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Cheap family friendly resort for novice family in April

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hello,
We are a non skiing family (2 adults +3 kids 7,10 and 11 years) about to start lessons.
I am looking to book somewhere cheap and cheerful for April as an incentive to keep us skiing.
Can anybody recommend a family friendly (quietish) European resort that will still have snow 1/4/19.
Thanks in advance
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I think Obergurgl or Obertauern would suit you well.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Valmeinier
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@Hodgey, welcome to snowHeads.
La Rosiere, Les Contamines.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
...also some of the lower altitude villages in the La Plagne area may have bargains low season week like that, eg Les Coches, Montchavin.
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Les Deux Alpes

*EDIT* although maybe not that quiet
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
La Rosiere
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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!
PeakyB wrote:
...also some of the lower altitude villages in the La Plagne area may have bargains low season week like that, eg Les Coches, Montchavin.


Agreed, although you may have to take several lifts to get to snow. Or of course it may be plentiful!!!

If you want snow sure I think you'd need to head high and as that's very much end of season, even the big resorts have bargains. Les Arcs often offer deals on lift passes as well
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avoid the big ski areas.
Pointless paying €300 for a lift pass when you will only see 5% of the mountain.
Better to head to a smaller resort of around 85k-150k
you wont feel overwhelmed by the space & the €100 saved can be used for more lessons!

Lots of choices for apartment + lift pass on snowtrex & sunweb.
You could also try direct with pierreetvacances, odlays, madamvacances, etc.

You need to work out where you can fly from & where them airports fly to to start narrowing down options.
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Ski Amade, Austria, offers free ski passes for kids from mid-March, one adult 6 day pass must be purchased to qualify. Nearest airport with a transfer time of approx 45 mins to many towns is Salzburg. HTH Ange
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Glenshee or Aviemore might be a safer bet as that's just post-brexit day - you may have trouble travelling if some of the more dire predictions come to pass and flights are grounded and there are massive queues at border control....
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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.
Off the wall suggestion... Norway still has a snow guarantee at many resorts in April. I took my family of non-skiers to Trysil last year and they had a such a good time we are going back... in April 19.
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Damion75 wrote:
Off the wall suggestion... Norway still has a snow guarantee at many resorts in April. I took my family of non-skiers to Trysil last year and they had a such a good time we are going back... in April 19.


Seconded.

No doubt someone will be along to say how expensive Norway is but we didnt find it so when DIY. But don't eat out!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Same as above applies to Sweden. Doesn’t spring to mind as cheap and cheerful, but bear in mind the accommodation prices on skistar.com are for the apartment (not per person) so I think a self-catering holiday is competitive.

Last Easter was great, and it’s a little further north than Trysil. For Åre there are direct flights to Östersund with Easyjet from Gatwick and Bristol. It’s family friendly. For beginners I’d recommend staying in Bjornen area.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Soldeu/El Tarter in Andorra could work for you. Lift system is fine, decent ski schools, plenty of easy terrain, reasonably priced self catering apartments, etc.

Cervinia would also fit the bill.

It's quite late in the season, so would not book too far in advance. Better to make a shortlist, see what conditions are like by say mid March and book then.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I think Valmeinier (mentioned above) is south facing and not that high so it might not be the best in April.

I think Val Cenis would be ideal for your family. It has an excellent long beginner slope (l'escargot) and is north facing with a good snow record. It is cheaper all round than the better known resorts. We drove there with Peak Retreats (package including flexi plus Eurotunnel) and stayed in Chalets de Flambeau. They also offer a range of cheaper apartments in the resort.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I think Valmeinier (mentioned above) is south facing and not that high so it might not be the best in April.

I think Val Cenis would be ideal for your family. It has an excellent long beginner slope (l'escargot) and is north facing with a good snow record. It is cheaper all round than the better known resorts. We drove there with Peak Retreats (package including flexi plus Eurotunnel) and stayed in Chalets de Flambeau. They also offer a range of cheaper apartments in the resort.
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@Hodgey, how late in April?
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flangesax wrote:
Ski Amade, Austria, offers free ski passes for kids from mid-March, one adult 6 day pass must be purchased to qualify. Nearest airport with a transfer time of approx 45 mins to many towns is Salzburg. HTH Ange


Agree with this. The free lift pass thing is excellent. We took advantage of it in many areas while we could (Ski Amade, Ski Circus, SkiWelt, Serre Chevalier and Les Arcs - but for some reason not available if you stayed in La Plagne).
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Bennyboy1 wrote:
@Hodgey, how late in April?

