 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
Can anyone give me some advice on where to go skiing? We'll be travelling in a group of 8/10. Most have never been skiing before and we need somewhere cheap! I think France or Austria may be preferred - but any suggestions welcome.
I visited Sheffau last year which was really good however my confidence was knocked a bit when we went further a field as it suddenly became much more difficult- for me anyway. Somewhere with loads of beginner/gentle slopes would be really good.
Cheers 
Rachael
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi rachaelp21, Check out the aalborg hotel in les deux alpes, with neilson ski holidays. Its right on the beginner slope which makes it much easier for everyone if its their first time.
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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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rachaelp21, welcome to snowHeads!
The Ski Club of Great Britain publishes lists of resorts good for different standards of skier, but unfortunately I'm having trouble posting a link, for some reason. Their website is easy to navigate, though, I'm sure you'll find the list of resorts suitable for beginners. The list doesn't seem to include Les Deux Alpes, but I've never been there, so couldn't comment. I think my choice would be Cervinia.
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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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piste2powder, ah well, inconsistency on the SCGB site, whatever next? 
But has L2A really got "loads of beginner/gentle slopes"? There again, the SCGB list I was looking at says that Vaujany is good for beginners: I have actually been there and wouldn't have said it had loads either (and to get to the gentle slopes in Alpe d'Huez, there's a link which wouldn't be suitable for beginners at all.)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Alpe d'Huez - large beginner area, easy progression from greens to blues. If you're looking for cheap, try Equity's Hotel Beausoleil - ski in/out right on the beginner slopes and next to the ski schools.
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Incidentally, whilst most resorts will say they're suitable for beginners, and most do indeed have nursery slopes, the problem sometimes is that to progress off the nursery slopes means a big jump in difficulty (someone here a few weeks ago said that could be the case in Alpe D'Huez, another place I've not visited!). What's important is to have lots of accessible easy blue runs, within easy reach.
We have an apartment in Les Saisies which is an incredibly good resort for beginners but I wouldn't recommend that because group lessons are all in French. I suppose if you had enough of you to make up your own group it would be good, as your instructor could then speak English to everyone (though their language skills do vary a bit!). There are also no tour operators which go there, so it's probably not ideal for your first holiday, when having someone else doing the working out for you is very helpful.
One final suggestion - go to Flaine (certainly beginner suitable) for less than £600 all in, including all day instruction, gear hire, ski pass, travel and accommodation. You won't get cheaper. Action Outdoors use the UCPA centres, sort of French youth hostels (you can get double rooms in some centres, including Flaine). International atmosphere, plenty of people to have a beer with. http://www.action-outdoors.co.uk/datesandprices.aspx
go in mid January - cheapest and quietest.
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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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rachaelp21, My very first ski holiday (and very first time on skis) was to Soldeu in Andorra. I cannot recommend it highly enough for a beginner. The ski school is really good (it has won prizes for being the best ski school) and all the instructors speak English (I actually think most of them are British anyway). I had a lovely instructor called Mary.
I would definitely recommend the ski school in Soldeu, Andorra.
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I second Lizzard. Excellent protected beginners area and gentle progression from absolute beginner to improver, and pam w can be reassured that there is no big jump in difficulty. Also beginner slopes are next to village and not on top of mountain like L2A - no need to get on any sort of lift.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi rachaelp21! I'm hoping Scheffau will be a good choice as I'm going there with my best friend in January and other than a course of lessons at the Snowdome she will be a complete beginner too. The plan is for her to have lessons in the morning and I'll ski with her in the afternoon.
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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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welshskier, That's not the L2A I've been to many times. There are several beginner slopes at resort level, some of them free. The next stage of progression is at Les Cretes which is less than 500m, one short gondola ride, above the resort level.
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Choice of ski school far more important than choice of resort IMO.
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You know it makes sense.
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Colin B, Agreed, beginners without needing a lift, then the gondola for improvers (I know it depends what you mean by "beginner" & "improver", but it worked for Mrs WS).
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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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Alpe d'Huez is very beginner friendly....but I would second rob@rar about the ski school and would recommend Les Deux Alpes, European ski and snowboard school for this!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lou, well yes, it did seem that way..... on the slopes I meant, of course!
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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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I went to Savognin last year and it just happened they only had a red run back into base station. We had some time before the lesson so we went down it a couple of times, but I was actually really frightened of it. When we had our lesson, the ski instructor took us down the same route but showed us how to do it properly. It became the easiest and the most fun ever!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
Choice of ski school far more important than choice of resort IMO
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rob@rar, agreed. My very first trip was to Cervinia, chosen because it was meant to be ideal for beginners, which I'm sure it is, but the ski school was sh!te.
(And I've used that first week's poor instruction as an excuse for my crap skiing ever since  )
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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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Courchevel 1850.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kranjska Gora in Slovenia - went in a beginners' group and we thought it great for first trip - large nursery slopes and easy progression, even has easy night skiing; limited amount of runs for better skiers though. There are a couple of ski in/ski out hotels at the bottom of the nursery slopes, which is a boon.
The ski school was really good, everyone spoke excellent English, locals very laid back, and it was easy to do non-ski stuff for those who wanted. And, at least four years ago, it was much cheaper than French/ Austrian resorts I've been to (re lessons, food and accomodation). It's near the Italian border so a fair number of Italian tourists - and food/drink - around. Quite quiet village though until the weekend when the locals drive up from the capital, though we're more into pubs than clubs anyway.
