La Tania for 1st time USA ski club visit ??

Hello friends
I am the planner for a Philadelphia USA ski club group that goes to Europe in alternating years. We have never been to France but Trois Vallees is the leading contender for our very late Feb or early March 2011 visit (I know the Paris school holidays end just at that time).

Right now the affordable offers we have are for Hotel Montana Le Tania. We will have about 35 people (all adults) of varying - many very good - ski levels. We will also travel ( TGV ?) to Paris afterwards.

I am interested in feedback about La Tania, and maybe the hotel if you know it, and getting around from there ON the slopes as well as off the slopes (night taxi or bus to Courcheval or Meribel for some nightlife). I have looked at the piste map and like that there is a bubble lift going from close to the hotel up to where you can make other connections to either Courcheval or Mericcbebl direction) . I believe there is usually good snow there in the first half of March too ? Has anyone made the transfer from there to Paris?

I will be making the decision in a few weeks and commiting to a group contract so I want to make the right decision to keep people happy. It seems Meribel Mottaret may be too expensive for us by the time we add our long flights and the Paris extension too so that is why La Tania if prime consideration.

Many thanks for feedback. Maryellen

Hi,
La Tania is ideal for getting around 3 Valleys the telecabin is never that busy ,when you get off a short chair to the top Col de Loze, then right for Meribel,and other resorts,or left for Courcheval resorts.Runs back to the village red,blue,green,often has been said that they are a bit difficult for there grades.Nightlife mainly centres around the Ski lodge very English and good prices for the 3 valleys, a few other bars, and one will have live music on each night during the week.I think the last ski bus which is free gets to La tania about 11.30 from Courcheval resorts.I am sure others will tell you if you are going up to 1850 to eat drink it can be very exspensive.
A good purpose built resort if a bit English.
Goff

30 mins to Moutiers for the TGV to Paris so that's easy too.

Good place for access to the 3Valleys - do the largest 6 north american resorts still fit into the 3 valleys?

La Tania is great. What you may not realise is how well all the 3V resorts are linked, so in many respects it doesn't matter where you stay, though be aware that they may be a short hop over the hill on skis, but far further if you get stuck in the wrong place at the end of the day! (e.e. les Menuires to La Tania would be 1 hr 30 mins by road). The village itself is relatively quiet-but the Pub Le Ski Lodge is the focus for nightlife for the sub 30's (run by an english bloke who also owns a couple of other places locally-staff almost all Brits, Aussies and Kiwis). You can get round to Meribel in the evenings by taxi if you want more night life. There's also a very good alternative website for the village-www.latania.co.uk (I think), loads of info on there-you will gather that the Brits have a big presence in the village so there will be no language issues a all.
The runs down to the village are great through the trees, and most accommodation is ski in ski out (or as near as makes no difference). The Bouc Blanc at the top of the bubble is a really nice lunch restaurant. Courchevel is off to the left at the top, Meribel to the right. I'm not a big fan of the skiing in meribel itself-it gets very busy and so the runs can get very hard and icy into the village. However, don't let that put you off as, with 600km of pistes on doorstep (no bus links needed) the world is your oyster. All of the resorts are accessible for a good intermediate and you can easily ski to them all.

Have fun
Sarah

P.S. As to timing. If you want to avoid the school holidays entirely-try and go in the first full week in March (So Saturday 5th in 2011) as there are no school hols at all.

Hello Sarah


Thank you so much for your lovely reply.

WE are evolving in the planning for this trip. I think by mid-week I may have our group on contract with a reliable US ski tour operator. Yes, the week you suggest is exactly the week we are contracting for. Accommodations would be the Hotel Le Montana in La Tania which offer a pretty good experience for a fair price according to some reviews I have read. Also, yes, I have found the latania.co.uk web site which is marvelous in the level of information presented.

I will have more to learn about travel (especially without the ski bus or later hours) between La Tania and Courchevel / Meribel for enjoying those villages without our skis on.

Also, it looks like we will t ake the TGV to Paris from Moutiers afterwards. Have you ever done that? I worry a little since I hear at Moutiers you have to go down steps to cross under the tracks, then up other steps ....and we would have all our luggage and ski gear.

I do appreciate your tips and if you think of anything else, I would be very happy to hear about it. We would all be very new to that area.

Maryellen Doyle
Tiroler Ski Club
Philadelphia, Pa USA

Hi Medskis,
So - you've definitely decided on the Hotel Le Montana. At least that's one less thing to worry about :D

I've been on the TGV from Moutiers to Paris, and I do seem to remember a lot of steps, down and up, because I think it's the middle platform. The Eurostar train from Moutiers to London runs on the track right next to the station so all you have to do is walk out the door and you're on the right platform.

I didn't see a lift anywhere either. Maybe if you get there early enough you could help each other with your luggage. I had to do that once, travelling across London on the underground with a lot of luggage, a broken shoulder, my husband with a bad back, and my elderly mother with a new hip. I had to walk up and down lots of steps carrying a suitcase with my good arm, and then going back for another one. It's quite 'doable' it just takes a bit longer.

Best Wishes for your holiday,

Ally

Oh yes, and here are my top pistes/runs you really should try in the 3V. (I spent a season there as a ski guide-these are purely my own opinion).

1. My all time fave-Jerusalem. Great views down to St Martin de Belleville, Lovely red run, a bit steep at the top and then a great rollercoaster., past summer cow byres. Carry on to the bottom at St Martin for a hot choc before heading back up. Or have a wander around the village-v pretty. Good gentle off piste either side over the summer pastures too. Try and do it in the morning (then if you love it as much as I do, I guarantee you'll hop on the St Martin 2 chair to do it again!!).

2. Boismint/Plan de L'Eau in Val Thorens. The lift is Boismint-the last lift at the bottom of the village-the view down the valley is amazing and you get to ski about 1400m vertical drop.

3. Combe du Vallon (Meribel)-another long wide red. Try and do it in the morning before it gets too chopped up.

4. Creux (Courchevel)-another good one for the morning, as is the Combe de Saulire.

5. Try to get over to the Orelle Valley (via Val Thorens). if you are good skiers there won't be a problem time wise.

To maximise your stay, you may want to look for a guide just to get you around efficiently-especially when you head over to the other valleys. Make sure you all buy 3 valley lift passes or you'll be kicking yourselves. Avoid lunch in the 2 restaurants next to the Courchevel altiport unless you want to take out a second mortgage. (well-anywhere in Courchevel 1850 is pricey-as in-even more extortionate than everywhere else!).

Cheers for now
Sarah