 Poster: A snowHead
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Good morning all from the UK!
I am looking to go on our first ever ski trip for me and my wife.
Before signing up and posting, i did try to go through as much posts and info i could to avoid asking repeated questions, however with so much to take in, i found myself really confused.
The posts suggest Tigres in France is nice, with me understanding its split into 3 different areas?
We would be looking at somewhere which is preferably not shared, a nice hotel or private chalet? good transport links and lovely views.
As mentioned we have never been skiing before, so this is our very first time!
Please could i get some recommendations/Advice on places to stay, areas, hotels? anything is appreciated.
duration: 3-4 days
Budget: £700
Kind regards
M
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi, @mistikempire, Welcome to snowHeads 
Could I suggest not tignes for your first trip as it’s challenging skiing and not somewhere I would recommend for beginners. While I have skied mainly in France would suggest you look at Austria and Italy for a first trip as may be a little cheaper.
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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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What do you expect your budget (per person?) to cover? Flights, transfers, accommodation, food, ski and boot hire, lessons?
When are you planning on going?
Can you not manage a week? 3-4 days will barely see you started, and depending on where/when you go you might find it tricky to get accommodation for less than a full week.
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I agree with @holidayloverxx.
Most deals are based on a week, so going for 3 or 4 days is likely to be almost as expensive (or in some cases even more so).
It takes at least a couple of days to get the feel of skis under your feet - most people really start to feel like they're getting somewhere after a week.
If you really can only go for 3 or 4 days, I'd recommend having some lessons at a snowDome first so you land on your feet, as it were.
As beginners you won't cover a lot of ground, so somewhere like Tignes/Val d'Isere would charge you a lot for a lift pass that covers a huge area, most of which, you wouldn't need.
A smaller more 'quaint' village would suit you better as a starting place.
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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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@mistikempire, Best place for a first ski time in France ...................... Italy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'd agree with the above and wouldn't suggest Tignes.
4 days in resort could leave you with perhaps only 2 full days skiing and maybe a half day either side of travel which really isn't enough to get going for a first week skiing - I'd really urge you to consider a week.
If you explain what you expect your budget to cover and when you'd like to go, you'll hopefully get some suggestions more suitable than Tignes.
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Find a small resort.
Otherwise you will be blowing 40% of your budget on a ski-pass to ski about 1% of the mountain, as 99% will possibly be beyond your ability & a waste of money.
You also probably forget a chalet or nice hotel as well. A 1 bedroom apartment instead of a studio would be a bonus!
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Tue 20-12-22 14:21; edited 1 time in total
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If you’re a first timer better to go to a smaller area otherwise you will pay over the odds for a lift pass which will cover an area much of which you’ll not use. And likely paying more in accommodation in bigger well known resorts too.
As above alternative suggestions will much depend on when you plan to go.
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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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@mistikempire, welcome to
Tignes overview:- very ski centric which is of course the focus for going there in winter and with everything a skier could need. Whether it's quite that which you are looking for is something to consider (as already noted) also oriented around whole week periods for travel convenience, stepping away from that form is ordinarily going to raise cost considerably.
Good travel links, presumably for getting there as Tignes is definitely not well connected if you wish to visit other (non ski?) attractions while there.
Travel included package is most convenient as first trip, but with short/part week duration again making it difficult. Many UK facing offers are generally going to be set around a complete week with any connection specifically grouped around that model in getting you there.
More suitable for your duration etc could be Champèry in Switzerland, with more flexible accommodation plus train connection direct to village from Geneva also a traditional village layout and aspect. This or similar would probably give a start point covering your question.
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Smaller ski area might get you a hotel in an attractive location for a short break - assuming the 3-4 days are ski days with travel not included, I suggest Andalo (Paganella Ski) in Italy. 2 hours-ish from Verona on the train/bus, very pretty small area and village, blue slopes are not all at the bottom of the hill. Italian food, cake, hot chocolate and wine...
