First time on skis: where to start

About First time on skis: where to start

By the ULTIMATE Ski Resorts Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

The first week on skis decides whether you fall in love with the mountains. The good news is that it can begin close to home, on real snow under a roof, and continue in resorts where the nursery slopes are wide, the lessons are good and the prices are kind.

Learn first, close to home

Indoor real-snow slopes let you take your first turns before you travel. In England, The Snow Centre has slopes in Hemel Hempstead, the closest to London, and in Manchester (the former Chill Factore), and SnowDome is in Tamworth. Germany has the alpincenter halls in Bottrop and near Hamburg, the Netherlands has SnowWorld, and in the Gulf, Ski Dubai has five real-snow slopes inside Mall of the Emirates.

Choose a gentle resort

Look for a village with its own nursery area and easy lifts close to the hotels. In Courchevel, for example, Moriond and La Tania are known for their calm and their family-friendly slopes, and in Serbia, Kopaonik’s ski schools start children on the ski-kindergarten slopes.

Learn first on real snow near home, then head for a resort with wide, gentle slopes.

Book the essentials together

Ski schools such as the French ESF teach children from age three, and many resorts sell lessons, lift passes and hire together. A short daily lesson in the morning, then practice in the afternoon, is the classic way to learn.

Travel outside the peaks

Many lift companies charge more in the peak weeks of the season and less early and late in the winter; Courchevel’s own price list, for example, has lower early- and late-season rates.

Our advice: two or three sessions indoors before you go will give you a far better first week.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with First time on skis: where to start before you go.