 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Easter is early April 2026, so should be ideal.
Tignes, as Evolution2 have plenty of other activities, plus ski school.
Action Outdoors if they have a family week that matches your dates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
If cost is a concern, then I would say it's the adults that can make young kids' first trip expensive...
Kids aged 6 and 9, on their first trip, are unlikely to need more than say 20 km of piste. If you feel you need much bigger ski area for yourselves, then it may be smarter/cheaper to make a separate adult trip than book a big expensive resort in peak school holidays.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
We did this in 1988 with our 11 and 14 year olds. It was meant to be a one off family holiday as we liked sunny beach summer holidays. That trip to Flaine changed our lives, we were all hooked. We know many families who went to Flaine as their first family trip as its so near to Geneva. After the Easter 1988 trip we summer skied in Tignes that summer on the way to a French beach. I organised trips with other families including one for 57 people plus school ski trips for 20 years while I was teaching. If someone had told me in 1988 what I would experience in snowsports I could never have imagined it. We started off doing package holidays but now arrange everything ourselves and usually drive out for several weeks at a time.
Fast forward to 2025 and the then 14 year old is now 51 and will just have left 3 valleys to drive back to Scotland after instructing there for his approx 18th season. Both sons competed at world cup level in snowboard and mogul skiing. Mrmogulski and I judged international mogul skiing and were involved in GBR ski committees.
Beware what you get your family into as it could change your life too! Bon ski
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
My kids are 7 and 9. They've been on a few trips now but if it were entirely down to me for a first trip at that age I would go with:
Obergurl in a half board hotel with a kids club.
or Warth (perfect skiing for the kids), although I've not stayed there. Just commuted from Lech.
My brother has just been to Serfaus with his 4 year old staying in a kinder hotel and thought it was brilliant.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
My first pick in this sort of game is always Albiez-Montrond in the Maurienne valley.
https://www.station-albiez.com/en/
It’s small, very pretty and attracts mostly families - so no hooners. You can ski to the door of much of the accommodation and, even at half term, it doesn’t feel busy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As well as Albiez Montrond, you could consider Les Karellis in the same valley. Small family orientated resort which again you can mainly ski back to accom. Some nice green runs for the beginners with wide cruises blues to help them progress. Doesn’t get overly busy even at half term and generally has pretty good snow conditions. There’s a sledging hill and marked winter walks if they don’t take to it and it’s just a short drive back down to St Jean de Maurienne for various other activities if needed.
https://www.karellis.com/accueil/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For a first trip I would second the Easter suggestion - longer days, quieter and cheaper.
Personally I wouldn’t dismiss taking them out of schoo at that agel, we did with all of ours and they’ve all graduated Uni, but obviously you know your kids better than anyone else.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| HilbertSpace wrote: |
If cost is a concern, then I would say it's the adults that can make young kids' first trip expensive...
Kids aged 6 and 9, on their first trip, are unlikely to need more than say 20 km of piste. If you feel you need much bigger ski area for yourselves, then it may be smarter/cheaper to make a separate adult trip than book a big expensive resort in peak school holidays. |
We're not overly bothered with the size/variety of the area for ourselves. Main focus will be on good nursery slopes and easy slopes we can hopefully ski together later in the week. Will try and get them to one of the indoor slopes so they have the very basics down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Grizwald wrote: |
We're not overly bothered with the size/variety of the area for ourselves. Main focus will be on good nursery slopes and easy slopes we can hopefully ski together later in the week. Will try and get them to one of the indoor slopes so they have the very basics down. |
I would focus on quality of instruction as well, can make or break it for kids, and thereby for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
When To Go
With school aged children you're always going to have to pick the trade-off that works best for you.
1. Christmas.
+ Going to make for a Christmas card Christmas.
+ "Skiing is your main present" and the fact you can only take a couple of small gifts for Christmas day helps with costs!
+ Probably only the 3rd busiest school week.
- Snow can (but usually isn't) be an issue - even then excepting the smallest/lowest resorts very little risk of "no snow" as this is one of the key money making weeks so at least for beginners there will be snow.
- Can be 'messy' depending where the 25th falls in the week.
2. New Years
+ Flights can be a little cheaper than Christmas week as more people want flights just to go home and see family for Christmas than New Year - but not a lot in it.
+ While can be 'messy' on dates that can play in your favour - a Saturday News Year's Eve or New Years Day can put some people off so less competition for accomodation/flights/etc.
