April 11th Resort help..French Alps

A snowHead

Hi All,

Newbie here but i have been scouring the forums for a long time. I Am looking for hell/advice as next year we will be taking our second family ski holiday.

Last year we went to samoens in march and had a great time but snow was mixed..we are all still beginner level and prefer green and blues as we have a 5 year old and 11 year old..they love tree lined skiing.. they also get tired so apres ski and things to do.. samoens is a very lovely village so wed also love to be somwhere like that.

Easter next year is later and only time we can get out.. weve booked flights to geneva.

I currently have a nice aparthotel booked in les arcs 1800 having read the forums, but looking for any other advice given the above.. my concerns of les arcs are just the scenery and things to do. I know its close to bourg st maurice which looks ok?

Any advice welcome Happy

A snowHead

Hi, welcome to snowheads Very Happy

By April 11th, a lot of the tree lined skiing stands a good chance of being bare, Les Arcs is probably a good shout. There's a few of us have pencilled in Val Thorens for that week with families, nothing actually booked yet, possibly staying in Les Menuires which might be bare but some good hotel deals and easy access to the higher slopes of Val Thorens.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Solidsoulja,
There is actually very good tree line skiing at les arcs as well as reliable snow above the tree line, so no worries on that score in fact it's probably as good as it gets.
No two ways though it's not as attractive a place as Samoens.
If the skiing is the main thing I'd stick with les arcs and maybe take the odd trip to Bourg.
There are not many resorts that offer that combination. You could try Nendaz or La Tzoumaz in Switzerland both of which have reliable skiing above and below tree line and are a bit less purpose built than les arcs but probably not as attractive as Samoens.
Saas Fee is said to be very attractive, I've not been and don't know what it's tree level skiing is like.
I know you said French alps but all of these are readily accessible from Geneva.
A fair bit further away to drive you could try Val Cenis in the Maurienne or Monetier in Serre Chevalier which provide reliable Easter snow , have tree lined skiing and particularly Monetier a pleasant village.

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Welcome to Snowheads, @Solidsoulja. So late in the season I reckon you need to prioritise access to decent snow conditions above all else, not only above "tree-lined skiing" but also the "lovely village". But late season conditions vary enormously and you might get lucky with weather - it might be best to wait until much nearer the time before booking accommodation.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Solidsoulja, welcome Happy

What's been said before. You really need to be looking for secure snow.

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@Solidsoulja, I'm off to Avoriaz in April. If you book somewhere near the Falaise area you can ski out of your door to do tree-lined skiing down Proclou (ideal for beginners), and then back up to do runs through Brochaux-Lindarets. The Crôt is yet another tree lined run (when you feel like a more challenging blue).

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

Saas Fee is indeed ideal in many ways for spring skiing. It is a lovely village, with high snow-sure slopes and quite a relaxed vibe. BUT, probably not ideal for @Solidsoulja, that late in the year. It has one of the best nursery areas in the alps but it is lower down and sunny so will be closed or suffering this easter. It is possible to take blue run skiers (and all my kids learnt to ski there) up the main mountain but to get the best of the area you really need to be able to manage red slopes. It really depends how confident and able your kids are, mine were certainly fine on the main mountain at 5/6 years old (but we did have private instructors).

I would definitely recommend it once the youngest of bigger/more competent though. It really is a special place especially in the spring!

After all it is free

Thanks for all the suggestions..I may aswell say tree lined is not THAT important.. if they are gentle green and wide gentle blues thats perfectly fine... just the kids loved the tree lined runs..but not essential... id probably say essy runs but with access to a nice town/village.. I will hire a car from geneva and dont really drink so fine to drive to other close towns for things to do etc...

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@Kenzie, I must admit, I was wondering what the OP would find in Bourg that would trump Arc 1800. Isn't Mille8 in Arc 1800? (There again, I've never really needed anything to do other than skiing - a pool / spa is a bonus, but otherwise I'll happily sit and read my book.)

@Solidsoulja, what sort of things to do other than skiing are you thinking of?

snow reports

Bourg St Maurice has some fine supermarkets.... wink

You know it makes sense.

