Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Got back yesterday and spent all week comparing the place to Borovets.
The snow fall was epic , snowed most days but had light rain for a bit at lower levels on the last day. Didn't manage to do all the runs in a week. The off-piste was awesome and just about everywhere , but very dangerous due to crevasses all over the place, so didn't venture too deep on my own. The avalanche risk was high and we watched helicopters setting off avalanche bombs most days which was crazy to see. Food and drink eating out was very expensive 7-8 Euro a beer, so we didn't bother all week as self catering was cheap enough. As a pure skiing/snowboarding holiday it was perfect, and about the same price as coming to Borovets all in all, but not the best place for beginners. Most of the family went into group lessons to start with but left them after the first day as the instructor was a rude prat, telling a friend over his mobile how rubbish everyone was , but not realising my stepdad spoke fluent French who translated everything he said. There was Zero atmosphere or charm in the resort, unlike Borovets, and it was not long before we decided that this would only be a back up destination if Borovets snow was poor again, and that our skiing holiday is not complete without the friendly welcoming atmosphere we only find in Borovets.
We all missed all our friends in Boro that make the holiday something special which this French ski trip was not.
All in all the snowboarding was epic and generally a good ski holiday, but fingers crossed for Borovets next season as we will all return back depending on snow conditions, and some of us will be out in March if it starts to dump real soon as we need our dose of the place we've all fallen in love with BOROVETS!!!
I would imagine most people who are a bit down on the place this year due to the conditions and who try elsewhere will be of the same opinion as us and be glad to return back ASAP if its not only skiing/boarding their looking for but relaxation and charm and a friendly familiar face, as we found none of this in Flaine.

forgot -there are no striptease bars there, no annoying bar touths everywhere, there are 2 free lifts(yes Borosport FOC),there is a weekly programe for all tourists to benefit, everywhere (more or less there) is ski-in and ski-out accommodation, no queues, no rusty lifts, coffees around are only 2 euros, the transfer from Geneva is perfect (the shortest),Geneva airport is less than 2 hours from UK, you can see Mont Blanc (the Mecca for all alpine lovers) next door , there is free sporting hall pass with your lift pass, and MOST IMPORTANTLY: THERE IS SNOW AND PLENTY OF IT(officially Flaine is the resort with the highest snow fall in the Western Alps.
Forgot -there are times more runs.
I have seen in Bulgaria ski instructors which are a++ +++++(one -don't want to name him-last season was just waiting pretty with group of little English kids on the Mussala Path without moving a limb and at the same time one of his pupills was strugling to stand up tangled in a mess of bush branches.
I stopped to help the poor boy and made a remark to the Prima Donna ski instructor from Borosport and filled a complain with their head office BUT TO NO RESULT.
the only thing which interest the ski instructors in BG is to get you to restaurant for lunch and to get their commission for doing so.
As soon as you refuse to eat in the fixed place-the attitude changes drastically.
Forgot-there are nowhere to be found dellerict little shacks serving fake alcohol in Flaine.
Reffering to the show bombing :this is NORMAL practice everywhere in the Alps to make sure they secure the ski area for the tourists which come to ski there.( some completely unheard practice for Bulgaria)
and more and more.
If you can only hear and understand the calling names of the Bulgarian ski instructors about their 'group for milking' for a week you would not believe the nastiness so one teacher in FRA saying in a slang (and understood perfectly by foreigner (fluent or not) has not hold any ground I am afraid.
Glad you had enjoyed The Alps, the snow, the air ,the dramatic views, everything really.

Great write up Paul & Trish. Had the same experience when I first started skiing back in 1999 (late starter skiing) in Austria. Having been coming to Borovets past 13 years this season undeniably has got to have been the worse and I feel very sorry for all the new skiers/boarders who have come to Borovets. All I can say is hang in there newbies well worth cooming back next season. Unfortunately for me I may have to give Borovets next year a miss, as a return visit to Banff Canada is on the cards.

