Any 1/2 term ski tips?

[snowbum]

Hi,
We are a family of 4 ( children 11&8) who have skied before but outside of school holidays......
This year, however, it looks like we will have to ski in Feb half term or first week of easter holidays.
We have previously booked package deals with neilson in France & Andorra, as the children have ski lessons in the morning then they have lunch at the hotel so are looked after from 9-2 giving us time to ski.
We would still like the children to have lessons in 1/2 term

This is looking far too expensive for 1/2 term, but not having used any other operators before,we are not sure where to start looking, was hoping for it to come in around the 4K mark,

Any ideas??!!
Sorry for the epic post!!

someone i know went to slovenia in feb half term this year. and they liked it so much they've booked again for next year already.

Hmm, never even thought of looking there,
Will investigate,
Thanks x

Where in the UK are you based? Have you looked at DIY - Tesco vouchers to pay for Eurotunnel, self catering in apartment. Our half term next year (if you are 12-16 Feb) does not clash with the main Paris half term so the slopes and the travel down won't be as bad. As it is half term, you can more or less guarantee that there will be plenty of other British kids in the ski school.

Was that all in, including ski passes? If not try eg, Erna Lowe can offer a 2 bedroom apartment - Les Chalets Edelweiss - in Plagne 1800 with a swimming pool

2 bedroom 6 person
Living room with double sofa bed, one double and one twin bedroom. Additional shower room. Please note bedrooms may have sloping ceilings and that some apartments are duplex.
Board basis: Self Catering, was £2,041.00 SAVE £102.00 = £1,939.00 total. Including Eurotunnel Flexiplus from £2314.00

Also try Pierre et Vacances

Try the Chalet Solutions forum. Post your dates and numbers and the chalets reply with offers. We always go independent this way at half term and just book our own flights. Never spend more than 4K all in.

Some good ideas there, thank you,
We are based in the south east, so driving could be an option, just never really considered it before.
The packages I referred to included lift passes & equipment hire,
Wondering if I should get some boots in uk /eBay to ease cost also.

Will keep looking, & will look on the forum you suggested, thank you

Driving is totally the way to go with 4 of you, especially if you are in SE.
Leave one evening of night one, do the tunnel & stay somewhere cheap & cheerful before doing long drive the next day.
Avoid February as the whole world goes then. I’m a recent convert to Spring skiing, tis the promised land!

Spring skiing is def the way forward, but if you're determined, try look at Italy or Spain

Yup, I'm a fan of spring skiing as well, but you need a snow-sure resort if going late in the season. I'm not sure I would recommend driving through France on a Saturday during peak holiday time - roads are likely to be very busy and, depending on where you're going, it can take a long time to get up the mountain (no fun in the dark, esp if you have to stop and fit chains). Driving on the Friday is a better option, if you're able to arrange it.

We tend to go in the Easter holiday, (going first week next year), using Eurotunnel (thank you Tesco!) and driving to French Alps; we always self-cater and book an apartment through an agency in the resort. We drive on the Friday and stop overnight close to the resort (somewhere like Chambery), so a short drive up the mountain on Saturday. This year, we were in the resort by 9am, having booked our passes on line: dh & I have our own skis, we pre-booked skis for the dc and we were all on the slopes by 10.30, taking advantage of an extra day's (quiet) skiing.

You'll find that a lot of the ski schools offer a lunchtime supervision option, so your dc can have lessons in the morning and you can collect them after lunch at 2. A DIY holiday is probably more hassle, but we've only ever done it this way, so have no experience of anything else .

I am hoping to the same (drive/self cater) for the 1st week of easter but with a group of 14. Would like to go somewhere quite snow sure - Les Deux Alpes, tignes, VT, maybe in the maurienne. Am struggling to find accommodation for that many that is not an expensive out of budget chalet. Any ideas where to look?
Last year we got an apartment for 5 in Tignes for £500 so am hoping!

Look at the Southern Alps resorts in France - Isola 2000/Risoul/Vars. Fly to Marseille, which is loads cheaper than the northern airports, and self-cater. The lift passes/ski hire are much cheaper there too.
That's how we've always done it for Feb half term to keep costs down, but this coming year the kids aren't coming (no university break) so just dh and I with friends so we're going up-market a bit.

Nomorerain - have you tried Erna Low? They specialise in self-drive/self-cater and often have large apartments. I'm sure they'd be able to find you something.