 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All, Hoping for some suggestions I'm looking at the possibility of taking family of 5 (kids 10, 8, 5) on their 1st ski trip on as low a budget as I can for the first week of April.
Struggling to combine accommodation costs with pass costs and lessons see a good price on one then the others ramp up costs.
They will get some dry slope time before then but would still need lessons of some sort.
Main concerns are snowsure for time of year.
Mum and I both ski but more about giving the kids a taste (hopefully the first of many) of skiing this time.
Any ideas gratefully received
Mike
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It might be worth looking at one of the French deals which include accommodation, ski pass and equipment rental, in one of the lesser known resorts (e.g. Val Cenis). week beginning 28 March you should be able to get all that for under €300 a person. Look at ski-planet.co.uk or if you speak a little French, Google "ski tout compris" on google.fr
What sort of accommodation prices are you looking at? If booking separately, you shouldn't have to pay more than about €550 for an apartment near the pistes, away from the major resorts. Lots of resorts give special deals on family passes and 5 and under might be free (age cut off varies). Some resorts won't have 2014-15 ski pass prices on their websites yet.
If you can go 28 March you shouldn't have to worry too much about snow, though obviously you need somewhere with a good record (which doesn't necessarily mean high altitude, aspect of slopes is also critical in Spring). Kids really don't need great snow - and instructors will always find the best that's going.
Self-drive means you can plan food and pack accordingly. If you have an apartment near enough to go back for lunch food doesn't have to cost a whole lot more than it would at home.
Tesco clubcard points can be used for Eurotunnel crossings.
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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 looked for a while but www.Ernalow.co.uk use to have some great deals for self drive/cater late season.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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oldmike, As you intend to drive, you really have the whole of the Alps to choose from - you can just drive to wherever the snow is and to book this far ahead is just guessing.
Consider booking your Channel crossing whenever you see a good offer and then make your final decision no earlier than the beginning of March. If the snow is good in France, then that's where you head to. If it's better in Austria, then head there - there's only a couple of hour's difference in driving time.
Easter is low season in most resorts, so accommodation should be plentiful, and therefore inexpensive. As pam w, says, an apartment in France should cost no more than €550 or so and prices are similar in Austria. By now most resorts have their lift prices and offers on their websites. There are some good deals around - e.g. Saalbach offers free lift passes to children born 1999 onwards (so aged 16 and under) from 21st March.
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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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I would definitely recommend self drive and using an Excel spreadsheet to work out comparative costs between different resorts. The Via Michelin website is useful for driving times and also gives toll costs.
With three kids in the back it might be worth looking at the Northern Alps to cut down your driving time. Morillon Les Esserts 1100 is one of the cheaper places to go and the ski area is lovely. The whole Grand Massif lift pass is pricey but there is a cheaper pass for the local area I think. Les Saisies is also good value and lovely but you may find that your children are the only English ones in the ski school class.
It is a few hours further to the Maurienne Valley but there are several less expensive resorts there. Val Cenis is a good place to go and snow sure late season but there are cheaper places nearby like La Norma (haven't been to the latter though). We regularly use Peak Retreats and would recommend looking at their website. Their prices include the Eurotunnel flexi plus ticket.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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oldmike, kids 10, 8, 5.......If you haven't, buy DVD player and screens for the car.  and some Audio books as well.
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We drove to the French Alps Easter 2013, (from Glasgow). We did intend getting tunnel with our Tesco vouchers, but ended up booking our accommodation with Erna Low and it included tunnel crossing upgraded as well.
We didnt book our apartment until 6 weeks before. It was first two weeks in April we went as our schools stop 1st full two weeks in April, irrespective of when Easter is. I think that year the 1st was a Sunday so we stopped the 29th March.
As others have suggested we left it this late on purpose, with the intention of booking where the snow was. Also due to leaving it late, we got a great reduced deal with Erna Low. We stayed in Montchavin. We did research various apartments and places beforehand so had an idea where we were looking. We did intend to more than likely stay in France as we already had a long journey from Scotland, plus we were picking up friends in Geneva, so that added a bit on. We travelled with our 5 year old, so 4 adults 1 child.
The Evolution 2 ski school in Montchavin was fantastic for my son, I cannot recommend them highly enough.
We are intending going this Easter again, I think we will try to stay in Les Coches though, as we were lucky with the snow the year we went. Although they keep the links open, I noticed this year on the webcam that there wasn't any snow in Montchavin, so it would have been a bit of a trudge to get my son to ski school from where we were staying - although I think we could get the main chair up from Montchavin and ski down, need to have a look at that.
