 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi- new here so just wanting to get some info from experienced heads!
I have flights booked in early Feb- avoiding all UK/EU school holidays luckily!. Flights booked to Lyon and am travelling with a group of school friends. A few of us have been once or twice before and are okay ish and there is 3 beginners
What resort would be best for plenty of beginner slopes with variety and have a good apres/ nightlife?
Ideally want something within 3hrs from Lyon airport?
Trying to keep it cheaper if that helps
Looked at the below
L2A
ADH
VT
La Plagne
Les Arcs
Tignes/VDI (bit further from Lyon)
Any suggestions are helpful!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The only thing with Lyon - otherwise a good airport - is that I am not sure how well it is served these days for transfers. Not a problem if you are planning to pay for a private transfer which may well be economic for a larger group. Or car hire.
I am sure you would find suitable slopes in all of those resorts, but personally I would pick out La Plagne and Les Arcs as good ones for beginner slopes with more challenging ones available to progress to. You might also think of smaller resorts like Valmorel.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@PRESSERS94, Meribel, Courchevel 1650 (Moriond) or La Tania
The beginner's slopes in Courchevel 1850 are superb but cheap accom is unlikely and there's little apres. If you're in La Tania, it's an easy skiing progression to C1850, not so easy from C1650. Meribel excellent for beginners but most accom is a bus ride from the slopes.
Apres in C1650, LT and Meribel are all excellent, though you won't be doing much bar-hopping in LT.
My view on your list:
L2A - Awkward skiing but good apres - often voted "the one resort I wouldn't go back to"
ADH - Easy skiing, not sure about the apres
VT - Yes for both
La Plagne - really depends where you are, apres a bit limited
Les Arcs - ditto La Plagne
Tignes/VDI (bit further from Lyon) - Tough resorts for beginners, good apres, not cheap
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What are your exact dates, @PRESSERS94? And how many people?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks for the feedback.
I think it will be L2A, ADH or VT- all decent high resorts
What makes L2A awkward skiing. From the piste map there is lots of long blues on the glacier etc
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The first point would be that you don't need height in the first week of February! It's the best week of the season in Meribel, VT may still be cold and windblown.
For L2A - because you'll be going up the Jandri Express but the beginners will have to go up a different lift. The main run back down is carnage so you won't be skiing back together. The glacier runs are mostly on T-bars, how are you on those?
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 5-03-24 22:48; edited 1 time in total
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| Quote: |
The one run back down is carnage so you won't be skiing back together. The glacier runs are mostly on T-bars, how are you on those?
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You can all download together - I don't understand why anyone would ski down in L2A. And whilst nobody positively enjoys T-bars (I've skied L2A in the summer and used the glacier runs and I don't enjoy T-bars) there's more than enough non-glacier skiing in winter.
What are your exact dates, @PRESSERS94?
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I'd take a look at Serre Chevalier.
I'd rather have trees than glaciers in the first week of Feb on average and even in a poor snow year there should be enough at height.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Origen wrote: |
| Quote: |
The one run back down is carnage so you won't be skiing back together. The glacier runs are mostly on T-bars, how are you on those?
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You can all download together - I don't understand why anyone would ski down in L2A. And whilst nobody positively enjoys T-bars (I've skied L2A in the summer and used the glacier runs and I don't enjoy T-bars) there's more than enough non-glacier skiing in winter.
What are your exact dates, @PRESSERS94? |
Dates are Sat to Sat 1st to 8th of Feb.
To be honest I just wanted snow sure for went for height! A lot of people went skiing early feb who I know and send conditions were not good in a lot of resorts
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| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| To be honest I just wanted snow sure for went for height! A lot of people went skiing early feb who I know and send conditions were not good in a lot of resorts |
This has been an exceptionally unusual year - it's highly unlikely to be repeated next year. First week of Feb really is the very best week of the season in my view and a mid-height resort is ideal to experience pretty runs through the trees on still firm snow. If you're concerned, you'd be just as well off concentrating on north facing resorts rather than height - that's why Courchevel would be a great choice, especially La Tania.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for the help
Problem with Courcheval is budget…
For L2A can get near enough flights accom transfers, ski pass and ski hire for less than £900 for the week
Would there be anyway that could get close to that?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You might in La Tania but I don't know how big your party is, what type of accom, catering and transfers you want or anything else. But of all the Courchevel resorts, La Tania is the one you're most likely to get a deal on.
