Free Ski hire, free lessons, free lift pass, free clothing rental for Newbies to the Snow

a great find.

sking is my number 1 passion !!!!! scotland offers great sking - but only when the weather is right !

a great deal for newbies !!!!

heat added

Try skiing for free - for one week in January 2009 with the Fresher’s Ski Week initiativeEver wanted to have a go at skiing but just never got round to it? Well, 2009 is going to be the year to take the leap and hit the slopes for FREE! The Association of Snow Sports Countries (ASC), in conjunction with UK’s leading tour operators will be offering free skiing to 46 resorts across Andorra, Austria, Canada, France, Finland, Norway and Switzerland.

This amazing offer is open to over 1,000 genuine first timers, for a period of one week from either the 17th or 24th January 2009. Participants only have to pay for the standard cost of their package holiday, which can be booked with Airtours, Crystal Ski, Erna Low, First Choice, Inghams, Neilson and Thomson Ski and will be given free tuition, free lift passes and free equipment hire in a bid to attract them to the sport.

So if you have ever felt left out when your friends or work colleagues have returned from the slopes brimming with action packed stories of their fun in the mountains and secretly wished you had learnt earlier now’s your chance to get started. Simply go to www.freshersskiweek.com and click through to the web links that lead to the participating resorts in the seven countries taking part so you can decide which of the 46 great resorts appeal to you. Then decide which of the tour operators you want to book with and pick up the phone. Remember that we have over 1,000 holidays on offer, so even if your first choice is not available, tour operators will be able to advise you on an alternative destination. Every holiday offers amazing value and will be a great place to learn and to start you own love affair with the mountains.

We have also teamed up with TK Maxx which sells the UK's biggest selection of top brand ski and snowboarding clothing and accessories at up to 60% off the RRP. Look out for more details on their website later this month at www.tkmaxx.com and see what you should be wearing on the slopes next January!

For more information on this unique initiative go to www.freshersskiweek.com

Numbers now increased to 1,300*

*Source = October issues Fall-Line Skiing Magazine

Call me an old cynic, but whilst this is a fantastic idea and a fantastic deal, surely the dates prevent most families with school age children being able to take advantage. Most schools are very anti children being taken out during term so it's only going to appeal to working people who can take holidays at that time of year.

Cheaper to do that way unfortunately, as with all holidays

Is there plenty of snow as the resorts they are offering in January?

haha, how longs a piece of string.

I've not looked at what resorts they are but there are a bunch of snow sure resorts, either through altitude and / or snow cannons.

Give them a ring or look up the resorts and them give them a google, there are hundreds of websites that have resort reviews and most will include their altitude / facilities, anything over 2000m should guarantee snow but then last year was an epic season but I understand it was something to do with a weather cycle that only occurs every decade or something so I would ignore reviews based on the 2007/08 season as they will not be a-typical although they will give you an idea of what a resort can be like. Most resorts in France and Switzerland and largely Austria now have snow cannons so as long as the temp drops below 5 Celsius they can make snow for the lower runs.

I'm not sure this is really aimed at families, there are only 1,300 places, if they were aiming at families it would not extend very far.

Good deal, i've never been skiing because in January i'd rather be somewhere hot! but this might tempt me.

best month of the year for snow but unfortunately it is bitterly cold. I prefer late feb.

Old Cynic!

This is a brilliant offer I have booked 1 week in a Chalet in Val Thorens for 2 people for a total of £1250 - accomodation, flights, transfers, lift pass, ski school, free basic ski and boot hire.

The lady at the call center said the offer was more along the lines of a free ski pack per person rather than for newbies only and even though I had skied before it was fine for me to turn up and either do 1 days ski school or just say that I had changed my mind and hit the slopes instead and there would be no charge. Brilliant!

Would definitely recommend upgrading from basic boots, skis probably not so much of a problem if you're still learning but comfortable boots are the key to the sport.

Val Thoren is great and huge so you'll have bucket loads of choice and probably snow. Have a great time!

School holiday dates - not featured...

I know this is an old thread now but just bumping to say that we got back from Val Thorens and it was absolutely brilliant! Clear blue sky every day and plenty of fresh snow every night. It not as expencive as you think either if you avoid eating lunch at the places on the slopes and go for the many 2 for 1 offers in the bars in the evening (otherwise its about £5.50 a pint!)

This package was an absolute bargain and if they do it again next year I will book it again and go for the boarding option instead.