Skiing holiday for beginners

[feduuup]

DH and I would love to take our boys (9 and 6) skiing next year. We have never been together only individually and never with kids. We'd get lessons for family before going and would need to hire everything as it's not something we'd look to do regularly. Is it hugely expensive? Where do people recommend? Any tips?

Ideas on price pp would be great too, and whether you book separately as I assume that's cheaper?

Hi you might get more responses if you ask this to be moved to the Skiing topic.

Skiing is a great family holiday. For your first time it might be easiest booking through a company. Unfortunately as you're tied into school holidays and Easter is late thus year, you're probably looking at Feb half term which is a pricey week. As you're first time skiers then you don't need to go to a super extensive ski resort, we went to Montgenevre which is great for beginners- actually that one is easy enough to self organise- flights to Turin and transfers.

Remember to factor in ski and boot hire £50-100 per week, lessons and lift pass can be £250 per week for an adult.

Thanks @rookiemere I didn't realise there was a skiing board, I will look there. Thanks for the advice.

For a first trip you want a smallish resort with ski in/ski out accommodation ideally. A lot of MNers rave about Puy St Vincent with Snowbizz, I can personally recommend Zauchensee with Ski Hillwood (we did it twice with our DC when they were learning), also take a look at Sainte Foy (lots of SC accommodation slopeside), and the various level of Les Arcs. I think 1950 and 2000 have quite a lot of ski in/ski out SC apartments.

As for how expensive it is - yes it's an expensive holiday - particularly if you have to go during the five weeks that fall during school holidays. I tend to think that you need to budget about £1000 pp pw. Ways to cut that down - drive, SC, take a big cash and carry shop with you, bung a picnic lunch in a backpack and take that out for the day, borrow or rent ski wear or buy during the off-season. Mountain Warehouse is very reasonable if you want to buy your own stuff.