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Help! Holiday cancelled by provider at last minute, need advice on a new resort

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Help please!!! Our accommodation provider has just cancelled our booking (they won't give a reason, assume they double-booked). We are travelling at February half term.

I'm travelling with 5 total beginners (my kids and nieces and nephews 12-16), getting the train to Modane. There is some accommodation left in various places, but I am really struggling to find any ski lesson availability.

So far the only places I can find with possible availability are Valfrejus, Bardonecchia, and Val Thorens. Val Thorens I know is great but WAAAAY more expensive and a long drive from our arrival point. (We weren't planning to hire a car). Valfrejus and Bardoecchia I've seen that Snowheads are generally not that keen on, but if I HAVE to pick one, which one should I pick?

Alternatively - can you just go to a resort and find an instructor (e.g. Valmeinier looks great and has accommodation, but there is no instruction available)? I've contacted all the ski schools, plus MaisonSport and CheckYeti to look for independents. I am only an OK skier and don't feel I could teach them myself.

Thank you!!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@licoriceallsort1, no immediate help, just sympathy. Was that AirBnB by any chance? Yes, ski lessons will now be very booked up for that week. Wouldn't be wise to just turn up at a resort and hope, and trying to teach them yourself is a bit of a recipe for disaster. If you can get availability of ski lessons in Valfrejus or Bardonecchia, go for it. Quality of instruction will make or break the week.
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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?
@licoriceallsort1,
I have only done a day trip to Valfrejus and don't know anything about the instruction but based on my rather limited visit I would think it's a great place to ski with kids.
Compact but interesting ski area above and below the tree line, North facing and fairly snow sure.
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@licoriceallsort1, what a pain, sorry for you. If you can find tuition in Bardonnechia (I don’t know Valfrejus), that would be a good option for your group. Great for beginners and families with easily accessed ski school meeting places/nursery slopes, not a party town, good casual dining options (pizza,pasta family-run places). Good luck
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
What about other maurinne valley resorts? Val Cenis? Valloire (same ski area as Valmeinier)? ESF or ESi for lessons
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@licoriceallsort1, Valfrejus is really close to Modane (it's just up the hill) & would be great for beginners. If you're more experienced, the skiing will be a bit limited, but they should be fine snowHead
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La Norma is also an easy option from Modane as just a few kms up the valley, compact area for beginners otherwise Valfrejus is a good ski area. If you are a bit more experienced then the ski pass also allows you to try the other ski areas of Aussois, Val Cenis, Bonneval Sur Arc using the various shuttle buses between the resorts and Modane.
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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!
T Bar wrote:
@licoriceallsort1,
I have only done a day trip to Valfrejus and don't know anything about the instruction but based on my rather limited visit I would think it's a great place to ski with kids.
Compact but interesting ski area above and below the tree line, North facing and fairly snow sure.


I'd endorse this, if you need to crack on and get instruction nailed down then this is easily suitable.

Its a village that's very compact with bubble lift straight up from village centre to high plateau on which much of the learning will take place. Importantly they can ride back down on same if skills are very new. It's very easy to use.

Reasonable shops, food places etc and decent lift pass cost. Very good option in budget terms.

I don't feel you'd have any concerns if committed to it in saving your holidays.
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@licoriceallsort1, sorry to hear about that. But at least you have a way out of the ski school availability predicament at your previous chosen resort.

If all the instruction is booked, just imagine how busy the resort would have been.

No, it won't be good to turn up on spec to a ski school if they say they are fully booked.

Maybe you are better off over the border in Italy where they don't tend to have school hols in Feb.
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If they are all total beginners, any small resort with a good English speaking teacher will be good enough for them. Not sure about you.
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Thanks so much! These responses are really helpful.

La Norma was where we were booked originally. There seems to be no accommodation left there whatsoever.

I've looked at Val Cenis, Valloire, Vermeinier, and Aussois, and Bonneval, all have either no (remotely affordable) accommodation, or no lessons available.

I'm very reassured by what people have said about Valfrejus and Bardonecchia though. These are the only two locations where I can find (I think) both accommodation and lessons. So I will pick one of those.

It's also useful to get comments that we shouldn't try to do without lessons, this is what I felt but good to have this signed off by Snowheads experts.

@Pam w - no it was booking.com/Vancancole actually! Very cross about it.

Thanks so much again, what a helpful bunch of people!
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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.
@licoriceallsort1,
You've probably tried it but just in case you haven't seen it I have often found accommodation in the Maurienne through this website.
https://reservation.haute-maurienne-vanoise.com/ac5-haute-maurienne-vanoise.htm?utm_source=sitewebhmv&utm_medium=ctageneral&utm_campaign=HMV
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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
Thanks @T Bar, I will take a look. Booking.com said that they would fund the difference in property price within reason, but I'm not sure whether it has to be another booking.com property.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@licoriceallsort1, Have you looked a bit further down the Maurienne valley? The Les Sybelles stations may have larger ski schools than the ones you have tried already.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Peak retreats offer several resorts near Modane on an accommodation only basis ( their website prices include eurotunnel but they offer discount for accommodation only) I would ring them and see what they have left for half term near Modane and they can also check ski schools for you. We have used them many times including a holiday to Val cenis.

