2006 advice - school hols skiing

Would like to ask if any thoughts on this topic.

Easter is ridiculously late next year, so it looks like a Feb half
term trip or a New Year one. (We have to go in school holidays)

Anybody let us into any secrets about resorts in Europe (or possibly
Eastern N America) that might be a bit on the quiet side at either of
those two times? (I know - asking for the moon!!)

We love Italy, and so far I got to thinking that Livigno at half term
might be better than some, as the very long transfer times might put
off the school parties.
No objections to going somewhere off-beat, but should be big enough to
hold interest for a week.

Last time we did a half term trip, we stayed in Folgarida, and enjoyed
the Madonna link, but probably wouldn't go there again yet. I would
think most of the "standard" French resorts would be way too crowded,
but never done them in Feb.

The only New Year trip we have done was to St Anton, which was fun but
the pistes were so busy to be quite dangerous, even without the
fireworks cruising down the streets on New Year's Eve!

Any input would be gratefully received.

Paul
Leigh
Lancs


(Just back from a surprisingly good week's skiing in Arabba)

Paul Richardson wrote:
Anybody let us into any secrets about resorts in Europe

Easyjet to Grenoble then tranfer to l'Alpe du Grand Serre but think
about accomodation now because the resort has very few beds hence quiet
at half term... but pssshhhh.

I was in Livigno a couple of Christmas ago, and it was pretty empty.. never
once had to wait for a lift, and there is some pretty good skiing there
unless you want really steep terrain.. its close to St Moritz as well, so
you can easily do a day trip over there if you wanted..

Christmas is normally a busy week, but not as busy as New Year and possibly
half term, however I do still think this place would be less busy than a lot
of other resorts - probably because of the long transfer.


"Paul Richardson" wrote in message
...
Would like to ask if any thoughts on this topic.

Easter is ridiculously late next year, so it looks like a Feb half
term trip or a New Year one. (We have to go in school holidays)

Anybody let us into any secrets about resorts in Europe (or possibly
Eastern N America) that might be a bit on the quiet side at either of
those two times? (I know - asking for the moon!!)

We love Italy, and so far I got to thinking that Livigno at half term
might be better than some, as the very long transfer times might put
off the school parties.
No objections to going somewhere off-beat, but should be big enough to
hold interest for a week.

Last time we did a half term trip, we stayed in Folgarida, and enjoyed
the Madonna link, but probably wouldn't go there again yet. I would
think most of the "standard" French resorts would be way too crowded,
but never done them in Feb.

The only New Year trip we have done was to St Anton, which was fun but
the pistes were so busy to be quite dangerous, even without the
fireworks cruising down the streets on New Year's Eve!

Any input would be gratefully received.

Paul
Leigh
Lancs


(Just back from a surprisingly good week's skiing in Arabba)

Paul Richardson wrote:

Would like to ask if any thoughts on this topic.

Easter is ridiculously late next year, so it looks like a Feb half
term trip or a New Year one. (We have to go in school holidays)
Mid April isn't too bad, but I agree it is too late for most resorts -
if you did go at Easter you *should* be OK in Val d'Isere, Tignes, Val
Thorens etc. Actually, those dayes may well be a sign that it is time to
finally go and do some touring... but that's for another thread...


Anybody let us into any secrets about resorts in Europe (or possibly
Eastern N America) that might be a bit on the quiet side at either of
those two times? (I know - asking for the moon!!)

We love Italy, and so far I got to thinking that Livigno at half term
might be better than some, as the very long transfer times might put
off the school parties.
I think I have just the moon you are looking for ... Monterosa ski area
in Aosta, Italy - stay in either Champoluc or Gressoney. Big ski area,
slightly of the beaten track (neither place is a drinking-'till-4 am
party town) and this year it was very quiet in 1/2 term week. We didn't
queue for a single lift, we got seats in every restaurant and the slopes
were quiet all day long. Dunno why, but it is probably because the
Italian 1/2 term was the week before and the UK market just hasn't
caught on to it.

see http://www.monterosa-ski.com/


No objections to going somewhere off-beat, but should be big enough to
hold interest for a week.
It should do, but if it didn't, and if yo had a car you could take a day
trip to Courmayeur or Cervinia which are covered for a day on the weekly
pass.


Last time we did a half term trip, we stayed in Folgarida, and enjoyed
the Madonna link, but probably wouldn't go there again yet. I would
think most of the "standard" French resorts would be way too crowded,
but never done them in Feb.
They are hell on skis - avoid the 3V ad Val especially.


