Skiing/Snowboarding

[jamesterror]

... does anyone on here do it?

Next year I'm planning to go for my first skiing holiday, even though I'll be snowboarding to Meribel, France.

Got to get a few lessons booked in before then.

Can anyone recommend any other resorts they've been to? We've not booked up yet but are looking about still!

James

[fizzwheel]

I've been to

Sol Deu ( sp ) and Pas de la casa ( sp ) both in Andora
Meribel
Verbier

Verbier & Meribel were by far and away the best places. Meribel and The Three Valleys area has a huge amount of runs / slopes and stuff to do. Verbier was the same, But neither were particularly cheap.

Andorra was cheaper, but I found didnt have quite the amount of slopes and runs to offer, but that was offset by the cheaper cost.

I never had lessons in Verbier, but the other resorts I found the instructors were all very very good, they'd push you if you wanted technique tips, but were also incredible patience and all of them spoke very good english.

I'd say you wont have any disappointment with Meribel, it really is IMHO a really great place to go and will have everything you want, and more.

I can particularly recommend the Medcal Centre in Verbier, make sure you take travel insurance, E111 and a credit card with you though.

Seriously if your boarding it hurts when you fall.. body armour is a good idea, particularly wrist guards. If I had been wearing mine, I more than likely wouldnt have bust my wrist last time I went...

I've been skiing in Slovakia/Austria/Italy/France and the USA. All very different resorts. Austria 2 years ago skiing in Lech was amazing great weather tonnes of snow and loads of slopes for miles around.

Slovakia last year was reasonable however it was at Easter so the snow got a little slushy by mid afternoon. However Slovakia is cheap..ish, Slopes are not too long and night life is limited dependant on which resorts you go to. Great place to learn to ski as prices for 1:1 lesson still are around £20 euro's per hour.

Sauze doux on the border of Italy?France is a great resort with good night life and also slopes that cater for all abilities.

[jamesterror]

Originally Posted by Devil Biccy

I've been skiing in Slovakia/Austria/Italy/France and the USA. All very different resorts. Austria 2 years ago skiing in Lech was amazing great weather tonnes of snow and loads of slopes for miles around.

Slovakia last year was reasonable however it was at Easter so the snow got a little slushy by mid afternoon. However Slovakia is cheap..ish, Slopes are not too long and night life is limited dependant on which resorts you go to. Great place to learn to ski as prices for 1:1 lesson still are around £20 euro's per hour.

Sauze doux on the border of Italy?France is a great resort with good night life and also slopes that cater for all abilities.

I've been told Slovakia is quite cheap, but I'll probably leave that till the end of next year to be honest!

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

I've been to

Sol Deu ( sp ) and Pas de la casa ( sp ) both in Andora
Meribel
Verbier

Verbier & Meribel were by far and away the best places. Meribel and The Three Valleys area has a huge amount of runs / slopes and stuff to do. Verbier was the same, But neither were particularly cheap.

Andorra was cheaper, but I found didnt have quite the amount of slopes and runs to offer, but that was offset by the cheaper cost.

I never had lessons in Verbier, but the other resorts I found the instructors were all very very good, they'd push you if you wanted technique tips, but were also incredible patience and all of them spoke very good english.

I'd say you wont have any disappointment with Meribel, it really is IMHO a really great place to go and will have everything you want, and more.

I can particularly recommend the Medcal Centre in Verbier, make sure you take travel insurance, E111 and a credit card with you though.

Seriously if your boarding it hurts when you fall.. body armour is a good idea, particularly wrist guards. If I had been wearing mine, I more than likely wouldnt have bust my wrist last time I went...

Thanks Fizz, yeah a few of us going are newbies and a few have been several times. My mate whos been double figure times said that boarding you'll spend most the time on your ****!

My cousin is currently in Andorra doing his second or third ski season, but haven't managed to contact him yet!

Travel insurance is vital yeh... make sure it includes skiing and snowboarding I've been highly informed of too! Crazily, two mates when last year without it, bit of a daft risk!

It'll be the first time I go, all the people who do it have said I'll like it and I share similar interests to them so I can imagine I'll go more than once!

Regards wrist protection etc, any thing you can recommend? Don't really want to be breaking anything but its bound to possibly happen!

James

Originally Posted by Devil Biccy

I've been skiing in Slovakia/Austria/Italy/France and the USA. All very different resorts. Austria 2 years ago skiing in Lech was amazing great weather tonnes of snow and loads of slopes for miles around.

