 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm new to the whole ski thing and need some advice? Thinking of booking for March 10th for a week and am looking for some ideas. Ideally somewhere that doesnt have a long transport time but am open to all suggestions.
Thanks in advance 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Any prefernece in terms of countries, languages spoken, type of resort (quaint town vs purpose built), accomodation (apartments/hotels/chalets) method of travel (drive vs. fly vs other), transfer times, etc
need more gen then can make decent suggestions.. but the obvious ones might include..
Andorra (if get more snow!), Lech (austria), La Plagne (france) , Courchevel 1850 (france)
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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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Fair point! I was a bit vague but only cause I don't have a clue!!!
Had looked andorra but the transfer time is really long. (will be flying - from Ireland) Liked the idea of Austria - have never been there before.
I am going with my OH and would like somewhere that has some bars and restaurants and is good for beginners.
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BERTIE Bassett I agree Courchevel 1850/1650 ,we went L/Y in March great conditions and not too busy. La Clusaz would be another goodie ,short Transfer , excellent nusery as well as good progression slopes. Buzzy and very French. 
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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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The Lecht in scotland!!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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loodles, welcome to snowHeads
Austria is a good plan. I'd recommend Zell am See
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I agree with Elizabeth B - Austria. If you can fly to Innsbruck, Westendorf is beautiful and also has a great ski school. Only 1hr transfer and plenty of small bars and eateries.
Ellmau in the Ski Welt is also worth a look with easy links to Soll, Scheffau and Going. Dont be tempted by cheapies such as Bulgaria it could put you off for life!!! 
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wib, I agree. I learnt to ski in Westendorf many years ago and, for beginners, it's great. The nursery slope is nice and big and the ski school, as you say, is excellent. Hotel Post was very nice and right in the centre of the village. Not thumping Apres-Ski but perfect for a first adventure I'd say! Totally agree with staying clear of Bulgaria. Went there once (Borovets) and vowed never again. The ar5e end of nowhere, awful food, snow patchy at best and terrible ski hire equipment. Probably caught it at a bad moment but put me off the place for life.
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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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Austria is fab for beginners and most resorts have some reasonable bars and retaurants. Zell is pretty god but be careful where you stay which will determine which lift you get in the morning and it depends what you mean by "beginner" as to whether Zell is perfect, as it's fine if you can ski blues but I don't think its as goos as many others for a first timer. Obergurgl is an excellent place to learn, as is Seefeld. Lech is fab but very expensive. The best place to fly into is Innsbruck but I'm not aware of any cheap flights to there. You can also fly in via Friedrichschafen with Ryan Air to Lech, and hire a car.
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Of the resorts I've visited outside Austria, Saas Fee in Switzerland is good and fairly lively at night. Cervinia in Italy is excellent, as is Cortina. Alpe D'Huez in Frnce has a great big snow bowl just above the resort full of easy greens.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowgod - we are going to zell at the start of march and are staying in the main town, what do you mean when you say " Zell is pretty god but be careful where you stay which will determine which lift you get in the morning" thanks!
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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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xjenkins, welcome to snowHeads
There's loads of info on here about Zell....happy reading and skiing.
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hi, ...i'm reading them now, thanks
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You know it makes sense.
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Loodles -try Zell Am Zee in Austria. Can fly from Dublin to Salzburg with Ryanair and a very short transfer from there to the resort. Zell is a fantastic old Alpine town (like something from a Christmas card) and the Apres ski is lively. Instruction is very good but ensure you specify an English speaking instructor on arrival.
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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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loodles, I will suggest Montgenevre, should have loads of snow and also has a large, fairly easy, non intimidating ski area for beginners and inexperienced skiers and fairly short transfer from Turin. And you can ski in France and Italy on the same liftpass.[
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Poster: A snowHead
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xjenkins, There are two cable cars which leave the village from where the nursery's are, right at the very top of the village and a bus ride away if you're staying in the village centre. If you have 1st time skiers with you you'll have to make this bus journey and the bus can be VERY crowded as everyone wants to get to the ski schools / nurseries for the same time, particularly on the first morning afer the packages arrive (ie on Sunday morning). The bus back to the village from this point can also be a real scrum!!!
