First time Skiing, Late December recommendations?

A snowHead

Hi all
Me and my wife both work in schools, so i would like to take her on a nice suprise skiing holiday for a week, towards the end December.

We have never been skiing before, so zero experience.
Please could you recommend somewhere peaceful, nice and will be best suited for us.

A snowHead

Hmm. Lovely idea but nowhere will be peaceful at the end of December - both the Christmas and New Year weeks (especially the latter) will be very busy, and expensive. The peak week of the year, really. Given that you're stuck with school holidays, could you consider Easter?

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@mistikempire, Firstly be aware that this will not be the cheapest holiday you will ever have. Clearly Christmas & New Year are popular times (New Year more so) so lots of other folk will go at the same time but also this is still early season so conditions are not completely reliable. So you want somewhere fairly high but also with fairly easy terrain to start off with. Everyone will give you different favourite places but a few that might work. La Plagne / Les Arc in France very popular with brits, typical high altitude purpose built resort so not picture postcard (though long time since I have been so might be different now) and some accommodation can be on the small side, pretty snow sure. Obergurgl in Austria, high (highest village in Austria) so snow sure with very beginner friendly terrain, small with practically all accommodation in hotels (Austrian half board works well), downside is that it can be cold and stormy in mid winter (pretty much all above the tree line). Dolomites in Südtirol / northern Italy (lots of linked resorts perhaps look up Arraba, Alta Badia or Selva plus plenty more) stunning scenery, abundant skiing, well known for food & alpine charm, downside is that the climate tends to cold & dry but they have the world's best snow making so no problem with being able to ski (especially for beginners as you dont need the steeper terrain to be open).

The first place I went to ski was in Austria, near Salzburg a small town St Johann im Pongau, the local skiing there has closed now but the area has prospered, its called Ski Amade and it would not be a bad choice at all, perhaps look at Flachau or Zauchensee also means easy to do day trips to Salzburg if you hate skiing!

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@mistikempire, do you have a preference on which country (assuming somewhere in Europe)?

As @Origen said, everywhere will be busy during the school holidays (particularly at Christmas and February half term), but some places are of course less busy than the major French resorts (for example) and will be less busy at Easter.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@vjmehra
@munich_irish

Thank you both for your replies, i wouldn't mind going in Easter, but i thought i would so it in December as her birthday is in January.

İtaly i think so far from what people have said, suits better?

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The other option of course is to look north, the snow is surer and its less crowded (but of course it will be cold)!

Norway, Sweden and Finland all have options. If you just want a sampler you can even do just a day (or two) on small slopes near Oslo and Stockholm or head to a resort such as Are (Sweden) or Trysil, (Norway) or one of the Finnish resorts such as Levi (not sure if that gets crowded or not, but Trysil and Are are typically less crowded than Alpine resorts).

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What sort of accommodation are you looking for? Have a look at the big "package tour operators"to get an idea of what's out there. Be very careful about location. Ideally you need a place near where you'll have your lessons. "Distance to nearest lift might not be relevant to you". In some resorts you'll have a choice of ski schools. It's quite a complicated holiday so an "all in"package might make things et.

After all it is free

Snowhead’s …. would some Italian villages/pistes be less rammed than Austria and France at that time? Offering opportunities.

My experience, all good because I love the whole thing, is that French resorts are packed with Brits/French at Xmas/NY, Austria with Germans/Austrians/Czechs/Slovaks/Poles. I suspect the Sella Ronda would be the same.

@mistikempire, I used Sunweb a few years back to Val Thorens in France. Was good value. It’s a high resort so as snow sure as you can get and wasn’t that busy. If you’ve never been before you would be ok with the local area ski pass. Book your own flights and transfers.

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I would consider Gressoney or Courmayeur in the Aosta valley. Relatively short transfer from either Geneva or Turin. Spectacular scenery, good food, contained piste skiing and reasonably priced.

