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haven't been near the mountains for 16 years, is there a cheap way to get a weeks snowboarding these days by location, getting there, staying there etc?
Package company to Bulgaria or Slovenia?
Hard to do cheap.
Bulgaria. Watch out for the metal bits sticking out of the slopes
by coach from Victoria coach station :
or
done them both - the first lot go through the chunnel and the second lot go on the ferry, which is more of a hassle - also the route to dover was more circuitous, which was a pain. The coach seats recline a lot and have loads of leg room (or did when I went).
With snowcoach we went Valmiener where the hotel is right at the base of the main lift for 8 days skiing. The hotel chef was a michelin 1 star chef hag a break at a resort, so the food was good.
http://www.snowcoach.co.uk/valmeinier-hotel-l-aigle.html
with skiweekends we went to la tania but they don't do it anymore - which is a shame as it was great.
tried to go to Morzine a couple of years ago but had to sell the break to someone on here due to a funeral :
Wizz air to Poprad, Slovakia and stay with my mate Dan.
[url= http://www.chaletslovakia.com ]Chalet Slovakia [/url]
I opened this thread to recommend Dan as well. 😀
Great guy, great chalet, fun resort, cheap beer.
UCPA via Actionoutdoors
Save money on lift passes by using public buses instead?
That sequence is always brilliant to watch!
Thought Graham would be in here as well...!
Aye, I've been absent from the Ski & Snowboard thread this year as I currently have nothing planned 🙁
No excuse! Get in there and join the waffle!
NOW! 😉
UCPA, weeks fully catered including lessons and hire for around £600 in the French resorts. Can do it under a grand all in with flights and transfers, just add apres ski.
UCPA or a Snowheads bash
Can't recommend Bulgaria, at least not Pamporovo. Went there on my first snowboarding holiday and it was the equivalent of the Malvern Hills in height, if that. If you've been to ANY mountains before you'll regret spending a week of your hard earned time off there even if it is cheap and the people nice.
Last minute package holiday deals, snowHeads bashes, become a rent boy favoured by Russian Oligarchs in Courchevel...
If you aren't into the gnarly stuff, there are shed loads of decent small resorts Britains don't get near. Italy is cheaper than Austria or France which are cheaper than Switzrland.
If you are going alone or a small group and can be flexible then just look for whenever there are cheap flights somewhere near to ski areas (very close so you can minimise transfer costs). Find a hostel or bunkhouse to stay in.
Last minute package deal to a smaller resort in Austria. We had flight and quite a nice B+B in Mayrhofen for just over £200 each a couple of years ago. We've had half board for £300.
Austria is cheap once you're there as well.
If you are renting equipment and wanting lessons or guiding then UCPA is the way to go. £450 with full board, ski/board hire, lessons/guiding and liftpass!
In some resorts the liftpass is over £200 alone!
You can buy from action outdoors... Or buy direct from UCPA and save 10%...
Ironing board down the stairs.
Chat to Skifix, they will adapt to whatever you want and keep the costs realistic. Thom and Kate are the proprietors.
Be living in NZ. The skiing will cost you a day's pass (which isn't cheap compared to Europe) and petrol to get there. You'll be able to borrow kit off your mates. Easy!
Cheapest and best value are definitely not the same thing. Spend a little more and get a whole lot better holiday.
Small, but proper, Austrian/French resort rather than a Bulgaria type place any day of the week.
Then cheap flights, online transfer ticket, bunkhouse type affair, luggage full of Pot Noodles, done!
bookmarked
If it's cheap you want then book last minute for mid/late January. IME economising on resorts is a false economy as you end up somewhere with rubbish snow and skiing. Staying far down the mountain so you bus it up to lifts every day can save money, eg below La Plagne. Val Thorens yiu can do cheaply (really freezing in January mind). I've no personal experience of Bulgaria etc but Andora is another cheap and cheerful favourite.
The other time for good value is early March after half term madness but before Easter, sun is out too usually. This period is generally my favourite
heapest and best value are definitely not the same thing. Spend a little more and get a whole lot better holiday.
Small, but proper, Austrian/French resort rather than a Bulgaria type place any day of the week.
Take a look at the piste maps for Jasná (Slovakia).
It's not an alpine mega-resort but there is plenty of good riding there for a week, especially if you are happy to enter the free ride areas.
http://www.jasna.sk/en/mountains/skiing/maps/
Plus it is all just a bit different from the Alps, which I like.
Cheapest way is to drive, fill the car with friends and kit (or one family in our case) and book a self catering appartment.
I went to Jasna - it was absolutely pissing it down with rain. I realise this could happen in the Austrian/French/Swiss alps too but it never has to me in 25 years of skiing/boarding.
I spent two weeks in Whistler last season watching the rain hammering down. 🙁
It's always a risk.
Jasná is quite low so maybe more of a risk than some, but we've had some epic days there too.
I've mentioned them before on here, we went to La Rosierre with Bura Snow, you book your flights, then they sort everything else and that was a very good very cheap week.
[url= http://www.buratravel.com/snow ]here[/url]
We had brilliant snow in Jasna. If it's just you, why not leave it until last minute and then book when you know what the conditions are like and could pick up a bargain?
If you are flexible on timing and dates and not posh it can be done for not much money, never truly cheap though... My rule of thumb used to be £100 a day all in including passes but flight cost is the big variable.
We're "up North" so Liverpool to Geneva - from £60 plus taxes
Alpy bus or equivalent - £25 or so each way
Grotty hostel - £10 a night
or hire a car 4 ways, Ibis is Sallanches from £30 a night double room and pick a resort each morning. Pain for a week, fun for 3-4 days.
DIY and flexibility the key. That kind of deal works well for a long weekend with a couple of people but helps if you know the lie of the land.
Again if flexible and not fussy, call someone like Skiworld a week or two before you travel and they talk you through the options, staff have good resort knowledge and will find you something, have had some cracking deals doing this.
Was having a look on Crystal earlier. Saw a week in Soll over Christmas for £295 B&B! Might not be the same for an individual or group of another size though - we'd have 3 of us in a room.
Skibound have a week in AdH for 250 catered at Christmas. Buy a pass through them and their rental gear is free.
Chat to Skifix, they will adapt to whatever you want and keep the costs realistic. Thom and Kate are the proprietors
+1
And very nice people too!