Skiing virgin asking for help in planning her first skiing holiday

[KosmoKramer]

I've never skied. I've always imagined myself swooshing down the slopes but it's never transpired. I turn 50 in March 2022 and I'd like to plan a really lovely skiing holiday for a beginner. Where do I start please? How do I know what accommodation to get? And how do I book ski clothes and gear? And apres ski? I would love to be outside all day then come back to warmth, wine and outdoor hot pools. Any tips very welcome!

Oh this is all brilliant advice! Thanks so much. We are in the NW so can get to the Chill Factore really easily. It will be me and my partner, plus my 16 year old very sporty son and friend. Partner skied years ago but says he's very much beginner level. Son has never skied outside either but already done an indoor course. He picked it up so quickly!

And yes, we will be going outside of school holidays. Really hoping we can pick up a bargain. Wow - loads of new posts. Going back to read them.

Get one to one instruction, if you can't afford that do a group instruction. Do not ask friends or family to teach you.

I went skiing twice, first time my dh (who has skied from an early age) taught me and it was horrendous, almost ended in divorce. Next time I had paid instruction, one to one with my dh and it was fantastic. Really enjoyed it.

I loved Canada, people were amazing and so was the apres ski and town we stayed in. Hotel had hot tubs on the roof too. More expensive outlay, but worked out cheaper overall than Europe.

Definitely a catered chalet. All the better if you fill a chalet with your party - do you know another couple/family who'd like to join you?

I would go to Austria or Italy rather than France. I prefer the on-mountain food/drink options in those countries (esp Italy where it's all about the pizza). I have found France to be much more over-priced and 'lazy' in their food. Quite a generalisation, I realise, but that's my experience.

If you're a beginner, you won't need miles and miles of slope, which also lends itself to some of the more villagey resorts. Kutahi (sp??) is supposed to be nice, and we have skied Kitzbuhel with total beginners in our party. There are quite a few Italian resorts which would fit the bill.

Catering chalets are harder to find outside France, but not impossible.

Re kit - we borrowed salopettes/jackets the first time we went. One thing worth spending money on is a couple of pairs of really good ski socks - don't underestimate the difference a good sock will make to your holiday!
Have a look in the sales at the end of this year's season for some bargains.

Oh, tk max for clothing bargains.

Definitely do a 'learn to ski in a day' type course at home first. Then you'll have the basics ready to progress once on holiday.

Don't underestimate how tiring it is - we stay with family who live near ski resorts and only do two or three days, never consecutive as we are shattered by the end of the day! That's with children too though. Maybe plan some other activities like local sightseeing to give yourself a rest.

Aldi are great for clothes. Wear things you can layer and remove if necessary as it can be very warm up the mountain, depending on where you go. In the Pyrenees I just needed a base layer, salopettes and a coat in February in the sun! Remember goggles or sunglasses. Good socks with padding, or designed for skiing as I found the boots started to make me ache by the end of the day.

Have fun!

Buy good quality ski socks - they're thick and long and will make a big difference. Also good quality gloves.
I'd definitely go goggles rather than sunglasses as they stay on better, especially as a beginner. Layer up - you might be warmer than you expect. Vest, long sleeved t shirt, fleece, ski jacket.

Agree with PP to book somewhere high up if you're going in March. Valemeinier/Valloire, les 3 vallees etc. 1800m. I'd also go with an all in ski tour operator as its a lot less hassle and you can get english ski instructors included. And definitely go for at least a day on an indoor ski slope to get to grips with the equipment so you don't lose half a day when you get there.

Ski clothes - ebay, Decathlon, borrow. You will need a jacket, trousers, warm under layers, gloves, ski socks, helmet, goggles and/or wraparound sunglasses. (Latter more useful in March). Snow boots or at the very least, grippy waterproof trainers.

Definitely absolutely definitely get lessons. Morning is best. Try to get yourself to same level as husband and teen beforehand (using uk dry slope or similar). For the trip itself, consider booking a private English speaking instructor together as a 3 - they should be able to deal with small differences in standard if you are not too far apart. You will progress much faster with a private instructor even if the lesson is shorter.

