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Resorts for beginners/green runs

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi all,

Brand new to Snowheads so hope this is an appropriate post. Hello everyone and Happy Christmas!

My partner and I are looking to go on our second skiing holiday last week of January 2020.

Went to St. Johann in Tirol last year - had a lovely time but found the jump from very limited nursery slope to resort's blue runs a bit much. It was suggested as a good resort for beginners but not sure it really was - we spent large chucks of the week side stepping up the bottom of a red run, Not fun!

We've been looking for resorts with green runs but understand that's a term only used in certain European countries.

Top of the list so far are:

Alpe D'huez - seems a great beginner destination, just a bit worried about cost of food/drink etc when we're there.
Arinsal - seems a good bet, nauseating transfers aside!
Passo Tonale - not sure Italy has any formal green runs, and have seen a few people mention it's not the most pleasant resort.

Happy to consider anywhere in Europe really - would love to go to Canada but think perhaps better saved for a few trips down the line to make the most of it.

Am finding things a bit of a minefield currently so really grateful for people's thoughts and comments. We were caught out a bit last year with St.Johann, no real substitute for people's own experiences on the slopes!

Many thanks

Alex
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@althomas89, welcome to snowHeads! Very Happy
You will find a wealth of information on the forum already, it's just a question of knowing where to find it. May I suggest that, as a start, you do a search - across the whole forum - putting the word "beginners" in the "title only" box. That will throw up a lot of useful threads - I've just tried it.
Good luck!
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welcome to snowheads!

I've only been to Alpe d'Huez from your list. I can confirm it is very suitable for beginners, with its wide bowls of green runs. I've been a couple of times with beginners, and they all had a great time there. It is, however, one of the big resorts, which means it's not the cheapest, though I don't seem to recall it being that expensive. That said, you're going at a very good time (i.e. outside French school hols) so accomodation will be cheap that week, and the resort quiet, which can be helpful for nervous skiers.
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@althomas89, welcome to Snowheads.

You might want to look at Morillon, which has the aptly-named Marvel, a 5km green run. When I started and was frightened of EVERYTHING it was the Marvel that helped me get used to 'proper' pistes and I still love skiing it (just a bit faster than I used to!). It's a very pretty run, which helps remind you that skiing is fun, even when you're still struggling a bit.

Morillon also has some nice blues and you can mix and match between the blues and greens - there's a green called Marveline that is at the top of a relatively short lift and links into Marvel part way down, so lots of options.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Wherever you go, the quality of instruction is the "make it break" factor in your ski progression
Prioritise small group lessons - 6 people maximum and ask your instructor for suggestions as to where to ski after lessons.
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"make or break" that should read Laughing
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Les Saisies, every time. I've visited about 50 resorts and I've yet to find anywhere that comes close.
Mont Bisanne is a bit like a swimming pool; shallow end working its way up through about 10 pistes to the deep end (still an easy red).



Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Thu 26-12-19 14:54; edited 2 times in total
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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@althomas89, welcome to snowHeads. There are many places that would suit your needs I think.

As you imply, the green grading of pistes is not vital. More important perhaps is a mix of runs that are not too steep, reasonably wide, not too crowded and served by user friendly chairlifts and gondolas. A few tree lined pistes, to help visibility in low light or snowy conditions is also good I think.

Personally I’d rule out Arinsal as too limited for an average second week skier. Other Andorran areas would be OK if you can stand the transfer.

Italy has a lot of +ves, especially in the Dolomites. Have you thought about the snowHeads Bash in Alleghe for example? Also Canazei, Corvara, San Cassiano good bases.

Other parts of Italy good too, eg Aosta Valley, La Thuile, Milky Way.

Lots of Austrian areas suitable. Zell am Zee, Soll, Mayrhofen for example.

France tends to be more expensive but some places more reasonable with good skiing for you. Flaine, Risoul, St Gervais for example.

It may help to narrow down your list if you could say whether apres/nightlife important to you, what kind of accommodation you prefer, how you would travel, etc.
snowHead
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@BoardieK, what features of Les Saisies especially good for OP and partner do you think? snowHead
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I know Les Saisies well. It's ideal in all ways except group ski lessons will be in French. On the other hand private lessons are cheap.
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Weather to ski does a good top 10 nursery slopes. I recommend you look at Montgenevre. There is a large nursery area and a green slope running from the top of the mountain on each side of the valley to the village so you will have plenty of slopes to boost your confidence.
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Valloire galibier.
Tons of wide green and easy blue runs plus short reds if/when you progress. You can actually go from the top of both the mountains, to the bottom without touching a red,

As its a small resort, you are not spending lots of money on a lift pass where 90% of the mountain is closed to you. Over 50% is green/blue and many reds are really blue if im honest.
Piste map

https://s3.onthesnow.com/images/trailmaps/galibier-thabor/valloire/20190726095434/xlarge.jpg

https://www.onthesnow.co.uk/northern-alps/valloire/ski-resort.html


Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Thu 26-12-19 14:47; edited 4 times in total
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@PeakyB, "a mix of runs that are not too steep, reasonably wide, not too crowded and served by user friendly chairlifts". All of this and more. Madeye-Smiley

I edited my first post to add that the slopes on Mont Bisanne are like a swimming pool with a dozen wide easy pistes of the most consistent gradient you will ever find. Behind the village are several more straightforward blues all with great views and barely a cat track anywhere.

