J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by dobby

When I went it snowed...and snowed....and snowed. And blew. And blew. And blew some more. And snowed. Lots of lifts closed most of the week and resorted to doing the runs back to the resort which was not very pleasant. Great resort though when weather improved. Fantastic bikers' bar, but that's probably gone now. It was a long long time ago (as David Bowie once sang).

I like the pros and cons - short and snappy - and they augment the longer trip reports which are great to read. I think the short reviews should be organised as adders suggests or you'll never find them - or maybe my ability to use the forum search function is rubbish.

But full of race teams in summer holidays?

Purpose built resort a long way south in France, linked to Vars.

Pros
Great for beginners and inters - lots of lovely green and blue runs winding through the forest. Some lovely wide reds for blatting about on. Very French. Pistes not busy, at least when we went. Seems to have a good snow record and keeps its snow well. All runs arranged in a bowl around the village centre so hard to get lost (even for me). Good sunshine record. Friendly resort. Small resort feel, but actually quite a lot of skiing.

Cons
Long transfer from Turin. Not much for the more advanced skier. Vertical not great. Very French - don't rely on your ski instructor to be able to speak much English. Could do with some lift upgrades. Some brutally long button lifts - but the runs at the end are fantastic.

Seems to be a real marmite resort. Some love it, some hate it. Me, I quite like it.

Pros
High resort and fairly snow sure. Lovely beginners slopes next to resort. Some lovely long gentle runs on the glacier. Something for everyone - lots of blues and reds for intermediates and some nice black runs for the more advanced. Good parks (so I am told). Some decent nightlife. Inexpensive (as ski resorts go). Relatively short transfer to get there. Ski both sides of the resort - nice smaller mountain on the opposite side to the main mountain.

Cons
Runs back to resort are not good (although there's a new red been put in recently) - a crowded, narrow road or a black run. Some of the runs get crowded - there seem to be a couple of bottle necks. The pistes have a strange layout - they do not fan out from the resort like in many resorts, they extend backwards in a "line" and it seems that you have to spend a long time in a lift before you start doing any skiing. Resort rather string-out along a road, so there doesn't appear to be a resort centre. The long easy blues are at the top of the mountain. Not as big a resort piste-km wise as they would have you believe.

Crystal's not the only TO thinking of changing.

Hotel morgan I think it is

PlanetSki reports that Crystal has dropped ESF in several key resorts. Evolution 2 will be the ski school of choice and will offer a day's guided skiing. Let's see what ESF do in reply....

http://www.planetski.eu/news/5328