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Ratspittle · Nov 4, 2006, 04:49 AM

Hey yall!
I am planning a vacation to the alps for january and was wondering if any of you had visited them in winter. My first quandry is WHERE to go....I was originally going to go to switzerland, but a few other options have been creeping into my head. I am open to suggestions but so far I have narrowed it down to trois valles (which claims to be the biggest ski area in the world), portes du soleil (sp?) with mount blanc, and interlaken. I am going to be on a VERY tight budget and lodging is going to be one place I really want to cut corners. Just a warm place to sleep for a few hours each night. Have any of you stayed in a hostel in france or switzerland? I have seen prices for as low as $22u.s. a night. One of my cusstomers also suggested just going to a bar and asking around because apparently many people rent rooms that do not advertise. I just don't want to spend my precious 5 days looking for a room. If anyone has a suggestion about location or lodging, maybe something or somewhere I have overlooked, please send it my way. Keep in mind it is a ski vacation.

And I am going by myself!

Thanks in advance
Ratspittle

Nivag · Nov 4, 2006, 05:28 AM

i can't give you any cheap places to stay bought these are some of my favourite resorts i've been to in the French Alps

Tignes - great resort, steep and deep!! but hours from any decent airport

Chamonix - a great place and possibly a good chance of finding somewhere cheap to stay

Flaine - a smaller resort and really close to Geneva airport, amazing snow! but a tad flat to get to some of the better runs, unless you're a speed freak on the board and don't mind flatlining - i didn't have a problem with it though some of my friends didn't share this thought.

Les Trois Vallees (3 valleys) - huge resort, but don't look in Courchevel for cheapness, try Meribel or Les Menuires - not been here for a few years, thought it had too many button lifts for my liking but i think that's all changed now

Les 2 Alps - i found was fairly cheap to stay with some good steep and deep when it snows

another choice could be the Italian Alps and the resort Sauze d'Oulx, personally i've never been, but it's meant to be cheap and a good night life.

i hope that helps.

there is one more place, but i can't remember how to spell it and google can't work out my attempts, i'll have to dig the piste map out

Ratspittle · Nov 4, 2006, 05:48 AM

Nivag
Thanks for the leads!!!! I will look into some of them tomorrow. I had actually considered chamonix, but I was under the impression it was fairly pricey due to it's reputation. I'll look again.

tboparis · 07:00 AM

I go sking in the alps every winter and you might want to consider Morzine. I'm not sure weather it's cheap or not but you have access to both Avoriaz and Portes du Soleil, which are 2 great spots.
Avoriaz is one of the best spots for snowboarding in the world but it's very crowded.

Ratspittle · Nov 5, 2006, 04:43 AM

Well I bought my plane tickets today!!!! A friend at work told me the italian alps are great, and the people are more friendly. Anyone been to the alps in italy for skiing?

tboparis · Nov 5, 2006, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by Ratspittle

Well I bought my plane tickets today!!!! A friend at work told me the italian alps are great, and the people are more friendly. Anyone been to the alps in italy for skiing?

Italy's a good choice. I'm not sure the slopes are better but the people might be friendlier...

Ratspittle · Nov 9, 2006, 08:05 PM

well, I settled on interlaken....actually grindelwald to be exact. It has the best blend (according to what I read) of skiing, nightlife, swiss charm, and scenery. Thanks for the input though. maybe I'll post a picture when I return.
RS

tooki · Nov 9, 2006, 08:07 PM

I always went to Flums-Laax to go snowboarding, since it's really much more snowboarding-oriented than the traditional ski areas like Davos.

tooki

G4ME · Nov 10, 2006, 11:08 AM

first recomendation

get skis

badidea · Nov 10, 2006, 11:17 AM

second recomendation

if you're on a tight budget, go to Austria and not to Switzerland!!

Andy8 · Nov 10, 2006, 11:32 AM

I agree with Nivag.

Fly into Geneva and then hire a car and drive to Grand Massif area (Flaine, Morillon, Les Carroz & Samoëns)

Last year I got a chalet in Samoëns and skied Grand Massif for 5 days and then 2 days at Portes du Soleil. The weather was postcard perfect everyday - amazing stuff.

I have already booked a chalet for next Chinese New Year (mid Feb 200) in Morzine/St. Jean d'Aulps, Portes du Soleil ski area.

I ski between these 2 major ski areas every year and love it. I ski with a groups of friends some ski and some board and we all get on really well.

mitchell_pgh · Nov 10, 2006, 11:43 AM

The alps sounds fun... but I'm not that much of a skier.

This is where I'll be spending my Winter holiday...

Russia by Private Train:
National Geographic Expeditions