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Christmas '23 or Easter '24 recommendations

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
OK a slightly long and convoluted recommendation request......

For years now, me, my wife, our 3 kids and FIL have been going to Les Gets. We love it. Sadly my FIL hasn't been with us since 2019, firstly because of an operation on his feet and since then because he had a nasty road bike accident in 2020 which has affected his mental health. Though he is 75, he is fit as a fiddle and he is slowly returning to his former self from a MH point of view, and is keen to get back to the slopes, but it won't be this season.

To make things more complicated, two of my kids will be going to uni this September so we'll be limited to Christmas or Easter skiing. To make things even more complicated, we'll be inviting MIL as well as SIL and her kids. MIL and SIL won't ski at all. My wife and FIL will be sticking rigidly to gentle blues and greens. My SILs kids have never ski-ed before, apart from the eldest who is currently out in Alpes d'Huez on his first ever uni ski trip (and loving it btw). SILs other two kids are sporty so I'm sure will pick it up, but will need ski school. Me and my kids will rip up anything.

The only time my MIL has been to the mountains was a trip with us to La Rosiere where she didn't have the greatest time. We were staying in chalet Schatzi, so directly above the kids ski school (and all the accompanying noises of crying children, which is like a nails down a black board for her). She also got a chest infection, which she blames on the mountain air (don't).

So we are looking for:

A pretty resort with lots to do for non skiers.
Somewhere high enough to have decent snow in December or Easter (I know this might go directly against the "pretty" criteria in the first point)
Somewhere with plenty of cruisey greens/blues for wife and FIL
Somewhere good for learning for the nephews
Somewhere with more interesting blues/reds/blacks for me and the kids (we're more than happy to stay in a small area if the skiing is good)
Somewhere that will allow/enable the non skiers to be able to come up the hill to join us for lunch.
Somewhere with a bit of apres for 2 of my kids and 2 of SILs kids (doesn't have to be too wild!).

I'd prefer France, but I understand that my requirements are a bit needy, so will take any countries at this point Laughing


Edit: I would love to take them all to Les Gets as it ticks all the boxes apart from the snow sure at Christmas/Easter!
Edit 2: Though we are not multi millionaires, cost isn't too much of an issue.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Firstly my own preference based on your criteria would be very strongly Easter rather than Xmas.

The weather for being outside for the non skiers is likely to be far better. And things like meeting for lunch are generally nicer on a sun terrace than inside a potentially crowded restaurant.

I am not sure that any resort will perfectly fit all your criteria and non skiers in particular often have very different ideas of what they want.

One of our most successful Easter spots has been Nendaz.

It has got a good beginner area up the mountain with a restaurant accessible to non skiers by a large telecabine.

The resort is neither particularly beautiful nor particularly unattractive but it does have magnificent views over the Rhone valley.
Large self catering chalet style accommodation is plentiful and reasonably priced. If you want to be catered you will probably have to go for a hotel.
The lift passes are not cheap but there are very good family discounts which work right up till the children are about 24.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@T Bar, are you saying I'm asking too much? Laughing

Cheers for the recommendation, I'll check it out. We would defo be up for self catering. It's what we normally do.
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Yes, I'd second Easter over Christmas. Christmas is for keen skiers who don't mind short days and murk. And often poor snow.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
And don't like being at home drinking and eating too much and watching crap TV
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Quote:

To make things more easier, two of my kids will be going to uni this September so we'll be off on our own when we feel like it


There fixed Madeye-Smiley

I feel your pain as have 1 still at Uni and another working in a school now so also limited. While I agree with Easter comments, for 2023 the way it falls means we can have a week skiing for 3-day leave, and Xmas isn't special now, like it was when they were kids, so would much rather get away from it all.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Boris wrote:
Quote:

To make things more still difficult, two of my kids will be going to uni this September (twins, so we'll be paying digs and fees x 2), but I also still have a year 10 at home so 3 more years of school holidays before we can go where we want when we want, and to make matters worse, one of my daughters' degrees is 4 years, so we have at least 4 years of 2 x uni expenses, followed by 2 years of just x 1. Actually, maybe I shouldn't be going skiing and saving all my money


There fixed Madeye-Smiley

I feel your pain as have 1 still at Uni and another working in a school now so also limited. While I agree with Easter comments, for 2023 the way it falls means we can have a week skiing for 3-day leave, and Xmas isn't special now, like it was when they were kids, so would much rather get away from it all.


