Planning Europe Ski Trip (France) Need Advice/Help

Just remember: the proper way to greet men in France is "Tu a petite amie est gross."

ive only been to europe twice, once to austria (obertown or something) and les menures in the ''trois valles''- 3 valleys! it was huge, way bigger than anything ive gone to in canada like whistler! there are no trees (well very very little), so its really open and you can ski anything you can see! when there are powder days, they are awesome! so much area to ski on and doesnt track out too fast depending where you are! however if the weather is bad, it sucks, there are no trees so no tree cover and you cant see a thing, really windy and snow becomes really shitty! and they shut the lifts (i got 2 days on topage because of a storm, sucked). parks ive been to very pretty average, nothing compared to whistler but that just may have been where i was there must be some good ones.

so baso, its huge, no trees, depending on the weather could make your trip really good or bad! austria's apres ski is AMAZING!!!!!! if age is a factor for you it doesnt matter, anyone can drink! hope that helps! not much experience but its what i got from the places

forgot best snowfall time in jan-feb but in europe very unpredictable! i went for new year once and was poor! in feb it was pretty good!

truth. remember that r's are nasaly and "est" is pronounced like "eh"

I would suggest Deux Alpes for its park, and possibly other stuff, I was there in the middle of summer in rental gear and track pants through a totally random turn of fate, but I've heard they have an epic park and it was a fucking sick park for the summer. Check some trip reports for pros, see where they go. Maybe ask on TGR for good snowfall places? If you go to Deux Alpes you won't regret it though, It has an awesome village, tons of bars, and good scene.

Steezy, resorts called obertauern btw.

Best snow conditions are usually end of feb-march. Last season there was powder in late november early december already.. so its really a season thing. That said, if you don't mind sticking to the groomed stuff you should be fine in the period you're going. The resort may be kinda full from christmas-new years week though as thats where most people go (along with easter holidays). Tignes is huuge and a glacier so you'll have no problems with snowsureness.

I'm not too familiar with France but imagine the park is average in comparison to the stuff you get over there. As for off-piste, I think chamonoix is probably better than Tignes but don't quote me on that. You could always pop by to La Grave! If you haven't heard of La Grave it's essentially an ungroomed mountain, it's also where Doug Coombs sadly passed away - so if snow conditions allow you, get a guide. La Grave is next to Les Deux Alpes (LDA)

If you're after BC then Chamonix is unbeatable, so much to explore and you have the Valle Blanche http://pistehors.com/backcountry/wiki/Haute-Savoie/Skiing-The-Vallee-Blanche which is not to be missed! End of Feb is the best time for snow conditions (I've always found), but as the above poster said, I was down there at Easter, and we had some of the best powder days ever, but the parks take a while to shape up, you'll be okay for end of Feb, but if you decide to go at x-mas don't expect to see fully formed parks! as far as resorts are concerned, Tignes is pretty epic skiing, but looks pretty shitty (dubbed concrete camping, due to all the soviet-looking concrete block buildings...), then there's Les Gets (and the wider PDS (portes du soleil) region) which I think is ill, you gotta check it out, and if you think piste skiing is for pussys check out the "swiss wall" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Chavanette otherwise there are resorts like Courchevel (I'm not such a big fan tbh) but your chances of seing David Becham increase here, but be warned Courchevel 1850, is swamped with Uber rich Russians, normally surrounded with there 17yr old wives and wads of cash... Have a great time and I might see you :)

ok mate here goes.

First of all I would recommend instead of flying to Paris you fly to any of Lyon, Grenoble, geneva or even Chembery if you can. Obviously pick based on where you itnend to ski but they are the main ski airports.

In terms of snow I would echo what's been said before. I've been skiing for nearly 20 years in France and the snow can be very unpredicatable. For example last season saw amazing pow at the start and ends of the season but jan and feb weren't that great. End of January and February are likely to be the snowiest weeks. The trouble with the dates you're talking about is that whilst you might get snow the parks won't be that great then. Need to give it a couple more weks before the parks hit their full size. The other problem with going then is the crowds.

Where to go: Chamonix is pretty much unbeatable in terms of resort off piste. Not that I've skied all the places you mention e.g. alta etc, but it has a reputation for being as extenisve and extreme as anywhere in the world. Les Deux Alpes is a good option for the park, and if you stay there, it has a sweet party atmosphere (be sure to check out the yetti, smithy's bar and avalanche for sure - things get messy!) and you can easily day trip to La Grave. This is the place Doug Combs made his second home. It is technically a "resort" but there are no groomed runs and it is straight up scary. V. extreme terrain.

