First time skiers - where and how?

Hi,

We are planning to take our first ever ski holiday this Easter - leaving UK
on 3rd or 10th April - nothing booked yet. I'm experienced at booking summer
hols online but I've no idea what to look out for in Ski holidays.

We're not great fans of package deals and so am I correct is saying that its
possible to book flights separately from accommodation and then book ski
passes, hire skis etc at the resort?

To help me look, can you suggest resorts (and sites!) to look for which
should have snow that late in the season?

Thanks.

N.

"Nancy K" wrote

We are planning to take our first ever ski holiday this Easter - leaving
UK
on 3rd or 10th April - nothing booked yet.

I should have added that we are a family of four - 2A + 2K (12 & 14) so
active nightlife isn't that important but catering for families and learners
is!

N.

"Nancy K" wrote in message ...
"Nancy K" wrote

We are planning to take our first ever ski holiday this Easter - leaving
UK
on 3rd or 10th April - nothing booked yet.

I should have added that we are a family of four - 2A + 2K (12 & 14) so
active nightlife isn't that important but catering for families and learners
is!

N.

I am not sure that booking independently is the best thing for skiing
beginners. As well as flights and accomodation you will need to book
lessons, and travel from the airport to the resort (this is generally
much further than for summer resorts and can be up to 4 hours).

I would get a few brochures from your travel agent even if you do go
independently as they give a flavour of each resort. Most also give a
star rating of how suitable the resort is for beginners. You can then
look for the following:

1. Plenty of beginner skiing above 2000m you are going late season and
you want to ensure there is still snow.

2. North or East facing slopes same reason, also South and West facing
slopes can be very icy first thing and then become very slushy in the
afternoon even with plenty of snow

3. Accomodation close to the ski school (waddling half a mile in ski
boots carrying skis and then getting a bus is not much fun)

4. Cheap prices, both for up front costs and the little things you buy
while there. The big name resorts are the most expensive, they have
tough runs and miles of piste that more experienced skiers are willing
to pay a premium for, a small resort will fulfill your needs.

5. Ski school with reputation for good teaching and good English (this
can be a clash 4 as the more English skiers in a resort the more the
resort will require good English from their instructors, and most
Brits go to the big resorts). A book such as the good ski guide can
help here

6. Ability to get from the airport to the resort. Car hire is an
option (check about car parking in the resort) many resorts also have
buses going from the airport. A few resorts ahev train stations. If
you are going to the Tarentaise you can get a train from London or
Paris. This year I am flying from Edinburgh to Paris and taking a
sleeper to Bourg St Maurice a short bus trip from Tignes (I booked a
package but took the discount to arrange my own travel). The sleeper
is costing me 80euro return and the total cost is actually cheeper
than
flying charter (I get an extra 2 days skiing too)

A few of ideas (although I do not know about the ski school in either)
are Sestriere, Isola 2000 and Obergurgle. Isola is close to Nice,
Sestriere close to Turin and Obergurgle is closest to Innsbuck. You
could also consider Andorra (take you earplugs to avoid the nightlife)
although I am not sure how easy itwould be to get there travelling
independently.

As far as booking is concerned, check ryan air, and Easy jet to see if
they go there, check a few of the hundreds of online travel agents to
find the best deal with the traditional airlines. A search on the
resort name with find the resort webpage, these are nearly always
available in English and have links to accomodation and (usually)
transport.

Have a great time

"Nancy K" wrote in
:

Hi,

We are planning to take our first ever ski holiday this Easter -
leaving UK on 3rd or 10th April - nothing booked yet. I'm experienced
at booking summer hols online but I've no idea what to look out for in
Ski holidays.

We're not great fans of package deals and so am I correct is saying
that its possible to book flights separately from accommodation and
then book ski passes, hire skis etc at the resort?

To help me look, can you suggest resorts (and sites!) to look for
which should have snow that late in the season?

Thanks.

N.

Actually, at that time of year Are in Sweden
(http://www.skistar.com/english/are/) is a good alternative. And even if
you don't like package deals there are such from England (flights from
Gatwick with Neilson) and The Netherlands.

Are has 40 lifts and 100 slopes.

/Tommy P.

On Fri, 2 Jan 2004 18:53:59 -0000, "Nancy K"
wrote:

Hi,

We are planning to take our first ever ski holiday this Easter - leaving UK
on 3rd or 10th April - nothing booked yet. I'm experienced at booking summer
hols online but I've no idea what to look out for in Ski holidays.

We're not great fans of package deals and so am I correct is saying that its
possible to book flights separately from accommodation and then book ski
passes, hire skis etc at the resort?


It is certainly possible.

The biggest issue would probably be with transfers, although if you
are a party of 4, you might well be better off hiring a car.

There is no difficulty getting your passes at the resort, and if you
are hiring equipment, there will often be a choice of hire shops,
rather than the one you would be limited to with a package.


