Best resorts for April skiing

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

After some tips please wise MN’ers!

I’m trying to find resorts that can cater for a family group of skiers and non skiers and kids ranging from age 6 (skied 1 week before and will need lessons) to 14 (very proficient) in April.

Ideally a catered chalet with sole occupancy.

Thanks for any suggestions.

If you want a snow-sure resort then ideally somewhere high with a glacier, so I would look at Val Thorens, Tignes Val Claret or Cervinia if you're thinking of Europe. My experience in later years has been in Tignes VC in April but we do self-catering as there isn't a lot in the way of catered chalets there (there are more in Tignes Le Lac, or 2100 as it's now called, but it's slightly lower than Tignes VC, although still easy to access the high slopes). It's not very pretty, but neither are the other two! Personally, I go for the snow reliability/skiing conditions so am not that fussed about how the resort looks however, I'm sure someone else will be along soon with some information about the other resorts or some alternative suggestions.

Thanks. My main concern is easy access to a ski school with snow for the youngest child. The rest of us can easily manage a bus ride and get up to a glacier if needed.

When we’ve been early season if there’s not been a lot of snowfall, it’s always been cold enough for the resort to make snow at lower levels for lessons. I’m worried that with warmer temperatures at the end of the season this won’t be the case.

Flims - most skiing is high & whilst if it's extremely warm the kids nursery slope may not be open (not the case for past 2 Easter's there has been tons of snow) there are other very good options for beginners and the ski school will take them up in the bubble to very good / suitable slopes.

Loads of skiing above 2000m, 1.5 hr transfer from Zurich. Lots of chalets / apartments. Powder Byrne is a good operator.

Sounds good. Thanks.

Val Thorens has great skiing in April. Not the prettiest village though.

We did Val Thorens in 2nd week of April this year and it was fine - some of the best conditions we've had in the Alps in fact. Take a look at some of the SkiBeat chalets.

More options . Thanks.

The glaciers in Val Claret and Val Thorens don't require a bus to get there - they are linked to the main ski area by gondola/chair lifts. Plenty of options for ski schools in both resorts and they're both snow sure for April.

The Tignes glacier is very accessible. Cervinia also easy access to ski school from most locations as it’s up the chair or bubble.

Since you're a mixed group I would go somewhere with things for non-skiers. Bad Gastein springs to mind, there are several spas in the valley, and the town itself is quite interesting, if you don't mind crumbling old buildings! Quite atmospheric I thought. I've been in April and had good snow, but the lift pass includes Sport Gastein which is very snow sure (and stunningly beautiful, too)

We did the Kitzsteinhorn glacier in Austria this last April and it was super as we could enjoy the lake at Zell am See and a little springtime hiking in addition to skiing! Good ski school with rental deals too. Check out Skidome Oberschneider for lessons and rental packages.

Arc 2000 is fabulous at Easter, we’ve also been lucky at Plan Peisey also good for catered chalets too www.skibeat.co.uk/ski/france/plan_peisey_les_arcs
www.skitotal.com/chalets/chalet-panda/