Of the other places mentioned I've been to AdH, Risoul, Corvara, Valloire, Canazei, Morillon. The bowl at AdH is good but more limited, Risoul ok, Valloire too many cat tracks.

At Les Saisies you won't have many fast skiers overtaking, they will be in different areas.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@PeakyB, I’d have thought Zell and Soll would be two to avoid if St Johann iT was too steep.
Ellmau and Going have the easier skiing in the SkiWelt.
Personally, I’d try France or Italy next time. It’s interesting to see the differences and you’ll have a better idea of the aspects of a ski holiday that are important to you, (bearing in mind Austria has much more to offer than St Johann, which I love btw)!
I say this as a confirmed Austrophile.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Could try seefeld if sticking with austria
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@althomas89, You didn't mention whether you had any lessons in St. Johan but what @pam w, says is important wherever you go.

That said, AdH was my first ever ski trip. A good resort for a beginner if I recall correctly (it was over 30 years ago).
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Of the resorts I've been to, out of all the suggestions above I would recommend Les Saisies over Alpe d'Huez, Ellmau, Passo Tonale, Morillon, Soll (in that order).
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Mr.Egg wrote:
Valloire galibier.
Tons of wide green and easy blue runs plus short reds if/when you progress. You can actually go from the top of both the mountains, to the bottom without touching a red,

As its a small resort, you are not spending lots of money on a lift pass where 90% of the mountain is closed to you. Over 50% is green/blue and many reds are really blue if im honest.
Piste map

https://s3.onthesnow.com/images/trailmaps/galibier-thabor/valloire/20190726095434/xlarge.jpg

https://www.onthesnow.co.uk/northern-alps/valloire/ski-resort.html


I second this. Excellent for beginners and the cat track-type green/easy blue runs through the trees are actually quite wide. There's also a 10+ km blue run that's really scenic. But not sure it would hold you for a week unless you make it a real goal to push yourself.

I like Les Saisies, too, for beginners. Bisanne, as mentioned, is probably the most confidence-building area I've come across in France. If you don't go during the French school holidays it shouldn't be too crowded. But it gets mobbed during the breaks.
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1. La Rosiere
2. Bansko
3. Les Saisies
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@BoardieK, @pam w, thanks, I’ve never skied at Les Saisies, so was interested to find out more about what the slopes are like snowHead
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@Drammeister, @denfinella,
As a very early intermediate I dont recall Soll or Zell being too steep or scary.
But it was a long time ago and a lot of gluwhein was involved.
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@PeakyB, the OP wanted some easy blues to progress to. I don’t think either of those have much in the way of them.

The St Johann area is a funny one as the blues are spread around the lower half of the mountain, the only way to get between them on the whole is on reds.
It’s a great area for intermediates though quite small.
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https://albiez.fr/en/decouvrir-albiez-2/plan-de-la-station/

Albiez would be perfect for you. It’s a small, quiet family resort that’s very pretty. But, although I keep banging on about it, no one else has been there to support my claim!
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@altis, Another col. Cols are great for beginners, Les Saisies, Montgenevre, Albiez; Les Mosses is another one but only has drag lifts.

I love cols.
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@althomas89, another possible not mentioned yet is Courchevel. It is hideously expensive but the mountain is great as you can go right to the top and ski all the way back down to 1850 on easy blues or swap to greens most of the way down. Or you can go up shorter lifts for greens only to start the week.

There are also some very good English speaking ski schools like NewGen... again at a cost. I would recommend it for you with only 2 reservations, first it's pricey, second in peak seasons it can be very busy and a crowded piste is not ideal for beginners.

Of the above I'd say Zell would be tricky for a complete beginner. Ellmau has gentler slopes if you're keen on Austria.
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I was also going to suggest Courchevel.
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@Rowlski, @Hurtle,
I also think Courchevel’s slopes would be good. Starting above 1850 then progressing to the blues above 1650. But nothing is good value for money about Courchevel unless you’re able to ski the whole 3.5 valleys.

As for Zell and Soll not having easy blues. First, we’re into subjective judgement about what’s ‘easy’...though I bow to snowHeads more recent experience.

Second, the OP and partner are not ‘complete beginners’. They’re second week skiers, which IMO opens up lots more options.