S.P.
Ski Hard.

Paul and Trish,

glad you had a great time on the Grand Massif. My wife and I were due to go to Borovets but due to the conditions we cancelled and went to the same mountain. We stayed at Morillon1100. We didn't have lessons so did not experience any rude teachers. What I would say is that all of the local people we met whether the gondola staff, Bar or restaurant staff they were all really friendly. As Colin said, no strip clubs or touts either.I didn't miss hearin drunk English girls arguing outside my accommodation at 3 in the morning this year either.


We were self catering and used the local supermarket for some top notch steak wine and beer!

We drove ourselves from Geneva which was really easy. The Grand Massif in my opinion should not be considered a back up resort to Borovets. I agree Flaine itself is not a particularly attractive resort but all of the small villages slightly lower down the mountain are beautiful with loads of charm and you can ski in ski out!

I too loved Boro and really did not want to change but im converted I doubt we will return. Colin I am with you.

sorry Dave forgot the main bit about the forfait seasonaire (seasonal lift pass) which even in the most expensive places in Europe if bought before start of season is CHEAPER than relevant pass in Bulgaria.(the comparison is just not possible) considering what you get.
In all french people are very warm and friendly providing you know at least few words in their lingo( that should be anyway and anywhere)
You want see the lagger louds all over the place , sorry people these are not STAG DESTINATIONS so the place is relax,perfect infrastructure, good facilities (top to bottom of the range prices for all types.
AND THAT IS FOR MOST OF HUMAN SKI RESORTS IN WESTERN ALPS NOT JUST FLAINE i must say.
Any resort you people bring to the table will have all of the above.
Food for a lot of thought isn't it ?
It is very easy to choose the better option I would say rather than grinding into the same old story again and again.
WAKE UP BULGARIA ! (Borovets.Pamporovo,Bansko etc)
You are at the end and have to do something drastic and very quick!!

Colin, great observations, and to a degree, completely right... apart from the French attitude.. sorry, after 12 winter seasons working in the French Alps, to find a good one is the exception... and i spoke French

That apart you are correct, Bulgaria needs to wake up... comparing to purpose built French resorts though, lets be honest, we do not want them here, hideous concrete tower block monstrosities perched on top of mountains (Avoriaz, Les Menuire, Arc 2000)... better to look to Austria, small village atmosphere with tree lined skiing, interesting steep twisting runs, traditional buildings to low level, good road communication and working relationships between ski villages to offer expansive skiing to visitors.... This would be possible in Bulgaria, unlikely i know in the present climate, but possible. Bulgaria has charm, it has history, it has tradition... its people the reverse of the French in my experience, to find a bad one is the exception... sadly its the very small minority that dictate what is happening at the moment, and they have not got a bl**dy clue... Bansko is dictated to by a megalomaniac who is hell-bent on monopolising skiing in Bulgaria, not just Bansko, whose main drive is profits from every area, but who will ultimately fail as his attempts do not involve the major factors of service, quality, choice and value..... I am daily staggered by the ineptness of a supposed international business, surely they must have advisers ? but i suppose if the cash tills are still ringing (the emphasis being on cash ) then they will continue, there profits will shrink, they will increase prices further, further reducing their profits (why do they do that here ???) and hopefully in the end decide that its not profitable enough, and sell i'm praying that a ski company buys it

Hi Paul,
We missed having you all here this season, but you made the right call.
We have had very little snow and it has only been possible to ski on the slopes with snow cannons.
Sandra just phoned from Borovets and said it is 19C infront of Ice Angels, here in Samokov out on our balcony it is 23C. It is just like a summers day.
If we do get more snow it will be great to see you here in March, we are in the mountains and the weather can change dramaticaly, but it is a bit hard to imagine when we have this hot weather now.
We hope this gives Borosport the wake up call they need to cover all the runs with snow cannons.
Say hello to all the family and we hope for better next season.