Ski Holidays for Beginners

Where is the best place to ski as a beginner? 

• Courchevel
• Meribel
• Tignes
• Les Arcs

As a beginner, there are many things to consider when choosing a ski resort. Although you will have heard of the likes of Verbier, La Tania or St Anton, they might not always be the best option if you're starting. You need to consider where you stay, its location in the resort, if the resort is close to nearby airports or if you'll spend most of your holiday just 'getting there'. All these small factors add up, and we can help you minimise any stress and make the most of your first time on the slopes.

Our Favourite Resorts for beginners and why:

Courchevel 1650

Courchevel is split into five little villages, each sitting at a different altitude. Courchevel 1650 is the second-highest village and has a great beginner's area, just a short lift ride up the bubble. The beginner's area has two magic carpets and the Bel Air restaurant (where the Royals go, FYI!) just beside it if you need a break. The terrain is mellow, and there's plenty of space to practice and find your feet. 

Courchevel 1850

The highest village that makes up Courchevel. There are some great hotels in the middle of town with easy access to the snow front. We also have some stunning private chalets right on the slopes in Courchevel 1850, but be aware they may not be as suitable for your first time as you may have to get a lift into the resort centre before heading to the beginner area. We'd recommend a luxury hotel close to the resort centre for your first ski trip.

Courchevel's ski area includes plenty of easy green and blue runs, with a special beginner's ZEN zone can be seen on the piste map as the green highlighted areas labelled ZEN. You can utilise several drag lifts in this area, and two magic carpet lifts to get you started for free.

Meribel

Meribel is a great place to learn how to ski or snowboard with two separate beginner areas, eight green pistes and 25 blue pistes. The pistes are graded by difficulty with corresponding colours: green being the easiest, then blue, red and black.  

Tignes

Tignes is one of our favourite resorts for beginners because it's easy to access the magic carpet area in the middle of Tignes Lac. You can walk across the snow front and give skiing or snowboarding for the first time. There's plenty of space and the area is gently sloping so it's perfect for both adults and children. 

For those not staying in Le Lac, the local bus is free and will take you within touching distance of the Magic Carpet. The beginners' area is also close to many bars and restaurants to quickly take a break if you need. 

Les Arcs

Les Arcs is also a popular destination for beginners due to its well-designed ski accommodation. You walk right out of your apartment each morning, straight to the beginner's area, right in front of you.

Similarly to Courchevel, there are 'ski tranquille' beginner zones in each of the resort's villages. So no matter where you're staying, you have access to easy slopes. 
They offer about ten beginner lifts for free and a beginner's lift pass option. You can buy a pass for a day, a morning or an afternoon on the lifts, so you don't have to commit to a lift pass for the whole week if you don't want to.

Beginners Tips

Each of these resorts caters to beginners and has fantastic facilities for learning to ski or snowboard. The resorts we've mentioned might include an extensive beginner's area which is either free to use or easy to access from the centre of the resort. Or a large network of gentle slopes making it safe and fun to progress onto the mountain. 

It is possible to learn to ski in any resort, but not all resorts are equally set up as well for beginners. It's worth chatting to one of our agents to double-check, as we've been creating holidays for over 23years and have plenty of insider knowledge to share to take the stress away from your first time on the slopes.

1. Do we need ski-in ski-out accommodation?
   1. You don’t necessarily need ski-in and ski-out. You do however need accommodation close to the centre of town where the lifts are. If you choose ski-in ski-out in Les Arcs, for example, most of the properties are on the side of a red run which means you’ll have to waste time getting a lift back into the resort centre where the magic carpets are.
2. How many days should a beginner learn to ski?
3. Can you learn to ski on holiday?
   1. Yes! By taking a couple of lessons with a ski school you can pick up skiing relatively quickly. We recommend everyone give it a go as it’s loads of fun!
4. How do I book a ski holiday for beginners?
5. Where is the best place to ski for beginners?