Ski Advice Needed

beachlou

Hello,

After deliberating about ski holidays for next yr, then winter sun deals for this yr, it looks like we are going for the ski hol...but for April this yr. I know the snow might be limited, but we're just going to go for it (4 of us)

Looks like we can get a good self-drive deal, plus SC accom. for approx. £80-100 pp in France (hopefully Les Arcs or Coucheval).

So, we are in need for some advice-mainly about how to go about buying lift passes/equipment hire. Is it better to get it when we get out there? or book in advance?

Many thanks

John_3:16

First can you ski? How are you going have you booked rooms?
Do you plan to have lessons? More info please

beachlou

John_3:16 wrote:

First can you ski? How are you going have you booked rooms?
Do you plan to have lessons? More info please

Hi, sorry, here's more info

2 of us can ski/board (intermediate level)
2 would be beginners- they would want lessons, but not for the whole week.

Going by car. In process of booking a SC appartment

Hotspur

beachlou,

Once you know which resort/accommodation then check out the town plan and location of the hire shops for the resort online. You can save as much as 20% by advance booking. I only found this out after pre-booking with a tour operator this January! I have also heard it is possible to haggle in resort out of peak season as well particularly if your French is good.
Not sure about lessons but you may have a choice of ESF and other schools in resort. We used Evolution 2 in La Rosiere on the opposite side of the valley to Les Arcs.

John_3:16

If possible get some lessons before you go snow dome etc it will take less time when out there to enjoy. We go in Feb driving to the alps Les houches. First time lads are well up for it. They have there own snowboards cheep from Decathlon.

If you look around you can get cheap crossings. speed ferry £20 one way at the moment! April could be the same?

beachlou

Hey John-will def get some lessons in before we go.

The £80-100 includes the crossing, so thats no problem.

Quick question- how do we go about getting left passes from the UK? hear it's better getting them before-hand to save money. have you found this?

John_3:16

We have had advice about this. Our teenagers are snow boarding and are taking 3 lessons. The ski school have adviced us to not get passes until we arive. this is due to not knowing which lifts will be used. They have told us this is the best way to do it. Will let you know if when we get there I find any change.

I would be interested how you grt £100 With fuel and tolls?

beachlou

John_3:16 wrote:

We have had advice about this. Our teenagers are snow boarding and are taking 3 lessons. The ski school have adviced us to not get passes until we arive. this is due to not knowing which lifts will be used. They have told us this is the best way to do it. Will let you know if when we get there I find any change.

I would be interested how you grt £100 With fuel and tolls?

The £100 only includes SC accom for 7 nights and the ferries across. The fuel will be about £50 each (4 of us), then add on tolls. Don't think it's too bad a deal as have been looking into ferry crossing and they're coming up about £40 each way.

I have gone onto the resort websites, and you can purchase the ski lifts online-with about a 20% saving. Same with hire of equipment and lessons.

Each person, we're looking at about £350, which includes:

-Return ferries
-7 night SC accom.
- Petrol
- 6 day lift pass
- 6 day lessons
- 6 day ski/board and boot hire

That is either in Les Deux Alpes or La Plagne

John_3:16

Do you plan on stopping on the way down it will be 8 or 9 hours from Calais.

beachlou

John_3:16 wrote:

Do you plan on stopping on the way down it will be 8 or 9 hours from Calais.

Will only stop for lunch etc so will go straight through. will take between 8 and 9 hours and we'll get an earlyish crossing (about 8 or 9am). It won't be too bad- they'll be 2 of us driving. We drive to West France quite regulalrly anyway, so we don't mind the drive