 Poster: A snowHead
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We are hoping to get away for a week on the 13th December and are struggling on where to choose. We’ve had a week in Livigno this last year and loved it. But would like to try somewhere with a shorter transfer time this time.
By the end of the week our teen boys and our age 10 daughter were confidently skiing down all blues including Motolino. I can do a blue but I don’t enjoy it and am ideally looking for somewhere I can try and build my confidence. Greens and blues that aren’t at the end of red runs. My husband snowboards and is confident as he’s been many times before.
I’m aware that is pretty early in the season and we also don’t need a huge ski area.
We’ve been looking at
Montgenevre
Les Saisies
Cervinia
Alpe d’Huez
Les Menuires
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Flaine?
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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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You can knock Les Saisies off the list as - like many resorts - it won't be properly open till Christmas week.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Alpe d huez has really good beginners area and is high... just check the opening dates
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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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.... and La Thuile in Italy has great blues up top, so you get high on the mountain even when you're a beginner.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Thu 20-11-25 21:52; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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But do try to get some lessons for yourself.
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From your list I'd probably pick Cervinia.....High altitude / Cruisy runs / Better value.....but when the weather closes in, the Pistes are exposed and lifts can shut.
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Most confidence boosting runs we’ve encountered in The Alps:
Colfosco
Courchevel
Not short transfers, but some resorts suggested above are equally lengthy.
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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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For easy, beautiful, green runs in mid December, Val d'Isere is, IMO, the stand out winner. The runs that you will spend most of your time on have already got a good covering of snow and the lifts that you need will all be open. It is an expensive resort but that early in the season there will be good value accomodation. You may need to get the lift back down at the end of the day but that is hardly the end of the world and the transfer is on the longer side but what's an hour extra travel in the way there in the grand scheme of things. Have a look at the piste map and the webcams.
Edited as changes to the piste map mean that my final point no longer applies
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 21-11-25 10:21; edited 1 time in total
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At that time I'd suggest as high as possible. It doesn't guarantee good snow but it hedges your bets.
Of your possibles, Alp d'Huez or rather than Les Menuires, higher up the valley at Val Thorens.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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La Plagne would be my suggestion. It has more easy blues than Flaine.
Les Saisies will not be open. Montgenevre would be a possibility but might only have the north facing side open.
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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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@Galla2025, Alp D'Huez area is great for a mixed group; loads of very wide smooth posits for those who are less confident, with some really challenging stuff for progression higher up the mountain. Conditions are usually good mid-december (it opens 6th December this year)
I can highly recommend Oz station as a good base; quiet, has its own beginner slopes and is linked directly to the the main ADH area and the Montrais sector, which is particularly good for just cruising.
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Would second the Cervinia suggestion, noting not the shortest transfer. Great lovely blue confidence building runs and they'll have loads fully open and already got decent snow cover. Lot's for the more experienced skiers too and good family destination with nice food a bit cheaper than France.
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You know it makes sense.
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Leogang in Austria - but stay in the area next to the Asitz lifts rather than in the village. Lots of easy blues at the top of the mountain and spectacular views, good mountain restaurants and while Leogang is a small area, it links to the rest of the Ski Circus (on the same ticket) if you want to go further afield.
Fly to Salzburg, then an easy 90 minute drive or transfer along valley roads. Alternatively use FREE public transport from Salzburg to Leogang - either the #260 bus from the Airport to Saalfelden, then the #690 bus to Leogang; or the train from Salzburg HBF (main station) directly to Leogang, then a taxi to the accommodation.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Fri 21-11-25 13:14; edited 1 time in total
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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's everyone's thoughts on Val Thorens as an option? Potentially not very nice if the weather is bad, but it's high and I remember there being lots of nice greens/blues.
You could just buy the local pass as you won't need the whole 3 Valleys if you just want a smaller area.
The altitude that early in the season will help with the snow conditions.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd pick Alpe D'Huez from that list.
Consider Hochgurgl in Austria too.
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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 d'Isere sounds a good bet and there are a bunch of excellent instructors there - you will enjoy it much more if you're not floundering around on your own. A couple of hours with an experienced instructor who knows the terrain well could be transforming.