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Make sure there are beginner adult ski lessons available before you book. You will need lessons!

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@mistikempire, I started as a non-skier who a friend persuaded to go at Christmas.

My top tips...
1. Go xmas rather than NY. It's cheaper and less busy.
2. Go high. Snow can be great or bad anywhere at that time of year but high, stacks the odds in your favour.
3. Get lessons either at a snowdome or dry slope before you go. It's a shortcut that pays off when you get there.
4. Get more lessons when you're there, no matter how well you did in 3 above.

Beware though its a slippery slope. You'll find yourself doing 5 weeks a year and living the rest of the year on beans on toast before you know it.

I would suggest going to a high-altitude resort with good lessons and snowmaking. Also have indoor lessons in the UK before you go so that you can get more from the experience.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

The indoor lessons are actually a very good tip. It’s a lot of money to spend just getting going on the first few days, learning to put skis on, basic techniques etc. get that out of the way on an indoor slope is good advice.

A snowHead

Wow this is amazing

Thank you everyone for the valuable feedback and helpful response, really helpful.

Thank you all!

A snowHead

@mistikempire, Nothing wrong with going in December. Christmas week can be magical (though more risk of little snow) and be aware its not the big thing it is in the UK, Christmas Eve tends to be the "main event" and post early evening carols can be quiet. Christmas Day much more of a standard public holiday. New Year is a big party with accompanying crowds, maybe not an ideal time to learn to ski but its a fun time in the mountains. Not sure I would be quite so keen on Easter, especially when it is late as next season, snow conditions are often poor though generally good for lounging around in the afternoon sun (though rain is a hazard too!).

Agree that getting some sort of experience before going is very helpful, though can also see losing the surprise element. Dont underestimate the physical effort involved. If you both do regular exercise then you will be fine but it is a big change doing physical activity for 4 to 5 hours a day often at altitude in a dry environment.

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@mistikempire, I like to ski in France, I love to ski in the Dolimites.
Switzerland is fantastic ... but I think everyones first ski holiday should be in Austria.

You have to have lessons, and that is half the fun.
You will be in a group of first timers and you'll meet new friends.

Do teachers still work from home?
Or will you be missed if you take the week before Christmas... Saturday 14th December.

But lets imagine you have a huge budget Toofy Grin

I would still head for a less popular village, the small villages with just a couple of Bars would be ideal.

If you really want to be absalutely snow sure you should go high.
But I think I'd take a chance on a low resort.
Someone has already said St Johan in Pongau ... that is a good shout.
The villages around there would be good, Wagrain, Flachau etc.

If you are beginners you dont need a huge system you will will spend most of your time on the Nursery slope, and if you get up the mountains that will be a bonus.

There are so many little villages that suite the bill, but I'll leave it to others to suggest them.
One of the best apres ski night I can remember was in a one bar village called Damuls.
But you won't find a tour operator going there.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@mistikempire,
You have two options.

1) complete surprise, never ski’d before with potential of hating it or endless panic on “real snow” and potential arguments.

2) lessons in the uk, gives the game up with respect to a surprise but will increase the enjoyment factor 10x

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Yes. Have a look at options for the week you want ( I would choose Christmas over New Year as slightly less crowded and expensive) then come back for feedback. There are a couple of suggestions in this thread (courmayeur and arabba that I wouldn't rate as ideal for beginners). Depending on your actual school term dates you might be able to do early April and plenty of resorts would still be ok then.

It's a good question whether your wife likes surprises. I wouldn't have wanted to have one sprung on me because I'd have wanted to have an input into the planning!

After all it is free

@drlawn
Thanks so much for the advice, DrLawn! It's really helpful to get some insights from experienced skiers like yourself. I hadn’t considered Austria before, but it sounds like the perfect place for a first ski holiday, especially with the focus on lessons and meeting new people in the beginner groups.