To help me look, can you suggest resorts (and sites!) to look for which
should have snow that late in the season?


Late in the season, the most important thing to look for is probably
HEIGHT. Go for one where the base level is at 1600M or more, and
further north probably helps too, although that is never sure.

Most resorts have their own websites, which often have links to
accommodation.

There are a few sites around which are good for comparing resorts,
some of which also have the facility to book accommodation. One I like
is www.ifyouski.com .


--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
URA Redneck if you own more TV's than books.

To reply by email, my address is aDOTjDOTheneyATbtinternetDOTcom

"Carl_M" wrote in message
om...
| "Nancy K" wrote in message
...
| "Nancy K" wrote
|
| 6. Ability to get from the airport to the resort. Car hire is an
| option (check about car parking in the resort) many resorts also have
| buses going from the airport. A few resorts ahev train stations. If
| you are going to the Tarentaise you can get a train from London or
| Paris. This year I am flying from Edinburgh to Paris and taking a
| sleeper to Bourg St Maurice a short bus trip from Tignes (I booked a
| package but took the discount to arrange my own travel). The sleeper
| is costing me 80euro return and the total cost is actually cheeper
| than
| flying charter (I get an extra 2 days skiing too)
|

Sound advice, (although I'm not sure about Isola 2000 that late in the
season).

Ref. the Tarentaise, I would highly recommend La Rosière for beginners.
Lots of wide, easy slopes, good villagy atmosphere, a ski school
(Evolution 2) which goes out of its way to ensure youngsters are
actually enjoying themselves (in stark contrast to some ESF lessons I've
seen). It's possible to ski into Italy and back quite comfortably in a
day (though not for absolute/near beginners - something to look forward
to in a future trip).

Plenty large enough for a first skiing holiday (some 150km of pistes in
the linked domains of La Rosière/La Thuile). High at 1850m, one slight
drawback being the number of south-facing slopes which can be slushy
come Easter, as Carl_M pointed out.

Take a couple of lessons before you go if you can, even on plastic it
will take away some of the 'pain' of the first two or three days of
learning!

Pete
http://eausalee.alpesprovence.net/im...s/arcs2912.htm - latest
shots from Les Arcs

Nancy
I think all your respondents give good advice - especially Carl's
point about slope aspect. Even if you are high and there is plenty of
late season snow, the melt-in-the-afternoon/re-freeze-at-night cycle
in the spring sunshine on a south/west facing slope can mean that you
really only get good skiing for a couple of hours around mid-day.
(Doesn't necessarily have to be aheatwave to do that, either, because
of the high sun angle in April.) That problem could make for a very
frustrating trip for beginners.

Our first ever family trip was just a few years ago, in the Dolomites
at Easter, and we had exactly that problem. The very efficient piste
bashing every night produces this corduroy effect which was frozen
hard every morning, and absolutely terrifying to us novices!!!

I think most tour operator brochures will tell you about slope aspect,
and while you may think any resort will have a variety, there are some
(such as Alp d'Huez I believe) where most are south facing, and would
definitely not be first choice.

If you are willing to consider a smaller, friendly type of package
deal, it's worth a look at Equity Total Ski - they aren't all that
well known but their prices are very competitive as they include most
of what you want in the package, which for beginners is very useful.

Paul
Leigh
Lancs

Thanks for all responses - great stuff!

Plenty for me to go through and research on more - now I know what to look
for and where!

Nancy.

"Nancy K" wrote in
:

Thanks for all responses - great stuff!

Plenty for me to go through and research on more - now I know what to
look for and where!

Nancy.

Also, one more thing:

Wherever you go in April - either at high altitude in the Alps, or in the
north like Are in Sweden - you're likely to encounter "slush" or "brown-
outs" furthest down in the pistes late in the afternoon.

If there's little snow, you'll find spots without snow. If there's still a
lot of snow left, you'll find slush. Piles of very heavy, wet snow with ice
crystals in them. That's murder for the inexperienced who is starting to
get tired, especially since speed is the best thing against slush piles.

The advice, then: In the afternoon, take the last lift *down* to save on
skis and on your legs.

/Tommy P.

"Nancy K" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We are planning to take our first ever ski holiday this Easter - leaving UK
on 3rd or 10th April - nothing booked yet. I'm experienced at booking summer
hols online but I've no idea what to look out for in Ski holidays.

We're not great fans of package deals and so am I correct is saying that its
possible to book flights separately from accommodation and then book ski
passes, hire skis etc at the resort?

DIY holidays are perfectly possible. One option is to drive.

Remember that compared to to summer holidays, ski holidays do contain some extra
hasle.

You need special clothes, boots, skis, ski passes ski school some of which has
to be found and got at the resort. All this does take time and effort.

I suggest that you study the brochures of the leading package tour operators
e.g. Inghams, Thomson/Crystal etc

I think that you are leaving it a bit late in the rear. My rule is that height
is very important when it comes to ensuring snow cover.

Michael Chare