Alpine Elements logo

Do you need help arranging your holiday?

Phone icon
Call one of our experts on 02039498353
Phone icon
Make An Enquiry
Complete our online form
Search
How long are you going for?
Choose Your Departure Date
Where are you going?
Adults

Over 12 years old

Children

2 to 12 years old

Infants

0 to 23 months old

Learning To Ski and Board

Learning to ski or board is an amazing, even life changing experience and what’s more, you’ll love every part of it!

We’ve been introducing first-time skiers and boarders to the mountains for over 26 years, so we know a thing or two about organising beginner holidays, which can be complicated if you’ve not done it before. You’ll have questions like: “Which resort is best...What extras do I need to buy...What do I wear...How much will it all cost”... Well, give us a call because we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Speak to Our Expert Advisors

With 26 years of providing great holidays - we know a thing or two about skiing for beginners and intermediates. After all, we've all been through learning to ski or board ourselves at some point in the past!

We are here to help, so pick up the phone and ask our expert team about anything you need to know, such as: where to go... what you need... and so on. We will help you find the best holiday for your needs and hopefully save you two very precious things - time and money!

 

Learn to Ski or Board in 3 Days!

This may sound like a bold statement, but with the right care and attention, learning to ski or board is not as hard as you might think and with the right guidance, you’ll have the basics mastered in just a few days.

By using the very best ski and board schools, the majority of our guests will be ‘up and skiing’ or boarding after their first or second day and linking basic turns by their third day.

By the end of the week you’ll be exploring the wider ski area under your own steam and venturing further afield without an instructor.

 

Our ‘Tried & Tested’ Schools

One thing that we put a lot of effort into is hand-picking our ski and snowboard schools. We know the standard of tuition can have a big effect on your overall holiday enjoyment so we leave nothing to chance and only use the best ski and board schools, to ensure you get the best results, the nicest instructors and have fun all the way.

 

Which resorts are best?

You can learn to ski and board in almost any resort, but some are more suitable than others. We handpick our resorts for their suitability to all levels and especially for beginners and families. In each of our resorts you will find a large network of easy cruising green and blue runs with wide and open nursery slopes situated at altitude. This is important, so that you are not always confined to the lower ski area where the snow is not so good quality. 

As a beginner it is so much more enjoyable to find a network of green runs circuiting all over the resort with easy-to-use lifts to help you explore the wider area. We recommend MeribelMorzineLa PlagneCourchevel-La Tania for the very best beginner and intermediate skiing and boarding in France.

 

Our Ski Resorts

What You Will Need

For skiing and boarding you’ll need the right gear to keep warm and to help you stay out on the mountain all day. Speak to our ski and board team and we will gladly help you get started, but as a guide here’s what you’ll need:

  • Some accommodation, not too far away from the slopes!
  • A week-long ‘Local Area’ Lift pass (6 days).
  • Ski or Snowboard hire for 6 days. ‘Economy’ level skis are best suited to beginners
  • Some Lessons: We offer a 5  half-day course of lessons (with 1-day free skiing) 

Other Things You Will Need:

  • A helmet (you can rent one from us) 
  • A waterproof, insulated ski-jacket
  • Salopettes (padded waterproof trousers)
  • Waterproof ski gloves and thick socks 
  • Sunglasses or goggles
  • Thermals (part of a layer system) so you can peel layers off.
  • Sun cream, chapstick 

Book Your Ski Extras with us!

If you book your extras in advance, then we can offer some great discounts and help you in resort when you arrive. We will also price match if you find cheaper elsewhere!

We only use the best suppliers in-resort; and they perform very well for our guests. And you won’t have to traipse all over the village on arrival to pick up your passes and ski hire!  in fact,  we’ll deliver your passes straight to you and help you fast track the hire shops and help you get to your lessons.

 

Our ‘On the Snow’ service

If you pre-book your Ski Extras with us then our ‘On the Snow service' will help you get started in-resort. Alpine Elements ski hosts and reps will be on hand from the moment you arrive to answer any questions you may have. Once in resort our reps will deliver pre-booked lift passes straight to you and fast-track you through the ski hire shops (where we can)  so you can get on the mountain faster.

Our reps will also help with any equipment changes or lift pass problems and assist you with your ski and board lessons when using our specially selected suppliers

 

Douglas Thompson, 

Chalet des Neiges Les Arcs

“Thank you for providing us with such a wonderful holiday. Your Company and staff have been a joy to deal with, and in resort nothing was too much trouble. Thank you also for addicting my son to skiing and condemning me to a life of penury as I hand over large amounts of cash to Alpine Elements every year!"

