 Poster: A snowHead
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So it's taken 20 years to persuade them but our friends are having their first ski holiday next season, but where should we go?
They're going to be having weekly lessons at Chill Factor/Rossendale in the autumn, and probably half day ski school in resort.
Priorities are:
1. Good nursery slopes and ski school.
2. Not too much walking.
3. Plenty of reds/easy blacks for me and Mrs Sinner whilst friends are having lessons.
4. Nice village with a couple of good bars, but not full of teenage ravers!
5. Decent choice of hotel/catered chalet.
We love Madonna but realise it's not great for beginners.
Think Westendorf might be a possibility but I've only been when the snow was particularly good and worried the nursery slopes might be icy?
Obviously La Plagne/Tigne/Flaine etc would tick all the skiing boxes but we'd prefer somewhere with a bit more character.
Anywhere on the Sella Ronda? We've only stayed in Arrabba which didn't seem that beginner friendly.
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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Les Gets for France
San Cassiano for Sella Ronda
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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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| Sailbad the Sinner wrote: |
Priorities are:
1. Good nursery slopes and ski school.
2. Not too much walking.
3. Plenty of reds/easy blacks for me and Mrs Sinner whilst friends are having lessons.
4. Nice village with a couple of good bars, but not full of teenage ravers!
5. Decent choice of hotel/catered chalet.
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You just described Wengen.
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@Sailbad the Sinner, what's wrong with Madonna? 
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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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Thanks Mike, Wengen definitely a possibility and somewhere I've always wanted to ski.
@under a new name. We love Madonna, our favorite resort, but the nursery slopes are out at Campo Carlo Magno.
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| andy wrote: |
Les Gets for France
San Cassiano for Sella Ronda |
+1.
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San Cassiano
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Thanks Andy, Les Gets would fit the bill.
San Cassiano looks great, any hotel recommendations?
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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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@Sailbad the Sinner, what time of the season?
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Thinking last week in Jan / first week in feb
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@PeakyB, PM me if you wanted recommendation for Chalet/Chalethotel recommendation for San Cassiano and/or Megeve. To be honest, for that week, more than likely they’re full already.
If Saalbach-Hinterglemm is of interest, I’m sure he won’t mind me saying that @tatmantours is your man.
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Thanks PeakyB.
Inghams still have some availability in San Cassiano, looks like somewhere they don't need to offer discounts!
I'd forgotten about Megeve, skied there 25 years ago, had a great week but seem to remember the village being choked with traffic? Or that might have been somewhere else altogether....
Never been to Saalbach but it looks like a real possibility.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Sailbad the Sinner, none of these places, with character and convenience, is likely to be cheap. You could take your chances with a discounted late booking, but a bit risky, with your specific and rather diverse complete beginners with confident experienced skier combo.
Although Megeve is a busy town, I don’t recall it being choked with traffic. Main road goes around on ‘by pass’. Much of heart of town pedestrianised. Towns on the same circuit may be better value, eg, see Snowcoach accommodation in St Gervais. Also Combloux a possibility?
If interested in Saalbach I recommend you PM @tatmantours for his guide to the town and mountains.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Kirchberg in Tyrol. Some lovely long blues or kronplatz ditto for lovely long blues. Wengen possible but a lot of the blues are quite narrow/schussie for early skiers. Probably better for the second holiday.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Have you looked at Colletts ski chalets in Corvara would definitely recommend them, on the Sella Ronda & great beginner area
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Interesting. 10 years ago I bet the Sella Ronda wouldn’t have had a single mention.
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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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@Peter S,
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Interesting. 10 years ago I bet the Sella Ronda wouldn’t have had a single mention.
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Before they invested massively in snowmaking, modern lift infrastructure, etc.
When I first went to Italy, some key chairlifts closed for 1.5 hours while lefties went off for their lunches 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
lefties went off for their lunches
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...the lifties went off too
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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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You mention Westendorf, it is a pleasant village but not sure it is ideal for beginners as moving on from the initial drag lifts is not so easy. Brixen is better (the nursery slopes are at the top of a gondola) and it is better placed for exploring Skiwelt and Kitzbühel for non beginners.
There are many Austrian resorts that would work well for what you need, a good number already mentioned. One place not well known in the UK but is popular in many other countries is Serfaus / Fiss. It is pretty high, has a large varied ski area, a highly recommended ski school and the villages are largely car free.
End of January / beginning of February is usually excellent snow conditions with the various valley runs open. Of course you can never tell in advance, after all the Tour de France has just been cut short due to a freak snow / hail storm in Val d'Isere in July!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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If it wasn't for the @2.5hr transfer from either Lleida or Toulouse, Grand Valira in Andorra could be a popular value for money option.
Resorts like El Tarter are quieter than Soldeu or Pas de la Casa, yet still on the same pass (covering 210km of piste across all levels)
Snow has been good (lots of cannon investment) and the ski school has a strong core of experienced BASI instructors
Some good 4*/5* options, though some places like the sport hotel are getting popular with La Liga players and going very chichi
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@munich_irish, good point about moving on from the nursery slopes at Westerndorf, probably quite a leap for a first week 50 year old!
We found the best best way to do Kitzbuhel from Westerndorf was to catch the excellent ski bus, otherwise you spend half the day just getting there and back.
