We're hoping to do a family ski trip to Europe this February and are debating options. We are a family for four with kids aged 18 and 15 and are all advanced skiiers. We're considering Chamonix or Verbier at this point because we think they will offer us the most reliable snow, good options in terms of advanced terrain and also not too far from one of the World Cup races we're hoping to see during our trip. Does anyone have any experience with either of these and have have thoughts one way or another. We've traveled to Wengen/Grindelwald area in the summer and absolutely loved the hiking there, but want to go someplace different for this trip. Thanks in advance for your help!.

We took our son to Chamonix for skiing the Christmas before last. He enjoyed it and we loved the little town but it was all duded up for Christmas. Don't know how cute it would be in February. Took a day trip from Chamonix to Megeve and enjoyed it as well. Unfortunately I can't speak to Verbier. Have you searched on this site using Chamonix, Verbier, and even skiing to see if you can't surface some opinions?

Thanks, Julie. We've heard the buses can be a nightmare at Chamonix particuarly in February. Sounds like this wasn't an issue for you??

France will be cheaper by a significant amount that Switzerland, one of the world's most expensive countries and I love Chamaonix - has more awesome Alpine scenery IMO than Verbier - glaciers tumbling practically down to town and you can take one of the world's most thrilling aerial cable car rides - the spine-tingling cable car from Chamonix over to Pte Heilbrunner in Italy and back - at times you dangle high above a sea of ice in your few-person gondola - earily dangling out there as line is stopped to load and unload at each end.

And in Chamonix you can also take a thrilling mountain train up Mt Blanc, Europe's highest mountain east of Russia

Thanks for your response. We've heard incredible things about Chamonix and initially it was first on our list, but since then we've heard our timing isn't good for France. We're going mid-February due to school schedules - we've heard this is a particularly busy time at Chamonix and the crowds can be a nightmare. Couple that with the layout in terms of relying on buses to get from slope to slope and it would not be enjoyable. Thoughts?

Well yes the two weeks vacation in mid-February does indeed see lots of crowds in any primo ski resort - but that could also be a lot of ambience - a town full of winter sports enthusiasts - so many slopes in that area as well.

When we were in Chamonix we stayed at a place that was less than a block from one of the lifts. No need for buses but having been there in Dec. I can't speak to how many would be crowding the lifts in Feb.