Family ski resorts Italy or Switzerland

[Moonlight75]

We are thinking of going skiing Feb half term and looking for a good ski resort with good facilities and a bit of atmosphere; need to have some green runs for me, rest of the family can do blue, maybe red

We used to go to Spain and it was great as there are some eating areas and cafes right at the bottom of the slopes so I just sat down there after a few hours skiing which is enough for me and waited for the rest of the family.

Kids are over 10

The place in Spain I like is Formigal/Anayet but thinking of going to Italy this time.

I would be grateful for any advice.

Look at Kronplatz in Italy. Or any of the Austrian resorts (is there a reason why you didn't ask for Austrian recommendations)? Unless you have deep pockets and a fat wallet, stay well away from Switzerland - and while the skiing there is great for good skiers, there are better places in Italy and Austria for the kind of gentle skiing that you seem to prefer.

Thank you; we went to Austria a few years ago; didn’t like it much; I remember ski school was all day; morning and continue after lunch. It was too much for me; the drops on the side of the mountains made me a bit nervous and I ended having a silly accident/falling down and tearing my calf muscle; had to be rescue.

I don’t love skiing but do it for the rest of the family

Switzerland requires deep pockets and great skills. Italy has great food.

Austria has over 200 resorts - there will be at least a few where you'll feel comfortable. If you think that Austrian mountains are a bit much, do not go anywhere near Switzerland!

Ski school is whatever you make of it. Group lessons are morning and afternoon, but you can duck out at lunchtime on days that you feel tired - or even better, have lessons with a private instructor who knows how to tailor your lesson to your ability level and still make sure that you progress and enjoy yourself doing so. Two or three mornings with the right instructor will make all the difference to your skiing and to your enjoyment of the whole holiday. You can always find a deckchair in the sun and a glass of wine or a coffee in the afternoon if you don't feel up to any more skiing.

We've skied in Austria a few times and haven't come across the drops off the side of the mountain you mention (they're the one thing I don't like about skiing, so I'm always looking for them). All day ski school was perfect for the kids in our party for various reasons, but there was the option of morning only.

We do love Italy though - I don't think they have green slopes there, so don't be worried if you're looking at piste maps and don't see them. The blues (in my experience) are very kind. I'd say the reds are more like French blues.

As others have said, food is an excellent reason to go to Italy - pizza for lunch, what's not to like?!

We love Sauze in Italy. Not a sideways drop to be seen (apart from the most evil blue run in the world, but that's on the way back from the other resorts its linked to, so you can easily ski a whole week without going anywhere near it).

I don't remember many bars etc at the bottom of the slopes at Sauz and if its the blue on the way back from Sansicario it is evil and after the first day I girded my loins and took the heavily moguled black as it was intimidating.
Sestriere may fit the bill, I remember having lunch on the edge of the village and looking up at the slopes, the piste map shows a collection of blues towards the Sansicario end not sure about atmosphere.
Cervinia has a group of restaurants and bars at the bottom of the slopes I think only 1 blue down. However, if you skied a bit there is a fair bit at Plan Maison and a circuit of blues around it.
If you have a reasonable budget which I'm assuming is the case if your considering Switzerland Obergurgal might suit and also a collection of blues at Hochgurgal with umbrella bars by the hotels and bus it back. Evenings are mainly hotel based though/

Saas Fee. Snowsure, traffic free, pretty and other activities for when you want a break.

But half term can be really busy in ski-school especially if it coincides with the European school breaks.

@Timperleybell - several bars at the bottom of the slopes in Sauze - Scotch Bar v family friendly. Also a few just above town, only 100m or so to ski from there. Or all the bars in Sportinia, where you can download on the lift if you don't want to ski.

And yes - the blue back from Sansicario is the one I mean. But there's plenty of skiing in Sauze itself - loads of people happily do a week without going to the other side of the bowl. We always come back via the black, but have never had any issues with moguls - I'm the world's wussiest skier, and happily come down that run with no problems. It's so wide, it's easy to take it very steady.

Love Saas Fee, snow sure, beautiful village, great restaurants, expensive though.

easy train from Geneva and Zurich.

La Thuile in Italy is good.

The last section is by postbus. Not problematic though.

Iirc La Thuile has an icy red back to base. la Rosiere on the French side has more varied easier runs.

Thank you. Will have a look at the recommendations

@LIZS

I stayed in Planibel Hotel at La Thuile and you can get the gondola lift up and down. So you don't have to do the red down.

I am not a great skier but did manage the red down a couple of times. Would not recommend the red from the top though, that was really steep and I fell over and was helped by a kind person to side slip down it till it levelled out.

We stayed in La Thuile and there is a really hard to find blue, we discovered the link by accident. I do think it’s a windy resort though and the snow had blown off in a few places and it was sheet ice in day. They maintained the piste well though.

I thought it was nicer than La Rosiere

I went in a warm spell late season and the snow was disappearing fast. I think Sportina was the only way back or maybe walking from above the chair. Looking at the map it matches my memory of walking down towards the town rather than terraces looking up at the slopes.

I wouldn't go to Sauze late in the season - whilst it can be amazing, it can also be dodgy as it's not high up. But OP is talking about Feb half term which is perfect timing.

correction it was a red, but the black was hard to avoid! ! I knew we were taking evasive action from something!