BEGINNERS bewildered by the huge choice of places to learn to ski would be well advised to get their snow legs in France.
Apart from being close to home and accessible by air, train and car, France has a big choice of high-altitude resorts with wide pistes perfect for learners. It also has a wide choice of instructors, from the nationally run Ecole du Ski Francais, to local independent schools.
First Choice product manager for snow sports Ian Davis said: “The lift passes and equipment hire in France are expensive, but the country has some of the best skiing in the world, and for beginners, some of the best instructors.”
Crystal and Thomson Ski product and marketing director Gareth Crump said France’s good snow record and doorstep skiing in the purpose-built resorts means France is a good sell to beginners. Doorstep skiing means novice skiers don’t have to juggle with skis, poles, gloves, goggles and hats, while trying to walk in heavy boots.
“The ski schools offer excellent tuition for children and adults alike,” he added.
So put aside those daunting brochures full of pictures of experts whizzing through powder and resort maps that only confuse the uninitiated, and see where the experts recommend for beginner skiers in France.
Crystal
Where: Flaine, about two hours south of Geneva.
Why: staying at Crystal’s Club Hotel Le Totem, clients can step outside the door and into the snow so they can ski to the lifts. Because the resort is high up, Flaine’s snow conditions are good right through to April. Perfect for families starting on the slopes, the resort has three free lifts at the bottom of the mountain so beginners can save money by buying a ski pass only when they are ready to tackle the higher slopes. Once snowplough turns and have been mastered, clients can take the gondola or chairlift to the top of the mountain and ski down on some fairly easy green and blue runs. For those feeling confident, the resort also gives access to 165 miles of ski runs in the Grand Massif. Back in town there are restaurants and bars, a few shops and an indoor pool.
Sample product: Crystal has seven nights at the Club Totem from £412 per person next winter including breakfast, dinner with wine on six nights, flights and transfers. A learn-to-ski package costs £99 per adult or £89 per child, including six days’ski and boot hire, tuition and an essentials kit for beginners containing a hat, gloves, suncream, bag and disposable camera. A six-day lift pass costs £131 for adults, £105 for 12 to 15-year-olds or £96 for five to 11-year-olds.
Inghams
Where: Morzine, in the Haute Savoie region, just under two hours from Geneva.
Why: the chalet-style architecture, set in a picturesque valley, makes this the perfect antidote to purpose-built concrete resorts and it also offers some of the best skiing in the Alps. The resort is popular with families, beginners and experts, who can ski for miles – Morzine is in the Portes du Soleil, one of the largest linked ski areas in the world. Those just starting on the slopes will probably stay close to the town, where there are plenty of easy runs. The tree-lined slopes around Pleney-Les Gets are also ideal for beginners carving out those all-important first turns. Back in town, there’s a good selection of shops, bars and restaurants where first-timers can retreat to nurse their aching limbs.
Sample product: Inghams offers seven nights at the three-star Hotel Les Champs Fleuris from £609 per person half-board in February and March 2006, including flights and transfers. A learn-to-ski package costs £189 per adult or £150 per child, which includes six days’ ski and boot hire, six days in ski school and a six-day lift pass.
Thomson
Where: Les Arcs 1800, about two and a half hours from Chambery.
Why: Les Arcs is home of the Ski Evolutif teaching method, whereby beginners start on short skis and work up to longer ones. This promises to get first-timers parallel skiing in double-quick time.
For those who progress fast, there are 260 miles of piste to explore through a link to neighbouring La Plagne. Les Arcs is made up of four self-contained villages at different heights, but beginners should head for Arc 1800, which has wide, open nursery slopes, doorstep skiing and well-groomed pistes. There are barely any lift queues, which is a major plus, and there’s a great view of Mont Blanc when you need a rest. The resort has a lot of self-catering accommodation, which makes it popular with families. However, because it was purpose-built for skiers, there’s not much else to do in the resort.
Sample product: Thomson has seven nights at the Charmettoger Apartments in Arc 1800 from £289 per person self-catering next winter, including flights and transfers. A learn-to-ski package costs £273 per adult or £224 per child and includes six days’ ski and boot hire, tuition and lift pass and an essentials kit for beginners including a hat, gloves, suncream, bag and a disposable camera.
First Choice
Where: Alpe d’Huez, about two-and-a-half hours from Chambery, Lyon or Grenoble.
Why: it works well for beginners despite being a concrete manufacturer’s dream. The resort is reasonably high, so there is good snow for beginners and there’s a variety of easy runs. Learners can buy a one-day ski pass, available locally costing about £7, which gives access to 11 lifts serving the green runs until they are ready to tackle the cable cars and chairlifts. French ski school ESF meets at the foot of the slopes, which is handy for learners getting to grips with their skis. For a break from the skiing, there is snowmobiling, an ice rink and an indoor sports centre.
Sample product: First Choice Snowsports offers seven nights at the Hotel Petit Prince from £519 per person half-board this winter including flights and transfers. A learn-to-ski package costs £279 per adult or £209 per child, including six days’ ski and boot hire, six days in ski school and a six-day lift pass.
Neilson
Where: Les Deux Alpes, just under three hours from Lyon.
Why: it’s one of Neilson’s most popular resorts and the only one in France where the operator offers its Learn to Turn service, an easy-to-book package that includes everything a learner needs for their first time on the slopes, including equipment, lift pass and ski school lessons. Before they travel, Learn to Turn clients receive a free ski coach CD-ROM and log book; in resort they will find Neilson Learn to Turn hosts offering guidance. Les Deux Alpes has two free runs for beginners, and there are gentle slopes on the glacier, where snow conditions are perfect for learning. Ski school meets outside the Hotel Aalborg, managed by Neilson, so beginners don’t have far to go before they hit the slopes.
Sample product: seven nights at the Hotel Aalborg start at £469 per person half-board including flights and transfers. The Learn to Turn service starts at £285 per person and includes ski equipment, six days’ tuition and a lift pass. A skiers’ pack for kids aged six to 11 costs £179 inclusive of a lift pass, equipment and tuition.
