[tinbottom]

Right bit of a strange question. Has anyone been on a skiing holiday and taken there van as accommodation. I have been toying with the idea of going to France(trying to make it cheaper as would have to go in the school holidays as the missis is a teacher and at just over a £1000 a head i think its a tad expensive). If anyone has done this then any advice would be good( where they went / stayed / was it any cheaper) I have just got back from scotland where i did a bit of boarding and stayed in the clachaig carpark in glencoe. so it is possible over here.

cheer
tinbottom

 

[Hobbsy]

Fair play mate, i did the same at nevis range only i camped in a campsite! i will be doing it again and deffo will be doing it in france or sierra nevada one day! the french accomodate motorhomes really well im sure you will find somewhere tidy...you might even get elecy hookup! go for it , im jealous :ILU:

 

[Rich G]

If look up Bourg St Marurice (les Arcs) mate there are 2 or 3 campsite open all year round. I have seen at few campers in there during my visits

 

[tobsco]

I know a few people who take their vans out to the Alps, 2 of them have spent the last 15 or so seasons out there so it is definitely possible and it's one of the reasons I've just bought a van. A heater like an eberspacher or propex and decent insulation are essential but with them it can be -25 outside and still toasty inside.
I think most resorts have a car park that they allow you to stay in for free, Meribel and La Rosiere do, and I think some have electrics hook-ups as well.

I'd say go for it, you're not tied to any resort and Saturday to Saturday so you can follow the snow and try out new resorts, I'll be out there next year for sure, La Rosiere probably as that's where most the people I know base themselves.

 

[Cully76]

I'm just looking at where to install a propex at the mo as this is something I would like to do. I was thinking if I could hire a locker in the resort for skis, poles and boots it could be a fun variation on the ski hol T:

 

[T4BIN]

Went boarding to Les Deaux Alps a few years back and stayed in a nice cheap hostel. ( will dig through paperwork to try and find the name)

Flew over to Geneva and coached it up Alps
Basic but comfy accomodation
Breakfast and evening meals provided
Chance to sit down in the evenings and chat to others there.

Met a family from Bristol doing what you want to do and we worked out the prices we paid were within £80.(family of 4)

If it's a trip in the van you are after i say go for itT:

BUT if you are thinking of saving some money you may be surprised what you can find

Just to clarify, a lot of people still think a hostel is one big room filled with lots of bunk beds and no privacy.
This couldn't be further from the truth

Just found it....... Chalet Chantal.......but can't find phone number sorry.

 

[Cully76]

Thanks for that. I think primarily for me it would just add a bit of fun doing it in the van as I also have a mate who is keen to do the same in his T2. Now just need to root down the back of the sofa to see if I can find any pennies to put towards the propex I:

 

[Kate thingy]

An old mate of mine did this a few times and he swore insulation was the key! He even put perspex sheets on the inside of his windows (sealed with silicone) to make double glazing! He was a crazy fella.

t'is not for me though as I like a nice hot-tub and sauna after a day on the piste!

Hope it goes well for ya.

 

[tinbottom]

well thanks for your input guys. i will be puting a propex in as well i think. been looking around for places and at les deux alps there is a camp site just 300 yards from the main lift up from the village which is open all year round so that looks like a good bet, plus been to les deux alps before and was pleased with the skinging there. think it will be good in a van to do(no point spending loads of money turning it into a camper only not to use it) and as we will be on the camp site in the village then meeting other people shouldn't be to hard.
cheers again

tinbottom

 

[Cully76]

Do you have a link or name for that campsite mate? Not skied at Les Deux Alps so might be worth a butchers T:

 

[tinbottom]

www.champ-du-moulin.com/en/welcome.htm

try that mate

 

[tinbottom]

this one even
http://www.champ-du-moulin.com

 

[Cully76]

Cheers for that bud T:

 

[tombolton82]

i go to courchevel each year and there are always campers parked in the car parks at la praz and la tania. its a free car park and they stay there as long as they like.

 

[Cully76]

i go to courchevel each year and there are always campers parked in the car parks at la praz and la tania. its a free car park and they stay there as long as they like.

I have seen plenty parked up over the years in various resorts in the car parks, often wondered if it is actually allowed or not, never been sure. There is a large car park in Meribel just by the lift station and always campers in there. Anyone actually done it and had any problems/been moved on etc?

Be a good thread to throw up some suggestions as to where to stay.......

 

[T4BIN]

^^^ Same at Les Deux Alpes^^^
On the main drag into the village you have a spar shop on the left hand side. Loads of campers parked up with bbqs left outside after a good night.T:
Parking free at certain times. BARGAIN

 

[Sunny Ho!]

Lol.....I did one of these in Val thorens in 1995 in a Baywindow camper van, FM it was cold no Eberspacher for me back then. Waking up to board boots frozen solid and defrosting them with my feet before a days boarding. One day I came back and found the gendarmere had impounded it!! so spent the rest of the season dossing on a mates floor above the Frog and Roast beef!!

Best winter holiday ever......just check the rules before hand!! I drove back through Switzerland with boarding kit, gloves and beanie on wrapped in a quilt!! as the heater had packed in.....love my T4 now and Eberspacher):ILU:

 

[qwertyuiop7]

I would definately look at Bourg St Maurice

1. Its in the valley bottom so a good 10 degrees warmer than up in the resort.
2. Food and beer in the restaurants are almost half the price of the resorts.
3. Two massive supermarkets for cheap self catering.
4. You avoid the majority of the hold ups on the narrow twisty mountain roads when to arrive and leave
5. Don't need any winter tyres or snow chains.
6. Only a short 7 minute free train ride up to the massive resort of Les Arcs each morning or a short drive to either Val d' Isere, Tignes, Ste Foy, La Rosiere or La Plagne.

Went there last week stopped in a chalet in the town centre, great base and saved £££££££££

Phil

 

[Cully76]

Best winter holiday ever......just check the rules before hand!! I drove back through Switzerland with boarding kit, gloves and beanie on wrapped in a quilt!! as the heater had packed in.....love my T4 now and Eberspacher):ILU:

Buddy that's hardcore T: Don't think I'd have the balls to even entertain it without some form of heating H:

I would definately look at Bourg St Maurice

1. Its in the valley bottom so a good 10 degrees warmer than up in the resort.
2. Food and beer in the restaurants are almost half the price of the resorts.
3. Two massive supermarkets for cheap self catering.
4. You avoid the majority of the hold ups on the narrow twisty mountain roads when to arrive and leave
5. Don't need any winter tyres or snow chains.
6. Only a short 7 minute free train ride up to the massive resort of Les Arcs each morning or a short drive to either Val d' Isere, Tignes, Ste Foy, La Rosiere or La Plagne.

Went there last week stopped in a chalet in the town centre, great base and saved £££££££££

Phil

Bourg had sprung to mind as a decent base, I was also thinking of maybe Brides Les Bain as a base for the same reasons and just hop onto the cable car for a few minutes run up to Meribel T: Did you fly/drive or train it from here?

 

[qwertyuiop7]

Done both, last week was with mates for a long weekend so went with Easyjet and a hire car from Geneva. When i go with the family, there is 6 of us so we always drive, loads cheaper and not as bad as you might think.

If you do go make sure you go to Sainte Foy, doesn't look much from the piste map, but the backcountry is awesome, and its great if you have kids

Phil