Fixed it back again
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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!
@Timmycb5, Nah - go skiing. As I said -feel your pain - my twins have just graduated so have had 3-years of expenses and now on to daughters.

I'd still vote for Xmas over Easter, however given all the other factors Easter probably a better bet for non-skiers etc
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Not France but perhaps not so left field….

Hinterglemm, Austria. Christmas tends to see decent snow and the Ski Circus snow making is extensive. Loads of skiing options to suit all levels. A pretty enough town with Zell am See a mere 30-40 min bus ride if the non-skiers fancy an outing to a very pretty lakeside town.

Plenty of variety for Apres Ski.

Plenty of excellent SC options available and many very central.

Mountain meet up options aplenty.

And for the “adventurous” there’s always the night skiing piste, which is great fun!

Austria does the whole Christmas thing very well Toofy Grin
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Those criteria shout Val d’Isère to me if you don’t mind the transfer times.

Something for everyone, loads of options for learning and challenging slopes for you and your kids. As a (pregnant) non skier I took the gondola up to La Daille for lunch at the Fruitiere. Folie up there or bars in town for the teens. Pretty. Good walks, nice town, aqua centre.

As a low intermediate skier (I was that there too!) there are plenty of greens and blues on both Solaise and Bellevarde. They will just need to download at the end of the day.
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@Skimum1, downloading is not a problem. My wife flat out refuses to ski from the Chavannes plateau to the front de neige in Les Gets and always gets the bubble down
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Maybe Grindelwald ?
It's beautiful. The non-skiers can take scenic swiss mountain trains with the skiers to different restaurants and beautiful valley views. There is a wonderful long Luge / sledging run from kleine scheidegg back to Grindelwald, on wooden luges which has been an incredible experience when I spent some time there.
Swimming pool, saunas, climbing blocks, iceskating, access to the lake at Interlaken.
It is more of a christmas chocolate box place, than an easter place, in my personal opinion.
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Or Serre Chevalier Vallée.
France.
Good skiing for all levels. Relatively snowsure for Easter.
Winter walks. Spa days (Les grands bains du Monetier looks wonderful).
Visit to the heritage in Briançon.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I would recommend Les Saisies for a Christmas ski holiday for that group. There is plenty of gentle skiing on the village slopes and you could take your teens round the wider Espace Diamant ( name of the ski area). The altitude of the ski area is similar to Les gets which you are used to. We like residence Amaya which is on the slopes a little out of the village. There is a bus to the village but would recommend driving or having a hire car if flying.

For Easter I would suggest Les arcs and the non skiers would be able to take the funicular down to bourg st Maurice. You could base yourselves in arc 1800.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
It’s a bit of a trek to 1600 for the funicular from 1800 - not sure if covered by a bus between them?
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Boris, yes there is a bus between 1600 and 1800.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@snowymum, useful to know thanks
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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?
We have one daughter still at uni (Manchester) and they have a reading week in late Jan/early Feb when they stop lectures/seminars etc - depending on the uni could that be an option?
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@andy from embsay, I’ll check that out. Only potential problem is there will be 4 kids across 2 families all at different unis
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Easter 2024 is early (end March rather than mid April), I would definitely take that. Currently on my third pre-Christmas ski and not greatly impressed with snow on at least 2/3. Very short days also, and during holiday week the slopes are so crowded with people who act like I did at 16. Stay away!

Only one thought that youth can study for exams during Easter, but by uni they should be independent enough to timetable accordingly. My two are 16 and 14 so it’s still a concern.
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Quote:

It’s a bit of a trek to 1600 for the funicular from 1800 - not sure if covered by a bus between them?

Accommodation is also available in Arc 1600 and just to note that there is less than 100m difference in height between the two. It is, however, perhaps the most French of the Tarrentaise resorts. Unlike, say, Val d'Isere English is rarely eard.

Though the skiing is almost always better at Easter, especially when it comes early, I'm totally with @pam w, being away over Christmas is always a huge bonus, even if it looks like rain in the resort this year, it is so much better than the UK.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Timmycb5, can’t beat Zermatt at Easter if the budget stretches. Good for non skiers too.
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