 Poster: A snowHead
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i am looking to go ski-ing with my family i got to sierra nevada every year and last season also to Andorra, i have a 4 year old girl which wants to learn to ski, where is best Europe or USA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jase2472, personally I would go to a European resort, less travelling time and no jet lag, just make sure you have an English speaking instructor, friends were pleased with the tuition their son got in Andorra last year. Several French resorts have British-run ski schools too.
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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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Can of worms might have been a better thread title.
My kids, now 12 yo, started to learn in USA (Mammoth) at age 4, and we spent the following 6 (?) ski hols in Canada, mainly in Banff, and last year in Breckenridge. I would recommend N.America, especially Canada, to someone wishing to get their young kids skiing. The pros and cons of NA are (and these are inevitably generalisiations, not applicable to all NA or all Euro resorts):
Pros (in no particular order):
Very good tuition, in English, creches and combined creche/tuition. The ski schools, in my experience, do a great job with the nippers (and the adults) and in Banff at least are very flexible, so you can book a load of lessons and them pull out at short (24 hr) notice.
Better accomodation for your money.
More reliable snow.
Shorter (or non existent) and much, much, much better organised lift queues.
Quieter slopes.
More considerate fellow skiers.
Cheaper food on the mountain and in the towns.
Fewer drag lifts.
You can drive about in a 4x4 without looking a total prat.
Cons (in no particular order):
Less ski in ski out accom (but it exists).
The accom is often a drive from the slopes (the roads are quiet and good and parking is easy).
Less 'haute cuisine' on the slopes and to an extent in the towns (not as true as you might expect).
Less 'alpine' atmos (many NA resorts have their own atmos, Banff for example).
Long flight (we never found it a problem, but I guess some would).
Jet lag (not a big deal for us).
Expensive lift passes.
Not easy to ski to another village for lunch.
I'm sure that there are other pros and cons, but those are what come to mind.
Now that our kids are good skiers, we ski more in Europe, and throughly enjoy the benefits of doing so. For me, though, NA is on average a significantly better place for kids to learn to ski. We spent several of our NA hols with a couple of other families who, obviously, took the same view.
I expect someone wil be along in a minute to contradict everything I've said.
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jase2472,
I suspect a huge amount comes down to personal preference rather than one being better than the other.
I have done both although much more Europe than North America which probably reflectes my personal preference.
For me getting back home not jet lagged is a major benefit after a holiday I don't notice it much on holiday.
I can also do Europe a lot cheaper than North America which helps. Ski school, transport and lift passes are all significantly cheaper.
With my kids when they were younger I tended to go to less fashionable resorts at Easter and there were never problems with queues, snow or crowds though in Europe they can be a problem in some resorts some of the year.
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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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thanks for that
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Anywhere at all that has,
1. Slopeside accomodation,
2. Instructors what speek Inglish.
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| Quote: |
| 2. Instructors what speek Inglish. |
Rules out the USA then.
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skanky, dude you are sick.
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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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| richmond wrote: |
| I expect someone wil be along in a minute to contradict everything I've said. |
No, I quite agree! Junior certainly did a lot of his "learning" to ski in Canada, and the canadian instructors were universally patient and understanding and cooperative. Unlike in a certain French resort, where we were told after the first day: "He's good, but he can't stay in ski school." Basically they couldn't copy with a 3yo who was way beyond nursery slopes - yet in Canada, they quite happily take him down mogulled runs. Now he's a little bigger (but still only 5), the European ski schools seem a little less concerned with age and more with ability: although at Easter in Solden we were still a little surprised when he won the ski-school race 
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Oops, sorry. Canada isn't USA or Europe.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| T Bar wrote: |
jase2472,
With my kids when they were younger I tended to go to less fashionable resorts at Easter and there were never problems with queues, snow or crowds though in Europe they can be a problem in some resorts some of the year. |
Sorry to but in off topic. Whereabouts?
Looking fro a cheap second trip self catering probably with my two youngest at Easter..
