 Poster: A snowHead
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My wife is a very timid (very very timid) third week skier. We went to Saalbach earlier this year and she was involved in quite a nasty collision on the nursery slope with a boarder. Needless to say this really knocked her confidence. She is not too keen to ski again but we have reached a compromise:
We will go to a resort where there is lots and lots of easy skiing and the plan is for her to have a couple of hours private tuition and then to ski with me and the kids on gentle pistes in the afternoon. If this doesn’t work then I can see it will only be me and the kids in the future.
Therefore we are looking for a resort with:
-European resort with loads of easy runs for her as it gets a bit boring doing the same run again and again. Her technique is ok-ish but she feels she just needs lots of mileage. The kids are good and won’t take her beyond her comfort zone.
-Good private tuition available
We will go as a family and not with a group of friends this time and thinking of going middle January.
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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Saalbach lol! All over Kohlmais is perfect beginner terrain. Speak to Furstauer Ski School, Veronique in particular would be a very good instructor for her. Could look into the Ski Welt and maybe Kitzbuhel too.
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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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Hi, we went to Andorra, soldeu, for my second week skiing, (a good few years ago!!) had fantastic tuition, group lessons, and I found the whole place confidence building, nice wide groomed slopes, easy to find my way around and it wasn't too busy back then. I wasn't really into skiing after a first week elsewhere but this holiday changed my mind and I got the skiing bug. It doesn't have the whole Austrian apres ski charm that you probably found in Saalbach but sounds like it could be just what your wife needs.
Good luck with finding a perfect compromise!!
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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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cathy, yes, we know about this and its definitely under serious consideration
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Louis, If you can afford it, Lech would be a good place. Slopes are very easy and pretty quiet. We skied Kappl this year and loved it - slopes were deserted at NY. Nothing too tricky at all - even the blacks are easy. What I liked was the fact that most main runs had a blue, red or black option which met up at various points. The runs are very long too
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You should look at Norway or Sweden in paticular Geilo or Are, both destinations are very friendly with relaxed skiing and not full of people flying past apart from weekends you will find the pistes pretty empty and lift queues non existent. Both resorts do not have masses of kilometres to ski but easy enough for a week of sking for non advanced skiers. The ski instructors are also probably the best in Europe especially for nervous skiiers as they make things as fun as possible and are very reassuring and of course speak perfect english. Are has bit more nightlife but Geilo has loads of different activiites to do away from skiing.
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Louis, couple of options spring to mind - Morillon (Grand Massif) and La Tania (3 Valleys). Morillon alone has some nice long, wide cruisy runs, with Marvel being a favourite with everyone - it's a 6km green with areas which are more blue, and takes you straight back to the base at Les Esserts where you pick up the lifts up again. You can also ski other areas of the GM from there including Samoens and Les Carroz.
La Tania has a variety of runs back to the village - blue/green, blue and red - so something for the rest of you whilst your wife has her lesson and then you can all ski together. I haven't used ski school in either resort, but have been on holiday with people who have, and had very good reports for both resorts. La Tania is getting some new nursery slope 'magic carpets' this season to replace the free drag lift.
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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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Louis, 2nd vote for Lech - as although accidents can happen anywhere, Lech is uncrowded and has the best behaved skiers of anywhere I've been.
It will be very quiet on the slopes in mid Jan, especially monday - Friday, pretty village and nice hotels and not not cheap but good value.
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Quiet and gentle and much cheaper than Lech - Les Saisies. Markets itself on gentle skiing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I think choice of instructor is probably more important than choice of resort if you are trying to rebuild confidence. I think a good instructor would be Steve Down who teaches for the New Generation Ski School as well as running Mind Over Mountains. I think he's very good with nervous clients, and Courchevel 1650 has plenty of confidence building pistes which should be quiet mid-January. Alternatively Charlotte Swift (aka Easkiski) in Les Deux Alpes would also be a good choice.
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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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Louis, St Johann im Pongau/Alpendorf or Wagrain in the Sportwelt Amadé region have loads of long confidence boosting runs with lots of areas "away from the crowds" where you can regain confidence and improve technique. Accommodation to suit all pockets as well, from top of the range 5-* hotels to self-catering and hostels.
The local ski schools are all good, but the best without a doubt is Rot-Weiß-Rot (www.rot-weiss-rot.at) and they have bases in both villages. I would ask to be put with any of the following instructors for a private lesson: Gerhard (chairman of the SBSSV and a National examiner), Sigi (a National trainer of instructors), Sven (former trainer with the Croatian Ski association), Danni (also a member of the Croatian Association and part of the Interski Demo team), Gottfried (Chief Instructor of the sski school) or Manuel (Chief instructor of the Wagrain section). All of these speak excellent English, have worked this area for years and are fantastic teachers with infinite patience.
Mid January will be a very quiet period so you should not have any problems with crowds anywhere. The lift system in both areas is nearly all chairs or gondolas (only one T-bar and that is not often open). The options for everyone else are pretty well endless. Lots of tree-lined pistes as well so no orientation problems in poor vis.
