[Closed] Skiing location advice

I’m a big fan of Austrian resorts as they feel like proper towns and not just hotels and chairlifts.
Obergurgl is worth a look, nice town, good snow and it’s an hour from Innsbruck which is a very pleasant city if you want to get away from the slopes.

Cheers lunge

French resorts tend to be the easiest to drive to. Still adds quite a bit of travel time and often horrendous traffic. +1 for what lunge said. Some great Austrian resorts. Italy can be good too. Lots of lovely towns. Generally friendly and relaxed and often cheap. You can get cheap flights to Milan then it's a 2-3 hour drive to most resorts. Hire cars are cheap there.

Chamonix is an easy drive and very much a town with plenty to do, the skiing other than the Brevent takes time to get to. Tignes is one of the best resorts for early season snow, has a swimming pool and shuttle buses around resorts in the area for various activities offered - it's the best skiing I've had over the festive season. Show your wife Peissy-Valandry as an outsider that might appeal.

Also a vote for Austrian resorts, they get it right on so many levels. St. Anton is wonderful, as is Kitzbuhel.

I’ll also stick a shout in for Davos, we go once or twice a year (bear in mind we live in CH).

If you use VRBO or booking.com you will find lots of options for folks renting out their apartments, there’s a free bus to get around, Eau La La is the big pool complex in the middle of town and it is superb (going to the outdoor bit and getting your frozen hair to stand on end always good fun), Hockey Club Davos might have a home game in the brilliant Valiant Stadium, loads of walking/snow shoeing possibilities, fat bike trails and rentals, and its a city so there are lots of cafe’s, shops etc etc

Can you tell we love it? Can;t wait to go this summer for songs weekend’s biking too.

And of course, the skiing is really good indeed.

Down side of Switzerland - eating/drinking is more expensive than Austria/France.

Good points Edukator but felt Paisley valandry was very limited for non ski activity. We were in Les Arcs at Easter and the non skier in the party did find it okay as they have the funicular to Bourg. Try Peak Retreats, they do a package including tunnel flexi plus which we have found to be reasonable value.
We are also looking at new year next season as it works well with the school holidays and work will shut down. I need to explore the Austrian resorts more.

Edit, oh And Serre Che obvs. Skiing, town, thermal spas, bars. (Bit of a lottery on the early season snow though)

Serre Chevalier.

Obviously.

😎

Obergurgl, Kitzbuhel and Cham are all fantastic resorts. Sadly every trader wears a mask, carries a flintlock and holds up stage coaches for a living. Try somewhere less likely to empty your wallet @€10 a Beer: Les Gets/Morzine, Mayrhofen/Zell am Ziller, Ellmau (or anywhere in the wilder Kaiser), or one of the resorts in the Italian Milky Way system.

Austria is a good shout but be warned that Xmas and New Year you are not guaranteed nice weather or enough snow in some resorts. Ski areas we like are in Zillertal or Saalbach Hinterglemm which is now connected to Leogang and Fieberbrunn. We have usually camped but the campsites have holiday flats and lots for the kids/ teens to do including swimming pools indoor climbing halls indoor play areas and and and. Have a look at https://www.camping-zillertal.at/en/camping-zillertal
https://www.hells-ferienresort.at/
https://www.tirol-camp.at/en/
To give you an idea what is on offer. But they sell out pretty quickly. If your daughters like to party then Saalbach has one of the best apres ski scenes in Austria but it’s pricey.

Driving keeps costs down if the other three passengers are sharing the cost and the driving! If they're family members (aka freeloaders), you'll be doing all the driving and all the paying.

Or as I see it all the saving! Silver lining (bad accounting)

Don't assume a package ski holiday will be more expensive. A group of us go with Crystal Ski every year, we wait for the sales in November (I think) to book. You can get some really good deals, and Crystal have always been ok. It takes out a whole load of faff as well.

I wouldn't assume driving down will be cheaper. At christmas/new year the mega cost is the accommodation. Last new year we got cheap (100 quid each return) flights to Innsbruck, taxi to Seefeld and back (about 80 quid return), then a lovely airbnb place for a week (1600 quid).

Lovely place for families and mixed ability/enthusiasm.