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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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It doesn't matter. If you take them skiing, anywhere, and they don't like it, put them up for adoption.
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jase2472, is your question is a genuine request for information to help you and your family to decide where to go or a question to help your business planning (see the web travel agents thread)? I've no problem with the latter, but I like to know what I'm doing.
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You know it makes sense.
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i want tyo know for my family, its like i am a murderer not a travel agent 
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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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professorpool,
Serre Chevalier is the place I have usually been but also Haute Maurienne and friends have been regularly to La Thuile. Basically anywhere with reasonably high North facing skiing will do but resorts that are large and well known particularly with glaciers can get very busy and expensive.
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Poster: A snowHead
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marc gledhill, word! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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& jet lag don't sound like a good combo to me...
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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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| jase2472 wrote: |
| i want tyo know for my family, its like i am a murderer not a travel agent |
I guessed that you weren't a murderer, although I have no reason to believe that we don't accomodate murderers on this site. You are presumably wearing a hat saying 'travel agent'; if you were a murderer, you'd be wearing one saying 'murderer' (copyright M.Feldman). I was going to suggest that you might be both, but the size of hat you'd need would make you look ridiculous and no-one would buy any hols from you.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 15-12-06 11:58; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Martin Nicholas wrote: |
& jet lag don't sound like a good combo to me... |
Jet lag was never a major problem for us, although I could live without it. For the first couple of days the kids and I get up ridiculously early, then for a few days we're up at a good time to have a leisurely brekkie and make ski school and for the last few days it's the usual dragging myself and everyone else out of bed to get there in time. The OL sleeps like a hog until woken under all circumstances.
On the way back, you just get up at the right time and in a couple of days you're over it.
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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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You cannot generalise, but there are a few aspects not prevouusly listed.
North America has more and better snow in general. It is better early and late season than most of Europe.
The skiareas are bigger with higher vertical drop in the alps.
One of the most important things for me though when you let kids ski alone is that you find a resort that ensures that no matter which slope they choose, they will come down in one spot.
Very good resorts for that are - Copper Mountain (US), Steamboat Springs (US), Hemsedal (N), Hafjell (N) and loads of especially Swedish and Norwegian areas.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I guess like so much else jet lag is different for different folks richmond, 's description of jet lag in the resort would be much like mine it doesn't bother me hugely, though the first couple of evenings are a wash out.
Arriving back is far worse it can take me 10 days plus to get over it, children getting up at night tired at work, for me something worth avoiding.
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For kids learning to ski:
1) Reasonably accessible skiing
2) Convenient nursery slopes that can be guaranteed to be open
3) Ski school classes of not more than 8 persons (less if poss)
4) Great kid orientated instructors
No point IMHO of going to an expensive/vast resort.
Oh and be prepared to get tough with the kids.
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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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yeah keep it small and freindly
most north american resorts have top to bottom green runs you can ski with your kids after a couple of days in school
also helmet are compulsory for kid(good idea) dont know if this is trus in europe
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NEILSKI, It is law in Italy but cant recall seeing any kids learning without one in France or Austria. Parents seem quite sensible these days. I may consider a 10 day holiday in the US but to be honest the kids couldnt have any more fun than they do.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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That's the thing FTS, you really need to go for 10 days to justify the trip, and enjoy it. Our first time in Canada, we couldn't keep awake after 8pm for the first few days, and it was worse coming back as we had to go back to work. Friends who travel across regularly have a 10 day break, but always have another 3 days off work. I found that lift passes were very expensive too, but there are deals in Banff, (under 12's ski free etc).
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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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imo the jet lag can be managed easily i have been to whistler/tremblant/killington all for only one week and what i do is go saturday to saturday,on a direct flight, then you usally get back early sunday am the straight to bed for the day and night then up and out to work monday am
apart from the first morning in resort when you will wake up ridiculously early(but i am always up and keen to get out on the first am) you do have to make an effort to stay up late(maybe have a drink or two hey)on the first couple of nights then everything should be ok after that
also worth considering is a one night stop over in some of the great citys that you fly from ie vancouver/montreal/boston etc
but i would say that the american rocky resorts that need one or two connections to get there would probably need 10 days to make it worth while
jase2472 i have sent a pm re seirra nevada let me know if you want any info on east coast north america 
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NEILSKI,
Not trying to knock Killington as I have never been but the list of attributed you give are pretty much all attainable readily in Europe.
