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Where to go- big group self catering, some beginners in april

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hello!
I have only just discovered snowheads(where have you been all my life?) and I really could do with some advice.
I am organising a big group holiday for the 1st week of April. 4 families: 2 sets of beginners, and 2 intermediate -advanced. 8 adults and 10 kids.
We ideally want to stay in a big self catered chalet or apartment so we can cook together in the evenings. I asked on Chalet solutions room and oh my goodness they are ££££.
Any ideas of any where to find slightly more budget self catering options but in a resort where the snow will be ok in April? Don’t mind staying in a lower down connected village (eg Venosc or mont de Lans for les Deux Alpes)
I have found somewhere in Les Menuires but surely snow will be patchy there in early April?
My head is about to explode I have searched the web so much!
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Forgot to say budget. I suppose £4K per family all in (accom/lift pass/lessons/equipment)
We will be driving down
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Have you looked at Sunweb (their prices tend to include liftpasses so don't get scared of them!) and Peak Retreats? I hunted for a cheap place last February half term for 18-22 and it was very hard to find self catering places that big, we ended up in a very cheap catered chalet. The group service at Sunweb were very helpful https://ski.sunweb.co.uk/group-travel and I know Peak Retreats have this lot https://www.peakretreats.co.uk/winter/holiday-types/accommodation/large-ski-accommodation Both of these options would need some element of DIY travel organising if you / rest of your group are up for that!
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Have you tried Airbnb and put in room requirements and dates? See what comes up for the cash. May show you options.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Snowysarah,
If you've found somewhere suitable in Les Menuires I wouldn't dismiss it as being too low it connects in with Val Thorens and I have stayed in plenty lower places than Les Menuires and had perfectly good snow in early April.( I don't think I've stayed anywhere Higher and until this year when a knee injury stopped me skiing I have been every Easter this century.)
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Wouldn't rule out Les Menuires either. It's not exactly low at 1850m, and as T Bar says, links to Val Thorens and the 3V so should be plenty of good skiing. Would have thought early April would be OK. Could also check out La Plagne.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Tignes would also suit, given your group's mixed abilities.
Glacier there and at VdI and it has late closing, implying reasonable chance of snow as 3 Valleys.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Snowysarah, I think Les Menuires is a good choice for 3V at relatively good value. Residences Aconit not bad, available through Sunweb.
Tignes a good option for snow conditions but likely to be more expensive I think. Tignes 2100 (Le Lac) probably the best option if beginners involved.
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Quote:
... it was very hard to find self catering places that big,...

This. And the fact that Easter week is already booked up in many places.

Not sure how old the children are, so whether 2-3 adjacent apartments might work, with the adults spending the evening in one and the kids sleeping in the other(s)?

Quote:
... we ended up in a very cheap catered chalet

Agree a catered chalet might just about work within budget, after allowing for self-drive. If you have the flexibility to go a week earlier / later that might save £100 per head.
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@Snowysarah, as @always29 has suggested, take a look at Sunweb.

A party of us stayed in one of these; Chalets des Ecrins (https://ski.sunweb.co.uk/france/les_sybelles/la_toussuire/chalets_des_ecrins.htm?view=overview) actually the right hand on in the picture, in La Toussuire - Les Sybelles region the season before last. The total group size was 16, 9 adults and 7 children. We actually ended up having two chalets one above the other.

Admittedly it might be touch and go that late in the season lower down at resort level, but the price includes the ski pass for the whole region which tops at 2620m.

Considering the size of the group and the fact you're driving check them out.
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Accommodation for 18 cuts the options as many places can't cut it for that size.

You could consider splitting into two x two family groups to open up your accommodation options. You can socialise by visiting each others apartments but just eat and sleep separately. Also might make cooking more manageable.

Early April is fine. Off piste you've perhaps a 50/50 chance of having something to play with and lower down pistes may be patchy. But generally it's a great time of the year to go.

Not sure why ecureuil things lots of places will already be booked up - we never book until Jan/Feb - it's not a really busy time of the year.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Did something similar with a large group [circa 18 ] .

Finished up in Tignes which has some larger multi bedroom apartments. We booked two adjacent and moved the furniture around to suit with one apartment used as a dormitory.

https://www.tignes.co.uk/grandtichot.php
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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
www.les-balcons.co.uk have self catering apartments for large groups across different resorts in france. We were staying in Val Cenis Village and was great for our large group, all bedroom ensuite, underground parking, ski in/out, restaurant on site.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I was going suggest Val Thorens, so if you've found an ideal place in Les Menuires then I'd suggest going with it.

Les Menuires isn't exactly low so there's a good chance the snow will be okay at that time of year (I've skied down to resort during Easter many times), and if it happens be a bad snow year then you're only a lift away from the highest resort in Europe and lots of snow sure slopes
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thanks so much for all the comments- I will trawl my way through them and look up all the suggestions in the morning.

Re : Les Menuires- we will have 4 complete beginner with us. If the snow is rubbish in April will they be able to get up to Val thorens or does it depend on being able to ski a bit to a lift?
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
les menuires will not suit you!!!!
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@janny, why not?
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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?
Snowysarah wrote:
Re : Les Menuires- we will have 4 complete beginner with us. If the snow is rubbish in April will they be able to get up to Val thorens or does it depend on being able to ski a bit to a lift?

Presumably they will be having lessons? In which case, don't sweat it - the instructor will find some good pistes to work on.

Yesm they might need a couple of lifts but it's no big deal.
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@Snowysarah,
Quote:

Re : Les Menuires- we will have 4 complete beginner with us. If the snow is rubbish in April will they be able to get up to Val thorens or does it depend on being able to ski a bit to a lift?


Resort staff will work very hard to ensure beginners slopes and key link pistes remain open and in reasonable condition.

To get to Val Thorens need to take lifts up to Col de La Chambre. From there a blue run down to Val Thorens. Not too difficult but I think most complete beginners would need about 3 positive days of instruction and practice to enjoy that.
Unless other snowHeads know different, free buses from Les Menuires to Val Thorens only seem to allow pedestrians and cross country skiers. I suppose a taxi, at a price, is a back up option. Journey between the two is about 10 minutes.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Tignes or Val Thorens
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intermediate wrote:
@Snowysarah,
Quote:

Re : Les Menuires- we will have 4 complete beginner with us. If the snow is rubbish in April will they be able to get up to Val thorens or does it depend on being able to ski a bit to a lift?


Resort staff will work very hard to ensure beginners slopes and key link pistes remain open and in reasonable condition.

To get to Val Thorens need to take lifts up to Col de La Chambre. From there a blue run down to Val Thorens. Not too difficult but I think most complete beginners would need about 3 positive days of instruction and practice to enjoy that.
Unless other snowHeads know different, free buses from Les Menuires to Val Thorens only seem to allow pedestrians and cross country skiers. I suppose a taxi, at a price, is a back up option. Journey between the two is about 10 minutes.


The free bus from Les Menuires to Val Thorens is indeed only for pedestrians, but skiers can get a bus that they pay for. I know this because on the first day of my last trip to VT in February my brother and I missed the last lift back towards VT - Cote Brune, from the top of Plattieres 2 up from the Meribel valley - and ended up having to ski down into Les Menuires and get the bus back up. I think it cost around 7 euros per person. There was some poor soul at the bus station in Les Menuires trying to get back to Meribel, and desperately looking for people to share a cab with, imagine that would have cost him a pretty penny...
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

We booked two adjacent and moved the furniture around to suit with one apartment used as a dormitory.


I bet you were popular wink
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