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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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| Specialman wrote: |
@Galla2025, Alp D'Huez area is great for a mixed group; loads of very wide smooth posits for those who are less confident, with some really challenging stuff for progression higher up the mountain. Conditions are usually good mid-december (it opens 6th December this year)
I can highly recommend Oz station as a good base; quiet, has its own beginner slopes and is linked directly to the the main ADH area and the Montrais sector, which is particularly good for just cruising. |
Isn't Oz much lower altitude? Never been (but going in ADH in January), and yeah, for December Oz may be more of a gamble than the main resort?? Looking at the webcams now there's already snow at 1800m, but nothing in Oz. https://www.alpedhuez.com/en/winter/webcams/
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Alpe D'huez ticks the boxes. Lots of lovely long green runs that are not pan-flat off of chair lifts. Marcel's Farm is a fun green/blue. There are some great reds further up the mountain for the kids/husband
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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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| zedzed_uk wrote: |
| Looking at the webcams now there's already snow at 1800m, but nothing in Oz. |
That webcam shot from Oz is from the end of summer. The cam hasn't been live since then, because they've been rebuilding the Poutran gondola up to AdH and lots of the infrastructure has presumably been moved around.
There is now snow in Oz itself (as of the last couple of days) and they're running the canons too in this cold temperature.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| adithorp wrote: |
At that time I'd suggest as high as possible. It doesn't guarantee good snow but it hedges your bets.
Of your possibles, Alp d'Huez or rather than Les Menuires, higher up the valley at Val Thorens. |
Really? Not watching the weather then.  It's dumping down here in Austria.
For the OP I'd back up what quinton said and also recommend Ski Amade (maybe staying in Maria Alm) and Saalbach. Short transfers, lovely tree lined runs and unlikely to suffer the blow outs you might get by going "as high as possible". For that week you'd probably have to look at Private Lessons though. With 3 kids (+Dad!) that might be a better deal anyway. Most Ski Schools won't be fully open until Sat 20th.
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Continuing on from @RedandWhiteFlachau, (Austria) I shall throw in Rauris, small but beautifully formed. Loads of variety in the Badgastein valley.
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| RedandWhiteFlachau wrote: |
| adithorp wrote: |
At that time I'd suggest as high as possible. It doesn't guarantee good snow but it hedges your bets.
Of your possibles, Alp d'Huez or rather than Les Menuires, higher up the valley at Val Thorens. |
Really? Not watching the weather then. It's dumping down here in Austria.
For the OP I'd back up what quinton said and also recommend Ski Amade (maybe staying in Maria Alm) and Saalbach. Short transfers, lovely tree lined runs and unlikely to suffer the blow outs you might get by going "as high as possible". For that week you'd probably have to look at Private Lessons though. With 3 kids (+Dad!) that might be a better deal anyway. Most Ski Schools won't be fully open until Sat 20th. |
+1 Saalbach always opens around the end of November, and this year has received a sizable dump. The snow cannons are blasting away, but judging from the webcams, which show a pristine wintry wonderland, they aren’t needed. Mid-December skiing promises to be idyllic (which is actually the norm).
(Or you could go for the “high, windy, treeless, long transfer” option, if preferred )
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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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I was going to say Val d’Isere too as I think it’s the best French option. It’s high up.
But @tatmanstours, puts together a very convincing case for his native Saalbach. Shorter transfer, and the Alps are already full of snow. And sneak in a cheeky night in Salzburg for the Christmas markets. Remember the Germans invented Christmas. And you could possibly even stay in Tatman’s chalet - I never have but he’s been around here for years and it sounds delightful.
“ I can do a blue but I don’t enjoy it and am ideally looking for somewhere I can try and build my confidence.”
The best thing IMO to build your confidence will be some lessons. What feels like a lack of confidence is very often really a lack of skill. And if you haven’t got the skill then you quite rightly should be under-confident. The big problem with skiing is that to ski well you need to lean over the front of the skis (not really, but I well remember that’s how it felt as a beginner), and if you’re not feeling confident the last thing you’re going to do is to lean that far forward!