Booking seems to show hotels that are available for shorter stays. Get lessons, eat, relax, sleep - for that amount of time you won't need much more.
We've also had luck getting odd durations at hotels and guest houses for not too much money in Austria later in the season, Westerndorf has lovely blues and might suit, again easy to get there by train.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As above, if you can do a full week, booking gets easier. Then you could consider a full “learn to ski” package from a tour op like Crystal Ski. As a first-timer, if can be a bit overwhelming figuring out all the things you need to book – these packages include transport and accommodation (and sometimes food), as you would expect, but they also include the extras like ski hire, lessons and lift passes. Such a package should be achievable within your budget.
You could also consider some of the very small, but quaint, areas that established skiers tend to avoid because they are limited. That doesn't matter at all to a beginner, and can make it cheaper, so have a look at places like Finland.
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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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Lots of great advice already, including "not Tignes" and "not 4 days". And lots of good questions for you to answer. You need to tell us what your budget is supposed to cover - not least because if you ski for a standard week you can get cheap group ski lessons, whereas your short trip will necessitate expensive private lessons.
There's nothing Snowheads like better than being bossy about how newcomers to the sport should organise their holidays. There will be lots more questions (like, how sporty/fit are you? What other sports have you learnt? ) and lots more answers and suggestions. Some of them contradictory. 
There will be lots more questions, and lots more answers.
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@Scarlet, agreed re the learn to ski package - I did that in St Wolfgang with Inghams many moons ago
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You know it makes sense.
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| mistikempire wrote: |
Good morning all from the UK!
I am looking to go on our first ever ski trip for me and my wife.
Before signing up and posting, i did try to go through as much posts and info i could to avoid asking repeated questions, however with so much to take in, i found myself really confused.
The posts suggest Tigres in France is nice, with me understanding its split into 3 different areas?
We would be looking at somewhere which is preferably not shared, a nice hotel or private chalet? good transport links and lovely views.
As mentioned we have never been skiing before, so this is our very first time!
Please could i get some recommendations/Advice on places to stay, areas, hotels? anything is appreciated.
duration: 3-4 days
Budget: £700
Kind regards
M |
Welcome to Snowheads
I'm assuming £700 each.
Could you do a Saturday to Saturday? If so then fly to Venice and join the PreBirthday Bash. Alleghe has some really nice and easy slopes and you can always take the gondola back to the hotel. 1/2 board and Admin has managed to perform a miracle and get the lift pass thrown in for free. Call it £600 all in. Transfers about £70.
I'll assume you are coming from London. So you can go hand luggage on Ryanair from Stanstead £45 return or Easy from Gatwick £68 return. I'm afraid that is about as cheap as you will get anything peak season and the food is great..
The benefit of the snowheads bash is there are loads of people to help you if you get a wee bit stuck.
The other alternative and even cheaper is is the EOSB in Val Thorens. About £500 for a full week including lift pass in shared accommodation.
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=4747036
Transfers are about £80 (not exact) But you need to feed yourself. Whereas the Alleghe trip includes Breakfast and evening meal.
Flights from London Easyjet, Swiss, and BA all less than £100.
Like others have said 3-4 days will be difficult to arrange, not impossible, but just not simple.
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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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It can be stunning, mesmerising, and breathtakingly beautiful @mistikempire, absolutely worth the effort to organise and travel there to enjoy it.
Hopefully you'll be able to draw from experience here to get what you want.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@GlasgowCyclops, plus lessons .... and prefers not shared accommodation
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @Scarlet, agreed re the learn to ski package - I did that in St Wolfgang with Inghams many moons ago |
Me too, though we went to Iso-Syöte in Finland. I have never seen so much snow since – we had to wait to be dug out of the chalet some mornings because the snow was halfway up the door! Instructors were excellent though, some of the best I've used.
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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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @GlasgowCyclops, plus lessons .... and prefers not shared accommodation |
Damn I didnt notice that.
