France April 17

A snowHead

Having just come back from our first family ski holiday in canada and still buzzing we are alrady thinking about next year. I can only manage one week off, the first week of April, so North America is probably out. Doing a few rough searches some of the big name French resorts are surprisingly cheap - I think it might not be school holidays for many. Our son will be 6 next year, and has graduated from the nursery slopes to doing Canadian blue runs with confidence - and can't wait to go again. MrsJ and I were getting confident on the black runs in Banff, but not really into off-piste. MrsJ likes the steeper stuff whereas as I get older I'm increasingly happy to cruise anything as long as I'm in the mountains!

So criteria for our holiday are number 1 snowsure, above all else. We don;t want to go with a specialist family company, this year we just used a mix of ski school and skiing with us sometime. This year we'd probably put him in lessons in the monring and one or both of us ski with him in the afternoons. He managed skiing for most of a day this year so shouldn't be too much. Not too bothered about us going out in the evening without him. We want an apartment rather than a hotel so we can all chill out when he's asleep, and we are an anti-social family who don;t like other people(!!!) so a chalet is out. Ski in-ski out isn't cruicial, we managed with the ski buses just fine in Banff. we will mostly ski but things like a pool for the afternoons would be great. Options for eating out with our son would be good, as we don't want to cook too much. I like a decent sized ski area so I can feel like I'm travelling somewhere and exploring it.

I've not skied much in France so don't know the resorts but looking at places that would be likely to be snowsure in April I've come up with Val DIsere, Tignes, Val Thorens or Arc 1950. Any ideas which of these might be best for our skiing?

Thanks

A snowHead

@TommyJ, I think Tignes would tick all your boxes for an advance booking.
However if you can avoid school holiday weeks, and wait to see where snow is still good, you could broaden your options and probably get a great late booking deal in early April.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@TommyJ, as an owner in 1950, obviously I'm going to recommend it - but seriously, it does tick the boxes. From high quality apartments, to afternoon options with indoor / outdoor pools, and plenty of restaurants (8 at the last count), and which are far improved over a few years ago! With car free streets, plus family entertainments included, as well as the whole of Paradiski (literally) on your doorstep, it really ought to be in the mix.

Feel free to ask questions.

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We can't avoid the school holidays unfortunately. Not going to open that can of worms but I don't want to take my boy out of school. However our LEA always take the first two weeks of April off, irrespective of when Easter is, which is why I think the first week of April is looking a bit cheaper.
Even if its not holidays for everyone I'm not brave enough to go for a last minute booking and risk getting nothing, so I need to look for a snow sure option.
Arc1950 does look good to me. Is Les Arcs reasonably reliable for snow in April? How busy is it likely to be? I know we have been spoilt in Canada, but whilst I can cope with a lift queue I am much less fond of crowded pistes.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The first week of April isn't school holidays for many, so you're in luck. It's much cheaper to rent apartments in France then, too. You could book flights to Geneva when they become available (easyJet flights aren't out yet, that far ahead) and see how the snow is going. A car hired in Geneva will put you within easy reach of a vast range of resorts, including the ones you mention.

If snow conditions are good, you won't need to go to one of those really high (and expensive) resorts. There will be no possibility of "ending up with nothing". It's not a main holiday week and there's a big surplus of accommodation outside holiday weeks - and even at Easter, especially in resorts not on the big tour operator lists, when prices for accommodation are often as low as they are in mid January.

In fact, the first week of April 2017 should be an excellent week to go skiing!

