Living/Skiing in France?

**Kungfookungpow** · 08-31-2006, 08:18 AM

My lady is French and so we're trying to figure out where to visit over there for a month or so...maybe longer...beyond Cham. Need a cool town near REAL skiing + pain chocolat and cheap wine...not psyched on resort areas like Alps D'Huez, etc.

Suggestions?

**bad_roo** · 08-31-2006, 08:20 AM

Briancon. It's quite near Alps d'Huez but not right in it.

**Kungfookungpow** · 08-31-2006, 08:21 AM

I love that Bad Roo is always on the case. THANKS.

AH · 08-31-2006, 08:24 AM

What about Bourg St Maurice?

**p@wder** · 08-31-2006, 08:28 AM

Best Pain au chocolat found in Normandy... not much skiing lol.

i've been tempted by Bourg Saint Maurice- there is a lift right up into les Arcs which I scored some killer off-piste a few years back in April. Les Arc is linked to La Plagne, anothe rhuge resort. Not far up the road is Tignes/Val d'isere.
Burg is down in the valley and so should be farely cheap with good amenities and good transport options. I don't think it is a particullarly charming town but looks convenient. Maybe worth a week there to get some skiing in.

**bad_roo** · 08-31-2006, 08:28 AM

Briancon is cooler. It's got more of a town vibe and has an Aldi.

30 minutes one way to La Grave, 15 the other way to Montgenevre with a gondola running up to Serre Chevalier, some of the best tree skiing in France (larch, not pine, note).

An hour to Alpe d'Huez or Les Deux Alpes, twenty minutes to Italy (Claviere) or Puy St Vincent. If you really want to escape the resorts there's loads of BC opportunities in the Southern French Alps. Ask Telepath about Couloir Davin or head down to the Queyras. That really is the back of beyond with web-footed locals who have never seen an English speaking man. I'm now hoping your wife isn't from there.

Briancon is the answer. The Tarentaise is a zoo.

**p@wder** · 08-31-2006, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by AH

What about Bourg St Maurice?

That is crazy timing, I started my post before I had read your post!

Great minds...

**Incompetent Boob** · 08-31-2006, 08:34 AM

Haven't seen much of the French alps but Briancon, as bad_roo says, is a very cool area. Snow can be iffy around there, Serre Che has had pretty low snowfall for the last two seasons, Puy St Vincant the same.

**bad_roo** · 08-31-2006, 08:37 AM

The mountains are good and big though. You can always find decent snow there if you know where to look.

**Hicks** · 08-31-2006, 08:43 AM

Grenoble (in case you like cities) => Alpe D'Huez, Les Deux Alpes, La Grave
St. Jean de Maurienne => Valloire + Valmeinier, fastest access to the awesome touring area Haute Maurienne and Bardonneccia thru the Tunnel du Frejus
Albertville => most sking options of all with Val d'Isere/Tignes, Trois Vallees, Paradiski (Les Arcs and La Plagne); Megeve, La Clusaz and quick access into Chamonix. The town is ugly though.

A bit furher than Albertville but the most recommendable/beautiful place place I've seen down there: Annecy on the lakeside, else Aix-les-Bains and Chambery. That's where I'd definitely go, much better than all the other options IMHO.

Hope that helps.

**bad_roo** · 08-31-2006, 08:44 AM

Annecy is very nice but my aunt went there and got buttfucked by the prices.

**dorfke** · 08-31-2006, 08:50 AM

Annecy is definately the nicest town near ski areas. Has a university so fairly young people living there. Easy access to La clusaz and short drive to Contamines/Saint gervais and Chamonix (less than one hour).

A bit crowded in the summer with tourists but apart from that really nice place.

**Hicks** · 08-31-2006, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by bad_roo

my aunt went there and got buttfucked by the prices.

Why did she let that happen?

**pauljames** · 08-31-2006, 08:58 AM

Have you heard about a village called Samoens? It is linked to Le Grand Massif which is a big, snow sure area. The main resort there is Flaine which is a concrete shithole, but Samoens is a beautiful village. They built a new gondola there a few years ago. Also, it's only about 40mins to Chamonix which is an added bonus.

I've only been there for a few days but I really enjoyed the hill and the village.

Also, Les Contamines is great - the other side of Mont Blanc from Cham - although not super high it gets great snow and the touring is awesome. There is a big national park there where they can't build lifts so none of the punters go there. Also, only 30 mins to Cham.

**philippeR** · 08-31-2006, 09:14 AM

Depends on your priorities.

Briançon or Bourg Saint Maurice are good options if skiing is a priority, as they are both really close to some serious resorts and great skiing.
Now, Roo has a point about the tarentaise being 'a zoo'... but :
- the lift from Bourg to Les Arcs (and La Plagne) is a must.
- Though Tignes - Val d'Isere may suffer from its reputation among gaper UK skiers, I still love Val, so sue me.
- Small areas like Sainte Foix are great spots for serious powder skiing.

And Roo has also a point about Briançon...

Annecy is a great option if you're looking for bigger town, still conveniently located. As Dorfke said, it's a very nice town, lively and beautifuly located along a lake. Touristy, yes. But not a museum. You'll be able to live, eat and drink there without being hurt, just as locals do.

I would vote Annecy for an extended stay.

Sorry about your aunt, Roo..

**philippeR** · 08-31-2006, 09:20 AM

On second thought, if you're into BC skiing and planning to visit in the height of winter... The Pyrénées range has to be considered...

**bad_roo** · 08-31-2006, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by philippeR

Sorry about your aunt, Roo..

She is pretty loose.

**elevens** · 08-31-2006, 09:32 AM

I spent a month in Bourg Saint Maurice and loved every minute of it. It's a great town that is close to a bunch of great resorts and I highly recommend it.

Les Arches, La Plagne, Tignes & Val d'Isere are a few of the resorts that are at your doorsteps and Cham is pretty close. It was a few years back (before they connected Les Arches & La Plagne) so I can only imagine what the connection does for that area now

just my 2 cents......

elevens

**bad_roo** · 08-31-2006, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by elevens

Les Arches

**elevens** · 08-31-2006, 09:44 AM

Not those arches - these arches

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**Hicks** · 08-31-2006, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by bad_roo

She is pretty loose.

My thought exactly!

Quit sending people into such deserted places like Briancon:

**the_eleven** · 08-31-2006, 09:08 PM

I'm with Roo on this one: Annecy.

My wife (french) and I looked there to buy a little something three years ago, but found out that it would be reallly little for what money we had..... prices were already high.

It isn't perfect for ski access, but a good trade off for year-round quality of life.

**MakersTeleMark** · 09-01-2006, 01:16 PM

A friend of mine did this and worked as a bartender in the Pyrenees.

**Kungfookungpow** · 09-02-2006, 12:02 PM

WOW - this is why I love the maggots. Many thanks. I have been looking in Annecy and heard of Samoens as an option. I like the idea of Briancon though...but someone mentioned the Pyrenees -which made me instantly think of Andorra....ahhhhh the possibilities. I am a good 20 years from retiring but we're already thinking of trying to buy a place in France now to get back there later.

The real estate market where I'm living now (CO) is way too off the hook - it's funny that France is a cheaper option for us to own. Only in America...

Thanks again for all the info.