looking for a resort with loads of cruisy blues

A snowHead

Hi there

My hubby and 2 kids are looking for a resort that offers wide cruisy runs, that are good for confidence building, We all have a weeks skiing under our belt and at a push could take on a red run, but we are mainly looking for cruising and not challenging. We dont really need much apres ski, maybe somewhere we can take the kids tobogganing or swimming during the evening. Not intending on going to any pubs. We hope to go self catering and would prefer somewhere that was ski in ski out, although not essentail as long as there is a ski/boot locker at the bottom of slopes so we dont have to do much walking in our ski boots. or carry skis anywhere as me and hubby end up having to hump kids skis too!

We are thinking about going in March and taking kids out of school. we are looking for a large ski resort that links up with other areas. We went to Niederau last year for our first holiday and found it too small and a bit too challenging and not enough cruisy runs. so we know what we dont want.

Some suggestions that I have had are Flaine and Belle Plagne. The only thing that worries me is the cost of food and drink in France and also whether the runs will be much the same as there are no trees? correct me if i am wrong. Would consider something similar in Austria but not really sure what i was looking for. Was considering Soll but hubby does not want to have to get a ski bus to the gondola, he wants the lifts to be within a few mins or ski in ski out.

Many thanks in advance

A snowHead

Cervinia? Only skied it on a day from Zermatt - but I think it might meet your needs.

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Passo Tonale, Italy. High, Snow Sure, Cheap, some fantastic easy blues. Now linked to tree lined Ponte di Legno. Alot of door step ski.

Soll would also be good though, the lack of doorstep skiing is not a prob.

France is a total rip off, on your 2nd week you don't need the mega resorts of France anyway.

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polo99, Selva might well suit you, depending on which accommodation.

There are plenty of decent blues, plus not too difficult reds. And a lot (but not all) of the accommodation is close to the lifts.

I'm not sure what the availability of Self Catering is there though.

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Plenty of choice in Austria and Italy. I have been to Passo Tonale mentioned by a previous poster. It's definitely an easy 'cruisy' resort and most of the accommodation is hotel-based (no need to shop, cook and clean!) and within minutes of the lifts. The only downside really is that it's a small resort and there's not much else to do other than ski. Some of the larger hotels have pools/leisure complexes.

The other resort I've been to which might suit you is Kitzbuhel. You'd need accommodation up by the Hahnenkamm to avoid having to use the bus, but there are equipment lockers at the base station so you don't have to carry all your gear around. There are loads of easy cruisy runs and there's a link to Ski Welt too if you buy the extended lift pass. It's a sizeable and very picturesque town with lots to do off the slopes, but still very easy on a budget and again, mostly hotel accommodation.

As for France, it's a long time since I've been as it's very hard to find what I want accommodation-wise, but plenty of suggestions here. One thing I would say is unless you are prepared to shop and cook for yourselves, it might be cheaper to opt for chalet or hotel accommodation than to stay in a self-catering apartment and eat out every night.

After all it is free

polo99, Morillon may be a good choice - there are plenty of wide cruising runs, certainly enough for your experience, but also a great 6km run (Marvel) which goes through trees, bends and turns and is a green all the way (I think parts of it would be a blue in other resorts) - our children loved Marvel, and the rest of the area, as did we more experienced skiers. There is a Jam Park (bumps and hills - great fun!). It's part of the Grand Massif, so you'd also have the option of skiing Samoens and Les Carroz amongst other areas, on one pass, and easily from any of the start points.

Several Pyrenees resorts such as Cauterets, Les Angles and Font Romeu may also be good - cheaper than the Alps, smaller area, great snow record. snowHead

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If you want plenty of cruisey blues and self catering, then Tignes.

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I wouldn't have thought a second week family is going to be able to do justice to Tignes. And it can be quite an intimidating environment - loads of really good skiers and boarders and often pretty busy pistes, even out of school holidays. Can be very bleak in less than good weather. And not noted for its tree skiing. I think there are a lot of better options for the OP.

Belle Plagne would be perfect as would Chamrousse. Both are proper ski in ski out resorts with plenty of blue runs .
Chamrousse would be cheaper and more French. I have done both with young children.

You know it makes sense.

Belle Plagne is definitily a resort on my short list, as is Chamrousse. I had also shortlisted Leogang but not sure if you can ski to saalbach and how difficult the run is to it. Is it an easy type resort. So firstly let me say thanks for all your replies and in response to those I have done a little bit of research and come up with the following. please correct me if i am wrong. and advice welcome..

Stevekirby I hadnt really considered Tignes as I wanted somewher that had some tree lined skiing and had heard that it was a bit like skiingon the moon. not sure how true that is though.

vman checked out alpendorf but there seem to be too many red runs and the main run to the vilage looks like a red. not sure if it would suit what we were looking for

achilles. checked cervinia piste map and again there doesnt seem to be too many blues or look like it links up to the hotels below very well

johnboy passo tonale - i couldnt find a decent piste map for passo, but I think it might better suit intermediate types rather than us beginners

alex - i really like the look of selva. do you think it is possible to ski back to the village (proably gardena) down the red? are they easy reds? is there realy a blue run that goes through the village?