At Johann in Tyrol. Nice town, very nice public pools with sauna etc.

Christmas is usually cheap in France because people spend Christmas with family then go skiing for New Year. New year is expensive because there is deamand and owners have learned not to rent out and get the place trashed.

I wouldn’t assume driving down will be cheaper. At christmas/new year the mega cost is the accommodation. Last new year we got cheap (100 quid each return) flights to Innsbruck, taxi to Seefeld and back (about 80 quid return), then a lovely airbnb place for a week (1600 quid).

Lovely place for families and mixed ability/enthusiasm.

Thanks - do you have a link to the Airbnb?

Have a look at flying to Munich then train to Zell am See. Good thing there is the Kitzsteinhorn glacier is guaranteed to have snow!

Good thing there is the Kitzsteinhorn glacier is guaranteed to have snow!

Not so, Tignes glacier was closed last year due to a lack of snow. My local resort didn't open until 23/1. Nothing is certain anymore.

I spent New Years in St Anton a few years back. We got lucky and there was lots of snow. There was also a huge firework show on NYE. The town is really nice too. Only thing I’ll say is the beginners in our group found the resort quite hard to ski. The blues are almost reds in other resorts. So if your group feels confident skiing on greens and blues rather than solid reds then they may not enjoy the skiing too much.

Les Deux Alps is fun, likewise Serre Chavalier except remember to expect french to be “off”.
🤬😂

Little merdes

Clink - sorry I can't find it on airbnb. But (unlike France!) Austrian accommodation has always been good quality for us so base choice on location in the village id say.

Clink – sorry I can’t find it on airbnb. But (unlike France!) Austrian accommodation has always been good quality for us so base choice on location in the village id say.

Cheers for trying csb.

Austria is wonderful, I prefer it to france, but not sure it's the right location for driving to, as you MUST have snow tyres. Whereas in france you can get away with snow chains... it something to think about?

I'd suggest for first timers/beginners whichever resort you end up in (and there defo ones you shouldn't go too.. Cham/Verbier/Val'd) try to get your accommodation as close to the ski school/ main lifts as you can... if you can get ski in/ski out even better .... use your energy for skiing not getting to the first lift.

And lastly, in true STW fashion ... I think you are going at the wrong time of year.... For beginner skiers and for the wife watching, it will be a much nicer experience at Easter/late in the season when the weather will be better.... it will be a far more enjoyable for you all if it's sunny and warm rather then snowing and storms.

Good luck, have fun

I'd second having a look at what Crystal Ski can offer. I think we're down to about £1000 each for this years' week away at xmas (we have the whole chalet though, there's loads of us).

For venues, have always enjoyed Meribel - you can get the cable car all the way down to the town if you're not interested in skiing.

I’d suggest for first timers/beginners whichever resort you end up in (and there defo ones you shouldn’t go too.. Cham/Verbier/Val’d)

I learned to ski in Val, why shouldn't I have done? You don't need a lift pass for the beginners' lift in either Tignes or Val'dIsère.

Having skied in both Austria and France I'm also failing to see why the accomodation in Austria is considered better. Personally I appreciate the abundance of reasonably priced self-catered flats near the pistes in France.

I can be as "off" or as pleasant as the people I'm faced with. I'm sure if I staggered around Sainsbury's, talking loudly in a foreign language, being rowdy, the locals might be a bit "off". Is that you on ski holidays, "little merdes" Tdog?

Brits at their best:

French test, how does the guy ask for a beer?

Sorry I just think it's nice for beginners to be able to access lots of easy greens and blues directly from the town/village/centre which I do not believe is Cham, Verb or Val'd strong points

There's two reason for my thinking

The first, is even for an experienced skier/boarder having to "commute" to the slopes is a bit rubbish. I like to be able to ski right off the first lift, rather than having to get one lift to get you up onto a plateau, which you may have to do in all three of those places, to then have to get another lift to get to the top of a slope.

And the second one is linked to the first and also my comments of enjoying skiing more in pleasant weather.

Higher up the hill generally equals colder and windier... when you are a beginner learning to ski is one thing , learning to ski while battling the elements is just not much fun (hence why I suggested later in the year).... make it easy on yourself, you'll enjoy it more and progress faster.

