J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by tipsology.net

thanks a lot, I'll do that!

Hi everyone,

I'm leaving for Kitz this saturday (25/02-03/03). I reserved an apartment, but I've just found out the owners were deliberately unclear about means of transportation... the ski bus is so far I should take a taxi everyday! Grrrr....

If any of you has some advice on how to find a last-minute deal, I'd be quite grateful. I'm looking for a small apartment with kitchen and an Internet connection inside the flat (can't do without), possibly near the slopes or at least a ski bus stop, in Kitzbühel or Kirchberg.

I've tried Chaletsdirect, a few smaller websites (like alphome.at) and of course the official websites.

Thanks a lot, ciao!
Matteo
www.tipsology.net

Thanks a lot (love your signature, teheh)

Considering how the current season is going, do you think Saalbach would be a good choice for 3-10 March?

And which other large Austrian resort would you advise for a higher intermediate on-piste skier (black slopes included) for the week before, 25 February - 3 March? I'm thinking Kitzbuehel or Sant Anton....

I've been to Mayrhofen-Hintertux and Ischgl before, especially loved Ischgl for the wonderful slopes.

Thanks a lot for your advice!

my blog: www.tipsology.net

Thanks Bandit, glad you liked it :)
I hope it's clear that I have nothing against France or the French! Some of my best friends are French, and they talk similarly of their own country's ski resorts. I just wish many of the people working there started to change their attitude and stopped giving us visitors for granted. Sometimes travel choices are impulsive, and bad treatment sure affects one's impulses :) Having said that, I've met nice people around there too... but I guess you know who I mean!

And here are a few observations and pictures about ESPACE KILLY (21-28 Jan)

This time I stayed in La Daille, on the outskirts of Val d'Isère, and I found it to be the best location by far, both skiwise (you can reach both sides in the blink of an eye) and budgetwise (cheaper than Val, but just a few minutes away thanks to the free shuttle which passes every 4 minutes!). The weather was quite bad all week, except for sunny Thursday. The snow was a lot, but not too good at the beginning (icy at the bottom); then it snowed a lot, though, so I guess it should be good enough by now. I had been there in March before, and this time I found the resort to be quite full of people, with crowded lifts at times. Slopes are great of course, and if you have never been there, you definitely want to try it out. A good value option to stay is Hotel Bellevue, 100/150m from the Tourist Office; basic, but clean and cheap, and convenient for skiing. Great restaurants: L'Armailly at the bottom of Tignes-Les Brevieres, and Le Signal (on top of the Fornet gondola). Internet connection with wireless provider Internet Ici was expensive (30€ for a week!) and tiresome.

Full report (with links to the photo gallery) on tipsology - Espace Killy: Captivating

More tips about skiing on the French alps: Skiing on the French Alps: Unnerving


A FEW PICTURES...

Hi there! I'm back from a 2-week trip on the French Alps, one in Paradiski and one in Espace Killy. I've been to both before, but here are some fresh observations and pictures about Paradiski (I'll post Espace Killy content in the proper thread).


PARADISKI
I wouldn't rank Paradiski up there with the best resorts, but it's worth a visit: it's large and a bit quieter (in this particular week there were really few people!) and the good slopes are enough to make you happy for a week. I stayed in La Plagne (Belle Plagne village) this time, and though the location is quite convenient skiwise, I wouldn't advise you to do the same. Slopes aren't bad, but lifts are old and excruciatingly slow! I just can't see how the La Plagne skipass can be so expensive, considering the resort conditions. The snow was quite good and we enjoyed great weather for 5 out of 6 days. Great restaurant: Blanche Murée in Vallandry, near the Transarc intermediate (you have to book your tartiflette the day before, though!). Internet connection with wireless provider Cybercafé was crap.

For the full report (with links to the photo gallery), check out my blog tipsology - Paradiski: Cozy


GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE FRENCH ALPS
I go there every year, and every year I tell myself: never again! Everything is outrageously expensive, flats are small and ugly, people are mostly rude and you feel cheated in so many ways... But then again, there must be a reason why I keep going back, and of course it's the slopes Smile I went to Austria last year (Mayrhofen + Ischgl) and I was shocked at the difference: spacious flats decorated with taste, great hospitality, much lower prices... The only problems are that weather in Austria can be challengingly cold in January, as far as I'm aware, and most importantly you have to forget "ski in - ski out", since the resorts are usually at the bottom and you have to take a crowded shuttle from wherever you are, then face a long queue to take the first lift up. For the moment my solution is: France in January, when prices are lower and it's a bit less crowded, then take a deep breath and dive into the Austrian crowd in late February-March. But somehow I suspect I might be spending more and more time in Austria.

More tips about skiing on the French alps - Skiing in France: Unnerving

A FEW PICS FROM PARADISKI