 Poster: A snowHead
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Good friends of ours weren't skiing this year due to the credit crunch and wanting to cut back. Now, with everyone around them sharing tales of joy, they are trying to put together the cheapest of cheap options to go skiing at Easter for a week as a family.
They are driving and want to go to France, as close to the Channel as feasible and with skiing above 1600m. They are beginners with two young children so want easy skiing. They are wanting s/c apartment, just a one bedroom but as close to ski in ski out as possible.
What do you think?
All advice welcome, and feel free to PM me with shameless pitches :D
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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They are beginners with two young children so want easy skiing
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complete beginners? Age of kids?
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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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Friends of ours went to Meribel this half-term at the last minute. £70 for ferry crossing (Folkestone-Calais) and £600 for a s/c accommodation but have no idea if its ski-in/ski-out. He is an advanced skier, she and 6yo are second timers and they have a 2.5yo non-skier... Don't think you can get much cheaper than that? Otherwise Esprit are doing Easter weeks starting at £1395 for a family of 4...
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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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pam w, 5 and 9. Whole family skied for a week last year as complete starters.
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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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Peter Leuzzi, well we're going at Easter to Vallandry, is at approx 1600m but then has access to all Les Arcs. Booked up through Peisey web site with tourist board to get apartment near slopes, discount on lift passes.
Have been before and great for kids of that age IMV - ours are 8,8 and 6
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Don't think you can get much cheaper than that?
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You certainly can (welcome to Snowheads, Kiwi), . No point in paying 3V prices for a family who have skied for one week. You could get a small s/c apartment very close to the piste for £400 - 450 - or less - in a smaller resort with cheaper lift passes. And with FAR less walking around than most accommodation in Meribel requires.
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pam w, thats how I see it. But where are you thinking?
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http://www.location-appartement-lessaisies.com/descriptif.htm
OK - one specific example, though I'm sure there are loads of similar prices throughout the smaller French resorts. 380euros a week for a high quality (fairly new MGM) apartment with 2 proper bedrooms, full size oven, 4 ring burner, not a cramped "studio". Lovely views. Right beside the piste, just above the chairlift (at which there won't be any queues) which takes you to the top of a mountain with plenty of easy skiing, and a long blue run back home. Free small rope tow (suitable for kids) down beside the chairlift. 496 euros for 2 adults and 2 kids 6 day lift passes. If they can't use a chairlift and do a blue run they'd be better off in the main Les Saisies village - where there are also plenty of low cost apartments.
The one linked to above is in the same complex as our apartment - which will be occupied from 6 March through to the end of the season.  The picture is of the apartments (the top two rows of buildings) from the chairlift. You can see the piste running just alongside. There is also a steep black run straight back down, though in early April it could be getting threadbare as it's south facing. The blue has snow cannons. The apartments are at 1550m.
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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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Bourg St Maurice would be a decent option for Les Arcs/La Plagne skiing:
1. Cheaper digs than up the mountain.
2. Direct link to Arc 1600 by funicular.
3. Fair range of restaurants - lots cheaper than resort prices.
4. Good supermarkets for catering in.
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Les Arcs would be 200 euros more for lift passes - and they wouldn't be able to do justice to the area. Or go "home" for a cheap lunch. Or, probably, play in the snow outside the digs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Why mini 1600 ? Is it because of snow worry? To be honest I would not worry about altitude with current conditions. Ha ve a look at Morillon, part of the very snowsure Flaine-Grand massif ski area. One of the closest main ski area from Calais. Great falue and good for families see for instance a recent post http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=49493 . Samoens also on same ski area with skiing which starts at 1600.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sat 21-02-09 12:00; edited 1 time in total
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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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| mountainaddict wrote: |
Bourg St Maurice would be a decent option for Les Arcs/La Plagne skiing:
1. Cheaper digs than up the mountain.
2. Direct link to Arc 1600 by funicular.
3. Fair range of restaurants - lots cheaper than resort prices.
4. Good supermarkets for catering in. |
But for kids and beginners??
Are you mad...having to carry stuff to the funicular and then that drops you at 1600 which is one of the lesser good areas for kids/beginners (IMHO) - Peisey-vallandry & 1800 being the best..
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To be honest I would not worry about altitude with current conditions.
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I don't think I'd agree with this. Once the weather gets really warm and/or on sunny south-facing slopes, conditions can deteriorate rapidly. Also, it doesn't matter if there's still a metre of snow - you only ski on the top bit. It's a lottery in April - often there are some nice dumps, but they don't stick around long, and conditions change by the hour. It's lovely - but quite different from January. Having skied until end of season (around 24/26 April) for the last six seasons I've seen a range of conditions. I've also discovered that the conditions in mid-April bear little relationship to the conditions in mid-February. In the last couple of years they've been heaps better (above 1600, not lower), though often the reverse is true.
For a family with small kids, I agree with bertie bassett. You need to be within easy reach of easy skiing, not a trek away. And if kids are tired and cross after a morning ski lesson, you want to be able to get them home quickly for a meal and a rest and then be able to go out again for an hour or two, or for some toboganning etc
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