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where to go for first timers

  • 29-08-2010 10:53am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41


    hi
    thinking of going skiing next year and just wondering where the best places to go for complete beginners are?. We want to go somewhere where there will be good skiing and a good nightlife as we are all in our late 20's early 30's and want to have some fun allong with the skiing.

    Thanks for any replies


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 981 ✭✭✭flikflak


    Hi there

    I would recommend getting hold of the major tour ops brochures and looking for resorts that are geared towards beginners. Some of them will offer you a package learn to ski deal which has all your needs taken care of for a decent price.

    You dont really need anywhere with a large area as you will spend the first while on the nursery slopes and will see the same piste time and time again as you learn.

    Pick somewhere with a high percentage of English speaking instructors to ensure good tuition that you can understand.

    Soldeu in Andorra has a good lot of English speaking instructors and is owned by a Scotsman (or used to be). Its a decent village and big enough area for learning in. Also Arinsal is good fun (its where I learned to ski and earned my apres ski badge!). A lot of the bigger French resorts will have independent ski schools which offer good instruction but may not be involved with toup ops packages.

    So have a look for a decent package then once you have a few in mind then maybe come back here and ask for opinions on the area for beginners and also if anyone has any instructor recommendations for that area.

    Things to bear in mind are

    Departure/arrival airport
    Transfer times
    Package (what does it include? Lift pass? Lessons? Hire?)
    Apres ski ratings
    Non skiing activities should any of your group hate skiing.
    Historical snow record
    Exchange rates (USA, Canada Switzerland)
    Eating out/on mountain.

    Just a few things you might consider before making a choice.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,528 ✭✭✭BoardsMember


    My first time was in Westendorf in Austria. The skiing was brilliant, the nightlife is also cracking. A lot of people do pick it up quite quickly, so dont totally rule out the need for a good sized skiing area with a decent range of slopes. Also, if it has slopes with different aspects it makes a huge difference - east facing get quite mushy by afternoon.

    As a general rule, Austria nightlife tends to be livelier than other countries. Went to Andorra the second time round, but the skiing is not great there - if you pick it up at all quickly you'll be bored there, but the nightlife is pretty good too. The other serious drawback re Andorra can be the transfer time, I have memories of being on a bus for hours, we flew into northern Spain I think. Transfer time with Austria tends to be good.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 981 ✭✭✭flikflak


    Bored with 286 individual pistes? Thats in the Grandvalira Ski Area in Andorra. Even the quickest learner would be hard pushed to cover a quarter of that ground in a week. Also 2 hours from Toulouse to Soldeu in the car.

    Austria though does have the best apres though. I lived there for 3 years and nothing beats it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,528 ✭✭✭BoardsMember


    flikflak wrote: »
    Bored with 286 individual pistes? Thats in the Grandvalira Ski Area in Andorra. Even the quickest learner would be hard pushed to cover a quarter of that ground in a week. Also 2 hours from Toulouse to Soldeu in the car.

    Austria though does have the best apres though. I lived there for 3 years and nothing beats it!
    Happy to stand corrected, it's a long time ago, all I remember is there being an awful lot of easy slopes, and a lot of booze.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭Fattes


    Austria, Austria , Austria!

    Andorra is fine but for an all round product Austria is top drawer the perfect balance of value and everything you will need

    Departure/arrival airport - Austria has the shortest transfers all round
    Transfer times -
    Package (what does it include? Lift pass? Lessons? Hire?) - Always book your Ski gear on your own! Travel Opp packeges are over priced adn poor quality kit

    Apres ski ratings - No wher compares to Austria
    Non skiing activities should any of your group hate skiing.- Austria or Switzerland
    Historical snow record - Andorra's is poor and most austrian resorts are alpine pasture so require less snow to be good quality conditions
    Exchange rates (USA, Canada Switzerland)
    Eating out/on mountain. -


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