February Half-term - crowds
 

Hi,

Despite desperately trying to get any other possible time to go, it
looks as though my wife and I are stuck with going skiing in the week
of the February half-term (Saturday 16th February - 23rd Feb).

The price hikes are painful enough, but if we're going to have to pay
through the nose, the crowds are going to rub salt into the wounds.
Where is best to go to avoid pistes like the M25 and half-hour queues
for lifts?

It's got to be Europe, and the following resorts look the closest to
being affordable:

Alpe d'Huez
La Plagne
Serre Chevalier
Flaine
Hopfgarten
Verbier
Pas de la Casa
Saas Fee

I'd really appreciate any steers. On the comfort/affordability front,
the Alpe d'Huez, Pas de la Casa and La Plagne options look nice, but
I'm concerned about their popularity - will everyone be there?

Cheers,

Andy Cooke
--

February Half-term - crowds
 

February Half-term - crowds
 

wrote in message
...
Hi,

Despite desperately trying to get any other possible time to go, it
looks as though my wife and I are stuck with going skiing in the week
of the February half-term (Saturday 16th February - 23rd Feb).

The price hikes are painful enough, but if we're going to have to pay
through the nose, the crowds are going to rub salt into the wounds.
Where is best to go to avoid pistes like the M25 and half-hour queues
for lifts?

It's got to be Europe, and the following resorts look the closest to
being affordable:

Alpe d'Huez
La Plagne
Serre Chevalier
Flaine
Hopfgarten
Verbier
Pas de la Casa
Saas Fee

I'd really appreciate any steers. On the comfort/affordability front,
the Alpe d'Huez, Pas de la Casa and La Plagne options look nice, but
I'm concerned about their popularity - will everyone be there?


Have skiied Flaine in Feb half term about 4 years ago and it wasn't too bad
at all. Some predictable queues from resort and a couple of the main runs
clogged with people, but once on the mountain and on other routes I can't
recall much waiting or slope congestion at all. In fact the worse part
about it was the absolutely terrible accommodation office who seem to
adminster all bookings and took hours to get sorted on the Saturday.

Following year though we did Livigno in Italy at Feb half term and it was
much quieter than Flaine.

Other Feb half term resorts that I've tried recently are Grindelwald this
year (busy but not helped by lack of snow lower down), Killington in USA
(quiet but following week was presidents week or whatever and gets clogged -
it's worth a look as it was cheaper than going to some european resorts),
and Levi in Lapland (twice, once really quiet and once heaving with
russians, probably not enough skiing for you there though, as we doubled it
with plenty of other family activities).

February Half-term - crowds
 

"john elgy" wrote in message
...
wrote:
Hi,

Despite desperately trying to get any other possible time to go, it
looks as though my wife and I are stuck with going skiing in the week
of the February half-term (Saturday 16th February - 23rd Feb).

The price hikes are painful enough, but if we're going to have to pay
through the nose, the crowds are going to rub salt into the wounds.
Where is best to go to avoid pistes like the M25 and half-hour queues
for lifts?

It's got to be Europe, and the following resorts look the closest to
being affordable:

Alpe d'Huez
La Plagne
Serre Chevalier
Flaine
Hopfgarten
Verbier
Pas de la Casa
Saas Fee

I'd really appreciate any steers. On the comfort/affordability front,
the Alpe d'Huez, Pas de la Casa and La Plagne options look nice, but
I'm concerned about their popularity - will everyone be there?

Cheers,

Andy Cooke
--
I would try and avoid France if possible. It will be very crowded. Without
doubt it will be the busiest week of the year.

John

We go to Italy if we have to go half-term. French don't go there, Italians
don't have them and, in any case, only ski long enough to justify the long
lunch. OTOH, can get crowded in the mountain restaurants if you don't get in
there early. Try Courmayeur (pricey, small, intermediate but with lots of
off-piste, and short transfer), Cervinia (cheap, bare, long intermediates,
connected to Zermatt) or Selva di Gardena (middle-price, touring for
intermediates, Austrian efficiency with Italian food, shortish transfer).

....or try North Americal where they also don't have half terms

Paul

February Half-term - crowds
 

On Nov 27, 5:06 pm, "Paul" wrote:
"john elgy" wrote in message

...



wrote:
Hi,

Despite desperately trying to get any other possible time to go, it
looks as though my wife and I are stuck with going skiing in the week
of the February half-term (Saturday 16th February - 23rd Feb).

The price hikes are painful enough, but if we're going to have to pay
through the nose, the crowds are going to rub salt into the wounds.
Where is best to go to avoid pistes like the M25 and half-hour queues
for lifts?

It's got to be Europe, and the following resorts look the closest to
being affordable:

Alpe d'Huez
La Plagne
Serre Chevalier
Flaine
Hopfgarten
Verbier
Pas de la Casa
Saas Fee

I'd really appreciate any steers. On the comfort/affordability front,
the Alpe d'Huez, Pas de la Casa and La Plagne options look nice, but
I'm concerned about their popularity - will everyone be there?

Cheers,

Andy Cooke
--
I would try and avoid France if possible. It will be very crowded. Without
doubt it will be the busiest week of the year.

John

We go to Italy if we have to go half-term. French don't go there, Italians
don't have them and, in any case, only ski long enough to justify the long
lunch. OTOH, can get crowded in the mountain restaurants if you don't get in
there early. Try Courmayeur (pricey, small, intermediate but with lots of
off-piste, and short transfer), Cervinia (cheap, bare, long intermediates,
connected to Zermatt) or Selva di Gardena (middle-price, touring for
intermediates, Austrian efficiency with Italian food, shortish transfer).