For all around skiing Tignes is a good bet - good skiing, snowsure because of the glacier and a great nightlife, especially when you think val D'isere is available as well. Personally I am a massive fan of Val Thorens and the 3 valleys. HUGE skiing area (far bigger than anywhere I've skied in N.America), good terrain, great parks (val t park is ok but the moon park at mottaret is really nice), and the night life is unbeatable. I organised my university trip there last year and it was carnage. For an all round ski experience that'd be where I send you.

Chamonix is unbeatable for off piste but unless youve got a car it is a bit of a pain in the arse to get about. Basically cham is a huge town in the valley and then there are like about 6-7 resorts around about. Most of which you have to get buses to, which isn't really a problem cos theyr free and regular but always packed, esp during peak times o the season.

If you go to say like tignes/val, or the 3vallees which are both massive areas, its all ski in/ ski out, so basically you get more ski time. Tignes is an awesome town, its well ugly but lots of barsand a good atmosphere, its full of like minded people, which gives it a good vibe. The parks there are alright..but like the others say take a while to get going. The tignes park is pretty long and narrow, so you get a lot in one run, but not too many options, whereas the val d'isere park is a bit bigger with tons of rails.

Les deux alpes would be good option aswell, similar town setup to tignes, with an awesome park, huge pipe. You can also get to La grave for powpow and you can also get to alpe d'huex or serre chevalier, which bith have amazing off piste aswell

Les arcs could be an option, its linked to La plagne, which makes it a huge area. I did a season there last year and theres some really good off piste and theres also the north face of the bellecotte, in la plagne, which is EPIC, real steep gnarly shit. The pow tends to stay untracked for longer aswell, as there fewer people riding it. Theres awesome trees in les arcs aswell, in Vallandry and villaroger, id recomend it.
 
Mayrhofen, is another place where theyv got an amazing park, quite inventive with tons of different lines.
Anway,Im going to tignes for the season, so id reccomend there!
Hope that helps

yop mate

les trois vallées has sick skiing. Nice park, nice BC. Kinda expensive though.

AVORIAZ has the sickest park.

La grave has the sickest BC

Les 2 alpes have a nice park, and are near La grave.


Snow is pretty unpredictable.

But if you go in mid january / feb you are sure that the slopes will be ok.

Les 7 laux have a sick park, but later since the resort is low altitude.

Best would be to grenoble or geneva and to go ski from here.

La plagne and Les arcs are sick also.

that sums it up^^^^, i was in tinges and vall mid march and there park was a bit shitty but there was lots of freshies but vall had a really fun we park and was never rely that busy.

Parks, in general, will be better in North America- probably not why you should go.  Jan-Feb get the most snow, but very variable.  Better bet is in the spring for corn snow because glaciers hold their snow always.  Chamonix is my favorite because it is so steep.   There are so many great couloirs for which it is famous.  Great skiier atmosphere and nightlife.  Truly unmatched terrain. 

Great Advice guys, thanks so much, as of right now i would be leaning towards 3 valleys and tignies area. Im not sure what i am going to do, what my main purpose for the trip is to visit a friend living in sweden and we thought we could boot over to France to ski some pow and ride a bit of park for a few days. Since most of you are saying more Pow In Feb, its kinda scaring me and it is either a HIT or Miss, but i guess that is with any ski resort around the world. Ill keep you boys posted to see where i end up, im hoping my buddy stays there for anothr semester so i can go visit!!

Chamonix and Les Deux Alps as mentioned before are good. If you're looking for a different setting to what ur used too tho, like countryish, and living/skiing in a town with only say 100 people, and is a 30 min or so drive from the a main town, maybe look to stay in Albertville (where the winter olympics were, plane to Lyon, then either bus or train to Albertville) and skiing at areas around there. I stayed with a family that lived on Areches Beaufort, which is a mountain near Albertville, and the amount of open terrain, as well as some big mtn type stuff, mixed with the amount of snow, and lack of people, was just amazing. that, and in smaller towns like that you'l experience the culture and the food is usually better cause its local (in this area in particular, absolutely amazing).

^that looks a little confusing. Albertville is the main town/city (id say around 10k people or so, spread out a fair bit) and Areches Beaufort is an example of a small town and mountain near by. so depending on whether u want to be right in the "city" or in a little town, you have lots of options in that region.


near by there is swiss, annecy, and some other cool places

Dont fly to Paris you crazy man!

