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Those who snowboard/ski Europe...
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| daphunky1 |
I am from Canada and have rode some pretty dam good ski resorts around the rocky mountains (I spent last winter in Whistler, which was amazing). Anyways I haven't left North America yet so I figured why not head overseas to see what the Alps have to offer for this coming winter. I am just starting my research but so far have the idea of Switzerland in my head, but am open to anywhere really.
So right now I pretty much know nothing about the area or its mountain offerings. I would like to live preferably in a smallish location at the base of the ski resort if possible so I can ride almost everyday. I'll definately need advanced/expert terrain and as well some sort of terrain park is a really big plus. If anyone in the know could offer me a few suggestions of ski resorts to check out and also things to consider when looking at different countries that would be a big help. I understand that Switzerland is not part of the EU, but I'm not sure what that would mean for me.
And if anyone wants to plan a trip to ride some great Canadian terrain I would be glad to help. |
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| ScuL |
Switzerland has high quality slopes but they are mostly related to luxury resorts where you shouldn't expect discount prices. In general Switzerland (due to its banking legacy) is a very high priced country. I also believe Switz is more aimed at wealthy couples or families at the age of 40+.
France has pretty good slopes but totally lacks atmosphere, whereas Austria has a lot of atmosphere but also is a bit more crowded. Generally the Austrian slopes are at a lower altitude but there are great glacier slopes higher up the mountains as well.
Italy I don't know too much about, compare it to France yet at a lower altitude. Most slopes in the central Alps region are somewhere between 1000 and 2500 meters but there are exceptions for glaciers that are even higher up.
I think out of these countries Austria & France are your best bets especially when it comes to your funpark requirements :)
Then you also have some slopes in lesser known skiing countries such as Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia and so forth. These are less developed and more like family resorts at between 500 and 1000 meters altitude. Can be fun if you like it quiet and don't want to search high glaciers up in the tourist areas. |
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| dj_alfi |
the olympic slopes from 94 in Norway are pretty good imo.
Not too expensive to rent a cabin + skipasses either. |
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| LoveHate |
| quote: | Originally posted by get nyce
chile |
go to south america. :D |
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| pmoisse |
Check out a resort called Are in Sweden - if you go around April / May you still have a mountain full of snow and almost 24 hour daylight to ride because it's so far north :)
Otherwise, Germany (Garmisch, near Munich) and Austria (anywhere) are huge, but relatively cheap.
Switzerland would be good, but expensive as hell and probably not good value for $$$ compared to elsewhere.
**disclaimer - never been to any of these, just read about them and talked to other friends here who have been |
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| daphunky1 |
| Thanks for the info everyone.I'm just gonna try and get a sense of how expensive switzerland really is before i make any decisions. |
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| smallSHEEP |
Switzerland always used to be more expensive than France but recently the difference has norrowed to the point where often you get a better deal in Switerland. The price of a box room in certain French resorts has gone through the roof in recent years. I've snowboarded in Canada (Whistler) and have to say it had some of the best runs and powder around, certainly a tough one to beat. You'll find that the alps are a lot more vertical than the terrain in Canada and the tree line is lower resulting in exposed upper slopes.
Another thing to watch out for is the run rating system. A red in Europe is generally much harder than the states. I get a lot of Americans tell me that. |
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| Dervish |
Could goto Zak in Poland not been myself but alot of my mates and my dad goes.
>LINK<
Been to Poland many many times, cheap(ish, now is starting to pick up but is still really) and cheap to get to (from here anyway).
Or Scotland suppose but I'd reckon it'd be rammed whenever there is enough snow lol!!!
>LINK< |
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| ScuL |
| I think none of the lower lying ski areas in Europe can compete to what Canada has to offer.. So I'm almost certain the topic starter needs to look for slopes in the Alps region to find something comparable.. |
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| Dervish |
>Source<
| quote: | Scenic Zakopane, the city a skiing pope put on the map
By SHIRLEY O'BRYAN SMITH
The Associated Press
ZAKOPANE, Poland — You could say Zakopane, Poland, is blessed. After all, it was the late Pope John Paul's favorite recreation spot. He spent a lot of time there as a young priest — skiing the Tatra mountains and hiking the Podhale hills — and he returned later as he climbed the ranks in the Catholic Church, then finally as pope.
When he was a cardinal, someone mentioned it might be inappropriate for a man of his position to ski. He replied that it was only "unbecoming for a cardinal to ski badly."
Well, no matter how well — or badly — you ski, there's a slope to suit you around Zakopane. Some of the most popular are located at Kasprowy Wierch, which can be reached by cable car or lift, and Gubalowka, which is accessible by tram and T-bars. The winter sports are so good in this area that Zakopane was a finalist for the 2006 Olympics. And during the summer you can bike, raft, climb, hike, paraglide or just stroll through the mountain meadows. There are also several folk, art and musical festivals then.
Zakopane is about 60 miles south of Krakow near the Slovakian border. It's nestled up against the Tatras, the highest alpine range in this region of Europe. Because of its location, it has become a major winter destination. Its year-round population swells during tourist season.
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| diggerz |
| The Pyrenees in the South of France ;) |
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