One thing I would suggest is that if you already have flights, then there's an excellent chance that you'd get a heavily discounted last minute deal if you wait until much nearer the time. First week of Feb is officially mid-season and often gets priced as such up front, but I don't think the demand is actually much greater than mid-January.
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| Je suis un Skieur wrote: |
You might in La Tania but I don't know how big your party is, what type of accom, catering and transfers you want or anything else. But of all the Courchevel resorts, La Tania is the one you're most likely to get a deal on.
One thing I would suggest is that if you already have flights, then there's an excellent chance that you'd get a heavily discounted last minute deal if you wait until much nearer the time. First week of Feb is officially mid-season and often gets priced as such up front, but I don't think the demand is actually much greater than mid-January. |
Thats a great idea. I might wait it out until early Jan to find something discounted. My friend has a deposit on an Airbnb in L2A already but it’s fully refundable until 2 days before we are due to arrive luckily.
I had a look at Courchevel and Meribel- looks amazing skiing and access to 3V which is great. Obviously comes with a very £££ culture so will see
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You know it makes sense.
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@PRESSERS94, welcome to SH's.
You don't need to stay high to ski high. And first week of Feb I would want to be low because it's mid-winter and if the weather kicks in you are better being lower, preferably with trees.
Somewhere like La Tania or Les Coches.
However, if you want good apres/nightlife maybe Val D/Val T.
How/where you booking... TO?
As with a lot of people you are trying to cover a lot of bases and probably need to compromise on something!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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This is great thank you. a week in La tania for £200 each is not a bad deal. Has anyone had any experience with prices in La Tania, Le Praz or Courch 1650? I have been told to stay well away from 1850. Is the lift service to main resort and bus service reliable?
I have also looked at Meribel/Merribel/Mottaret- is Mottaret still a good option etc?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@PRESSERS94,
Ste Foy. La Rosiere. Tignes-Val d'Isere. If Val, talk to Steve Angus, a Brit ski instructor based there about lessons - he posts on 'The view from Val D'Isere thread on the Snow Reports forum.
With Saturday flights there should be plenty of transfer options for you.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| This is great thank you. a week in La tania for £200 each is not a bad deal. Has anyone had any experience with prices in La Tania, Le Praz or Courch 1650? |
I book apartments direct, via agencies, via tourist information websites in Tarentaise resorts a couple of times a season. Bigger apartments/chalets for larger groups (more than 6) are less common and tend to be more expensive. Bit for anything up to 6 you can get decent off peak s/c apartments for 150 Euros each easy.
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| I have been told to stay well away from 1850. Is the lift service to main resort and bus service reliable? |
Not sure what you mean. 1850 is at centre of the Courch valley. Where your accommodation is will depend on how far you have to walk to the slopes/lifts but many/most will be ski in/ski out (by that I mean no walk or short walk). The thing 1850 is known for is being pricey as it tends to cater for the more well off.
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| I have also looked at Meribel/Merribel/Mottaret- is Mottaret still a good option etc? |
My understanding is Meribel you just have to be careful where the accommodation is, as you may need a navette to get to the lift. Mottaret is OK afaik. Personally La Tania and Les Menuires are my go to's in the 3V.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
This is great thank you. a week in La tania for £200 each is not a bad deal. Has anyone had any experience with prices in La Tania, Le Praz or Courch 1650? I have been told to stay well away from 1850. Is the lift service to main resort and bus service reliable?
I have also looked at Meribel/Merribel/Mottaret- is Mottaret still a good option etc? |
Full disclosure - I'm a La Tania local and apartment owner, ex 3V ski host and ex Meribel/Courchevel/La Tania seasonaire. Trust me, La Tania is the right place for you. The lift and buses are 100% reliable but you don't need the bus unless you've either missed the last lift home or want to go exploring in the evening. LT has a very famous British run pub with happy two and a half hours every day and live music almost every evening or night. Check the "Whats On" page on the website. The pub's cheap to eat in too, by 3V standards but there's also a decent supermarket, a deli and a 24 hour pizza machine in the high street. LT is far cheaper than Meribel or the other parts of Courchevel for everything.
