 Poster: A snowHead
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After just coming back from Norway, I now know that I am not cut out to be a speed freak! I absolutely loved cruising along on greens/easy blues, but just didn't "get it" for anything more difficult. I had some lessons and the instructer said that I was technically "very good" and my parallel/slide turns pretty good too. HOwever, I am just sooooooo slow. I felt that I was holding the rest of my family back, so made a few excuses and headed back to the hotel, which was fine. So, I'm now looking at next year and would like some idea of where would be good. I realise this post will be just wierd to a lot of you snowheads, and the idea of being stuck on these sort of runs would be a nightmare, but if anyone has any ideas that would be good. My ideal would be runs as above, ski in/out would be good, as few bloody button/drag lifts as possible and not too busy at Easter. We're pretty easy on where to go; somewhere pretty would be nice, but not essential. We went to Ellmau in Austria last year, but I couldn't hack many of the blue runs, although I've come on this year, so may be able to cope a bit better in the future (unless I forget it all over the course of a year that is!). Cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Les Saisies. Plenty of ski in/out, or virtually, if that's what you want. Very pretty. Plenty of information on the website and the webcams will give you a good idea of the place.
Harder skiing available for the rest of the family, around the Espace Diamant, but the main Saisies bowl is most very easy and enables you to "travel" without having to tackle anything difficult.
Almost certainly a lot cheaper than Norway.
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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 haven't been to as many places as some people on these forums have, but I think Cervinia fits the bill in terms of the ease of skiing. Plenty of easy, wide, perfectly-groomed blue and red runs and a ton of terrain to cover. The ski area is huge, so I can't imagine it getting too busy even at Easter. Having Matterhorn on the background virtually at all times is a nice bonus, although I can't say that the village itself is particularly attractive. For more challenging skiing your family could cross to the Swiss side and ski a day or two in Zermatt, which is connected to Cervinia by a lift. Zermatt is just gorgeous, but the terrain there is much more challenging, so it doesn't sound like you would enjoy it.
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bambionskiis, hochfugen would be fantastic for you , and maybe get a lesson or two from fellow Snowheads "saraj"
Small friendly resort , ski in / out , great easy blues served by gondola , great standard of accommodation , try the hotel lamark
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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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Dabber - Have happy memories of skiing in Hochfugen and HochZillertal a long time ago when T bars were still in fashion  Expect they have been phased out now. From what I can recall the slopes were gentle and the scenery was pretty. I think the two resorts are now linked. Were separate ski areas when I went.
I have been to Les Saisies a lot more recently and that would certainly be ideal for you bambionskiis.
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There's no such thing as an easy resort. Reasons:
Conditions can turn a gentle cruise into an ice rink or a knee destroying sludge field.
People can turn a gentle cruise into a game of British Bulldog: Sharp Metal Edge Edition.
Piste grading is lies, by and large.
So to mitigate those: Italy.
Reasons:
Excessive, almost obssessive, grooming of pistes.
At certain times of year, extremely empty compared to other countries.
Routinely overgrade their pistes, unlike the French who seem happy to take a steep icy plunge and call it a green.
Cervinia has been mentioned. Passo Tonale would fit the bill...
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Mr Pieholeo, some big, big, generalisations there. Some big moguls and the steepest red run pitch I have encountered for some years, were in Italy, and both inescapable on the "circuit". I don't know when the Sella Ronda would be empty but in early February it was far, far, busier than Les Saisies where pistes are over, rather than under-graded.
Every piste in Les Saisies, except two or three blacks left to get mogully, is groomed every night.
Of course there are such things as "easier" and "harder" resorts. You are also correct that conditions can mean that a blue run in the former is more challenging than a red run in the latter. But the OP's question remains a perfectly sensible one.
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Following on from what Mr Pieholeo says, any of the villages in Alta Badia would suit you well. Immaculate piste grooming, plenty of gentle blues, lovely scenery and not too busy generally. Good access to Arabba and the rest of the Sella Ronda for everyone else. Have a look at Corvara, Colfosco, San Cassiano or La Villa for accommodation. My only concern would be how well the snow holds up by Easter, as the area can get a lot of sun in spring so I would probably book late and see. Definitely consider it if you're going slightly earlier in the season though.
