by If you’re a family looking for a snow-sure ski holiday, traveling during the school holidays is a nightmare. Option to visit many of the most popular French resorts during half term in February or Easter and the pistes are packed, lift queues are long and accommodation prices are twice as much as the other term.
But here’s a secret – it doesn’t have to be this way. Trysil, Norway’s largest ski area, is the family ski destination you’ve been looking for. The attractions of uncrowded slopes, affordable ski-in/ski-out accommodation, and laid-back Scandi friendliness have certainly changed my opinion of skiing with school-aged children.
The benefits of a winter holiday in Norway (and Sweden) are far advanced by Ski Scandinavia, a specialist operator whose main resort is Trysil. Having spent time there with my husband, six-year-old daughter and my parents, it overshadows any downsides of a family ski trip during school holidays.
Definitely snow-free and crowd-free slopes
Trysil has a very respectable 81km of slopes, which is perfectly acceptable for a week’s family skiing. From the SkiStar Lodge hotel, a range of smooth green runs spreads out, turning blue and then red as Trysilfjellet mountain gets steeper. On the higher slopes of the resort, there are flowing pine trees with heavy pillows of snow around them. Lower down, the trees become denser, and steeper runs, including World Cup-worthy Black Runs, cut through the forest.
When we visited during the Easter holidays, our longest queue was five minutes at the main six-person lift car T2 from Turistsenteret. The slopes were peaceful, and they could be served in mountain restaurants within five minutes. The whole place was far from a peak week in the Alps.
When it comes to late season snow conditions, one of the joys of Trysil, and skiing in Scandinavia in general, comes from its northern latitude. This means that even at low altitude (the resort sits at 350m and the slopes rise to 1,100m), snow is pretty much guaranteed from December to April. Temperatures stay low well into spring, making Easter the sweet spot for school holidays; in February, temperatures often don’t get above freezing – which can be a challenge if you have young children.
Surprising value
Our only major hesitation before booking a trip to Norway was the question of cost when we arrived – I heard rumors of a bottle of house wine costing £100 and a beer over £10. It turned out to be hearsay – speaking to co-parent Claire Badger, a teacher from Lichfield, on holiday with her husband, two sons and parents-in-law, she was shocked to find she spent less than she had budgeted for , on a mix. of eating in, lunches on the mountain and meals out. In fact, a bottle of house wine at the SkiStar Lodge was just under £40.
Good value pricing is where Scandinavian skiing comes into its own. A week’s half-board holiday in a two-bedroom apartment starts from £1,749 per person at Easter, including charter flights, transfers, breakfasts, three-course dinners and free childcare. To further reduce the cost, self-catering options start from £1,329. Once you’re in resort, a six-day lift pass costs £223 (children under seven ski free) and equipment hire costs from £71 – prices not too dissimilar to budget-friendly destinations in the Alps.
Family oriented
Having been in business for 21 years, it’s no surprise that Skíála Klann knows the secret to the perfect family holiday. “I am very passionate about sharing Norway and Sweden with families,” said Ben Nybourg, managing director. “I raised my own family in Sweden and I think the Vikings have so many things right.”
That’s not just their approach to learning to ski. At the FunSki Academy, my six-year-old daughter quickly bonded with her instructor Ella and her little group spent their time weaving through the trees, charging through the Fun Ride snow park, and chasing Valle the snowman mascot.
Another thing the Vikings get right is the option of having plenty of space and independence on a ski holiday. The majority of hotel rooms at SkiStar Lodge are apartments and suites. Our connecting apartment gave us three bedrooms (two double rooms and one bunk bedroom), two bathrooms, as well as a large living area with kitchen and dining table, and the floor-to-ceiling windows provided great opportunities to see stars at night.
At the end of the day, families choose the slope-side bar or the hotel’s indoor/outdoor swimming pool. We couldn’t keep our daughter from the pool, but we also borrowed sledges and built an igloo, and there is a free bus to take guests bowling, husky sledding and to more bars and restaurants.
The ultimate secret? A ski holiday to Trysil couldn’t be more convenient. Ski Scandinavia books exclusive fights from London Gatwick to Scandinavia Airport, a laughably easy 40 minute drive from Trysil. The airport is so small, when we left, we had the place to ourselves. It felt like a fitting end to an effortless family ski holiday.
Fundamentals
A week’s holiday to Trysil with skiing-Scandinavia costs from £1,614 per person, including half board, flights and transfers, departing from 7 April 2024.
Rebecca was a guest on Ski Scandinavia.
