Good resorts with Ski School for Children?

riveter

We would like to go skiing this winter with family:
1 intermediate adult
1 beginner adult
2 children (6,4)

I would love some feedback from people on
good ski schools for children
good family resort/spots
and not too madly priced...

Thanks

Fattes

Would look at some of the smaller Austrian resorts, Nassfeld, is cheap mainly focused at intermidiaries and a number of ski school options

Bad Gaestin as above plenty of options for the levels and good ski schools.

Options are endless the dolmites in Italy, there are a few really family friendly resorts in France like Chatel.

Happy Skiing

riveter

Thanks for that, there is so much on offer it is great to have a few pointers.

As a newbie I also have no idea whether there are companies offering some good package deals or if it is cheaper to book things independently.. bearing in mind that most ski gear will need to be rented

bovril

Last year I went to Soll and on the last day we skied around the Brixten area. There were loads of kids ski school classes all around that area, some from Brixten and some from Ellmau. The SkiWelt will then give options for some of the intermediates in the group too.

Have a look at the resort ratings on this website
http://www.wtss.co.uk/

It might give you ideas as to where would best suit.

As for booking seperates or with tour operator it's really up to you. Booking yourself may save you money but so far I've booked two holidays with tour operators because I find it less stress with the Tour Operators and both times the money to be saved wasn't substantial.

Fattes

riveter;

Ski CLothes; TK Maxx has some cracking gear every year and is the best place to bye Ski socks in Dublin (Salomon Race socks for €6)

They do great jackets and pants, thermals and gloves with some huge brands.

Ski Rentals only rent the basic gear the high end stuff is near impossible for beginners to use (Think about putting a L driver in a F1 car)

I would go solo with the rental gear. Tour operators have a big mark up on this so if you go on to a local tourist website and look up ski rentals and contact them direct you will save, plus you will get better service etc.

For the holiday it is a mixed bag sometimes you are better off with an Travel operator but some resorts are very easy to do solo.

You will probably save money going solo but if you have no idea what you are doing it might not be worth it but you will get plenty of advice here. DirectSki.com do the same holidays as Topflight for about 20% less but the package is the same

I would pick an Austrian Resort and go from there.

EileenG

My pick for this is Val Cenis. Ski school takes children from age 3, and the resort has the longest green run in Europe, which zigzags across the mountain, so that even the most tired or timid beginner can get down safely. Some much more interesting red and black runs taking the direct route down, but on many of them, you can get off it and onto the long green if it's tougher than you expected.

Stay in the Centre International de Sejour. www.cis-valcenis.com, they provide great food, wine with meals, kiddie club and a shuttle bus to take the children to ski school, and the price includes your lift pass. They provide ski hire on the premises, and provide free helmets for kids, and sledges for them to play with.

I've been going there for years, and it's only that that my kids are out of ski school that we are moving on.

jellies

Really nice place we went to with the kids once was Sugar Loaf in Maine...www.sugarloaf.com.
Little fellah got his first turns in here...nice people and atmosphere.

Another place is Saas Fee in Switz. There are no cars in the resort and great high skiing. It can be a bit pricey though.

A bit closer to home we've gone to Oz en Oisans (www.oz-en-oisans) for the last few years and stay in a self catered chalet beside the slopes. We've skied all over (US, Switz, Austria, Canada, France) and think this place is great for families.

Our kids are 3, 7, and 9, so what we like about it is:
- No cars in resort
- There is a carpet and 2 buttons for the kids/beginners to learn on - this is very self contained so we can leave the kids there skiing on their own.
- Access to high mountain is by 2 gondolas, so again kids are safe down below and dont go to high mountain unless we are with them. Full access to Alpe d'Huez resort.
- Get back to chalet for lunch with kids which is cheaper and eating out for lunch can add up
- creche in resort
- good ski school (ESF)
- 1 hr by car from grenoble airport/2hrs from Lyon
- Its a small resort - people are friendly!

Hope that helps...

scudster

Fattes wrote: »

Bad Gaestin as above plenty of options for the levels and good ski schools.

+1 For Badgastein in Austria.
Myself and a few mates were there a few years ago. Majority of us were beginners. Lots of kids learning how to ski there too.

Oh yea, if you do go there head to the Silver Bullet for a bit of Apres Ski and a mug of Jager Tea. You wont be disapointed!

riveter

Thanks everyone, between all your suggestions, directski, tkmaxx we should be sorted. Also fairly new to boards.ie and really liking it so far, a lot of helpful responses.

Also any suggestions for spots "near" Zurich? Have family there, so could combine the two..

EileenG

Andermatt. Very convenient for Zurich, and because it's normally favoured by powder hounds, the ski school is not packed and the blue slopes are almost empty. Also, extremely cheap by Swiss standards.

Fattes

Andrematt is pretty much the best ski resort in the world for experts but for a family be warned the resort is split in three with the begineers, intermidate and advanced areas are not linked

If you have family in Zurich there are tons of resorts and small hills around Switzweland. Head to the Interlaken area for tons of variety

I am Currently in Saas Fee doing some summer race training on the Glacier and it is amazing it is my version of Heaven but it is Pricey especially with kids etc.


Badgastein in Austria is pretty good aswell