Where to ski besides Zermatt?

Hi

On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 18:44:14 -0000, Wombat
wrote:

We're going to be spending a week in Zermatt starting March 6. We'd
like to spend another week someplace else either before or after
that. Ideally it would have other things to do besides ski (say more
sightseeing) but still be good for skiing (on piste). I think we'll
probably be flying in/out of Geneva but we could alter that depending
on what looks good. I'm also trying to connect this with a timeshare
exchange so my options there a

Sightseeing at a Skiresort?
You make tours but i wouldn't call that Sightseeing. (cheese making)
What you can do is Normal. Swimm(Swimmhall), Ice Skating, walking, -
with Snowshoes and shopping. Some got a museum.

Switzerland:
Verbier
Nendaz

Same ski aera. It's Called 4 Vallèes www.4vallees.ch
Verbier is buisier than Nendaz.

Val D'Illiez
Crans Montana
Ovronnaz
Uh i didn't know this villages till now :-)

France:
Tignes
Megeve
Meribel

I'm in the US and know nothing about these places so all suggestions
are welcome.

If you go the the swiss resorts from Zermatt you can ski afternoon if
you like. For the frensch resorts you need to much travel time.

Rent a car for Zermatt is a waste of money. You can only drive till
Täsch and must use the train to Zermatt. There is a railway station at
the Geneva airport. Swiss Railway www.sbb.ch
Public trafic from Zermatt to a french resort is a problem you should
check it out or go with a car.

Johannes

Verbier and Crans are both wonderful resorts. It would be less travelling
for you if you link Zermatt with one of these Swiss resorts. However, you
may want to ski France as well as Switzerland (plus Italy if you ski over to
Cervinia from Zermatt). I would probably suggest Meribel: the very heart of
the 3 valleys.

The choice is yours.

As for sightseeing - what did you have in mind? Beyond what these resorts
have to offer things get complicated. Jump on a train from Zermatt and for
example, you can daytrip the Jungfrau region and visit the Eiger!

I'm in Zermatt myself on March 6th. Here's to lots of sun to complement the
snow!

Paul


"Wombat" wrote in message
...
We're going to be spending a week in Zermatt starting March 6. We'd
like to spend another week someplace else either before or after
that. Ideally it would have other things to do besides ski (say more
sightseeing) but still be good for skiing (on piste). I think we'll
probably be flying in/out of Geneva but we could alter that depending
on what looks good. I'm also trying to connect this with a timeshare
exchange so my options there a

Switzerland:
Verbier
Nendaz
Val D'Illiez
Crans Montana
Ovronnaz

France:
Tignes
Megeve
Meribel

I'm in the US and know nothing about these places so all suggestions
are welcome.

--
Last Wombat in Mecca

In message , Johannes
writes

Ovronnaz
Uh i didn't know this villages till now :-)

Hmmm... www.multimap.com has, it's apparently in Switzerland near where
Vaud, Valais and France meet, ie not that far from Verbier.
It's a spa first, ski resort second.

It has a website, www.ovronnaz.ch

The lift company's site, www.teleovronnaz.ch
(Google? nah, I guessed) has a plan de pistes etc. It gives as much
emphasis to off-piste skiing and touring as to on-piste skiing, and the
lift system isn't large. The top station's a respectable 2500m.

If that thermal pool's open in winter it could be a great choice for
slackers - floating lazily in hot spring water looking at the stunning
Alpine scenery!
--
Sue ];(

HI

On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 23:21:16 -0000, Wombat
wrote:

Johannes wrote in
:

If you go the the swiss resorts from Zermatt you can ski
afternoon if you like. For the frensch resorts you need to much
travel time.

I actually meant that we plan to stay one week in Z and then
someplace else for a week. Not that we would travel from Zermatt
every day.

Did I say you should do this every day? Only at you traveling day.

Saas Fee is near enaugh for a day trip.

Sightseeing:
You can go from Zermatt to Brig and walk around the town.
Or got to the Eggishorn (train till Fiesch) and look at the lagest
glacier at the alps Aletsch Gletscher. You can ski there
www.aletsch.ch.

From Crans Montana to Sion. I don't know if the Castles are open at
winter.

From Verbier: At Martinique there is a art hall or art mueseum.


Johannes

Wombat wrote:
We're going to be spending a week in Zermatt starting March 6. We'd
like to spend another week someplace else either before or after
that. Ideally it would have other things to do besides ski (say more
sightseeing) but still be good for skiing (on piste). I think we'll
probably be flying in/out of Geneva but we could alter that depending
on what looks good. I'm also trying to connect this with a timeshare
exchange so my options there a

Switzerland:
Verbier
Really great skiing, not much else AFAIK.

Nendaz
Val D'Illiez
Crans Montana
Ovronnaz

France:
Tignes
Great skiing, not very interesting otherwise.

Megeve
Handy for exploring other areas, such as Chamonix.