I suppose the PreBB is not shared since it is a hotel and they will have a double room. So perhaps that could be an option.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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...or it could be, if it wasn't already full
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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'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I loved Alleghe but I don't think it's ideal for the OP because of trek to lift. I know it's not far but seasoned skiers can underestimate just what a faff it is for complete beginners to get themselves and their gear up a hill or even in and out of a mini-bus, come to that. There are much better places. As for a double room, I didn't see that as a problem for the OP and his wife!
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@pam w, they don't want to share with others
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Might be daunting considering DIY for your first time but if you really only have 3-4 days then it would be possible to max the skiing if you
(1) flew to Geneva and were lucky enough to be able to get a very early flight out on day of travel and very late evening flight on day of return (we did this once from Liverpool - out on Thursday morning back on Tuesday night - we skied for 5 1/2 days)
(2) got a transfer e.g. with Skiddy Gonzales to a resort less than an hour away (e.g. Les Grand Massiff)
(3) booked accommodation through usual booking sites (easier, more convenient), or local tourist offices (likely to throw up better options but may not be instantly bookable depending on the system in place).
(4) maybe reserve skis in advance
There are other options in other places of course. But I'll stop there in case you want to go with a TO..maybe sensible given it's your first time.
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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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It isn't totally impossible to get short breaks. We once stayed 4 nights (3 days skiing) in Morzine. Self-catering apartment booked through Snow and Trek Morzine, who I seem to think also organised our transfers from Geneva airport. I think they also put us in touch with the ski hire company (All Mountain Rental) who brought skis to our apartment the first evening so that was one thing already done. Many UK airports have plenty of flights to Geneva, so it was possible to sort out inexpensive ones with reasonable timing.
But... we weren't first-timers. We didn't need lessons, and we were used to the challenge of navigating ski shuttle buses to get to the ski lift, wearing ski boots and carrying skis.
For @mistikempire, there are just too many things to go wrong DIYing the first trip. Much better to use a tour operator, which gives an opportunity to head somewhere smaller (since you don't need more) with them organising the transfer, and have someone on the spot who not only has organised things like ski hire, lift pass, lessons, but you can ask questions of. For that you would need to go for a week though, at least on most people's budgets (I suspect there will be high end companies who will tailor-make a shorter trip for you at a premium price).
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Lift pass, ski hire & lessons could easily cost £700 per person alone.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@JoyZipper, not with the crystal beginner pack - £229 for days, including helmet...don't forget helmets @mistikempire
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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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@mistikempire, for the first ever trip - Chamois in Italy (flying to Turin).
Small area excellent for beginners, nice hotel that would be easier for 3-4 days instead of the usual Sat-Sat changeover, IT food.
Much better for beginners imo. Lovely and relaxed place.
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Wow
Thank you so much for the useful replys guys!
My wife is a teacher so hopefully we can try to arange something during the school holidays.
I will try to hopefully go for a week instead as it makes sense from what you all have wrote.
I really appreciate all the info and will start looking at Italy!
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You know it makes sense.
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@mistikempire, a learn to ski package would suit you very well
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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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Like everyone says you'll need a week realistically, and a package for first time will be better.
As well as Italy, Andorra is a great place to learn and usually more affordable but often a 3hr transfer. I learnt there although admittedly taught by friends who said and I quote 'you can water ski, it's just frozen water!' It's not but I was lucky!
My wife's first trip skiing was there - on our honeymoon - and I taught her but she did have two 'fast track' lessons Milton Keynes before we went.
I doubt you'll easily get lessons at any of the snow domes now but it might be worth trying to get a feel if you can...
Otherwise - I'd suggest ensuring you are fit, plenty of layers so you can or take off (dispels the myth skiing is always cold it's just about being prepared), book your package and have fun!
Padster
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Poster: A snowHead
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Eek - if your wife is a teacher that'll change the whole thread to cheap half term ski breaks.