Accommodation - choice is between 1) catered chalet (you will have to socialise with strangers! Not cheap unless you wait to last minute and aren’t fussy, as there are bargains for the last few spaces) 2) self catered apartment (cheapest and means you can eat out in the evenings if you prefer that), or 3) hotel - usually half board (some hotels and the swishiest apartment blocks have things like swimming pools, gyms etc.)

Italy and Austria have more hotels, France and Switzerland more chalets and apartments, but they all have every type if you look.

Look for ski in ski out accommodation, or at least something very near to the main ski lifts. It makes a huge difference not having to walk far in your ski boots carrying your skis.

Some resorts (eg St Anton) have lockers by the lifts so you can leave your skis and boots there and change into comfy stuff for apres ski. Genius!

Choose a fairly high resort (1800m or above ideally) if going in March, otherwise the snow will be rubbish. There are lots of articles online about best late season resorts, best snow sure resorts etc.

This is so much information 😂 I really like to be organised so I had not even considered some of the things you've all mentioned. I appreciate the ski in ski out recommendation, and the reminder that a 15 min walk in snow is a killer. And thanks for explaining the difference in accommodation, I was looking at Crystal last night and they didn't make it clear. Do any of you use a specific tour operator or just the one with the best deals? What would expect to pay for a week away? #clueless

Get properly fit - some gyms do ski prep fitness. Get your knees etc as strong and fit as possible to help avoid injury.

I’d go to Norway or Austria - better options also when not skiing and better ski schools. Trysil in Norway has some very forgiving slopes for beginners and much quieter generally - also good for beginners.

Great advice so far.
If you can push the boat out I'd recommend a hotel with an outside pool as a treat.
Ski school is wonderful for the camaraderie but nothing beats a one to one lesson, a mix of both would be ideal.
The first week of skiing is exhilarating, you start from barely being able to put your skis on at the beginning to whooshing down a red run by the end.
Ski in ski out is 100% the way to go.

Given you are all beginner or not far off, you may be best looking for a smaller resort with fewer runs, and avoiding the massive ones.

Yes Austria would be a good bet I suspect, quieter resorts and some are snow sure. Somewhere like Obergurgl (though I have never been) might suit.

Re tour operator I shop around. It’s definitely easier going with a tour operator who will sort out flights, transfers, lift passes, ski hire rather than trying to do it all yourself. Some of the big names (Crystal etc) will only or mainly go to the big resorts so if you want a smaller resort you may have to look for a smaller operator that specialises in that area or that type of holiday.

Definitely not too old. Dh and I are mid-late 50s and still going strong on skis, despite various ailments.

No advice, just wanted to share this on skiing for beginners

50 is not too late to start, just do it it’s amazing. My mum started at 50 and is still skiing at 72.

Skiing is brilliant! You will have the best time.

We went for the first time this year. Two DC (8 & 6) and DH and I (both 37). We put the DC in full day ski school all week and we paid for a private instructor to share as we didn't want to go into group lessons. We had three morning lessons from 10-12 and then had the afternoons and the rest of the week to play and hone our skills. We went to a fairly small resort which was very beginner friendly and were quite happy to do the same 2/3 runs over and over as it meant we could really focus on improving each time. We didn't do several of the runs just because we were content with what we were doing. The DC on the other hand progressed up to red slopes by the end of the week. DH and I stuck to blue.

We opted for a self catered apartment that was a five minute walk to the lift station. This was fine in ski boots, and the DC did it too. There were lockers at the ski station, so we opted to leave our skis there overnight and walk back in boots. Some days we wore our normal boots to the lift and carried the ski boots. We'd just swap the skis for shoes then. I'd recommend finding somewhere that lets you leave your skis as they're actually surprisingly heavy to carry for even five minutes when you've got your feet weighed down too.

DH kitted himself with Mountain Warehouse. They do a complete set that included gloves, salopettes and jacket. It was around £80-£90 for the set. I was given a jacket by a friend who bought the wrong size so didn't wear it and I got some salopettes on eBay for £3. The DC were in Decathlon. We bought helmets from Decathlon so that we didn't need to hire them. They were about £20 and we know that no-one else has had their sweaty head in them. Easy enough to pack as you just fill them with socks/pants etc.

I did end up buying gloves in resort as DS1 got a hole in his, so I gave him mine and bought a new pair. They were expensive (€50) but the quality is incredible.

