Skiers - where to go in Feb 2014?

[numtumfutunch]

Hi

Have just got the skiing bug and am looking to book a family trip next year

We went to France this year at Easter, which was superb, but have been warned that our week of choice in 2014 may be busy on account of it being half term for 2/3 of France including the Paris schools

Our dates are fixed for Feb, not including the UK 1/2 term luckily, but as we are clueless Id be grateful for any recs for a novice family friendly resort for us in Europe

Budget flexible but realistically if we splurge the skiing we will cut back elsewhere
We did a package chalet this year for 1k a head including everything so this seems a fair yardstick, I would expect to be able to shave a little off by going DIY

Research so far gets me flights to Geneva for 400 quid return for the family (versus 1400 in half term) however other destinations are closer to £1000 for us although frankly stupid money if it was half term - double at least!

So the big question is where should we look for short lift queues, friendly ski schools, cheap flights and decent VFM please in February?

Dolomites seems a good option, but Ryanair to Venice followed by a major transfer possibly not ideal

thanks in advance

Neil

[NorthDave]

£1000 a head for a catered chalet sounds expensive to me unless you are counting flights and lift passes etc too?

If you are fancying France again I would stick to catered as eating out (or even cooking in) can quickly add up to more than a catered chalet. If you would like to keep the costs down then I would aim for a smaller, less known resort in my experience they tend to be cheaper than the big name resorts.

You could also try Austria or Italy but I think the same approach applies there too.

[numtumfutunch]

Ah yes 1k a head was the works, flights, transfers, meals, ski hire, lifts etc etc etc

Looking for resort rec's I guess, I can take it from there myself, for quietish resorts at that time of year

Anywhere near Geneva would be worth a look as flights are bookable today and good value

Thanks

[PGM]

Same position here. We always drive though which I'd recommend.

Looking at Austria for the first time at half term or France first week of Easter holidays for this year.

[PauloV12V]

You could try www.skivillars.com

Kids ski for free which is helpful, the resort is a quiet family resort and its 1 hour from Geneva.
The chalet is on the slope. Its not your hard core 160km plus of skiing like la Plagne etc but its plenty for a week.

Downside is its in Switzerland so its more expensive but thats what keeps the crowds away I guess but you save on your own catering.
Regs

[Harry Flashman]

Portes du Soleil (Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, Chatel etc).

Not as crazy party-wise as the 3 valleys, closer than Espace Killy, with plenty of nice family places to stay, 1 hour 20 minutes from Geneva.

All pretty quiet on the apres ski front, with lots of nice places to eat. Good skiing area with plenty of decent intermediate stuff for you to all learn on. Geneva flights, booked early, can be pretty reasonable. Bus transfers to Morzine about EUR30 each way, or private hire about EUR150 each way (although that was Chatel). Some pretty good British ski schools there too, so you can avoid the dreaded ESF!

I am not sure about access from the airport, but Avoriaz seems pretty good for a family: actually on the mountain so ski in ski out, enough restaurants. Not sure about evening activities (sledging etc) though...

[PauloV12V]

All good comments from Harry, Avoriaz is good open space skiing if a little ugly. Some lifts there can get busy but if you are off season thats fine during the week. Les Gets gets a good thumb up for small resort too.

[Cheib]

Harry Flashman said:

Portes du Soleil (Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, Chatel etc).

Not as crazy party-wise as the 3 valleys, closer than Espace Killy, with plenty of nice family places to stay, 1 hour 20 minutes from Geneva.

All pretty quiet on the apres ski front, with lots of nice places to eat. Good skiing area with plenty of decent intermediate stuff for you to all learn on. Geneva flights, booked early, can be pretty reasonable. Bus transfers to Morzine about EUR30 each way, or private hire about EUR150 each way (although that was Chatel). Some pretty good British ski schools there too, so you can avoid the dreaded ESF!

I am not sure about access from the airport, but Avoriaz seems pretty good for a family: actually on the mountain so ski in ski out, enough restaurants. Not sure about evening activities (sledging etc) though...

This is good advice! Portes du Soleil is good for families.