Geneva, Chambery or Grenoble, which ever you can get the cheapest flight to and whichever's closest to where you're going.

In France Id recommend Tignes, 3 Vallees, Les Deux Alpes for park, Avoriaz/Morzine.  All mighty fine resorts!

If you're worried bout the pow... jsut book last minute. The only thin that would prob be a bitch is flights but I'm not sure how you'd fly from sweden-france cheaply... Should check that out.

If you go last-minute you can always hit up a resort in austria, italy, switzerland, germany, france depending on the snow. And if there's no pow just hit one of resorts in Sweden.

Heres my 2 cents: Go to Chamonix. Its incredible. No where in the world compares to it. The terrain is absurd and the snow isn't half bad either if you catch it on a good year. I would go in late January to Early February because thats when the school kids aren't on holiday and its a great time to shred. When I was there during that time I had hardly any lift lines at all. The pow is sick too. I can also tell you where to go on what types of days conditions wise. Des Grandes Montets is epic. You can access terrain that you couldn't even imagine anywhere in North America just by using lifts. Its so sick. The town is money too and I can tell you where a few urban rails are if your up for that as well. Not only that... but when the sun is setting on the Mont Blanc massif and you get that alpin glow... I swear to god there is nothing more beautiful in the entire world...

i flew to paris and took sick train to les arc. its so freaking beautyful there

very aggresive in ski lines

flying to paris and then go by train to Bourg ST Maurice/ Les ARCS is by far the cheapest and the more practical solution if you don't have a car..
I'm living in Les Arcs all winter and i can tell you this is a big area here for going offpiste and ride powder (depends of the snow conditions of course in january)
you can PM me for more informations, hope you understand my poor english ;)

Never expect the parks in France to be fully up-and-running before late Jan or even into Feb. The french are just not serious enough about their parks.
Tignes park is usually very poor, but if you can hit it when they host the big Airwaves comp (usually in Jan) it could be really good. Val d'Isere (which is connected with Tignes) has an ok park, but dont expect it to be ready that early.

Val thorens in the 3 Vallees has actually gotten a very good park this year and I expect it to be even better next year. Their plan is to have one of the best parks in Europe within the next couple of years. And then there is the moon park as well in 3 Vallees. Again the problem could be you are there too early for park.

But for powder both places are great. I have spend a season both places and we got lots of snow around new year, but of course you never know.

thats awesome les arc is so cool. the hotel me and my dad stayed in had sloping hallways and a bar with a back door that led to an insane  huge nightclub with awesome techno and fucked up hot european girls

for the best info from the people who have skied most of the french resorts and know more about them than anyone else on ns pm michael_bc or rastafarider, they will tell you exactly whats up when is the best time to go to each resort, where to stay where to ski within the resort etc etc

I'm guessing most of the people on this thread shred EU mostly, I know I spend as much of the winter as I can there since I live here :)

I live in Alpes of France (Savoy, Albertville), next to Tignes/ Val d'Isère,les Arcs, the 3 Valleys (Courchevel, Meribel Val thorens).
I can give you some information about these ski resorts. These locations are the best in France and the more tourist in europe.   
Val thorens is the ski resort the highest in europe. I would like to compare it with Aspen or Whisler but I can't because I never been there. (I  guess it's so wonderful)

The Alpes of France' ski resort are very well maintened and equiped (park,...). ski areas are  huge (650 km / 404 miles) for 3 Valleys.

The  snowfall time in France are Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. the best to come is jan (from 15) and feb. (Open from 10 dec to 15 apr average). The best for freeride (jan, feb) There are glaciers for summer ride.
(2007 DATA). 2007 was a good season for snowfall.

(My english is too bad, I'm learning)

For Slandis : It's "Ta petite amie est grosse"

I'm ok with dave_m : flying to Lyon, Grenoble, geneva or even Chembery if you can !!!!!!

Venez les gars ça déchir !!! "In Tartiflette we trust"

THis is great info guys, i really didint think that this many people would reply to my thread. Helped me out a lot and gave me a pretty good idea where i should be going. I guess im just gonna wait it out to see if my buddy continues his education there and starts a new semester in January and book around him i guess...Id love to wait last minute and book to see if pow will be around, but that is gonna rape me through the butt with the cost and it will be way more expensive..I will have to make a decision within the next month i think...

Thanks guys

Coter

mate, i'm not disagreeing with you, i have done seasons in val, but rastafarider and michael_bc contribute the most to the euro threads, michael_bc seems to know more than anyone about europe, that is not to say that no one else has any knowledge of europe or france

Okay Fair shout...