 Poster: A snowHead
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If you're going in April, as others have said you will need to go high or to a glacier.
I would recommend you look at Zell am See in Austria, with its Kitzteinhorn glacier.
You're guaranteed snow, as you'll see from the piste map it's extremely gentle skiing (there are greens and easy blues as wide as football pitches - we went a few years back with friends whose girls, then 6 and 8, had never skied before, precisely because it was good for beginners, and they came on very well indeed).
I know Flaine, I go to the Grand Massif ever year, and I would personally not recommend it if you are total beginners.
The nursery slope(s) will be OK (probably - I've never skied them) but you will want to move off them within a day or two, and then you will face the problem that the reds which cut down into the bowl are nice and flat at the top but do get (comparatively) steep at the bottom.
Les Carroz is a better option for beginners IMO (same ski area, <1 hour from GVA). But it can be a bit slushy in April - hence I'd look at a glacier.
Other options might be Zermatt, Hintertux, Les Deux Alpes, Solden.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| If you're going in April, as others have said you will need to go high or to a glacier. |
If going April 3rd or even 10th for that matter a glacier is definitely not required. Altitude wise anything with the majority of the skiing above 1400m (France) would be fine.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
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| If you're going in April, as others have said you will need to go high or to a glacier. |
If going April 3rd or even 10th for that matter a glacier is definitely not required. Altitude wise anything with the majority of the skiing above 1400m (France) would be fine. |
'Definitely'? Let me have your crystal ball when you've finished with it!
'Probably', I would accept, but it depends on the season. In a warm season, the later you go the less of a guarantee there is. I suspect we've all been skiing in April and found the snow poor. I know I have.
Combining a good beginner resort, and looking at it this far out, as the OP seems to be, I still say s/he's better off looking at somewhere with a glacier.
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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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It's so unpredictable. Snow conditions right now are the best they've been for weeks.
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| Layne wrote: |
Totally agree. But the OP wasn't talking about going late April. |
That's true. But I wasn't saying s/he was. Early April is later than Feb or March was my (rather dull) point.
It is unpredictable, as pamw says - but you can certainly predict snow on the glaciers.
If you're leaving it to the last minute to book, you can usually pick and choose, of course.
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Sounds like Flaine is still favourite for the OP. I've had many trips there and I'd say that it is beginner friendly, that Easter is a better bet overall, that you can make early progress to the top of the hill and come down the blues - I still have nostalgia for chasing my kids down Serpentine and Crystal - and get one of the finest views of Mont Blanc from Grand Platierre .
I think Foret is marginally nicer than Forum but makes little difference. Personally I like the french brutalist architecture.
Might be a bit tricky coming back into Flaine if you get to ski over to the other Grand Massiff resorts - by mid afternoon in April it can get very slushy and busy on the run back under the Grand Van lift. With a hire car you could always drive down the hill to Les Carroz for a different aspect of the Massif. Also, we used to have an afternoon off and go to Chamonix in the car and take in the glacier views there. Happy days! Enjoy.
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you can certainly predict snow on the glaciers.
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yes, but you can also predict that if a lot of lower slopes have had to close earlier than planned the glaciers will be rammed and not much fun.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Slush is not good for beginners. The last thing they need is cut up rough moguls. If it were me I'd be going high in April with beginners, maybe paradiski
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Slush is not good for beginners. The last thing they need is cut up rough moguls.
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My kids loved slush and roughed up moguls when they were learning at 4/5/6.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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if going in february i would recommend Ellmau, Going or Westendorf in the ski welt Austria. The ski school there is brilliant with kids and there is more than enough ski area for everyone and nothing to steep. Ellmau is a lovely town and very reasonable to eat out and have a drink for a family.
I was in zell am see/kaprun in january and this too would be okay but you need to get a bus for 30 minutes to kaprun unless you base yourself there. Just back from Sauze d'oulx and it would be great for first time family as well. it is only 1 hour from turin airport which is great and you can ski four other linked resorts. Personally if going to the milky way though i would choose sestriere. I am looking to go there with my kids for there first ski holiday next february and have been looking to stay at the Olympic Village. From what i saw of the ski school the italians are very good with kids. Italian prices also half what you pay in France.
If you are dead set on France i would only return to a catered chalet unless you have won the lottery. Friends of ours went to Flaine with there 4 kids self catering and ate breakfast in their apartment every morning and made packed lunches for lunch. They ate out every night and all in they spent £8000. Don't think that french prices are exagerrated they are totally ridiculous
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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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Mikeelsa - How on earth did your friends spend that much? At Easter you can get a luxury 2 bed apartment for £1200 for the week and a more basic apartment for a lot less. If you include cost of a luxury apartment, travel to get there, lift passes, ski school, ski hire I'd have thought the price would come to between £3000 and £4000 for the week for a family of four and it would be less in a more basic apartment. The only additional cost would be food and the cost of that would depend on how much you ate out. Whilst Flaine is not the cheapest for mountain cafes the food is not that expensive. If you stocked up in Cluses on the way up you could do a weekly shop for the same price as you would back home and then supplement that with a few meals out.
