 Poster: A snowHead
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We are a family of four with everyone at different levels.
Father will quite happily ski any piste.
Mother doesn't like anything too steep and even though she's capable of steeper red runs she much prefers blues.
Child 1 is pretty capable & confident and has been down blacks runs before (even when they were a little icy).
Child 2 is plough parallel at present and whilst he has been down a few red pistes, green & blue are much more suitable.
Which resort would you go to go where we can all catch the same lifts and ski back down to the same spot on either red/black and blue/green pistes ?
Preferably north facing and high up if possible as our next trip is late season.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Val Thoren sounds like it might fit the bill, very high and I can think of a number of lifts (Cascades, Moraine) where you have the options of blue/red/black at the top.
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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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Have a look at the piste map for Alpe d'Huez, may fit the bill. The only other place I can think of could be Les Gets from the top of La Rosta, bit small for a week though
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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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@JoyZipper,
North America is ideal for this - most resorts have multiple trails from the same lift of different difficulties ending at the same place. The terrain in the Alps makes this trickier.
That said, Les Contamines has two bowls with these sort of options - One has black/red/blue from sames start and finish, the other has black/red/blue/green.
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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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@JoyZipper, Montgenevre is good for mixed ability groups - we have been there in a large group of families with skiers ranging from complete beginners to an expert skier and everyone had a great time. You'd be best off booking child 2 in morning ski school so that you can cover some distance in the morning and pop over to the Italian side in Claviere. In the afternoons there is an area on the Montgenevre side called the Gondrans where you can all take one lift and choose between green, blue and red runs and the experts can go off piste or round the snow park. One of the times we went there was when our youngest was at the same stage as your child 2 and it was perfect. The resort itself is friendly and family orientated and there is the Monty Express roller coaster for a bit of fun after skiing. We went with Peak Retreats who have a good choice of self catering places with pools. The only thing to be aware of is that the Italian side of the ski area often shuts down a few days into April which might make it less attractive for your OH.
If you are planning to go in April another good option for a mixed ability group would be Les Arcs. However it might be better leaving that for the year after when your youngest would be able to go further and you could make the most of the more expensive lift pass.
I'd also recommend trying skiing some reds late morning on your next trip. Once the early morning ice has melted you might find them easier to ski than you think.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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+1 for Montgenevre. When I went with friends I often went down a different (easier) route to them and met them at the bottom of a lift for another go. There were definitely options for this on both sides of the town.
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Courchevel is perfect for this. Our kids were in about the identical position to your's last year. My wife was also for years in a similar situ to what you describe, though she is comfortable getting down almost anything now.
You can lap Chenus or Coqs lifts decscending back to the bottom on multiple options of red, blue or green.
Signal Chair in 1650 has red and blue options from top to bottom.
Suisses chair, gives you red (Marmottes) blue (creux->lac creux) or black (suisses) to the bottom.
La Tania side - La tania gondola - blue red or green all back to the bottom. Bouc Blanc chair, red or blue laps.
They can also lap the Pralong or Biolley chairs for confidence building whilst you nip up Salluire and do the red or blacks (multiple options) down the front back to the Biolley chair.
Plus the whole Courchevel valley is a paradise for progressing beginner/intermediates, it's really confidence building, and even timid intermediates can easily tour the whole resort and cover ground.
Between those runs down from chenus/coqs and the signal chair runs there's loads of "between the piste" if you get any fresh.
... And it's north facing and pretty high. .... And you can tour most of the 3v on blue/easy reds as the kids progress. We're now getting them from Courchevel across and up the other side of Meribel and back without problem and not far off being able to get them to VT and back.
Oh and the runs are generally quieter than the rest of the 3v, rarely a lift queue of more than 60 seconds if at all, tons of snow making, and you won't find a resort with better groomed or prepped runs given identical conditions.
I think I've just talked myself into going back at Easter  (I was toying with the idea of somewhere new)
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Les arcs always worked well for us for this.
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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 Les Arcs
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I think the less experienced skiers get the worst part of this deal. Good skiers generally get a nice red or black piste which follows the fall line, the weaker skiers get a gentler 'piste' which is often not much more than a road which meanders along the contour lines, often relatively narrow with a drop on one side.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We are a family of four with everyone at different levels.
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Les arcs always worked well for us for this.
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Les Arcs would be perfect for your requirements, having as it does the Vanoise Express.
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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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As some others have already posted, Les Arcs is a good mix for mixed levels.
I'd pick Arcs 1800 as having the best mix of pistes right there around the village, but also has the transarc lift that takes you over into the Arcs 2000 bowl. More importantly for those not up to the pistes for return after skiing over there, it can be used to bring you right back down to start point while those more skilled take their choice.
Val Cenis fits your spec as well with blue pistes right from the top plus greater challenge routes for the advanced. From mid station there's also one of the widest and longest green runs you'll find anywhere. Particularly good for development of the youngest as unlike a narrow cat track it has great scope in which to build up skills during progression. All north facing too.
Another I feel would be Grimentz in Switzerland. Big gondola straight up to plateu where there is some great skiing for all levels. Huge wide gently rolling piste up there which is particularly suitable for every level, backed by a piste side cafe right up there which is a great base for a family doing loops around that piste. The less skilled again can download to village while the more adventurous can take the main piste down, a very nice challenge but steep.
For a very mixed group I like the ability for all to visit the highest parts but not give the feeling of scaring the ones at the beginning of their learning curve.
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Flaine also often has three colours from the top to the bottom of the lifts - indeed Samoens and Morillon likewise.
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You know it makes sense.
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If going for 1800 i'd stay in charmetogger which has a great home run, the run back into the centre of 1800 has an icy drop at the bottom i used to detest. 1600 great, vallandry good too.
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