 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
Newbie here; I'm having a wonderful time trying to find out where to go on my first ski trip! Lots of people are saying Austria or Suisse - I was hoping France as don't want to go anywhere too hardcore.
I heard Les Deux Alpes is good early season as is a glacier resort. Is a glacier resort good for a beginner? Anyone been - what are the facilities like?
Thanks for any input, is is much 'apres'ciated!
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's OK, but not ideal as the beginner area's are high up the mountain.
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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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Hi and welcome! Are you a total beginner? There are some learner slopes right at the bottom under the Jandri express. Otherwise there are some great beginner slopes higher up. The glacier is very wide and also excellent for a beginner. As you build your confidence the signal run is a blue run and great!
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Hi guys,
Yeah I've never been ever - the Mrs went when she was younger, but I've never even been to a dry ski slope. where did you go for your first ski trip? would you recommend the same area or somewhere different?
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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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RJ7483, Welcome to Snowheads 
You say that you were thinking about France 'as don't want to go anywhere too hardcore'.
Actually you've got this the wrong way round. There's easy and hardcore resorts throughout the Alps, but in general Austria has a bigger selection of beginner/early intermediate friendly resorts than France.
Lots of the Austrian skiing takes place on slopes that, in the summer, are pasture land, are are comparatively gentle. French terrain is often higher and more rugged.
les Deux Alps is probably not the ideal place to learn. It does have a decent glacier, which is quite gentle, so good to learn on, but it is very high. If the weather is bad it could be very miserable up there, or even closed. You would also have to descend at least the lowest section above the resort using the lifts, as the runs back to the resort are far from beginner friendly. On the other hand, if your trip is likely to take place very early or very late, say November or April, then at least you would be guaranteed some snow.
If you are set on going to France it might be worth looking at Alp D'huez. It has a large area of gentle slopes that are relatively snow sure directly above the resort.
However I think you should have a long look at some of the Austrian resorts (but steer clear of St Anton). Perhaps one of the resorts in the Ski Amande area or Saalbach Hinterglemn.
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Yeah I was going to go to Knockhatch for the day, I'm in Hove so not too far.
I thought France was a good option as has a larger range of destinations, so was more likely to find something suitable. I'll have a look at Austria though, thanks for your advice.
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RJ7483,
Well, Austria has lots of destinations too.
A few other things to think about:-
Generalising wildly here, but-
Many French resorts are purposes built places and can be quite ugly. There's often a lack of nightlife. Many Austrian (and Swiss) resorts are in old mountain villages with more traditional architecture. They conform better to the cliche view of what a ski resort should look like, they also tend to have a summer holiday season, so the buildings have to look pretty even when not covered with a blanket of snow. The apres ski tends to be livlier as well.
Switzerland is likely to be extremely expensive this winter, so unless money is not an issue you may want to avoid.
if you do choose France, try if at all possible to avoid the Fench half term holidays. Details here:-http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=76752
A final point, there's a good selection of Austrain villages with good nursery slopes and easy blue runs for progression, but little in the way of challanges for more experienced skiers. Thety are often significantly cheaper than the Fench mega resorts as well.Why not enjoy them for what they are? Save the big French resorts for when you can take full advantage of the more challanging skiing.
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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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RJ7483, firstly declaring interest, I own a place in L2A so take everything with a pince of salt.
Firstly if I read your post right - are you thinking of going early ? Then a glacier may be a good idea. Don't be scared by the term glacier - they're mostly easy skiing - its not like some extreme ski video or anything. Look for greens and blues on the resort's piste maps online. L2A's glacier is big and good to learn on but often cold and windy being so high.
I'd say one of the biggest factors on whether you and mrs RJ7483 have a good holiday is the ski-school. I've had mixed experiences with the ESF (french ski school in all resorts) but also consider independent English speaking schools - they can be a bit more personal and have smaller groups and better english.
Also factor in the pass costs- you are inlikely to make best use of an expensive pass until you're a couple of weeks in.
Also check out if you don't like it, either of you, is there anything else to do?
On the whole L2A is great bet for most skiers, unlikely to be disappointed with the snow, people, nightlife ... but don't expect chocolate box or bargain prices.
Best of Luck
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I'd say l2a is not grrat for beginners. runs back to resort are either pretty steep blacks or a long, winding and very busy green (that may suffer from getting scraped anyway).
Also, value for money is defintely better on almost all counts in Austria rather than France - for beginners at least.
if your mind is set on that part of France, would agree with suggestion of Alpe d'huez (or even Serre Chevaljer).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
It does have a decent glacier, which is quite gentle, so good to learn on, but it is very high. If the weather is bad it could be very miserable up there, or even closed.
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indeed, but except in the kind of weather where very few resorts would have decent snow at lower, village, levels, you wouldn't have to go up there at all.
I don't think L2A is ideal for beginners either, except in the very important factor of ski tuition. Charlotte Swift, an independent British instructor based in L2A, is brilliant (I, like many other SHs, have had lessons with her).
The key factor, really, is the availability of guaranteed top-class tuition. If you have the right instructor, you could happily learn to ski in most resorts, throughout the Alps, because decent gentle nursery slopes can be found just about everywhere. What is harder to find is somewhere which offers a really gentle introduction to harder slopes - in some places, it feels like if you leave the nursery slopes, you're expected to tackle something quite a lot harder, with nothing in between.
If you provide a few more details about when you want to go, what kind of experience you are looking for (apart from a good place to learn to ski) and what sort of accommodation you like (hotel, catered chalet, self-catering accommodation) I'm sure you'll get lots of suitable suggestions. But as stated above, it is quite wrong to suggest that France is less "hard core" than other countries; there are "hardcore" and "gentle" resorts throughout, and also a good many which can offer both. France has an enormous range of resorts - the majority are small, not purpose built, and often centred on pretty villages which also have a summer season (most swingeing generalisations differentiating one country from another are misleading, though I think it's true that beer is generally cheaper in Austria!!). Small French resorts are often very quiet at night, with just a few nice restaurants and bars, with little opportunity either to join, or to be disturbed by, noisy late-night partying fuelled by enormous amounts of alcohol.  They tend to be family-focussed, and can be very, very, quiet outside French holiday weeks - with no sign of any lift queues - one of the banes of ski holidays at peak times.
Will you both be taking lessons?
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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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RJ7483, Welcome to snowheads!
I work in les deux alpes as a ski instructor and it is an excellent place for beginners....the nursery slopes are in the village contrary to what some people have said here then we have a progression to a green run on Le Cret which is a great progression! No guarantees but usually a beginner in a weeks worth of morning lessons (practicing in the afternoons!) will be able to ski all the way down from the glacier by the end of the week....3400m to 2100m le cret. The runs back to the village are steep but there is a green that winds its way down....to be honest though normally i suggest enjoying the runs up and coming down on the eggs but for the first few days you will be all set up in the village and not need to go up.....there are lots of slopes down here all along the snow front offering a great progression!
Hope this helps and that we see you this winter!!!!
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Went to L2A a couple of seasons back and tbh was not that bothered by the place. As has been said in this thread, if the weather closes in, a lot of the more gentle slopes, higher up are closed off, leaving you with just the hairy ones (well for a beginner they would be) to get your ass back down to the village...
If you want a big place to go with lots of cruising and easy runs, I would recommend the grand Massif area... Poss MOrillon or Les Carroz..
Hope this helps and enjoy... Wherever you go.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| The key factor, really, is the availability of guaranteed top-class tuition. If you have the right instructor, you could happily learn to ski in most resorts, throughout the Alps, because decent gentle nursery slopes can be found just about everywhere. What is harder to find is somewhere which offers a really gentle introduction to harder slopes - in some places, it feels like if you leave the nursery slopes, you're expected to tackle something quite a lot harder, with nothing in between. |
RJ7483, welcome to snowHeads . I think pam w sums it up quite well.
If France is your first choice, there really are plenty of options. I learned in Serre Chevalier, where they have some good beginner slopes and then interesting runs to progress to. I also invested pretty quickly in 1:1 or 2:1 instruction which paid dividends.
I also skied Tignes (Espace Killy - so high and snow sure) fairly early on and, again, with instruction found much of it fine.
Someone mentioned Alpe D'Huez - there is a large beginner area at resort level (1860m, so a good height), although I personally think the slopes one would progress to can be challenging unless heading over to Auris where there are some excellent progressive opportunities.
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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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I had my first week there and absolutely loved it. It's a long time ago but I remember loving the big wide pistes right up at the top.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I went to L2A as a complete beginner. I loved it and there are loads of runs within a beginners capabilities for that first week. Being up on the mountain is what I found best about it. All my kids have done exactly the same and it's still their favourite resort.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We went to LDA early in our ski life, and first year we thought it was excellent, Le Cretes is a brilliant slope to progress on, then the year after we were unfortunate that we were plagued by high winds for a few days, so had no access to the higher slopes, so decided to try somewhere with more options the year after.
I also seem to remember there are free nursery slopes so you may not find it necessary to have lift passes for the full week.
We went to Bulgaria (Pamporovo, suggested by our Exscape ski instructor, he taught his novice wife there) the first few years, and found the slopes nice and gentle, and tuition to be very good, and reasonably priced, but must agree a trip to the ski centres are invaluable in getting past the awkward uphill side stepping stage.
I think it's like your first car, you always have a soft spot for your first real ski holiday destination.
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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 think it's like your first car, you always have a soft spot for your first real ski holiday destination.
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Absolutely. If you enjoy your first ski holiday it really is a magic time - a whole new world of possibilities (not to mention expense.....) opening up before you.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Expense !!! We are considering 3 trips this year instead of 2, would be cheaper moving over to the alps !!!
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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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I learnt to ski at LDA. Whilst it might not be absolutely the perfect resort to learn to ski, I never encountered any problems. I learnt on the short green runs under the Diable lift and the Jandri Express, which were fine. There were plenty of progressive blue runs further up the mountain. As already mentioned, the only issue is getting back to the resort at the end of the day. I normally took the 'red egg' lift back to the town, in order to avoid the very narrow green called Demoiselles.
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I couldn't agree more with those who've suggested you do some learning in the UK before you expend money abroad. All of the 'snowdomes' have learn to ski in a day courses which are great for complete beginners. My wife did one at Tamworth and hasn't looked back.
Other places to consider which are in my opinion perfectly suited to beginners are :
La Plagne
Alpe d'Huez
Courchevel
Val Thorens
Meribel
La Tania
Please remember though that you will both require a good ski school wherever you go. There are now lots of options rather than the franchised ESFs.
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I've been to L2A loads of times and it's a great place but there a couple of points to be aware of. Yes the learner slopes are free and at resort level, depending on how early you are going they may not be open though. I wouldn't want to learn on the glacier in the winter tbh. It's very cold up there and is more prone to closure than lower slopes. It would seem very hard work too due to the altitude (3200m - 3600m).
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