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Mikeelsa - have just noticed you are quoting the cost for a family of 6 not 4 - even with 4 kids you could do Flaine for a lot less than £8000. However the OP has 2 kids so I think the cost for her would be under £4000.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yep I am amazed as well? We have booked 4 of us wih mark Warner to Les Deux Alpes second week of Easter hols. We have flights accomodation (interconnecting rooms), transfer, half board, kids clubs and kids lessons, lift passes, and ski hire for us, ski, boot and helmet hire for both girls, all for under £3500. All we need to now spend on is lunches for me and hubby and one evening meal for whole family.
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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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We have looked at Easter hols and we only have one week when we could go which is the 3rd april 2015 for 7 days. Will the snow still be ok then?
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Have a look at the web cams and snow reports this year. It looks pretty good to me.
Personally I would go at Easter (though paradoxically not this Easter - it is too late)
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowymum and nickyj, not that i enjoy being challenged but happy for you to prove me wrong. I made it quite clear i quoted for four kids which i why i typed four kids.
a quick look on crystal ski for half term next february flying from man-gen with 2 adults and 4 kids staying self catering in Flaine at the cheapest apartments is £4432. i am quite sure when you add on lift passes, ski hire and spending money the figure of £8000 will be easily achievable. happy to be proved wrong.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mikeelsa, ah sorry misread 4 kids as for 4 in the party. However I am surprised at you finding significant difference between Frances nd austria? I have found France coming out with the better deal (as personally I prefer Austria) and which is why we have ended up going there more.
Something like this place
http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/france/FR5454.htm?src=LS
Will comfortably sleep a family with 4 kids and 2 adults. 1800 euros for half term. I have stayed in that building (though different apartment). There are lots of flights to Geneva which again I have found a cheaper route and it is a short transfer away.
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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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mikeelsa - I will rise to your challenge.  The TO we are using this year for Les Arcs, Ski Collection doesn't do the Flaine Sunotel apartments you mention so I have found another eg for Feb half term
Terraces de Veret, Flaine, self catering:
Crystal £5860 for family with 4 kids (including flights/transfers - Feb 2015 prices) - not sure if this is in a 2 bed or 3 bed apartment.
Ski Collection - £2104 for family with 4 kids in 2 bed apartment or £2375 for family with 4 kids in a 3 bed apartment (2014 prices accommodation only - flights and transfers/car hire would be on top of this).
The difference between the two is over £3000 but Ski collection is accommodation only. I doubt flights for six people plus a cheap car hire would add up to £3000.
As I said above I think the OP would be better off going at Easter and staying in luxury apartments like the montsoleil ones. As the OP only has 2 kids she would not need to spend anywhere near £8000 whether she goes at half term or Easter.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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snowymum, just one flaw in your proposal......sadly there is no such thing as a cheap hire car (especially for 6 people and luggage) from Geneva airport 
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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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Sarah - I suspected that after typing 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Risoul ticks all boxes, but not easy to get to from the airport, I don't think. Lots of easy greens and blues.
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| Layne wrote: |
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Slush is not good for beginners. The last thing they need is cut up rough moguls.
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My kids loved slush and roughed up moguls when they were learning at 4/5/6. |
In general terms for most beginners slush wouldn't be the order of the day now would it. But so glad your kids enjoyed it......maybe they'd have loved groomed pistes and soft powder higher up even more though.
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Flowertot, Just back from Obergurgl in Austria and I think I would strongly recommend it for your trip. Exceptionally family friendly in terms of pistes, hotels, restaurants etc etc. Very high resort (1950m) so guaranteed snow sure well into April/May. Generally better value and better quality in many ways than France.
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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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Pam W makes some good points on family skiing - Ive done France lots with "She Who Must Be Obeyed" and my two young daughters, also 5 years between my two. But you don't say if girls/boys or one of each - not that it matters obviously.
France does make sense - at the 8 and 13 stage, we did Valmorel in Feb half term.
It was brilliant for the very reasons Pam says. Accomodation near the slopes, quick nip back for soup/sarnies or big late brekkie - ski during French lunch on empty pistes then English speaking lessons after lunch for the kids and you, if you need or want.
Then dinner later and a few drinks in one of the lovely bars or take away chicken rotisseries, pizzas etc etc.
My two are 19 and 14 now and this year, first week Feb I went on my own to La Rosiere with my eldest and her boyfriend - still self catered/drove down and used some of the money saving tricks, mainly instigated by my daughter.
Only prob with half term is that the quality of the ESF does drop a bit - they get a lot of bad press in general but I think that a lot of it is caused by the big hike in class sizes over the French and English hols and the fact that they seem to struggle with the added numbers. But even though they are guilty of many things from a personal point of view the ESF have been mainly excellent with me and my daughters over many trips.
In terms of reccys for half term - I personally wouldn't do the really big resorts that week - id look at Valmorel, La Rosiere, St Sorlin D'Arves or other places in the Les Sybelles or a couple of places I haven't been to yet but are on my wish list: Val Cenis, Les Saises, Montgenevre or a similar sized resort to them.
You lucky things - I loved it when my two were that age, everything was a voyage of discovery.
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If you are dead set on France i would only return to a catered chalet unless you have won the lottery. Friends of ours went to Flaine with there 4 kids self catering and ate breakfast in their apartment every morning and made packed lunches for lunch. They ate out every night and all in they spent £8000. Don't think that french prices are exagerrated they are totally ridiculous
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We have 3-kids and manage France self-catering, driving, overnight stops, food and odd meal out for just over £3000
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