If you can ski a little bit then there's also a modern gondola called the City Express which leaves from the village - walking distance from most / many hotels, but it doesn't take you to a run which is particularly suitable to progress to from the nurseries for day 3 or 4 skiers or very timid skiers. Also, from the top of this lift you have to take at least one more chair to get to reasonably easy runs.
The best run for beginners to progress to up on the mountain is the blue next to the GrossGlockner chair which is best accessed from the Aireitbahn Gondola which leaves from Schuttdorf, just round the lake from Zell and a bus ride away. Beginners and ride this chair and blue run all day then get the gondola back down to Schuttdorf. It is possible to get to this run by taking the city express gondla from the village, then the chair up from there, then getting on the 2nd stage of the Areitbahn gondola, riding it all the way to the top, staying on and coming down to Gross glockner from there. It's apin getting on the Areitbahn gondola at the second stage though as nearly all the cabis are full of people who got on at the bottom.
I feel that Zell is better for wwek 2 skiers onwards than for absolute beginners. If you can ski blue runs then you;re fine taking any lift from the village, whichever is most conveninet closest to your hotel and you may not need to take a bus.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SnowGod, the best solution for beginners is to stay in schuttdorf....and then walk to the nursery slope there.
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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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Elizabeth B, I totally agree from a skiing perspective, but you do miss out on the resort ambience of Zell not being within realistic walking distance. Thats what I mean about it not being totally suitable for absolute beginners - you can't have everything!!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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True....but it's only a very short taxi ride.
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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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Appreciated... and some parts of Schuttdorf are even walkable if its not too cold, but its so much more convenient not to have to get a taxi to town at night. I love Zell, in fact it's my wifes fave resort. I just think its better for 2nd week and beyond skiers than absolute beginners due to the layout and lift network.
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We had our first week's skiing in Seefeld 4 years ago - it's great for beginners and the town is really nice. Our second week was in Obergurgl - a really lovely resort and probably more snow sure in March than Seefeld. I can thoroughly recommend the 'Eidelweiss and Gurgl' . The instruction in Austria is great - imo better than anywhere else than I've skied (France, Switzerland, Andorra and US). Lech is also great for beginners. If you want to head further afield then try Winter Park in USA - the beginner area is the best I've ever seen - a whole host of green runs.
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| Quote: |
Zell is pretty god
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well, that's the end of that discussion then! 
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pam w, come to think of it my wife did seem to getting a litte over friendly with than hunky instructor
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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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snow god thanks for that...very useful info.
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| Quote: |
La Clusaz would be another goodie ,short Transfer , excellent nusery as well as good progression slopes. Buzzy and very French.
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I'd back this up. I've tried Courchevel and Zell am See/Kaprun but I'd definatley recommend LA Clusaz every time, short transfer, cheap flights, nice area for beginners, and feels French (in a good way).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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erica2004, Being a confirmed "Austrophile" I'd completely agree with erica2004's comments. both Seefeld and Obergurgl are excellent for beginners (probably Hochgurgl, just above Obergurgl is slightly better run wise). Packages to both can be VERY expensive though, but it can be done reasonably by booking flights, transfers and accommodation independently. I flew to Freidrichschafen and hired a car to go to Seefeld at New Year last season. The drive was easy and took aboyt 2-2.5 hours. At that time of year the snow in Obergugrgl would probably be better as it's significantly higher, although Seefeld isn;t low by Austrian standards.
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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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loodles, I suggest you come here. We're not expensive, fly to Grenoble and 1.5 hours drive from there. We have guaranteed skiing where even your beginners can learn (glacier). Whatever happens with temps and snowfall between now and then, your beginners will be fine here. 
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