We liked being in a s/c apartment as we like the freedom to run to our own timings. Generally we'd get back to the apartment about 5pm and just veg. Dinner would be something simple like pasta. The apartment had a pool complex so we went there a couple of times, but it was always packed with children who had been on the slopes all day, so not relaxing at all. We took a morning off skiing one day and went whilst the DC were at ski school. That was very relaxing as it was empty.

Re cost. We booked things independently and went in February, the week before half term. It broke down roughly as:

£330 flights
£700 accommodation (two bed apartment)
£500 passes
£600 lessons including ski/boot hire
£25 taxes (Austria)
£100 (roughly) per day for food/drinks on the slopes/shopping for the apartment.
Total £2855

minipie has great advice. There are so many ways to go on a ski holiday, and some ways suit some people, some suit others. There are also literally hundreds of resorts in over a dozen countries to chose from, and everyone will recommend their favourite, but again they are all different and some suit some people better than others.

Accommodation includes:

1. Hotels. Usually half board. Prices range from basic 1 star hostel types up to 5 star luxury palaces with spas and other fabulous facilities attached.
2. Catered chalets. You can either book a chalet that fits your party size, or book the required number of rooms in a shared chalet. Chalets offer full board - breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner with wine. They are usually a lot more cosy than hotels. Again, the price range can cover all budgets and luxury expectations.
3. Self catering. You have various eating options you can consider here - picking up shopping and cooking for yourselves, eating out every night, or having a caterer drop you off a ready made meal each night for you to heat in the kitchen. This is the option that offers the best value for money, but you can get luxury options too.

I’ve had amazing holidays in all 3 types of accommodation but for me ski-in, ski-out is important, as is proximity to the town for bars, restaurants and shops for snacks. Some resorts do not have any ski-in, ski-out, but have a gondola in town to whisk you up to the slopes (resorts that spring to mind for this are Zell am Zee, Kaprun, Soldeu, St Gervais,) in these towns easy walking to the gondola is essential. Just make sure you can get to and from the slopes easily. Nothing ruins a holiday more than trudging in ski boots when you are tired and waiting ages for a bus everyone is trying to cram onto.

WRT specific destination, have a look over at the Snowheads Resort Reviews forum. There are resorts that are massive party towns, sleepy little villages, Arctic winter wonderlands, super-fashionable resorts where as many go to be seen as they do to actually ski. You can have fun in all these places, but think about what you would want from a holiday destination if it wasn’t a ski holiday, and try and match a resort that will provide that. Each country has its own vibe too - France has massive resorts which provide mile after mile of piste to the dedicated skier, and the best food. Austria takes itself less seriously and offers rowdy traditional apres ski in mountain restaurants set in often stunning locations, the scandi countries offer beautiful skiing that is less challenging for the beginner but some fabulous powder snow for the more experienced plus lots of other snow-related activities.

If I were to recommend a resort for a first timer with enough easy runs and quality mountain restaurants if you need to sit down a lot, I would say Les Gets in France - I usually prefer Austrian resorts myself, but Les Gets has a lovely small town vibe with all the shops and facilities. It’s possibly a bit low for late March, but the first time I went was then and we had loads of snow.

As well as accommodation, you’ll want to consider transport. Package companies will arrange this for you. If you book direct with the accommodation, you’ll be sorting out your transport yourself. You need to book a flight and a transfer. I would be wary of booking a flight into smaller airports such as Chambery, as they divert frequently when it snows (and you want some snow if you are going skiing!) A package company will sort out your travel if weather affects it. Once you’ve booked a flight, you need either a bus ticket or car hire. If you hire a car, make sure it has winter tyres and any permissions needed to cross borders.

The other things you need to consider are lift passes, ski and boot hire, and lessons. You can usually buy these in resort by just turning up (your hotel or chalet will point you in the right direction) but you can book them before arriving too. A package holiday will arrange these things for you too.

What you need to arrange yourself are your clothes and probably a helmet. You can hire these, but I’d rather take my own cheap one. You can buy most stuff very cheaply in decathlon. Take various layers so you can put more layers on in a cold day, and fewer on a hot day. Even in the space of a week the temperature can vary by over 30C. You might find yourself sunbathing in a Tshirt at lunchtime, and wrapping up well for night time tobogganing.

