Best Places - opinions please :)

Hi All,

Before we depart Europe, my boyfriend and I are really keen to go skiing in the French Alps next January.

We've never down-hill skied before and are a bit overwhelmed by the plethora of resorts. We're looking for something with a good range of runs (as some more advanced skiers will be joining us), a decent apres-ski scene and we really want to be someplace with traditional French charm that isn't just a sprawl of concrete modern development.

Any suggestions?

A few that have piqued our interest are Serre Chevalier, Les Deux Alpes, Morzine and Tignes.

We've heard Chamonix might not be best for real novices ???

Thanks in advance for any suggestions! :)

For a mixed ability ski group, with beginners, I'd personally recommend you add La Clusaz to your shortlist; it's very traditional and is a proper mountain town rather than solely a ski resort. There are excellent beginner's runs on Beauregard and some cracking freeride territory at La Balme - linked by SkiBus and lift.

But it depends how wild you like your apres, as...

ash28 wrote:apres-ski scene and ... traditional French charm

...don't usually go together. There is night-life at La Clusaz but it's not Austrian style (dancing on the tables in ski boots right after the lifts close).

Of the others you mention, Serre Chevalier has a good combination of charm and variety of runs but, again, not sure the apres will burn your candle totally!

For more info, contact graviteski on this forum - they run a very friendly chalet in La Clusaz and are super-helpful too. They might even know where the night-life happens... 8)

Hi Ash,

As mentioned above, La Clusaz has a wide variety of runs to suit both beginners and more advanced skiers. There are also some lovely tree-lined runs affording spectacular views over the Aravis mountain range.

The resort itself has a genuine traditional French feel to it, but still has plenty of lively bars to sustain your apres-ski needs!

January is a great time to come too. Good snow, quiet pistes and no lift queues!

For more info on La Clusaz and our chalet offerings, take a look at www.gravite.co.uk or contact us directly if you have any specific questions we can help with.

Cheers, graviteski

Hi Ash

Take a look at La Tania. This is the cheapest way to get into the 3 Vallees including Meribel & Courchevel only 2 lifts away, so the area caters for all levels. The resort is built in the heart of a forest, so plenty of traditional French charm etc, and then theres the ski lodge which won best winter resort bar in the 2004 snow awards. We have just released details of our prices for next year for our apartments sleeping 4 and 11 right in the centre - http://www.latania-apartments.co.uk/
Cheers
Roester

Hi ash28,
my name is Max from www.skiwithmax.com.
A good place for beginner and for advanced skiers is Le Grand Massif area which includes Les Carroz, Morillon, Flaine, Samoen and Sixt. I have just came back from Les Carroz and the snow is still amazing.
Send me an email on info@skiwithmax.com and I will create the perfect package for you and your friends.
If you are interested to go in Italy instead... well... check www.skiwithmax.com.
Ciao for now.
Max

Hi

We are sure you will love morzine, try us and see why clients come back every year. Skiing is one of the best in europe, and and you will be treated to the local french life.

Best wishes
Linda
www.easiski.co.uk

hi there, are you booked up for january 2007 as yet then? if so, where did you choose in the end?

How to get to Megeve ....but dont tell anyone!
You will be amazed by the diversity of geographical and climatic change within a very narrow confine as in the distance between Geneva International Airport and the Megeve-Chamonix-Mont Blanc triangle. It is often a choice of mine to have clients visit Courmayeur and Cervinia all in the Italian Alps, all in less than a 2 hour drive from Megeve.

Megeve is well known by few and is a jealously guarded secret among those that frequent its ski slopes; Michelin Guide rated restaurants, high-end shopping stores, Casino and quaint narrow cobbled streets. The village is dominated by the traditional church belfry, and a square all in a pedestrian friendly atmosphere. Horse drawn sleighs carry tourists all over during the peak periods adding a festive and memorable experience for young and old.

The ski area is laid out to almost always have the summit of Mt Blanc in view when skiing Megeve ski runs. The runs are cut through the trees a very welcome change to most ski areas in the Alps that are above ?tree line?, adding a touch of green to this Haute Savoyard village! Great skiing for all levels with a particularly pleasing predominance of upper intermediate skiing terrain.

The "Espace Mont Blanc" domain is a whopping 445 Km and with over 111 lifts make Megeve and partner ski areas (la Giettaz, Saint Gervais, Saint Nicolas de Veroce, Combloux, les Contamines Montjoie and Cordon) in the top 6 longest ski able areas in France.

I often bring my clients on a beautiful day to see and ski what I think is the best vantage point to view the French Alps and the Mont Blanc:

The most scenic views of Mont Blanc the highest mountain in Europe are visible from the top of the "Epaule" chairlift of the Megeve Ski Area. At the top of this chair lift you will want to turn immediately left to stay on the piste, a right turn will take you immediately off piste! You should be a good intermediate skier to do this run, in several places it is quite narrow and in whiteout conditions not advised at all. However on a brilliant sunny day you will want to look around you and capture a visual picture that even the best of cameras could ever capture ...the whole of the French Alps in all their beauty right before your eyes! After taking it all in, its time to ski all the way down to Chatrix, the longest of runs in the domain.
But dont tell anyone how nice it is !

If you are flying in to ski the French Alps and Megeve you have the following possibilities. Chambery Airport, Geneva Airport and Grenoble Airport are all approximately one hour?s drive away. This makes Megeve a highly accessible ski destination, area even for a long weekend, from any airport in the UK. Leave the UK at 08:00 and you are on the pistes by 12:00 noon. Be aware that the above can vary depending upon traffic and weather conditions.

Driving: From Geneva you will go to the A40 direction Mont Blanc/Chamonix and turn off at Sallanches and about 17 kilometers direction Albertville, to Megeve.

Driving: In the event of bad weather: If you drive from Grenoble and Chambery, direction A 41- E712, to Annecy/Geneva/La Roche sur Foron and get on the A40 direction Mont Blanc/Chamonix and turn off at Sallanches and about 17 kilometers direction Albertville, to Megeve.

Good weather alternative: If you drive from Grenoble: A 41- E712 to the A 430 direction Albertville. Take the N212 at Albertville up the beautiful Gorges de Arly to Megeve. Please note however that this route can be closed due to rock and mud slides and traffic can be a problem!

Mike Beaudet a Colorado native lives in France with his wife and twin boys Tom and Lucas. Known as Megeve Mike, he is the founder of Ski Pros Megeve. Megeve is located in French Alps, at the foot of Mt. Blanc, a 1 hour drive from Geneva International Airport.