Start with lessons
Lessons with a qualified instructor are the fastest and safest way to learn. Most Alpine resorts have ski schools with group classes for adults and children, and private lessons. Group classes are usually sorted by level, so you learn with people at the same stage. Book ahead in holiday weeks.
Instructors teach how to stop, turn, use the lifts and follow the skier code. Learning these early keeps you and other people safe.
What to look for in a beginner area
- A wide, gentle slope separate from fast traffic.
- Easy lifts such as moving carpets or button lifts, ideally free or on a cheap pass.
- Easy runs nearby to progress to once you can turn and stop.
- Lessons that meet close to where you stay.
- A café or warm place near the bottom for breaks.
A sample first week
| Day | Typical focus |
|---|---|
| Arrival | Collect rentals, find the ski school meeting point, early night. |
| Days 1 to 2 | Balance, gliding, stopping and simple turns on the beginner slope. |
| Day 3 | Linking turns and the first chairlift or easy run. Legs are often tired. |
| Day 4 | A rest morning or a short day. Practice what you learned. |
| Days 5 to 6 | Easy runs with more confidence and control. |
Everyone learns at a different pace. Fatigue causes many beginner falls, so stop before you are exhausted, especially late in the afternoon.
Skiing with children
Ski schools usually take children from about the age of three or four, depending on the school. Many resorts have snow gardens with soft slopes, small lifts and games for the youngest. For a family trip:
- Choose a room close to the ski school and the beginner area. Carrying children's skis a long way is tiring.
- Book lessons in the morning, when children have the most energy.
- Check age reductions on lift passes and the proof of age required. See lift passes.
- Pack spare gloves and socks. Wet gloves end ski days early.
- Make sure every child wears a helmet, and check local rules on helmets for children.
- Plan non-ski afternoons: sledging, swimming pools and winter walks.
Keeping a first trip affordable
A first trip does not need a big ski area. Smaller resorts or a local pass usually give beginners everything they need. Quieter weeks outside school holidays also mean emptier beginner slopes. If your children are school age, the holiday weeks are hard to avoid, so look at valley towns and self-catering to save elsewhere. See the budget plan.
Beginner questions
Is skiing or snowboarding easier to learn?
Many people find the first days of skiing easier and the first days of snowboarding harder, though snowboarders often progress quickly once they can link turns. Either is fine for a first trip.
Am I too old to learn?
Adults of all ages learn to ski. Good boots, lessons and a steady pace matter more than age. If you have a health condition, ask your doctor first.
What fitness do I need?
Normal fitness is enough to start. Walking, stairs and some leg exercises in the weeks before help a lot with tired legs.