Could someone also advice if the connection from top of the funnicular to 1800 is like and also back, if we could get down to BSM in the day for one of the days and also maybe in one evening..then 1800 would probably tick our box... im also confused where I would park my car!! Either leave it in BSM or drive and parc in 1800?

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

Arc 1800 will be a good choice in mid April. After ski activities for the infants include the mile8 with its swimming pool and gentle sledge runs. The scenery is very good with views across the isere valley to mont blanc and aquille glaciers. There is skiing above and below the tree line (the tree line is at about 2000m, 300 above arc 1800 which is actually at 1700m). Across to vallandry gives some excellent tree line skiing that retains its snow well.

A snowHead

Apart from a good supermarket and a municipa pool that is easier to swim in than the pool at mile8 there is nothing in bourg worth the journey. The ourney is easy however, you take the navette to 1600 then the funicular. Then walk.

There is a kiddies soft play area in arc1800.

There is a lot more carparking in 1800 than bourg. I would smply Park there.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Solidsoulja, the link from the top of the funicular to 1800 is very easy: free shuttle bus which runs frequently, from early to late. This is the funicular timetable for this season, on Thursdays it operates until late evening.

https://en.lesarcs.com/move-around/shuttles/funicular

Most parking in Arc 1800 incurs a parking fee, unless your accommodation offers free parking (my apartment does, as do residences and hotels with their own garages). I don’t know if many people park in BDM when they stay in 1800, seems like a monumental pain to me to save around 85€.

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We have booked arc 1800 for a week, 12th-19th April. Wife and 6 year old. Went this year ( all be it 1st week of April) and snow was fantastic and nearly all runs open. So im sure it will be fine for end of April 25.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Ok perfect thanks all... will stick with arc 1800....seems to have been a sensible choice!

Thanks for all the help!

We are going the same time..11th to the 17th

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@Solidsoulja, presumably as it's their second trip you're kids (and you) will be in ski school, so travelling up from BSM would seem like unnecessary hassle.

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

After all it is free

@Solidsoulja, Les Arcs 1800 seems a good fit, I wouldn't want to be taking a 5 year old up from Bourg each day due to the tiredness factor, also the run down to the funicular in Arc 1600 will be pretty challenging at the end of the day.

I would recommend continuing the ski lessons if you consider yourselves beginners, this is mainly a mountain safety point. A safer plan would be to keep going with lessons until everyone is at least comfortable on difficult red runs in poor conditions, that way you are not likely to get stuck on the mountain in a blizzard (or worse). If it's the fixed timings of the group lessons that are putting you off I would strongly recommend booking a private instructor for the 4 of you so you can choose the timings etc.

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@Henwc, @Kenzie, OP just said they had 6 months of lessons in a fridge. I get it's not quite the same as in resort but that is weighed against the enjoyment of skiing as a family and enjoying being out in the mountains. I wouldn't disagree a private lesson on day 2/3 might be a good idea.

Also agree with the question on taking 2 days off. I would more tend towards having a lazy start or end to the day. Not being close (if in the UK) trips to the mountains are precious and I wouldn't waste them dobbing about in a ski station.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I certainly wouldn't spend a potential ski day schlepping round Bourg St Maurice unless there was zero vis and it was pouring with rain.

snow reports

Thanks...erm we went to samoens and managed fine? We had a great time? Why would this not be the case in les arcs? Our ski pass will be the 3 day pass.... and I have a 5 year old and 11 year old.. my older child has adhd so needs breaks from time to time...so whilst i say 2 days off the slopes...we like to do other things? Sledging...swimming...tobbogganing...zip line etc....I mean i get you are all ski heads...but it's a little strange that everyone has to be 100% on the slopes or are somehow strange Confused

.....

What would be the point of lessons to be comfortable on a difficult red run in bad conditions to then focus on green and blues? Why else would green and blues exist? Makes them redundant no?

My wife and I have lessons here on the slopes for around a year..and will be doing more..

May look at a private instructor for the first day then

You know it makes sense.

Help!!

April 11th Resort help..French Alps

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