Cheapish skiing for a group of guys

[P1H]

Hi all,

I'm planning a ski trip for me and some of my best mates, probably 6 or 7 of us. I've been to Austria, Andorra, Italy and France skiing but the emphasis on this one is finding the best value so those still with another year of Uni can't raise the 'no money' excuse.

In an ideal world we'd be going to the three valleys which I think on the budget will be difficult unless we stay at low low altitude. Please recommend me a good resort.

I appreciate any help.

[Gruffy]

Grand Massif has comparable terrain and size to 3 Valleys, but without the expense or queues.

Alternatively, if there's a bunch of you, drive down there and stay outside of resort, driving in each day. Not ideal for apres, but I'm sure you'd save a small fortune if you took it in turns to be designated driver.

[Gruffy]

Or you could go the hostel route.

[paolow]

Try the Savoie 'Paradiski' resorts. Been there 3 times - La Plagne and Les Arcs and always had pretty good snow. Night life a little dead though - but maybe not such a factor with a bigger group?

[P1H]

Thanks for all the suggestions, they are all getting googled.

[maser_spyder]

Chamonix!

I organised a stag trip there a few years ago.

Got an apartment for 550 EUR for the week, shared between 11 chaps.

Squeezyjet flight about £100 return.

Lots of bars and stuff, loads of different restaurants to eat, 40 minutes from Geneva (we used Alpybus for the transfer, about 17 EUR each). The only down-side is you have to get a bus to the lifts (not far, 5-10 minutes depending which one you go for). That aside, for a cheap week away for a group of lads, it's perfect.

[condor]

Saux d'oulx (sp?) used to be the most Blackpool type of resorts about 15 years ago...don't know what it's like now.

[ducgas]

Llandudno have a ski slope! Seriously though - How about Sierra Nevada in Spain? Last time we stayed in Grenada which was cheap and plenty to see and do for a group of guy's. Approximately 40 minute drive to get to the slopes each day.Quite expensive to stay in the resort itself.Plenty of skiing for a week and will probably suit all abilities. Alternatively Andorra?

[craig_emp]

You should consider Slovakia. Cheap flights, accommodation, food, beer and great skiing. Resort has all new lifts this year too.

My mate runs a ski / snowboard company out there if you're interested

http://www.propagandasnowboards.com/

Craig

[maser_spyder]

condor said:

Saux d'oulx (sp?) used to be the most Blackpool type of resorts about 15 years ago...don't know what it's like now.

Like Blackpool.

Seriously though, it's a lot quieter, nowhere near the crazy place it was in the 80s and early 90s.

[a311]

How much are you talking all in? Best to find out people smax budget and try to work with that. Thing is with ski holidays allot of the prices are fixed i.e. lift pass and hire and you'll be too late to get any T.O. deals on those by now.

Chamonix DIY is about the cheapest I've done, but the costs mount by time you have a night or two out. Did St Anton last year and with chalet board accomadation, and passes came to less than £800. Unless you look at places like Bulgaria you'll striggle to get much change out of £700-£800 for the main Alpine countries especially if you need to hire gear too.

[The_Doc]

Gruffy said:

Or you could go the hostel route.

Done this in Tignes, saved loads of money.

The real savings to be made on ski trips are:

1) Buy a limited ski pass, not the "whole map folded out" one. Yes you're getting less pistes, but in Espace Killy, Portes du Soleil etc there will still be 100s of km

2) Coach travel down, join a group-trip as there aren't 54 of you.

3) Cook for yourselves, shopping at the supermarket

4) Avoid half terms, French and English, its easy to work out when these are

5) Join Hostelling International.

6) don't buy lunch up the mountain, make yourselves these: PICCY and carry them in a backpack

I know all this sounds cheap, but you did ask for cheap, oh and obviously look at Eastern Europe instead of France.

I've skied for 25 years, every combination of coach/car/train/plane/hitched down!, in hostels/hotels/apartments/flats above pubs/etc... There is much you can do to make it cheap