Best resort for a young family and reluctant wife

Hello,
I am after some advice. I have finally persuaded the wife to go skiing. She is more of a lie on the beach type of person but I am sure she will get the bug when she tries it. She's convinced she will break her legs. I also have three children, ages 7, 6 and 4 so obviously money will be tight.

I am a competent black run skier, learning with the army, but I have not skied in that many resorts (mainly Norway and Germany). Could somebody advise me where to go as I don't want to pay a lot of money to go to a top resort when the family will be spending their time on the nursery slopes. Also excellent apres ski is also not an issue as the kids are so young.

Could anybody advise me where to go (country/ resort) for best value for money for beginners.

Many thanks

Alpe D`Huez is great for beginners as they have long beginner runs. Not the most exciting or beautiful place in the world, but the beginners runs at the bottom of the village are great.It`s also good value for money. Megeve is more expensive, but if you go on their web site there is a list of private apartments to let, which offer good value for money and it is a really pretty resort, but can be expensive. With cheap flights to Montreal,there are some cheaper end condos in Tremblant which is the best place to learn to ski...I learnt there several years ago and it is a great place with cheap flights out on Zoom.They know how to cater for kids out there. Otherwise my friends always head to La Rosiere with the kids, for value and good beginner runs. Hope this helps, I`m no expert, just visited a lt of resorts along the way and these may fit the bill as I was alos a reticent wife who is now more addicted than my other half!. Jo

You'll find La Rosiere is a super resort for families, it's well set up for learning, there are 3 good ski schools and an excellent creche/nursery with its own ski area, the beginners pistes and lifts are free, they're very close to the village so it's easy for the family to meet at lunchtime. The skiing is varied, there are over 150 kms of pistes in France and Italy and the ski pass is terrific value, the reosrt is high at 1850 metres, very snow-sure and the slopes are mostly south facing so it's usually sunny.
We have a chalet in La Rosiere and we've some special deals for January, with big discounts for kids, but for beginners I'd reccommend going in March or April when the days are longer and warmer. Have a look at our website www.trackvactions.com for full details, there's a link from our website to the La Rosiere tourist office so you can view the piste maps, ski schools, ski lift prices and get a view of the village.


Regards

David Last
Tracks Vacations

Hi there

I'm no expert on resorts because my other half and I only starting skiing Jan '06 and we went to Niederau in Austria. We too were very much beach people but always wanted to have a go at skiing and have been bitten by the bug. Couldn't really care less now if we don't get a summer holiday! We don't have kids, but Niederau's ski schools are supposed to be some of the best for kids. You will have to go in separate classes from your kids and it is likely that the one of 4 will be in a different class from the 6/7 years olds. Niederau is quite a quiet and traditional resort and therefore reasonably priced and there is tobogganing and horse sleigh rides and a ski show on a Sunday evening. On Thursdays there are ski races for both adults and kids with awards cermonies where everyone gets something. There is on large beginner slope and about 5 nursery slopes served by drag lifts. The Hotel Austria we stayed in is right in the centre of the village, opposite the ski school, gondola and nursery slopes and the ski hire/storage is right underneath. The resort is only about an hour in a coach from Innsbruck so its not too long for kids.

Hi,

Have a look at the French Pyrenees for a cheaper and family oreinted holiday. We run a catered chalet just 100m from the pistes (and lifts and ski school), in the resort of Cambre D'Aze. We have looked after lots of beginner and mixed ability families in the 5 years we have been here so can assure you of a formula that works.

The Pyrenees are much cheaper all round - vastly reduced prices for lift passes, cheap ski/boot hire and much cheaper pizzas etc at lunchtime (cheaper beer too!)

Ryanair and bmibaby fly to Perpignan where we collect you for the short transfer of approx 75 mins - so not too boring for the children.

Our prices include airport transfers, bed, breakfast, afternoon tea, aperatifs and four course evening meal with wine. We usually serve the children a slightly earlier 2 curse evening meal.

Our chalet is family friendly - we have a 9 yr old daughter and the resort is superb for beginners with less stress etc in lift queues) in fact there are very rarely lift queues) There are also plenty of interesting challenging runs for more experienced skiers. We also offer free transort to other local resorts so you can try out some other challenges and can ski with you on several days if required.

Have a look at our website for more details of what we offer and where we are on www.pyrenees-ski-experience.com

Regards
Sarah

HI, we have a chalet apartment in Monetier-les-Bains, a spa-village at the foot of the slopes of Serre Chevalier (France). Tha army championships are often held there. Only 200m to the nursery slopes across a new footbridge, and with a pool and sauna in the complex. Loads for the competent skier, and for beginners. Sleeping up to 5 people, and fully equipped for self-catering with dishwasher and washing machine.There is a british ski school in the village for lessons. See our website at www.chamoissiere.co.uk for more details.

i have just booked to go to Sauze D'oulx in Italy in january. theres plenty of good skiing and i also found it to be a very friendly resort when i went there last year. Its only costing me £269 for a 3* half board hotel so i doubt you'll find much cheaper than that!

Hi Sparky,

In essence there is loads of choice out there. I am Ex Army like yourself and fell in love with the Val D'Isere/Tignes area and found myself going back time and time again as my skiing improved. It is a good all-round resort and whilst Val is extremely expensive Tignes is good value having re-invented itself as a family friendly car free resort. particularly biased towards self catering apartments. We liked it so much we bought there earlier this year as a base for our young family and rent out when not using it.

If you are interested we can supply loads of info to help or you can check out www.tignesdirect.com, rates from £400 for whole week in very spacious apartment that sleeps 6/7. Frosty....