First time family holiday advice please

A snowHead

Hi

Made up that we are going on our first family winter holiday this season but now the hard bit - where to go????

We have booked flights to Geneva for the 2nd April for 5 days so will be looking to get 4 four full days skiing from Friday 3rd. We have a 6 and 7 year old who will only have ever skied at the Chill Factor in Manchester (that's Christmas present sorted). With it being so late in the season lack of snow is a worry but I have been there before at that time of year and it has been ok.

We need to get the children booked into a ski school and were thinking of Morzine but is that too low? Also as it is over the Easter weekend I don't know whether anything in the resorts will be affected or how busy it will be. Should we be looking to book the accommodation and ski school asap or hang fire for last minute bargains?

Any advice, tips or recommendations would be most welcome on both resorts, accommodation and child friendly ski schools.

Many many thanks

George

A snowHead

Don't know much about Morzine, but we went to Samoens late season a few years ago which is about the same distance from Geneva and had no problems with snow coverage in the main parts of the resort, got bit patchy down low around Morillon but fine in general, plus you get the whole of the Grand Massif to play with. There are several good ski schools there, some with good reputations for teaching kids too.

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

Since you have already booked the flights I doubt if there will be any last minute bargins around. The only cut price deals seem to come from UK travel companies trying to cover their losses on pre booked flights. IMHO there is no compelling argument not to sort out your accomodation and car hire now. What sort of accomodation are you after: hotel, apartment, hostel?

Easter is no where near as busy as New Year or half term so I wouldn't be in a rush to sort out ski lessons.

What times are your flights - it makes a difference. We often get 18:00 flight from Luton to Geneva and the 21:00 flights back. This makes Les Arcs gettable to at about midnight in a hire car and allows an almost full day's skiing before return.

Though April 2nd is lateish I would not say it was "so late in the season" that good skiing was not available. Personally I would be looking higher than Morzine. The only Easter I skied there a full metre of snow disappeared overnight. I have never seen a thaw like it.

I am thinking of going similar times to you but it is far too far in the future for me to be making any definate plans. I usually start thinking about Easter ski trips in March

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I am a bit worried that you have restricted your options for ski school and accommodation by booking a long weekend as opposed to a whole week. Most accommodation is let Saturday to Saturday particularly in school holidays. Ski school group lessons tend to run sunday to Friday. I'm sure you will find accommodation and ski lessons but may end up paying a premium due to the fact your holiday straddles two weeks. You may need to book private lessons which tend to be held at lunchtime or in the afternoon.

I think Morzine could be risky snow wise, although it is linked to Avoriaz which is snow sure. I'd recommend anywhere in the Grand Massif (Samoens, Flaine, Morillon, Les Carroz) - probably worth looking at all of them and picking the one that can offer accommodation to suit your needs.

Sorry if this is a bit pessimistic. Hopefully someone else will come along who has tried a long weekend in school hols successfully.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hotel accommodation shouldn't be a problem. Snow shouldn't be at that point either - anywhere - although it should be nice springlike conditions. So frozen in morning and soft in the afternoon.

However...

Ski schools might be trickier. They are probably geared to run Sunday-Monday courses. If you are looking at Morzine, the Montriond ESF gets well talked about for kids. Maybe do a little investigation now?

You'll need to Register first of course.

ESF did a part week (sun - tues) group lesson for my daughter at the beginning of April this year, they may be willing to do that, we also got a private for her on the Saturday with ESF.

There were plenty of last minute accommodation deals catered chalets, the telemark hotel, in La Tania at that time of year this year. All of them had offers like free transfers - we had free ski hire, free transfers and free childcare/nanny, although we were a returning customer in the same season which got us a better deal.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

holyjasper, what sort of accommodation are you looking for? I share some of snowymum's concerns - it can be difficult to book long weekend accommodation - can certainly be done, but with less choice available.

You'll probably need to book private lessons because, as under a new name says, group courses invariably start on Sundays.

Are you going to have a rented car? That will make everything a lot easier as you can if necessary stay some distance from the slopes, and drive in.

If you want snow outside the door to play in (half the fun for kids) you will need to head higher than Morzine to be sure of it.

If you can find suitable accommodation I would definitely book now. Same with ski schools. they don't do "last minute bargains" and although Easter is less busy than other school holidays, it will be busier than mid January.

After all it is free

Hi All

Thanks very much some great bits of advice here.

I will start to look at other resorts apart from Morzine and I have realised that as we have an early flight on Thursday and a late one on Tuesday we can hire a car and drive ourselves as opposed to depending on a transfer. We can look further afield like La Tania or Les Arcs. I suppose the only issue I might have is car sickness from the kiddies if it is a long one as they do suffer!