Feb is pretty extortionate (we go then - and usually book almost a year in advance).
But don't rule Easter out - cheaper, nicer weather (usually) but does rule a lot of resorts out as you need to go high or have a resort with a good selection of north facing slopes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Padster wrote: |
Like everyone says you'll need a week realistically, and a package for first time will be better.
As well as Italy, Andorra is a great place to learn and usually more affordable but often a 3hr transfer. I learnt there although admittedly taught by friends who said and I quote 'you can water ski, it's just frozen water!' It's not but I was lucky!
My wife's first trip skiing was there - on our honeymoon - and I taught her but she did have two 'fast track' lessons Milton Keynes before we went.
I doubt you'll easily get lessons at any of the snow domes now but it might be worth trying to get a feel if you can...
Otherwise - I'd suggest ensuring you are fit, plenty of layers so you can or take off (dispels the myth skiing is always cold it's just about being prepared), book your package and have fun!
Padster |
I'm biased a bit, but for beginners I like to recommend Arinsal in Adorra. Good English instructors, great beginners area, lively apres in the village (but not as loud as Pas de la Casa or Austria for that matter). AFAIK, easy to get packages with Crystal.
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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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@ysb33r, exactly what I linked to
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Have dry ski slope lessons beforehand.
It’ll give you a huge boon from day one of your holiday, you’ll make great progress on snow as a result.
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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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| kettonskimum wrote: |
Eek - if your wife is a teacher that'll change the whole thread to cheap half term ski breaks.
Feb is pretty extortionate (we go then - and usually book almost a year in advance).
But don't rule Easter out - cheaper, nicer weather (usually) but does rule a lot of resorts out as you need to go high or have a resort with a good selection of north facing slopes. |
I love skiing at Easter. Usually late booking bargains to be had and longer days/more sunshine. However, not sure it’s best for beginners. Hard packed icy pistes in the morning and heavy wet snow in the afternoon.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@mistikempire, Nothing against France ( a number of my early ski trips were there) but you might be better off in Austria. The resorts tend to be the more stereotypical "Alpine" villages nestled around a church with the slopes above. Perhaps look at one of the Ski Amade resorts (really near Salzburg so short transfers). Saalbach Hinterglemm might be another good option. In Italy look at some of the Dolomite resorts they are a mix of Austrian & Italian culture with stunning scenery (if you hate skiing you will still have a great holiday) Austria & Italy are less affected by UK half term issues. If you are new to all this you dont need a big place like Tignes, look for somewhere that would appeal even if you werent skiing
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| ysb33r wrote: |
I'm biased a bit, but for beginners I like to recommend Arinsal in Adorra. Good English instructors, great beginners area, lively apres in the village (but not as loud as Pas de la Casa or Austria for that matter). AFAIK, easy to get packages with Crystal. |
Pas was where I learnt, and it was also my honeymoon, nowhere I haven't skied in Andorra over the years now, not as cheap as it used to be last time I checked (still cheaper than a lot), but always friendly, and as you say always packages available...
Padster
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I would like to thank every single person in this thread for their input.
I am truly overwhelmed by the amount of responses, advice, help and time every single one of you has taken
to respond back to my question.
From all the guidance, i will now start looking at Italy and Austria as many have suggested, such as @munich_irish
We are beginners and i completely agree that a Smaller ski area would be more then enough for us, the bigger area yes does look amazing for photos, but i think i will save that when we have more experience 
@kettonskimum
unfortunately so, her being a teacher limits us to those overpriced half term breaks 
I think we may have missed the boat in trying to do anything last minute for this xmas/jan
So either Feb or Easter it will have to be, however i will be increasing to a week instead of 4 days, as most suggested.
@Padster
Thank you for that, i think i will take some lessons at Milton Keynes first!
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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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@mistikempire, hemel is a much nicer slope
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FAQ
A trip or two to MK would undoubtedly transform your holiday experience and enjoyment - go for it!
