 Poster: A snowHead
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We are starting to look for February 2014 already. Normally its just the two of us and we go out of term time, booking more last minute, but next year we are proposing a big family holiday so we have to go during Feb half term. My partner and I are both intermediate skiers, but the rest of the family are brand new, having all decided to take up skiing this year.
I need some suggestions on where to go.....
We want a catered chalet solely to ourselves. There'll be approximately 8 adults (aged 28 to 45) and 4 children (aged 8 to 11), although these numbers are not finalised yet and there may be more adults.
Within the group will be myself and partner (both good intermediates, liking a good selection of red runs) but everyone else will be a near beginner. The rest of the group are all proposing lessons at Chill Factor in Manchester to get to them a minimum basic standard before going abroad but will still all want blue runs with the odd easy red.
The adults want a bit of apres ski but nothing too raucous. All the adults are the sort of people who will like a few beers in the bar at the end of the piste before retiring to the chalet for dinner and more wine! No-one is into nightclubbing or anything mad! We just need somewhere with nice bars and somewhere nice to eat on the chalet staffs night off.
The resort also needs to have some other entertainment.... ice rinks, ski-dooing, etc etc.... something to keep the kids happy!
Most importantly it needs to be somewhere which is *reasonable* to go to in Feb half-term. I know its impossible to ask to find a resort during half term that is quiet, but we'd like somewhere that is as quiet as possible during the Feb half-term. Any hidden gems out there?
For most people in the group it'll be their first ever ski holiday so I want to make sure they all love it and carry it on! We were thinking somewhere in France such as Alpes D'Huex or La Rosiere, or somewhere in Austria. Has anyone got any good suggestions or know of any hidden gems?
The other option is to go during Easter, but I believe its in mid-April in 2014 so I'm unsure where will be snow-sure or safe to go at this time of year. It's more likely that it'll be Feb half term, but Easter hols are the other option.
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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 at half-term for the first time last year and went to Morzine. Masses of chalets (we stayed with Sugar Mountain - very good), huge variety of skiing and although it was busy we hardly queued at all as there's just so much space. We're going again this year but staying in Essert Romand which is a bit further out but gives easy access to the "locals" lift at Ardent and is also a bit cheaper (<£500 a head for half term).
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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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Thanks.... will have a look!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Why not try break away they offer chalets in the swiss alps run buy a guy called Benny Hill who is not only a good skier but a nice bloke to boot
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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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Try and travel on the Sunday not the Saturday to avoid the journey from hell which is French Alps at half term...As you don't need a huge and advanced resort maybe Switzerland or Italy. We loved Chateau D'Oex (got there by train from Geneva or was it Zurich) or Courmayeur or Sauze D'Oulx? Or a smaller Austrian resort like Brand, Tyrol, or the Montafon. La Rosiere would be lovely too but the traffic will be awful along the road from Albertville....I wouldn't.
If the kids have energy for Apres, then make them ski harder/longer!shootinstar9,
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Take a look at flangesax's place in Radstadt (www.austrian-adventures.com) it has exactly what you want with loads of good skiing for all abilities. You can book the whole place as the current extended family have and have a private family chalet, fully catered, plus a shuttle bus to which ever slopes you want to visit. Ben is also an instructor with the Radstadt ski school, so they have special rates for lessons and ski hire. Fly into Salzburg with any of the airlines who fly there in the ski season, and it is a 45 to 60 minute transfer to the resort. He also is flexible in the travel days. The current family in ere are doing Sunday to Sunday. Transfers are cheap if there are a few of you as well. Having stayed there often myself I can thoroughly recommend the place as can many other snowHeads who are frequent visitors.
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Be aware of the practicality (or not) of getting between accommodation and slopes - the logistics can get difficult, unless the different groups are content not to see each other at all during the day. Also, some people, especially new skiers and small kids, might appreciate having accommodation close to slopes if it's horrible weather, or they're tired. Those considerations would rule out Courmayeur for me.
There've been some reports that Valloire wasn't too crowded at half term - I've only been there in mid Jan, and years ago, but there have been positive comments. Strongly agree with snowyowl that a Sunday/Sunday set up is infinitely preferable (though still not quiet).
The lateness of Easter is a problem for 2014. Half term really is best avoided. Have you considered Christmas? Much quieter than New Year and half term.
Quality of ski school is also something to take into consideration for your beginners - make or break.
If you want a chalet to yourselves you probably can't look at booking until your numbers are firm, unless you are prepared to take the under-occupancy charges on the chin.
A big majority of british style "catered chalets" are in France but I'd personally head somewhere else at half term (I have an apartment in France and will be away for the whole of the French 4 week winter holiday period).
One specific French suggestion is Courchevel 1650 - there are a number of good chalets there, it's one of the quieter parts of the Three Valleys, sometimes has the best snow of the lot and there is at least one excellent ski school.
Finally, don't rule out a rather bigger chalet, with other guests, if the location is right. When we did chalet holidays the other guests contributed a lot to our enjoyment - the kids specially liked having others to play with and, when they were older and more competent, to ski with. They had an absolute ball in Valloire.
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Not wanting to put you off Morzine, but we went two years ago in a mixed group, 6 adults one 3 year old. 4 adults skiers, 2 adults boarders, 2 boarders in lessons, 1 skier in lessons (decent skier, just wanted to get some lessons in) 3 year old in Piou Piou club. It was the year of the not so great snow, and tons of sun. PP club was in Morzine, the lessons were all taking place in Avoriaz, I guess due to the snow not being as good in Morzine. So what happened with us was, 3 skiers not in lessons tended to ski around Morzine in morning, and get back for wee one at lunchtime, once tried to get over to the Swiss side, but then a lift broke down, and we were panicking with time. The others were on Avoriaz side.
We did manage to meet up for lunch at times, but it was a real pain, and we didn't get the best out of the holiday, if we had just been all adults and all the same level, we would have headed up to Avoriaz each morning most days (due to snow that year), and it wouldn't have been a problem, but a mixed ability group, I would avoid it. It is great for bars though and a nice town. I would definately go back, so not wanting to put anyone off, but just if folk in lessons, it may not be ideal. It is an extensive area with having Avoriaz, but this was a disadvantage for this particular holiday.
We did Alpe d'Huez before kids came along, mixed group but all adults, and I'm sure that worked out fine, some good bars, but was years ago, and one of our first holidays. I know my first holiday, when I was the beginner in a mixed group was in Serre Chevalier, and that seemed to work out fine for the good skiers in our group, for meeting up with us at lunch etc.
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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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I agree with the other posts about Morzine. Great for intermediates and beginners, with plenty to do in the town. I think it's got an ice rink. We had a similar issue with the lessons being split between Avoriaz for the boarders and Morzine for the skiiers. The lessons were with BASS (who are excellent, by the way), so you probably just need to arrange something where all lessons are at the same starting point. We had four beginners in the party and they all loved it. I think it's a great place to learn due to the variety of runs.
We stayed one year in a catered chalet (Sosa) which was very good. It had 5 bedrooms so you may be able to fit 12 in. It was only 5 minutes walk into the town and well placed for the buses to the main Morzine lift and to Avoriaz. Twice we stayed in a self catered chalet (Le Sabot) which I think slept 12. Good value, but you need cars to get into the town and to the lifts.
I've only ever been in January, so can say how busy it would be in half term. Portes du Soleil is a huge ski area, so it may be OK.
Definitely try and get a Sunday transfer!
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