Just in case any of my instructors reads this I do know that the place for one’s weight is perfectly centred!
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Thanks so much for all of the replies.
I will definitely be getting more lessons. Learning as an adult has proved rather difficult. For a bit of a back story, I went for a weekend to Champoluc with my husband and had a bad experience on the only blue run which was very icy. I had only had indoor ski lessons and one lesson with an old instructor out there who said I would be fine. I wasn’t, and had to walk down/ slide down on my bum on the too steep and icy bits and it completely put me off. So much so that I didn’t want to ever ski again! Livigno helped, but I really need somewhere where I can practice and build up confidence, preferably with some quieter runs that aren’t joined to reds and have people flying past when you are trying to get the turns in.
Really like the look of Leogang area. How easy is it to get further if the others and possibly me want to explore more?
Also looking into La Plane now too.
With Montgenevre will there be enough easy slopes open that week? Probably a difficult one to answer.
Thanks for all your help
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Galla2025, "Really like the look of Leogang area. How easy is it to get further if the others and possibly me want to explore more?"
It is very easy. The Leogang area links directly with Saalbach, from where there are further direct links to Hinterglemm. It is possible that not all pistes will be open in the Ski Circus, but they always prioritise keeping the circular route open using blue pistes.
A word of caution - the run back from Saalbach to Leogang involves one fairly steep section from the top of the Polten lift, and there is no easy way around it. OK for confident blue skiers, but possibly not the place for a nervous skier. There's enough good blue-piste skiing in Leogang for a week for someone looking to build their confidence.
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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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| quinton wrote: |
@Galla2025, "Really like the look of Leogang area. How easy is it to get further if the others and possibly me want to explore more?"
It is very easy. The Leogang area links directly with Saalbach, from where there are further direct links to Hinterglemm. It is possible that not all pistes will be open in the Ski Circus, but they always prioritise keeping the circular route open using blue pistes.
A word of caution - the run back from Saalbach to Leogang involves one fairly steep section from the top of the Polten lift, and there is no easy way around it. OK for confident blue skiers, but possibly not the place for a nervous skier. There's enough good blue-piste skiing in Leogang for a week for someone looking to build their confidence. |
Agreed that Leogang sounds ideal, the Asitz and the Steinberg runs being long and undulating, without any really steep or frightening sections. And there is a choice of six of the best mountain restaurants in the Ski Circus.
That slightly steep section that leads back to Leogang side from the top of the Polten lift can be mitigated by heading off to the right and taking the little “slip road” that joins the piste slightly further down. You can then traverse the piste to the left-hand side where it’s a bit gentler. Or, if conditions are right and it appeals, keep heading straight on across the off-piste area to the left side of the piste (about 50 yards) to another piste that runs parallel, is usually deserted, and is well within the capacity of a cautious blue run skier.
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Montgenvre? Only spent a day there, but loads of very gentle slopes and that wee will be absolutely dead. The day I went, all slopes open, but I’d guess that there were fewer than 100 people in the mountain. Same week about 3 years ago.
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You know it makes sense.
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The main beginner/green run area in ADH can suffer from faster/more experienced skiers returning through it (often without being too mindfull of the beginners/less confident skiers) during the day. Out to the side, the green piste Violette (IIRC) is excellent. Not disturbed by other skiers, it’s a terrific confidence-builder and ideal for technique practicing. IMO, Auris is also a good little area for lapping around and building confidence.
I would opt for Leogang, personally, for the reasons stated above.
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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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| Galla2025 wrote: |
We are hoping to get away for a week on the 13th December and are struggling on where to choose. We’ve had a week in Livigno this last year and loved it. But would like to try somewhere with a shorter transfer time this time.
By the end of the week our teen boys and our age 10 daughter were confidently skiing down all blues including Motolino. I can do a blue but I don’t enjoy it and am ideally looking for somewhere I can try and build my confidence. Greens and blues that aren’t at the end of red runs. My husband snowboards and is confident as he’s been many times before.
