best place to ski at easter - beginners?

[unfitmummy]

just beginning to look into a skiing holiday for 2012. had thought about the feb half term holiday but from what i've read on here that is the most expensive time to go. therefore if we go at easter, i know we have to make sure we find a resort that will have snow(obviously! ) so i was hoping you nice mumsnetters could point me in the right direction. me and my dd (who will be almost 7) have pretty much never skied so will want ski school. dh has skied a little so may want an intermediate class. my ds (who will be 3.5) will want ski school and childcare. we will be happy to ski in the mornings and spend the afternoon building snowmen, sledging, swimming etc. i would prefer to go catered, whether that is a chalet or a hotel i don't think i mind.

can anyone reccomend a resort/company/chalet/hotel please?

[LIZS]

Check out Saas Fee - there's reviews of the Alphuebel http://www.mumsnet.com/Reviews/TravelSki/12-hotel-alphubel-saas-fee-switzerland-crystal-ski/ here. iirc they do a short "lesson" for 3/4 year olds in the early afternoon and 3 hours children over 5 and adults in the mornings (during which time your 3yo could be inhte childcare). Alternative is the esprit but it is less characteristically "Swiss". If you book Alphuebel direct under 6's stay free and there is a sister hotel right on the nursery slopes. Resort has non skier activities including a pool, summer toboggan ride and lots of walking paths and is traffic free (apart from electric vehicles). Wherever you decide to go make sure there is access to a glacier including slopes for beginners.

[LIZS]

Sorry here

[natation]

Here's a pretty comprehensive listing for French resorts - Peak Retreats concentrates on resorts only with a good ski history all season. But nothing can guarantee you good snow in April, or any time. Opt for the first week of April 2012, French schools are still in session that week, only us Belgians already on holiday with much of the UK I believe.

www.peakretreats.co.uk/ski/Snow-Records.htm


There are loads of UK travel operators who specialise in Family catered chalets such as Esprit. Ski Familly, Hillwood, Ski Beat etc. We always do self-catering so I don't know all of them, these are just ones I see quoted often here.

Oh one other thing, Switzerland generally offers free ski passes to under 9s, whereas France is it usually under 5s or 6s. That's great, but their ski lessons can be far more expensive, typically Swiss.

As you have non skiers, it does not make sense to go to a place with a huge ski area. As you have 2 young children, the nearer you can get your accommodation to the STARTING POINT of ski school AND lifts accessible to beginners (eg chair lift / bubble and NOT a drag lift) the better really. There's nothing more tiring than walking with your own skis and your children's skis too, even worse when the walk is up hill!!

If you are looking for a pool though, you are fat more likely to get that with French self-catering apartments and hotels than with a catered chalet which is sold to Brits - very few have pools, more expensive ones have saunas and hot tubs.

[natation]

Just found a few catered apartments WITH pools in Les Arcs. Here's a link to them on Esprit Ski's website but several companies such as Igluski and Ifyouski use the same chalets so the price may vary for the same place.

www.espritski.com/ResortAccoms.aspx?resortId=9

Les Arcs is linked to Peisey-Vallandry and also La Plagne and you have a choid of passes, depending on how big an area you want to ski on. There are family passes available (only worth it if paying for 2 adults and 2 children over 6 years) but there are multi-adult passes too for adult groups.

Les Arcs is only a few minutes from Bourg St Maurice train station, so you could travel by Eurostar/TGV there too.

[Skilover]

If you don't wish to be in a catered chalet I would recommend an apartment at Arc 1950. It is a newly built resort with top end accommodation, there is a creche and exceptional ski school and you have access to the swimming pools, jacuzzis, steam rooms etc. The resort has gentle runs literally going past the apartment blocks and there are a few restaurants and a supermarket in the village to make it really convenient. I've also been there late April and had fab ski conditions so whilst you can never guarantee snow, if there is any then it is likely to be at this altitude...have a look at www.ernalow.co.uk, and choose France, Arc 1950 in the left hand side for more information.
:)