Sking for a mixed group

ANNEGEDDES

Hi all

I want to pick your brains if thats ok, been having a good look around but thouht i would ask the experts!!

Right every year our group of mates wants to go skiing but most of the time it does not happen as people think its too expensive. This year I want to hit them with a deal that no oone can refuse!!

So we are late 20's will be 4-15 people in our group, would ideally want to fly from bristol, cardiff b'ham as we are in s. wales to anywhere for one weeks skiing/boarding.

Mixed ablilities, some first timers no super duper experts but some action men!!
was thinking of avoiding europe cos of the euro what do you think?

hope someone can help?

ANNEGEDDES

back to the drawing board then?

Mr_Warren_2

Go soon after New Year, the best deals around are available in January. With such a group you are going to have plenty fun in the evening whilst all will be able to have lessons during the day (and tell your tales in the evening). Andorra is a good place as the Euro will take your further than in the Alps. Failing that, you can try Bulgaria (Borovet or Pamporovo) where prices will be good and the snow in January should be good.

ANNEGEDDES

yeah thanks Mr warreni have been looking ar bovovet brilliant thanks for suggestion

Hotspur

Winter Park, USA. Fly to Denver. Great for mixed abilities, groomed runs, tree ski-ing and steep stuff too. A long way to go, few have heard of it but fab. I spent almost 2 weeks there and didn't ski it all and I'm a ski all day type of skier!

Baiquira Beret (?) in the Pyranees - cheaper and quieter than te Alps (Try ski Miquel for more info or google the resort)

hartcjhart

Granada in Spain hire a car/minibus ski in the morning,sunbathe on the beach at lunchtime

nellycat

why not try the French Pyrenees? We live a couple of hours from here and last year had a fantastic time exploring. You can fly to Perpignan or Gerona, usually lowcost, and rent an apartment quite cheaply. And the prices for lift tickets and eating out are nothing like the alps, we were enjoying lunch with wine for just 10 euros.
On top of this the slopes are really quiet too.
Have a look! http://www.franceandbeyond.co.uk/page21.htm

schneckster

For mixed abilities, try the 3 Vallees in France. Not the cheapest but every skiing ability is catered for.

Beginners, just get the valley pass. You won't be good enough to get out of the Valley you're in. And definitely get a weeks worth of lessons. ESF is the biggest of the ski schools, though there are others. Better skiers get the 3 Vallees pass which gives you access to the whole 650km+ ski area.

I learnt to ski in Val Thorens. It's the highest resort in the world at around 2300m above sea level with slopes upto 3400m. There were nursery slopes to practive on and a lot of greens and blues around, too. The Val Thorens pass was more than enough for me, and I learnt quickly enough to be skiing reds and the odd black by the end of the week... petrified and extremely slow, of course, but I skied them anyway.

The place is full of bars and a couple of clubs so a large group should be very happy. When I went, there were 27 of us!!! We mostly stayed in the Frog & Roast Beef... an English run place.... but we did venture to many of the other bars, including a clean up of one bar's Quiz Night! LOL!!

I went back to the 3 Vallees the following two years (Meribel and La Tania) on 3 Vallees passes. That last time, we did the balls out run... Courcheval to Val Thorens and back again to make sure we got the last lift back to La Tania... I couldn't move the next day!! LOL

If you want a good craic on the way there, why not consider the Snow Train? Coach from Dover to a ferry, then an overnight train from Calais to the train stations near the slopes (3 Vallees station is Bourg St Maurice, I think). There's a bar car on the train so most people drink their way to the slopes. Get your beer on the ferry, though... its far cheaper! It also gives you two extra days skiing (in resort around 10am, leave resort around 5pm). Eurostar do something similar, but I believe the Snowtrain is more fun.

Whatever you do, I hope you have a good'un.

Schneckster

weeclop

i would say for me that bansko in bulgaria is now the top cheap place for skiing in bulgaria now. i have skiied both borovites and bansko and bansko is definatly my fav:beer:

leanne-bansko

i would agree bansko is a great place for family skiing @ a price that will not break the bank