I’m definitely leaning towards a smaller, less crowded village to avoid the chaos, and your suggestion of St Johann in Pongau and the surrounding villages sounds ideal. The idea of a lower resort with a chance of good snow sounds like a fun gamble too!

We do try to stay active, but I’ll keep your point in mind about the physical challenge, especially at altitude. Hopefully, we’ll be able to manage it.

As for the timing, we’re still debating between Christmas and New Year, but it’s good to know how things differ from the UK. I’ll start looking into smaller resorts now, and maybe we’ll find somewhere that fits just right.

So i took a look online, example Dolimites, and found myself so confused at the results.

So many places in Dolomites popped up, in which i have zero knowledge on which area would be good, bad, etc.

That goes for Austria too, like what areas should i be focusing on?

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@mistikempire, are you intending to go with a tour operator or make your own travel arrangements? These days with internet bookings it's easy to DIY, but as first timers there's a lot to be said for going with a tour operator, especially if they have a rep in resort to help with things like boot and ski hire and arranging lessons.

As regards your questions about places in the Dolomites or Austria here's a few suggestions. In the Dolomites the Alta Badia region (Corvara, Colfosco, San Cassiano) has a huge number of blue (easiest) ski runs. Alternatively the nice smaller ski areas of Alleghe (Alleghe itself is situated by a scenic lake) or San Pelegrino/Falcade are only about 2 hours transfer time from Venice airport (if you DIY then you can have a day in Venice at the start or end of your ski trip if that appeals).

In Austria I learned to ski in Alpbach, a beautiful village (voted the prettiest in Austria by the Austrians themselves). Other good places for beginners would be Westendorf or one of the places in the Zillertal valley (of which Mayrhofen is the most well known).

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Should the Dolomites take your fancy, as first time visitors last winter and skiing the entire Sella Ronda, Colfosco stood out as having the most flattering blue runs I’ve seen (since Courchevel). Ticked the boxes for the lost confidence skiers in our party.

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@Snow&skifan, yes Colfosco has a very wide gentle slope directly under the Sodlisia chairlift, ideal for beginners!

You know it makes sense.

Lessons before you go would be a great idea. if you can do 6 hours of lessons at a snowdome you will probably double the amount of actual skiing you get done in a week in resort - as others have said the first days can be consumed just learning the very basics.

You only need a tiny resort. The huge ones come with both expensive lift passes and massive surges of popularity over the school holidays - whether it's Christmas, Half Term or Easter holidays. 5 lifts will be fine for your first week.

I would recommend a small French, Italian or Austrian resort. Val Cenis and other resorts in the Marurienne valley in France offer exceptional value compared to the Isere valley resorts of 3V, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes & Val d'Isere. The Maurienne valley is the opposite side of the national parc that the Isere resorts are in. It's great value for money.

Italy and Austria just pick somewhere small that is not too far from an airport you can reasonably get to.

Altitude is good - the higher the better, but Bear in mind that the eastern / Austrian end of the Alps tends to be colder at lower altitudes so altitude on it's own is not a 100% comparable measurement.

Wherever you go, I'd look for mainstream tour operators offering you a package for your first trip to make it easy. Take their beginner ski hire offering and let them supply the lift pass just to make it easier for you. Next time you will have a much better idea and can get tips how to save money here.

Whatever you do have lessons. A minimum of 5 mornings, though all day would progress you faster as long as you are reasonably fit.

Whatever you do I hope you have the time of your life. Your first skiing holiday is the best holiday you ever go on. After that they only get better snowHead

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@munich_irish, Flachau will be far from peaceful at New Year, in fact it will be manic busy and not what the OP asked for

Another vote for Christmas week. The OP could look for a Learn to Ski package; Crystal and Inghams used to do them, no idea if they still do as no longer do packages

A snowHead

The notion that "small resorts", and/or places where British tour operators don't go, will be quiet at Christmas/New Year is mistaken. Our apartment was in a small French resort with NO British TOs and where the only easy "transfers" were by driving. We always came home to the UK for the 4 French "vacances scolaires" weeks in Feb/March because we were so averse to lift queues and crowded slopes. There are more British skiers now than years ago, because so many more people now do DIY holidays and use the internet (including Snowheads!) to find interesting new destinations. But the overwhelming majority of skiers in smaller French resorts are French!

