 Poster: A snowHead
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Went to Puy with Snowbizz at Christmas and everything was perfect, absolutely perfect, oh apart from the fact that everyone in the family got ill and so skied as little as two hours during the whole week.
So I'm searching about trying to find an option for half term, but it's gotta be cheap as we spent all our money at the doctor and pharmacie at Christmas 
Not too worried about getting huge amounts of great skiing myself, just want kid1 to get some more lessons to get him onto red runs (7yo) and for kid2 to get some lessons so he can happily do green/blue runs like he did last year (5yo).
Austria seems to start at £500 in Sonnhof in Rauris, which gets pretty grim reviews.
France starts around £340 s/c in La Plagne but then there's probably £500 on top of that for the family ski pass, which seems steep given the weans only need about 10km of runs for the whole week.
Or Bulgaria for £250
Or Andorra has loads on offer for around £260
Presumably there is a reason that SkiFamilie/MarkWarner/Snowbizz/Esprit can charge around £5k for a family holiday that week. Presumably they offer something that isn't available in any of the budget deals..
How easy is it to get decent ski tuition at any of the places above in half term week?
Would you take your dearest children away on a cheap self catered deal to Borovets at 5 years and risk putting them off, or is it actually just as good as Snowbizz?
opinions please..
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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TheGeneralist, Your observation re La Plagne is spot on! French mega resorts at half term are well worth avoiding. Head for a smaller Austrian resort, e.g., Bad Klein Kircheim, or small but well connected e.g.. Leogang perhaps.
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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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They used to do free lift passes for kids under 12 in Arinsal with each adult pass. We stayed in Princessa Parc a few times which offered free half board accommodation for kids under 12 as well, so we only had to pay for flights for the kids. Ski school for kids was always brilliant. All the instructors spoke good English. (Most of them were English.) Our last mid term break trip to Arinsal was about £1600.00 for 4 of us including passes, ski school and ski hire.
Not really a place for a good intermediate or advanced skiier though
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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eh, that's what I want to hear.
cheers
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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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They also have a bunch of guys with video cameras follow the school groups around. They show the video later in a designated pub. Excellent way to see how your kids are getting on. You can get a copy for a few Euro which is awesome to watch a few years down the line, when your kids are skiing backwards down black runs having a good laugh at your lack of expertise
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Would you take your dearest children away on a cheap self catered deal to Borovets at 5 years and risk putting them off, or is it actually just as good as Snowbizz?
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no it's not
a lot of French resorts will give free passes up to 5 years old, but it's peak French hols too, so I'd give France a miss. Just be aware that very few of the options will be as "family friendly" (I've never been with Snowbizz but I've read reports on here). Given that you are not bothered about skiing yourself, it's probably OK for you to cart kids off to ski school, pick them up and then play toboganning, snowmen etc in the afternoons. Save a lot on ski passes, that way.  Or in Austria I think they could do all day ski school?
Frankly, there aren't any cheap half term deals, just some that are less expensive.
Why not go at Easter - much less crowded, it's early this year, still should be plenty of places with good snow and in France it's low season rates for accommodation at Easter.
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there are no cheap half term holidays but a great many nasty ones, some of them very expensive.
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There's nasty and there's nasty. We booked the cheapest deal over Christmas this year in VT. After booking were horrified to see that Altineige Appts were 32 out of 35 in the ranking for VT on Tripadvisor. Then looked at Tripadvisor reviews and many were frankly horrific.
It turned out that apart from a few fag burns in the carpet and 20% of the pots , pans cutlery etc being missing on arrival , all was good. Paperwork suggested doing our own inventory on arrival which we did. That maybe saved us a few quid on our £300 deposit which was fully refunded.
So, cheap and nasty can end up just cheap.
Six hour coach transfer to Geneva via long wait in Moutiers wasn't the ideal finish.
TheGeneralist, So, might be worth checking out tripadvisor before you book.................Hmm, but then again I'm ,in retrospect glad that we didn't , or we may have pulled out and not gone at all.
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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 read that again.