~ Fractionally better on the snow front than Christmas, just as an extra week for it to fall - but not a lot in it.
- 2nd busiest school week.
3. Half Term
+ Statistically the best chance of the best snow conditions (but I've also sat outside, piste-side eating lunch in short sleeves more than one recent Half Term week)
+ Doesn't matter where dates fall.
- By far the busiest school week, which means most expensive as well as most crowded.
- Most expensive school week as it's the one most people want.
4. Easter
+ Generally the cheapest/quietest school week.
~ Other than how early/late Easter falls the dates themselves are fine.
- Can move a lot and with later dates snow can be a concern. Even then you're most likely to have spring skiing conditions, so hard first thing, nice from about 10:00 till 13:00, getting softer and wetter as the day goes on - especially on the lower slopes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
We took our kids (15 and 10) over Christmas just gone and they had a great time. Took some encouraging the youngest that it wouldn't be roast dinners and watching TV like normal Christmas, but we did a pre-trip present opening with the holiday being their 'main' present and they both bought into it. Wasn't cheap but wasn't up to Feb Half Term prices. We went to Sestriere and it was great conditions (maybe not enough snow, the entire domain wasn't open) but we did remark that it didn't quite feel proper Christmassy, even though we took tinsel and lights for our rooms. The hotel did a grand job in doing a gala dinner but we did say we'll make more of an effort to Christmasfy things next time. We'll probably also drive so we can have a self-catering Christmas and do it our way.
We've also done two Easter trips that have covered mid_march through to mid-April, so very much the whole gamut of time frame for Easter; these have been brilliant; cheaper, fairly quiet on the slopes and loads of fun because of snowfall and sunny weather. Those were both self drive, self catering affairs. I'd say the conditions were as good as you can ask for for beginners to improve, never too icy, usually good light, and oodles of fresh snow.
We have said that we'll bypass France in future, as it's getting too expensive (L2A and ADH are our reference points, so there may be cheaper French resorts). If we do fly then we're keen to try Andorra again because it was really enjoyable and the quality of instructors was incredible (in Arinsal at least) but the 3hr+ transfer can be a killer, especially when flights are at really unsociable hours.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We go Christmas and Easter. Love them both. Neither as busy as new year or half term.
You don't need a big resort - we went to La Norma as an example when the kids were young. Cheap as chips.
Places like Montgenevre or Valmeiner (neither of which I have been) fit the bill too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Recommend Easter. We've been the last two years in a row over the first week of the Easter holidays. Last year had loads of snow with fresh powder probably 4 out of 6 days, but we all preferred this year when there was glorious sunshine for the whole week, even though it made the piste conditions deteriorate.
If you go high (e.g. Tignes, Val Thorens, Cervinia) you'll get plenty of snow to ski on, generally still in ok condition.
That said, don't underestimate kids' abilities to adapt to what they're learning on. Teaching them to ski in less than perfect conditions will give them plenty of skills for the future and they'll probably tolerate a bit of ice/slush better than they would freezing temperatures in January.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Easter hols are great for kids. We started our older ones at Easter. If you are lucky conditions are as good as Feb (and Feb now more susceptible to temperature fluctuations even though prices assume it isn’t). If you aren’t it might still be sunny and lovely. Kids will adapt to everything just fine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
We’re going to Galtur at Christmas and in a kinder hotel - kids 6&9. I will say it again KINDER HOTELS ARE BRILLIANT
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Thanks for all the replies-lots of food for thought.
As I said in my OP I'd have been all over Easter but having just returned from Tignes (inc the recent snowmagedon days) it gave me second thoughts. My mate who isn't a bad piste skier had never experienced spring conditions before and found it hard going. Getting that huge dump of snow other than filling in the pistes particularly the lower altitudes was largely irrelevant to the overall conditions as it got heavy as soon as the sun came out. There was no freeze thaw even at higher altitudes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
@Grizwald, this wasn't a great Easter IMO but obviously I can't guarantee it would be different next year. Sometimes you get a couple of iffy years and the a couple of good ones.
Feb HT will definitely be colder and better coverage for sure. Just more £££ and more busy. You pays your money and makes your choice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Grizwald wrote: |
Thanks for all the replies-lots of food for thought.
