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Family friendly resorts near Geneva

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The family ski holiday has been agreed to by my OH tonight so I’m on the hunt for a decent place for us to go.

Last year was my OHs and sons first time(they had a week of private lessons, about 20hrs). I have skied for about 4 years now.

We are going to fly into Geneva so need somewhere without a major transfer time.

Ideally it would have a location that suits all but I’m happy to lean toward a more beginner friendly area with good offslope activities.

We will go 1/2nd week of March so concerns around half term etc.

Thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The French school holidays don't end till 9 March - and the last week is Paris, so much better go after that. There are loads of places to suggest - Avoriaz might suit. Very convenient skiing.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Good tip from @pam w, as after that date any queues will melt away. Have a look at Les Carroz in the Grand Massif. It is only an hour from Geneva, just 20 mins off the main motorway. It has the “Famille Plus” classification as well, so regular activities for families. LC is a real village, where people live year round, with a school, weekly market etc. If you want to go high you either ski over to or drive to Flaine. I highly recommend the ESF at LC, all the instructors our girls had were very kind and some very funny. Good luck. You'll get plenty of other recommendations, but the GM is not one of the 'sexy/chi chi' areas, so many dismiss it.
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@DanFuller, La Clusaz worth considering.

What type of accommodation are you thinking of?

Is budget tight or not too much of a constraint?

After 9 March costs will usually be a bit lower, though the major benefit is far less crowded pistes.
snowHead
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
La Clusaz is not massively convenient for skiing, though it has its charms. Les Carroz better. Or Avoriaz.
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Praz de Lys / Sommand - not an enormous area but perfectly adequate for 4-week skiers. Lots of mellow terrain for beginners and a very family-friendly atmosphere. And a short distance from GVA.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Praz de Lys is lovely, I'm obliged to suggest Les Gets as well. Don't hesitate to ask if you decide on it and need help with accommodation (we can organise the lifts passes and lessons as well) as I work in an agency that has a holiday rental arm
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@altis, and @MeMyselfandI, I asked advice on another thread, and am very drawn to Praz de Lys. Have you any snippets to push me over the edge and book up! (Flights booked for 9-16 January, but I have more flights for 9-16 March too.)

@MeMyselfandI, Noted your day job- we have AirbnB in mind, but feel free to tempt me with a nice place to stay. Cheers

CG
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
If French resorts look busy during holiday time, don't forget Geneva is actually in Switzerland and the Aosta valley in Italy is also readily accessible with good family skiing.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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@Charliegolf, We don't rent anywhere out in Praz de Lys but we do have a lovely apartment for sale there Wink

For Les Gets accommodation send me an email on abi @ agence-lacentrale.com (take out the spaces first!) with your budget and wish list and I'll get our options over to you. We can also then help arrange everything from transfers to lessons to lift passes to childcare.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Charliegolf, we have recently sold our chalet in Les Gets after nearly twenty years, and for the last few years we bought season passes for Praz de Lys as well as PDS as we enjoyed the skiing there so much as very quiet and rarely and English voice to be heard.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Thanks for that Pamski- that's the kind of vibe we fancy trying out. We started late in life, and followed our daughter's passion for the 3V, which we will in all likelihood do again on our 'other' trip.

Is the road access a problem? I've kind of picked up that it has been blocked? We'll be diy-ing, so the transfer will be our problem, not a TO's.

CG
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Charliegolf, the road is currently closed from Les Gets but should be opened for December between certain hours. It's true that it's not easy at the moment though.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Charliegolf, Very true about the road, apart from when there were landslide actually blocking the road last year they managed to have it open at weekends and then for chunks of time each day. The website is as pretty good at being up to date on opening hours.
We tended to use La Grande Ourse for drinks etc and would park close to it quite often. They have apartments
www.grandeourse.net

Also a B&B you could look at www.souslejora.com
Chalet Sous le Jora
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
avoriaz is a great family destination. fantastic skiing too.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Avoriaz Traffic free resort. Excellent beginners slopes and easy confidence building blue runs. Good aquatic center.

90 minute transfer.