...or try North Americal where they also don't have half terms

Paul


Many thanks for the suggestions.
I've had a look around Italian resorts, and have found a pretty decent
deal to Sauze d'Oulx. £1170 in a catered Chalet for the pair of us.
(Most of the good prices to Cervinia and Selva di Gardena have gone by
now - we had to wait this late to book, unfortunately, but at least we
should get some decent skiing still).

Any advice as to Sauze d-Oulx would be gratefully appreciated.

Cheers,
Andy
--

February Half-term - crowds
 

On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:57:01 -0800 (PST),
"
squeezed out the following:

Many thanks for the suggestions.
I've had a look around Italian resorts, and have found a pretty decent
deal to Sauze d'Oulx. £1170 in a catered Chalet for the pair of us.
(Most of the good prices to Cervinia and Selva di Gardena have gone by
now - we had to wait this late to book, unfortunately, but at least we
should get some decent skiing still).

Any advice as to Sauze d-Oulx would be gratefully appreciated.

Buy a weekly bus pass (unless you're close to the lifts). Beware the
link back from Sansicario unless you can ski blacks. Red 11 down to
the left from Sportinia is the perfect start to the morning.

--
Colin Irvine

February Half-term - crowds
 

Hi Andy

Looks like you have it sorted, if not you may wish to look at Thyon
2000, Les Masses, Les Collons. This is part of the 4 valleys system
but much less commercial the Verbier and very few Q's and crowds.

Have a look at http://www.chalet-chasseur.co.uk/. We are booked for
that week but if you would like some info on where to stay don't
hesitate to contact me.

Have a great hols

calvahead

On Nov 26, 10:08 pm, " Andy.Cooke.
wrote:
Hi,

Despite desperately trying to get any other possible time to go, it
looks as though my wife and I are stuck with going skiing in the week
of the February half-term (Saturday 16th February - 23rd Feb).

The price hikes are painful enough, but if we're going to have to pay
through the nose, the crowds are going to rub salt into the wounds.
Where is best to go to avoid pistes like the M25 and half-hour queues
for lifts?

It's got to be Europe, and the following resorts look the closest to
being affordable:

Alpe d'Huez
La Plagne
Serre Chevalier
Flaine
Hopfgarten
Verbier
Pas de la Casa
Saas Fee

I'd really appreciate any steers. On the comfort/affordability front,
the Alpe d'Huez, Pas de la Casa and La Plagne options look nice, but
I'm concerned about their popularity - will everyone be there?

Cheers,

Andy Cooke
--

February Half-term - crowds
 

On Nov 29, 4:36 pm, calvahead wrote:
Hi Andy

Looks like you have it sorted, if not you may wish to look at Thyon
2000, Les Masses, Les Collons. This is part of the 4 valleys system
but much less commercial the Verbier and very few Q's and crowds.

Have a look athttp://www.chalet-chasseur.co.uk/. We are booked for
that week but if you would like some info on where to stay don't
hesitate to contact me.

Have a great hols

calvahead

On Nov 26, 10:08 pm, " Andy.Cooke.

wrote:
Hi,

Despite desperately trying to get any other possible time to go, it
looks as though my wife and I are stuck with going skiing in the week
of the February half-term (Saturday 16th February - 23rd Feb).

The price hikes are painful enough, but if we're going to have to pay
through the nose, the crowds are going to rub salt into the wounds.
Where is best to go to avoid pistes like the M25 and half-hour queues
for lifts?

It's got to be Europe, and the following resorts look the closest to
being affordable:

Alpe d'Huez
La Plagne
Serre Chevalier
Flaine
Hopfgarten
Verbier
Pas de la Casa
Saas Fee

I'd really appreciate any steers. On the comfort/affordability front,
the Alpe d'Huez, Pas de la Casa and La Plagne options look nice, but
I'm concerned about their popularity - will everyone be there?

Cheers,

Andy Cooke
--


Thanks, calvahead.
Yep, I'm now booked for Sauze d'Oulx. Half board in a hotel (Gran
Bosco). But many thanks for your (and everyone elses) help - I really
thought that half-term would be murderous.

-Andy Cooke

February Half-term - crowds
 

On Nov 28, 8:27 am, Colin Irvine wrote:
On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:57:01 -0800 (PST),
"
squeezed out the following:

Many thanks for the suggestions.
I've had a look around Italian resorts, and have found a pretty decent
deal to Sauze d'Oulx. £1170 in a catered Chalet for the pair of us.
(Most of the good prices to Cervinia and Selva di Gardena have gone by
now - we had to wait this late to book, unfortunately, but at least we
should get some decent skiing still).

Any advice as to Sauze d-Oulx would be gratefully appreciated.

Buy a weekly bus pass (unless you're close to the lifts). Beware the
link back from Sansicario unless you can ski blacks. Red 11 down to
the left from Sportinia is the perfect start to the morning.

--
Colin Irvine


Thanks, Colin.
We're now booked in at a hotel (Gran Bosco). All in, including lift
passes for the Milky Way, ski hire for the missus, and ski carriage
for me, £1400. I'm quite satisfied seeing as we left it so late.
Looking forward to the first chair up to Sportinia ...
:-)

Andy Cooke

February Half-term - crowds
 

On Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:58:40 -0800 (PST),
"
squeezed out the following:

Looking forward to the first chair up to Sportinia ...

Wrap up well - it's a long cold ride!

--
Colin Irvine