The only New Year trip we have done was to St Anton, which was fun but
the pistes were so busy to be quite dangerous, even without the
fireworks cruising down the streets on New Year's Eve!
IME St Anton seems to get v. busy at New Year (but not Xmas) and fairly
busy in Feb, but I'd say it is not as bad in Feb as it is at new Year,
and it is not as bad as the big French places. That said you would still
expect a fair bit of queueing, especially first thing.

(Just back from a surprisingly good week's skiing in Arabba)
Do tell... never been there.

Paul,

I was in Chamonix this year during my kids half term and it was
surprisingly quiet. Turned out Leeds schools had half term the week before
the Southern ones and also before 2 of the 3 French regions had their
break.

Worth checking if you half term dates.....

regards,

greg

"Paul Richardson" wrote in message
...
Would like to ask if any thoughts on this topic.

Easter is ridiculously late next year, so it looks like a Feb half
term trip or a New Year one. (We have to go in school holidays)

Anybody let us into any secrets about resorts in Europe (or possibly
Eastern N America) that might be a bit on the quiet side at either of
those two times? (I know - asking for the moon!!)

We love Italy, and so far I got to thinking that Livigno at half term
might be better than some, as the very long transfer times might put
off the school parties.
No objections to going somewhere off-beat, but should be big enough to
hold interest for a week.

Last time we did a half term trip, we stayed in Folgarida, and enjoyed
the Madonna link, but probably wouldn't go there again yet. I would
think most of the "standard" French resorts would be way too crowded,
but never done them in Feb.

The only New Year trip we have done was to St Anton, which was fun but
the pistes were so busy to be quite dangerous, even without the
fireworks cruising down the streets on New Year's Eve!

Any input would be gratefully received.

Paul
Leigh
Lancs


(Just back from a surprisingly good week's skiing in Arabba)

No suggestions about destinations but it looks like most "Easter" school
holidays in my area (Glos, Wilts, Oxon) will start only one week later in
2006 (Friday 31 March is the last day of term) compared to 2005 i.e. the
hols start two weeks before Easter in 2006. I've started a two week holiday
later that this (6 Apr 2003) in Courchevel and it was fine - even had a fair
amount of fresh snow..

Joe

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 09:53:56 +0100, Steve Haigh
wrote:


(Just back from a surprisingly good week's skiing in Arabba)
Do tell... never been there.

Thanks everybody for the really helpful suggestions. I had been
looking at the Monte Rosa area a bit, Steve, so will continue
reseraches in that direction and check dates carefully etc.


Arabba.

My comment about "surprisingly good" was about the weather rather than
anything else - temperatures were up to 10 degrees daytime in the
valley, and didn't freeze at night except on one night. Add to that
the very poor snowfall the Dolomites had this year, and you'd have
thought it would be pretty lousy, but we had a good week, if a little
slushy and mogully by the end.

Arabba is surely not the party capital of Italy - very sedate, and
populated by german tourists of Saga agegroup (not that I am
complaining I'm over 50 as well!) Just a few bars, one or two nice
restaurants, especially Micky's Grill.

Very picturesque village and my expectation to be "wowed" by my first
visit to the Eastern Dolomites was more than fulfilled. Absolutely
stunning scenery every direction.

For you double-diamond-black and couloir-descending experts, maybe the
skiing would be a bit tame. There was plenty for us, though our
boarder family members had no off-piste to taste because of the lack
of snow. There are several decent blacks down from Porto Vescovo into
Arabba, but it seems that much of the Sella Ronda is red/blue country.
Very scenic and very satisfying if you like a good ski journey. As
with most of Italy, they seem to have excellent snowmaking, which has
probably saved a season for them in view of very little major
precipitation in 2005.

Two highlights:

Day trip to Cortina for the north facing slopes around Faloria and an
early morning descent of the Forcella red (the upper black was shut
because of lack of snow - not that I'd have done it really!)

Morning trip to the Falzarego pass, and up the cable car to Lagazuoi,
to ski the "hidden valley" down towards San Cassiano. Billed as the
"most beautiful ski run in the world" and honestly, it is quit
breathtaking. We got to the top of the cable car, and the lower valley
still held a layer of morning cloud. There was hardly another soul
skiing the run, apart from our group of about 24 which split into fast
and slow, so we didn't exactly fill the terrain either. One of the
best ski experiences of my short career to date, definitely.


I will get round to posting some pix sometime on my webshots site.



Paul
Leigh
Lancs


PS Oh, and the most overrated experience had to be the Marmolada - no
doubt stunning on a good day and in good conditions, but the pistes
were stony and crowded, and there was a one-hour queue for the upper
cable car, which we just gave up on. Pity, no doubt it's great when
it's quiet!