As I said in my OP I'd have been all over Easter but having just returned from Tignes (inc the recent snowmagedon days) it gave me second thoughts. My mate who isn't a bad piste skier had never experienced spring conditions before and found it hard going. Getting that huge dump of snow other than filling in the pistes particularly the lower altitudes was largely irrelevant to the overall conditions as it got heavy as soon as the sun came out. There was no freeze thaw even at higher altitudes. |
Don't forget Easter is a moving feast - much earlier next year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@Grizwald, fwiw, I’m in a similar position to you. Will be taking 9 year old twins on their first trip next Easter.
I’m also a bit nervous of the conditions but it is simply the only time we can afford without taking the kids out of school.
We have bought flights to Innsbruck, as we prefer the shorter transfers and I’ve provisionally booked a hotel in the Pitztal Valley a short bus away from Hochzeiger ski area (I will send out a separate thread to see whether anyone has views on this area).
Like you I’m prepared to stick to a smaller cheaper area as the kids won’t need 100s of kms.
We are very much on a budget and choosing this area has given us the option of going HB, which has pleased my wife. The area also does free passes and ski hire for the kids.
I would imagine the likes of Obergurgl and Serfaus would be great as well, with extra skiable domain but a lot more pricey.
Good luck!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
[quote="Kenzie"]
| Grizwald wrote: |
| ...Don't forget Easter is a moving feast - much earlier next year. |
But Easter school holdays tend to compensate by sometimes being before the Easter weekend and sometimes after. Around here they are only a week earlier next year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Half term not so busy in Andorra as the Spanish are all there Sat-Sun-Mon, maybe Tue, then it’s working hours for the rest of the week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@EdYarker, sounds like a good plan.
Obergurgl is indeed lovely. One of my favourite hotel (ski or not) is there. I still get a birthday and Christmas card off them nearly a decade on since my last stay 
I was impressed with SunWeb this year. Factoring the cost of any area pass the accommodation (All Inclusive) was <£150 for a week! With skiing there's some pretty fixed costs you can't get away from, lift pass, rental or carriage.
Think with your kids age they can cope with a bit more faff around not having ski in ski out etc.
I've never skied in Andorra so may give that more of a look. Shame flights from the airports convenient for us dry up to Finland in February. Found Levi to be more than decent and ticks a lot of boxes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@Grizwald, a good friend of mine took his daughter to Andorra to learn for a few seasons and swears by it.
I’ve skied there too and enjoyed it, just wouldn’t be keen on that long transfer with the kids + my wife is a sucker for Austrian charm.
Never researched Norway, probably because Bristol don’t do flights there. Sounds like you are having a similar issue.
The other option, which I clumsily missed a couple of years ago, is when Christmas falls on a Sunday and the schools give a week off before Christmas. Normally some good deals around then, although snow’s a bit more risky then I guess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Orange200, next year, most of Europe, where they have a Feb half term holiday, seems to have it at the same time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
@Grizwald, I live in Andorra. The only time I skied in Andorra before living here was at Easter. We had fabulous snow and an amazing time. The same would’ve been the case for this Easter just gone. However, it is very much a lottery - the previous 2 Easters we’re very iffy even though they were a bit earlier and the one before that was reasonably good. I would pretty much say it’s a bit of a lottery for any time of the season in Andorra nowadays.
Before living here, we were pretty much Christmas and Easter skiers. Early and late in the season meant we left it to a few weeks before to book anything. We’d make a decision on where to go based on cost v conditions at the time. For experienced skiers, I would say this is the best thing to do when deciding whether to come to Andorra or not at any point of the season. Beginners/early skiers don’t need as much terrain, variation of pistes, (and arguably snow conditions matter less) etc… so would probably be pretty happy skiing Andorra whenever.
Just some things to think about.
I’ll add that on the whole, I’m pretty positive and enjoy skiing here all season regardless of conditions. I don’t need it to be perfect. However, I’m not paying thousands of pounds or risking my 1-2 weeks skiing a year on it being a bit iffy
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
An Unofficial Spring Family Bash 2026 has been proposed (by me) here: [url=]https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=5435558#5435558[/url]
UK Easter school hols come a week earlier than France in 2026 (for most UK schools at least) - which presents a rare opportunity to go skiing a week earlier than normal which hopefully means emptier slopes, better snow, cheaper accom etc...
Have proposed Val Thorens (to retain possibility of upgrade to official Bash) but open to other suggestions.
Please click on the link and add a comment on that thread if you might be interested.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hello all,
I've started to do some intial research. There's not a lot in it price wise. I've looked at package deals, and accommodation only to get a feel for prices so I think it's down to what works best with timing for us.
