Where is good snow beg. of this April?

Hi all,
We are a group of 4 people going for 2 weeks skiing vacation (have no
chance doing it earlier this year).
2 of us are intermediates, I am kind of 'off-pist powder' guy, and my
wife has never skied, but I will teach her this year.
I usually had good luck with Tignes, and even with Argentier in late
April, but I suspect my wife will want to walk around more than to
ski, so I'd prefer somewhat 'nicer-looking' resort than Tignes.
I found cheap flights to Geneva and to Munich in around Apr. 5., and
we will take a car - driving long is not a problem.
Can St.Anton be skiable this time of year without that mud feeling?
Any recommendations, please?
Thanks in advance,
Pavel

wrote in message
ups.com...
| Hi all,
| We are a group of 4 people going for 2 weeks skiing vacation (have no
| chance doing it earlier this year).
| 2 of us are intermediates, I am kind of 'off-pist powder' guy, and my
| wife has never skied, but I will teach her this year.
| I usually had good luck with Tignes, and even with Argentier in late
| April, but I suspect my wife will want to walk around more than to
| ski, so I'd prefer somewhat 'nicer-looking' resort than Tignes.
| I found cheap flights to Geneva and to Munich in around Apr. 5., and
| we will take a car - driving long is not a problem.
| Can St.Anton be skiable this time of year without that mud feeling?
| Any recommendations, please?
| Thanks in advance,
| Pavel

If driving isn't a problem, why not base yourself in the likes of the
Tarentaise Valley (Bourg Saint Maurice), and pick and choose the best
snow? April in Bourg often means almost summerlike conditions, and of
course there are plenty of real Savoyard town activities and ambiance.
You still have the altitude resorts at your doorstep; 10 minutes by
funicular from Bourg to Les Arcs, or La Rosiere 25 mins away by car, Val
and Tignes 30 mins, La Plagne and the Bellecote glacier 25 mins...

Very good value accommodation down in the valley too, in April.
Excellent restaurants.

Pete
http://mysnowsports.com

If driving isn't a problem, why not base yourself in the likes of the
Tarentaise Valley (Bourg Saint Maurice), and pick and choose the best
snow?

France and Switzerland are considered expensive. What about an Austrian
glacier resort, say Pitztal, Stubaital or Hintertux (with flights to
Innsbruck) or the Mölltal in Carinthia (flights to Klagenfurt)?

On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:01:23 +0100, "Turan Fettahoglu"
wrote:


If driving isn't a problem, why not base yourself in the likes of the
Tarentaise Valley (Bourg Saint Maurice), and pick and choose the best
snow?

France and Switzerland are considered expensive.
What about an Austrian glacier resort,

IME this is just not correct any more. In general, resort accomodation
and on-mountain food are most expensive in France, followed by
Austria, then Swizerland, with Italy being the bargain-basement.

But the specifics of Bourg St. Maurice are that it's remarkably cheap
to stay and eat there, as it's not actually a ski resort as such. ~50
Eu pppn half board at a 2* hotel with excellent restaurant is pretty
damned good value, IMO.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

"Ace" wrote in message
news | On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:01:23 +0100, "Turan Fettahoglu"
| wrote:
|
| IME this is just not correct any more. In general, resort accomodation
| and on-mountain food are most expensive in France, followed by
| Austria, then Swizerland, with Italy being the bargain-basement.
|
| But the specifics of Bourg St. Maurice are that it's remarkably cheap
| to stay and eat there, as it's not actually a ski resort as such. ~50
| Eu pppn half board at a 2* hotel with excellent restaurant is pretty
| damned good value, IMO.

Yes ... and I've heard no moans about the comfort of the beds at the
Petit Saint Bernard this year either! Although that said, I did see Bode
Miller slink out of the hotel in the direction of his camping car one
evening a few weeks back ;-)

Pete
http://mysnowsports.com

On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:41:20 +0100, "pg"
wrote:


"Ace" wrote in message
news

| But the specifics of Bourg St. Maurice are that it's remarkably cheap
| to stay and eat there, as it's not actually a ski resort as such. ~50
| Eu pppn half board at a 2* hotel with excellent restaurant is pretty
| damned good value, IMO.

Yes ... and I've heard no moans about the comfort of the beds at the
Petit Saint Bernard this year either!

What, they've actually got new furniture? No way.

Although that said, I did see Bode
Miller slink out of the hotel in the direction of his camping car one
evening a few weeks back ;-)

Doesn't he use it to house his groupies?

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

pg wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
| Hi all,
| We are a group of 4 people going for 2 weeks skiing vacation (have no
| chance doing it earlier this year).
| 2 of us are intermediates, I am kind of 'off-pist powder' guy, and my
| wife has never skied, but I will teach her this year.
| I usually had good luck with Tignes, and even with Argentier in late
| April, but I suspect my wife will want to walk around more than to
| ski, so I'd prefer somewhat 'nicer-looking' resort than Tignes.
| I found cheap flights to Geneva and to Munich in around Apr. 5., and
| we will take a car - driving long is not a problem.
| Can St.Anton be skiable this time of year without that mud feeling?
| Any recommendations, please?
| Thanks in advance,
| Pavel

If driving isn't a problem, why not base yourself in the likes of the
Tarentaise Valley (Bourg Saint Maurice), and pick and choose the best
snow? April in Bourg often means almost summerlike conditions, and of
course there are plenty of real Savoyard town activities and ambiance.
You still have the altitude resorts at your doorstep; 10 minutes by
funicular from Bourg to Les Arcs, or La Rosiere 25 mins away by car, Val
and Tignes 30 mins, La Plagne and the Bellecote glacier 25 mins...