Travelling - either fly to Salzburg and get a train or bus to St Johann - most hotels will pick you up from the station if you arrange in advance. The area is only 60kms south of Salzburg and if you time it right it is less than 40 minutes by car. However midday on a Saturday and the whole world is travelling down the A10 - believe me I know this as I drive over most weekends. Driving is even easier and it allows you to explore more of the region once she has found her feet again.
You can also get good deals on kids ski passes at certain low season periods, but I'm not sure if January is one of those this year.
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You know it makes sense.
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Courchevel (1850, but they're all linked) had lots of nice green runs - from nursery flats to interesting but still friendly. Wouldn't go for Courchevel Le Praz as returning to resort is bubble lift or red/black.
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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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Louis, maybe think over the pond, some of the best laid out confidence building runs anywhere, without the intimidating alpine aspects, mont tremblant in canada can be as quick to get to from london as europe. also the kids will love it. there is a black/red/blue/green way down from most points
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Poster: A snowHead
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^ Good idea under the circumstances ^
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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, Recommend 'Les Houches' in the Chamonix Valley. See the other thread on here for info.
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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 wouldn't suggest Courchevel 1650 - my memories of it are old, and hazy, but I think the route back (from 1850 - much the best for the nervous) wasn't entirely gentle.
I'd strongly agree with rob@rar, that instructor choice is more important than resort choice. I'd also say that Les Saisies has a more extensive choice of gentle runs - and a lot better snow record - than Les Houches.
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From my own experience:
Consider? Valloire was quiet when we were there and very unscary. I'd second Grand Massif in Jan - les carroz was pretty non-threatening iirc, only exception was the link from les carroz to flaine proper. Avoriaz was nice and easy - but might be busy at times. Odd as it sounds I'd recommend Tignes - it's definately a proper resort, some great schools and a lot of easy open blues, in good weather it's not scary at all.
Avoid? Val D'isere (rude, dangerous, high speed idiots), Alpe d'Huez (crowded junctions), Les Arcs (ditto), Schladming (polite, safe but really high speed folks and some nasty steeps), Les Deux Alpes (crowded main pistes), Chatel (crowded pistes/lifts and not great snow reliability)
Happy hunting!
aj xx
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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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Laax is a pretty good option. Lots of reasonably long wide blue runs. The resort is quiet (despite its reputation as a snowboarder haven) and when I went in February of this year there were no lift queues and very few people on the slopes. There were lots of bubbles and gondolas rather than chair lifts so you needn't worry about trying to get off the chair lifts.
You might also want to look at the Gastein valley.
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Louis, The suggestion of Montgenevre is a good one for nervous skiiers/early intermediates initially made by Wildsmith. Lots of wide open easier runs and it has got a bit of French village charm on the Italian border. You need to be a little more confident to ski into Italy and make the return journey as it is mainly on reds.
http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/resorts/Montgenevre/
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In my opinion you cannot go wrong with Soldeu, my wife had a very nasty accident (non-skiing) and it has left her an extremely timid skier. We went to Soldeu and found the tuition excellent and the slopes perfect for her. Long gentle blues are just about everywhere. The only thing you don't get with Soldeu is the alpine village as it is dark and dreary and right on the main road, although there are some good bars in town and the prices are reasonable (much better than France!), also the mountain restaurants aren't up to much. Went to Lech with the wife in March of this year, it was fine apart from the fact she really struggled with the blue run down from Oberlech to Lech (last run of the day), the weather was warm and therefore the run got really mogulled, it was busy as well hence she just did not enjoy it, so much so that it took all my powers of coaxing and persuasion to get her down it and it took a long long time. I guess if conditions are better it would be okay if not a tad steep at the end. I would say Soldeu is a far better all round option for your wife.
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| chivdog wrote: |
| Laax is a pretty good option. Lots of reasonably long wide blue runs. The resort is quiet (despite its reputation as a snowboarder haven) and when I went in February of this year there were no lift queues and very few people on the slopes. |
No! When we went in Feb a few years back, the slopes were full, people skiing very fast and lots of boarders. We even commented at the time that we didn't see any beginners or 'early intermediates'. I said to the OH last night, of all the resorts we've been to what would be the worse one to recommend to a nervous skier? Guess what he said straight away.... perhaps we were just unlucky and got a busy week but it was even unnerving the OH and he skis fast. Perhaps different over in Flims.
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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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Another vote for Lech if you are looking at Austria. Good nursery slopes and lovely blues for more timid skiers IMO. It has plenty of potential for cruising, is very pretty, snow sure and I think it is great for family groups of mixed ability. The main ski school has a good reputation and I think there are a couple of Brits working there but I don't know enough to make a recommendation. A trip to Lech does come at a price though.
