 Poster: A snowHead
|
I'm after some ideas for a family snow holiday next Feb half-term.
I'm planning to take my two boys who will be 12 & 5 and who are both total beginners, also my wife who has 5 weeks ski experience, but prefers blue runs to red runs.
Finally, there's me, a boarder who prefers reds & blacks & easily accessible off-piste.
Ideally, I want somewhere that I can drive to in one day, won't be too crowded & has at least 100km of pisted area, but preferably more.
My wife would prefer Switzerland or Austria, but I could persuade her to go elsewhere if I convince her that it will be the perfect resort!
TIA
ssnowman
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 4-04-06 8:02; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
ssnowman,
Cervinia, for pretty relaxerd but Italian skiing...lots of confidence builders and the Italians don't seem interested off-piste.
Ski Welt... cruisey and so Austrian
Sallbach...all the above but not an off-piste haven or Italian, but in fresh snow, its go anywhere, nice compact village which should not be hard to get a hotel within 5 mins easy walk to the lifts.
Well, there's three, but not sure how these relate to boards...ok, I think...
In Switzerland, look at Flims and Leizerhiede....spec looks ok-ish, but I haven't been there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I seem to be acting completely out of character these days...
Cortina might be interesting - lot sof things to do when not skiing.
I'd second Ski Welt.
And of course, the Portes du Soleil - you just want to be a little organised with where the lads have their lessons (assuming that's the plan).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I guess the problem is that in February half term a lot of places will be quite busy.
Saalbach is a great resort and you can't really go wrong for a mixed group of abilities as the lift network is very good and you can easily get back to the learners area from either side of the valley. The hotels are of a good standard and most have swimming pools etc.
The Ski Welt is a good ski area if you're a cruiser but I'm not so sure it's that good for boarders as there can be a few 'roads' linking pistes. I've seen a lot of boarders walking!
If you want quiet areas in Austria it's probably worth looking at places like Gosau in Upper Austria. It's less than an hour from Salzburg, has 145km of piste and you won't find it in the tour op brochures. It's fairly quiet though, e.g. no nightlife.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Alpe D'Huez??? Covers pretty much all your criteria I would say 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I would 2nd hayley t, with Saalbach. It was excellent
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you set off from the Channel Tunnel and need to reach it in a day then area around Geneva should be the target.
The 130km piste of La Clusaz/Le Grand Bornand is not as big and fully linked as the 265km piste Grand Massif made up by Les Carroz, Sameons, Morilon and Flaine. The two are approximately on the opposite valleys of the motorway.
The French side of Porte Du Soleil, with over 650km piste including the Swiss side, has Les Gets, Morzine and Avoriaz also good for beginers but have decent challenging areas due to their sizes. You will leave the motorway via the same Cluses junction to to Grand Massif or Porte Du Soleil. The latter takes about an extra 25 minutes to get to.
If you drive through the end of the fast motoway, only another 15 minutes, you can hit Chamonix or St Gervais/Megeve area. Megeve is part of the 300km piste domain.
The above places are well within a day's driving and motorway all the way from the Channel Tunnel.
If you land in Amsterdam or Rotterdam than Switzerland and Austria are slightly nearer. I would go the the Swiss side of Porte Du Soleil, Vebier, Cran Montona or stop earlier at Grindelward to ski the Junfrau Region. Alternatively Austria Ski Welt/Kitzbuhel in Tirol or Zell am See/Kaprun/Saalabch/Hiterglemm in Salzburg Region are all manageable within a day of driving by going via Germany.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Thanks for the replies, there are a few good ideas there which I will be investigating further.
If anyone else has any ideas, please carry on posting.
cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| saikee wrote: |
If you set off from the Channel Tunnel and need to reach it in a day then area around Geneva should be the target.
|
9 hours to Bourg St Maurice last week from the tunnel at Calais - no speed limits broken, by more than a few kmph, and 3 stops for fuel and a walk around. Same kind of return time as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Whilst I will agree that Saalbach and Hinterglemm are great ski areas, their idea of blues, are a little more like most peoples reds, not just my opinion, but that of all our party!! So if gentle blues are what your wife wants, I wouldn't go for Saalbach. Cervinia would be a great option for her, and the beginners, but you might get a little bored unless you hop over to Zermatt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