I loved doing the Easter road trip. It was a learning curve on a few points that we'd change, but mainly to do with stopovers. I loved that we got two weeks skiing for what we would have probably paid for one week (excluding lift pass). We took a load of food and booze over with us. We bought pastries every other morning at apartment for breakie, and had lunch on mountain, but a lot was just shared dishes, so we didnt spend loads every day. Took lots of cereal bars choc, snacks that we could take onto mountain for my son. We ate out a couple of nights, but we were with friends so had our own company, so were happy to cook a meal in the apartment, plus meant the wee one could get into bed early some nights. I also loved the fact that because it was two weeks, we didn't feel the need to ski all day every day. We had some gorgeous sunny days, so we chilled on a mountain bar with some red wine. Wee one was happy to,play about in the snow, he needed a break from the skiing as he was getting pushed hard to be honest skiing lessons every morning and then with 4 adults every afternoon. Or we sunbathed on the deck while Dad took him swimming.
Do it!
Edited to add: Just realised that you are only going for one week, and here I was harping on re two weeks. I would think you'd still save as you will have a car full. Or go for 2?
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.......If you haven't, buy DVD player and screens for the car. and some Audio books as well.
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Deffo to Audio Books - think carefully about DVD players if anyone is car sick, made it a lot worse in our experience!
We will be driving at Easter 15 and self-catering, have done similar for last 12 years, a few suggestions for keeping costs down, some just echoing above
Tesco vouchers for Eurotunnel will get you a free crossing - or book now when a return is still around £150
Plan meals and take stuff with you - we've found is a lot cheaper to buy food in UK now. We have a box full of pasta, rice etc and a coolbox full of frozen meat.
Either eat lunch back in apartment, should be easy if coming back at end of lessons, or take out picnics, meals out are not cheap on slopes
Look for the deals on ski hire - Ski Republic generally have a 2 for 1 deal
Many resorts have a family lift pass which saves you a bit
Skiing is never going to be cheap and for our family of 5 our trip usually comes in around £3000 - could probably shave £500 odd of that, but there are a few treats and nice to have within that total.
Bear in mind that an apartment advertised as sleeping 6 will usualy mean a sofa bed in lounge, in the costs above, we pay for a sleeps 8 apartment to give us all rooms. With young kids and beginners, I would also avoid any cheap places which are a walk from slopes!
FWIW - we have always gone to Vallandry as part of Les Arcs - is a family orientated resort, and fits a lot of your criteria. But as others have said, you may want to wait until nearer the time to see what deals/snow are on offer
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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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think carefully about DVD players if anyone is car sick, made it a lot worse in our experience!
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good point - I had one huge vomit-fest after a 2 year old was watching peppa pig for some time - and he was too little to recognise the symptoms and warn us.
I agree that you don't need to book now - if the snow is good you will have a huge amount of choice. Lunches and drinks on the slopes are very expensive so paying for a "ski in/out" apartment will save you loads, and needn't be expensive.
It might be worth considering two weeks, actually. Accommodation is not expensive, the travel will cost the same, food very little more (if you are properly self-catering and plan ahead). Lift passes would obviously be far more if you ski every day but there's a lot to be said, with kids, for spreading it out. And you will almost certainly get one or two days when the weather isn't good - and it's a holiday, not a survival training course, out in blizzards or white outs skiing 9 - 5 every day. Most resorts sell "non consecutive day" lift passes and some will have special offers for early purchase. Most resorts have some free lifts suitable for beginners who have had a lesson or three. In my experience (which is considerable!) small kids who are just finding their feet are happier going round and round a small free lift in their own time, and at their own speed, than being shepherded round more demanding terrain by adults. They can keep it up for ages, whilst you sit with a cold beer and watch proudly. Riding a drag lift with a rope is terrific for their balance, too.
At 10, 8 and 5 it's possible that your kids could all learn together, if the 5 year old is bouncy and resilient. snowymum is right that in Les Saisies your kids could be the only Anglophones in a ski school class. But private lessons are very affordable. I had 4 grandchildren in private lessons in Les Saisies last year, for much the same price as group lessons. With 3 it would be a bit more expensive but they will probably get on faster with 1.5 hour private lessons than 2 hour group lessons - a lot less hanging around, for a start. But only you know whether that would work with your kids. Not if the 10 year old is athletic and competitive and the 5 year old is timid and poorly coordinated.
(The Les Saisies lift pass and ski lesson details for 2014/15 are not on the internet yet).
Les Saisies is normally fine in late March/early April but I wouldn't advise booking it till nearer the time.
The properties in the Erna Low and Peak Retreats portfolios are very nice but pretty top-end and expensive. There are much cheaper and perfectly adequate apartments near the "front de neige".
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oldmike, just had a grouping email with a chamrousse ski deal offer for that week. Haven't looked into it as we are already booked for Easter but might be worth looking into detail a bit more
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sorry grouping should read "Groupon"
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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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You know it makes sense.
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oldmike - I would check the snow records of Valfrejus and Chamrousse in April before booking. I also suspect that there would not be that many English families going to them, particularly Valfrejus. We were about to book Chamrousse once and after looking into it decided the ESF ski school there might not be the best for younger children but this was quite a few years ago and it may have changed. If you are happy for your kids to be in a mixed French English ski school group I think Les Saisies would be a better option. There are so many gentle runs there and it is a beautiful resort. It is also a shorter drive.
