Dimwit Newbie Skiier - advice needed from experienced ski bods (please!)

A snowHead

magic_hat, Being a beginner myself last year, I had no constructive advice to give you until you changed your 'country' rule. Like easiski , I also live most of the time in France. You will find that the mountains in winter take on a different 'life', even compared to the same areas in Summer. Trust everyone's view on this , you will get to love it!

If you are considering France in January, you should also consider places like Megeve and Les Gets - or somehere like Les Deux Alpes (easiski was too polite to mention that she teaches skiing there- I have never been there but it was where I was advised to learn by French folks). I leant to ski in Les Gets last year and it has some qualities that you may choose or otherwise:

Village atmosphere and not excessively clubby
The English have moved in
Very family oriented , which means that it will be quieter in January outside school holidays !
Good Absolute Beginner and Improving Beginner facilities
All the instructors there speak English ( they have to as up to 50% of their clientele will be Brits)
Good reasonable hotels nr the centre which are used by several UK TOs, also several catered chalets

I was lucky enough to take private lessons and although you may well prefer to be part of a smallish group, I found that the 2-1 group advanced my learning consiferably. If funds permit try and fit in a couple - my own experience would suggest that these needn't be the first lessons but sometime when you have learnt to a) Stand -up and move downhill under control and b) later when you are trying to 'Go parallel. However when that may be will depend on your learning curve
Blush

I got hooked -- hope you do too !

A snowHead

I'd certainly put Les Gets on the list too. I learnt there with the British Scool, but I understand the guy who tought me has now gone private for lessons, ski tours etc.
By no means is Les Gets an excessively British resort, although a lot of brits do own chalets there. Best of all is the massive ski area, all pretty well linked, and even the ability to swap 1 day of the PdS week pass for a day at the Grand Massif. Also very convenient for GVA. In Jan (certainly late Jan) there should be ample snow. I've had a few weather scares the week or so before going, but each time I've been there has been a dump during the week.
PdS will allow you to do 2 countries in the same day/week too (another good reason for scrapping that rule Wink

)

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

magic_hat, given that you've now changed from your no country twice rule I will therefore suggest Wengen in Switzerland which will fulfil all of your other criteria, except of course price as it won't be as cheap as places like Andora, it's no more expensive than most French resorts and is definately not the most expensive area in Switzerland

Help!!

Dimwit Newbie Skiier - advice needed from experienced ski bods (please!)

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste