 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, newbie here so please be gentle. One of my colleagues at work introduced me to Snowheads and I’m hoping you can help me with my dilemma.
Its quite long winded so please be patient. I’m a reasonably good skier but my wife is not, she doesn’t hate skiing but anything more than a snooker- table with a beer mat under one end is steep for her......
She loves the ambience and atmosphere and enjoy easy slopes but doesn’t like to be pushed or stress on the slopes. She had private lessons before and said she would really like to get better.
Also have two kids (1y and 5y) which we need to cater for. We will be taking the grandparents along to look after the one year old – they don’t ski but are happy pottering about, meet us for lunch, do shopping and so on.
If possible I want the other-half to have private lessons in the morning, and then for us to ski a few hours in the afternoon on a snooker- table with a beer mat under one end but hopefully not on the nursery slopes to get a sense of travelling.
Looking thus for:
1) Good lessons in English for wife and also good group lessons for the 5y.
2) Quite a few very easy slopes for us to ski together
3) Something for me to do in the morning but this is not the main priority
4) Something to keep grandparents amuse for a week
5) Nice hotel, the grandparents rather not go on holiday then self-catering
N
I only know the “mega” resorts but I’m sure there must be other hidden-gems out there. My snowhead friend suggested La Clusaz. We went to Cervinia last time and a lot of the lifts were shut due to high winds and I didn’t feel the slopes were that easy and it wasn’t easy with the kids.
Maybe Courchevel but is there enough to do for the non-skiers at 1650 as 1850 may be out of our budget?
Many thanks in advance
Nick
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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notsosure, hi and welcome to  !
can't help you on where to go for your holiday, but hope you have a lovely time on the holiday.
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Why not try Bardonecchia the resort is quite beautiful with a real town to explore for non-skiers, there is also the train to Turin for a proper day out. The school we use is Spazio Neve with excellent English speaking instructors. The resort has a good range of blues and reds and couple of blacks. There are some nice flat winter walking paths for the grandparents as well.
But you could also try Norway the reosrt of Geilo is a real winter wonderland feel to it. The town centre has plenty of shops and there are lots of non ski activities. The ski area is not huge but has some good challenging runs and is probably one of the best places to learn in Europe. The instructors all speak great English and are there to make people enjoy their times on the slopes and can turn the most nervous skiers into confident skiers quite quickly. The kids ski school is also brilliant with again the emphasis on fun. People will tell you Norway is expensive but certainly no more expensive than the big french resorts. Geil also ahs a choice of great hotels.
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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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notsosure, Welcome to SnowHeads
Why not think about about an Austrian resort ? Many are within easy reach of Salzburg ( especially via train ) for the non-skiers, or indeed are towns in their own right ie not just 'resorts' so they have lots of attractions. One town that springs to mind is Zell am See but there are many posters on here with greater knowledge than I on this subject, so I'm sure someone will be along soon.
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Welcome to snowheads, here's some info on Austria .....
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Austrian Ski Resorts with the Best skiing for Beginners
Koppl *****
Leutasch *****
Alpbach ****
Spittal an der Drau ****
Angerberg ****
Berg im Drautal ****
Bezau ****
Zillertal Arena ****
Königsleiten ****
Nassfeld Hermagor ****
Innerkrems ****
Biberwier ****
Radstadt ****
Berwang ****
Rifflsee ****
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http://www.j2ski.com/ski_resorts/Austria/TopAustrianSkiResorts.html
http://www.bergfex.com/oesterreich/
If your grandparents like to go swimming some resorts have thermal baths (e.g. Bad Gastein, Kaprun etc)
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notsosure, welcome to snowHeads
I'd have thought it might be worth looking at town-based resorts to cater for the hotel requirement and the day to day needs of the grandparents.
From experience (that's all we can offer, I guess), it might be worth looking at Austria - possibly Mayrhofen:
1) Spa hotels - comfortable, good general standard, saunas etc.
2) Things to do and see around town
3) Zillertal train provides access to other places and a nice trip out.
4) The Ahorn skiing area has gentle slopes in a confidence-building area plus there's an ice bar and restaurants which could provide a nice meeting up point. At the top of the Penkenbhan (sp?), there are also some gentle slopes, but tend to be dominated by beginner groups.
5) Plenty of varied skiing terrain for you
6) Plenty of English speaking ski schools
Can't offer any advice on group lessons for the 5 year old - may be worth also looking to see where a TO like Ski Esprit goes and assess suitability for the other requirements.
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notsosure, Welcome
I have the same problem, good luck.
I do not agree that Mayrhofen is suitable from a skiing point: many of the runs in the Penken area are quite short and steep. Few easy runs on Ahorn but in my view the area is not ideal for the nervous.
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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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notsosure, have a look at La Rosiere, it has the Ski Famille Plus award for child and family friendliness, there are good facilities for kids with 2 creches/nurseries and a ski school with an English deputy director, so English is widely spoken. Its Ski Espirit's most popular resort in the Alps and the vilage is small and friendly. Whilst its not a mega-resort there are actvities for non-skiers and the views are some of the best in the Alps. Go to www.larosiere.net for more details, I'm biased because we have a chalet there.
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Hmm. I don't think La Rosiere - or any other small resort, will meet your requirements. Sounds like you need more of a metropolis, with a wider choice of good hotels.
In France I'd suggest Megeve, but I suspect there are more places which fit the bill in Austria. Kitzbuhel? Lech? Or Wengen (Switzerland)?
Les Saisies has an excellent variety of really easy slopes, but lacks variety and sophistication for non skiers.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was thinking Kitzbuehel or Saalbach.
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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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Wengen/Murren/Grindlewald? Easy to get around those 3 on the trains. Get to see the north face of the Eiger.
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When are you wanting to go?
Austria is probably the best place for non-skiers imo. Kitzbühel has been mentioned which has a nice town centre with plenty of shops and cafes to sample. However I went a couple of years ago with a group including a couple of skiers who fit your wife's description and they found it really difficult.
Naßfeld on the Austrian border is really good for beginners/nervous skiers however i could imagine it being a nightmare for non skiers as there is very little to do in the town.
Zell am See is very picturesque with a huge lake and an old town centre. I'm sure the grandparents would love it. However, if you go late in the season you run a huge risk of poor snow conditions (as I found out earlier this year). I'd also definitely class it as one of the easier ski resorts I have been to.
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You know it makes sense.
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Leeds_Skier, looking end of January
The grandparents don't need a lot to be happy. As long as there are a few "browsy" type of shops, a place to have a nice piece of cake and maybe a few easy walks they be sorted.
Looking into all the suggestions , thank you all for replying.
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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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Call me crazy but think about Val d'isere. There are a lot of green runs that are high up which means your wife can enjoy being up in the mountains. Then she can come down in the cable car or on the chairlift (Soolaise)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mike3000, ....and then she can take the world's "scariest" green run down, La Daille ! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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What's up with Italy. The prices are good, the people are friendly and some of the small, off the beaten track resorts are perfect for grandparents, nervous wives, young kids who need english speaking ski school and hubbies that want a bit more challenge for a few hours every morning. I'm thinking Macugnaga - huge in its day and now much more sedate, the land that time forgot, but perfect for families I think. Its also within an hour of Lake Maggiore so grandparents could use it as a base and do a bit of Lake City sight seeing. I vote for Italy!
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Kittyluca, Welcome to snowHeads. And I agree with you! I was thinking somewhere like Ortisei might fit the bill. Gentle skiing in the Alps de Suisi and a nice old town. Good links to other places (like Bolzano, say) and the Italians are great with little ones.
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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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| Kenzie wrote: |
| Wengen/Murren/Grindlewald? Easy to get around those 3 on the trains. Get to see the north face of the Eiger. |
Another vote for the Jungfrau region - something for everyone and one of the great bonuses is the ability of the non-skiers to get to (yummy) mountain restaurants to meet the skiers at lunchtime.
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notsosure and Kittyluca, welcome to snowHeads
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Mike3000, Louis,
Actually I think that Val D' might tick all the boxes pretty well. The tranquil valley between Val D'Isere and Tignes is wall to wall with gentle greens and you can take the lift down if you don't want to tackle Face or Santons. Plenty of English-speaking tuition available and the village should keep the grandparents interested for a few days. I believe there are lots of comfortable accommodation options available provided you can handle the bills. And no shortage of challenging stuff for notsosure, to get up to in the mornings.
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Bogusman,
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the village should keep the grandparents interested for a few days.
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Val d'Isere? How? 
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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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| Kittyluca wrote: |
| What's up with Italy. The prices are good, the people are friendly and some of the small, off the beaten track resorts are perfect for grandparents, nervous wives, young kids who need english speaking ski school and hubbies that want a bit more challenge for a few hours every morning. I'm thinking Macugnaga - huge in its day and now much more sedate, the land that time forgot, but perfect for families I think. Its also within an hour of Lake Maggiore so grandparents could use it as a base and do a bit of Lake City sight seeing. I vote for Italy! |
Welcome to snowHeads Kittyluca and great 1st post
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I suspect Bogusman, would make use of the "tongue in cheek" smiley, if one existed.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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notsosure, Have a think about Les Arc 1800 or Valandry. A very big, gentle and wide beginners bowl above Valandry with its own chair and the gentlest of green forest runs (La Foret) back to either resort.
Is there still a bus link from 1800 to 1600 for the funicular down to BsM? If so there's more to do for the non-skiers down in town.
And New Gen ski school is V'highly recommended.
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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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Vallandry has little for the non-skier though I agree about the runs being nice.
Alpe d'Huez definitely has a lot of lovely greens and Mel & Stuart from Masterclass are lovely. I just wonder if the grandparents would find enough to do?
If you fancied March, our trip to Les Deux Alpes sounds like it'd suit you. It's not a commercial trip - just something I've organised for 3 years now for people who like me need their instruction at a gentle pace. There are some nice beginner areas and from the sound of it the tuition would suit your wife I think. Lessons are max 4 people and at the moment we have just one other person in the level that sounds like it'd suit her. For you, there'd be the higher level skiers in the group to play with during her lessons. There are a number of schools offering kids' lessons too. As for the grandparents, the resort is quite big and best of all mostly flat, so easy strolling. There are free shuttle buses too. There are a number of pedestrian accessible lifts including the Jandri Express up to the glacier where there is a brand new ice-grotto and also rides in the Croisiere Blanche, a converted piste basher.
Have a look at the link below in my sig.
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notsosure, I'd forgotten about Butterfly's trip. I can't think of a better result to tick all your boxes.
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You know it makes sense.
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Val d'Isere is a nice village with enough to keep non-skiers amused and good English-speaking ski schools, but I wouldn't take a nervous skier there. You'd have to go over the top to Tignes and even then, the first couple of hundred metres off the gondola would have freaked me out in my first week. As an intermediate I found the whole area pretty hard when I was there last year.
Of the places I've been, Meribel would be the best fit - brilliant beginner area with wide boulevards and enough trees/alternative routes etc nearby to keep more advanced skiers interested. The village is pleasant and reasonably flat, and well endowed with shops, restaurants, hotels etc. I learned to ski there with the Magic Snowsports Academy and loved it.
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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 Gets ticks many of your boxes I believe. Very family friendly, good British ski school, lots of gentle runs, and a range of accommodation. Not sure what the grandparents would want to do to stay amused, but isn't being in the mountains in a nice alpine village with the grandkids enough?
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Poster: A snowHead
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rob@rar, Indeed, Les Gets on the short-list.
Lots of good suggestions, thanks all and nice forum.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
The grandparents don't need a lot to be happy. As long as there are a few "browsy" type of shops, a place to have a nice piece of cake and maybe a few easy walks they be sorted.
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Hurtle,
The bar didn't seem to be set too high in the "keeping grandparents occupied" category. I have never stayed in Val, only Tignes and I know that Tignes would meet those meagre requirements. Since everyone who knows both keeps telling me that Val is a much more pleasant village I assume it too would suffice.
Apologies if I got it wrong 
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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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Val D/Tignes retired my nervous ski buddy. Don't go there if you want to enjoy skiing with the family...or ever again!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I agree with Wengen or Grindalwld. There are a lot of elderly people that tabogen on the many tabogen runs. They can give that a go.
Easy to get around on the trains and this is arguably the most beautiful ski area in the world!
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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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Ski Amade? Some proper little villages, and you can take trains between several my mother and a friends wife seemed to have a good time when they escorted us as non-skiers on a trip last year. Skiing wise there is plenty to do and several areas are very gentle (fageralm) - if you hire a car I think you could make it work very well, even on the buses it would be fine - they run very much to schedule in my experience. Don't know the ski schools though.. aj xx
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notsosure, welcome to snowheads! Your comment about a snooker table with a beer mat under it made me laugh!!
Somewhere in Ski Amade should fit the bill. Bad Gastien has been recommended above .... great for spas, maybe not that great for begineers. You're better off in Bad Hofgastein which has a great spa which is ideal for kids (I take my 2 year old there and he LOVES it), access to easy slopes and it's a proper little town with coffee shops etc. For your family and needs, should be perfect.
PM me if you want more info.
Cheers
Kersh
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| notsosure wrote: |
| Looking thus for: Good lessons in English for wife |
How about getting her booked on an evening course at your local HE college before you go skiing. 
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ever thought of La Tania, Courchevel 1400, great ski school for a 5 yr old by ESF, although a small village has great connections to the whole of the 3 valleys and a free bus for all skiers and non skiers to get around, great learner slope right in the centre of resort, i was there last xmas ( and off again next friday for opening day ) and my partners family all came too, her parents had no intention of ski-ing but always found something to do,
a good private chalet company is www.snowretreat.co.uk or if its the whole package you are after I always use a travel agent i have used for years, don't know his number off hand but his email address is fergus.elliott@hays-travel.co.uk,
enjoy !!! 
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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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Just a quick Thank You for all the replies, much appreciated. The other-half seems happy and keen on rob@rar suggestion of Les Gets. Now just hoping the rain will turn into snow.
Nick
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notsosure, We spend most of the winter in Les Gets and at times do the grand-parents bit too, so know there are plenty of places to potter about, buying chocolate chaud, and jus de pomme, in vat loads for small people. Have also had non-skiing friends staying so know that its easy for non-skiing people to get up either Mt Chery or in the Red Egg up the Chavannes where there are quite a few restaurants to meet up at. The ski buses go round the village and you don't need any sort of pass to get on them. Also the little train goes round the village all the time and small people seem to be on it going round and round endlessly.
Convenient hotels all over the place - Marmotte, Belle Vue are right by the slopes. The Labrador is very comfortable - they also have a Residence - a couple of years ago friends of ours stayed there - they took two apartments so grandparents and a sngle brother in one and then their daughter and family in the one next door. It seemed to work very well for them - meant that they were also able to use the dining room at the hotel, and also not far to other restaurants but some self-catering also possible. The Alpina also is a friendly place.
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