Val and Tignes get 5/5 for beginners on skiresort.fr
https://www.skiresort.fr/domaine-skiable/tignesval-disere/appreciation/debutants/
This is first piste I skied in 87, the lift is still free. It fulfills all your criteria, Rosey.

As does the free lift in Tignes Val Claret

The free one in Tignes Lac
In fact every sector of the area has a free beginner lift and slope right next to the accomodation.

OK if you think so .... you win.

Look at Valmeinier and the surrounding valleys - not one of the main resorts so cheaper - apparently it was going to be the original 3 valleys complex but locals objected...

https://winter.valmeinier.com/

it will be a far more enjoyable for you all if it’s sunny and warm rather then snowing and storms.

sunny is good, warm is not as the snow will be stickier and nastier to ski on.

It would have to be well cold outside for it to be uncomfortable in modern ski gear, unless you wear stupid clothing like cotton t-shirts, or even merino in many cases.

Weather in the mountains is always going to be variable, expect the worst - hope for the best, what ever time of year. The benefit of late season is longer days, that is the only certainty (In my experience)

Educator, the ski in/out potential of France is undoubtedly better than Austria but the cost nowadays in France is crazy, and the atmosphere, facilities and prettiness of Austrian towns (especially for anyone not mega keen on skiing) wins hands down over France. The only exception I've found is the serre chevalier valley.

Atmosphere: if you're into the hour of outside drinking en masse to deafening techno after the lifts shut then Austria is for you. If you like a meal in a restaurant then France is where I'd rather eat.

I'm intrigued as to what "facilities" Austrian resorts have that French ones such as Tignes don't (apart from a mass of Brothels just over the border in Germany obviously). My tiny local French resort has a spa, climbing wall, squash court, cinema, crêche, snow shoeing, X-C, rando, downhill, fat bikes, scooters, trips out on a piste basher, dog sled rides, nights in barrels, outside jaccusis et j'en passe.

French resorts go from visually pretty to pretty horrible and even that depends on your taste. My "outsider" suggestion was Peisey-Valandry which is pretty by most people's standards and very pretty up in the X-C area. If your idea of pretty is concrete that looks like a chalet rather than concrete that a crazy architect was let loose on then yes, Austria is prettier. Nowhere in Austria is as naturally spectacular as the Chamonix valley IMO. Both countries have urbanised mountain areas that cater for skiers, just remember that when you are there you are part of the demand that created the problem.

As for the cost, if you find the cost of France crazy how do you qulaify Austria which I have always found more expensive for an equivalent ski area - both accomodation and the passes?

Both countries have great skiing experiences to offer, there's really only one reason to diss one or the other - prejudice. Explore both, the more you explore the more you'll realise that amongst the literally hundreds of resorts there's something to suit your tastes and needs. I just offered up a suggestion based on the OPs stated needs from the numerous resorts I've been to.

Thanks for all the advice - going to take a while to read through the thread and digest it all - then make a decision!

Educator, I've skied enough places around the world to have built quite a good basis for my preference. Austrian villages are just nicer places to be for a family ski holiday imho. If it was just mates I'd go (and do) high in France. We go to France every year in summer so it's not prejudice by the way. You sound like your trying to defend a choice you've made.

Yhyh true The froggies know how to do a mean sizzling steak/cheese fondue!

👍👍

You sound like your trying to defend a choice you’ve made

Of course. I note you haven't been able to elaborate on all these facilities you claim Austrian resorts have that French ones don't. I'm quite happy for you to post "nicer" because that's a subjective impression but I'm contesting false facts. I speak German so I find Germany much nicer than Austria. 😉

Beer under €5?
It’s still around €4.40 in our village, it was more than that in Morzine during happy hour last time I went.

Reasonably priced food on the mountain.

How about €11 for the best lasagne I’ve ever tasted in a very smart place

https://www.deantnerin.at/

Austria for me. Drove there one year (a while ago now) and didnt need chains, stayed over in Munich. Other than the stupid drivers on the Autobahn the next day it was fine.

So that the OP or any others don't make a mistake

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/driving-abroad/winter/

I'm not suggesting travelling without them Ro5ey BTW. I have a set. Just that I didnt need them and its conditions dependent.