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beginner ski resorts

The world's top 10 beginner ski resorts. The best learn to ski areas for novices and new skiers.

When choosing the best resort in which to learn, focus on the reason why you're going. Pick a beginner friendly ski resort.
So what makes a great beginners' ski area?
• specially designate nursery slopes, where everyone must ski carefully (in Meribel they're called "Zen Zones" and help to make your first snowplough a fun affair).
• highly recommended beginner ski schools where you can choose between the more cost effective group lessons and the more personal attention of private lessons.
• free lifts on the nursery slope, so you don't pay for a huge area lift pass that you won't use for the first few days in places like Val d'Isere, Alpe d'Huez, Tignes and the free beginners magic carpet in Chamonix.

If you're looking for a cheap place to learn to ski, then consider not only the price of the package holiday, but all of the extras too.
The very cheapest ski resorts for beginners are those in the eastern European countries, like Bulgaria and Slovenia, where the price of your cheap beginners' ski holiday is kept right down because the extras like equipment rental and lessons are also much cheaper than in the rest of the world.
For less budget approach, consider learning to ski in a resort with Club Med, who's all inclusive approach to ski holidays means that your food, drink, lift pass and even lessons are included in your holiday, leaving only your ski/boot rental to add to the price.

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best places to learn to ski

Les Arcs in France

Huge ski area above purpose built villages plus the posh new 1950. Quiet apres but one of most impressive set of black runs in the Alpes. Part of Paradiski along with La Plagne making a huge 425km together

Beginner Trails

1 runs 1.5km

Intermediate Trails

54 runs 63.5km

51%

Advanced Trails

32 runs 62km

30%

Expert Trails

19 runs 19km

18%

snoman says

There are four 'Arcs', at 1600, 1800, 1950 and 2000 metres. Les Arcs pioneered the Ski Evolutif tuition method, slope-side accommodation, speed skiing and 'nouveau' winter sports.

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€222.5
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Les Arcs ski holidays

Residence Le Belmont Ap...
04 Jan 2014
Dover Ferry £271

Les Arcs chalets

Chalet Cicero
14 Dec 2013
Flights On Request £419

Les Arcs luxury

Residence Le Belmont Ap...
04 Jan 2014
Dover Ferry £271

Les Arcs last minute

Edenarc Apartments (Arc...
14 Dec 2013
Dover Ferry £320

Les 2 Alpes in France

Les Deux Alpes or Les 2 Alpes is a huge resort with high snowsure slopes and summer glacier skiing. Busy apres and wide range of expensive and affordable accomodation. One of worlds best snow parks has a hugely popular summer camp when they take the park from 2600m up to 3200m altitude where its still sno good! Les 2... [more Les 2 Alpes]

Beginner Trails

24 runs 54km

23%

Intermediate Trails

44 runs 94km

43%

Advanced Trails

16 runs 41km

15%

Expert Trails

12 runs 12km

11%

snoman says

World class resort with one of the largest ski areas, summer ski areas and maximum verical drops to be found anywhere. Add to this a huge range of apres-ski options and the now lift-linked descent to La Grave -... more

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€207
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Les 2 Alpes ski holidays

La Muzelle Apartments
11 Jan 2014
Gatwick £292

Les 2 Alpes chalets

Chalet Alice
14 Dec 2013
Flights On Request £439

Les 2 Alpes luxury

Residence Cortina
11 Jan 2014
Gatwick £434

Les 2 Alpes last minute

La Muzelle
14 Dec 2013
Gatwick £331

Lech in Austria

Where the rich and famous ski. Great snow and nightlife, don't need deep pockets but it helps. Off piste and boarding dream plus royal spotter's favourite

Beginner Trails

0 runs 0km

Intermediate Trails

42 runs 112km

30%

Advanced Trails

80 runs 135km

57%

Expert Trails

18 runs 18km

12%

snoman says

A classic resort with a long skiing history, linked to neighbouring, equally exclusive Zürs and sharing the Arlberg Pass with ski hedonists heaven, St Anton. Ski School programme includes Carving Ski Guide S... more

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€218
Resort Open	Nov 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Lech ski holidays

Chalet Hotel Sonneck
08 Dec 2013
Gatwick £391

Lech chalets

Chalet Hotel Sonneck
08 Dec 2013
Gatwick £391

Lech luxury

Chalet Hotel Sonneck
08 Dec 2013
Gatwick £391

Lech last minute

Chalet Hotel Sonneck
08 Dec 2013
Gatwick £391

Meribel in France

Trad chalet resort in middle of huge 3 valleys ski area. Very popular with Brits for it's big mileage and big apres scene - often big prices too

Beginner Trails

10 runs ?km

13%

Intermediate Trails

34 runs ?km

45%

Advanced Trails

24 runs ?km

32%

Expert Trails

9 runs 9km

12%

snoman says

In 1938 a British Officer created a ski resort, Méribel, in an almost abandoned mountain valley. Today Méribel is one of the world's greatest ski resorts. It now has an apartment built off-shoot, Méribel Motta... more

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€212
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Meribel ski holidays

Les Ravines Apartments
11 Jan 2014
Gatwick £355

Meribel chalets

Chalet Fleur des Alpes
14 Dec 2013
Gatwick £441

Meribel luxury

Les Fermes de Meribel
14 Dec 2013
Gatwick £407

Meribel last minute

Les Ravines Apartments
14 Dec 2013
Gatwick £367

Soldeu in Andorra

Andorra's best all round resort with nicest centre and access to Grand Vallira

Beginner Trails

18 runs ?km

16%

Intermediate Trails

32 runs ?km

29%

Advanced Trails

37 runs ?km

33%

Expert Trails

23 runs 23km

20%

snoman says

Typically lively, high value, friendly Andorran resort with a larger than average ski area. The biggest investor in skiing in the Pyrenees during the 1990s, the resort added a new 8 seater gondola for the 1996/... more

