 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi all,
My family will be in Europe for the holidays, and I'm trying to find an appropriate ski area for us. My son is 8 and is comfortable on blues and some reds. My wife is roughly his level, and my daughter still needs help all the time. I'm significantly better than them (although not expert) so I mostly ski on my own while they're in lessons.
Requirements:
Coaching/lessons, ideally at a reasonable price.
Large enough that I won't be skiing the same 5 runs for a week.
High likelihood of decent snow cover.
Don't need/care about:
Fresh powder
Luxury accommodations
Convenient transit
Off-piste skiing
Would be nice:
Good restaurants in town
Hotel with a swimming pool
Ideally not huge crowds; we'll be there the first week of January which I know will be busy, but we don't need to be at the "best" place if it's also more crowded.
Last year we were in Sestriere before Christmas, and it ticked most of our boxes. The lessons/coaches were great and there was good Italian food. Because of the lack of snow early last season, there were a lot of runs closed and the gondola to the rest of the Milky Way wasn't operating, so I did the same runs A LOT of times.
The other place I considered last year was Cervinia which looks larger but is perhaps too advanced for the rest of my family. Do you think it would be a good option for us? We've also been to the Dolomites (and love them) but only in the summer. I'd also consider France or Austria if there are options there that are a better fit. Thanks in advance for your help!
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Will you be staying Saturday to Saturday?
Are you talking about 30th December to 6th January or 6th to 13th January?
IME sometimes pre-Christmas they are a bit slow to open all runs/lifts but by Christmas and New Year it's such a busy time everything is sorted so I will be less concerned about your Sestriere expertise.
My knowledge is French resorts but I don't stay in Hotels or use the restaurants too much. Alpe D'Huez could be a good option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Cervina the weather can be wild in Jan , personal experience, I’d avoid .
Reckon Italy will hit the spot , but where ? La Thuile perhaps ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
While you don't need to go for one of the high snow-sure resorts, personally I'd make sure you have a bit of height in where you go. Dec/early Jan can be a bit of a funny period for snow, and generally it's sorted itself out by mid Jan, but if the big dump comes a week or so later than normal then it there's a chance it could be a bit thin for the first week of Jan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
We found Serfaus Fiss Ladis in Austria ideal last year with our kids who were 3, 5, and 7 year old. The ski school area in both Serfaus and Fiss are incredibly well set up for kids. My husband is an experienced skiier and found enough terrain to keep him happy for the week we were there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Skifamily wrote: |
| We found Serfaus Fiss Ladis in Austria ideal last year with our kids who were 3, 5, and 7 year old. The ski school area in both Serfaus and Fiss are incredibly well set up for kids. My husband is an experienced skiier and found enough terrain to keep him happy for the week we were there. |
+1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks everyone for the tips! Dates aren't certain yet, but it will be 31 Dec-6 Jan plus or minus 1-2 days. As I've done a bit more research and considering our options for the full season (U.S. resident), I think we'll probably buy Epic Passes and go to Les 3 Vallees if it's a good option. From what I've been able to find online, Les Menuires looks like it has decent options for children. Any thoughts on whether this is a good choice? Thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| billdozer78 wrote: |
| Thanks everyone for the tips! Dates aren't certain yet, but it will be 31 Dec-6 Jan plus or minus 1-2 days. As I've done a bit more research and considering our options for the full season (U.S. resident), I think we'll probably buy Epic Passes and go to Les 3 Vallees if it's a good option. From what I've been able to find online, Les Menuires looks like it has decent options for children. Any thoughts on whether this is a good choice? Thanks! |
Val Thorens for the height and easy access to the Glacier; Meribel/Meribel Mottaret (Mottaret higher) as it's in the middle; Courchevel has lots of Green runs and some great ski schools. I don't know about Les Menuires, but I think it's better value.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Les Menuires is a bit characterless, but I find that true of most of the 3V resorts. I don't know what is on offer for young children (our daughter was a teenager when we went there) but it has easy access to Meribel and beyond via blues and easy reds. Plus lots of options in the same valley.
Your own skiing will largely depend on how long the lessons last before you have to be back to meet the family. Although going two valleys over to Courcheval is easy enough, I am not sure whether you could do anything meaningful there and be back within two hours! But if you were purposeful you could probably do any of the runs above Val Thorens, or Mont Vallon above Meribel, or over to Orelle.
I found it a good base, as long as you are not looking for charm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| billdozer78 wrote: |
| From what I've been able to find online, Les Menuires looks like it has decent options for children. Any thoughts on whether this is a good choice? Thanks! |
Les Men is one of my fav places to say in the 3V but I've no idea what you mean by "decent options for children" 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Wengen or Grindelwald tick most of your requirement boxes.
Small children would probably love the trains!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
1. Meribel
2. Les Arcs 1800
3. Val d'Isere
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@billdozer78, Tignes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
