendently on line?

I'm heading to Poland @ end of Jan for a weeks skiing, booked it all thru interweb , fly b/fast to Krackow €65 ret , spend 1 night in Krackow then head for Tatra mountains, chalet for 6 costs €190 per person for a week , ski hire €50/week , lessons cost €20 per person for 1 on 1 lesson for 3 hours , beer costs about €1.50 a pint , can't wait !!

[Mhic Easmuint]

Yeah Livigno great, I was there last March, and was dirt cheap in comparison to the France resorts I've been to, good range of skiing and good craic off piste through the tree's. 

Les Deux Alpes one of best resorts been to so far, quite a range of skiing, and found the piste rating maybe under rated.  Like a red run there would have been black runs elsewhere.  If you want to ski off the mountain in the evening you either have to go down a choice of blacks or a long narrow green (about 3-4 metres wide with sort of cliff/hill to one side) which gets very crowded in the evening when most people going off the mountain. 

The 3 I have booked I have went with a travel agent as there has been 19, 25 and 28 people each time and if something went wrong, thats a lot of people looking at me to sort it.

For March not sure where going yet, possibly Sauze d'Oulx. any one been there before?

[Rois]

Just out of interest who did posters book their skiing through - tour operator like ski mcneill or do everything themselves online?
Thinking of going again after christmas and previously used a tour operator but have been advised by a few people to do it all indepeendently on line?

Previous two trips have been with SkiMcNeill who have been pretty good but as another poster, it's been for larger groups.  All through the net this time, but it's organising the transfer to Les Deux Alpes that will be the prob.  Ach well, we'll cope.

Surprised to hear that about St Anton - it came top in an Observer ski guide.  I suppose different people like different things.

[ludermor]

There was very good skiiers in our group in St Anton and they siad the skiing was brillant , id be more interested in the apres ski and while it was good it didnt seem like the best place in europe ( it does score high on all the rankings)