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Late April family resort near Geneva?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Flying out of Bristol on Sunday 17th April for the last week of Easter hols - can only find flights to Geneva that day.

What resort is relatively close that will still have snow? Somewhere with a nice ski school for my 8 year old, first time skier.

I've been to Avoriaz a few times, any other recommendations? EDIT: Avoriaz closes that week!

Cheers!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@thebunk, welcome to the forum, that week and travel are fairly restrictive when added to decent altitude and still being open.

It's the last week of opening here https://www.valdanniviers.ch/en/grimentz-zinal-1937.html with village of Grimentz possibly the best area to stay. Reachable by train/bus on swiss transport system, usually fairly efficient but just a little further away from airport. Definitely worth the trip to a beautiful village with easy lift to high plateau for decent skiing late season.
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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?
Les Diablerets / Glacier 3000 is also a possibility. Easily reachable on the train from GVA. Check closing dates though.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
@thebunk, likely still to be skiing up Grands Montets, but not probably the sort of skiing you're looking for.

I'd be thinking Tarentaise and a hire car, myself.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Val Thorens, Val d'Isere, Les Arcs, and La Plagne would all meet your criteria. They do all have lengthy transfers but nowhere closer on the French side is likely to have beginner slopes in good condition. I would want to check that the Swiss resorts mentioned definitely had English speaking children's lessons but otherwise they could work.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
Go as high as you can in April.

Zermatt is wonderful in April. Assume the ski schools operate on the wide, easy glacier slopes?

Taught my nephews in Verbier on the gentle La Chaux slopes. Can get a bit slushy in the afternoons though.

Imagine the Val d’Isere glacier would be good? And Val Thorens is good in April although not sure about beginner slopes higher up?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Saas Fee but if Swiss is a bit to expensive aim for Val Thorens probably the closes or Tignes further afield , Val T would be full of mad Dutch that week .
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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!
Excellent green slopes high above Val d'Isere - should fit the bill. Although not sure how easy they would be for your 8yo to reach and get back from (as I've only stayed on the Tignes side). Piste map suggests gondola from main town and funicular from La Daille though
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Quote:

Val Thorens, Val d'Isere, Les Arcs, and La Plagne would all meet your criteria. They do all have lengthy transfers

It depends on what you mean by lengthy transfers. I have driven from Geneva to Les Arcs in under 2:30 yet on occaisions spent longer than that sitting on a transfer bus at the airport waiting for that elusive delayed flight from Glasgow (I suspect these are fictitious since we always leave before these passengers get on the bus). I don't think of these as "lengthy transfers"
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
thebunk,

Welcome to Snowheads.

I agree with others, that Val Thorens would be a great choice for mid April. We will be there 2 weeks before you; and back there again for the last week of the season in early May.

If you hire a car it's a pleasant drive to Val Thorens, via Annecy. It's 155km and usually takes 2 hrs 15 minutes from Geneva.

Alternatively, we have used Alpybus, Ben's Bus or Altibus for a coach transfer. All have provided a great service over the past few years.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Yes, another to agree with the above. We're off to VT the week before - there's only a handful of places that you'd count as snowsure for that week. In VT the snow should be good, the weather should be friendly (hopefully!), and the beginner slopes are good. And everywhere will be ski in, ski out. Perfect for a beginner to start their ski adventure.

As mentioned, driving is actually very straight-forward (compared to a bus transfer which can feel a bit endless at times). Plenty of undercover parking in VT too.
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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.
Quote:

I'd be thinking Tarentaise and a hire car, myself

Yes. As above.
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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
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
@thebunk, hello and welcome to Snowheads!

As many have already suggested, Val Thorens is a good bet that late in April. It is very high and is pretty easy to get to.

What nobody has mentioned yet is that @admin will be there that week with a band of SH funsters on the End of Season Bash. Whilst the bash runs Saturday to Saturday and you mentioned you had flights on Sunday 17th, it might be worth talking to @admin about accommodation. The self-catering apartments in L'Oxalys are a good deal and genuinely ski-in ski-out.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Rob Mackley wrote:
Saas Fee but if Swiss is a bit to expensive aim for Val Thorens probably the closes or Tignes further afield , Val T would be full of mad Dutch that week .
While there are always a few Dutch to be found at Val Thorens, Dutch Week itself isn't until 30th April this season.
Val T may be full of mad snowHeads at the EoSB though snowHead
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@admin, we're not mad, we're just weird Toofy Grin
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Wow, amazing to see so many replies - thanks everyone. Lots to ponder.

I did see it was EOSB week actually but assumed I'd missed out. Sounds great though! @admin is it worth DMing you about or is it too late?

I'll look into trains and hire cars - never seems straightforward on the Swiss side so any pointers on these things appreciated. Will do a search for other threads too.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@thebunk, Laughing snowHeads are never shy to offer advice about skiing snowHead

No, you're not too late for the EoSB.
As it's the end of the season, many people don't tend to focus on it until the season is underway - that said though, they could miss out if they're not careful as it's certainly more full than it would normally be for this time of year Confused

One point that may be of concern to you though, is that the EoSB runs from Sat to Sat, which may cause complications if you already booked Sunday flights?

If you follow the EoSB linky, and click the "I'm interested" button, then select an option to say how interested you are eg. 'Hopeful', 'almost certain' etc, you'll be fed updates at key moments eg. when places are getting rare.
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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?
@thebunk, This is the best time of year to ski. Our family go to Tignes in April. I'd rather have a longer transfer and have good skiing than a shorter one and have limited skiing.
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