We are new to Geneva and are looking for a place to take our family and visiting friends from America, all with small children/ very beginner skiers. We are looking to stay 1-2 nights so a close proximity to Geneva is important. Ay suggestions?

It's been a while, but the places we enjoyed going to were Les Gets (France) and St. Cergue (Switzerland), and just a little bit further away and bigger Morzine and La Clusaz (both in France).

A spot that we went to a few years ago was les diablerets. It is a smaller ski area but seemed very nice.

Samoëns is a very nice resort and has plenty of green slopes for beginners



Has blues/reds/blacks as well...



Highly recommend using Go Massif www.gomassif.com if you need a transfer from Geneva to Samoëns or anywhere in the Grand Massif.

Some ideas in this thread may help.

Porte du Soleil with young kids

Another place less than hour's drive from Geneva is Villars-Gryon. Once you get the train up to Bretaye, there are some very easy/baby slopes for beginners, and is where the ski-school is based.
http://www.villars.ch/en/index.cfm

I don't know if this was mentioned before but now that we have a little snow Mont Jura will be open.. very small, but family friendly and very near GE.

http://www.monts-jura.com/en/welcome/index.php

Monts Jura gets a hearty recommenation as a family friendly place. As does Les Rousses as well, also in the Jura. http://www.st-cergue-station.ch/

The big difference with kids in smaller resorts is the ease with which you can get them onto ski's, and skiing (logistical ease), as car parks are usually right beside the chairlifts. Slopes tend to be emptier as well, particularly the swiss ones around la dole.

I'd have a look at Col de La Faucille, which is very close indeed. You wouldn't have to stay overnight, so maybe not what you want.

If you have a car (or can rent one), then take the col de "la faucille" area which is suitable for beginners even for small children.

If you want to go by train then St. Cergue is your best option (take the train to nyon and another train ride going up st. cergue.

This two are the closest you can find in geneva within suisse. You will have more choices in neighboring france but you'll need a car (or look for some beginners package which goes by bus from geneva).

I would recommend Les Rousses( http://www.lesrousses.com/index.php?L=1&id=297), not very far from Geneva. Another one very close to Les Rousses is St Cergue (http://www.st-cergue-tourisme.ch/en/index.php). You may want to look at their websites and they English version.

Hope it is useful to you!