Pamw - I think Les saises looks too small a resort, with limited amount of blue runs and also there doesnt seem to look like too much ski in ski out. how far are sc accomodation from easy slopes?

anniepen - morillon - I have already researched this and have heard that if the weather is not goo links up to flaine would be closed I also heard that the snow reports are better with better skiing in flaine

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

Quote:

I think Les saises looks too small a resort, with limited amount of blue runs and also there doesnt seem to look like too much ski in ski out. how far are sc accomodation from easy slopes?

Not too sure how you reached that conclusion. Have you seen a piste map? http://www.espacediamant.com/fr/espace-diamant-domaine.asp A more cogent criticism of the area is that there are far too many blue runs and not enough really challenging skiing. The town is certainly quite small, but that means that the large majority of the accommodation is very close to the slopes - our apartment is approximately 40 metres from the piste. And although the town is small the ski area isn't - I would be seriously impressed by any second week skier who could ski all the green, blue or easier red runs in the Espace Diamant in a week.

The photo on the right shows the main village from one of the gentle wide blue slopes on Mont Bisanne. The vast majority of the accommodation in the village gives very easy access to that area. The top left picture shows Mont Bisanne from the bottom. The top right is our apartment development from the chair lift. It's in a "satellite" and very quiet - I would not recommend it for a family that is looking for evening entertainment because there isn't any, which is the way we like it.

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Thanks for the photos pam. Can you ski from les saises to Mont Rond or Mont Lachat or are they only connectable by bus? If they are connectable by ski lifts are they skiable ie blues or greens or at a push we could do reds, but dont like them too much, too hairy! lol saying that after skiing Red 23 in Niederau, it was like skiing a black!

Annie I will definitly look into it again. Grand massif has definiitly come up a few times. I made the mistake last year of booking Niederau and dont intend making the mistake again. it was just too small. In all there were only 3 runs at the bottom of the gondola and 3 runs at the top of the gondola and it became a little bit boring. but saying that, the fact that i knew where the kids were nearly all the time was a definite plus. We learned a lot from our last holiday. Also we learned that we will never ski during school holidays! lol

Fenlandskier - can this all be done in one day? do you know how close accomodation in Leogang is to lifts?

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polo99, off the top of my head - La Rosiere - we were there for the first time just before Easter. There seemed to be lots of cruisy blues and more on the La Thuile side, with easy reds too. I remember thinking that it would be a good place to learn and build confidence.

I see you mention that France has no trees Puzzled

Well there aren't that many in La Rosiere but there are other places already mentioned above ie Morillon or Les Carroz.

We stayed here, a few mins out of the main village, but ski in/out even at Easter

http://www.ernalow.co.uk/accommodation-overview.aspx?qs=productid_e_73505
(we didn't go with Erna Low, but had page handy)
Should meet most of your requirements.

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Get some decent lessons.

After all it is free

Another vote for Cervinia.

I was disappointed with Cervinia. The ski area is not great and you really need the wind/snow shield on the chair lifts. Main runs are more red than blue. I think that somewhere in the Grand Massif would be better, and I enjoyed St. Gervais, plenty of blue there.

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La Plagne might be worth a look.

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definetly cervina. cruisy blues all the way!

As 2nd week skiers I'd still be looking at smaller resorts or at least places where the tour operators don't go en masse - like Les Saisies for example, where I would have thought that 185km was ample. There seems little value (to me at least) in paying premium lift pass prices for somewhere like La Plagne when with the best will in the world you can only hope to use a fraction of the terrain and of course the less well known, the less crowded the slopes, the shorter the queues, the lower prices are in general etc etc. though of course you have to take the risk as to 'what colour blue a blue is etc unless someone on here can give you the low down.

But in terms of where we've had particularly successful holidays (or more!) in recent years. (All French I'm afraid and all 'farly' mainstream)

Morillon, though better known would also not be a bad choice. probably better than Flaine as a family destination. The Les Esserts (1100) bit has a fair bit of ski in/out accommodation and as Anniepen, says, I wouldn't be in the least bit worried about the Flaine link. We spent half term there over 3 years when "The flying Bogee" who can 'ski a bit' was 6 - 9 and only went over to Flaine once or twice and you can get the Massif pass and extend it for a day or two in Flaine if you really want to.

Difficult for me to be objective about St Gervais, having just spent 5 months there and loved every minute. (really much change my 'location' now we're back in the UK!) It certainly doesn't qualify as small with 450km of slopes on the Mont Evasion pass (including Les Contamines for which sensibly a car is useful) It would definitely tick the boxes in terms of what you say you're looking for as regards the skiing - there's a lot of it, but challenge is certainly something you seek out rather than are served up on a plate. Anniepen, is right there isn't a massive selection of ski in/out accommodation, some at Le Bettex, but even then you have to be very careful as even there, more is ski in rather than ski out. But there are some apartments right at the base of the main gondola. Le Panorama and Chatelain spring to mind. You can hire skis and boots and leave them overnight with these guys -http://www.skiloc.com/uk/index.asp which sorts out the walking in ski boots/carrying skis problems

In March, if this year is anything to go by it is also gloriously free of crowds. Indeed, even at half term it had 'half the volume' of traffic that Flaine was 'enjoying' in the same week and if accommodation is well picked, the ski bus is almost more convenient as not.