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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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+1 for Alta Badia 
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Not 100% of Italian resorts obviously. Courmayeur would be a disastrous choice, for example. But generally it seems pretty true that the Italians prefer to look good whilst skiing, rather than to be any good at it. So loads of Italian resorts aim to flatter the skiers, and loads of the skiers spend a lot of the time mincing around the town in a fur coat or taking a five hour lunch, leaving the pistes fairly empty.
Italy's also an excellent choice if you like bisexual men covered in Brylcreem, twatty little beige mopeds, nuns, and Nazi sympathizers.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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La plagne has lots of cruisy blues. Stay at belle plagne. Alp d hues has a lovely beginners bowl of greens and blues above resort with lots more challenging skiing for those who want it.
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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 the standard answer, and I nearly said it. But that area of greens - which is superb, I'm not saying it's not - carries an awful lot of speeding traffic either heading home or heading for the Troncon (?) lift. Same with the magic carpet served beginner slopes at Val Thorens. They are literally perfect, apart from decent riders (who therefore ought to know better) going 40mph through them.
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A lot of resorts with good nursery slopes and easy greens then present quite a big "step up" - you need some blueish greens and then some greenish blues and then some bluer blues..... so that the stages are small and manageable. Crest Voland, linked to Les Saisies by chairlift (new for this season, used to be drags) has some lovely blueish greens and delightful greenish blues.
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You know it makes sense.
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I think Les Saisies would be more suitable than La Plagne and is certainly a lot prettier. Pam W - how snow sure is Crest Voland at Easter? It certainly has some nice runs and the fantastic view of Mont Blanc at the café at the top.
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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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snowymum, that's a good question - Crest Voland is obviously not an ideal destination to plan in advance for April. Open till 11 April this year, and the snow is usually reasonable till then. But the snow in LS is better. School hols next Easter start 27 March, and it would be sensible to aim for the first week. But I would always advise people to book late for an Easter holiday, when they can see how the snow is looking. Most years it would be fine and it's a shame to have to plump for a high, expensive, big, much busier, resort just because of the urge to book early. It's low season - there'll be plenty of accommodation.
People going to the Espace Diamant do have to be able to make their own DIY arrangements but it's very easy.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thank you so much for your responses. At the moment I'm tending towards Les Saisies (wish I knew how it was pronounced!) or Crest Volande (is it part of the same thing?). As you say Pam, I'm at the greenish blues stage as it is a fair step up for someone like me. Cervinia sounds lovely but I'm not sure about snow conditions if we don't go until Easter. Now are kids are a bit older (and one boy and one girl) they no longer want to share a room, so I've found that booking late really restricts us so we may well be forced to book early anyway. Besides, I'm much better at getting fitter/losing weight when I've got a set date to work towards  . Pam, can you point me in the right direction to find out about school holidays for Les Saisies please in case we do a complete about turn and go for half term in February instead. Sorry to be thick Pam but what exactly is Espace Diamant and where would be the nearest airport? I've booked plenty of DIY holidays, but never for skiing, so that should be interesting. Unfortunately I put my trust in possibly the worst travel agent on the planet for our last holiday and figure that I would rather do it myself anyway as I couldn't do a worse job. Janeed, we went to Trysil in Norway last week and had a great time. I've put a short review on here, but if you have any questions, just give me a shout. Also,damobloke wrote a detailed review, so he can probably help if I can't. Mr Pieholeo you made me laugh and you've really sold Italy to me - guessing you're not Italian though! Thanks again all.
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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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| bambionskiis wrote: |
| Cervinia sounds lovely but I'm not sure about snow conditions if we don't go until Easter. |
It's one of the most snow sure resorts in Europe, and most years stays open until May, making it one of the best bets for a late season trip anywhere in the Alps. You'd be very hard to pushed to pick anywhere more reliable for Easter.
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It's normally still snowing in Cervinia in May!
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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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Just to be clear, I'm not pushing Cervinia all that hard here, I have no ties to it, and I don't personally even like it very much! Just pointing out that 'unsure about snow conditions' is a pretty weird reason for ruling it out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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bambionskiis, Cervinia is certainly more snowsure than LS. LS is prettier, cosier, has trees, is very family oriented. Never been to Cervinia but I believe it can be bleak and windy and I doubt if it has the range of gentle, progressive, skiing. I've always envisaged motorway pistes above the tree line and a lack of charm.