A snowHead

@mistikempire,
Take her for a learn to ski (or snowboard) in a day session at your local indoor slope.

If you are still talking after that, look to travel with a tour operator (let them have the stress of your first ski holiday) whenever your school(s) have their Easter break - better weather, more time to choose a resort & the resort staff will be on top of their game (something that may not be the case at Xmas or NY).
If you are going on holiday, things to consider:-
UK airport/type of transport
type of accommodation
snow sure vs chocolate box charm resort
total budget, including eating out (on the mountain and/or evening, if required), apres ski (ie booze), kit hire, lift pass, lessons, insurance. Some TOs may do 'all in' adult beginner weeks.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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@mistikempire, bear in mind that while Austria is the most likely to be chocolate box pretty and romantic for Xmas, not much of it is ski-in/out so you will probably have to learn to walk in ski-boots and take a bus to get to a ski school meeting point. Not sure I'd be recommending this if you don't take lessons in the UK first.

Much better chance of being right next to the piste and ski school meeting point in France and French "magic carpet" beginner lifts are usually free. (They might be free in Austria/Italy also but I haven't been around beginner areas in those countries for a long time).

The other key difference is that Austrian ski school is usually all day with lunch also taken with the instructor, two hours in the morning, two in the afternoon. This could be an advantage or disadvantage depending on how well you progress, like company etc. France and Italy are usually 2-3 hour lessons most probably in the morning for total beginners and most intermediates.

There might not be any total beginner lessons available for adults in Xmas and NY weeks as the focus will be on dealing with somewhere around maximum capacity for kids so you absolutely should either check and pre-book with a ski school or get an adult beginner's package.

I would echo the advice to do a "learn to ski in a day" course together first as a much better approach. Book the Saturday the week before your holiday (say Dec 14th ready for the 21st) so it's still fresh in the mind. I reckon one of these courses saves at least 3 days of ski school in resort and it means you can join intermediate lessons on the first day rather than total beginners. You will absolutely progress more quickly and will also get a much better experience of "being in the mountains on a ski holiday" rather than doing circuits round the same nursery slopes just trying to stay upright for days on end.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I think Sweden/Finland with their less crowded slopes and Father Christmas associations could be a great left field suggestion.

The surprise will last only until she sees the clothes being packed. Or were you expecting to rent in resort? Do people still do that?

If you can manage the week before Christmas in a fairly high Alpine resort (for the snow), SO much calmer than the holiday week.

I agree to avoid the big status resorts, you will pay for 200+km of piste that you won’t see.

After all it is free

@mistikempire, the one other thing I would say regarding ski schools is that if you want to be taught by a native English speaker and/or by a British run ski school (for consistency with what you would have been taught on a "ski in a day" course) you have by far the best chance of that in the French mega resorts.

My experience of Austrian ski school was good many moons ago (but it was a Scottish ski instructor which is much less likely following Brexit), Italian ski school (in Sestriere) was by far the worst I've experienced anywhere in the world. I've been out with instructors/guides in the US, Canada, NZ, Italy, Austria, France and Switzerland so I'd like to think I've got some perspective. You will definitely get some disparaging opinions regarding the ESF in France but there are plenty of highly regarded Brit/International ski school alternatives in France. Very few alternatives in Austria or Italy IME.

Not sure if Switzerland has been mentioned; good ski schools and a fair few Brits still working there but could be a bit of overkill price-wise for a first holiday. Haven't been personally but Andorra is often recommended as a good place for beginners/intermediates and is wallet friendly. Friend of mine goes back every year. I've seen feedback saying their instructors often work year round in Andorra and South America and are pretty good.

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