As for being too old - I am nearly 50 and love my skiing. I learnt as an adult in my late 20s, and on my first few trips went with one or other of my parents in their 50s who were learning to ski. My dad skied up until he died, my mum still skis in Lapland every winter, and is in her 70s. She’s enjoying it more than ever now (after over 2 decades of refusing) she has finally decided to have lessons! 🙄

Sorry for long post, but I love skiing, and love talking about it! Not much opportunity around atm!

Just realised that I haven't added transfers to that list as we opted to public transport it. Next year we are going to book a private transfer and that's currently being quoted at £250 return.

We used Esprit for years but they’re kid specialists, total ski is their adult only sister company. 16yos are old enough for Total ski.

I’ve also used an independent catered chalet in Chamonix which a friend had recommended.

It can be really expensive, and lift passes can make a massive difference. A weeks lift pass for 3 valleys was eye wateringly expensive last time I went to Courchevel. A smaller, less well known resort will be cheaper. I believe Andorra and Italy are better value for money than France. Switzerland is likely to be expensive. Dh went to Bulgaria once and said never again even though it was cheap as chips, that was 20 years ago though so maybe things have imbut he said he was scared for his life on the lifts and the runs. He saw a woman fall on a run and die while he was there!

1. definitely get ski fit and stretch every evening - if you can get a plave with a sauna do, and use it!
2. layers, layers, layers.
3. get a helmet (middle of lidl is fine, or you can hire in resort
4. i second a spare pair of gloves. I wear inner gloves as an additonal layer.
5. take a bag of fun-sized mars or snickers. Easy to stick a couple in the pocket and good for a sugar boost on the mountainside.
6. Do make sure you get decent goggles (easier than sunglasses with a helmet).

Ooh, and decent facial suncream in a high factor, small container to fit in your pocket.

There are benefits to going for a package at least first time. The rep coordinates the different elements of the ski packs , accommodation and transfer, and you are likely to be in a group lesson with other clients rather than a mixed group, possibly not all native English speakers. It can also be easier if you run into issues such as poor boot fit. As a beginner it is likely to be tiring so don’t put too much emphasis on apres ski. I’m not sure a last minute trip would be worth holding out for, discounts can be patchy and not necessarily at the most suitable resorts. You may be better booking early, as they will need to entice clients for 2022 after a poor season if any in 2021. Also check when Easter falls as sometimes that is late March and busy.

I wouldn’t book early for the simple reason quite a few ski operators have gone under thanks to covid and it’s clear if we don’t get any season this year there will be more to follow. Sad but true.
I also think Brexit will do for a lot of chalet operations as the classic young British seasonnaires won’t be able to work on Uk contracts as they did before. I’d always go for a hotel anyway and enjoy some local restaurants especially on the mountain at lunch if you can. Unless you (a) have a massive budget or (b) going with a group and you can fill the chalet.

I’ve also never met an adult learner who whooshed down a red (with any semblance of style or control anyway) after a week! Learning to ski as an adult is hard! Get all the practice in at chill factore that you can before you go. But it’s absolutely brilliant and well worth the effort. Decent fitness definitely helps once you’re on the slopes.

Second those who’ve recommended smaller resorts for learners. Courchevel is indeed incredible but you are not going to get to experience the three valleys’ 600km of pistes in your first week.

I had a colleague who learned at 50 when her son did a season and she became absolutely hooked!

My grandfather started learning in his 70's, so its far from too late.

-Take some mini-packets of tissues. Handy for a drippy nose, but also to clean fogged up googgles and glasses

• Sunscreen and lipgloss with suncreen in it. I usually slather it on 1st thing, then carry a smaller bottle for top ups during the day. You can also get ones that go around the neck which are easier to retrieve with gloves than inside a pocket.
• I alway ski with something warm over my ears.
• On sunny days, I wear a cap to keep glare and sun off my face.

I'd suggest looking up pre-ski exercises at least 2 mths beforehand. Some gyms run courses, but you can easily do them at home to strengthen your legs and core. It really makes a huge difference, because you will feel muscles you never knew you had!

• Paracetamol, ibuprofen, ibuprofen gel and plasters. Handy for aching muscles, but also if your boots rub.