 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking for suggestions - I've tried to get most of the question into the subject line! We're looking for a ski-in ski-out resort ideally in France or Italy with reasonable airport proximity (happy to rent a car for a journey of up to a couple of hours or alternatively go with a tour operator if there's a transfer option). This would be in the first week of April.
Our only previous ski experience is at Puy St Vincent - we're quite happy with a small to medium resort but wouldn't be put off by somewhere larger. Enjoy intermediate i.e. blues with a bit of red but no desire for anything more challenging than that. Self-catering or HB fine.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome.
Loads of options.
Courchevel 1850.
Les Arcs 1800.
La Plagne.
Avoriaz.
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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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Tignes - longer than a couple of hours drive but so are many of the good options.
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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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Alpe d'Huez between 90 and 120 mins from Grenoble. Some chalets up beside the Altiport.
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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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Or if you want to avoid the French mega-resorts, Obergurgl.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Val Thorens? Plenty of ski-in, ski-out options, and the high altitude that should make it a reasonably safe place to visit in April. I was there with a friend who was a beginner/intermediate skier, and she really enjoyed it.
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La Tania is really good (although very quiet). There's an excellent green run there called Plan Fontaine which tests a number of techniques for beginners and is a really good whizz down. I used for a whole day when I was learning and it was fantastic. Brings you out onto the main red run that heads back down to the telecabin that goes back up to Le Bouc Blanc.
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For beginners, I would recommend Val Cenis in France, it is in the Maurienne Valley and is pretty snow sure, currently 250cm upper and 35 lower. I have organised group trips there with the kids and one advantage is that it is door to door skiing from some of the accommodation, (Look at peakreatreats.co.uk), who are self drive (independent travel specialists) and they include crossing and accommodation costs (1224 pounds for 6 person apartment, 1.4.2017 at Les Alpages de Val Cenis), which is next to a nice small chair lift and you can also book direct - lesalpagesdevalcenis.com. The great advantage of this resort is that it has a large mix of beginner/intermediate runs, including Lescargot - which is claimed to be the longest green, (beginner) run in Europe (10km). Plenty of blues and reds - 125km of piste including neighbouring Termignon.
The only disadvantage is that the resort is quiet in the evening, but as it is less popular than some french resorts, it is rarely packed with hardly any queues on the piste and lift passes are reasonable, 173 euros for a 6 day pass (adult), 143.50 for a child. If you are flying, consider Turin airport which is only 86 miles away, (most people only look at Lyon, Chambery or Grenoble).
Good luck.
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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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@TimS, if you liked Puy St Vincent, it's near neighbour Serre Chevalier might suit you? Plenty of blues and cruisy reds. Something for everyone. Lots of accommodation a very short walk, not a lot ski-in ski out, but think across car park or pedestrian square.
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I'd hang on a bit and wait to see how the snow is in 3 weeks time, some lower resorts may be looking a tad green by early April.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Les Houches is brillant for beginners so is Le Tour and Vallorcine in Chamonix. Plus its cheap inearly april two of us went for 5 days 4 days ski lessons flights and 4* hotel for £500 each. Hotel was Les Aiglons Hotel and Spa.right on the main bus routes to the slopes
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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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| Lux wrote: |
| For beginners, I would recommend Val Cenis in France [...] The great advantage of this resort is that it has a large mix of beginner/intermediate runs, including Lescargot - which is claimed to be the longest green, (beginner) run in Europe (10km). |
Interesting. Arcalís in Andorra has a green which is 8km long and runs for the full (pisted) vertical descent of the resort (just under 700m) and so I guess that could be a candidate for second place! The funny thing is that this small resort with just 30km of pistes in total was also the well-deserved home of two stages of the Freeride World Tour this year; one in its own right and one which replaced Chamonix due to lack of snow there.
This was just a tangential comment; I wouldn't recommend it as a suitable resort for the OP. It's principally an off-piste resort and it's about as far away from being ski-in ski-out as it's possible to get: the nearest accommodation is more than 5km away!
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Thanks all for taking the time to reply - lots to research here.
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You know it makes sense.
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@TimS, I would say Montgenevre without hesitation for this April. It has the skiing you are looking for and is easily accessible from Turin. Look at the snow depths (lower piste) there compared to many other French resorts. There are obviously a few more snow sure places in the Tarentaise but it sounds as though you enjoy being slightly off the beaten track.
Val Cenis would probably be ok higher up in terms of snow but it is not as cruisy as Montgenevre for beginners/early intermediates.
Les Arcs would be ok but a much larger ski area..so I'd leave it for another year when you are confident on reds.
I'm not sure if Les Houches (mentioned above) would be a good option this year....not very high.
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