 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I’ve been put in charge of booking a skiing holiday for a group of us for Easter 2022.
6 adults, 4 kids.
The first week of Easter is 2nd April.
The second week is the 9th which is quite a bit cheaper than the first week.
I have been skiing a lot over the years but everyone else are complete beginners. I have done the 3 valleys, la rosiere, tignes and la plagne.
I have been looking at the higher resorts of La, Plagne and Les Arc.
I fancy Val d’isere but it seems a bit more expensive than the others.
Where in the french alps would be good for beginners at Easter (April) and which week would you pick?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Val d'Isere has very good beginner slopes at high altitude which in my opinion gives it the edge over Les Arcs and La Plagne at Easter for beginners, whether its worth the price increase is debatable. Of the different Les Arcs resorts, Arc 2000 will be best at Easter for beginners. Les Deux Alpes is another place to consider, excellent beginner slopes that should be in good condition at Easter and much cheaper than Val d'Isere
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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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@Lissyj, welcome to snowHeads 
If you prefer France, then I think La Plagne would be best for your complete beginners at that time of year. If you could find suitable accommodation in Belle Plagne or Plagne centre that would be best.
La Plagne has plenty of ski in/out accommodation close to ski school meeting points. Lots of wide and open green and blue pistes. High enough to have a good chance of reasonable snow conditions late in the season. Lots of scope and challenge for you too, as you’ll know.
Val D’Isere does have a dedicated beginner area near the village and a beginner friendly area up on Solaise. But otherwise I think it can be a bit intimidating for beginners and best kept for a future trip. Not so many ski in/out lodgings suitable for beginners. Quite expensive.
3V is another option, Courchevel 1650 (Moriond) or 1550 (Village) good bases and the beginner areas above Courchevel 1850, accessible from there, are ideal. Not cheap.
La Rosiere also fairly reliable late season, good for beginners and better value than the others. Not such an interesting area for you though.
As for which week, bit of a lottery, but if affordable I’d go for the earlier week for slightly better chance of good snow. Usually the week that ends with skiing on Good Friday tends to be a little less crowded than the following week, in my experience.
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My daughter and family went to UCPA La Plagne last Christmas (and would have gone again this Christmas,were it not for lockdown). They were impressed with it - all inclusive, including lessons, lift passes and equipment, nice family room, food suited them OK. It's likely to be one of the cheaper catered options.
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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 to a small cheap resort with cheap lift passes. Pointless spending £300 on liftpasses to go look at the scenery.
Id start looking at val cenis and les balcons accomodation if you want to stay under one roof... as well as the other maurienne valley resorts.
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@Lissyj, You are aware that easter 2022 is the 17 th of April. The week including good Friday starts on the 9th, not the 2nd and the week containing the bank holiday is Saturday 16th, probably the last week of the season in many resorts. Indeed many will be closed on the 16th.
Basically go as high and as north facing as you can. For both weeks I'd be looking for the Tarrentaise resorts, Tignez, Les Arcs, La Plagne or the 3 Valleys.
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@Lissyj, game changing point by @johnE, which works in your favour.
If, as you said, you’re able to depart 2 April 2022, then you should avoid the Easter school holidays. That should make accommodation that week significantly cheaper than the w/c 9 April. Ski areas also usually far less crowded outside school holidays. For beginners, avoiding crowded pistes can be as important as avoiding slopes that are too narrow / steep.
But I’m puzzled that you say...
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The first week of Easter is 2nd April.
The second week is the 9th which is quite a bit cheaper than the first week.
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That doesn’t stack up with how accommodation would usually be priced. Also, if you’re flying out, costs would be lower the first full week of April than the following 2 weeks.
Over to you.
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Sorry every one I meant my daughters school holidays for Easter are 2nd-19th of April.
It’s a private school so not sure if holidays are diff to state schools?
So we could either fly out on the 2nd or fly out on the
9th.
I was told by some companies it’s less fashionable to go the week of the 9th so it was cheaper than flying out on the 2nd.
Or the quotes I had were anyway.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I was looking at the Tarentaise resorts.
I like la rosiere but it’s quite small from what I remember and none of the kids or the other whisk make the drag lift across to La Thuile I don’t think.
La Plagne and Les Arc seem like good contenders.
I’d like to try Val D’isere but it is expensive.
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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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@Lissyj, how are you getting there? What sort of accommodation are you thinking of staying in? Package or DIY?
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I was told by some companies it’s less fashionable to go the week of the 9th so it was cheaper than flying out on the 2nd.
Or the quotes I had were anyway.
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That would go against the usual trend. Main state school holidays more expensive than dates outside of those. Not many airlines selling flights or TOs selling packages this far ahead.
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It was a package.
Catered chalet, flights and transfers from Manchester.
I was getting quotes of £1200-£1300pp for the week of the 2nd April and £900-£1100pp for the week of the 9th.
I think jet 2s prices are out but not easy jet and due to be released shortly.
To be honest covid might stop us booking anything.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Lissyj, unless that chalet is very high standard and brilliant location I’d be hanging on for a while before booking.
If there’s a full season operating next winter there’ll be enough availability first week in April. It might get a bit tighter the following week. By this spring things should be a bit clearer, we all hope. Then chalet and hotel operators will all start to release their programmes.
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