Ski resort recommendation

[simplynot]

Looking for some ski resort recommendations for competent skiers but more importantly looking for relatively quiet pistes, not many lift queues, easy resort to get around etc. Oh and ideally snow-sure or at least not a grassy hill in March! We've skied Morzine / Avoriaz and it may have just been a busy time of year, but seemed like a motorway on the pistes.

I've skied a lot in Canada - Whistler, Lake Louise - and love the quieter pistes as well as the friendliness of other skiers and just the whole easy experience. Any similar types of resorts in Europe please?

Montgenevre would fit the bill. Much quieter than some of the other resorts and lots of nice big runs. We didn't do it, but if you want more of a challenge you can ski over to Italy for the day.

Also came here to say montgenevre.

no queues when I worked there for a season! Apart from one queue on Boxing Day. You can ski into Italy every day, into Claviere at least, and one day you can see all the way to Sestriere and Sauze Doux and either ski back (if you’re quick) or get a free bus back. Nice hotel with a spa and pool complex now too. Snow sure as is high up.

Levi, Finland is always my suggestion. Snow sure until late April at the earliest, not too busy outside of school holidays, half an hour from Kittila airport and a lovely small town to explore when you’re not skiing. The downside is that tour operators don’t have huge choices of flights after Feb half term, but it’s possible to get there via your own flight booking.

Thanks for the replies - I'll look at Montgenevre and Levi. Interesting that 2 of you suggested Montgenevre. And I hadn't really considered Finland so off to google.

Agreed! Levi is fab! You can fly to rovaneimi and get a bus to Levi if flights aren't great

Another vote for lovely Levi!

Saalbach-Hinterglemm and the Ski Circus has a huge variety of pistes that cover over 400km. March is quiet and snow sure and the queues are very short - far shorter than anything I experienced in two seasons in Whistler.

Be aware that in 2024 the finale of the FIS World Cup takes place in Hinterglemm from 16th - 24th March. Not that this is something that makes the pistes busier - in fact, many people will be watching the races which all take place on just one piste above Hinterglemm, thus leaving the rest of the area relatively empty - but it might make finding accommodation a bit more difficult for that particular week.

My personal opinion is that Austrian resorts in general are far friendlier than those in France and offer a much better experience with better lifts and infrastructure and much more reasonable prices on the mountain. Saalbach, St. Anton/Lech/Zurs or Kitzbuhel would all fit the bill, although the last two are as pricey as the French resorts.

Zell am see, Austria

I would usually include Zell am See in my list of suitable resorts, although it is much smaller than Saalbach-Hinterglemm which is just 15km away, and is more expensive. But in March it is a far riskier proposition for snow. Of course there is the back-up option of the glacier at Kaprun, but if there is a shortage of snow in Zell, then Kitzsteinhorn will be mobbed - and on a typical day it can take almost an hour to get from the base station to the top, plus the bus from Zell.

Obertauern in Austria. It’s fairly high up so snow sure, yet quiet. Bad gastein or katschberg also options

Worth considering Saint Foy. It's very small, not busy, is snow sure and has interesting skiing, including several in bounds off piste areas, that is more similar to Canadian style of piste management.

Montgenevre might be good, snow sure, good size area and fairly quiet pistes. Sandbach is a little busier, but Fieberbrunn is part of that area and is quieter.

Scandi resorts are generally quieter, so worth a look.

The last time we went to Saalbach-Hinterglemm it was 12 degrees and to warm for even snow cannons. We ended up visiting Salzburg etc instead of skiing. Lovely resort but I won't be going back.

Sandbach is hopeless for skiing - Saalbach is much better!

Fieberbrunn is the quietest area of the Ski Circus because it is out on a limb from the rest of the area. Leogang is a little busier (but stay near to the lifts at Hutten/Asitz/Steinbergbahn rather than in the village itself) and the link to Saalbach-Hinterglemm stays open until Easter.

Snow cannons don't run anywhere after mid-February, because the temperatures are usually too high and because it is getting towards the end of the season. For the OP travelling in March, then Spring skiing conditions should be expected.

We've stayed in Sestriere several times, Hotel Du Col. You clip your skis on under the building and ski out the back to the first lift- TRUE ski in/out. They used to have a fabulous buffet evening meal with wine also. They've held part of the winter Olympics in Sestriere previously, so do have more challenging runs, along with easier ones.

As others have said, you can get the cable car into Sauze D'Oulx, the ski to Claviere then cross the French border and ski in Montgenevre. We did this all in 1 day and back again. I personally prefer staying in Italy over France.

Another option would be Livigno, but the transfer is 4hrs. Worth it IMO. Its duty free due to the distance in the mountains. We bought camera lens, liquors and all sorts at a fraction of the cost here. You'd need to check post brexit what the restrictions are though. Plenty of runs to choose from and being so high, the resort stays open till end of April.

Geilo in Norway - would be totally amazing as long as you're not going on school holidays. I'd worry about lift queues in holidays though

Resorts such as Geilo (33km of pistes) and Levi (38km) are tiny compared to the skis resorts such as Whistler, Morzine or Avoriaz that the OP usually skis. Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Zell has over 400km of pistes. St. Anton/Lech/Zurs likewise well over 300km. Zillertal over 150km.