I'm looking for advise about the best resort for my family Christmas Ski break. We fly into Geneva on 19th and not sure what resort I should be looking at. I obviously want snow, but not just on the piste, I want a resort that will have snow in the village and a Christmassy feel to it.
We have 2 10 year old boys and this will be our first ever Christmas holiday so I want it to be memorable not just for the skiing. I'm looking at Catered Chalets and getting plenty of options around Avoriaz and Morzine for a reasonable price, but i believe there is less likelihood of snow in that area of the Alpes.
I am open to Switzerland and France, but Austria is a little to far from Geneva I think.
Please help, it's driving me crazy!
Thanks
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
No brainer - Val Thorens has the best early season snow. SkiWorld has a fair few catered chalets there usually at reasonable prices.
You COULD stay at Bride les Bains or St Martin and ride up every day. Prettier village and you MIGHT have snow. However it will be 6/7 lifts just to get to VT.
The other option I would consider is Val d'Isere. Prettier than VT for sure but not quite as snow sure. If you go there and ski the Solaise area I recommend downloading at the end of the day unless you are good on ice.
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?
Paradiski (La Plagne and Les Arcs) is a good choice for that week as well. There are two glaciers and more than 70% of the domain above 2000m.
Plenty of choice of chalets (including us - link below ) across the area.
The season seems to be getting later. Snow making seems a bit more important than altitude going on last season.
The problem with France is that the higher resorts tend to lack the charm and ambience of the lower 'real' towns and villages so Switzerland may be better for an all round holiday , if expensive. Sas Fee? Zermatt? - both very charming and high.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hi Crisis123
There is never any guarantee of snow, especially at Xmas. How would you get from Geneva to your chosen resort? You will have more flexibility if you hire a car (and may work out cheaper for 4 and easier with the children) but you need to be confident on snowy roads and accept that, though unlikely, you may need to put chains on for the last part up to a higher resort. If you need transfers then you need to look at that aspect of where you stay before making your final decision.
With small children in tow it will probably be easier on you all if you go higher, and stay as close as possible lifts/pistes, somewhere where there is the best chance of snow all around you. Morzine may not have snow at that time of year, Avoriaz probably would but it will be very busy if everyone in the area needs to get up there to find snow as we discovered Xmas 2014. The closeness to Geneva is obviously and advantage, though Samoens (perhaps a bit low for Xmas) is also close, the higher part of that same ski area being Flaine.
As said above, the Paradiski area is huge and it goes very high. Its further from Geneva than some resorts but you would always be able to get high enough for reasonable skiing, and so long as your accommodation (various villages) is situated reasonably high there would be a fair chance of snow around for the children to play out in.
I can thoroughly recommend contacting Snow and Sunshine, you will get an honest and informed opinion of whats available to meet your requirements. We had a lovely stay with them in Jan this year!
Paradiski is very large but doesn't have anything like the skiing above 2500m of VT or Espace Killy. VT has moved upmarket over recent years and has a better feel. Belle Plagne is the nicest resort in Paradiski, in my opnion. High latitude resorts are not often the best option in December. It is often cold and bleak. Little tree cover makes skiing in these conditions difficult and not the most enjoyable of experiences. Often, higher lifts are shut.
If I was taking young children to France it would be Risoul every time - snow making is good and there is also a fair amount of tree lined skiing which means you'll still ski if it's very bleak and windy. It's a very family orientated resort with a lovely atmosphere.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
You could look at Champoluc, village at 1,600m, typically snow lined, good snow making, family friendly, no further a drive than e.g. Val d'Isere.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Crisis123, you are aware that the 19th is a Monday and you will not be folllowing the normal Saturday to Saturday Chalet pattern, but I think some of the UK tour operators will not be either. My suggestion would be to start looking for a chalet, any chalet in any ski resort straight away. The week from 24th is looking as if it may be the busiest and most expensive of the season.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Crisis123, welcome to Snowheads.
As the posts above indicate at Christmas you really need to choose between a high probability of snow right outside your accommodation and a pretty traditional village. You can't have both - not within striking distance of Geneva, anyway. In a good year for early snow (it's a while since we had one of those) you can get both - but to book in advance you need to know which is more important to you.
For kids I'd say very firmly that snow outside, to play in, is infinitely more important than architecture. All resorts will have special "Christmas activities", such as arrival of Father Christmas by sleigh, displays, etc. All much more enjoyable if it's not raining!! I say that from experience, having watched a (splendid) Christmas Eve display of "skiing through the ages" in the rain, at 1650m!
Have you all skied before? Ski school needed?
Are you getting good offers for your exact dates? I agree that Snow and Sunshine would be a good contact.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Good catch @johnE, yes, odd dates.
We ourselves (Chamonix) are flexible on our Xmas and NY dates this year as we have a flexible changeover crew and we can make that work. Not everyone will be in that situation.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thanks for the recommendations @pam w, and @CaravanSkier, - I'm blushing!
You shouldn't have too much trouble with the Mon - Mon I wouldn't have thought. Lots of the independent chalets seem to have gone for those dates this year - means you don't have to travel x-mas eve/day and missed most of the busy weekend traffic. Good choice!
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.
And a fair few like @under a new name says have stayed flexible which would work well for you too
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thanks everyone for your responses.
