What are you up to for the Easter school holidays? Strolling through daffodils, enjoying the cherry blossom, taking a minute to gaze at gambolling lambs? Well, just in case you’re interested: there’s still snow on the mountains in April, a high chance of sun and family ski-deals to book right now.
1/5 Val Thorens, self-catering studio apartment, 7 nights from £485pp
Trois Vallées’ legend, Val Thorens, is the highest resort in Europe and 2016’s ‘Best Ski Resort in the World’, ‘European Best Ski Resort’ and ‘Best Ski Resort in France’. It’s also famous as first open and last closed, so if you want snow in April, this is where to look.
Just as lively off slope, as on, the resort’s 7500m² indoor sports centre, modular snow park and fun slope are going strong for Easter. Restaurants and bars are all doing business and the ESF Ski School’s turning beginners into skiers like it was still December. One lift pass covers the entire 600km Trois Vallées’ and the area’s other seven resorts are open in April too.
L’Altineige one bedroom studio apartments are right in the centre of Val Thorens, close to lifts and designed to give you as much time as possible on the mountains.
What: one bedroom studio apartment, 100m from village centre and 400m from lifts. Sleeps up to five, self-catering with return Gatwick flights and transfers
When: 8 April 2017 for seven nights
Where: Val Thorens, Trois Vallées, Haute-Savoie, France
Price: from £485 per person based on four sharing
Find out more about L’Altineige, Val Thorens with SNO Ski Holidays
2/5 Courchevel 1550, self-catering studio apartment, 7 nights from £472pp
Starry Courchevel doesn’t need much introduction as far as luxury spas, Michelin starred restaurants, designers shops and beautifully groomed celebrity skiers go. But the most glamorous Trois Vallées’ name, works just as well for families this Easter too.
It’s the only resort in France with a day-to-night family ski park and a Children’s Village, designed just for young skiers. The Forum sport, leisure and shopping complex is huge. And, in case 600km of skiing isn’t challenging enough, there are jumps from 25m to 120m high and a 2.5km long toboggan run.
Les Brigues studio apartments are just 10 minutes walk from the centre of Courchevel 1550 and close to fast ski lifts with access to the entire Trois Vallées’ area. Each apartment sleeps four and children under 12 stay free.
What: one bedroom studio apartment, 10 minutes from ski-lifts and Courchevel 1550 centre. Sleeps up to four, self-catering. Holiday includes return Gatwick flights, transfers and free accommodation for two children under 12.
When: 8 April 2017 for seven nights.
Where: Courchevel, Trois Vallées, Haute-Savoie, France
Price: from £472 per person based on four sharing.
Find out more about Les Brigues, Courchevel with Crystal Ski Holidays
3/5 Sant Anton, Austria, fully catered chalet, 7 nights from £759pp
Just under an hour from Innsbruck airport, high altitude Sant Anton mixes outstanding intermediate and advance skiing with a true Tyrolean, family atmosphere. The resort’s part of the legendary Arlberg Circus which is almost as famous for spectacular Alpine scenery as red and black runs and challenging off-piste.
April’s good value with kid’s lift passes from as little as £14 and the entire resort’s open. So when you’re not skiing, there are swimming pools, climbing walls and indoor tennis courts to play with. Sant Anton ski school’s one of the best in the region and free children’s equipment hire is available with adult boot and ski hire.
But the real attraction here is Chalet Gertrude Gabl (named after 1969 World Alpine Skiing Champion and mother of the present owner). Beautifully designed right down to log burning fires and guest saunas, the chalet’s fully catered, exceptionally welcoming to kids and just a short walk from the village centre and lifts – there’s a free bus too.
What: Fully catered chalet: family room with mountain views, spacious shared living and dining space, open fires, sauna and spa area. Holiday includes return Gatwick flights and transfers.
When: 9 April 2017 for seven nights
Where: Sant Anton, Arlberg Circus, Innsbruck, Austria
Price: from £759 per person based on four sharing
Find out more about Chalet Gertrude Gabl, Sant Anton with SNO Ski Holidays
4/5 Méribel, self-catering studio apartment, 7 nights from £529pp
High altitude, cute forest setting and heaps of kid’s activities, Méribel is another Trois Vallées resort with a good snow record well into spring. Which is what you’d expect from one of Europe’s leading competition venues and host of the 2015 World Cup Alpine Ski.
One lift pass for the entire 600km area means plenty of exercise for keen skiers. The ESF Méribel ski school’s open in April and novices can practice on four beginner slopes. Yeti Magical Kingdom snow park’s fun for all ages, Inuit Village works playtime for 5 – 12 year olds and the resort’s also home to Element and DC Area43 terrain parks.
Les Ravines studio apartments are just 400m from lifts and close to the village centre for restaurants, shops, cafés and bars – all open and all working hard in April. Child care’s also available, so you might want to take an evening off parenting duty for dinner at Michelin starred L’Ecrin.
What: one bedroom studio apartment, 400m from village centre and lifts. Sleeps up to four, self-catering. Holiday includes return Gatwick flights and transfers.
When: 8 April 2017 for seven nights.
Where: Méribel, Trois Vallées, Haute-Savoie, France
Price: from £529 per person based on four sharing.
Find out more about Les Ravines, Méribel with Iglu Ski
5/5 Les Arcs 1800, self-catering family chalet, 7 nights from £632pp
Les Arcs is another high-altitude Tarentaise Valley favourite with a confident guarantee of snow this Easter. The ski-area’s not as vast Les Trois Vallées but, with direct links to La Plagne, it comes pretty close.
It’s not one of the most authentic resorts in Haute-Savoie, but Les Arcs makes up for a lack of tradition with fast lifts, excellent transport, lively après-ski and good shopping.
Les Alpages de Chantel chalets are about 15 minutes walk from the village centre and close to lifts and ski-schools. The complex has an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, sauna and steam room and it’s new generation Les Arcs’ architecture: quaint and interesting as opposed to 70s minimalist-bleak.
What: one bedroom apartment, 15 minutes from ski-lifts and Les Arcs 1800 centre. Sleeps up to four, self-catering. Holiday includes return Gatwick flights and airport transfers.
When: 8 April 2017 for seven nights.
Where: Courchevel, Trois Vallées, Haute-Savoie, France
Price: from £632 per person based on four sharing