Hi all

Until we have a dedicated reader section for snow reports, feedback etc, I thought I’d start a new forum. We had quite a good thread going last season, as folk added comments after or during their trips.

So, if you are in resort, paying a quick early season trip, want to discuss the weather (how British is that!) ... tag it on here or start a new thread in this section.

And there’s the serious stuff too: avalanche awareness, etc. Is anyone going to the UK talks at Snow n Rock?

Wendy

HI Wendy, I’m in Montgenevre next Thursday (yipee!) for 3 days and for the last month I’ve been worried about not having enough snow, we got quite a lot end of October and then 3 weeks ago it was back to green grass at village height.  Now its gone totally the other way with a forecast that looks like we could be confined to our room for the majority of the time due to continuous snowing.  Just cant please some people hey?  Nothing more frustrating than being in the alps and not being able to ski though.

Hi,

I’m planning a family skiing holiday but this year the only time we can go is over Christmas.  Never having been so early before, I’m anxious about getting good snow so early in the season, so I’m wondering where might be best.

As our daughters are 8 and 4 (the latter being a complete beginner) we need somewhere where the accommodation is very convenient for the slopes, and hopefully not too long a transfer from the airport.  Our shortlist so far:

Montgenevre
La Plagne
Les Arcs
Flaine

Maybe Alpe d’Huez or Les Deux Alpes

Any idea which of these (or any others) might be good for early season snow?

Thanks

Hi all

No worries Richard ... been a bit distracted with the book recently!

It’s always difficult to predict which resorts are best for early season snow, as it can vary so widely. I’ve had brilliant December days in low Austrian resorts, when high French ones have suffered very poor conditions. Best bet really is to aim for somewhere with a good proportion of slopes above 1800m. Your choice here generally fit that, so that’s a good start.

I don’t think the southern French resorts are any necessarily worse off - look at Isola 2000 a couple of years back. Alpe d’Huez is high and Les Deux Alpes has an extensive glacier. But I wouldn’t recommend the latter for your family choice here Tarquinius. In skiing terms, I’d say it’s the least suitable.

Alpe d’Huez has the convenience and off-slope leisure facilities to entertain - it’s pretty good for a purpose-built resort, where most of the area is above the treeline.

Montgenevre is good for families and novices, but this early in the season may be too much of a risk - given there are no glacier resorts nearby to retreat to if conditions are poor.

Flaine, La Plagne and Les Arcs are good bets for convenience and height. Flaine is quite family oriented, though has little off-slope entertainment. It is very close for transfers though. Of the other two, Arc 1950 is a fun place - most apartments have pools too.

Thank you both; this is very helpful and good food for thought.  I ought to have mentioned that we’ve been to both Flaine (once) and Alpe d’Huez (twice) before.  We like both, but weren’t sure about how either one faired for snow at Christmas, never having been at that time.

On the other hand, we do fancy trying somewhere new and Arc 1950 looks appealing.  I’ll definitely have a look at Obergurgl too - sounds promising.  I may be wrong but I suspect Sweden might be just too cold for us at Christmas time.

I need to do some research into particular apartments.  I’ve picked some of the big brochures (Crystal, First Choice, Thomson) etc., but I’m not convinced they necessarily always give the best choice.  Any thoughts on other companies or sites where I can research or book accommodation (maybe specialists who know the resorts?) as being close to ski school is a must for our 5 year old’s first time.  I may book our flights and accommodation independently - did this last year on our last trip to Alpe d’Huez.

Thanks again

I skied in Val Thorens in December last year. The resort is at 2,300 m and so snow sure even in mid December. The route to Courchavel was dodgy but at Christmas it could be OK. The resort was great and ski in ski out hotel excellent. I suppose you need to go high. Les Deux Alps is high at glacier but skiing is quite limited. Glaciers are generally quite flat and so not so exciting to ski. Care is needed when going at Christmas - unless the USA with high resorts in the Rockies.

Good luck.

Tarquinius posted on 29 July 2010.
Wendy on 02 August 2010 started with “No worries Richard”.
Tarquinius on 05 August 2010 wrote “Thank you both”.

There was another post before Wendy’s that has gone missing. It was mine (in my previous incarnation on this forum). I apologised for jumping in with a reply before Wendy had. .... Richard

So what was in my reply? I’d have reported relevant experience, not from Christmas itself but from before and after:

- good report on Obergurgl, before Christmas
- agreement that Flaine is ideal for convenience, but I’ve only been at the end of January
- warning against chance of bad weather anywhere. Specifically, good snow at Les Arcs being rained on for 2-3 days at New Year before turning to 24hours heavy snow ending Sat (3rd or 4th Jan?) just as I arrived.

Tarquinius mentioned Sweden: that idea would also have come from my post - a long-shot idea for a White Christmas with some skiing as a bonus. (I have been to Are but at the other end of the season.)