Book it and go. You are there to ski
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6 hours from VT to Geneva? We did a private transfer last year. I am sure it wasn't much more than 3 hours and was less than 20 quid each
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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TheGeneralist, Never had a nasty holiday skiing yet but don't know what all places are like.
Outwith France half term is not usually extortionalty expensive or crowded unless it coincides with Fasching.
If you can get cheaper transport by driving or say cutting your holiday a bit shorter and getiing cheaper flights Sun-Friday you should be able to get a reasonably priced holiday in a decent Austrian resort that would work well for a family.
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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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| Quote: |
6 hours from VT to Geneva? We did a private transfer last year. I am sure it wasn't much more than 3 hours
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Thornyhill, if you did 3 hours at half term you were lucky.
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and if you paid £20 each you are a magician. The bus is hugely more. Share.
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You know it makes sense.
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7 of us in a people carrier - wasn't half term though - middle of March. I forgot about the mess that is Moutiers on transfer day.
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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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Thornyhill, still very cheap. Good trick.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We have done Soldeu, Andorra at 1/2 term for past 10 years, none of the horrendous queues reported by others in the alps, the queue for the main lift can be big on monday am but disappears quickly. Our 4 yr old had a ball in ski school singing "girl power!!" As they snaked down the mountain, she's gutted that she's not going back there this year
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| pam w wrote: |
| Thornyhill, still very cheap. Good trick. |
I got it from a link on here. Was in some way related to to a site that did very affordable ski hire. Can't work out the name now. I thought it was www.alpinhire.com, but that doesn't work. I know the the Alpine bit was missing an E
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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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| Quote: |
6 hours from VT to Geneva? We did a private transfer last year. I am sure it wasn't much more than 3 hours and was less than 20 quid each
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Just rent a car - easiest by far.
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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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| Quote: |
I got it from a link on here. Was in some way related to to a site that did very affordable ski hire. Can't work out the name now. I thought it was www.alpinhire.com, but that doesn't work. I know the the Alpine bit was missing an E
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Possibly alpinresorts.com?
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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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we went to la norma at half term with peak retreats last year - very small resort, pedestrian and great for kids. for s/c accomodation (that was at the foot of the slopes) lessons for 3 kids and ski hire/passes for 5 of us, it came to £2,800. we had to drive but it was a fantastic holiday, and not too busy either.
also we went to finland in december and that was wonderful - not sure about their half term holidays, and yes it is cold , but is forcast for -14 in puy next week so not that much difference to -20 really. very different experience - you can also go husky sledding, meet reindeer & santa etc. not that expensive so worth a look if you fancy something different.
it is possible, you just need to avoid (as has been said) the big obvious french resorts!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
Just rent a car - easiest by far.
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still won't stop a 3 hour journey becoming a 6 - 7 hour journey at half term.
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2 Hour 11 minutes Reberty to Geneva. I love the toll roads.
grey, Would you go back?
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| Quote: |
2 Hour 11 minutes Reberty to Geneva.
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good going if that was half term...
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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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| tangowaggon wrote: |
| We have done Soldeu, Andorra at 1/2 term for past 10 years, none of the horrendous queues reported by others in the alps, the queue for the main lift can be big on monday am but disappears quickly. Our 4 yr old had a ball in ski school singing "girl power!!" As they snaked down the mountain, she's gutted that she's not going back there this year |
Tell me more.
Which ski school did they go with
Which hotel, and was it any good?
cheers
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| Stumbler wrote: |
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I got it from a link on here. Was in some way related to to a site that did very affordable ski hire. Can't work out the name now. I thought it was www.alpinhire.com, but that doesn't work. I know the the Alpine bit was missing an E
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Possibly ALPINRESORTS.com? |
yep - that was it. been trying to work that out all day
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
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2 Hour 11 minutes Reberty to Geneva.
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good going if that was half term... |
Not half term, January the 5th, left before all the coaches, saw them all coming up the hill.
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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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| TheGeneralist wrote: |
Tell me more.