NB book the luggage sledge in advance!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
For Praz de Lys - would there be any recommendations on accommodation? I can't seem to find self catering place for family of 4, 1 double (not sofabed) and 2 singles. Would consider a hotel or shared chalet. Any assistance appreciated Smile
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@zedzed_uk, Peak Retreats have some SC accommmdation in Praz de Lys.
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Flaine.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Looking at Praz de Lys piste map and it looks like a lot of drag lifts. Having only been to Avoriaz (last year, 1st ski holiday!) everything was a chair lift. Personally I quite liked having the time on the chairs to chat to the kids, ask them how the last run(s) went etc ... but I assume this is just the factor of Praz de Lys being a smaller (and hopefully quieter) resort. i.e. that's just how it is when you try to escape the half term crowds. I assume it won't be an issue using (long?) drags for "2nd week skiers"?

Also - we're flying into Geneva same as the OP. Out of interest I wondered how much to transfer to La Thuile (Italy), and I'm getting costs of around EUR 500. Almost twice the price of the flights, and we'd not make it to La Thuile until nearer midnight I guess. Anyone skied both, and would recommend one over the other (for a family of new skiers!). We're going 16th to 23rd Feb ... from what I can gather, pretty much the worst possible week for French half-term crowds (but this is the only week we could do).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
Les diablerets, Villars, Chateax d'oex.....i know all in expensive Switzerland but have a look before any instant dismissal.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
We've been there quite a few times over the years but haven't stayed as couldn't persuade a group to go there.

We really like it and there is some great skiing there too. It looks as you say from cursory glance of the piste map (quite a few drag) but we've been going to smaller french ski areas to find out for ourselves what they're like. it's more interesting than the map could indicate and the raw numbers of kilometres etc would suggest.

Generally the village plus chalets is nicely spread out and the drag lifts collect from the outlying accommodation to make it all effectively ski in ski out. They shouldn't be a problem even for fairly early beginners, my children going on them from about the age of 5/6 yrs. That's the general area one's. Main kids beginner area has a dedicated pair of them serving initial piste that are very gentle.

Most of the pra side is served by two long successive chairs though to reach the highest ridge between Pra and Sommand with choice of red,blue,black pistes to get back down plus large part pisted bowl. It's very easy to get around for any level I think and well worth a week there.

Pass price is good, excellent restaurants there both in village and out on piste. It has a very good relaxed feel about it, much more French and much less brit tourist which is to it's benefit I feel.

I think its a little gem and always leave there feeling we've just had a time that's disappearing at the bigger ski areas.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@zedzed_uk, I've not looked at the piste map but I would say that long drag lifts are not fun for young ones. The odd one is fine but it takes practice and if they are steep there is much more chance for skittling off. Once they have some strength and co-ordination, then OK, but as you point out, you can't talk to them and you have to be prepared to bail if they fall off and help in the recovery and ski down carrying skis/poles etc.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Another option - Les Saisies. Slightly longer from GVA, but great for families. Easy slopes and easy skiing. Not many Brits.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Aosta valley may work. Any suggestions on a decent location? I’ve been advised indoors that it needs some decent shops in the town and not be just a satellite village.

I have looked at Avoriaz and do like the idea of a ‘waterpark’ But do worry that up there, there isn’t much of a choice in accommodation bar self catering small apartments.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@DanFuller,
Courmayeur is lovely though the ski area is a little small.
La Thuile is a great place to ski but the non skiing activities are a bit limited if they are important to you.
I haven't stayed in any of the other areas but Pila and Gressoney / Champoluc get favourable reports from those who've been.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@DanFuller, If you ar elooking as far as Aoste, then Champoluc is probably your best bet as far as a mix of on/of slope etc. Check outwww.ski2.co.uk I have no affiliation but I hear/see good things. I am afraid our apartment is fully booked (and has been since May...)
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
La Clusaz, it has a French market town which isn’t purpose built, great skiing for all levels and weekend floodlit skiing. Access to LGB and close to GVA. There are ski in/out options and staying in town isn’t a problem to the lifts.

https://www.snowmagazine.com/features/1208-top-tens/the-top-10-ski-resorts-in-the-world-2018

The link says it better than I could...
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

Another option - Les Saisies. Slightly longer from GVA, but great for familie

Or, 40 minutes closer to Geneva, and even fewer Brits, Praz sur Arly, which is part of the same lift-linked area - a big area (about the same size, piste-wise, as Kitzbuhel). Or, closer again, Combloux which is part of the big Mont Blanc Evasion area, just down the road from Megeve.
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