Hi Anthony,

Been there with hubby and kids and I can highly recommend on the Haute Savoie side:

- La Clusaz (up the Plateau de Beauregard, the beginners slope is very nice, you can also buy the points card (somethning like 10 euros for 20 lifts on the beginners lift) without taking a whole forfait. Panorama is magnificent and the restaurants have a terrace in the sun in the afternoon, just perfect.)

- Le Grand Bornand is right opposite La Clusaz and has a very nice beginners stadium with ski lifts of increasing difficulty. You access it from the Telecabine du Rosay. You can take the Mini domaine forfait for the day which will cost you about 25 euros and you can go pretty much anywhere you need. Been to 2 restaurants, both not great but... this is not a gastronomic trip.

Both places are under an hour drive from Geneva if you're on the left bank of Geneva. We're in Eaux Vives and it takes us 45 min.

Another tip for beginners, always go on Saturdays, especially during ski holidays. The rentals are usually from Sat to Sat and everybody is busy either packing or unpacking, meaning the slopes are empty and no waiting line at the lifts. Easier to find an instructor at short notice as well.

On the other side of the lake, you have La Faucille in the Jura but I find it less exciting, not as pretty and authentic.

Hoping this helps, enjoy!

Hi Aurelie, 

Thanks for the great tips!  I will defintiely look into these!  Much appreciated!  :)

Hello,

Aurélie's tips are pretty extensive, so I'm just going to add on the other side (Jura): I prefer Crozet to La faucille, fairly easy slopes but generally better quality than la Faucille. 

Just my 2 cent, hope it helps, enjoy your skiing!

Hi Anthony,

There is the International Skiclub of Geneva:

www.scig.ch

They go every weekend to different locations in France. The good thing is that they organize the travel (bus), skipasses and you can take lessons.

People are really nice - many expats/glocals members.

You can register every Thursday for the coming weekend. No need to subscribe for the whole season.

I just tried St. Sergue. I liked it very much. For the beginners it is perfect. Not expensiv and 40 min driving only from Geneva.

With the amount of snow I would say Juracol de la Faucille.

International ski club - you need to check with them how easy are their easy courses.  I would guess that as the season is half way through they might be on the more advanced stuff.  But I do know people who learned to skli with them and were very happy.  My daughter started with them as an intermediate and is v happy with her progress 

Thanks Paul,

My experience is that you can start at any time in the classes of the International Ski lub: nothing to do with how far we are in the season.

Class 1a is always the same programme: basics. If you are ready the teacher sends you to 1B.  

I skied at Les Portes du Soleil recently and the amount of snow is sufficient with all the precipitation we had. Snow was just a bit wet last w/e

Rena. I will take note of that point in case anyone asks me.  Don't ski myself, just get down to the bottom of the mountain with two long things on my feet.  Still manage to skin up though.

Im a fan of Villars.  Go to the end of the lake, a tad further and hang a left up the mountain.  Lovely little resort with just enough going on.

Cheap hostel in Gryon, where you can stay and the animations team are pretty active with events.

Remember, swiss ski resorts are pretty accessable on the train, the cern and rena's ski club organise buses, and from gare routier is the ski buses, so plenty of options which means you dont have to drive, takes a bit of the stress away.