 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking for a not too expensive ski resort, both in terms of lift passes and accommodation.
We are a family of five: 2 adults and kids ages are 17, 11 and 5. The time of the trip is around the week 12-19 February.
There is a number of decent places with lift passes at around 40 euros. Our main criteria are:
snowsure resort,
good selection of easy green and blue runs accessible from the base camp with a kids/beginners zone (magic carpet etc.) - mainly for the 5 year old and my wife. in particular, it would be nice to have a chairlift to an easy green where I could go with my 5 year old daughter
reasonable accommodation within walking distance from the beginners zone
availability of more challenging blues and reds for the older kids and myself
I did some digging and here is my list:
Top four
Puy Saint Vincent (seems a good balance of easy and challenging runs)
Chamrousse (is there enough for cautious beginners?)
Isola 2000 (seems a good balance as well)
Montgenèvre (look fantastic, but accommodation is on more expensive side)
Middle tier (doubts about variety and easy of accessibility of the slopes)
Espace Villard Corrençon
Les 7 Laux – Prapoutel/Le Pleynet/Pipay
Les Karellis
Bottom tier
Bardonecchia (seems too challenging for beginners)
Mondolè Ski – Artesina/Frabosa Soprana/Prato Nevoso (seems too challenging for beginners)
Val Cenis – Lanslevillard/Lanslebourg/Termignon (variety, accessibility?)
Any comments/opinions on the above resorts, insights where, which part of the resort to stay, or other suggestions are very appreciated.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 18-10-23 15:53; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's a while since I've been and my memories may be innacurate as we did not have early beginner children at the time but I think Val Cenis would work pretty well on the criteria you have laid out.
Bit of a bigger area than PSV for the more experienced but a good base beginner area with easy green options.
As far as accessibility is concerned its not a long drive from Turin or Chambery airport.
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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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If a resort is not snowsure between 12-19 February then it can not be a ski resort.
Can't comment on any of the resorts as I've not been. I was going to go to Les 7 Laux once but mainly because I thought the off piste would be good. But it opened late!
If kids are in ski school accommodation close to the meeting place would be priority rather specifically beginner zone. And some resorts you have to up and down lift to (good) beginner zones.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Of your list I've only been to Montgenvre (twice). Fab resort, great for beginners, but also for more experienced skiers. All runs lead back to the middle of town, which is where the beginner area (magic carpet etc) is. Also, on the one side there are green runs at the top of the mountain, so beginners are able to feel like they have "travelled", rather than being stuck in a small beginner area the whole week.
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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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@michmike,
For a budget ski holiday I'd avoid France over those dates - very high season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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This was us a number of years ago when the kids were learning. We went (drove) to Chinaillon, which links to Le Grand Bornand, but is slightly higher. Number of positives: not really on the big tourist trail so cheaper, and bigger accommodation, cheaper lift passes, nice beginners section at the bottom but lots of blue/red pistes around to dig into, can easily put ski mileage in yet get back for ski school pick up (which meant lunches in the apartment), lots of accommodation next to the piste.
Nice chair up to green piste (Serpentine) which literally snakes around and goes past what I can only describe as the best crepe/hot choc mountain restaurant I've ever been to (we always called in on our last run of the day).
We went for 3 years in a row while the kids were learning. No apres but we didn't need/want it.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 18-10-23 16:30; edited 1 time in total
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@Kenzie, any other options? Austria and Italy seem a lot more expensive. In any reasonable ski resort lift passes are in high fifty and sixty euros at least.
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| Kenzie wrote: |
@michmike,
For a budget ski holiday I'd avoid France over those dates - very high season. |
It will be busy but it's high season throughout Europe . Personally I think budget France is not likely to be much pricier than the other main four alpine countries. Maybe some places in Italy may be a little cheaper, and some quieter.
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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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Is this the only week you can go? If you want a budget ski holiday I definitely wouldn’t go at half term. Montgenevre for example would be fine late March/early April.
If you definitely want to go half term week chamrousse would probably be one of the cheapest and easier to drive to than Puy at Vincent. However psv probably has easier runs. Montgenevre best matches the skiing you are looking for.
Nb I have only been to psv and Montgenevre and not chamrousse but friends regularly went to chamrousse at half term and I am recalling what they said about it!
