I am planning a 10 day holiday for the end of March with my husband and sons, ages 11, 13, and 14. We would like to ski for two days and explore the rest of the time. We have only done one mountain ski trip (we are from Minnesota in US.), so we don't need lessons or extremely hard slopes. Currently thinking we will be in Switzerland for the entirety of the trip, but we are also still flexible and haven't booked any tickets. Any advice and recommendations would be appreciated. We try to find good value when traveling. Not low budget travelers, but not high end either!
Posted by
Charleston & Birmingham
4839 posts
My husband's limited experience skiing in Europe is that the slopes are not groomed to the same level as the ones he's skied in the US, so may not be a safe choice for inexperienced skiers.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
cala,
My husband and I are not very experienced skiers, but we had an absolutely incredible time skiing in the Italian Alps at Aosta in 2008. I am excited to have a similar experience in Switzerland with our kids. Just really hoping for some helpful tips from people who have some experience there!
Posted by
Green Bay
22115 posts
Every trail marked on the piste map is groomed every night. But the elevations in the Alps are lower than western US, so the snow is not as soft. Popular trails often get icy by the afternoon, and blue trails (easy trails in Europe) are often the iciest. If you ski in Minnesota, you will know what I mean. And having skied in Italy, you also know what to expect.
There are many ski areas in Switzerland, not just the big famous ones. But even Zermatt, probably the most expensive one, the daily lift ticket is less than Lutsen.