How old are your son and daughter? Frankly I'd tell them they can stay behind with grandma or similar or share a room. 
Espace diamant here http://www.espacediamant.com/fr/domaine-ski-espace-diamant-2.html
Chambery is the closest airport but Geneva is better from most points of view.
I wouldn't recommend LS at half term - it's busy, with lift queues.
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Thanks both. I can't remember where I had read it (possibly a Telegraph report) which said that conditions in Cervinia can become mushy in the afternoons as it is a very sunny resort. Sun I love, slush I just can't cope with. Sorry Mr P but I reckon that "unsure about snow conditions" isn't wierd at all on a skiing holiday - you obviously haven't seen me ski on dodgy snow ! But in view of your comments, I'll definately keep it in mind when making the final decision as it does look lovely. Cheers.
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bambionskiis, you can get some slush ANYWHERE in April, be in no doubt about that. If you can't cope with slush at all it's not a good time to go.
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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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bambionskiis, check your areas dates for Easter school hols for next season, Hampshire doesn't break up until Maunday Thursday (2nd April).
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Its inevitable that there is a higher risk of slush in April as longer days and warmer weather, which isnt to say it cant happen at other times including January.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks Pam. They will be 10 (boy) and 13 (girl). No way grandparents would have them (far too sensible) and I just can't bear a week of "he keeps putting his stuff on my bed", "she snores/talks in her sleep" etc! They aren't normally niggly, but get them in a room together and listen to them and they be being dangled off a balcony in hours. In fairness though, between times they are great fun and no problem. What I've read so far is Les Saisies sounds very promising. Still having problems finding out when the school holidays are there for next year though. Ref flights, probably Geneva would have more availability I guess. Just one more thing, are there many drag type lifts there? Cheers
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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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Easter hols next year for us are 27 March onwards so hopefully not too slushy, though half term may well be better so will think on about that.
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bambionskiis, ear plugs are good for that problem 
On a serious side, when I last booked a three roomed apartment there wasn't huge price differences between 2 & 3 roomed apartments, so I would suggest that, but often the third room is a small bunk room perfect for young kids not sure about your ages I suspect you may get a lot more fights from who had which room.....
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You know it makes sense.
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bambionskiis, French school hols (four weeks, roughly mid Feb to mid March) are here and always coincide with the British one. http://about-france.com/school-holidays.htm
There are some drag lifts in Les Saisies but not that you'd have to use, if you really dislike them. But you would cut down your scope in Crest Voland if you can't even use easy ones.
Slush depends a lot on aspect, as well as altitude - but you absolutely can't rule it out in late March.
Would you be looking for an apartment with 3 separate bedrooms? Wouldn't be cheap - v expensive at half term. But a lot of 2 bed apartments have a sofa bed in the living room.
The main chairlifts out of the Saisies (pronounce it Sayzee, near enough) bowl are the busiest in the resort at half term. Some big lift queues and quite busy pistes - you can get away to much quieter parts of the Espace Diamant but the skiing there would be more difficult.
Of the school holiday periods the only time when slush is very unlikely and the lifts and pistes reasonably quiet is Christmas.
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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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Have you thought about finland?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Shout up for Montgenevre....may not be everyone's first choice, but...
We went about 4 years ago with a mixed group and some kids for the very reason that there are a ton of really easy green runs and very slightly more progressive blue runs all leading back into the village, whilst at the same time there are some very good higher graded runs for the better skiers, that all lead back to similar places. Then there is also the huge Milky Way for the more adventurous, we got over to Sestriere, Sauze etc. and back to Montgenevre easily in a day.
Village is not what I would call pretty, but more functional, some nice bars and restaurants. Oh and the whole area is a good bit cheaper than most of the large domains in France.
Its also very snowsure for that time of year, I think the village is at 1850m...
Good luck!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bambionskiis, Cervinia is really easy and relatively empty. It's high and exposed so you lose out on tree skiing, but on a clear sunny day that's not an issue. The altitude does help snow conditions, but we are at the mercy of the weather wherever we go. I went to Cervinia in February 2012 and it was very warm and very slushy pretty much everywhere regardless of altitude.
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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 remember when the correct answer to any 'which resort' question was La Rosiere.
Happy days.
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