Slovakia last year was reasonable however it was at Easter so the snow got a little slushy by mid afternoon. However Slovakia is cheap..ish, Slopes are not too long and night life is limited dependant on which resorts you go to. Great place to learn to ski as prices for 1:1 lesson still are around £20 euro's per hour.

Sauze doux on the border of Italy?France is a great resort with good night life and also slopes that cater for all abilities.

+1 on Sauze D'Oulx, it's on the Milky Way so nearly 400kms of runs. You can go from the resort right over the top of the mountains and down into Sestriere using 3 or 4 lifts/cable cars, it was amazing

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by jamesterror

Regards wrist protection etc, any thing you can recommend? Don't really want to be breaking anything but its bound to possibly happen!

Just get something, I have a set of gloves with integrated guards, but the day I fell over and bent my wrist in a way it was never intended to go and bust the end of the radius bone at the wrist joint I didnt have them on.

I've seen plenty of people with fancy kit, Dainese seem to have branched out into ski / board body armour. But I've also seen people use skateboarding pads and wrist guards and that stuff is much much cheaper.

Just remember to wear it

I only started skiing last year, so I can only comment on one area I've been to in Austria. I went to the Fieberbrum/St Johann/St Jacob/Steinplatte area. It's all covered by one ski pass. Found it to be very good for a beginer, but it's probably a bit limited if you're an advanced skier. Ibby is a good skier and she likes the area. In fact we're going their over Christmas. It's not too expensive and Ibby says that it's not as crowded as French resorts, so no half hour queues for ski lifts.

[jamesterror]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Just get something, I have a set of gloves with integrated guards, but the day I fell over and bent my wrist in a way it was never intended to go and bust the end of the radius bone at the wrist joint I didnt have them on.

I've seen plenty of people with fancy kit, Dainese seem to have branched out into ski / board body armour. But I've also seen people use skateboarding pads and wrist guards and that stuff is much much cheaper.

Just remember to wear it

I'll keep an eye out for some! All I need is a jacket and gloves, a mate has a fair bit of kit to lend as he has a family full of skiers!

That sounds bloody painful to say the least, not soemthing I'd like to try out!

Originally Posted by madness

I only started skiing last year, so I can only comment on one area I've been to in Austria. I went to the Fieberbrum/St Johann/St Jacob/Steinplatte area. It's all covered by one ski pass. Found it to be very good for a beginer, but it's probably a bit limited if you're an advanced skier. Ibby is a good skier and she likes the area. In fact we're going their over Christmas. It's not too expensive and Ibby says that it's not as crowded as French resorts, so no half hour queues for ski lifts.

We're going the week before Easter half term so hopefully avoiding the crazy ski lift queues, they were saying last year it was half hour wait...

Been to Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland.
Loved them all very much. We want to go again this year, Im not sure exactly which country or resort but it has to be done again, I am a competent skiier and snowblader (have my own boots and snowblades) but snowboarded with Mr VT last time. He had a couple of lessons and was fine after that, I had lessons in Austria with the police instructors for free.

Yes wear something comfy to land on your a$$ with and we both have the integrated wristguards in the gloves, if you dont, you can always buy a pair that they sell for rollerblading.

Costco is doing some really good Ski/Snowboarding gear now, we just bought ourselves a few more bits and they are really reasonably priced and good makes too.

You will absolutely LOVE it ...pics when you get back pls

[jamesterror]

Originally Posted by Von Teese

Been to Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland.
Loved them all very much. We want to go again this year, Im not sure exactly which country or resort but it has to be done again, I am a competent skiier and snowblader (have my own boots and snowblades) but snowboarded with Mr VT last time. He had a couple of lessons and was fine after that, I had lessons in Austria with the police instructors for free.

Yes wear something comfy to land on your a$$ with and we both have the integrated wristguards in the gloves, if you dont, you can always buy a pair that they sell for rollerblading.

Costco is doing some really good Ski/Snowboarding gear now, we just bought ourselves a few more bits and they are really reasonably priced and good makes too.

You will absolutely LOVE it ...pics when you get back pls

A bit of experience in the snow!

I've just spoke to my cousin whos in Arinsal in Andorra .

I'm probably gonna have 2 / 3 lessons before I go, pad my **** and protect my wrists then face a day with a sore **** when I get out there!

I just found a photo of one of my mates a few years ago, hes the one round the pole;