Very good value accommodation down in the valley too, in April.
Excellent restaurants.

Pete
http://mysnowsports.com


While I agree that Bourg st Maurice is an ideal base especially for
walking around (strolls along the river bank etc.) may I also suggest
Zermat. Zermat has fine views to the Matterhorn and excellent
intermediate skiing. From my experience there in late April you will
have to get a lift back into town but there are parts of the resort that
are very high and as snow sure as anywhere. If you avoid the 5 star
hotels then it is not as expensive as you may imagine. Of course you
will not need a car to get there since it is on the rail network. The
only downside is that it is a very inconvenient resort with lots of
busses, trains and cable car required to get anywhere. It can take over
an hour to get to where you want to ski. For example, when we were
there, the route to the only decent moguls in the resort from our chalet
required: 2 busses, one funicular and 3 cable cars! I cannot recall any
decent walking routes in the vicinity, they all looked a bit muddy, but
then again I wasn't really looking.

John

"Ace" wrote in message
...
| On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:41:20 +0100, "pg"
| wrote:
|
|
| "Ace" wrote in message
| news |
| | But the specifics of Bourg St. Maurice are that it's remarkably
cheap
| | to stay and eat there, as it's not actually a ski resort as such.
~50
| | Eu pppn half board at a 2* hotel with excellent restaurant is
pretty
| | damned good value, IMO.
|
| Yes ... and I've heard no moans about the comfort of the beds at the
| Petit Saint Bernard this year either!
|
| What, they've actually got new furniture? No way.

No chance, I think they've improved the food so people usually forget
about the furnishings..

| Although that said, I did see Bode
| Miller slink out of the hotel in the direction of his camping car one
| evening a few weeks back ;-)
|
| Doesn't he use it to house his groupies?

He'd retired pretty early - and as I walked past around midnight there
was no sound of clinking bottles, or squeaking springs. In fact I took a
photo which was pretty blurred for some reason, probably down to my beer
consumption in the hotel bar rather than the camping car moving about.
That said, he only managed a couple of slalom training runs the
following morning when the rest of the team was considerably more
enthusiastic, and did a halfhearted ten minute session in the Bourg gym
in the afternoon when everyone else managed a full hour. A few days
later he was in the news complaining about the coughs and colds he picks
up during the season having to sleep and eat in the team hotel, so maybe
he was just under the weather - but he certainly seemed pretty miserable
at the time.

.... and if he didn't bring any groupies with him, he won't find any in
Bourg St Maurice

Pete
http://mysnowsports.com

On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 11:13:59 +0100, "pg"
wrote:

Bode Miller

That said, he only managed a couple of slalom training runs the
following morning when the rest of the team was considerably more
enthusiastic, and did a halfhearted ten minute session in the Bourg gym
in the afternoon when everyone else managed a full hour.

He does seem to have acquired something of a reputation, which has
rubbed off on the rest of the team, for turning up to practise
sessions drunk or hungover. No idea of the veracity of that though.

--
Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
Ski Club of Great Britain - http://www.skiclub.co.uk
All opinions expressed are personal and in no way represent those of the Ski Club.

On Mar 21, 7:43 am, wrote:
Hi all,
We are a group of 4 people going for 2 weeks skiing vacation (have no
chance doing it earlier this year).
2 of us are intermediates, I am kind of 'off-pist powder' guy, and my
wife has never skied, but I will teach her this year.
I usually had good luck with Tignes, and even with Argentier in late
April, but I suspect my wife will want to walk around more than to
ski, so I'd prefer somewhat 'nicer-looking' resort than Tignes.
I found cheap flights to Geneva and to Munich in around Apr. 5., and
we will take a car - driving long is not a problem.
Can St.Anton be skiable this time of year without that mud feeling?
Any recommendations, please?
Thanks in advance,
Pavel

Chamonix and Argentiere would be my recommendations as you have great
off-piste, nice areas for complete beginners (at resort level of if no
sno higher up) and unlimited walking. It's also excellent for walking
and Chamonix is a big town so lots for non skiers.
For Chamonix accommodation see http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/default.cfm/loadindex.206
For Argentiere accommodation see http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/default.cfm/loadindex.156

You could even try La Grave for something really different. Amazing
off-piste and currently good conditions. Your wife could even learn to
ski on the glacier de la Girose at the top at 3550m (easy slope with
drag lift & views are just some of the best you get in the Alps). The
refuge at top of main lift and close to bottom of drag to glacier
serves great food and is a nice place where to relax and enjoy the
views.
Otherwise there is a great ski area for beginners at Le Chazelet
closeby but snow may be an issue.
For intermediates La Grave is not too good though. Finally you need a
guide for off-piste.
Village is cute and traditional. Plenty of walking in that area - snow
conditions to be taken into account obviously.
For La Grave accommodation see http://www.peakretreats.co.uk/default.cfm/loadindex.69
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
XS
Peak Retreats http://www.peakretreats.co.uk
Ski Collection http://www.skicollection.co.uk