I have had a lot of replies from ski schools in Morzine and you are right they tend to do lessons from Mon - Fri. Sods law I didn't think of this when booking the flights but just another mistake that I can learn from rolling eyes

An interesting mix of feedback to do with booking asap or leaving last minute. TBH if I can find the right place I would prefer to get it booked now and forget about it.

Any other suggestions most welcome

Many thanks once again

George

holyjasper, Have a look on booking.com or similar sites if you want to book a short break in a hotel.
I think you will struggle to find somebody who will offer you an apartment for that weekend as it cuts across two popular weeks (at least with British owners). It may be possible nearer the time to book an apartment for a weekend but I would think most people will still be looking to rent the full weeks out.

A quick check in our resort shows both hotels have availability for that long weekend, also the Mercure in Courchevel 1850 is offering a family room for 2 adults & 2 children with bed and breakfast at £598 for 5 nights or £998 with half board (which may not be bad value considering the prices of some of the restaurants in Courchevel).

As others have mentioned you would probably have to book private lessons as most ski school group lessons tend to run from Sunday to Friday.
I'd also go for car hire for a realtively short break, likely to be far cheaper than a private transfer for 4 people.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

holyjasper, I also share the concerns of the others above about you having committed to a short break over a weekend cutting across two school holiday weeks.

However I do know of a nice chalet in Morzine which will do short breaks then, we've stayed with them, not in that chalet but another one they used to run. They will also do transfers. I will PM you the details.

Ski school will be an issue for group lessons but you should be able to sort out some private lessons, especially for the Saturday which is a quiet day for ski schools. I recommend BASS Morzine, but as under a new name says the ESF Montriond operate up at Lindarets and I've seen them in action and they look good.

Morzine will be fine. It's a short transfer. Skiing from Ardent/ Lindarets / Avoriaz should be safe enough. I've skied the area the past two years at Easter and it's been fine.

And one last thing, get the kids in at Chill Factor e now, not after Christmas. Prices better now and classes quieter snowHead

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

holyjasper, I would not be bothering adding 1-2 extra hours of driving and taking away from my skiing

Morzine is an easy 1hr15 from GVA and you really ought to be fine for snow. TBH, your ski school selection will dictate where you are skiing. ESF Montriond for example work on the Lindarets plateau which sits at ~1,400m just below Avoriaz. Having a car means you can stay in town but nip around to the Ardent bubble for ski school. You are also well located for the adults to nip off close by for the hours of ski school. Private lessons for 2 kids, €54/hour.

There's nowhere higher that you're likely to have snow in the village that isn't at least another hour's drive.

I'd just get it all booked myself.

snow reports

I know Morzine is not that high but as others have suggested you are not too far from the Ardent bubble which soon gets you up to a decent height around Avoriaz. You can stay anywhere around Morzine, Les Gets, Boiy, Chatel etc. and get a lift up the mountain to best ski area.

Otherwise suck up the longer transfer and head to a higher resort as suggested.

Accommodation wise I prefer a chalet to a hotel. There are loads of chalets on the outskirts of towns that will need 'bums in beds' at that time of year. Go to chalets direct and stick a post in the winter forum. Many of the chalet owners will drive you to the snow every day.

Tuition. Can you afford private lessons for the kids. They will learn more and you get flexibility but it will cost you a few hundred pounds.

For what its worth I have two kids so I know the pain/expense of booking holidays in school times.

Quick update - We have booked a lovely chalet called Chalet Sophie just outside Morzine as all the feedback on Trip Advisor is fantastic and we can get dropped off by the chalet for the children s lessons as and when. We have decided to bite the bullet and do private lessons for the children for four days. Most ski schools are based at the Pleney and when I have asked if there is lack of snow they simply say everything is moved up to Avoriaz which is fine by me.
Despite the fact that the chalet isn't in Morzine we figured the kids will be shattered each day so we can have a stroll round town in the afternoon (ice rink and beers!) then call the chalet to collect us.
Thanks again for all the advice - and for taking the time to read.
Many thanks
George

You know it makes sense.

One other thing - can anyone recommend a ski school in Morzine - I am getting Easy 2 Ride as the cheapest so far but going cheap doesn't always pay dividends!!! rolling eyes

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Well done, holyjasper!
I thought Mike-H was quite wrong in his suggestion that finding accommodation either side of the Easter Weekend would not be a problem.
Seems he was right after all.
Late in the season? Early April should be fine.
First time we went out that time of year we took along walking boots in case the snow had all gone.
Instead we needed goggles and thermals most days.
Easter is usually excellent for skiing.

A snowHead

Help!!

First time family holiday advice please

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