 Poster: A snowHead
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Now the summer hols are over it's time to get back to work. No, sorry, it's time to start thinking about the next hols...
I'm looking for a place to take the family for skiing at Christmas (thus avoiding the usual "turkey and presents" cr@p), but I'm concerned that the demands of beginner slopes and altitude enough for snow may be mutually exclusive.
Does anyone have any experience of good places for beginners to ski at Christmas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jezzah, welcome to snowHeads! 
Andorra is a great place to learn, not sure what it's like at Christmas. Another option would be the East Coast of the US - it won't be too busy, and there are some great instructors. (if you decide to go there, let me know which resort, and I'll get you the name of a good instructor)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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jezzah, welcome to Snowheads. Have a look in The Snow shops for our ad www.tracksvacations.com. We're based in La Rosiere 1850, which has a very good snow record, it's also a good resort for all levels. You can find more information from a click through to La rosiere on our site.
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Austria has brilliant atmoshere for Christmas and although lowish tends to get snow early from Russia.
How I agree about missing the turgid English Xmas!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I've been in Courchevel every Christmas for the past five or six years. It's a great resort for beginners, with good range of easy slopes and a couple of first class ski schools. Snow has always been at least adequate, often better. If you stay in the highest village, 1850, you are likely to ski back to the resort even if conditions are poor.
Regards
Rob
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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jezzah, we've had a run of good or reasonably good Christmases recently in the Alps but bear in mind that snow is far from guaranteed in the early season. The risk of poor snow probably runs at about 10 to 20 per cent, even in moderately high resorts, if one looks at patterns over the past couple of decades. There was a particularly poor run of early winters in the late 1980s.
If you beginners want the best possible experience don't jump at Christmas, especially if this will be your only ski holiday of the winter. Go much later and enjoy what will probably be lower prices, much better snow accumulations and better weather. Sun and warmth are really of value when you're learning, because you'll be moving slowly and standing around quite a bit.
If you really want to go at Christmas, wait until the snows are proven in the first or second week of December. I know this sounds crazy (it isn't) but my wife learned to ski in late May on the Austrian glaciers. That's an unusual approach, but you're almost certainly better off in - say - mid April on high slopes than Christmas.
Whatever, I can thoroughly recommend the two guides 'Good Skiing Guide' (Consumers Association) and 'Where to Ski'. You should find them in the library, and they will give you loads of advice on resorts and snow reliability.
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jezzah, as David Goldsmith says, Christmas is not a snowsure time of year for the Alpes, it is not the cheapest time of year either.
Your best bet is a high altitude resort with an established record for good snow cover at that time of year, you can actually get that information from the Ski Club website, all you have to do is register your email address with the site, if your not willing to do that, then the books David mentioned will help you.
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jezzah, if you are set on France, one of the newer purpose-built places is more likely to have snow than lower traditional type resorts. And being huge, there are probably going to be some good beginners' areas somewhere in the complex.
The SCGB 11 year snow record for La Plagne doesn't look too bad then. But avoid the lower parts of LP that early or late season. (Cannot link directly to the SCGB Historical Records) Les Arcs, Tignes, or the 3 Valleys are worth considering. The highest in resort in France Val Thorens but it could be cold, wet and poor viz up there late December. Friend of mine did not enjoy an Xmas ski holiday there 2 years ago. But weather and snow are so variable anywhere in Europe, unfortunately. Good luck.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| rob@rar.org.uk wrote: |
I've been in Courchevel every Christmas for the past five or six years. It's a great resort for beginners, with good range of easy slopes and a couple of first class ski schools. Snow has always been at least adequate, often better. If you stay in the highest village, 1850, you are likely to ski back to the resort even if conditions are poor.
Regards
Rob |
I'd second that. Courchevel is a tremendous place for beginners. Especially 1850 where there are 2 or 3 gondalas you can take and get to nice green and blue beginner runs.
I'd be a bit hesitant about going there at Xmas though. I'd prefer to go somewhere with a glacier so early in the season.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Welcome to snowHeads!
If you really are worried about snow depths etc then one option for a high resort is Val D'Isere. Lots of varied runs and plenty for beginners.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks to everyone for the advice. We are looking at Christmas because of school holidays, and on France because ... we live in France. Also I thought perhaps that as resorts will be quieter at Christmas than in peak season it might be less intimidating for beginners than jostling with crowds of experienced skiers.