Which ski school did they go with
Which hotel, and was it any good?
cheers |
Grandvalira and Valnord run all the ski schools and lifts in Andorra. They cover two distinct areas. You won't have a choice of ski school, but we found that you never really needed a choice
http://www.grandvalira.com/en
http://www.vallnord.com/en
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Not half term, January the 5th
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you can't compare January 5th with half term. It's like saying "I drove down to Cornwall on a Tuesday in November, there was no trouble, I don't know why people make such a song and dance about Saturdays in late July".
Anyone on the roads to or from the Tarentaise resorts on any Saturday between mid February and mid March, who doesn't absolutely HAVE to be there, is a masochist.
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You know it makes sense.
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pam w, January 5th 2013 was as bad as half term (Tarentaise traffic flow management was on from 07:30), Eurotunnel was so delayed they have just refunded my fare!
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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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We go at half term, good sized apartment £500, petrol and tolls £300 (we drive quite an economical car), lift passes £400. Plus top up on car insurance £30, nursery for LO £80 (6 half days). So all in £1310 for 3 at half term. The cheapest deal I could find when we booked last year was £800 per person (will little discount for the 2 yr old).
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Poster: A snowHead
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Boredsurfing, if it was this last 5 Jan, blahblahblah must have cracked it if he did it Reberty to Geneva in 2 hours 11 minutes. Left early, by the sound of it. On busy Saturdays, go at the crack of dawn or ski till 1700!
Your figures are amazing, Nixtoo! You must share the secret of driving to the Alps for £150.
Where do you go? That apartment price is very good for half term, too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Agreed very good even £80 for 6 half days nursery is incredibly good.
However he may not wish to share as he may not want the competition for the places /space
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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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pam w, Yep we left early and arrived at the Tunnel around half an hour ahead of normal to face a 3 or 4 hour delay, but hey ho the Pizza was good and Eurotunnel have given us a voucher for a free crossing.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Ah 128 baggage and 648 quid transfer.
Optional extras apparently
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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648 transfer? Is that in a taxi from Manchester?
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what week is your mid term break?
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648 quid transfer.
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for how many people? It's a long way.
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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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Your dates are crucial. Are we talking w/c 9th or 16th? Niether are good...16th looks the worst! Your tone suggests you are looking for a package, pref half board?
Its going to be tricky,esp for any major resort. There is always the chance of a last minute(though its nearly that now),and only you can decide if that might suit?
Self drive opens up a lot more opportunity...there are still apartments showing on Pierre & Vacances for places like Les deux Alpes, Les Arc, Valmorel and St Martin de Belleville. And,currently,prices on Eurotunnel have dropped a little(looks like a mini price war with P&O ferries?).Currently,make an enquiry with P&O,and there is a fair chance they will mail shot you with a 20% voucher(as they did me,and a friend)
Package wise,France could be tricky,esp the major resorts. Austria the same,though probably better value IMHO Andorra is well worth a look.No problem with the ski schools, and well priced passes for the young un's. Opinions on Bulgaria I leave to others 
Do you have a good selection of High St travel agents? Well worth keeping an eye on them. I have a theory(impossible to prove),that with most of the focus being on net bookings,some will look to 'dump' via the agents? Its a certain fact that I have seen some outrageous last min bargains lately. Another ploy..find a hol,print it off,then see if your local TA will better it.Some are more giving than others(Co-Op Travel being a good bet ) Nothing to lose.
Purely my opinion(based on what I have seen),but dont keep looking at the same holiday/resort with the likes of Crystal,hoping the price will fall.Their clever software will clock your interest and,even if it 'appears' to be a bargain,you will find you cannot complete the transaction...and...when you are forced to start over,the price will have gone back up  Fluid pricing,dont ya just love it
In the end,the result will depend on how much effort you are preparred to make....same as always.Best of luck 
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Hmm self drive. Not so keen. I've driven to the continent dozens of times to climb and paddle but it just doesn't appeal to ski oneweek with the family. Though I did drive to tignes once for a weekend skiing.
Anyway, yup 16 February.
Looks like itmight have to be aviemore even though I swore"never again" last time I went to Scotland. For the week.
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