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	200
Resort Open	Nov 2013	Resort Close	N/A 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Soldeu ski holidays

Bellavista Apartments
05 Jan 2014
Gatwick £361

Soldeu chalets

Soldeu luxury

Hotel Piolets
30 Mar 2014
Dover Ferry £405

Soldeu last minute

Bellavista Apartments
22 Dec 2013
Gatwick £450

Sauze d'Oulx in Italy

Great value and great fun - a big favourite with youngsters and families on a budget. Great for cruisy intermediates, linked into huge Milky Way ski area. Great for big miles, big apres and big bargains

Beginner Trails

0 runs 0km

Intermediate Trails

3 runs 30km

10%

Advanced Trails

22 runs 60km

75%

Expert Trails

4 runs 4km

13%

snoman says

Renowned for its lively atmosphere (although now quieter than it used to be) and high-value skiing, Sauze d'Oulx is also at one end of the rather tenuously linked Milky Way Circuit. Conditions permitting it is ... more

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€125
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Sauze d'Oulx ski holidays

Max Bar Apartments
23 Mar 2014
Manchester £301

Sauze d'Oulx chalets

Chalet Le Valentin
05 Jan 2014
Manchester £513

Sauze d'Oulx luxury

Hotel La Torre
23 Mar 2014
Manchester £548

Sauze d'Oulx last minute

Max Bar Apartments
22 Dec 2013
Manchester £424

Alpe d'Huez in France

Huge ski area with loads of cannons and good grooming. Lively puirpose built village with night life as hectic as you like

Beginner Trails

38 runs 47km

31%

Intermediate Trails

32 runs 53km

26%

Advanced Trails

34 runs 74km

28%

Expert Trails

16 runs 16km

13%

snoman says

One of the world's top resorts, Alpe d'Huez offers one of the greatest unbroken verticals in the world. Built above the original village of Huez, the resort has expanded in all directions over the past 20 years... more

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€179
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Alpe d'Huez ski holidays

L'Ours Blanc Apartments
14 Dec 2013
Dover Ferry £267

Alpe d'Huez chalets

Chalet Hotel Les Cimes
14 Dec 2013
Dover Ferry £395

Alpe d'Huez luxury

Le Cristal De L'Alpe Ap...
04 Jan 2014
Luton £481

Alpe d'Huez last minute

L'Ours Blanc Apartments
14 Dec 2013
Dover Ferry £267

Pamporovo in Bulgaria

Scenic runs, perfect for beginner & intermediate. Good ski-school. Plenty of wide-open runs for boarders of all levels

Beginner Trails

0 runs 0km

Intermediate Trails

6 runs ?km

30%

Advanced Trails

6 runs ?km

30%

Expert Trails

8 runs 8km

40%

snoman says

Pleasant purpose-built centre in spectacular pine forests. There may be something in the air here as many of the locals live to be 100+, or it may be just because this claims to be Europe's sunniest ski resort,... more

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	?
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Pamporovo ski holidays

Hotel Snezhanka
01 Mar 2014
Gatwick £404

Pamporovo chalets

Pamporovo luxury

Hotel Orlovetz
01 Mar 2014
Gatwick £491

Pamporovo last minute

Grand Hotel Murgavets &...
21 Dec 2013
Manchester £557

Niederau in Austria

Beginner Trails

0 runs ?km

Intermediate Trails

14 runs ?km

43%

Advanced Trails

14 runs ?km

43%

Expert Trails

4 runs 4km

12%

snoman says

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€177.5
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	May 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Niederau ski holidays

Almdorf Cabins
04 Jan 2014
Gatwick £385

Niederau chalets

Niederau luxury

Hotel Sonnschein - Nied...
22 Mar 2014
Dover Ferry £449

Niederau last minute

Almdorf Cabins
21 Dec 2013
Gatwick £484

Courchevel in France

Arguably France's most exclusive resort, well located in the world's largest truly inter-connected ski area (Trois Vallées) and with some of Europe's best infrastructure, Courchevel would rate in the top 10 selection of resorts around the world for most dedicated skiers. Courchevel has it's own special Charter which en... [more Courchevel]

Beginner Trails

15 runs ?km

16%

Intermediate Trails

34 runs ?km

36%

Advanced Trails

35 runs ?km

37%

Expert Trails

9 runs 9km

snoman says

Beginner		Intermediate
Expert		Snowboarders
Apres Ski		Families
Snowsure		Ambience
Value		Lift Pass	€218
Resort Open	Dec 2013	Resort Close	Apr 2014
(snow conditions often influence resort opening & closing)

Courchevel ski holidays

Les Brigues Apartments
14 Dec 2013
Gatwick £321

Courchevel chalets

Chalet Sonrier (1850)
07 Dec 2013
Gatwick £350

Courchevel luxury

Chalet Chanrossa (1650)
07 Dec 2013
Gatwick £380

Courchevel last minute

Les Brigues Apartments
14 Dec 2013
Gatwick £321

All these ski and snowboard mountains have been awarded "best Beginner ski resorts" or "best Beginner ski resorts Europe", or been included in the winners lists of top US learn to ski resorts such as "top Colorado Beginner ski resorts", "top Beginner ski resorts in USA"... they are the best Beginner ski resorts worldwide.

If you're looking to discover the best Beginner ski resorts in the world, or you simply want to guarantee you have the best learn to ski holidays... use this definitive learn to ski list and you can genuinely say you've skied or snowboarded the best Beginner ski resorts in the world!

You can also check out the best beginner ski resorts Europe has to offer or the best Beginner ski resorts in France - good luck learning to ski and learning to snowboard... it's incredible fun!

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