 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, long-time lurker first-time poster.
We’ve two kids under 12, had a couple of trips to Borovets with them which went pretty well. Last time they were there the youngest just about got himself down what passes for a black (not my idea!) and was skiing reds reasonably well, though mostly still snowplow turning the steeper stuff.
We kind of like Borovets, especially the compact & ski-in ski-out nature (and the price! Though like most things it’s steadily creeping up…) But it feels like we might’ve outgrown it for the next trip. Which might be half term if we can afford it, or December next year if we can’t.
So on the lookout for something cheap(ish), kid-friendly but a bit more biased to blues/reds/occasional stretches of black.
Also on the lookout for something where the grownups can have a HOLIDAY. So that may rule out long drives to DIY locations etc. not too bothered about apres ski, but some kids activities might be nice.
So far resorts I’ve come up with include: Pila, Bardonecchia, Arinsal. Bansko maybe, but could be similar to Borovets.
Any thoughts from the Snow Heads hive mind?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Firstly as far as time of year goes, my personal preference is Feb is looking expensive/ crowded Early April is a better time to go with kids than December. Generally warmer lighter and often better snow.
Quite a few places in France can offer good value such as resorts in the Maurienne valley Further south Montgenevre is popular and Put St Vincent.
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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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@BillBasin, whereabouts do you live and what do you think is a reasonable budget? I agree with @T Bar, that Easter is the best time of year for value but DIY and (sometimes) longer transfers can increase your options.
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As suggested above take a look at some of the resorts in The Maurienne Valley such as Valmeinier and Valloire - good value, family friendly resorts easily accessible from Lyon, Grenoble or even Turin airports.
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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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Pila would be good too. Easy drive from Turin. And probably less overcrowded than France. I'd always steer clear of France at half term..
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Risoul
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| Klamm Franzer wrote: |
| @BillBasin, whereabouts do you live and what do you think is a reasonable budget? I agree with @T Bar, that Easter is the best time of year for value but DIY and (sometimes) longer transfers can increase your options. |
We’re in northern England. The Scottish airports and Newcastle are probably our best departure options, followed by Manchester.
Budget wise, good question. I tend to go for “as cheap as possible that meets the requirements”  Until recently those were: short transfers, beginner-friendly, stay in resort, two rooms. Hence Borovets, which ticks them all at relatively low prices. Not wanting to share a room with the kids pops the cost up a bit. I think the last trip was maybe 3.5-4K by the time lift tickets & food were included. A quick look online suggests it’s possible to get 7 days in Pila for a bit more than this at half term, which we could maybe stretch to.
These days transfer time is less of an issue and getting a shuttle from accommodation is probably fine, both of which seem to make Andorra an option on the low cost side. Still can’t walk too far with the youngest in boots.
Thanks to the folk who suggested France. I actually don’t know France very well and had ruled it out on the grounds of crowds in February. Maybe later in the season it’d be OK though.
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In Pila, it's a policy decision whether to stay up in the resort, or down in Aosta, and lift up to Pila. With kids, I'd stay up in Pila.
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I'd be hesitant about Arinsal with kids, horrible transfer to and Andorra resorts.
Pila seems to be a love it or hate it place, we didn't have the best conditions when we were there but the hotel TH I think was slopeside and had loads going on for kids so might be a shout.
Bansko is going to be busy, the resort has outgrown the ski area.
Never done Bardonecchia so can't comment.
If its a package holiday your doing maybe look at Neiderau in Austria - nice little area, bigger linked area up at Auffach and a great little village.
Or, left field, we had a great week in Sierra Nevada in Southern Spain over half term a couple of years ago, not too busy nice day out to Granade if you meed a day off.
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@BillBasin, I’ve skied in Pila at half term for the NW a few times. We’ve not done a full week, it was days out when we were in Courmayuer, we found it to absolutely fine, not too busy and enough for the level your kids are at. There’s a UK tour operator that uses Pila, so there will be some groups of school kids about, but it’s not a problem, they take the gondola up and down each day for Aosta, which is 20 mins or so, the ski school meeting places at the top of the gondola get busy just before 10 am and again at the end of the day from 4 pm onwards, if you avoid being there at those times it’s fine.
Have a look at DIY, If you can find good value flights to Turin or Milan, both are easy autostrada drives to Aosta, an apt in Aosta should be less than £1k giving you plenty of room for other stuff, easy pasta meals or pizzas in the apt, with a couple of nights out. If you do stay in Aosta, get to the Gondola base about 9 and you will avoid most of the school kids who get there later for ski school at 10.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@BillBasin, Later in the season France is very good value. Even in Feb I have been outside the peak French weeks and have found the Maurienne resorts no more crowded than a lot of other countries. Everywhere can get busy in Feb but I'd avoid the Paris holidays if they coincide with your half term dates.
Sunweb often have good packages which include lift passes.
I haven't been and its a bit of a drive from the airport but flights to Milan from Edinburgh are often reasonable and Livigno is meant to be very reasonably priced with high snow sure skiing.
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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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Plenty of smaller places in Austria that would also work i'd imagine.
Haven't been to most of these, but imagine they'd work well:
Axamer Lizum
Alpbach
St Johann in Tirol
Maria Alm
Obertauren
Kühtai
Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis
Seefeld
Just a few off the top of the head, but i'd imagine there's plenty more people could think of.
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Sometimes half term is busy in Austria too, with lots of UK visitors and others, especially if it coincides with Fasching.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks to the folk who suggested France. I actually don’t know France very well and had ruled it out on the grounds of crowds in February. Maybe later in the season it’d be OK though.[/quote]
No need to rule it out, just avoid the Brit tourist dominated resorts…longest queue at Val Cenis Feb half term last year 3 mins, longest queue at Valmeinier/Valloire previous feb half term was 4 mins due to a stopped lift.
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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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@BillBasin, I concur with others who suggested Pila, but I’m a huge fan of Alpe di Siusi / Seiser Alm (also Italy, but in the Dolomites) and rate it very highly for families with kids who ski (as you’ll see if you check out other posts of mine).
Leave skis/boots/helmets at the hub in Compatsch and ride the gondola up/down for a gentle start/end to the day. Stay in Siusi / Seis. Fly to Verona or Innsbruck. Italian/Tyrolean food = best of both worlds. Beautiful scenery. Sunny alpine pastureland. Excellent snow making.
https://www.seiseralm.it/en/holidays-in-the-dolomites.html
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Poster: A snowHead
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That's the second paeon of praise of Alpe di Siusi in a couple of days - it sounds terrific.
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