There is a specific beginners area with two magic carpet lifts opposite the pub. Think I'm right in saying those lifts are free. For progression, the beginners can then ski all the way to the excellent Courchevel Altiport and Jardin Alpin areas on green runs and back to La Tania on green or download if they're knackered. It's very easy for the whole group to meet up in 1850 for lunch or beer, though the beer's not cheap over there! Cheapest place to eat in 1850 is the excellent bakery in the bottom of the shopping centre.
You'll get drinks deals and music in two or three bars in C1650 and I think also in l'Elephant in Le Praz. Mottaret is a good skiing location for you, but nowhere near as suitable for the beginners, or as much fun for apres.
Everywhere in LT is easy walking distance of everywhere else but some apartment blocks will be easier for the beginners to walk from than others - do you know which one you're looking at?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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[quote="Layne"]
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| This is great thank you. a week in La tania for £200 each is not a bad deal. Has anyone had any experience with prices in La Tania, Le Praz or Courch 1650? |
I book apartments direct, via agencies, via tourist information websites in Tarentaise resorts a couple of times a season. Bigger apartments/chalets for larger groups (more than 6) are less common and tend to be more expensive. Bit for anything up to 6 you can get decent off peak s/c apartments for 150 Euros each easy.
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| I have been told to stay well away from 1850. Is the lift service to main resort and bus service reliable? |
Not sure what you mean. 1850 is at centre of the Courch valley. Where your accommodation is will depend on how far you have to walk to the slopes/lifts but many/most will be ski in/ski out (by that I mean no walk or short walk). The thing 1850 is known for is being pricey as it tends to cater for the more well off.
@Layne- thanks for the above, do you have any go to agencies or websites i could look at? Do you book far out or close to your arrival? Right now leaning towards LT or Le Praz.
On 1850, i meant that the prices for accom will be way higher than what i think my group can afford- aware that it has a rep for high prices in general. Would be happy with lift up to there from Le Praz/LT (well lift up then SKI down to 1850) or staying in 1650 and bussing over etc.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Je suis un Skieur wrote: |
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
This is great thank you. a week in La tania for £200 each is not a bad deal. Has anyone had any experience with prices in La Tania, Le Praz or Courch 1650? I have been told to stay well away from 1850. Is the lift service to main resort and bus service reliable?
I have also looked at Meribel/Merribel/Mottaret- is Mottaret still a good option etc? |
Full disclosure - I'm a La Tania local and apartment owner, ex 3V ski host and ex Meribel/Courchevel/La Tania seasonaire. Trust me, La Tania is the right place for you. The lift and buses are 100% reliable but you don't need the bus unless you've either missed the last lift home or want to go exploring in the evening. LT has a very famous British run pub with happy two and a half hours every day and live music almost every evening or night. Check the "Whats On" page on the website. The pub's cheap to eat in too, by 3V standards but there's also a decent supermarket, a deli and a 24 hour pizza machine in the high street. LT is far cheaper than Meribel or the other parts of Courchevel for everything.
There is a specific beginners area with two magic carpet lifts opposite the pub. Think I'm right in saying those lifts are free. For progression, the beginners can then ski all the way to the excellent Courchevel Altiport and Jardin Alpin areas on green runs and back to La Tania on green or download if they're knackered. It's very easy for the whole group to meet up in 1850 for lunch or beer, though the beer's not cheap over there! Cheapest place to eat in 1850 is the excellent bakery in the bottom of the shopping centre.
You'll get drinks deals and music in two or three bars in C1650 and I think also in l'Elephant in Le Praz. Mottaret is a good skiing location for you, but nowhere near as suitable for the beginners, or as much fun for apres.
Everywhere in LT is easy walking distance of everywhere else but some apartment blocks will be easier for the beginners to walk from than others - do you know which one you're looking at? |
Perfect thanks- i dont know specific but something close to lifts and suitable for 6 apartments. Would you recommend to book early or wait until Dec/Jan to fill accom on a cheaper rate.
I think LT will definitely be of interest based on the glowing reviews.