Looks like I have some research to do! 
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Other than the size of the resort, you might like to consider the following... if you are absolute beginners, it's amazing how much the basic mechanics of walking in ski boots, getting to the lifts etc can take out of you. With a bit of research, if you can ensure your accommodation is right on an easy slope, that's a real bonus. Not so important when you become a 'ski pro'! Don't believe the brochures... "on the slopes" can translate as an uphill walk of some distance. Double check.
If you have a young family, better still, find somewhere to stay really close to the ski school - assuming you want to use one. Walk out of door, a few metres to the meeting point for lessons, nothing better.
Ok, in a big resort you won't see much of the domain as a beginner, but don't let this put you off. Most do deals for smaller parts of the domain at cheaper prices, some have free beginners' slopes. Les Arcs (Arc 1800) for example.
Crowds? As a beginner you'd be more affected by this. The crowds are mostly around resort level, which as a novice one can hardly avoid.
Take a few dry slope/ snowdome lessons first if you can! I'm assuming you're complete beginners, if not, ignore most of the above!
Whereabouts are you in France? If in the Dordogne for example, some Pyrenean resorts are within easy reach.
Snow cover - beginners have little to worry about early in the season, other than in extreme cases there's usually more than enough. Reminds me of my first trip to the 3 Valleys, the week before Christmas plus Xmas week. We stayed in St Martin de Belleville, and the farthest we ever skied was to Les Menuires and back. Took us all day too. Still, as far as I recall we only had St Martin passes, a snip when you consider the cost for the whole 3 Valleys domain.
Much depends on the age of your kids, whether or not anyone has skied before, etc, so I'm sure if you could let us have a few more details, snowHeads will come up with advice aplenty!
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi again - to flesh out our personal details a bit: I have done some XC and ski-touring and a day aimlessly snowploughing round Les 2 Alpes. My wife and daughter (11) have never skied before, so good tuition is important. We are looking for a week's holiday over Xmas, with the emphasis on "stress-free", so catered accomodation, close to facilities, are a plus. Probably our knees will not stand a week's solid skiing, so if there are other activities so much the better! We live in Paris which is already a fair drive to the Alps, so going further is not very attractive.
cheers!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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jezzah, I know you have asked for French resorts, but why not Swiss ones ? there is a regular TGV service from Paris to Bern and from there a couple of hours train journey could get you to several resorts, I'm known for my bias towards Wengen, which has excellent beginner facilities with multilingual teachers and the starter slopes in the middle of the resort, it's ideal for children with its near traffic free streets, the only problem is the possible lack of decent snow at Christmas, but there are plenty of things to do in addition to the skiing, there's an ice rink next to the beginner slopes, several tobbogan runs in the area, some great begginer to intermediate skiing and several tourist attractions such as the revolving restaurant of Piz Gloria where the Bond movie OHMSS was filmed back in 1969
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd third Courchevel for Christmas - we'll be there!! In terms of accommodation, I wholeheartedly agre with PG on the 'no walking' for beginners policy. There are plenty of places at 1850 whcih are literally on the piste - but that means either a ski down or a lift up and then ski down to the ski school meeting points, which poses something of a problem for the absolute beginner in the first few days. If you wnat to go to 1850, then that means accommodation around the Croisetter - hotels les anemones and la croisette (aka jump bar, run by a british couple) are nice and close. In 1650 the signal (currently undergoing massive reconstruction) and golf fit the bill. beware of low lying accommodation in 1650, entailing much marching up steps. Let me know if you need advice on locations - I may well be able to help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'm doing something simliar this xmas, group of 4, all never skied etc...So i've taken to this thread quite a bit.
Couchevel does look good for novices but i read that Courchevel was pretty packed out during the peak season, oh and its a bit on the low side, which made me put it to one side for awhile. Is it much of a problem or am i being too paranoid about everything?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Neptune, there are 4 locations in Courcheval, 1850 which has the best skiing but is expensive, 1650, 1550 and 1350. It does get heavily booked at peak periods but so does just about every major Alpine resort. Christmas week is usually not as busy as New Year because most of the French stay at home for Christmas, the New Year is their big holiday period.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I've skied Christmas week in Courchevel several times. Crowds are never a problem - lift queus and pistes aren't that busy, although there are enough people around to create a great atmosphere. As David said, it gets much busier in the week around New Year. The to most village, 1850, is not low (even if it's actually at 1760 metres!).
