budget trip with family

We're on a tight budget this year but my kids are desperate to go skiing this season. We're going to go self-catering and drive, and we are thinking of going during the first week of our Easter school holiday, which is March 28th next year.

Any suggestions on where is good value in France? My two sons are 9 and 13, we are all intermediate skiers, happy to go wherever the snow is.

You can save a lot of money by staying out of resort, particularly for the Easter week. I guess night life isn't a great concern so how about looking for an apartment in Bourg St. Maurice? Cheaper than staying in resort, proper supermarkets with valley prices instead of resort and just 10 minutes ride up the funicular into Les Arcs each day. Sorted.

Was going to suggest the same thing as admin, by stayin out of resort much cheaper. Booking independently is obviously a sure way of saving money. Ski hire can be obtained cheaper through the discount given to j2ski by skiset i think????

A good place to look is www.francealacarte.com .They book accomodation, car hire and ski passes leaving you to book a cheap flights with ryanair, easyjet etc. I have been several time and they are really helpful and friendly. I originally found them through another website www.activitybreaks.com that has some good deals in Italy and Austria as well.

It may also be worth looking for places that offer short or cheaper midweek breaks as this not only keeps your accommodation costs down but also ski hire and ski pass prices down too. Also avoid the larger resorts which have expensive ski passes and restaurants!

Buying food down the mountain before you reach the resort will also save you a tiny fortune. we live in La Clusaz and shop in Thones just 10 minutes away as you can save up to 1€ on some products - it all adds up!

Les Gets was rated in 2005 by the Independant Newspaper as the best family ski resort in the world - however, it is not that well known and prices are very reasonable.

We drove to Vaujany last Christmas and had a great time, 10 hours from Calais via the Autoroute. A very quiet family resort, down the mountain but with the largest cable car in Europe serving the Grandes Rousses ski area ( same as Alp D'Huez ). Accomodation is very reasonable and can be booked direct as all the big companies are there, or you could use Ski Independance as I have 4 times now. Great service and very friendly company based in Scotland.

mnathan wrote:Les Gets was rated in 2005 by the Independant Newspaper as the best family ski resort in the world - however, it is not that well known and prices are very reasonable.

you're referring to this ?

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/the-50-best-places-to-ski-this-winter-514454.html

that's hysterically funny, I particularly like :

Finding yourself in a picture-postcard resort is a real bonus and Les Gets in France's famous Portes du Soleil is as charming a ski village as you're likely to find

classic ) 20 years ago this was a small village not without some charm, rather less so now and hardly as charming as you're likely to find unless your satnav is only programmed for Les Gets, Bracknell and Milton Keynes although to be fair Bracknell does have some alpine charm in comparison.

It's quite well known as well I'd say, not just in the UK, here in Switzerland it's often used as a reference in arguments against over development in mountain villages.

None of which is to say it's not an excellent place for a first ski holiday just that claims of village charm are all relative.