From the OP "Can anybody recommend a family friendly (quietish) European resort that will still have snow 1/4/19."

TBH first week of April isn't that late and there is no rush for booking that time of year.

Personally I would suggest driving to France to one of the small to medium size ski in/ski out French resorts that have a decent ski school and good snowmaking. Which to be honest covers most these days. Get an apartment and self cater. Cheap as chips.
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Yup will only be some private schools I guess from uk that are off for holidays. Not sure about other countries.
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Pralognan. My grandchildren 16,14 and 6 all learned to ski there. The last one,4,will start in 2019.
Unlike some places I could mention, you'll never hear "Je suis desolle,pas possible"
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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!
What @Themasterpiece said. Try Norway or Sweden.
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I know someone who stayed at Kaprun last year and bussed it over to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier every day. His daughter had lessons on the glacier.
He seemed to enjoy his trip!
Accommodation should be very reasonable by April.
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Lee Shaw wrote:
La Rosiere

South facing, will be rather slushy by April, other side of the mountain, La Thuile will be better
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Mr.Egg wrote:
avoid the big ski areas.


Actually Val d'Isere has a fantastic beginner area and is very well set up for progression. It also has free lifts to start off with and does beginner lift passes so you don't have to shell out for a full EK pass.

There is a swanky new bubble up to Solaise where the beginners area is excellent, with two magic carpets and a lovely new reasonably-priced restaurant - and the Madeleine green run as well.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@ster,
Quote:


Damion75 wrote:
Off the wall suggestion... Norway still has a snow guarantee at many resorts in April. I took my family of non-skiers to Trysil last year and they had a such a good time we are going back... in April 19.


Seconded.

No doubt someone will be along to say how expensive Norway is but we didnt find it so when DIY. But don't eat out!


I'd agree you can actually do Norway cheaper than most people think, for example, earlier this year, we went to Voss over (English) half term, (it wasn't Voss half term for another week, so was quiet)!

Our costs were roughly as follows:

Flights: £40 return each (admittedly you may be lucky to get that price) + extra for 1 bag (can't remember how much), with Norwiegan
Accommodation: 1 week in a self catering chalet cost circa £650 (we booked a 2 bed, 1 bathroom place and ended up with a 3 bed, 2 bathroom place)!
Train fare from Bergen: £40 each return
Taxi fares: Not cheap (the metre starts at around £10 even for 5 minute journeys), but I think we probably spent circa £200 over the week on taxi's
Food: Not cheap (pizza, pasta, 1 kids portion and a drink each cost around £80), however some places are a bit cheaper and we cooked most of the time
Alcohol: Take your own (hence the checked bag)!
Skiing: A week's lift pass seems to be about £170 currently: https://www.vossresort.no/en/winter/skipasses-/prices/

But as @ster says, eating out (and taxi's) are the real expensive bits!
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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
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I researched a family of four (2ad, 2 ch) going to Bulgaria and it came in pretty cheapish (@£2000) and included flights, transfers, a family room, half board, lift pass, gear hire, and lessons.

Though opinions differ as to whether it's worth the effort...

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=136923
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You know it makes sense.
HoneyBunny wrote:
It also has free lifts to start off with and does beginner lift passes so you don't have to shell out for a full EK pass.

I'm not saying you are wrong but I've never heard of any resort doing a beginner lift pass. Do you have more details?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Even if Val D'Isere has a cheap beginner lift pass it is not a cheap destination. The price of accommodation is probably at least twice the price of accommodation in Val Cenis or other resorts in the Maurienne. Any eating out/drinks in resort will also be more expensive.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Even if Val D'Isere has a cheap beginner lift pass it is not a cheap destination. The price of accommodation is probably at least twice the price of accommodation in Val Cenis or other resorts in the Maurienne. Any eating out/drinks in resort will also be more expensive.
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Valkyrie wrote:
I think Obergurgl or Obertauern would suit you well.


