Snowboarding places to go?

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has good advice on snowboarding resorts to go to , I'm thinking of going somewhere this week to catch a deal. Where is the best place, Im beginner level so I don't want snowboard park really. Im also allergic to smoke and really dislike smokey restaurants so that puts out Austria, as ther eis no smoking ban. Id like to go to France, mainly they have a smoking ban,

Would tignes in france be a bad option?

Any recommendations from seasoned travellers?

Tignes/Val D'Isere (Espace Killy) - probably the best skiing/boarding in the world (certainly Europe - before Nivek hops in!). Fantastic piste/lift system. The only downside is the Apres Ski which won't be as wild as Austria - also expensive!

for beginners you can't beat Livigno. Its high up so you should get good snow all season. Its duty free so going boozing is relatively cheap compared to France. There is a good selection of stuff to ride for the beginner. Instructors are good. Down side is long transfare and if theres advanced boarders in your group there a little bit restricted unless they love to spend the day in the park. My first 5 boarding trips were to Livigno and it was great. Tried Andora and it was a bit crap too many annoying English heads there.

Avoid Meribel there is great deals there at the moment its fine for skiing but crap for boarding. Went there once and never again.

Last couple of trips have been to Alp D'huez which has been great but seems a little bit restricted for beginners as the nursery slopes are grand but there is little between them and the deadly stuff. I thought Livigno was better for progressing as a begginer.

Livigno is fine for beginners but as said, boring as **** for anyone else. The 5 hour transfer time is pretty awful and from what I can remember it's pretty smokey aswell.

Andorra is generally the cheap way to go but you usually get what you pay for. However I was in pas de la casa last year for a few days and was very surprised with how nice it was. Way better than the other Andorran resorts I've been to.

I've heard good things about the three valleys in france, both the largest and the highests set of resorts in europe, however also one of the most expensive.

I'm only back from st anton in Austria yesterday and had great time. As you say theres no smoking ban however I never came home and smelled smoke off my clothes so it's not that bad. The apres ski there is insane, and if you avoid the packages deals and sort stuff yourself you can get there for reasonably cheap. I got flights to zurich and then the train down right into the resort for €200 and an apartment 2 mins walk from the lifts set me back €350.

Btw If you want to save some cash I have an old board and bindings that you can borrow. It's a 5 year old mid level 158cm, perfect for a beginner. Loaned it to a beginner this week in st Anton and he had no problems with it.

Couple of other thing's I'd advise. Get a good pair of wrist guards. 80% of injuries too new snowboarders are broken wrists. Normal wrist guards generally aren't good enough, check out http://www.ski-injury.com/prevention/wrist_guards

Also not a must but your body will thank you for it. A cheap pair of knee pads and a tail bone bad will save you a lot of pain.

if your heading to France and getting a package deal the transfares can be pretty terrible too. Last year i went to Alp D'Huez and due to small numbers direct ski had everyone going to anywhere in France flying into Geneva so it ended up being the same transfare as Livigno. Last time i went Livigno they had a partial smoking ban so there was no smoking in the bars and restaurants. The apre ski was way better there than anywhere i've been to in France. When you starting out the apre ski is just as important not so much when you are there looking to spend every second you can up on the mountain.

Tignes.. You cant go wrong, snow sure resort that has great lift access to the espace Killy area 250/300km of runs of all levels .. also some of the best lift accessed off piest in the world if thats what your after, the slopes are very well maintained and well signposted which makes life easy if your new to the area.Night life is not to bad but might take a bit a night or two to sus it out, transfare time not two bad from all 3 french alpe airports..down side is it can be a bit pricey but if your smart and eat and drink where the seasoners do and look at prices/menu's before going into places it is no more so than any other resort.. you can get some good last min deals at the moment.. Dave

andy thanks for the offer of the board and stuff, I have that.

yeah theres a good deal in tignes then someone saying to me that its a glacier it will be freezin' and windy? looked up the weather there it is -16 jeeze!

might think andorra might be cheaper place and better?

oh just saw ur point on andorra Al.

You could definitely do worse than Livigno. I'm going there this weekend and I know from having been there before that the bars/restaurants have a smoking ban in place. The variety of slopes is great for beginner/improvers aswell. The transfer is a bit long but once you get there you soon forget about it.


Also I've been checking the weather and its snowing all this week so it'll be powder heaven by the time next week comes.

when i went to Andora it was like the Magaluf of ski resorts. Not my cup of tea the pistes where also pretty crap, very limited and not very challenging. Also a long transfare going to Andora.

Sainte Foy in the Tarentaise valley, 10 min from Tignes/ValDisere and allot better. Three lifts straght up the mountain. Free shuttle buses from out of the back country bac to the lifts.

Or else Plan Peisey, part of Les Arcs. Lots of trees deadly buzz. Also free buses back to the resort from off piste excursions

Now Oz ...... you're just trying to wind me up ....... aren't you?

No, honestly my favorite place

going to kitzbuhel on saturday
300 bills for the week lift pass cost 196 so happy days
there is a place called the horn(can already see the deluge of comments)
good for beginners boarding.
Austria is mad for the crack too.

You can't go wrong with Tignes/ValDisere, I worked in Tignes for a season and there is loads of runs to keep you busy some of the best skiing and boarding you'll get, and there is only one part of tignes that's a glacier, France is more expensive then other counties but it has better slopes, tignes will be slightly cheaper to stay in than Val Disere but the resorts are both linked so it’s the same ski area.