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I did my first week at Geilo in Norway. Only about 25km of slopes, none are very steep and they are mostly short. You don't really need any more though for the first week. Tuition seemed pretty good too.
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| alexchapman wrote: |
| Alpe d'Huez is very beginner friendly....but I would second rob@rar about the ski school and would recommend Les Deux Alpes, European ski and snowboard school for this! |
Don't you work for them?
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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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| rachaelp21 wrote: |
Hi
I think France or Austria may be preferred -
Rachael |
Dolomites, perfect for you.
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Saalbach would be perfect, one of the four main areas/mountains is pretty much all good beginner slopes, and a few of the lifts there have recently been updated to make it easier for beginners to get higher sooner. Depending on how quickly you progress, most of the Saalbach/Hinterglemm area is made up of long cruisy runs for you to move on to. Plenty of good ski schools too (biased, but I do a few weeks work for Furstauer in my uni holidays, it's located right in the middle of the village and has some very good instructors), and ace apres if you need a few beers post lessons.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Neiderau in Austria almost always has some good cheap deals, and the ski schools there are quite highly recommended.
Another possibility is where I went last year - Kirchdorf. Again, it is certainly cheap, but the immediate local area is very small (but good for beginners). To get a larger area you take the bus to either Steinplatte or St Johan (both included on the lift pass). Either are about 15 minutes on the bus, which is free. And both have more good slopes for beginners, plus some harder ones to progress to. The ski school there is very friendly, and gets loads of repeat customers, but I don't know how good the standard of instruction is.
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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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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Hi rachaelp21! I'm hoping Scheffau will be a good choice as I'm going there with my best friend in January and other than a course of lessons at the Snowdome she will be a complete beginner too. The plan is for her to have lessons in the morning and I'll ski with her in the afternoon. |
There is a fair amount of beginner territory at Scheffau - but if she is taking group lessons, the norm there is four hours per day, 2 in the morning, 2 in the afternoon, which could make you plans a bit awkward.
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alex_heney, not sure what she will do yet, depends what's the cheapest option probably and we are only there for 3 days so might make normal ski school plans a bit tricky. Will see what the TO have to offer nearer the time. Thanks for the advice.
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You know it makes sense.
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alex_heney, queen bodecia, Ski schools are way more flexible than the TOs would have you believe! You can go in and book mornings only for as many days as you want with most schools. Mornings are when you do most of the "teaching" and afternoons are mostly spent mainly putting into practice and fine tuning as you tour suitably graded slopes.
Always worth going actually to the ski school itself and asking to be put in a group that accommodates that.
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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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Samerberg Sue, thanks for that advice. Mornings only would suit her best. I think she'd find all day lessons hard work. Better to have lessons in the morning and I can go off and bag some reds and blacks, then I'll help her practise what she's learned in the afternoons on the gentle blues.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I would suggest having a look at Passo Tonale in Italy. It is where I went on my first skiing holiday. It is fairly snow sure, all the hotels are across the road from the main slopes which are on one side of a valley and it is relatively cheap.
Most tour operators go there and some offer a learn to ski package which includes lift pass, ski & boot hire and lessons. When I went about 3 years ago it was about £160 for the package.
I found the tuition to be good and there are plenty of easy slopes to practice what you learnt in the morning in the afternoon.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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AdH is the textbook answer, but for my money the greens down low carry a bit too much (speeding) through traffic. Vaujany is not a great choice for beginners (no runs at resort level) although the terrain around Montfrais is very nice and gentle.
Valmeinier is a decent shout, but lots of slow old lifts, and some of the inviting-looking green runs on the map are of the "narrow road with hairpins" variety.
Mayrhofen has an entire separate mountain (the Ahorn) to the main one where most punters go, which is all dead easy and effectively therefore becomes a "begginers only" hill (although does require a cable car up and down).
What about Les Gets (or Morzine)? The entire area between Morzine and Les Gets is dead easy.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Incidentally, whilst most resorts will say they're suitable for beginners, and most do indeed have nursery slopes, the problem sometimes is that to progress off the nursery slopes means a big jump in difficulty (someone here a few weeks ago said that could be the case in Alpe D'Huez, another place I've not visited!). |
I think it might have been me that said that. The obvious progression runs for was-a-beginner-yesterday types are Le Couloir which is literally the busiest and most dangerous blue run in the entire universe, and the terrain between AdH and Villard Reculas which is great but a bit undergraded and some of the blues carry nasty surprises (and arguably could be declared red).
Having said that I never went the other way, toward Auris, so for all I know the stuff over there might be wonderful. What I can say is that as a near beginner in AdH a number of years ago I found myself feeling a bit limited, doing laps of Le Coulour, and finding it lumpy and crowded with a million other barely-in-control gapers like myself.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 6-09-10 16:48; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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La Plagne
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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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Hahahahaha
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'd agree with jb1970, Soldeu has a fantastic ski school - they actually have 2 schools in resort, one with Spanish/French speaking instructors and the other with english instructors (actually some are kiwi's and aussies but you can usually understand them ).
The instructors do a lot of training through the season so they are really good - I even sent my parents there to learn to ski!
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FAQ
I'll be the first of many people to say that the most important thing for beginners is quality of instruction. Good quality instruction and "cheap" don't usually go together though. I've never been to Andorra but whilst it's not as cheap as it used to be, I gather the standard of instruction there is often good - somebody with first hand experience could advise.
