 Poster: A snowHead
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Newbie here and need your guidance to make the best decision! Looking to go skiing 23-30th of March. My husband (experienced skier, grew up in Canada), me (intermediate ski) and my 5.5yo daughter (beginner). We can fly from Bournemouth or Southampton, direct to Geneva probably looking to drive or take a private transfer (max 2h but the shorter the better as some of us get motion sickness  ). I've been looking at the various resorts, main requirements are:
- snow sure last week of March
- family friendly (hope to book lessons for my daughter whilst my husband and I can ski)
- can be self catered but will need a supermarket / some restaurants that cater for vegans / vegetarians
- shared chalet would be great, never had the chalet experience (previously stayed in hotels)
- the less crowded the better
- not too far from the lifts max 200m but again the closer the better
Top of my list is Avoriaz... Is that safe for snow or should I look elsewhere? Any recommendations? Budget is £1000-£1500pp (excluding flights)
Found this:
https://www.alpineanswers.co.uk/ski-chalets/france/avoriaz/chalet-plagnat#location
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Speaking from many years experience having to ski last week of March/first week of April - due to school holidays - would recommend Val Thorens or Val d'Isere/Tignes. We always had a car so were able to ski the resort we weren't in & compare conditions. Val d'Isere/Tignes always had better snow. Yes - longer transfer but both have glaciers to keep the snow in better shape. Have a good holiday!
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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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From experience mountain restaurants in France are not good for vegans. Veggies generally ok. I would also say Avoriaz is not snowsure that time of year and if you want somewhere less crowded it is one of the busier ski stations you will come across. I would concur with the advice on resorts above (I haven’t been to every restaurant in VT but those I have did not cater well for vegans though) I have found German speaking Switzerland to have a better vegan offer on the whole.
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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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Why France? (Tin hat on as I am in Tignes last week March)
If taking the fam I can highly recommend Trysil in Norway for snow sure conditions and loads of SC options . . .alchohol out v expensive but if you stock up in duty free its fine . . .look on Heidi.com or Skistar direct; your budget should see some change (probs cheaper than France) but you'll smash this eating/drinking out (£15 per pint of beer)
For a bit of luxury (mainly hotels) consider Obergurgl in Austria - really mellow resort and high so likely good conditions; check with the hotels re vegan - The VAYA Unique and connected cheaper Sportiv Hotel is literally on the Festkogelbhan gondola (you walk out of the shared bootroom and the lift is directly opposite); so full ski in and out. Really nice spa and the large outdoor hot pool has a submerged lounger so you can watch the stars on a mountain backdrop as you drift off in an alchohol induced state of bliss. . . . 
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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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Norway is more than amazing but keep it for another occasion - for skiing, not far from Geneva, end of March, Avoriaz is perfectly fine. Last year we were still skiing early May in Flaine (after official closure). Avo works well especially for a young beginner who will love the car free mini town, the pool, the mini stash area, etc.
If you wanted to stretch it transfer wise I'd have said Les Arcs, or somewhere in Valais (CH) - but then it's 2-3h.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Avoriaz "should" be OK but could well be crowded if snow generally in the area is not great. It is true that last year the snow had been such rubbish for much of the season that the first week in April was actually one of the best of a bad lot - but that's absolutely no guide to what will happen this year!
To be most "sure" of snow you DO need to go to one of the higher resorts. I'd recommend renting a car if you have a motion sickness problem - you can go slowly round the bends and stop whenever it's necessary!
Advice is often to leave it late to book accommodation - but as you need to book ski school for your daughter that might not work. Easter is "low season" in France and many ski schools will have reduced capacity by then. French ski school is generally mornings or afternoons only, Austrian ski school often all day - that might make a difference.
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@magdinie, The week commencing March 23rd should be quietish in most French resorts as the schools have not broken up that week and the snow is usually good in the higher resorts. My niece is coming skiing that week and she booked flights from Bournemouth go Geneva at a very good price, but I've just had a quick look at the easyjet prices and they have shot up, probably because easyjet are closing that route on the 30th for the summer.
If travel sickness is a concern then get the train from Geneva to Bourg st Maurice and from there up to Les Arcs. Arc2000 is probably best for a beginner. Failing that then rent a car. Places like Lap Plagne will be very suitable.
Every ski resort I've been in has a small shop that is fine for self catering for a week but for some reason I think that places like arc 1950 with a very high British presence will be better able to cater for vegans/vegetarians in restaurants.
200 metres from a lift may be quite a tricky constraint as this means a relatively tiny resort (at max 400m across for the whole resort to be available) or one one with multiple lifts. It rules out much or Arc2000 for example and all of Arc1950 (it's about a 400m ski to the first lift of the day)
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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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Thanks all, I think I will take a gamble and book flights to Geneva without accommodation for now. How late do people leave to book accommodation? Reliable weather forecast is probably max 5 days before?
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@magdinie,
Have a look at espritski.com - they are ceasing trading after this season so you may get a bargain. There are other family orientated UK tour operators, too. Good for young beginner to have others of similar age who speak same language.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes, I think leaving it late is sensible but DO check availability of ski lessons before going firm!
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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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Impulse booking - going to Norway...  Alps again next year!
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| magdinie wrote: |
| Impulse booking - going to Norway... Alps again next year! |
Get the beer kitty mortgage ready and some decent underlayers / a facemask! Enjoy - Norway snow will be squeaky good!
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You know it makes sense.
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in order to avoid to open a new thema i put my question here
i consider also Avoriaz as an option for the first week of April, but i am thinking to book a little bit later according to the conditions, school etc
However i do not get it when i am looking the village map of avoriaz
Which is the best area to accommodate, in order to get mornings to ESF gather area?
looking the map i think that you have to ski down to the lifts (dromonts, Plateau or du Tour) and go with one of the them high near the Plateau.
or am i wrong here?
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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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What age and ski school or private lessons?
The very young ones meet towards the bottom of town/above the Dormonts/Ruches areas.
One old enough for ski school the meet moves up to Plateau, near the Accueil Station.
But private lessons generally meet at the EFS office right down the bottom of town next to Changabang/opposite the Les Prodains gondola.
Generally if you're looking at the resort map (https://www.powderbeds.com/pub/downloads/11/Avoriaz%20Resort%20Map%2023.jpg) the Plateau/Crozats/Falaise areas are 'up' and Hauts-Forts 'down'. To get 'up' on Day 1 it's going to be a trudge up the snowy (but car free) resort roads. Day 2 you can take either the drag lift in the middle of town, the (painfully) slow Plateau chair or the fast Tour chair.
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Poster: A snowHead
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The Kids are 6 and 8.
I suppose the Meeting point is the Plateau
I am looking also this map but however dont get it
Ok if we are Staying in Haut Forts we have to take the Tour
If we Staying in crozats or falaise how we get to Plateau?
We have also to ski down to Tour lift? I found eg sonething in crozats (num 12 or 16). Do we have to ski down to take a lift?
On the other side i have an offer for an appart in falaise in num34 in the map
From there can we walk to Plateau? Or we have againe to gonfor the Plateau chair?
Generell i saw the Tour lift is open at 08.45
If we have to take it, should i expect too much Wait because of All of them who has to Do the same?
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