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Oct 1, 2009

NOT to have fun this ski season, don’t go there!

Posted by Terry under Austria, France, Italy, Ski and Snowboard

I’m not one to say that one ski resort is better than another. I think places like Courchevel and Chamonix have much to offer whether one has more slopes or more après ski parties than the other. When one person or family is looking for a quiet escape from crowds, another is looking to ski late and party hard. People take their ski holidays (like their alcohol) the way they like them, searching out one ski resort over the other for various reasons, sometimes a mix. I’ve picked three countries and several resorts to help you skier or snowboarder avoid having any merrymaking, pleasure or amusement of any kind this ski season.

Austria: If you like night skiing and incredible slopes, avoid hitting the Austrian ones ’cause then you might not have a bad time.

ski-classBad Gastein (Sportgastein) is one of my favorite Austrian ski resorts because it’s so diverse and has so much to offer skiers of all levels. The hotels are fairly priced too. I often come here with a group of friends (when we don’t venture to France) and can find chalet accommodation that can easily fit us all. Plus, we can all come and go as we want, stay up late to party or enjoy some night skiing, but still plan activities—like watching the FIS Snowboard World Cup in January—together. Bad Gastein is set up to handle large crowds without getting backed up or feelings of claustrophobia. If you don’t like big crowds, then Bad Gastein is still a good choice but can get busy around the Christmas-New Year ski season. If you want glacier skiing this year, try the Solden Glacier resort just 100 km from Innsbruck. Avoid either place if you don’t like night skiing, a must try if you never have.

France: To have a lousy ski vacation, avoid skiing in France if you like good times and great selections of slopes

I’m not sure we’d have après skiing venues if it wasn’t for France (perhaps not the word anyway). So, among other things, like snails and Bordeaux wine, we have much thanks to give to France. Plus, we can thank them for the wicked skiing and wicked-er resort package deals. Isola 2000 (we can also thank them for putting the altitude after resort names too) is jammed packed with pistes. If you like to ski on a wide variety of greens, blues, reds and blacks, then avoid Isola 2000 at all costs, as there is 120+ km of skiing and over 20 lifts to choose from so you might just have to have a good time. Brides Les Bains should definitely be avoided if you want to hit the slopes early, as these tend to open in December, but the wait is worth it if you’ve planned a later ski holiday (especially for the high ski season) with 150 km worth of ski slopes.

Italy: For a terrible holiday, avoid snowboarding in Italy if you wish for some of the best riding experience in your life

Italy is iconic for having unsurpassed slopes, affordable accommodation and criminal snowboarding parks. If you hate any or all three of these, then it’s best to avoid Italy skiing all together. Be sure, too, to avoid Alta Badia, part of the Dolmiti Superski. The snowboard and freestyle park will really irk you if you don’t like boarding, as there’s a halfpipe, snowboard cross, jumps, humps and rails. Additionally, La Thuile in the Aosta Valley has an 11 km run that drops for a decent 1200 meters. If you hate long lasting descents, then La Thuile Espace San Bernardo is not for you either. Avoid these action packed places, moreover, if you hate life, parties, or the occasional all-nighter and tons of winter festivals.

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  1. Sebastian Said,

    Ha! This skiing season is going to be awesome and I know this because of all the rain we got earlier this year. It always means there will be lots of snow later for me to snowboard. I like to stay up all night and sleep in a bit and hit the slopes after a big breakfast, I think you say it brunch. I got to Bad Gastein but don’t think it is too much crowded. I never feel like I have to wait for a longer time in line or can’t have room on the pistes. I like to have fun and will have much fun this snowboard season, with my new Vapor board.

  2. Christine Said,

    I want to go to Italy this year for skiing and for culture excursions. I think the places you mentioned here like the Dolmiti would be good. My friends say it has some great beginner slopes that I can practice on (because my friends are really good skiers and I suck). But, I will come and practice and spend one week I think in Dolmiti and one week down south out of the mountains. If I can’t ski, I can at least party, and I never Avoid those. Now, I just have to get my plane ticket from the US and back first. Where’s the best Italian skiing for beginners but good skiing for advanced skiers too do you think?

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