Best Euro Resort

[sculhane]

My 2 cents...

I am really surprised that no one has mentionned Bourg St-Maurice as a base. Not a very nice place, but assuming you have a car, this has to have the most skiing within a 45 drive of anywhere in the world. Basically, you get:
- Les Arcs, right above the village, accessible via the funiculaire
- La Rosière, 10 minutes away with access to La Thuile in Italy
- La Plagne, 15 minutes away (lower villages)
- Les 3 Vallées, around 40 minutes to Brides les Bains where you can take the gondola to Meribel, then go to Courchevel or Val Thorens
- Ste-Foy Tarentaise, a cool little resort 25 minutes away towards Val d'Isere
- And of course, Val d'Isere/Tignes, my personnal favorite, about 40 minutes away at the end of the valley.

Each of these resorts (except Ste-Foy) would blow away any North American resort for size. I've never had a problem with crowds except at Les 3 Vallées, even during school holidays. Last time, we rented a very nice chalet (room for 6-8) for about 500$ for the week in Seez, about 5 minutes from Bourg St-Maurice.

As for Verbier, when I went there, we stayed in Nendaz, on the Sion side (4th Valley). This was quite cheap compared to Verbier. In the morning, we would drive 10 minutes up to Siviez for (free!) parking, where 2 lifts will take you to Verbier side. Or you could access very good skiing right there, with about 1000 vertical meters on one side and 700 on the other. Amazing terrain, good snow and no crowds.

Here's a sample: The one on the left was taken in Val d'Isere. It is in the Col Pers off-piste, beginning of 1400m descent. The one on the right is from Verbier, right above Siviez on the Plan du Fou. We rode the lift back up and closed our tracks an hour later!

http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic24161.jpg

Good luck,

Steve

[FreakofSnow]

Bump this shizit, I was reading snowfire's post and found this gem. The wife and another couple are starting to form plans for a european assault sometime this winter. I cannot fucking wait. Its looking like February will be our window.

[Idris]

Originally posted by FreakofSnow
Bump this shizit, I was reading snowfire's post I cannot fucking wait. Its looking like February will be our window.

Not February......no not february....spring brake in France and the UK.....3 hour lift lines, fighting in the parking lot etc......januarry yes, march yes but not february.

[FreakofSnow]

Copy that Tom, thanks for the heads up.

[verbier61]

Originally posted by Idris
Not February......no not february....spring brake in France and the UK.....3 hour lift lines, fighting in the parking lot etc......januarry yes, march yes but not february.

yeah it's a two week school break that changes every year depending on carnival date. This year the break should be approx from January 29 to February 13th (looks like an early carnival this year you know it depends by lunar phases). Let me know if you want more insight on these dates to travel safely (I have kids so I will be on the slopes with them during these holidays..... Tom's right it's usually a CARNAGE )

[Lostinthetrees]

Originally posted by Idris
Not February......no not february....spring brake in France and the UK.....3 hour lift lines, fighting in the parking lot etc......januarry yes, march yes but not february.

Triple ditto Idris!
PDS, Verb, Cham, Crans Montana, Gstaad, etc. ugghhh!

Last mid-Feb. at least at PDS it was big enough so we could jump out of Avoriaz into Champoussin or towards Morzine. Chatel was a zoo after 11PM!!! Never again.

Typically we hit the smaller scale ski hills w/o resort development and holiday crowds during that month.

litt

[TeleAl]

Originally posted by Idris
Not February......no not february....spring brake in France and the UK.....3 hour lift lines, fighting in the parking lot etc......januarry yes, march yes but not february.

Yup, and let us not forget the Belgians who also take 2 weeks off in Feb., plus the Swiss, although it depends on Canton, so 2 weeks can really be just 1/2 the country, then another 2 weeks for the other 1/2 the country.

But, do not be dismayed. Few of those holiday people ski the off piste. Imagine, you live in Belgium, and you ski 2 weeks per year. Chances are, off piste (i.e. not groomed) is not going to be your thing.

Like LITT said, hit the small ski stations, avoid the crowds, enjoy it all the same.
Think SSB and G3 (no resort town = no muppets).

[Hicks]

Damn,
I always wondered why we don't have that kind of holidays here.

[Ripzalot]

Originally posted by TeleAl
But, do not be dismayed. Few of those holiday people ski the off piste.

this is key. two or three days after dumps you can still find pow even with the pistes mobbed less than 100m away. avoriaz is like that. you can do the big resorts but you need to get up early. be first one up in the morning and beeline to the highest spot. ride it out until the crowds show up, then move off to a different spot. skip lunch, or eat later. its doable.

touring is the other option. forget queues and hike. not that i do it but its an option.