Another consideration is as our closet airport at home is 2 hours away would really like to keep the transfer time on the other side down. I don't expect I'll go with a package so either a hire car or private transfer.
When I went for Easter just gone to Tinges the shared transfer out was fine, but on the way back it took 4.5 hours as the coach kept on stopping to pick up little feeder mini buses.
So as a priorities list:
Country-Not bothered
Transfer time- Absolute maximum 2 hours
Resort/area-really anything is fine. I'd prioritise avoiding crowds over a big area. 10s of KM of piste will be fine. I think the smallest area I've skiied abroad will have been Courmayeur which from memory is about 40km?
A couple of the suggestions for small French resorts I'd never heard of look good, provided there's some good ski schools.
I think I'd lean towards some private lessons for the kids. There's a 3 year age gap and I really think they'd like to do it together.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@Grizwald, What airport is nearest to you? And therefore, what are the flight options?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
@swskier, Newcastle is the shortest at 2hrs but we regularly fly from Glasgow and Edinburgh which are 2.5 hours. It's been a while but Manchester is broadly similar to the Scottish airports. It's not a deal breaker but prefer the smaller regional airports.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@Grizwald, ok, so not ideal if you want to go outside of France/Switzerland!
Jet2 will fly you from Edinburgh to Innsbruck or Salzburg. That gives you lots of options for places, but some examples for what you're after might include:
Flying in to Salzburg:
Rauris 1hr 15mins
Obertauren 1hr 10mins
Filzmoos 1hr
Flying in to Innsbruck
Fügen (Spieljoch) plus other areas if you wanted them 55mins
Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis 1hr20mins
Seefeld 30mins
The bonus with Austria is the public transport allowing super easy access to non ski activities. From Rauris you're close to Zell am See for the lake etc, or not too far on train back in Salzburg. Likewise the Innsbruck airport options are also super easy to get back to Innsbruck for non ski fun. Seefeld for example has a train station in the village with trains back in to Innsbruck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
@swskier, Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'll have a look at those. Someone else mentioned the Kinder hotels so I've had a look at a couple of those.
Current left field option is Norway, specifically Trysil. Direct flights from Manchester and a 40 min transfer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
We enjoyed a big family trip to La Toussuire in the Maurienne valley late March and had similar criteria to you, it's a bit over an hour from Chambery airport.
3 kids skiing, 4,4 and 7 very good, english speaking instructors with ESI and fairly extensive skiing for the adults.
We booked accom via sunweb they have a few options there, prices in resort much cheaper than the larger resorts. Would be fine at easter time
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Trysil at Easter could be excellent for your needs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Agree, was at Trysil this year and it would meet all your needs especially if you can get flights to the local airport (although driving from Oslo is also bang on your 2 hour max). All 4 kids in our group loved the ski school, we went for half day mornings so we could ski with them in the afternoon. The resort puts a lot of effort in at Easter with extra activities on and off the slopes. We stayed in the Radisson Blu which was great but if kids are complete beginners I'd go for the Ski Star Lodge side of the mountain, better nursery slopes and easier to get all around the mountain as it's easier to come back to there from the other side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| jaggycolin wrote: |
| Agree, was at Trysil this year and it would meet all your needs especially if you can get flights to the local airport (although driving from Oslo is also bang on your 2 hour max). All 4 kids in our group loved the ski school, we went for half day mornings so we could ski with them in the afternoon. The resort puts a lot of effort in at Easter with extra activities on and off the slopes. We stayed in the Radisson Blu which was great but if kids are complete beginners I'd go for the Ski Star Lodge side of the mountain, better nursery slopes and easier to get all around the mountain as it's easier to come back to there from the other side. |
Sounds good. What was the choice of restaurants etc like? There's some good self catering accommodation that's reasonable. Can fly Manchester to the Scandinavian Mountian airport direct I'd not looked at Oslo but if it's significantly cheaper may be worth renting a car and/or spending a night or two is Oslo.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We took a half board option at Radisson Blu, which has 3 restaurants in it, all were good. However we enjoyed lunches at Happy faces (burgers and sushi), La Pasteria (decent pizzas and pasta) and Barbacoa (tacos, burritos, burgers, etc). Didn't eat at Taste or Skipub, so there are a few options. Didn't eat on the other side of the mountain but the options looked similar. Loads of lovely looking apartments and lodges about the place. Car rental was cheap enough, it's an easy drive on good quality roads. Lot of tolls.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
