 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
My Wife and I are thinking about taking our first Skiing Holiday at the end of February.
We are complete beginners, both over weight and unfit but really want to give skiing a go.
After a bit of research we liked the idea of Soldeu but then found that they didn't have much snow. So;
Is Soldeu a good place for beginners?
Should I be worried about the lack of snow this early on?
I have been told that Austria has great Apres Ski and a lot more friendly than the French resorts but I can't see a true beginners resort, any suggestions?
Thank you in advance, Scott
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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sd449, welcome to snowheads.  there are loads and loads and loads of resorts which are good for beginners. I don't know Soldeu so can't comment on that. What you are need are good nursery slopes which are easy to get to from your accommodation (either a very short walk or a frequent and non-crowded bus service), nice slopes to progress to (almost everywhere has good nursery slopes but sometimes the next slopes are a big step up). And may be most important, a really good ski school - especially for older beginners it's the standard of tuition which will make or break a first ski holiday.
If you are dead set on going end of February then I'd advise against France, as it's peak season and will be crowded. I think it's busy in Austria too - you might be better off waiting a bit longer.
which would also give you a chance to lose a bit of weight and get out and do some aerobic exercise (brisk walking, cycling) which will make a big difference. Skiing is quite hard work, physically, not only the actual skiing but the walking around in great clumpy boots carrying skis and sticks. Uphill, usually.
I'm sure Austria has tons of good resorts for beginners, and there are plenty of friendly French resorts; don't believe all you read. 
where do you live? if near one of the indoor ski slopes you'd find an introductory lesson a huge help, and good fun.
For more specific resort recommendations you need to tell us a bit more about your budget, and what sort of holiday you are looking for.
Do you like the idea of a hotel, an apartment (eating out, or in, as you like) or a catered chalet?
And maybe which UK airports are in striking distance for you.
If you decide on a French resort I'd recommend going mid March, when they will be a lot quieter.
A lot of the tour operators do "learn to ski weeks" which can be very good value and save you a lot of thought, planning and hassle. A ski holiday isn't the easiest to organise yourself - there's a lot to think about.
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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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Espri; Thank You for your suggestions I will give them a look now.
Pam W; Thank you for your reply, I am 27 and my wife is 24 been trying to get down the gym but its harder getting up with these dark winter mornings! End of February is the only time we can go (w/c 27/02/12) due to commitments at work.
We live in Norwich so would be using one of the London airports, would like to get flights, Half Board Hotel (Not Apartment), ski rental, lessons and passes etc for under £3000 for 7 nights away. Thinking about using Crystals or Neilson to make things easier on our first trip.
Norwich has a dry slope and have had 4 hours with a private instructor, I can just about do controlled wide and narrow snowplow turns, whilst my wife is just getting to grips with linking turns, so I guess "complete" beginner was slightly untrue.
I think due to our weight close proximity to the lifts and town would be best so we aren't walking to far to get to the action. But also have some variety so we can get up the mountain and ski down to a restaurant or bar for lunch.
We are not party animals would like to get a good feeling for Apres Ski but all so a village or shops to look round to give us a break from skiing
Does this make things easier?
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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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Norwich has a dry slope and have had 4 hours with a private instructor, I can just about do controlled wide and narrow snowplow turns, whilst my wife is just getting to grips with linking turns, so I guess "complete" beginner was slightly untrue.
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yes, definitely untrue! that will make a big difference, and probably means you wouldn't be right for one of the TOs "learn to ski" weeks because they are pretty inflexible about you being complete beginners, I think.
You need to check on the holiday dates in Austria. If that's one of the very busy weeks there, might be worth looking at Italy. It's really much, much, nicer to learn to ski without loads of people whizzing round you all the time.
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pam w, I've heard good things about Cervinia in Italy, would that be good for us?
I think 100% the most important thing is we enjoy the 1st Year so we want to go again next year
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Soldeu is nice, stay at the Sport hotel, good VFM as tax area, better than a lot of the Austrian resorts I have skied in mentioned. BUT it must have good snow levels. A little missing the gemutlich of Austrian resorts and chocalate box scenery, replaced by an Ibiza attitude by the ex pats, but this is a personal feeling. A little far from airports because of geography but no further than the savoie from Geneva.
The budget you have set I would say look at Club Med, ALL! will be taken care of you just turn up, it will just be in France rather than the other two. Look at the resorts choose one that appeals, ask again on here for people that have been there and the suitability of the resort for your needs. I know Serre Chevalier that might suit, BUT avoid French holiday time it is very popular as it has a mini club and is overun with knee high mogul experts.
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Hi, just a quickie ive been sneeking through this forum for long enough and its about time I gave my fist usefull bit of advise!
I learnt to ski in Soldeu last year and the instruction was brilliant did to days on the nursery slopes with the group and for the rest we where skiing all around soldeu and el tarter prtacing our drills etc. I was then going out with friends hitting any blue slope i could find so they are all managable. For a 1st time skiier it will be very hard for you to get bored!
I was so impressed with it that i convinced my family to come along this year, we went on the 15th of Jan, my Dad and brother had had 1.5 hours at hemel and where "just" linking snowplough turns, there level of skiing was covered perfectly for them, didnt feel pressured to do anything without getting bored
before we went i was addicted to snow reports and webcams of the place and was very worried about the lack of snow but once on the mountain i was impressed with the snow and condition of it and was able to ski far more than i expected thanks to the snow cannons! so dont let the snow reports put you off.
I have only ever skied in Soldeu socant really say its the best, but they say its the best ski school in europe or whatever and i cant see why its not
what ever you do have fun you will LOVE it
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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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chedder_boy, Welcome to snowHeads and well done for a useful first contribution.
sd449, Whatever you choose, it's going to be great!
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I regularly go to Soldeu with my parents (almost every year), and we stay in one of the piolets hotels in Soldeu. Prices are about half of what I pay in Austria for room, transport and ski pass, but I go by coach, so no flying.
Those piolets hotels are nice, food is good, but the percs have decreased over the years... 5 years ago there was cava at the breakfast buffet, two years ago we had to ask for it, but we still got it 
Prices for the apres are very affordable due to the tax free status, but don't expect austrian scenes you get standard eurodance, and you'll miss out on all those fine german language things like viva colonia (or viva bavaria in tirol), hoelzfeller, 1000mal geloegen, eisbaersehen, schnappi, alice and stuff like that  For that I can really recommend st-anton and zillertal.
As far as skiing goes, Gran Valira to me is perfect for beginners. When I took my mom to Zillertal (stayed in Finkenberg that time), she really didn't like the red she had to take from the top. However, in Andorra, she managed to do all the reds without a hitch. It is really an easy-riding ski area, there are some short tougher "shortcuts" you can take between the easier slopes if you want some challenge, but not something I would go to without my parents... So I guess in a couple of years, it would no longer be of interest to you, but as a starter I think it's an area where you can progress quickly.
Since you seem to have a reasonably large budget (I'm going solo to Ischgl for under 1000 euro half board, no lessons though and company car&petrol - Lech I do B&B for around 650), you might also want to look at Lech. It's up the pass from St-Anton, has a good ski school, and the slopes from the first lift up are all wide easy blues. You also have plenty of hotels on the piste (especially oberlech), making the trip to the lift especially convenient.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've skied 19 resorts (just checked me diry), and had instruction, both group and 1-1 in probably 8 of those. For an English-speaking beginner I would say Soldeu's teaching beats all others. They hire their instructors for their teaching, not their skiing (not to say they're not very good skiers, but some of them are not out-and-out race or freeride fiends).
I've also taught maths for 20 yrs, and I've learned teaching tips from the Soldeu folk that have helped me with my own teaching. They are really very good. Can you tell I'm keen?
PS, last night's 50cm should make a massive difference to the snow conditions. Book now before prices go back up.
PPS I have absolutely nothing to do with Soldeu, other than liking their ski school.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Tue 31-01-12 23:00; edited 1 time in total
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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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A number of SHs have commended the very good holidays in Italy organised by Colletts - a small firm, who by the sound of things, provide very good service.
http://www.colletts.co.uk/winter/winter-downhill-skiing-holidays-italy-dolomites.html
If Italy interests you, you might give them a ring and pick their brains. You have a generous budget and should be able to get something really good for that.
On the other hand, you could do two cheaper holidays.
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sd449, Do you smoke?
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You know it makes sense.
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To answer your thread title it's probably not the best but 'best' is a bit subjective. Andorra isn't the budget destination it once was-the lift pass is one of the most expensive, the transfer can be a bit of a nightmare, it's not pretty but functional and has a reputation of having great ski schools.
To answer another question you asked, Cervinia is great with mostly wide well prepared psites to suits intermediates. The main appeal to many people is being able to sample Zermatt without having to pay to stay in Zermatt which is in Switzerland and is expensive mainly due to the exchange rate.
As pam w, says France is maybe best avoided for this trip due to high numbers present at that time of year. I like Italy, the food and drink are far more reasonable than in France but if a bit of apres tickles your fancy it's usually very low key-I don't find Cervinia to have allot going on plus it's treeless and high altitude which means it can be bleak in bad weather.
You don't need a huge linked area with it being your first week, many resorts don't charge for the nursey lifts. Overall I like Austria as a ski holiday destination, cheap(er) beer and food, attractive towns in the main as opposed to purpose built resorts-many of these have plenty to keep you entertianed if you fancy a day off the slopes. If you can get to a dry slope or even better and indoor slope you'd be surprised how you can quikcly get to a stage to get straight on to enjoying a few tame blues. For Austria I'd conisder Alpbach, Neiderau, Zell Am See, St Johan. Bigger areas SKiWelt, Kitzbuhel and Saalbach-if you can get to a decent standard before you travel.
You're right to want to get the best 1st holiday you can as it will hopefully be the first holiday of many or like many of us on here become an obsession!
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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've been to Soldeu once many years ago and had lessons although I wasn't a beginner. It had a high proportion of instructors who spoke English as a first language and I found the level of instruction to be excellent. What was noticeable was the amount of beginners around, I don't think I've seen as high a percentage anywhere since so I guess it must be pretty good. I'd be a bit concerned about lack of snow but as a beginner you won't need miles of deep covered pistes. I haven't looked at Soldeu snow reports but unless there isn't any you'd probably alright. However, if conditions are currently parlous there's no guarantee they will improve before the end of February. They might, they might not. Contrast that with much of the Alps where a lot of resorts have enough snow to last the season whether it snows again or not.
Austria's great. Kitzbuhel, Zell Am See, Mayrhofen, Soll, Ellmau all good for beginners.
Cervinia is high, snow sure and has lots of easy slopes but doesn't afford apres ski opportunities in the way Austria does.
My first experience was in Ellmau but if I knew then what I know now I'd have gone to Mayrhofen. No slopes at village level but good ones once you get off the gondola, nice village, very good apes ski and reasonably priced
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Poster: A snowHead
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We learnt in Austria and enjoyed the fact that the ski school was all day with a break for lunch.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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From the teaching side, I think Saalbach is a perfect place to learn to ski, and fun off the slopes too. Which is partly why I go back every year to teach a few weeks there.
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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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Has anyone mentioned Alpe D'Huez??? I've never been but lots of people have mentioned it when talking about easy resorts for beginners.
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sd449,
Both myself and my wife learned to ski there. I would definitely recommend it. It's nice for beginners as you don't get the "hardcore" attitude that you will find in France.
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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 think all day ski school is ideal for beginners too - provided they're moderately fit and keen and don't indulge themselves at lunch time. Otherwise, if you have lessons in the morning, you risk either not being able to do much in the afternoon or biting off more than you can chew and scaring yourself witless.
My query with Austria was whether that was a very busy week there too - I think a thread a few days ago suggested that it was, but I can't remember the details. Dutch and local holidays.
sbirring, i don't know how many French resorts you've been too but the majority aren't remotely "hard core". They will all, however, be pretty busy then which is why I'd always advise against.
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sd449, They've recently had a decent dump of snow in Soldeau, check out the the threads in the Snow Reports section.
Providing some snow is still there when you are planning to visit, i don't think you'll go far wrong with Soldeu. as others have mentioned, the Ski and Snowboards schools out there are pretty good, the slopes are forgiving and there are some lively bars so you get a feel for the Apres.
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Austrian school holidays should end the week before the 25th Feb. Some areas in Holland do have school holidays during the week beginning 25th. Peak season hotel prices in Austria this year seem to run from 04/02 to 03/03 although some hotels have slightly cheaper prices from the 25th to the 03/03. though. I'm sure that week will be quieter than the previous few weeks though I doubt it will mean empty slopes. I think the usually busy carnivale week will be the week before from the 18th which should help things.
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The following might work... compare the price for the week you want with the weeks before/after, you may well get an idea whether it's going to be busy..
Cheap => non-busy
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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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Some areas in Holland do have school holidays during the week beginning 25th
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I think the usually busy carnivale week will be the week before from the 18th
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It appears that the Dutch are arriving in droves here in 'party-central' on 18th, and the Goassstall in Hintergelmm is holding its Fasching (pirate themed)party on 21st.
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My school trip, aged 12 was to Zell am See.
I can confirm that they looked after beginners very well in 1984.
The trip down the mountain on the blood wagon was first class, and the nurse in the hospital a cracker!
Imagine breaking your leg on day 2 of your first skiing holiday!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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dudders, my sister's grandson broke his last year, on his second run down a gentle green slope. Spiral fracture. Then before their next trip, at Christmas, he broke his ankle playing in the school playground, a week before coming out. They are borrowing our apartment at half term and this time he hopes it will be third time lucky.
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FAQ