@PeakyB, I think we're resigned to paying top dollar for this trip, we need to fix the dates pretty soon and can't risk letting down the newbies after 20 years of badgering them to come with us. And Mrs Sinner was rather spoiled by the Hotel Spinale in Madonna last year.......
@Tony111, we met a couple last year who had been to Covara with Colletts and were very impressed so they're on the list.
Thanks everyone, some great suggestions.
I'll let you know what we book!
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@Sailbad the Sinner,
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@PeakyB, I think we're resigned to paying top dollar for this trip
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I think the only way to reduce cost, without compromising decent standard hotel/chalet, is location.
Sacrificing some of your more advanced skiing needs in favour of good beginner skiing, for example.
Of all those areas, if I was looking to wow beginners with the overall experience, while still enjoying lots of red and easy black runs, I'd be heading for the Dolomites. I'd also be praying for at least 4 sunny days during the week.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Sailbad the Sinner, Your wish list sums up La Rosiere, perfect for your new skier friends and with enough challenging terrain to keep you happy, with the bonus of the link to Italy on the same lift pass. I can recommend the Relais du Petit Saint Bernard, IMO the best 2 star hotel in France and there are lots of Chalets or apartments available.
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valloire ticks all your boxes.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Another vote for Sella Ronda from me. Consider Selva, pretty village and lots of variety of skiing.
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@FFIRMIN Do you know what the nursery slopes are like in Selva? It's somewhere we've skied through and stopped for lunch, but never needed to look at the green runs.
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You know it makes sense.
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Mr.Egg, is Valloire only a diy option now? (Not necessarily a problem but didn't Crystal go there at one time?)
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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1. Lech.
2. Wengen.
3. Zermatt.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I would have thought that Zermatt was a resort to work up to, once past the beginner stage. Also not very ski-convenient for someone who prioritises proximity to lifts and slopes. Spectacular scenery though.
No comment about comparative cost of suggested resorts, as the OP hasn’t mentioned cost as an important factor.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Lee Shaw, as much as I like La Rosiere...does it really have enough tough reds/easier blacks to keep the OP and partner happy for a week?
Certainly good for beginners and intermediates. Not sure it has enough challenging stuff though, compared with Paradiski, EK, 3V.
Were some new lifts opening up another peak opened last season? Is that a game changer for La Ros?
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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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| tatmanstours wrote: |
I would have thought that Zermatt was a resort to work up to, once past the beginner stage. Also not very ski-convenient for someone who prioritises proximity to lifts and slopes. Spectacular scenery though.
No comment about comparative cost of suggested resorts, as the OP hasn’t mentioned cost as an important factor. |
+1
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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friends wife and their 4years old daughter started skiing in Mayrhofen without struggle. There is plenty of skiing for all level of skiers and a short trip from Hintertux or Zillertal Arena. Has a train station.
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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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Go bonkers and take them to Whistler. Yes it will cost you over double but a great trip.
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+1 for Serfaus Fiss Ladis. SFL is a great area for all levels, villages are very pleasant and the mountain restaurants are tremendous. There's a good beginners area between Fiss and Ladis, with easy progression on to the main pistes. If you're looking at SFL then I'd recommend staying in Fiss as it's the central area and has a much easier home run than Serfaus. Ladis could work for you but for the experienced people it means taking a gondola to Fiss in the morning then getting another gondola to the top of the pistes.
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Thinking of a Whistler trip in March, but just the two of us......
Some great suggestions in this thread, quite a few places we've been to years ago but forgotten about!
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| Sailbad the Sinner wrote: |
| Thinking of a Whistler trip in March, but just the two of us...... |
They would love it.... every lift they can get down and you have other options if you wanted it harder.
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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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I'd definitely go Austria over Italy for their first trip.
Personally I'm not blown away by the Sella Ronda itself, though I do love skiing in Italy generally, the Sella Ronda is a little bit too much of an attraction in itself and I think parts of the lift system are a little shabby. In terms of towns on the Sella Ronda, Corvara doesn't impress me but Selva di Val Gardena does. San Cassiano is lovely though a little quiet when I've been.
I'd definitely go down the Lech/Saalbach route.
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Grading is more generous/safer in general in Austria and Italy so that might be a consideration. There is less chance - other things equal - of being 'freaked out' on a so-called green (or blue) run which can happen in some French resorts. And in some cases put off the beginner or even nervous non-newbie for life. For example, in France there can be blue/green route all the way down which is helpful as it does indicate the easiest way down but in some cases some of these runs would be graded red in Austria/Italy which would at least alert you to the fact that decanting on the gondola might be advised. Also, even if there is bit of 'naughty' grading in Austria/Italy - it doesn't (seem to) go on for a protracted time. I'm thinking in particular here of routes like Touviere/La Daille in Val D and the blue (used to be red) Cruex in Courcheval 1850 which can be busy (and hence bumped) and could feel like it was gong on forever with tired legs. Because of this you can more safely set out on a group trip if the beginners pick it up quickly. In France the jump from beginners to skiing around the resort can seem more intimidating. In Frances' defence Alpe d' Huez has great beginners bowl and from memory didn't throw up any surprises. I haven't skied Serre C or Evasion Mont Blanc but others SH's may be able to comment. I'd consider France for a second trip if they like it...
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FAQ
Always glad to be of help.