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Big Fan of VT at that time of the year-been there for the last three years and already booked apartment for next year-fortunately, our schools are off 25th March (and I'm a teacher) so we get that cheaper week, but our 2 (proper) bed apartment is only £700 for the following two weeks. Cheaper than Arc1950 I suspect. Although the weather for the last two years has not been vintage (warm and soggy, strong winds for a number of days ) at least it was snowing where we were-it was raining lower down. We just get the VT pass which is more than enough to play with for the week with the kids-not least, because unlike many resorts, all 150 km is open as it is 2300m+. All in all, difficult to beat?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I think Arc 1950 would fit the bill. Good size self catering apartments, good choice of restaurants, fairly snowsure above Arc 1950, access to a large ski area but still easy to get back for ski school pick up. Pretty tree lined runs in Vallandry - which I would say are a plus of Les Arcs v Val Thorens - from Val thorens you'd have to ski to Meribel to see trees which might not be that easy for your kids if they are in the early stages of ski school. The deep nature spa at Arc 1950 is fairly good - adult only. The residence pools are so so but adequate.

After all it is free

I like Les Arcs and have skied there many times. I wonder, in a typical season, whether the snow cover is good enough to really enjoy those lovely tree lined runs at lowish altitude in April?
The OP wants 'snowsure above all else'.

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Like all investments, past performance is no guide to future whatsits... but this year, we were skiing happily in the trees to Vallandry / Peisey and even Villaroger well into the second week in April (albeit 1800 was a bit mushy come 3pm). And don't forget, direct from 1950 even the route down to Pre St Esprit is tree lined, as is, now I come to think about it, Eidelweiss for 500m of run above 1950.
In fact looking at the 1950 webcams tonight, and despite being closed, there is plenty of snow falling!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@Arctic Roll, I'd second that - in fact on 12 April, we even skied down towards Villaroger (very bottom section shut, but think the lift we came back up on started around 1400m)

snow reports

I'd suggest booking flights and car right now, as they are very cheap (c. £50/person each way for flights, and £150/week for car) then you can decide the resort later.

Courchevel 1850.
Val d'Isere.
Zermatt.
Lech.

You know it makes sense.

I can't book right now! Still got the credit card from Banff to pay off!! But thanks for all the great ideas and suggestions.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Despite being a VT fan, I'd 2nd Courchevel if the wallet can stand it. Great for intermediates, pretty high and north facing and has some trees down to La Tania to hide in if the weather demands it.

A snowHead

Did La Plagne mid April last year . . plenty of snow, and checking cams this season is even better for the time of year . . .you can ski Les Arcs on the same pass

A snowHead

Stayed in Les Arcs for Feb half term and La Plagne for the first week in Aprul with my young family - and I'd recommend it for having plenty of snow and loads to do.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

That's the week I usually go and I don't think I can remember a week when there hasn't been plenty of snow. It can be a bit slushy in the pm and a little thin on the very lowest slopes, but generally I'd say you can go to any of the medium to high resorts in the Alps without fear.

@TommyJ, have a look at the webcams on Bergfex. You can access the last 180 days fir almost any resort, so have a look at a few and see what they looked like for that week.

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@TommyJ, You might consider factoring in the quality of tuiton for your son - we've always seen this is a big issue. If you are only skiing for one week, then getting the right tuition can be really important. At six he will benefit hugely from really good lessons. It need not be expensive. Great lessons are are not easy to find. Bad ones are common, mediocre ones are normal. Great ones are rare. Group size is really important. The official schools often have groups of 8 and upwards. Far too big. Increasingly, good schools are offering a maximum group size of 5. We have a connection with Crans Montana, and since some bad experiences with the official school in the early 2000s, we have always used Swiss Mountain Sports and they have been brilliant. Max size of 5, and my two frequently have been in a group of two - though never together; they ski at very different levels. My ten year old has benefitted hugely from the attention to technique and mountaincraft which SMS has given - he is a spectacular skier, and has been fingered for competition. It's all been down to the school, owned and run by a brilliant director, Yves Caillet. All his instructors want to give kids a base of the best possible technique, and spend a maximum time on the hill. The kids were taken into the real mountain environment as quickly as possible, and so learned skills relating to lifts, weather and snow conditions as well as skiing. The kids have had avi training and off piste experience, all as standard classes. Brilliant stuff.

Help!!

France April 17

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