10 alternative family ski destinations.
Here Snowfinders has listed, in no particular order, 10 family ski destinations that we love sending our clients to. Just to shake things up a little we have declined to include some of the usual suspects that are often in demand. We feel that these resorts offered are where the smart skier likes to go to - the skier that doesn’t follow the crowded piste but makes their powder tracks of informed decision based on requirements rather than dinner party bragging rights:
- Obergurgl, Austria . This snow-sure high altitude resort sits at 1930m and as an upmarket ski holiday destination is ultimately a collection of mainly 4 and 5 hotels. Most properties boast a ski in/ski out location and all tend to be owner managed so service levels here are one of the highest in the Alps. The ski area covers 110km of piste and more adventurous skiers can also take a day in neighbouring Solden by upgrading their lift pass for a nominal amount. The ski school is fun and friendly and on mountain prices are extremely reasonable.
- Valmorel, France. 140km of piste and a modern village with an oldy-worldy feel. The resort is perfectly geared for children and the locals are extremely friendly. The all-inclusive 4 star Club Med hotel at the top of the village affords ski in/ski out access and has the full range of tuition and childcare including a teenagers club complete with chilling room and mixing decks for any aspiring DJs.
- Arosa, Switzerland. If you’re tired of the usual suspects of family destinations and want something different from France then why not try this amazing resort at 1600m. Arosa is now linked to Lenzerheide to offer a staggering 220km of piste. With 67 blue runs, 28 red, and 10 black plus amazing off-piste this resort has family written all over it.
- Kronplatz, Italy. With 120km of piste and much more if you upgrade to the Dolomiti Superski pass this area is practically unknown to the British market. The friendly Italians will offer you some of the best mountain cuisine and at a fraction of the price you would pay in French resorts such as Courchevel or Val d’Isere. Just 2 hours from Innsbruck airport and with quality hotels at bargain prices this is a great destination for the family.
- Katschberg, Austria. High altitude an Austria are two words that are rarely seen together but here at 1640m with 140km of piste the two words sit in harmony. The 4 star plus Hotel Cristallo is a family resort hotel with childcare, indoor adult and child pools, spa facilities, full board and bedrooms/suites all included. Fun and friendly are words to describe Katschberg.
- Corvara, Italy. This exclusive village has a laid back feel and although the childcare facilities are not as extensive as many, it affords the more discerning family a high quality ski experience at a fraction of the cost of resorts such as Lech or Courchevel. The ski area is very extensive (1220 kms on the Superski lift pass) but in general it is perfect for families skiing together. With some of the world’s most picturesque ski terrain, The Dolomites is a place that you must ski at least once. Our favourite hotel is the 4 star Col Alto.
- Pragelato, Italy. In essence, this resort is just a hotel, albeit, a 4 star luxury ski in/ski out “resort hotel”. This Club med village is a collection of chalets connected by cobbled walkways to various facilities including restaurants, bars, health spas, ski school, childcare play facilities, etc. Your price includes full board, all drinks, lift pass, tuition/guiding, childcare, non-ski activities and much more. The resort sits at 1600m and provides access to the vast 400kms of piste that the Milky Way ski domain has to offer.
- La Rosiere, France. Situated at 1850m this French resort is within spitting distance of the more well-known Tarantaise resorts such as Val d’Isere, Les Arcs, La Plagne, etc. The demographic here is all families which means that the off-piste does not get tracked out too quickly on powder days. There are a choice of ski schools but many British operators provide ski school dovetailed with childcare. Skiing over to La Thuile in Italy is easily navigable and provides the opportunity for cheap pasta and pizza lunches.
- Champoluc, Italy. What a gem of a resort this is. At Snowfinders we love this rustic beauty which lies at 1600m and just 1.5 hours from Turin. As well as a friendly and inexpensive hoteliers here are far more likely to offer short breaks and unusual durations. Snowfinders is able to offer childcare, child tuition and some amazingly different accommodation types including hotels, rascards, and mountain retreats. With an English ski school you will be guaranteed to have your children in one of Europe’s best ski schools.
- La Plagne, France. It’s hard to deny this resort its status as number one family destination as it has so much to offer families. In reality La Plagne is around 11 satelite villages on one ski network. For families the best locations are likely to be Plagne Centre, Belle Plagne, and the more traditional resort of Plagne 1800. There are various ski schools and child care options across this region and apres ski includes the world famous Olympic bobsleigh from Plagne 1800.