We will be staying for a few days in Haute Nendaz with our 2 young children and another family and their 2 young children. I've read reviews that the children's lessons and beginner skiing might be better in Siviez. The adults are mostly comfortable on blues themselves. It seems like it might be a PIA to drive over to Siviez each day though....is the lesson program for little ones really that much better? What about the easier runs for adults?

The top of Nendaz Tracouet is just great for blue run adults and the kid area is fab with a travelator and a play area, and the restaurant very close by. Enjoy.

Thank you for all of the advice about Nendaz. This will be our first time skiing in Switzerland, so we are excited for ourselves and also to take our friends to see a swiss ski village. Can I ask you have you been to Villars and if yes then how would you compare it to Nendaz? At the last minute there was some availability that popped open there.

Villars is very different- and the drawback there is that you've got to get on a train to get to the slopes- so not ideal with little ones.

Nendaz has grown an awful lot of the last couple of decades, so you won't get the 'typical village' experience. Why not walk down to Nendaz village below, so you can see some of the old chalets and raccards (grain, etc, stores) - ask yourself the question, why are they built over stone mushrooms?

Are you renting or doing an RCI swap?

Nendaz will be fine however Siviez would be fantastic for beginners. Siviez is probably not the best place to stay as it's in sort of in the middle of 'nowhere'. There is a bus from Nendaz to Siviez so it's very easy if anyone wants to go.

Villars generally does not get a hell of a lot of snow, however it's good this year. The tourist office have been known to say the resort run is open even though the cows are grazing on the lower slopes & it will be a VERY long walk for anybody who tries!

We would be renting. Not sure what the swap is that you are talking about. Basically our 3 options are: 1) nice chalet in Haute Nendaz, about a 10 min walk into restaurants, lifts. then most likely drive to siviez when we want to ski with the kids for their lessons (and our adult friend's second time ever skiing); 2) not as nice chalet in Villars about a 5 min walk to things; 3) pretty decent chalet in Gryon close walk to things.

I would go to Nendaz!

I have been skiing for some years now but my wife just started this week. We spent a week on the slopes at seviez and she found it a big confidence builder. We are off to the big stuff this weekend. Good luck.

That main Siviez run is a true confidence builder, you are right. Great for beginner snowboarders too.

So, have you been yet? Don't forget to send feed back afterwards. Thanks.

Too late probably but La Tzoumaz in the 4 valleys is also great fir beginners/intermediates

I would agree with this, Siviez was the first Swiss snowboarding experience for me, but the crowds put me off, so I tend to go to less crowded places like Les Mosses now (it is also closer to my house)

Also, Les Mosses is one of the few ones with an actual green slope and they have loads of spaces for kids to learn and play.

B

Yes we ended up staying in Nendaz and skied both there and Siviez with the family. The village of Nendaz was great, lots to do and really great restaurants. The drive up the mountain is not for those with a fear of heights For the skiing I think for true beginners as small children the Siviez set up is better. We were with 2 three year olds, a five year old, and a 6 year old. Those stairs in Nendaz with the number of skis we had to carry were not ideal. However once you are there Tracouet is great for the kids. Our five year old had a huge tantrum out of fear in the freezing snowstorm in Tracouet the first day and it was not fun getting her and the skis back up the stairs. The ski instructors needed help getting all the kids and the equipment down the steps. For our adult friend who is also a beginner, Nendaz was perfect and the stairs were not an obstacle.
Siviez was a very easy and close drive to ski with everyone. Parking was not an issue, even during the busy time over the Feb break. All of the children (and adults) were able to keep their same instructors from Neige Adventure who met us in Siviez. It was a great experience, with everyone skiing from the top of the mountain by the end, with our littlest happily playing in the nursery at the bottom of the slopes. The main trail did get very crowded in Siviez however.
It is best to stay in Nendaz, even with skiing in Siviez I think, because there are more restaurants and things. The views from all of Nendaz are amazing.
We never made it to Villars to give any feedback. Recently though, we did end up in Morzine which was fantastic for families with small children. It is a lower altitude though, so not sure what it would be like now.
Thanks for everyone's advice!