European Ski Weekends

From the few places I've been skiing in Europe, I'd recommend Avoriaz in France. It's high so very snow-sure, especially in mid Feb. It has a huge ski area so suitable for all levels. It's traffic-free so you can ski right out of your hotel door, down the main street and get straight on the lifts. transfer is about 2 hours (from memory) from Geneva. Most of the accom is self catering so will be within your budget. The night life is perhaps a bit quieter than the more "Brit" French resorts but there should be enough to fill a weekend.

Check out Iglu.com for packages - they're usually pretty competitive.

Avoriaz is great, as BM said. lots of variety, and loads of decent restaurants a nd bars. champery in switzerland is also very good - more of a quieter place, but a huge network of runs - its porte du soleil, and you can ski across to avoriaz from there as well.

dont discount places like Val D'Isere - great nightlife and the beginner slopes are at resort level, its also pretty high, so less snow worries. the three valleys is also good for intermediate, but budget might be tight as on-piste restaurants are pretty expensive. last time i went one meal sticks in my mind - 2 spag bols, bread, 2 glasses of red, small bottle of water - £55 ?

Sod that - the whole point of going to Europe for a weekend is that we don't spend a fortune on it! H would rather give up on skiing next year but I wont so we're having to compromise.

Thanks both.

I'm going to Zakopane (I think!) in Poland next month for a weekend. However, I know nothing about the area and have only ever skiied once before, 16 years ago, so I don't think my recommendation will be much use ?

(It's cheap though)

I've been on a couple of really cheap weekends in Bad Gastein in Austria.

It's a short flight to Salzburg (ryanair) then a (very cheap) train journey to Bad Gastein which is about an hour and a great journey. It's a beautiful natural spa town and has great Apre Ski.

There's some very reasonable accommodation available too including the most amazing youth hostel right at the bottom of the lift and it would be ideal for intermediates. I can let you have some links if you're interested?

Oh and the helicopter service off the mountain is terrific, as I found out!

That'd be great, thanks. I'm not sure about the youth hostel though.....

Thanks, I'll have a look in to it.

I really cant see the vegas-glitz-and-glamour loving ClareM in a youth hostel ?

That's what I said still we stayed there - you have your own provvate room and bathroom, it's just amazing. I really really am not a youth hostel person!

https://www.euro-youth-hotel.at/ - youth hostel

https://www.alpenblick.info/english/home_en.html - this is also really cheap and has a great spa and amazing breakfast

https://www.gastein.com/en/gastein/gastein-valley/bad-gastein/ the town

https://www.alpentherme.com/en - spa at bottom of the mouintain

I second Avoriaz - great place with some excellent skiing. If Avoriaz is a serious option, have a look at Morzine, which is just a cable car ride away and has more in the way of nightlife & more varied accommodation.

I was looking at Morzine before posting so sounds like I'm on the right track, thanks Crookshanks. And Lady Lucan for all the links.

Nick, I'm sure I could do a hostel if I absolutely had to. At least I'd like to think I could......?