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Le Praz is a poor choice for the beginners and for self-catering. If you don't come to La Tania, you should go to C1650.
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I'm a +1 for La Tania or Les Men.
Both the cheaper scale of the 3 Valleys. Perfect for beginners.
Mottaret is great location, but mostly Reds down into it (from Courchevel side)
Tigne / Val Diz - deffo felt more intermediate.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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This is great thank you
I will look at LT then for my group...
Does anyone have any booking recommondations/ links. The latania.co.uk site is very helpful. Any direct links to other ways of booking would be good also
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| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| Perfect thanks- i dont know specific but something close to lifts and suitable for 6 apartments. Would you recommend to book early or wait until Dec/Jan to fill accom on a cheaper rate. |
Everything is within about 200m of the lift in LT except the Saboia blocks which are a ski down - but that won't work for the beginners, they'll have to walk down a load of steps so I'd avoid those. 6 person apartments are far fewer so if you see a suitable one I think I'd book now. If it was 4 person I'd wait. Most likely you'll end up in the Grand Bois which is right next to the lift as that's got a fair few duplexes in it.
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| I think LT will definitely be of interest based on the glowing reviews. |
We know 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| @Layne- thanks for the above, do you have any go to agencies or websites i could look at? |
This is the tourist information booking site: https://reservation.courchevel.com/?lang=en_US
This is an agency: https://clesblanches.com/services-location/
The link posted latania.co.uk is useful also.
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| Do you book far out or close to your arrival? |
We usual go at Christmas and Easter and would book 2 to 3 months before but I have booked as late as a few days before. Prices don't change that much compared to say a TO so no real reason to hold off unless you have other factors in play.
| PRESSERS94 wrote: |
| Right now leaning towards LT or Le Praz. |
Stayed in Le Praz many years ago. Loved the place but there is a walk to the lifts and back home at the end of the day - and the home pistes aren't suitable for beginners so need to download. Basically La Tania is much better for the reasons Je suis un Skieur states.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks to all. Just currently waiting on a vrbo request to go through in La Tania for a decent price- just hoping the host doesnt decide that the price is too cheap and rejects!
Looking forward to our stay in La Tania!
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Hopefuly you can get your price accepted in LT, if not then try some of the more "French" resorts (as in those that the French go to, rather than the Brits). The first couple that come to mind, which the uni i was at in Lyon used to run shuttle buses to at the weekends so they can't be far from Lyon, are Valloire and Valmenier. Not a vast ski area but nicely linked up, and the prices are bad there at all. We went there as a family with our son a few years ago (many years after the uni trips!) and it worked well for him as a novice and for my husband me who aren't novice. Lots of nice restaurants, etc at the bottom of the slopes in both villages (remember i first went to both as a student...).
The Valmenier/Valloire tourist office were very helpful for finding accomodation when we went en famille.
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You know it makes sense.
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| SarahRad wrote: |
Hopefuly you can get your price accepted in LT, if not then try some of the more "French" resorts (as in those that the French go to, rather than the Brits). The first couple that come to mind, which the uni i was at in Lyon used to run shuttle buses to at the weekends so they can't be far from Lyon, are Valloire and Valmenier. Not a vast ski area but nicely linked up, and the prices are bad there at all. We went there as a family with our son a few years ago (many years after the uni trips!) and it worked well for him as a novice and for my husband me who aren't novice. Lots of nice restaurants, etc at the bottom of the slopes in both villages (remember i first went to both as a student...).
The Valmenier/Valloire tourist office were very helpful for finding accomodation when we went en famille. |
Can second this…easy enough to get to from Lyon in around 2 hours (probably less if hiring a car), you can also get the train to ST Michel de Maurienne and pick up a bus transfer from there up the hill to either- plenty of skiing to keep you occupied and the accom and ski passes generally are well priced.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Just a note, there are trains you can take from the airport direct to Moutiers, Bourg st mourice and Albertville which gives you the best access to the 3 Vallées, Paradiski etc. Or, can take a flixbus (quick and super cheap) from Lyon to Grenoble where there are frequent busses to LDA, ADH and others via company TransAltitude. Or, coach transfers through Bens Bus etc. Or private. But public transport is possible (and actually super easy from Lyon). 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Unfortunately no luck with my Vrbo for LT. I’m still looking!