1) Good ski schools, Yep
2) Reliable snow , My understanding is that the East Coast of America is less reliable and consistent than the alps I certianly have not had many problems.
3) Plenty of small child friendly resorts in the alps
4) Well the RSPCA have been pretty succesful in their attempts at stamping out cat swinging in France but I have had great appartments elsewhere and in a few places in France.
5) If you choose to use a tour operator to go to popular resorts high season the travek time can be long but I certainly generally do it a lot quicker than it would take me to get tot he States.
6) Never had a problem with language for the kids
7) Aaaagh! I would not poison my kids with the muck thrust upon them in some American places, it aint the obesity center of the world for nothing. The french do unfortunately seem to be following them with kids meals of chicken nuggets or burgers + Frites but you can usually get a more nutritous meal in Europe than USA
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You know it makes sense.
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T Bar, it doesn't normally take much effort to eat well in N.America (in ski resorts at least); it's just that it is extremely easy to eat very badly!
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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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jase2472, I'd recommend Puy St Vincent via snowbiz. We took our children there for first ski holiday. English nannies, instructors and easy transfer from Turin.
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Poster: A snowHead
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richmond,
I'm sure you are right but when my children ate with the ski school it was definately the low quality stuff only that was on offer ( Canada not USA to be fare but I think it was for the American market)
PS Agree with above PSV is a lovely little child freindly resort.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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T Bar, good point. I should have added to my list of cons that the ski school food in Banff was poor.
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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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T Bar, I found mountain food in general was poor across the pond apart from Sawyers Nook in Lake Louise which is one of my most memorable lunches.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Helen Beaumont, I think that's fair, and I agree that Sawyers Nook is good, although it's easy enough to find poor food in Europe (an appalling lunch in LDA springs to mind, but it was about 11 years ago). You can eat well on the mountain in N.America; Vail and Aspen have some good spots, and I'm sure that there are others. Lake Louise has a couple of OK places, but in general in N.America you eat to refuel (chilli, salads, burgers, pizza, pasta) rather than for great pleasure. Of course in Canada there's the health conscious gourmet's dream that is poutine; chips with a kind of cheesey gravy, which looks and smells unspeakable and tastes weird (but good).
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 19-12-06 12:22; edited 1 time in total
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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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| jase2472 wrote: |
| i am looking to go ski-ing with my family i got to sierra nevada every year and last season also to Andorra, i have a 4 year old girl which wants to learn to ski, where is best Europe or USA |
For customer service quality, it has to be the States. Not sure it's fair to take a young child that far on a vigorous holiday at such a young age, though. A quick hop across to, say, Switzerland in early Mar, when the weather is warmer, seems like a better bet.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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From my experience, I wouldn't hesitate to take a 4 yo to N.America to ski, if you fancy it. Give 'em a walkman and a stack of story tapes, no probs.
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I am with the North America mob. I ski 60% US/Canada and 40% Europe, but my kids so far have always skied in Jackson Hole or Lake Louise (and - btw - I think Sawyers Nook and the food at LL went steadily downhill during the 4 times I went) Excellent food at JH at the bottom of the hill, and brilliant ski school etc etc with service culture. 7 days is a no-no for me though. Kids have less problem with jet lag than I do. Portable DVD player essential for journey and hotel. I have a suspicion that in February I will be hearing the soundtrack to "cars"
daily.
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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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NEILSKI, but you can't tell a young child to 'get over it' and 'have a couple of drinks' . Also if I go back to work with jetlag, I may kill someone.
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Helen Beaumont, where in the US have you been to?
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FAQ