Meribel
Central resort of the 3 valleys, great skiing. Not as stark as Tignes,
but I find it lacks atmosphere.

Have a look on www.ifyouski.com or www.skiclub.co.uk for more resort
specific information.

I'd also consider visiting Wengen for the scenery (and skiing of
course), or maybe head over to Austria, I'm very biased in favour of St
Anton - this is also close to Innsbruck which is well worth a day of
sightseeing (just over an hour by train from St Anton). St Anton is
renowned for tougher skiing, but nearby Lech and Zurs would be great if
you are after more groomed runs.

Steve Haigh wrote in message ...
Wombat wrote:
We're going to be spending a week in Zermatt starting March 6. We'd
like to spend another week someplace else either before or after
that. Ideally it would have other things to do besides ski (say more
sightseeing) but still be good for skiing (on piste). I think we'll
probably be flying in/out of Geneva but we could alter that depending
on what looks good. I'm also trying to connect this with a timeshare
exchange so my options there a



How about taking the train to St Mortiz, one of the great train rides.
Once there then you can either stay in the resort, ski, lake, Cresta
run, expensive shops etc. Or i knew people who used to go to Milan for
the day.

Ian

Don't know which direction you will be travelling to Zermatt from but; if
from Geneva airport, half of that airport is in France. The train goes from
GVA to the main Geneva station ... one stop (may be free).

Chamonix is pretty close ... on the other side of the lake. I know the
train goes thru Chamonix, but don't know how many changes (if any) you would
have to make. The trains from Geneva go to other French (and Swiss)
resorts. Getting to Geneva from Zermatt is a snap ... down the hill to
Visp, then to Geneva.


"Wombat" wrote in message
...
"PSmith" wrote in
:

As for sightseeing - what did you have in mind? Beyond what these
resorts have to offer things get complicated. Jump on a train from
Zermatt and for example, you can daytrip the Jungfrau region and visit
the Eiger!

We'll be in Zermatt from March 6 - 13. Since we want to spend two weeks
in Europe, we want to stay somewhere else from either Feb. 28 - Mar 6 or
Mar. 6 - 13. How hard is it to get from Zermatt to France?

I'm in Zermatt myself on March 6th. Here's to lots of sun to
complement the snow!

Maybe we'll see each other there! G

--
Last Wombat in Baghdad
Remove the '77' to reply

The slow but scenic train from Zermatt to Geneva is regular, and takes about
three plus hours. I seem to remember that on weekends (maybe every day???)
there are buses to the major French resorts etc.


"Wombat" wrote in message
...
"PSmith" wrote in
:

As for sightseeing - what did you have in mind? Beyond what these
resorts have to offer things get complicated. Jump on a train from
Zermatt and for example, you can daytrip the Jungfrau region and visit
the Eiger!

We'll be in Zermatt from March 6 - 13. Since we want to spend two weeks
in Europe, we want to stay somewhere else from either Feb. 28 - Mar 6 or
Mar. 6 - 13. How hard is it to get from Zermatt to France?

I'm in Zermatt myself on March 6th. Here's to lots of sun to
complement the snow!

Maybe we'll see each other there! G

--
Last Wombat in Baghdad
Remove the '77' to reply

On 17 Nov 2003 07:56:29 -0800, (Ians) wrote:

Steve Haigh wrote in message ...
Wombat wrote:
We're going to be spending a week in Zermatt starting March 6. We'd
like to spend another week someplace else either before or after
that. Ideally it would have other things to do besides ski (say more
sightseeing) but still be good for skiing (on piste).


How about taking the train to St Mortiz, one of the great train rides.
Once there then you can either stay in the resort, ski, lake, Cresta
run, expensive shops etc. Or i knew people who used to go to Milan for
the day.

Ian

I second St.Moritz. Fabulous skiing - especially if you include
Pontresina and the glacier at the top of its valley (sorry, name
escapes me). Resort is big and a bit spread out, but sightseeing of
all the rich Germans is an entertainment in itself.

Swiss trains are a pleasure too. They (often ?, always ?) have a top
deck with glass viewing platform, and the views are just mind-blowing.

By the time you have done Zermatt, Cervinia and St.Moritz you will be
wishing you had allocated a month or more.

Jim Hutton

Hi

On 19 Nov 2003 00:09:50 GMT, Wombat wrote:

Jim Hutton wrote in
:

I second St.Moritz. Fabulous skiing - especially if you include
Pontresina and the glacier at the top of its valley (sorry, name
I think he mean the Corvatsch

escapes me). Resort is big and a bit spread out, but sightseeing of
all the rich Germans is an entertainment in itself.

Is it hugely expensive? How much would a week in Chamonix vs. a week in St.
Moritz be?

If you stay at another village as St. Moritz, is it cheaper. Samedan,
Silvaplana and more.
www.skiengadin.ch
You should know that Samedan is the 2nd coldest village in switzerland
and it's only 5km from St. Moritz.

Johannes