I’m aware that is pretty early in the season and we also don’t need a huge ski area.
We’ve been looking at
Montgenevre
Les Saisies
Cervinia
Alpe d’Huez
Les Menuires
Any help would be greatly appreciated! |
@Galla2025
Hi I am a ski instructor from Cervinia, if you need any kind of info you can reach out! I do also rent apartments in Valtournenche which is the village 10 min away (little lower; with lifts as well and connected to Cervinia).
Happy to help!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I wouldn't recommend Cervinia if you're nervy and focused on run colours. Cervinia is very red heavy. Lots of them are gentle enough, but my nervous spouse wound himself up everytime I suggested a red, just based on ths colour. There are some lovely blues, but not as many as reds, and if the wind closes the lifts further up, you're stuck with one blue and one red. And an hour long wait in the lift line (such was Christmas Eve last year).
We loved Rauris (as suggested up thread). 90 minutes from Salzburg. We learned there and went back for a second trip. It is a tiny resort, but as beginners, doing the same three runs didn't bother us as we were getting to grips with skiing itself. I will say the blues are nowhere near as long and cruisey as other places we've been. Rauris opens for the season on the 12th.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Montgenevre perfect for beginners and nervous skiees loads of easy greens and blues, pretty empty slopes and good value accomodation, went twice some years ago with 2 different beginners.
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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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@Galla2025,
Have a look on the Tignes webcams (en.tignes.net) - plenty of snow already - always an important factor that early in the season, and slopes started opening 22nd Nov.
So perhaps either Tignes or Val d'Isere - same ski area. Plus plenty of Brit/English speaking instructors, with plenty of availability that early in the season.
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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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| Galla2025 wrote: |
We are hoping to get away for a week on the 13th December and are struggling on where to choose. We’ve had a week in Livigno this last year and loved it. But would like to try somewhere with a shorter transfer time this time.
By the end of the week our teen boys and our age 10 daughter were confidently skiing down all blues including Motolino. I can do a blue but I don’t enjoy it and am ideally looking for somewhere I can try and build my confidence. Greens and blues that aren’t at the end of red runs. My husband snowboards and is confident as he’s been many times before.
I’m aware that is pretty early in the season and we also don’t need a huge ski area.
... Any help would be greatly appreciated! |
So perhaps this is a bit late for you given that you asked a week ago, but no-one's mentioned Avoriaz, where I will be that week. Now I'll caveat this by saying that my experiences there have been mostly in March/April, when it'll be sunnier, but I will say this for it:
- short transfer - 1h45 from Geneva
- has already opened for the season for weekends, officially opens on 13th
- famously one of the best resorts for families: great pool, fun horse taxis, lots of learner areas. It has bowling as well.
- everything is ski-in-ski-out (no vehicles in resort - although at night, the taxis are caterpillar tracked rather than horses)
- although the elevations are not enormous (up to ~2200m), it is usually claimed that they get the most snow of anywhere in France.
- Avoriaz itself is a mid-sized ski area; the Portes du Soleil is very big - although going on 13th December, not all of the Portes Du Soleil connections will be open - probably just parts of Chatel and maybe some of Morzine. Full PdS is 20 December, so if you can use their left luggage system and do a seventh day on the snow on the Saturday, I'd really recommend this. Saturdays are quieter and the connection to Switzerland is a lovely area.
- The resort setting is kind of mad - it's like a bizarre wooden castle perched on top of a cliff. I love it - although some won't. You get a lot of beautiful cloud inversion sunsets - this link is to 27 November. Also 22 Nov is you're into that.
- Lots of intermediate and easy runs
- Lots of self catering available that week. The best place to stay is within a short walk of the Festival area.
- What are the downsides? Adult night life is apparently a bit weak (not tried it). The restaurant selection is a bit limited. I tend to go down to Morzine when we want a restaurant night out - gondola and bus are free, there's an amazing ski charity shop down there, a really good coffee shop, and better restaurants/bars. But I still recommend staying in Avoriaz because it's such a great resort base.
It's somewhere I don't choose every single year, but I always long to get back to.
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