Ski & Board Hire

From £69.90 per week

Our ski and board hire packs are some of the best value in resort; and we have skis and boards for every level - from beginner to expert - and all the specialist equipment you could need, from split-boards and touring skis to powder and cross country skis

They are often last year’s “Discovery Skis” and offer a good level of parabolic (carving) ski for very little money!

Available with and without boots and poles.

 

Meribel Extras

France

Les Trois Vallees (3 Valleys) is the perfect playground for Intermediate and advanced skiers. The slopes are characteristically wide, long lasting and highly efficient - all served by a modern Express lift system which allows for effortless skiing, less slope congestion and a lot less waiting in lift queues!

If you like variety then you’ll appreciate the area’s tree-lined runs (which are perfect for bad weather days) to its high altitude slopes up at Val Thorens or the famous Mont Vallon which are popular for late season skiers. In addition to the 600 km of piste is a tonne of off-piste itineraries (which we think are best with a guide) and not out of range for the intermediate skier.

View

Morzine Extras

France

View

La Plagne Extras

France

Snowboarders will have a ball in La Plagne! All levels will love the easy cruising greens and blues or the fast reds that descend from the glacier. You’ll enjoy the widest array of easy-to-access powder descents of the ‘not-too-steep’ variety that we’ve seen in France, especially if you stay up at Plagne Villages for direct access to the high slopes on a powder day!

Always take precautions when riding off piste, but rest assured that La Plagne has some very accessible off piste and gets a lot of great snow - especially on the high slopes around Plagne Villages.

Expert riders will love the long powder descents from the summit of the Bellecôte Glacier with so much natural terrain - from rollovers to natural half pipes and long sweeping runs.

La Plagne is perfect for all levels and the snow park is not too intimidating and full of small, medium and large jumps and rails to try.

View

La Tania Extras

France

La Tania offers expansive skiing for all levels. The resort is not only part of an immense ski area, but a very varied one which suits all levels. Family beginners and Intermediates are well suited to the networks of easy cruising runs that line the resort. La Tania also has some of the finest descents and the longest runs in the whole 3 valleys. La Tania's slope quality brings visiting skiers from all other resorts.

Around La Tania

With a traffic free centre La Tania is very popular with families and the novelty of being able to ski or board through the resort! You can also ski to the shops, the bars and even the ski lift! Quite a rarity in any sprawling ski resort nowadays! There are excellent facilities which include indoor climbing, tenpin bowling, ice karting, dog sledding and ice skating. Live music and late night venues can be found most nights. Ideal for families and skiers as you can ski right through the resort to our hotel! The resort has plenty of inexpensive restaurants and cafes for lunch (most ski-to-door) and some lively apres ski bars and late night venues. Our Hotel Montana offers convenient apres ski and happy hour prices for guests. If you want a livelier bar then head out to the Ski Lodge, Chrome bar or Taiga bar. These late night venues will then get going again after 10pm and run until the early hours!
View

Val DIsere Extras

France

Val d'isère is a world renowned resort with extensive shopping, a vibrant cafe culture is one of the best high-altitude resorts offering a range of skiing to suit all abilities. Val d'Isère is teaming with nightlife! The apres ski kicks off with a from about 4pm onwards and offers some very lively establishments, many of which have passed into skiing folklore! Then there are late night bars and bar-cum-clubs which stay open until 4am. This resort has over 50-60 bars and restaurants to choose from.
View

Tignes Extras

France

Tignes and Val’ are a mecca for Intermediate and more advanced skiers. The slopes are characteristically wide, long lasting and highly efficient - all served by a modern Express lift system which allows for effortless skiing, less slope congestion and not a lot of waiting in lift queues! If you like off piste then you’ll love the area’s seemingly endless supply of powder snow and easy-to-get-to off-piste itineraries. You’ll also love the long descents and excellent snow quality which characterise this resort.
View

Need help arranging your holiday?

Customer Ratings

Feefo Logo
The Global Feedback Engine
96%
Customer Satisfaction
Alpine Elements provided us with a professional, friendly, and fun experience from the minute we arrived in Austria to the minute we left.See All Reviews

Request a Brochure

Alpine Elements Brochure

View our brochures online or have them delivered to your door.

View Brochures

Groups of 6+ SAVE £££'s

Booking for a group of more than 6 people, get a quote and SAVE.

Recent Blog News

Tignes Opening Weekend

Pics from last year's Opening Weekend on Tignes' ski slopes.

Read More

Tignes Glacier Skiing This Summer

Glacier skiing, Summer '24. Tignes and Val d'Isère glaciers are both open for summertime skiing

Read More