I booked the flights quite some time ago, so my wife couldn't back out! I fly in on 19th and out on 28th, so I have allowed 9 nights for the trip. I did this because I am working in the Middle East and only fly back to UK on 16th, so I have to spend a couple of days seeing the in laws, parents, brothers, sisters etc. Then I leave uk again on 1st Jan, so again it gives me a couple of days for family before I leave. I've been in 50 degree heat for 3 years and want to spend as much time in the snow as I can get.
The peak flights and quite a few tour operators are working from 20th - 27th it seems.
I am a snowboarder, although I'm not great at it, rest of family are skiers, probably be classed as intermediate at best. To be honest the kids are better than the adults, no fear! I would be putting kids in ski school as I think giving them a good foundation when they are young is the best way to ensure they remain good skiers when they are older. Might even get some lessons for the wife and I. I don't imagine we'll be ripping up the black runs, it's been a few years since we last skied, apart from a few visits to Ski Dubai indoor slope.
I'm not averse to a long transfer, I'm happy to even have a night stopover en route from and to the airport if needed, that would still give us 20th-27th in resort. If we did this then Austria would be doable as well as France and Switzerland I suppose. I've driven in snow in Uk, but not in Europe, but I tend to drive wherever I go in the world without problems, so I think I should be ok.
@ Pam. Snow in resort is definitely the highest priority, but would still like a resort that has some charm.
Saas Fee looks nice, Zermatt would depend on cost. Not heard of Risoul or Champoluc, will have to check them out. I have had La Plagne suggested as an option. As we aren't expert skiers should we just stick to local area ski passes, would we benefit from Paradiski or 3 valleys passes? Are Meribel and Courcheval an option?
I have had a numerous offers for the dates I have from as little as £1950 for catered chalets, but in Morzine, Samoens and Avoriaz area, but that's probably because I said I was flying to Geneva. My wife is pushing for self catered though, I just think Christmas Day would be better in a Chalet.
Considered booking last minute, but not sure if this would end up costing me more, and as you say my dates are a little awkward.
Have contacted a couple of tour operators, but seem to be paying the same price with or without flights and transfers, not getting discount for just the lodgings in many cases.
We're all excited, just need to get the location sorted.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I'd suggest looking at the Ski Collection website as they have some really nice family accommodation with pool/spa etc in high altitude resorts and give a discount for accommodation only.
You could always book a meal out on Christmas day to avoid the cooking, although I think I'm correct in saying that the main French meal celebration is Christmas eve rather than Christmas day lunch.
I'd recommend La Rosiere (Cimes Blanches) or Arc 1950 le village. Ski collection offer both and they also have plenty of options in the highest French resorts like Val Thorens.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Crisis123, Self catering can be great fun and as has been said above just book meals out on Xmas Eve and Xmas day. Xmas eve tends to be the big celebration in France but we have never had any problems finding somewhere nice, just book when you get into the resort and have had a chance to look around! However most s/c will be offered from Sat to Sat and is likely to be less flexible than booking a package this year.
As we aren't expert skiers should we just stick to local area ski passes, would we benefit from Paradiski or 3 valleys passes?
In both those places I'd suggest you go for the full area pass although you might want to look at the wather/snow before buying. We spent a week in St Martin de Belleville back in March and barely got out of the village the weather was so bad.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
There is still a lot of very high quality self catering available but it will be a tad on the expesive side and depending on the degree of luxury may be more than the £1950 you have been quoted for catered.
Chritmas eve is the big celebration in France so a meal out that day can be extensive and expensive. The restaurants on Christmas day in contrast can be deserted. It is a good time to go out for a meal. I would follow @pam w's advice and choose one of the higher purpose built resorts. I will be in Arc1600 for some or all of that time you are thinking of going and can confirm that it is lovely over christmas. If you like pools and spas then follow @snowymum's, advice and book accommodation offering those facilities but if you are not too bothered then most resorts have public ones. I may or may not visit Mile8 in Arc 1800.
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?
Quote:
@Crisis123,
Quote:
As we aren't expert skiers should we just stick to local area ski passes, would we benefit from Paradiski or 3 valleys passes?
In both those places I'd suggest you go for the full area pass although you might want to look at the wather/snow before buying.
I ski in Les Arcs quite a lot and rarely bother to go over to La Plagne so would not really reccomend a paradiski pass. However I would reccomend a full area Les Arcs pass. The term "full area pass" can be a little confusing. For example is a pass for the full area of the Belleville valley a full area pass or does that only apply for all the 3 valleys
I'm not sure height is a major factor early season. Altitude and orientation to the sun make a huge difference late season but, in my experience, if there hasn't been stuff falling from the skies, no matter how high the resorts, there isn't much skiing. In December, you'll be really unlucky if you get rain above 1600m so, if there is a storm about, it's likely to fill in the majority of pistes, whichever resort it hits.
Snow making is so important early season. Check out the posts here from last Christmas. Huge queues to ski a few open pistes at high altitude French resorts whilst 600Km of pistes were open in the Dolomites where it hadn't snowed all season.
Zermatt would be a good bet at Christmas time. Of course depends on your budget, and what you might be able to find during that week. It's high up, and they have really good snow making. No need for a car either.
Zermatt would be a good bet at Christmas time. Of course depends on your budget, and what you might be able to find during that week. It's high up, and they have really good snow making. No need for a car either.
This has some pics and mini TR from my 2012 Xmas in Zermatt.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
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