What I would do is look at when the French school holidays are. France is divided into three for holidays, you basically don't want to be going on holiday in France when it's Paris half term....it'll be very busy.

[VoziKaoFangio]

Wow, this sounds like a case for Jahorina in Bosnia. We went in half term week this Feb, ski lift queues were under 2 minutes all day, all the week. It cost us £2.5k including flights, transfers, bed, breakfast and evening buffet in a 4 star spa hotel right by the main lift, lift passes, ski rental, and full use of the spa facilities at the hotel. Brilliant value, and our 2 children who were beginners, aged 5 and 8, loved it. We got English speaking individual tuition for both of them for a couple of hours every day, and that was 150 euros extra.

Brilliant for a family, if you're prepared to take the plunge and go somewhere less famous. Everyone speaks English down there.

This is where we stayed:

http://termaghotel.com/index.php?lang=en

[Harry Flashman]

We're going to the 3V first week of Feb, avoiding most (if not all) French holidays. Staying in Meribel - dull, crowded skiing, but central so you can get to VT and Courchevel very easily and access some decent pistes and rough stuff.

And also party like a beast - but this is 24 friends with no families, so a different mission brief...

[Harry Flashman]

VoziKaoFangio said:

Wow, this sounds like a case for Jahorina in Bosnia. We went in half term week this Feb, ski lift queues were under 2 minutes all day, all the week. It cost us £2.5k including flights, transfers, bed, breakfast and evening buffet in a 4 star spa hotel right by the main lift, lift passes, ski rental, and full use of the spa facilities at the hotel. Brilliant value, and our 2 children who were beginners, aged 5 and 8, loved it. We got English speaking individual tuition for both of them for a couple of hours every day, and that was 150 euros extra.

Brilliant for a family, if you're prepared to take the plunge and go somewhere less famous. Everyone speaks English down there.

This is where we stayed:

http://termaghotel.com/index.php?lang=en

Actually, Eastern Europe not a bad shout if OP and family are up to mid-intermediates. I went to Bulgaria with some beginner boarders last year. I was bored of the ski area within 2 days, but they loved it. It was cheap, apres ski and eating out were cheap and immense, instruction was good for intermediates, and the hotel was great fun with great facilities. Atmosphere on and off the slopes was fun too - plenty of families mixing it in with the shot-drinking reprobates (us).

And cheap. So cheap.

I get the impression it would be awful if the snow were not great, though...

[marcosgt]

Cheib said:

Harry Flashman said:

Portes du Soleil (Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, Chatel etc).

Not as crazy party-wise as the 3 valleys, closer than Espace Killy, with plenty of nice family places to stay, 1 hour 20 minutes from Geneva.

All pretty quiet on the apres ski front, with lots of nice places to eat. Good skiing area with plenty of decent intermediate stuff for you to all learn on. Geneva flights, booked early, can be pretty reasonable. Bus transfers to Morzine about EUR30 each way, or private hire about EUR150 each way (although that was Chatel). Some pretty good British ski schools there too, so you can avoid the dreaded ESF!

I am not sure about access from the airport, but Avoriaz seems pretty good for a family: actually on the mountain so ski in ski out, enough restaurants. Not sure about evening activities (sledging etc) though...

This is good advice! Portes du Soleil is good for families.

What I would do is look at when the French school holidays are. France is divided into three for holidays, you basically don't want to be going on holiday in France when it's Paris half term....it'll be very busy.

Agree with the recommendations for Portes Du Soleil.

Personally, I'd stay in Avoriaz, but you might find your budget stretches further in Morzine or one of the other resorts.

M

[VoziKaoFangio]

Harry Flashman said:

I get the impression it would be awful if the snow were not great, though...

You say that as though there's a much greater chance of the snow being poor than in the trad places, Alps etc. Is that the case? I've been to Bosnia twice and each time the snow's been excellent.

I understand your comment about getting bored of the ski area if you're an advanced skier. I can see that. Great for beginners and intermediates at Jahorina though.

Remember, it was the resort which hosted most of the downhill and slalom events at the 1984 Winter Olympics. Good snow is pretty much guaranteed.