Agree with all advice recommending lessons. That should be a key factor in choice of area.
snowHead
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My wife went skiing and never really took to it, in fact at times the air was bluer than the Piste markers! I would class her as a cautious blue skier and she has pretty much given up for now (I go separately with our children now they can go out of school holidays). But relevant to this post, out of all the places we visited, the two I could tempt her back to would be Valmeinier (with Valloire above and have been back since with the boys and really enjoyed it again) and Soldeu. It would be because of the gentle but pleasant runs she enjoyed at those places.
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You know it makes sense.
Colfsoco and Corvara would be ideal in the Dolomites
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@althomas89, Soldeu, and sign up for ski school, it’s only your second week of skiing, if you want to progress then lessons are vital. Many of the instructors in Andorra are from UK or the commonwealth, it removes the language barrier IMO.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
If you go to Soldeu, take the bubble down at the end of the day.

I just came back from Morzine/ Les Gets, some very wide gentle blues and even greens there (like, I had to pole in some places).
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One area I always think of as being good for progressing beginners is the Loferer Alm (under an hour from Salzburg). There are wide, relatively gentle pistes, though beginners would need to take the gondola up and down from the main ski area.

Another nearby area worth considering is the Steinplatte at Waidring, though the run from the gondola to the main pistes requires a certain competence. For real beginners the Winklmoosalm just across the border in Germany has very easy pistes, if you access them from the Reit im Winkl side.
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La Plagne is good for blue run cruising and there are plenty of different areas/villages where you can stay, all with good access to the slopes. When you include Les Arcs there's enough skiing to keep any mile-cruncher happy.

Alpe d'Huez and Les Gets also good.

I did many holidays in Les Deux Alpes as a beginner/early intermediate and loved them, especially as you can go right up to the glacier and ski vast, easy runs.
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For what it's worth: when my wife was pregnant and didn't want to risk skiing anything steeper than a blue, we went to Valmorel. Worked well, as well as lots of skiing near the resort base there was the feeling of achievement in working our way over to St Francois, always on blue runs. Good value for France too.

But while it's not tiny, neither is it the biggest of resorts if you feel ready to want somewhere with massive mileage. In that case somewhere like La Plagne would be an option, end of January you won't have the crowded pistes which sometimes make it a pain for those still acquiring confidence.

But I echo everyone else, at your stage you will gain immensely from lessons. If you don't want to commit to a daily class, consider two half days with a private instructor for the two of you, it will make a huge difference in developing your skills. (And you will end up wanting those red runs after all).
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Hi all,

Thank you so much for all your comments, they're very helpful! We've been powering through the Inghams and Crystal brochures over the last 24 hours in line with what people have suggested here. Plenty of food for thought!

To add a bit of context last year was my partners first ski holiday, I'd skiied at St Johann IT twice a decade or so earlier.

We had a joint private lesson on the first morning and then another one each the following day. We probably should have gone for group lessons but thought we'd go for the private ones to have more time to ourselves.

St Johann is a great place, wonderful charm - but for absolute beginners its not great. The nursery slope is very small with the drag lift only operated a few hours a day. The jump to the blues is then really big, with the early sections of runs probably more red than blue. Quite a jump from a nursery slope!

I'd probably describe myself as a low end, very anxious intermediate. With the help of an instructor on the last day I managed to ski down from the top station at St Johann with a few falls/wobbles, that's a mix of reds and blues.

I'm pretty happy with or next holiday being a week spent on blues getting quicker and better though!

Many thanks again for all your help Very Happy

Alex
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Try Kirchdorf ,just a few minutes down the road from St Johann not a lot of skiing but very easy and the ski school is good and you would easily progress to the Steinplatte and St Johann during the week .So much easier to ski these areas with an instructor who will take you on to the pistes they know you are capable of skiing
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@althomas89, Alex, just for clarity, in France for example, green runs are often just mountain roads and barely steep enough to actually move down.

What I think you are looking for are a good helping of easy blues.
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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!
Group lessons are fun but private are where the real improvements are.

I usually have a lesson nearly every day when I go skiing. So much better for ability and confidence.

For my daughters it’s almost the same price for a joint private as two of them in groups.

Spend money on the lessons and perhaps you won’t need to stick to greens by Day 3 Smile
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Drammeister wrote:
@PeakyB, I’d have thought Zell and Soll would be two to avoid if St Johann iT was too steep.
Ellmau and Going have the easier skiing in the SkiWelt.
Personally, I’d try France or Italy next time. It’s interesting to see the differences and you’ll have a better idea of the aspects of a ski holiday that are important to you, (bearing in mind Austria has much more to offer than St Johann, which I love btw)!
I say this as a confirmed Austrophile.


Ellmau isn’t a resort I’d recommend for a beginner personally. I was one when I went there and had a very challenging week. Great place though otherwise.
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I think Passo Tonale is great for beginners. You will find the prices sooo much cheaper than France. Surprisingly lively too with a few good bars. And linked with a long bubble (or blue or red run) to Ponte di legno which is an older, more traditional village.
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