If you are looking at the Three Valleys then there are lots of greens and blues around in Courchevel 1850 and 1650. I disagree that there isn't an easy route back from 1850 to 1650 though. You take an easy pathway piste from the main beginner area in 1850, past the altiport to a chair which takes you straight up to the blues in 1650. The area is well networked by greens and blues and you just need to know which runs to avoid if you have a nervous skier in the group. There are a number of instructors working in ski schools and independently who would be suitable.
There are so many European resorts out there which would meet your requirement but I too would recommend making a choice based on the availability of decent english speaking tuition.
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The nature of the runs is not the only thing - the nature of the snow-users is equally important. cathy has commented on Laax and my daughter and son in law, both very experienced skiers, were unnerved by the crowds - and their speed - in Flaine, a resort which could well be recommendable in terms of its slopes. That was French school hols, though.
You need somewhere where expert skiers don't go because there's not enough challenge for them. Preferably somewhere which still has a few essential linking drag lifts round the place as well as some rather flat parts - these are the two things that put off the boarders. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Louis, another vote for Morillon Les Esserts. Good beginner/early intermediate skiing, especially Marvel to get back the ski legs; nice-ish town with a couple of bars and a few restaurants; my girlfriend had a great ESF instructor; short transfer from Geneva airport; not too expensive; big area to explore if you get the Grand Massif pass.
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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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Just pick somewhere quiet - generally means less intimidation and less ice/bumps.
There are dozens of places, but I'd suggest Les Saisies (as above), Areches Beaufort or Sainte Foy (of course!).
I'm not a nervous intermediate by any means, but I just can't be bothered with the crowds (and resulting horrible conditions) in most "big name" resorts.
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As pam w, says:
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the nature of the snow-users is equally important
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Flaine has some nice runs for intermediates (like many resorts) but the lower greens you have to come down are like a motorway when it's busy. My OH is still nervous after many years skiing - she won't set off until it's pretty clear behind her. Problem is if you ski slowly the speed merchants soon catch up and on day 3 or 4 you get the increasingly confident, out of control, idiots who think it's a free for all. I've laid into them (verbally) many times when they've got too close for comfort. But that doesn't help a nervous skier. Good lessons should help - I've yet to see some nutcase take out an instructor i.e. you feel safe with them and they know the quiet places to take you far from the madding crowd.
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You know it makes sense.
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Areches-Beaufort is a great spot, but it can be VERY cold - keeps its snow very well because many of the slopes are in shadow a lot of the time. In Les Saisies there is a greater variety of slopes with different aspects - and a lot more easy slopes - more variety.
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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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Les Mosses in Switzerland could be an option for those of a very nervous disposition.
Its really setup as a nursery area - no steep slopes, no drop-offs, no-icey transport runs, easy piste navigation, slow-lifts.
Really well manner slopes - fair number of local school groups going there.
Took a very nervous learner there last year, who'd been scarried off by Les Diablerets (that's how nervous they where) - they loved it.
Piste map
The ski areas of Leysin, Ley Diablerets/Villar, Gstaard are all close by too, and have more interesting skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, I've not made it over as far as Les Saisies, but it's connected to Crest Voland isn't it? That is, by far, the most gentle ski area I've ever been too. Also very pretty and beautifully quiet outside of school holidays. It's exactly the place we recommend to timid (very, very timid) people.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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miranda, yes, Crest Voland is certainly a good bet. It is connected to Les Saisies but the links are not the easiest for inexperienced skiers - one of the two options is red, the other is a long and very beautiful green run but you either need to do a good schuss down a blue run then skate a bit, or be prepared for quite a bit of poling at the beginning. Also that run, though gentle in gradient, is quite narrow and has some drop-offs, which can be slightly unnerving for people not confident in their turning ability.
So, to ski Crest Voland, for timid skiers, it's best to stay in Crest Voland.
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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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Saalbach is linked with Hinterglemm and Leogang. For beginners Leogang is possibly a lot easier and beginner friendly. Saalbach is really good for skiers able to enjoy cruising from mountain to mountain.
For Mid January some of the French resorts could be suitable too. I haven't tried many resorts that aim at the beginners but Valmorel stands out as one. There is one of the rare resorts where the green runs outnumber the others. Austria, Switzerland and Italy do not do green runs and so for easy introduction the French has an edge here especially if you can go before Feb to avoid the massive crowd.
Just compare the piste map of Valormel and Saalbach and it would be obvious. Saalbach is dominated by red runs and its easiest is blue run which can be steeper than the green in France.
Valmorel is in the same valley as Val D'iser, Tinges, Les ARc, La Plagnes, Ste Foy, La Rosiere and the mightly 3V. It shares part of the same road to Val Thoren of 3V. and is the first resort in that valley. Having 152km piste it is a respectable size relative to Austria Saalbach/Hinterglemm/Leogang's 200km piste. While you can cruise all day without repeating the same lift and piste in Saalbach on the red runs you can do it in Valmorel too but without leaving the green and blue runs.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Louis, .....Bansko, Bulgaria is great for easy slopes...and it won't break the bank,also great family resort
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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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Thanks all, lots of helpful suggestions. Now to discuss /negotiate with the wife
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