Messages posted by : Geoff Smith
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I have had a ski holiday at Obertauen. I can recommend it as an excellent venue. The skiing is convenient, Obertauen has a good, long season, snow record and there are plenty of runs - more than enough for a short break. It is less attractive than most Austrian resorts but, compares favourably, on that count, with Tignes needless to say.
Geoff Smith |
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Stuart Adamson of Masterclass has an outstanding reputation.
Geoff Smith |
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I agree with Gareth about Alpe d'Huez. Also Val Thoren is now open every day.
Geoff Smith |
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Both resorts usually have reasonable snow at Christmas. Both are well endowed with snow cannons. On balance Alpe d'Huez has more easily accessible runs for beginners and intermediate skiers. Hope this helps.
Geoff Smith |
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Pareje,
The glacier at Alpe d'Huez will be open for one week commencing October 27th if the conditions permit. A larger part of the resort is scheduled to open on December 1st. Geoff Smith |
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I know both resorts pretty well. I agree with Rob's opinions about the extent of skiing at Alpe d'Huez and the wisdom of seeking out the far reaches of the area.
It is true that immediately above AdH there are a lot of south facing slopes that suffer in the late season. However there are plenty of north facing slopes in the Vaujany, Auris and Oz en Oisans sectors that stay in good condition well into April in most seasons. My guess is, if you enjoy Les deux Alps, you will find Alpe d'Huez an attractive alternative for a change. Geoff Smith |
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Ok Ise, I apologise for misunderstanding your comment about France. It was not clear to me that you were only referring to the French side of the PdS in your earlier post.
Just for the record I have not criticised the skiing of particular countries. As I have said before I have enjoyed skiing in Austria, France and Switzerland. When asked about specific resorts I have simply given my opinion of pros and cons. I have also occasionally put in a good word for France when it has been under attack. I have also suggested, from time to time, that, in my view, it is preferable to stay at relatively high resorts these days because of the less certain snow conditions. I remain of that opinion although I acknowledge that it is a debatable proposition. and that the problem can be looked at from several different perspectives. I have not and would not dream of implying that you are uninformed. On the contrary I find most of your posts contain lots of interesting information. Best regards, Geoff Smith |
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Ise said:
"Verbier, Nendaz... and the PdS ( less naff than France but still naff). Rather a sweeping generalisation, by inference, methinks, about France. In my experience there are many French resorts that are far from being unstylish or outmoded ( or 'naff' in the current jargon) . Switzerland, by and large, is a great place to ski. I have had good holidays there in five resorts I have also very much enjoyed skiing in several locations in France. I think that it is a pity that , on this list, there is a tendency on the part of some subscribers to do down some countries as far as the quality of skiing, or of ski resorts, is concerned. My experience tells me that there are, of course, pros and cons for particular resorts anywhere in the world but that generalisations about countries need to be treated with considerable caution. Keep smiling, Geoff Smith |
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