 Poster: A snowHead
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I am new to skiing. I have taken a number of lessons on indoor snow, but would like to have a go on the real thing during the Easter holidays.
Given my situation do you think it is a good idea for me to:
Drive to a resort (probably France)
Hire skis etc there
Find accommodation independently
Which resorts would be best for
Snow later in the year
Suitable begginer slopes
Ease of access by car
My main priority is cost.
Any advice would be welcomed
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think driving would only work out cheaper if there's a group of you to share the cost of fuel and tolls. Otherwise an economy airline would be cheaper but you'll also need to factor in the cost of car hire or transfers...
Self-catering accommodation is the cheapest again if there are a few of you, but if you eat out every night this will be a lot more expensive than half board...
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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 need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you are new to skiing don't go to a huge well known resort, you don't need miles of pistes, go somewhere smaller, less well known and cheaper.
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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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On this trip there would be just two people.
Thanks for the advice so far.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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newtothesnow,
If there are just two of you and you can access the main charter airports last minute package deals often give you very good value. There are almost always some available providng you don't need to fly from a small airport or you need a particular resort.
I have skied in April every year for the last ten years and quite a bit before then and my experience is that you dont usually need the very high resorts in the first week or two to get decent skiing, though a bit of altitude is helpful and I like to see some north facing slopes.
Personally I would wait and see where the snow is best and see if you can get a last minute deal. If I was driving to France the Maurienne valley has cheaper skiing than much of the more northern alps but is still reasonably accessible by car and has good snow this year and many of the resorts have plenty of north facing skiing at a reasonable altitude.( I am thinking of going there myself but friends are a bit keener on Switzerland). La Thuile in Italy is almost as accessible as France and has a good record of late season snow.
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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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newtothesnow, for your first holiday, the most important factor is good quality tuition. Ski instructors will be able to find you good snow - because they know the local slopes so well - and you won't need a big area for your first holiday. I'd agree with all the above; it's unlikely that driving will be cheapest. You need to make a basic decision between joining group lessons (which can be a lot of fun, and much cheaper, and only a problem if you learn far faster, or far slower, than average) or having private lessons.
A compromise is small group lessons - such as those offered by ski schools such as New Generation, british Alpine Ski School (BASS), and lots of others, depending on where you are going.
Does it have to be the Easter holidays? Will be more expensive and busier - though still well worth doing.
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Hi
As prev advised go for high resort with high ski areas say top lift around 2700m We skied in a smaller resort last easter Aussios and the easter before Val Cenis both the the Maurienne valley. You can fly into Grenoble and get a hire car, it's around one and a half hours drive. try either www.skibed.co.uk or www.snowtrex.co.uk they do all inclusive deals, accomadation, ski hire and passes which work out good value. The ski passes are much cheaper and the resorts do cater for english lessons but they are all very french as the english tend to flock to the bigger resorts such as Tignes. the ski areas are smaller but if you are new you wont get the value anyway out of an expensive ski pass in a hugh area. Plus at the moment everyone is complaining abot food and drink prices in the larger resorts.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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last easter myself and daughter got a bargain late deal £265 each for a studio in Livigno including flights and transfers
to cut to the final tally we both rented ski/boots and had lift passes, she had lessons and after spends for eating etc the who holiday was about £1350
we did it the week before getting home Easter Saturday
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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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If the main priority is cost I would say a. avoid France (at least the big resorts and large linked ski areas) and b. book a late deal with a tour operator. As a beginner some of the smaller cheaper resorts in places like Romania will likely be fine but as said before, do check they have some snow at that time of the season before you book.
I would think for your first trip to the snow you'll have more than enough to get your head round without adding the hassle of finding car parking, worrying about getting snowed in and hunting for local accomodation. A TO will take all that stress off you as well as simplify getting hire gear and lift passes and arrange lessons, so at least for your first time I'd put up with the inevitably slow airport transfer and endless attempts to sell you toboganning, pub crawling, pub quizzing and whatever else they think they can get money out of you for.
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late deal from a standard to likely to be cheapest for just 2 ime. just keep an eye on www.igluski.co.uk for deals. remember to check lift pass prices too - can be as little as£140 or so up to wel over £200 for a week!
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You know it makes sense.
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newtothesnow
Where do you live?? There will undoubtedly be snow/skiing in Scotland over the easter hols. This could fit the bill on cost given the state of the £ vs the €. Are you in striking distance??
The only proviso is that there is a possibility of adverse weather/wind conditions. When it's good it's great - but when it's bad....well it can be very bad with the main problem being high winds closing the lifts. However, it's unusual to get several days of consecutive awful weather - so a long easter break would usually guarantee some skiing.
The best info. site is here: http://www.winterhighland.info/general/ As you will see, the powder is currently beckoning.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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This is a freak year for snow and lots of resorts that would already be closed by Easter will be open until end of April/early May eg. resorts in the Pyrenees such as St Lary that have announced they will extend their season by a month.
So this is a rare opportunity to ski in April at cheaper, less crowded and more characteful resorts than the usually fairly small list of resorts that are "safe" in April. With more resorts open chasing fewer customers (the economy, the pound etc) bargains should be easier to come by.
However as tour operators will only have planned on sending people to the "usual suspects" in the late season you will have to go DIY to be able to go to these resorts that have extended their season due to having a couple more metres of snow than expected.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just while I think about it, remember that all the big ski areas tend to have satellite villages which are cheaper eg we stay in Vallandry which is liked to Les Arcs.
But places like La Tania in 3V as well
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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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Thirdly, don't stay at the mountain top but stay in the valley towns where accommodation etc. is much cheaper. This may add a commute to your ski-day and personally it wouldn't be my cup of tea - but if cost is your strongest criteria you should consider it.
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Done it and got the T-shirt:
Albertville for ultra cheap Formule 1 or Etap Hotels and a do-able 30-45 min commute to the 3 Valleys, Valmorel or Les Arcs/La Plagne.
Moutiers - 15 mins closer to the above ski areas - but accommodation at the Ibis Hotel a notch up. Also cheap B&B hotels in the town.
Sallanches - 20 mins to Les Houches, 30 mins to Chamonix. Ibis hotel.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Or Aime for La Plagne (not to be confused with Aime la Plagne)
Lauterbrunnen, Wilderswil, or Interlaken for Jungfrau region.
Andorra la Vella for Grandvalira.
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FAQ
's
I've driven to the Maurienne valley and although a long trip, it's fair doable. As for April trips, I've done 6 in the last 7 years, (joining the school teachers in my family for their Easter trip) and never had a problem with snow quality, we just stay high and we're OK. Although some resorts are only around 1,000 metres, most of them let you get 'high' by using the lift pass. 
