 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
This is a great forum and I've done some homework already. I'm just looking for some input as it's all a little scary. We have taken some lessons at the snow centre and would like to go away for a week in mid march from London. It's mine and my girlfriends first time skiing.
The main things we are after is - good snow, being close to runs, nice village feel, not to intimidating, good beginner setup(nursery runs etc).
Le Arcs - comes up a lot in searches but don't know best village for beginners.
Alp d Hues - looks perfect but is the village a bit big?
Saalbach - looks good and half the price. Is it good for beginners and good snow?
Val Thoren - looks great ski in ski out but people say it's not a beginner resort.
It's all so confusing. Please if you have any recommendations on these or any other that would be amazing.
Thank you for reading,
P
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Val Thorens was my second week in the mountains and I had a great time! Tons of really nice friendly blues that really let you get round the mountain, have some lessons in the morning and you will have a fantastic time exploring.
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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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Shoeblue, welcome to Snowheads.  Most important factor is probably quality of ski school - you need guaranteed small group (max 6 people). You could look at Les Gets - not intimidating at all, excellent ski schools, including BASS.
Almost all resorts have good nursery slopes but not all have a gentle progression from there - sometimes the next step up can seem quite a big one. But you have plenty of time to research, and mid March is a good time to choose. Don't rush into booking somewhere.
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I would definitely not recommend Val Thorens for your trip this year. Save it for when you have done a few years skiing and can make the most of the rest of the 3 valleys. Les Arcs better than Val T but would still not choose it for a first trip.
If you want somewhere with good beginner skiing and a pleasant village I'd suggest looking at Les Saisies, La Clusaz (nice village with good choice of hotels but ski area not all linked), Montgenevre, Les Carroz, Valmorel and Val Cenis. I think Les Carroz would be best all round for your requirements if you stayed in accommodation right by the piste. We stayed in Les Chalets de Jouvence (luxury self catering with pool/spa) but if you want catered there is a place called the Milk Hotel and I think a couple of other options near the piste (cannot remember the exact names).
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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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Shoeblue,
I don't know if price is a factor, but as pam w, says, quality of ski school should have a heavy weighting when working out your requirements, and then gentle progression of difficulty in slopes.
Nextly, given your level, you might could consider a small(er)ish resort, with small(er)ish prices. Bear in mind, that ski schools in France, are going to be mainly French, while if you venture over to Swizterland, Austria or Italy, you're likely to get more of choice.
You might want to mention if you looking for catered of self catering, and private or group lessons. I'd agree with PamW, Les Gets is a friendly place for folks making their first turns, plenty of catered or self catered places as well, even if Les Gets is in France! At least in France the hot chocolate you get on the mountain is decadent to make any pain from ill timed fall in the snow go away. Can't say the same for Switzerland.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for all the replies. My girlfriend is vegetarian so maybe self catered but catered don't really mind. Our budget can go up to 600 per person max but would like to keep it affordable as I'm guessing we will have to keep in mind lift passes, rentals, lessons. She would like a bit of a romantic element I'm sure. We are both in our early 30s so après would be nice but not a sticking point.
It really is all about the ski school and easy of progression as you guys have said. All your suggestions make sense. It's just a bit harder to find the smaller less intimidating resorts on google. I would consider Austria or other places but again nothing really came up in my searches. We would prefer a package for our first time.
I ve snowboarder and want my girlfriend to have a good time and get hooked. Once she likes it then maybe next year we can venture out more. That why I want to find the right place.
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Those places I mentioned come up on iglu ski except val Thoren. Then Saalbach and kaprun come up for Austria and passo tonale for Italy.
So many places
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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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Shoeblue, In summary
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Le Arcs - comes up a lot in searches but don't know best village for beginners.
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Arc 1600 is very friendly, but IMHO the slopes are a bit steep for beginners, 1800 is much, much bigger and has excellent beginners area, vallandry is a bit more spread out but also has an excellent beginners area at over 2000m so holds it snow well, 2000 is the highest village but the slopes get a bit crowded. I know little about 1950, just occasionally ski through it. The ESF has a good reputation and there are a number of independent schools. For an absolute beginner my choice would be Vallandry.
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Alp d Hues - looks perfect but is the village a bit big?
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Good choice but it is a bit bigger than the individual les arcs villages. IIRC the beginners areas are good but the return expert skiers hurtle past you as they return to the village. I have no report of the ski school.
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Saalbach - looks good and half the price. Is it good for beginners and good snow?
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I have been there so I had better not say anything
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Val Thoren - looks great ski in ski out but people say it's not a beginner resort.
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It is not a beginners resort, but beginners do go there and have a very enjoyable time. If I was going the 3 valleys I would go to either Courchevel 1650 or Les Menuires.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Austrians speak very good English on the whole but it is a long time since I've skied in Austria so am not sure of the best resorts for beginners.
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Plenty of SHs know Austria well and could probably recommend the right kind of ski school, or an individual instructor for private lessons (which, if the two of you are the same level, could work very well). It's not just language - small groups make a vast difference. If you're number 8, 9 or 10 behind an instructor who is laying down a nice line for the first couple of people in the snake it doesn't matter how good their English, you might not learn a lot.
One factor in favour of Austria is that lessons are often all-day. Instructors will find the right terrain for you - if you are having all day lessons I'd say the choice of resort is a bit less important. But skiing on your own in the afternoons when you are inexperienced, in many resorts, can be quite intimidating, especially in bad visibility or other difficult conditions.
