Resorts that are convenient for self-drive

[snowgirl1]

We've never done self-drive before but I'm considering doing self-drive next ski season as I hate, hate, hate the airport 'experience' on a ski holiday. Can anyone suggest resorts that are convenient to drive to?

If your main concern is journey time, then pick something as far North as you can. Chamonix for example is reachable from Calais using motorways only, so journey time is always fast and you don't have any of the nerve wracking hairpins on the final approach to resort.

However pretty much anywhere in the Alps will be at least a full day of driving to get there. Difference between Chamonix and Val d'Isere for example will only be 2 or 3 hours which isn't much when you're travelling for the entire day.

Finally I would strongly consider an overnight stop on the way. We've overnighted in Reims or St Avold (near Luxembourg) in Novotels by the main motorways. So much nicer to do 5 or 6 hours on a Friday afternoon, then rest and get a decent meal. You can rise at a normal time the next day and do another 5/6 hours up to resort at leisure.

Try doing it all in one go and you'll be arriving in resort after everything has closed, so then you have the mad scramble for lift passes, equipment, lessons etc the next morning.

Thanks Froomie. Yes, I was planning that we'd stop somewhere overnight. Fair point that another 2 - 3 hours isn't much in the scheme of thing!

Chamonix probably isn't the right resort for us - good travel time, but we'll be going with DD 5 and I don't think it's got the best beginner slopes - although happy to be corrected by someone with experience of taking beginners there.

Having taken my own kids to Chamonix in Winter and Summer I'd wholeheartedly recommend it. Yes there are better places to go as a complete beginner, but Chamonix like any ski resort has dedicated beginners' pistes and lifts and a 5 year old skiing for the first time will likely require no more than 2 drag lifts and 2 gentle pistes. There are 2 such areas within 5 minutes of Chamonix centre. It all depends on where the accommodation is. We were lucky enough to stay at Club Med which has beginners' pistes right outside and it was perfect with our 7 year old who was skiing for the second time.

La tour in Chamonix is very gentle

We're driving to St Gervais which is sort of between Chamonix and Megeve, and I think it's meant to be quite good for beginners. (www.skiresort.info/ski-resort/megevesaint-gervais/test-result/beginners/) Our twin DDs are 4 and we ourselves are out of practice, so we definitely need the easier runs and the ski school for the kids; time will tell I guess, but I'm feeling hopeful.There's a spa, a nice little town, and good snow-sure options around if the immediate area isn't great. Better value and less crowded than the neighbours too!