I think Obergurgl will fail miserably on the cheap aspect of the OP request but good in other aspects.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Les Gets will still have snow on piste and there are deals on lift passes and lessons at the end of the season. We always lower considerably the prices of our apartments as well. Benefits of Les Gets is that it's just easy, very well set up for families, on the other hand the off piste is sketchy in April and you'll have slush at the end of the day, which I see as a positive actually because it means I have an excuse to start the apres ski earlier!
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Cheap = false economy if the snow is rubbish. Go high and North facing in April, beginner or not. Morning ice and afternoon slush are harder for a beginner than an expert. Often the beginner slopes are at the bottom so in poor condition by then. You want somewhere with easy slopes at altitude.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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BobinCH wrote:
Cheap = false economy if the snow is rubbish. Go high and North facing in April, beginner or not. Morning ice and afternoon slush are harder for a beginner than an expert. Often the beginner slopes are at the bottom so in poor condition by then. You want somewhere with easy slopes at altitude.


Good points but for many the budget means a difference between going for a ski holiday or not.
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Absolutely. Was referring specifically to lift pass. Still possible to do a cheap holiday self catering in a budget apt in Les Arcs, La Plagne or VT.
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Are you driving or flying as this will affect your choices. If driving from the UK the Western side of the Alps Geneva Corridor to Chamonix/ via Lyon to the Tarentaise or to the Souther French Alps will be the close destinations. Flying opens up your choices to Austria/ more of Italy and further afield.

Secondly I would consider booking mid March as the choice will depend on the snow. There may be great snow or not at that time and by mid March it will be clear where to (or not) to go.
As a rule of thumb the expensive resorts are generally the biggest in terms of slopes so a small resort with 50-100kms of slopes will be 1/2 the price of big resorts in terms of eating out/ having a beer/ cheaper ski passes. These tend to be the family friendly ( read quiet) resorts. Once you choose your shortlist booking .com is the way to go for an apartment. if you are beginners ski-in ski out will reduce the stress of buses/ carrying skis/shouting at the kids who forgot their gloves etc.
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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!
Layne wrote:
HoneyBunny wrote:
It also has free lifts to start off with and does beginner lift passes so you don't have to shell out for a full EK pass.

I'm not saying you are wrong but I've never heard of any resort doing a beginner lift pass. Do you have more details?


Here you go:

https://www.skiline.co.uk/blog/new-%E2%82%AC35-day-val-d%E2%80%99isere-ski-pass

snowymum wrote:
Even if Val D'Isere has a cheap beginner lift pass it is not a cheap destination. The price of accommodation is probably at least twice the price of accommodation in Val Cenis or other resorts in the Maurienne. Any eating out/drinks in resort will also be more expensive.


I never said Val was cheap, it's just someone said "ignore the big areas" and I was pointing out that actually Val d'Isere caters well for beginners. Yes it can be expensive if you want it to be, but you could get a self catering apartment and a beginner's lift pass and it would not work out much more expensive than smaller resorts that will likely have worse snow conditions.

There are people suggesting Norway which is more expensive than Val!

If cost is that much of an issue, go to Borovets in Bulgaria, it's miles cheaper than anywhere in France, Italy or Austria.
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Quote:

As a rule of thumb the expensive resorts are generally the biggest in terms of slopes so a small resort with 50-100kms of slopes will be 1/2 the price of big resorts in terms of eating out/ having a beer/ cheaper ski passes.

I'm not sure that's true - lift passes in a small resort (e.g. Les Saisies where I had an apartment) are still quite expensive - certainly more than half the price of, say, Tignes. Resorts like Val d'Isere can be very expensive for eating and drinking but there are some reasonable places AND it's perfectly possible to rent a small apartment, buy beer and wine in the supermarket to drink at home and live very well without spending a fortune. And in April weather should be good for picnicking up the mountain at lunchtime!
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A few other things about Norway to consider if you are beginners, the lessons in Trysil were excellent and the resort itself is very beginner friendly with pretty much all of the resort accessible by easy runs. Also much less hooning around than I have seen in France and Austria to be intimidated by. For a DIY option Norway is very easy to do, everyone I came across spoke, and was happy to speak, excellent English. If you book in a Skistar resort they are a one-stop shop for all things in the resort, so again easy for a DIY effort. Although oddly the lifties were less helpful to beginners than other resorts, very incongruous.
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