J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by TC

And, back to the subject of this thread - the cost of our ski-ing holiday. The apartment is costing 1000 euros (about £943 at 1.06) for 3 people, and the train costs £300 each, I can't remember what the transfer bus is - around 20 euros each I think. Lift pass, ski and boot hire and full day lessons for me totals £462. So my personal total is about £1100. But I will have to pay for my daughter as well, so I will have to pay about £2200. Plus of course those little extras one forgets about until you look at the bank statement. The food I don't count, because I would be shopping and eating at home, even though it costs a bit more in mountain supermarkets.

Ahhhhh Couchevel!!!!!

1 timble of hot chocholate and a crepe = €12 X 5 for kids and 4 coffees €5 each for 4 adults and we have a nice bill of €80.

Stay away from piste side cafe's!!!!

Couple of minutes walk in the forum across the road in 1850 much cheaper for snacks.

Also for some reason, local Spar shuts between about 11am and 2pm, some scam there too me thinks.

Apart from that great place to ski

Has anyone been and can recommend some good hotels or B&B's, ideally hotels for half-board.

We have the resort on recommendation so happy there but only 1 hotel known and it seems this may only do weeks (IE Sat to Sat or Sun to Sun) where we have a largish group (approx 16) want a Weds/Thurs through to Mon/Tues in the first week of February 2010.

Just looking for alternatives and recommendations normally are best.

Thanks

Pluses for ski-2 is that they include transfers, lift passes and lunch vouchers.

First time in champoluc 2 years ago we used then as there was only 3 of us and worked great for us they were really helpful but there own ski hire equipment was a bit dated.

With 14 the deal was done direct with the owner of the Hotel Du Champoluc (Carlos I think) and 5 nights was I think 70 euros a head per night half board. He also organised our transfer which worked out at 50 Euros a head but we were a larger party.

The skiing is great though, less experienced skiers will find it tough going a couple on our party did deffinatelt not a place to learn!

Went this year to Champoluc,14 of us mixture of boarders and skiers all had great time plenty of snow opens up the area hugely, if not the boarders may find it slightly limiting for them unless they do not venture slghtly off-piste anyway.

Accross at gressonay is great, nice long black down to Alagna.

Nightlife isn't huge there are a few bars and one central bar (pachahontas or something like that) great apres there and food laid on good atmosphere.

Stayed in Hotel De Chapoluc, literally fall out of bed on to the lift!

I think their sister company is Equity Ski!

I haven't renewed our annual policy yet ans was looking around and came across this one which seems the right price and covers snow sports!

http://www.dogtag.co.uk/

Went in March and booked through SKI2 on a short break and stayed in the Hotel Relais des Glaciers, very nice and a 5 minute walk to the bottom lift.

Skiing a little limited but challenging at my standard and the icy conditions. It was difficult to explore the whole area because of low cloud and snow and worried about missing lifts etc. when there, but would go back but deffinately not a resort for me for a weeks stay just short breaks.

May try San Cassiano through the same comany next year which has excellent access to the Dolomiti Superski area.

Speaking from my own experience having learnt only 2 seasons ago at age 39, the ski in a day package at Milton Keynes was invaluable to me. I then made 3 other visits just free skiing practising what I had been taught before hitting the slopes that New Year for the first time. I then had 2, 3 hour lessons in that week and a couple last year and will continue that route for the next few at least.

I have perhaps taken to it quite naturally/easily and going into my first lesson the season just gone, the instructor thought I had at least 8 weeks skiing under my belt from first assessment to gauge where to pitch the lesson, instead of the 10 days on mountain to that point!

Would deffinately echo the private lessons are important, as my technique has improved so much allowing me to ski further and longer before the legs start to tire and most importantly with confidence and control!

In contrast my OH learnt in resort last year and she wouldn't have it any other way, she didn't want to do the MK ski in a day or other lessons incase it put her off!!

6 days of group lessons in Couchevel last February has given her so much confidence that she wants to go again, unfortunately for my wallet back to Couchevel, spoilt her to early!!!