We stayed in this apartment http://www.homelidays.com/saint-gervais/appartement182131fr1.htm It is English owned and the ski bus stops opposite and drops you back outside the building front door. May be a bit big for your needs though - which makes a change in French ski apartments!

Downside is that sledging slopes and swimming pools are in pretty short supply.

Another thought might be Le Grand Bornand. (Le Chinaillon) Smallish, but doesn't sound as small as Niederau, very pretty, very French, very friendly and a couple of years ago at least, very cheap, with the option of tacking on Le Clusaz if more miles are desired. Overall, slightly more challenging for a 2nd weeker than the other two if I remember correctly.

Basically there is loads out there fits the bill but I wouldn't be seduced by bigger/better known or even higher is necessarily always better.

You know it makes sense.

annie that certainly looks like a lovely apartment and if it wasnt a bus ride away it could even be a consideration. hubby has stipulated that he does not want to have to get a bus to the slopes. it doesnt have to be ski in ski out as long as there is a place at the gondola to leave our skis and boots.

On my shortlist at the minute I have Leogang, Saalbach, Belle Plagne, morillon, chamrousse, selva and les saises. I will also have another look at St Gervais. time to make a database I think! lol how sad!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

polo99, Re: place at the gondola for skis/boots - There is at St Gervais mid-station! Hop on the bus (from this apartment - there are others which are a short walk) to the gondola, in normal shoes/boots, and pick up your equipment! Voila! The first morning is the only one you'll need to wear boots on the way out, and there is a ski hire shop very close to the gondola - another column on your spreadsheet, methinks Very Happy

A snowHead

polo99, I would echo everything that pam w has said about Les Saisies. I learnt to ski there and covered a lot of the area in that first week, including the red that she mentioned as an alternative access to Crest Voland as well as the long green that winds through the trees and is very beautiful. It's a lovely resort, very french, charming and friendly and I itch to get back there one day. Very Happy

edit: Oh and although this was 5 years ago, so things may have changed but I recall it being very reasonable too, lift pass and eating out etc (euro notwithstanding)

A snowHead

polo99,
A couple of points. One is that although I have not been to Niederau my wife has and I have seen the piste map as well. It really is exceptionally small by alpine ski resort standards. You do not need a large resort to get an awful lot more skiing than Niederau can offer. Lots of resorts that are not considered big will give plenty of variety of piste and views for someon on their second week. Very large ski areas like La Plagne and even Grand Massif if you get a full area pass can be quite intimidating in your second week. If you dion't know the type of reds that you may end up on.

A second point is that although March is generally very reliable time for snow in some years ac ombination of less snow and warm March weather mean that in some resorts lower runs can suffer badly and occasionally close. It is often worth waitung to see where has good conditions as inless you are going in the first week or one week is the pre Easter week it is usually straightforward to get somewhere late on.

Another suggestion if you want a good sized area is Montgenevre which has lots of cruisy runs nice blues a medium sized area of it's own and the possibility if you feel like it of very extensive furthur skiing in Italy. A lot of the acccomodation is close to lifts and some you can ski too I believe, it is also reasonably priced.

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Montgenevre, La Rosiere or Risoul are places I've been that would suit a 2nd week family holiday.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

JT, at both Kitzbuhel last season and Courmayeur this season the storage at the lift stations had heated boot lockers. I'm finding I prefer this to ski in/ski out accommodation. It's quite nice to have a bit of a wander in comfortable boots at the beginning and end of each day and usually means the walk back to accommodation is punctuated with a few bar stops. Very Happy

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pam w, Just want to say thank you for bringing Les Saisies to my attention.
As very new to skiing I always tend to go for the larger well known resorts ie Tignes which I loved but didn't really see anything of and Les Arcs which again for someone my standard -2 weeks skiing was a complete waste.
I had never heard of les Saisies until you mentioned it on here and it looks ideal - a traditional village rather than a concrete jungle and more than enough to keep me happy for a week on some nice cruisy blues and boost my confidence Laughing

Just two questions .... Can you recommend any hotels / catered chalets in the area ?? I have been checking out the net and all I can find is mainly self catering apartments or over priced "luxury hotels"
Is self catering the most popluar option - not adverse to that just like to have someone else do the cooking ..... then again i suppose i could make mr bobblehat do that Laughing

Is the resort as really as snow sure as the websites suggest ? We would probably be going late jan early feb

Any advice or tips you can give will be very much appreciated as would definately like to visit next season, otherwise it will be back to tignes

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looking for a resort with loads of cruisy blues

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