Top 5 ski resorts for beginners

Article updated every 6 months. Last updated 14th November 2007
Author: Sean Newsom (Travel expert) Ask me a question.

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The first few times you take a ski holiday you need to ensure that you choose your resort wisely to ensure the slopes are easy enough for you to tackle.

Here's our top five resorts ideal for beginners...

Alpe d'Huez, France

It may not be the prettiest, but aesthetics don't really count with beginners ski resorts. At this stage, the only thing you'll really notice is whether or not the resort has plenty of wide, flattish, nursery terrain, and sympathetic tuition. Alpe d'Huez scores highly on both counts, won't break the bank, and is ideal for a beginners ski holiday.

Breckenridge, USA

It's one of the easiest Colorado ski resorts for Brits to get to - and the best for beginners. The nightlife is pretty good too, for America, though you should save your celebrations for the end of your holiday - once you've become acclimatised to the high altitude.

Courchevel 1650, France

Don't be put off by the ritzy reputation: Courchevel is split into several small villages, and the Russian billionaires congregate in only one of them. Another, Courchevel 1650, is cheaper and less snooty, and boasts both an award-winning British ski school and quiet, easy-going pistes.

Soldeu, Andorra

Andorra isn't quite as cheap as it used to be - but it's still just as good for British beginners, thanks to Soldeu's ski school. It's run by an Englishman, and makes use of a large area of very gentle slopes half-way up the mountain.

Sun Peaks, Canada

It's a long way to go for your first taste of the slopes. But as a beginner, you'd be hard-pressed to give yourself a better start - thanks to Sun Peaks' quiet slopes and its abundance of easy-skiing terrain. Party animals should go elsewhere, but for a more low-key trip that feels like an adventure as well as a skiing holiday, it's nearly perfect.

Who do we recommend?

With so many companies to choose from, we have researched the market to find those with a wide range of choice as well as some that are more specialist. Browse our list below to find the right company for you, then click through to their web site for more information and how to book. It couldn't be easier!