You could stay in orelle and ski in Val thorens but it would take you about an hour each way on ski lifts each day to get to the centre of the resort for your beginners to have lessons so I would try and find something in the maurienne valley in your position.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@licoriceallsort1, don't delay before booking lessons - that really is the key element. I would hope booking com wouldn't insist that you book again through them!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
licoriceallsort1 wrote:
Thanks @T Bar, I will take a look. Booking.com said that they would fund the difference in property price within reason, but I'm not sure whether it has to be another booking.com property.


It almost certainly would have to be another B.Com property. And they should be prepared to pay for a property/accommodation of similar standard. If, however, there were elements within you accommodation that you specifically required and booked for, I’m fairly sure B.Com are obliged to pay the difference if there are only more expensive options available that provide you with what you are looking for. Good luck - they’re not the easiest of companies to deal with.

One other point. If it was the residence/accommodation who have made the mistake, I’m fairly sure B.Com’ s terms with that provider are that the provider then becomes liable for any additional accommodation costs (within reason) that you may have in securing a similar standard of room/facility/location etc etc.
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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?
Val Thorens will be very busy half term week - one of the Italian options probably a better bet.
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Thanks both. Booking.com have been very unclear about how much liability they/the property are accepting! But I'm planning to make myself very unpleasant haha.

Yes, good point about Val Thorens being very crowded. The property that's left is crazily expensive anyway.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@licoriceallsort1, id put the higest priority on saving the holiday rather than any detail.

If the option is there at Valfrejus to fulfill accordingly, right now, I'd take that.

As a family we've skied both La Norma and Valfrejus, a little different but both with suitability. I'd place Valfrejus slightly higher for absolute raw beginners because of the very open and gentle plateau at decent altitude for snow depths etc.

As pointed out, it's virtually above Modane Town and so very short journey too. Ski school is just as easy access (though we've not used that) with really just a gondola lift straight up in one jump to higher level where most activities are centred.
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Have you tried the tourism websites for your resorts? Or sunweb?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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ski3 wrote:
@licoriceallsort1, id put the higest priority on saving the holiday rather than any detail.

If the option is there at Valfrejus to fulfill accordingly, right now, I'd take that.

As a family we've skied both La Norma and Valfrejus, a little different but both with suitability. I'd place Valfrejus slightly higher for absolute raw beginners because of the very open and gentle plateau at decent altitude for snow depths etc.

As pointed out, it's virtually above Modane Town and so very short journey too. Ski school is just as easy access (though we've not used that) with really just a gondola lift straight up in one jump to higher level where most activities are centred.


Valfrejus does look good spot for beginners with the plateau beginners area and some great runs off Punta Bagna for intermediates.

Just wondering about skipass cost, because with 4 kids needing a pass. it's going to make a difference.

La Norma looks like it has nursery slopes in resort, sometimes the beginners drag is free, so until they move higher they don't need a pass.

At Valfrejus, they are almost certainly going to need a pass to go up the gondola to the mid-mountain beginners area.
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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!
Just checked the skipasses...

La Norma and Valfrejus have 6 day kids passes for €169 (slightly less online). The pass actually covers both resorts.

La Norma also has a cheaper €17.10 per day 'front de neige' kids pass that covers just the lower lifts, not sure exactly which ones, but there are 2 drags (Avenieres & Fontaine) just above the resort where the ESF operate, so probably these are where beginners would be most of the week.

So if all that is true, switching to Valfrejus will add some liftpass costs for the beginners.

Just something else to add into the equation! Confused
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Quote:

there are 2 drags (Avenieres & Fontaine) just above the resort where the ESF operate, so probably these are where beginners would be most of the week.


Not necessarily. Could ring and ask the ski school but chairlifts are easier for little beginners (and adult skiers get asked to help them as necessary). Snow might be better higher up too.
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Is there any chance of getting your beginners some lessons in the UK? that way they will get more use of any ski pass they have to buy.
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@luigi, the OP hasn't got accommodation at La Norma, they've been bumped out of their booking by operator, hence this enquiry. It doesn't seem an option to me whatever the difference.
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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.
Valfrjus is a genuinely good place to first learn, that platue gets everyone up and feeling part of things too. I'd not like to take someone to learn and not let them at least experience a little bit of the higher part if possible, that's an intrinsic part of going there in my view.

No skills needed there to get both up and back down again if necessary via the gondola, it couldn't be easier as it starts in the village square, all very convenient.
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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
ski3 wrote:
@luigi, the OP hasn't got accommodation at La Norma, they've been bumped out of their booking by operator, hence this enquiry. It doesn't seem an option to me whatever the difference.


Yes, I understood that, so just pointing out that the (forced) switch to Valfrejus may involve extra skipass costs that the OP may not have accounted for. Maybe adds to the basis of their claim against the accommodation provider.

But totally agree that going up the gondola at Valfrejus to the mid-mountain plateau and learning up there would add some wonderment to the experience for the kids. That's speaking as someone who learned on village slopes and couldn't wait to go higher, which we didn't do until the last day! snowHead
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@licoriceallsort1, how did you get on with Booking.com? Have they clarified their liability so you can get something in place? Fingers crossed for you
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