I have found some airbnb in Meribel. Next to the Morel lift to the beginner area? Has anyone got any experience of what that is like? Meribel reviews seem good for skiing and nightlife etc
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I can't help thinking that you're looking too early. A lot of people won't put next winter's availability up until around the end of the summer season - July/September time.
But to answer your question. the Morel lift can be very useful for avoiding the Chaudanne but you cannot take a total beginner up it. Are they total beginners or have they done a little bit somewhere else? They will need to be capable of getting on and off a chairlift (a doggy old fixed 3 man calf-breaker) and skiing down a path to the ski-school meeting point. However, it also depends what skiing school they're with because I think only the ESF meets at the Altiport chair, maybe one other. Otherwise it's a bus to the Chaudanne for the normal meeting points. They won't be able to ski home to the bottom of that lift either - it's a relatively tricky blue for the inexperienced.
In the evenings, it's about a 20 minute walk into town or the bus.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
I can't help thinking that you're looking too early
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Agreed. Also, when the time comes, if you CAN find something suitable through the resort's own website, that's the way I'd go. Because if there's a problem, like a late cancellation (and there have been a couple of instances of this on Snowheads recently), you won't be on your own.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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3 of us have been on ski trips before. After an hour on the slopes we could probably do greens and okay blues
3 others haven’t been yet, they did indoor skiing in the UK but covid then stopped our trip!
I will keep an eye from June or July. We have the flights booked so no issues there!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ok so at least they know the basics but have probably only ever used a button tow, not a chairlift? Are you/they going to be in ski school? Or, as I suspect, are you intending to wing it?
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3 more experienced will probably do ski school for a couple of the mornings. The rest either the same or maybe 3 days
I have learnt from experience on winging it! My first trips with more experienced mates I went down a steep red run in Kaprun on my face
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Ok, well that's sensible but it sounds like you won't get much benefit from the Morel lift, might be ok for the last couple of days.
Have to say, La Tania would be better for the less experienced because they can literally just walk from your accommodation on to the magic carpet lifts in the dedicated beginners area to practice before venturing further. If you get in resort early, you can even go and have a mess around before your first "proper" day.
Overall, the Meribel Altiport area is arguably the best in the 3vs for learning and progressing but there's not much in it. Both C1850 and VT are also excellent (VT has a network of magic carpet lifts) and C1650 very good but harder to venture out of. Between them, I'd rather be lower in early February.
One other consideration might be the lift pass cost. If you're in Meribel, you'd be daft not to buy a 3V pass even at your level. If you're in Courchevel, there is more than enough skiing just on the Courchevel pass for your group.
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@PRESSERS94, you can't do "ski school for a couple of the mornings" or at least you have to either pay for a weeks worth of ski school and not use it all OR book private lessons.
As above my advice would be don't bother looking until September and use resort website or rental agency rather than vrbo/airbnb.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Layne wrote: |
| @PRESSERS94, you can't do "ski school for a couple of the mornings" or at least you have to either pay for a weeks worth of ski school and not use it all OR book private lessons. |
It's a good point but private lessons should be viable as they're two groups of 3 at similar levels. I think the going rate for a 3 person 3 hour private is about £250, vs £300+ each for a week's group lessons. So if they split into 2x groups of 3, the privates should be a little cheaper per head if it's just for 2-3 days and of course more personal.
There is one fly in the ointment though, it's quite likely that privates will only be available in the afternoons because the instructors are teaching groups in the mornings. Swings and roundabouts!
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If it's French school hols private lessons might only be available at mid-day, between the morning and afternoon group sessions.
Those prices are high, @Je suis un Skieur, like everything else in the "!big name" resorts. In Les Saisies, for example, the rate for group lessons with max of 5 pupils, for 5 days, is 220 euros in the "vacances d'hiver". Private lessons are correspondingly cheaper too, as is accommodation.
In my experience it's essential to book ski lessons of any kind well in advance at peak times - and advisable ALWAYS to book well in advance. People seem to think that they can faff for months about their accommodation, or transfers, but just leave tuition till the last minute. The quality of ski lessons can make or break a holiday, especially if the weather, or snow conditions, are poor.
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FAQ