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Have just noticed Val cenis on your list and that would be better than chamrousse and psv but not as good as Montgenevre
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Everywhere will be expensive in peak season. Biggest money saver would be to drive and to self cater throughout. Will make more difference than cheaper or more expensive lift passes.
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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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@kettonskimum, thanks, Chinaillon looks really nice! Put it on my list.
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@snowymum, yes, half-term week... three school age kids, love 
@pam w, by budget I really mean lift passes and the average prices for apartments. I know that this is a high season, but we have no choice tbh. And yes, we always drive and do self-catering.
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You know it makes sense.
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La Joue du Loup could offer what you're looking for. Linked to Superdevoluy, which could also be an option. Never been, but have spent a bit of time looking at it as it seems to provide good value with lots of apartments available. Looks a decent sized ski area with decent lifts, skiing between 1500m to 2500m.
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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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| michmike wrote: |
| @Kenzie, any other options? Austria and Italy seem a lot more expensive. In any reasonable ski resort lift passes are in high fifty and sixty euros at least. |
Bulgaria, Slovenia, Romania, Andorra.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Saint francois longchamp?
If you are flying then what you pay extra in Austria, you would probably save in transfers as well as on the mountain prices for food & drink.
You may get better value last week of March / 1st week of April for Easter?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Val Cenis is a good option, plenty of cost effective accommodation within easy reach of the slopes. Slopes will be pretty quiet even during the school holiday period and there is a lovely green run off a chairlift at bottom of slopes that your 5 year old would enjoy or if you stay in Val Cenis Haute you can join it off the le haut gondola. There is also a long green (l’escargot) which is actually the road that takes you across to Italy in the summer, you can join off the ramasse lift.
Plenty of blues and reds to otherwise keep you occupied and the ski pass allows you to ski in Aussois, La Norma, Valfrejus or Bonneval Sur arc for a day with plenty of inter resort buses available.
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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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| Gored wrote: |
| If you are flying then what you pay extra in Austria, you would probably save in transfers as well as on the mountain prices for food & drink. |
He says he drives
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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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| michmike wrote: |
| @snowymum, yes, half-term week... three school age kids, love |
You could still go Christmas or Easter - both of which are cheaper and less busy than HT. Sorry if you have other reasons - just thought I'd mention it. I had school age kids and went both rather than HT.
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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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Bansko.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@michmike,
You cite accessibility as a potential negative for Val Cenis. But of your top four picks only Chamrousse is closer to the channel for driving and Isola and PSV are significantly further.
The northern French also are definitely a bit closer but although I haven't driven at half term I would guess there are worse drives than Val Cenis.
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Sorry guy, I guess there was a misunderstanding. When I said driving I meant renting a car at the airport, as opposed to paying for a transfer. Driving all the way from the UK is a bit extreme for us 
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@michmike,
I don't blame you for not wanting to drive the whole way particularly at half term.With respect to Val Cenis the drive from Turin is pretty quick and easy though there is the added expense of the Frejus tunnel to account for in the pricing of everything. I've driven from Lyon before at half term and the traffic does get pretty busy around Chambery though its certainly doable.
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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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Have a look at Fieberbrunn.Sporthotel Fontana.Right on the kids/beginner slopes.We went half term 2022 with 9 kids and the spot and resort is perfect.Quiet higher slopes in Fieberbrunn and connected by lift to the busier Hinterglemm.
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@michmike, could you fly to Venice and go to Alleghe? The local ski area is mixed and well regarded on this site, see the PBBWUW bash page. The option to travel to other Ski areas (Marmolada by bus or San Pelllegrino of you have a car) exists for the more confident skiers. Access to the ski area is by gondola, though the red back to the village might need to be avoided by downloading. Garni Esperia is across the road from the lift and has* a couple of apartments for about 5 at a reasonable price. Buying the local lift pass only (Civetta) is more reasonable than a full dolomiti superski pass. I have absolutely no idea how busy the area might be for that week, though.
* as in those apartments exist rather than knowing they are available
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@michmike, fly to Turin or Milan MXP, car hire is good value and you have a wealth of resorts within 2 hours drive, Aosta valley would be my choice, either Courmayuer or LaThuile, decent range of SC available in both and Pre St Didier. Food and drink on the mountain is better value compared to France, and it will not be as busy as there is no Italian half term.
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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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