Ski short break - anyone done one ?

[wheelybug]

Is it worth it or will it be more hassle than its worth ?

If you did, who did you go with and which resort (obviously want one as close to an airport as poss).

Thansk

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When I worked not a million miles from Luton airport, we used to leave work on a Friday afternoon, catch a late afternoon/teatime flight to Geneva, drive up to Tignes for two days, back to Geneva and overnight near the airport, then back on the 6 am flight and in work on time on Monday morning! With the right conditions you could do the Portes du Soleil (Morzine, Les Gets, Chatel) or Chamonix easily from Geneva. We've also done resorts in the Aosta valley from Turin for weekends.

Yes, well worth it. Respect Lunar for getting all the way up to Tignes tho, Chamonix is less than an hour from Geneva, but if you hire a car (often best just for the weekend) get one from the Swiss side. Another good option is Kaprun (or Zell am See) from Salzberg.

skibump - little matter of a friend with an apartment up there!

Thanks - have seen some flying to salzburg. Hadn't actually heard of the resort but even if its small it doesn't really matter for 2 days skiing !

yes, Iagree, there is alot of resorts about I hour from Geneva - just back from Chatel. Know someone with an appt. there, if you wish the safety of a recommendation.

And Les Houches near Cham. has a big variety of accessible ski runs.

Thanks Pann - would be interested in a recommendation although fear the thought of doing a weekend independently might just be too much effort. Think we might need someone to ferry us around and sort everything out for us [lazy git emoticon required].

Happy to that....but I'm not cheap!!!

or..happy to do that..even.

OK Wheely, what sort of skiing are you after?

well dh and I are intermediate. If we go for a weekend we'd need to take my parents with us for childcare who won't be skiing so needs to be something a little bit more than just skiing.

Am going to talk to dh when he eventually gets home from work to see if we could sort out a week. Unlikely I suspect but if so, we'd then need much the same but also with good childcare. If we go for a week though I'd probably just go with who we've been with before but they don't do short breaks.

Chamonix is a proper town so there's lots going on as well as skiing (intermediate skiing nearest town which is probably important). It might be worth having a look for small Austrian villages, you probably won't need somewhere huge for a w/e and they tend to be prettier and more family friendly etc. We found it really expensive to go thro an agent for a w/e (but try White Roc if you're set on it), and it's pretty straightforward to book flights/car hire & hotel on the web.

Thanks skibump.

Am thinking that maybe a weekend with a (just) 2 year old is going to perhaps be a bit much.

Will see what dh thinks (he who has been going on for the last 2 months about wanting to go and only the snow today has made me decide that I want to go. Bet dh poo poos it now )

please visit chamonix - its gorgeous

my friends run a chalet out there www.antjamski.co.uk

they may be full but i am sure that they would be able to point you in the right direction for a lovely place out there

karen x

Karen, do you think your friend could recomend a cleaner out there? Friend has an appt and is looking for one

i am sure she knows a lot of people out there - if you just go on their website and email them i am sure they would be happy to help.

they have been out there for 4 years now i think. they don't have a cleaner themselves but i am sure they will be able to help (know someone)

karen x

If you email Antonia Carpenter on the website and just tell her - i will email her too now so she doesn't think its junk mail

good luck

Just emailed Ant - they are very busy at the min.

x

Loads of small resorts suitable for wekend skiing in easy reach of Salzburg or Innsbruck. Look at www.tiscover.at

Also google Salzbug snow shuttle. There is a coach that runs a day trip everyday from Salzburg to a different resort. Runs until 9 Mar, cost is 13 euros, means you could stay in Salzburg and do a different resort on each day!

Sorry, meant 19 Mar

You could try ski2 - they're one of the very few companies which offer organised weekends (in fact any duration you like) WITH childcare. You still need book your flights yourself but you can get quite cheap ones into Turin, and then it's only 1.5 hours up to Champoluc. Ski2 will organise everything from transfers onwards.

tbh I wouldn't do it with children - so much additional hassle to pack for them and plan childcare. If you want to take the familyEngelberg in Switzerland is a nice all round resort - skiing is a good variety and there is a glacier so snow sure at higher levels . Village itself is pretty , a cheese making monastery to visit, ice rink, about 1 and 1/2 hour on train from Zurich airport (change at Lucerne about 30 minutes away). Station is very central with a circular bus route between lift stations and plenty of ski hire shops, playgrounds, dedicated kids ski/sled area, and cafes. We did a Monday-Friday break there a year ago with dd(then 4) and ds (almost 8) and it worked out ok but weather was vairable and it rained for the last full day which was unpelasant for us all. We borrowed the apartment already knowing the resort and visietd friends in Zurich so it was more worthwhile a trip for us and don't think I'd have done it otherwise.

Message withdrawn

Thanks alot Karen, I'll email her now

x