Regards
Rob
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Cathy Coins, i'm a 1.5day skier. Went to Mt. Buller last summer...half way round the globe...dont ask, so i'm just about alright. But i'll suggest that to friends going.
May look at Courchevel then afterall. Thanx.
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Jezzah
A couple of thoughts. The week leading up to Xmas is likely to be quiet but the week between xmas and New Year I would of thought might be busy as New Year is at a weekend this year and this is the week most people will be going for. I don't have much experience of France at this time of the year but my experience of Austria / switzerland is that hotels tend to sell out a long time in advance.
Another resort to consider is Montgenevre. It has excellent beginners slopes, with a reasonable snow record and some snow making as a back up. From Paris it is fairly easily reached by train either TGV to Oulx in Italy or overnight train to Briancon from both of which it is a short bus or taxi trip. This saves you having a long drive with the possibility of fitting chains in the dark. If you do not think you will be skiing all the time the old fortified town at Briancon is well worth a visit and only a short trip away. If you enjoy xcountry there is a beautiful valley with extensive xcountry tracks nearby at Valle Claree.
If you are commited to going by car it is a significantly longer drive than Courchevel or more northern resorts, it will however be a lot cheaper than Courchevel which has a reputation of being one of the most expensive resorts in the alps.
T Bar
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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jezzah, My boyfriend and I went to the new village of Arc 1950 (just below Arc 2000 in the Les Arc area) over xmas and new year last season and because of the altitude - the snow was fantastic on all the beginner slopes at Arc 2000.
I was concerned about the same thing as my boyfriend had never snowboarded before and a lot of the other lower level resorts didn't have enough snow on the beginners slopes. He was also not to keen going on the chairlift having not boarded before so we were pleased to find a free gondola which takes you directly from Arc 1950 to the beginners slopes at Arc 2000 (takes about 3mins!) We were also pleased to find the area not very crowded at all compared to a lot of places I have been during that busy period.
This is where we stayed www.arc1950lodge.co.uk and it was the best Xmas I've every had - its self catering so we did actually manage to cook a roast dinner!
Have fun!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Alpe d'Huez is at 1850 slopes for beginners up to 2100 so snow is generally pretty good at this time of the year. There is the largest number of snow cannons here in Europe - 700 in case conditions are not ideal and other activities for children are second to none. I think on the whole throughout France the New Years week tends to be busiest and Christmas is still spent at home so in terms of queues I think that Christmas - certainly here is derfinately a good option. Just beware with the transfer days as both 'important' days fall on the Saturday so check the travel options - many are doing a 10 night stay or Sun to Sun holiday. If you would like more info re. ADH check out www.mountain-logistics.net or www.alpedhuez.com 
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jezzah, I'd second La Rosiere. It's calmer and less crowded than most of the other French resorts mentioned (it's semi-boring and has many drag lifts, perhaps explaining why the crazed boarder contingent is much smaller than elsewhere), the locals are the friendliest you will find in France - that includes the ski instructors, the convenience does not come at a steep price (à la Courch 1850), there's good terrain for beginners and the slopes are graded higher than at (for example) Val d'Isère (blues and reds at La Rosiere that would be greens at Val). Many (most?) accommodations have a breathtaking view across the valley.
And no, I don't even have a place to let there! (That's a  to you, David@traxvax). It's just a special low-key kind of place. We're going back at the end of the year. Cannot wait!
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You know it makes sense.
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Cee Bee, drop in for a beer or a glass of wine, we'd be delighted to see you, we're right opposite Le chalet restaurant, where you'll also get a warm welcome from Toni & Tatti. You're right, everyone is so friendly and there is a marvellous atmosphere about the village. don't agree with the boring though, the apres-ski can get pretty lively, wait until you've experiencd a karaoke evening in Arpin's bar. Or we'll introduce you to the delights of Willy's bar, Mark Hunter really got into the spirit of things there.
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FAQ
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