Unlike many people on this thread I like booking my ski holidays a year in advance - you can take advantage of any early booking offers going, know you have the accommodation of your choice and enjoy looking forward to it for a whole year. However this has meant that there are a few resorts we have liked the look of and not booked as they have not seemed snow sure enough.
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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, oh I've already booked for Easter 2015 - I can see the sense in leaving it until the last minute, but I like to a) get it booked and b)be able to get what we want.
oldmike, I should have perhaps added that my £3000 figure for holiday was total cost - this included food shopping, fuel, tolls, meals out, the Arc Luge run and our overnight stop on way out. I have all the figures somewhere and happy to share - yes I am that sad I keep them in spreadsheet
Found it from previous post - this was for Feb half-term 2012
Eurotunnel - £124
Apartment - £747.44 - this was a 3-bedroom apartment 2 mins walk from slope and due to snow conditions could ski back in
Les Arcs Lift passes - £771.33
Premier Inn stop Thursday night - £38 (2 rooms booked at £19 each)
Ski rental for kids - £95
Lessons - £165 - one private lesson for mum and daughter and one for me and boys
Tolls - £145.05 as per invoice from Telepeage
Shopping general - £16.09
Food shop before leaving - £95
Fuel - £81
Overnight Stop Fri - £224 - two rooms and meal and drinks
Fuel - £93
Big Shop Albertville - £218 - including all booze for week!
Shop gen - £40
Shop gen - £60
Shop gen - £47
Skis - £30 (sons were snowboarding and hired skis for one day)
Pizzas out £88
Lunch out - £81
Hotel on return - £283 - 2 rooms and a rather lush meal and champers!
Fuel - £95
Food - £8
Fuel - £80
This comes to £3632.11 we also had around £100 cash, everything else goes on Credit Card!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd like to chip in with Les Karellis. A fantastic little north-facing resort with some good beginner slopes and great expert terrain - but not so good for an intermediate who likes to clock up miles. It's not at all glitzy - more a place for the workers to have an active winter holiday - so I'm sure you'll be able to find something economical.
I've no idea if any of the instructors speaks English but I'm sure that at least one of them will. And it'll be quiet anyway so the classes will probably be small. I'm sure the kids will cope whatever.
http://en.karellis.com/
I would have suggested Albiez-Montrond instead but this is not quite so snow-sure. Last year was particularly warm and it was already shut by 11th April.
http://www.albiez-tourisme.fr/
A recent trip report including them both:
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2487193
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I thoroughly recommend Chamrousse. We've been going there with the kids since we started skiing, our eldest who is almost 12 has completed his Etoile D'Or and our almost 10 year old twins passed their Etoile De Bronze, all with lessons at the ESF school. There are some lovely instructors there, just make sure to ask to be with an English speaking instructor (the majority do speak English, even those who "don't" have pretty good conversational English). One thing I really like about the instruction is that it's about learning, not just about getting badges. Chris and Vicky (the twins) failed their Bronze first time around because the instructor thought they weren't ready; from speaking to friends in other French resorts, they seem to give out the badges just for attendance, whereas here they want to make sure you can actually ski.
The resort is very French, but most restaurants etc have people who speak enough English to communicate if you have no french, and if you have schoolboy French at least as bad as mine you'll be fine everywhere. One of the big bonuses is that there are not many English people  although there have definitely been more and more every year. We were last there for two weeks over Christmas and New Year 2014, and we've just booked two trips there for this season, Feburary half term and Easter (2nd->12th of April). We've been twice before at Easter, one time at the very end of April, and the snow was just fine. I think it's a great place to learn and a great place to ski with children.
-simon
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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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Thanks for all the info,
chamrousse looks good also considering Les Houches looks like can get an apartment, passes, lessons, hire and crossing etc for £1600-£1700.
les Houches near the Prarion lift looks a little back of beyond but may be all we need. just off to search for any reviews.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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One hint, if you book the tunnel along with the ski passes and lessons through ski-collection or their sister company peak retreats, they upgrade you to flexi-plus and it usually works our around the same price as the normal eurotunnel.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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oldmike - Les Contamines (not far from Les Houches) has a better snow record I think. I've only been there in summer though.
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snowymum is right. LC has a hugely better snow record than Les Houches. The lowest slopes are quite low, but all the best skiing is above the middle station of the gondola anyway.
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we ll be back in Ste Foy for Easter 29/3-5/4........just booked tunnel this morning using tesco clubcard vouchers........booked the accomodation independently. £1000 per family.
check out the appts/chalets on owners direct
great value resort, good snow record. Under 7 will get free lift pass too.
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FAQ
hmm... Les Houches looked good but found the lack of snow at the start of April a probable deal breaker.
