Where to go Easter by train with non-ski options

[TryingToStayRational]

Please help a bamboozled brain!

Family of 4 - DP decent skier but hasn’t been for years, Me really crap and nervous skier (with dodgy hip at mo so might not be up to it), kids 6 and 3 never skied.

Looking for a week from 12th April. We want to go by train, either overnight to Briancon or happy to stay over in Paris then day train to somewhere. Ideally self catering with good pool nearby, bonus points for a slide or two for the kids, plus some other things to do. Also ski school for the kids so they can give it a go, and for me. And some super gentle slopes where I might manage a pootle. Don’t need childcare particularly - happy to do some tag teaming and spend most of our time as a family

Does this place exist?

Would recommend Tignes, great late season snow and accessible from Bourg st Maurice train station via taxi (40 mins) or bus.

Good public pool and lots of kids activities (indoor trampolines, play park, sledging, snow tubing). Free buses around town so you can explore a bit. Not particularly gentle slopes in and out of Lac but you can access a bigger beginner area via the Toviere bubble lift.

We have been taking our 4 year old, multiple weeks a year, since he was born and it’s ideal. Ski schools will be busy during Easter so I would book asap.

Agree - it’s Got to be Tignes or Val Thorens that late in the season IMO — switch to an altibus or similar transfer at Bourg or Moutiers as above.

Overnight to Briancon is an excellent plan. You could stay in Briancon or montgenevre. Both have good spas. Fun for kids too. Check out Monetier les Bains. And the town of Briancon (old bit) is fun to wander round.

Do check whether those resorts will be fully open - that’s seriously late in the season.

Most of the resorts suitable at that time of year aren't particularly pretty. Les Arcs super handy from Bourg St Maurice - you pretty much cross the road and take the funicular up to 1600. Although 1600 is pretty low at that time of year so you would probably want to go higher. 1950 is the only pretty Les Arcs village. La Plagne also fairly close to Bourg. There's a pool in plagne bellecote but la plagne is so spread out that it's a bit of a faff. Frequent bus service but buses are best avoided I reckon.

Tignes and Val D isn't too far from Bourg. Tignes is about 45 mins. Le Lac has a pool with slides and there's sledging from there up the Palafour lift. Not brilliant for beginners but it's not too tricky to get to some nice green runs.

We've skied that late in the year and it's always been fine. Even during a terrible season a few years ago there was plenty snow.

We go to Les Coches in La Plagne by train and love it. We stay at the apartments that have a pool in the complex. We stay overnight in Paris and get the TGV to Landry and then it's only about a 15 mins taxi to Les Coches. We go in February though, so not sure what the snow would be like in April. Although it's low, the connections are great, it's great for kids and has a really good ski school, and it's pretty.