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has good advice on snowboarding resorts to go to , I'm thinking of going somewhere this week to catch a deal. Where is the best place, Im beginner level so I don't want snowboard park really. Im also allergic to smoke and really dislike smokey restaurants so that puts out Austria, as ther eis no smoking ban. Id like to go to France, mainly they have a smoking ban,

Would tignes in france be a bad option?

Any recommendations from seasoned travellers?

Tignes/Val D'Isere (Espace Killy) - probably the best skiing/boarding in the world (certainly Europe - before Nivek hops in!). Fantastic piste/lift system. The only downside is the Apres Ski which won't be as wild as Austria - also expensive!

for beginners you can't beat Livigno. Its high up so you should get good snow all season. Its duty free so going boozing is relatively cheap compared to France. There is a good selection of stuff to ride for the beginner. Instructors are good. Down side is long transfare and if theres advanced boarders in your group there a little bit restricted unless they love to spend the day in the park. My first 5 boarding trips were to Livigno and it was great. Tried Andora and it was a bit crap too many annoying English heads there.

Avoid Meribel there is great deals there at the moment its fine for skiing but crap for boarding. Went there once and never again.

Last couple of trips have been to Alp D'huez which has been great but seems a little bit restricted for beginners as the nursery slopes are grand but there is little between them and the deadly stuff. I thought Livigno was better for progressing as a begginer.

Livigno is fine for beginners but as said, boring as **** for anyone else. The 5 hour transfer time is pretty awful and from what I can remember it's pretty smokey aswell.

Andorra is generally the cheap way to go but you usually get what you pay for. However I was in pas de la casa last year for a few days and was very surprised with how nice it was. Way better than the other Andorran resorts I've been to.

I've heard good things about the three valleys in france, both the largest and the highests set of resorts in europe, however also one of the most expensive.

I'm only back from st anton in Austria yesterday and had great time. As you say theres no smoking ban however I never came home and smelled smoke off my clothes so it's not that bad. The apres ski there is insane, and if you avoid the packages deals and sort stuff yourself you can get there for reasonably cheap. I got flights to zurich and then the train down right into the resort for €200 and an apartment 2 mins walk from the lifts set me back €350.

Btw If you want to save some cash I have an old board and bindings that you can borrow. It's a 5 year old mid level 158cm, perfect for a beginner. Loaned it to a beginner this week in st Anton and he had no problems with it.

Couple of other thing's I'd advise. Get a good pair of wrist guards. 80% of injuries too new snowboarders are broken wrists. Normal wrist guards generally aren't good enough, check out http://www.ski-injury.com/prevention/wrist_guards

Also not a must but your body will thank you for it. A cheap pair of knee pads and a tail bone bad will save you a lot of pain.

if your heading to France and getting a package deal the transfares can be pretty terrible too. Last year i went to Alp D'Huez and due to small numbers direct ski had everyone going to anywhere in France flying into Geneva so it ended up being the same transfare as Livigno. Last time i went Livigno they had a partial smoking ban so there was no smoking in the bars and restaurants. The apre ski was way better there than anywhere i've been to in France. When you starting out the apre ski is just as important not so much when you are there looking to spend every second you can up on the mountain.

Tignes.. You cant go wrong, snow sure resort that has great lift access to the espace Killy area 250/300km of runs of all levels .. also some of the best lift accessed off piest in the world if thats what your after, the slopes are very well maintained and well signposted which makes life easy if your new to the area.Night life is not to bad but might take a bit a night or two to sus it out, transfare time not two bad from all 3 french alpe airports..down side is it can be a bit pricey but if your smart and eat and drink where the seasoners do and look at prices/menu's before going into places it is no more so than any other resort.. you can get some good last min deals at the moment.. Dave

andy thanks for the offer of the board and stuff, I have that.

yeah theres a good deal in tignes then someone saying to me that its a glacier it will be freezin' and windy? looked up the weather there it is -16 jeeze!

might think andorra might be cheaper place and better?

oh just saw ur point on andorra Al.

You could definitely do worse than Livigno. I'm going there this weekend and I know from having been there before that the bars/restaurants have a smoking ban in place. The variety of slopes is great for beginner/improvers aswell. The transfer is a bit long but once you get there you soon forget about it.


Also I've been checking the weather and its snowing all this week so it'll be powder heaven by the time next week comes.

when i went to Andora it was like the Magaluf of ski resorts. Not my cup of tea the pistes where also pretty crap, very limited and not very challenging. Also a long transfare going to Andora.

Sainte Foy in the Tarentaise valley, 10 min from Tignes/ValDisere and allot better. Three lifts straght up the mountain. Free shuttle buses from out of the back country bac to the lifts.

Or else Plan Peisey, part of Les Arcs. Lots of trees deadly buzz. Also free buses back to the resort from off piste excursions

Now Oz ...... you're just trying to wind me up ....... aren't you?

No, honestly my favorite place

going to kitzbuhel on saturday
300 bills for the week lift pass cost 196 so happy days
there is a place called the horn(can already see the deluge of comments)
good for beginners boarding.
Austria is mad for the crack too.

You can't go wrong with Tignes/ValDisere, I worked in Tignes for a season and there is loads of runs to keep you busy some of the best skiing and boarding you'll get, and there is only one part of tignes that's a glacier, France is more expensive then other counties but it has better slopes, tignes will be slightly cheaper to stay in than Val Disere but the resorts are both linked so it’s the same ski area.