How to have a cheap ski holiday for family of four?

[Whippet]

DH thinks we can't really afford to go skiing this year, but I desperately want to, as it's my favourite holiday.

In the past we have tended to spend quite a lot by going for catered chalets with childcare (when kids were younger).

I just wondered how to put together a nice, but low budget holiday for us - 2 adults and 2 kids (11 & 8).

Am thinking:

Drive to Alps?
Take them out of school (non-peak period)
Small self-catering appt (anyone got one to offer?)
No/ few lessons.

Which resorts are cheapest?

How much is the absolute minimum we'd have to spend do you think?

go to somewhere like Bulgaria- everything is a lot cheaper

We are going self drive to a resort in France about an hour from Geneva. The rental for a two bed apartment is about £550 for the week up to and including Christmas Day but is probably lower in January.
On top of that we have to budget for ski passes, ski and boot hire for some of us, some lessons, ferry/Eurotunnel, petrol and road tolls, extra car insurance/rescue (if applicable, personal insurance, one overnight hotel on way down and any food/entertainment for the week.
We've also had to invest in snow chains (required by law) - fortunately skis will fit our roof box, otherwise we'd have to buy or hire a new one.

You will find it hard to beat Rocket Ski prices if you want a flight/half-board accommodation next to the slopes. Someone posted a few days ago about getting a Christmas week for 4 people for less than 1k.

I did a few catered chalet packages when a student, but never with the kids, I'm far too tight. For me the skiing and the scenary are far more important than a load of luxury towels or a hot tub, so have to agree with you about doing it on the cheap.

We live in Belgium so always drive or take the train to the northern Alps, always pack lunch and do the trip in one long day. Driving costs us about ?200 in fuel and tolls (not much in tolls). We HAVE to go in the school holidays as it's illegal to remove children from school for holidays in Belgium for more than 4 days and the Police will often visit, so the apartment costs are always a bit more than I'd like but I've got oone for 8 days at Easter for ?590, I could have paid a hundred less but would not be right next to the ski lift, last year I got the apartment for ?500. We will theoretically pay just under ?600 for 7 day ski passes this year, but last year they reduced the price for Easter and we got them for ?350 for 7 days, so less than ?60 per person. I negotiated ski hire on the phone with the hire shop right next to the ski lifts and paid ?300 for 7 days for 6 people, so ?50 per person. So last year for a family of 2 adults and 4 kids, paid ?1350 for travel, accommodation, ski hire and ski passes.

My advice is go where the French or Austrians or Italians stay. Go for a resort not so well known by the Brits. Search out resorts which give discounts for multiple lift passes.

For France, there are a multitude of accommodation companies, Goelia is particularly cheap, sometimes Odalys, then Maeva, MGM, P & V.

Lilymaid,
In the part of France where we ski (Chamonix valley), ski chains are certainly not a legal requirement. Winter tyres to me are a far better idea. My friends live up the mountain and cross several mountain passes between Chamonix and Martigny frequently in winter in a VX Polo with winter tyres.

If you ski later in the season, even winter tyres are not needed on the floor of the Chamonix valley, unless there has been heavy snow.

We look for last minute deals. Ski Esprit often have them, We dont use ski school anymore, We book our own skis, so we get the internet deal and sort our own lift passes so we get the family deal.

p & v have some good deals on apartments or book via the local tourist office.

AA advice on requirements for snow chains/winter tyres.

I phoned Esprit Ski about one of their Boxing Day Special Offers at £2699. Once you add on supplements, ski/boot hire, lessons & minimal childcare (just to allow DH & I to ski in the mornings) it came to over £4K! That's a no then....

Tbh, cheaper to fly than to drive. I'm driving and it's going to cost me vignette/petrol/tolls/400 euros minimum on winter tyres so I'm looking at around 600 euros to drive 800km (live in mainland europe) - flights WOULD be cheaper but as we've got a quiver of skis AND a baby (complete with a mountain of equipment)...

www.travelzoo.co.uk have some incredible deals - you might be lucky enough to get 4 of you for 1200.

Drive and self cater, and as you'll have your car stay near but not in one of the big resorts, and use out of resort shops for your supplies. Also smaller ski areas often have cheaper lift prices. We like Samoens, which is one of the easiest to drive to - motorway nearly all the way - and is on the Flaine area circuit. Have a look at the apartment prices from Peak Retreats (prices are per apartment and include Eurotennel crossing - including the flexiplus upgrade which gets you access to a lounge area with free drinks, sandwiches etc at the terminal.

I blogged about this recently, will PM you a link.

We live near Geneva and if you are happy to go with a smaller resort then you can go much cheaper than going to someplace like Morzine or Chamonix.

There is an area close to us that is fine for beginners and intermediate skiers - it is not a huge resort but you can drive to Chamonix in 30 mins if you want to do more serious skiing.

Thanks Mme Lindt - I will go and check now....

We have a small place in the Southern Alps and usually drive (we checked out planes for Xmas and with hire car (necessary) the cost was going to be £850 for travel alone) which costs about £300-£400 including ferry, petrol and tolls. We can do it direct one way, but stop in a b&b on the return trip. Add about 100euros for that. We do have snow chains (cost about £30-£40), but rarely have to use them.

As others have said, small resorts that are not so well known are going to be a lot cheaper than bigger places. Avoid Les 3 Vallees, and go for somewhere small. This will have an impact on cost of lift pass and drinks etc. Some friends who usually go to Meribel were amazed at how cheap our local resorts are.

We are in the valley and 20 mins drive away is our local resort with 88km piste (Les Orres) which is more than adequate for most standards of skier. However, a few days there for lessons, plus the odd day in a number of different places makes for an interesting holiday. good skiers head to Serre Che, Vars Risoul. Or check out tiny resorts (Reallon, St Leger Les Melezes) where lift passes will be less than 20 Euro a day.

Either bring your own gear / borrow it, or if hiring, hire on line which usually saves about 20%. We use Aport 2000.

If you go later in teh year, it is easier to eat picnics outside, saving money on restaurants / drinks.

We only let it to friends / family, but rate is £350/week, which I am told is very low!

Sport 2000!