Your £600 budget is just for travel and accommodation, presumably? Most catered packages will be a bit more than that but you could well get a last minute package in mid March.
France isn't great for vegetarians, though a British-run chalet would probably be a better bet than a French hotel. Not sure how vegetarians fare in Austria but there's a lot of pig about, as there is in France.
Self catering would probably be cheapest though only if you actually do self-cater!
This is a funny season for snow and weather (a group of us are currently stuck in an Italian resorts with absurd quantities of snow, warm weather, high avalanche risk and no lifts open). I'd be inclined to do lot of research now, but not book anything till much nearer the time. Apart from finding good last minute bargains you'll also have a good idea of what the snow cover is like. If possible you need somewhere with proper snow - man-made can be markedly less pleasant to ski on and the "white strips through a brown landscape" look is not very romantic.
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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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Might I suggest Livigno?
It is 1800 meters, tonnes of snow, so you can count on there being plenty still in mid march. Plenty of pasta dishes for vegetarians, when all else fails. Lot's of hotels have wellness centers, for the romantic appeal. Quaint shopping, for when all else fails, duty free, though the deals aren't really that spectacular, but good eye-candy.
Lots of accommodations are nearly slope side... It's going to be markedly cheaper that French solutions.
Though, if PamW can hook you up with her private instructor, that would trump any other suggestions. Proper instruction and sunshine make life good on a skiing holiday, when just starting out, the rest is fluff.
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Might I suggest Livigno?
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+1, also Passo Tonale in Italy.
There are a number of resorts in Austria as well, but it depends upon what floats your boat.
I wouldn't recommend l'Alpe d'Huez for your first week - it's a fantastic resort with a lot of skiing for begginers, but not first week. It's comparatively expensive: lift pass, tuition, food and drink, and you'd be spending alot of money and only seeing a fraction of the slopes.
Rather than use google, IMO you would be better off looking in Tour Operator mags then go to www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com and see if you like the look of a resort from what they say, or come back here for opinions 
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You know it makes sense.
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Livigno and Passo Tonale wouldn't score high on my "romantic" scale! Some pretty Austrian village with trees in the vicinity would be a lot more romantic though Livigno might well have better snow - nowhere is very romantic with filthy old snow and skidmarks.
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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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Passo Tonale is one of the many Italian passes which is closed at the moment - not that that's relevant for a holiday in mid March!
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Poster: A snowHead
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So I have spoke to BASS and 2 tour operators.
BASS only have availability at Morzine and not Les Gets for mid march.
Tour operator 1 recommends Belle / La Plagne
Tour operator 2 recommends Arc 1950
I guess they are my 3 options for the moment. People mentioned to hold off on booking to find a deal and watch the snow report. How long you usually wait before booking? What do you guys think of those 3 options?
thanks a bunch again : )
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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pam w,
In principle you are correct. But given the way it's been going this year, stranger things have happened! It wouldn't deter me from booking there.
Shoeblue,
I'm going to let someone else give their opinion, the only place I've been of the three you mentioned is Morzine, and I liked it there. I was there during school holidays and it was crowded, but mid march you shouldn't really have that problem. Morzine is charming. Can't speak to the rest.
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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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I don't think you need to limit yourselves to resorts with BASS ski schools. Eg. Apeak (ESI) are very good in Montgenevre. Most of the main TOs go to Montgenevre and it has an excellent beginners area.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I did see Montgenevre and liked the look of it. i even put it by both operators but for some reason they are steering me in the above options. I even think it has the most snow at the moment.
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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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Go to somewhere small and quaint. When you get the bug you'll want more extensive slopes but for a beginner you dont need that so you never get the chance again. leave La Plagne, Les Arcs, 3V etc for later.
Try Ste Foe, Puy, or Alpach, St Johann in T, Adelboden etc etc
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Arc 1950 is the prettiest to the villages in Les Arcs. I believe that most of the schools operate out of Arc 2000, I'm not sure any start from 1950 (correct me if I'm wrong). You get a very short loft/gondola from 1950 to 2000 (2 mins) and walk a couple of minutes to the ski school meeting points so its no big deal. The self catering accommodation in 1950 is of a high standard and there is a decent shop there. Nightlife is limited as it is across Les Arcs. I learned to snowboard about 10 years ago and found it excellent. My wife learned to ski a couple of years back from 1950 (well 2000) and she also found it excellent. We went to Tignes the year after she learned and she found the blues a lot more challenging than those in Les Arcs. I would suggest going for the private lessons for the 2 of you. In my opinion its a very worthwhile investment. You get complete attention from the instructor and there is less hanging around waiting for the rest of the group. Again that's a personal opinion.
I think there are a lot of excellent wide cruisey blue runs around 1800 which a beginner of your age should graduate to reasonably quickly. There are also plenty of suitable runs around 1950 but probably not as many as 1800. However the accommodation around 1950 will probably be nicer and the village prettier. Like I said my wife learned along with another female friend of ours (both late twenties) and they both loved 1950 so I would recommend it. Its at high altitude, pretty snow sure, well connected lift system, plenty of ski in / ski out accommodation and plenty of ski schools to choose from. I don't think you'd regret it.
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Ste Foy would be a good choice.
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FAQ
Some, however, are in resorts which are bigger, busier more expensive and/or more difficult than you need as beginners. Les Gets is an exception and there are a number of highly recommended ski schools, and some Snowheads who are based there and know the place well.
