What's your recommendation for the best resort for beginners? We're a mixed group of four thirty-somethings without a day on skis between us. We're looking for somewhere in Europe with a bit of life about it. Price isn't massively important although we don't want to push the boat too far.
James Peterson, via email
My first ski holiday (outside Scotland) was in Austria, and it's still the best country in Europe for learning to ski. The locals are the friendliest in the Alps and the ski schools have a down-to-earth 'do it like zis' manner. Austrians know how to party and the quaint Alpine villages are worlds apart from the concrete monstrosities of France.
Many learn to ski at villages such as Alpbach or Söll, but you'll find more off-slope life in a larger town such as Kitzbühel, Saalbach/Hinterglemm or Zell am See. However, the above are all at low altitude; so unless you're going in mid-winter (January or early February), or can book late after checking snow reports, you'll have a better guarantee of snow at higher resorts such as Ischgl, Lech, Obergurgl or Obertauern.
Italy is a fun alternative for a first Alpine trip. Cortina has a chic, large-town atmosphere, complete with 'la passeggiata' - the ritual evening stroll to show off your fashionable furs. Higher-altitude options are Cervinia or Livigno; the former has the best guarantee of snow, the latter livelier nightlife. With the larger towns, your accommodation may be a bus ride from the slopes. If that doesn't bother you, you might even like the big-city atmosphere of Innsbruck, capital of the Austrian Tirol; but I'd recommend a hire car to commute up to Axams, Mutters or Igls, where you'll be doing your skiing.
You hear many intermediate skiers saying: 'I've been trying to ski with my legs together all these years and now I'm being told I must keep them apart!' Is this true?
Julia Monk, London
Neither is correct. An expert skier should be able to adjust his/her stance width almost with every turn if necessary. It's impossible to keep a very narrow stance when making dynamic carved turns with the sort of leg angles used by modern racers. There simply isn't room for the inside foot to be next to the outside when they are leaning over so much.
Even in the 1960s, when most ski instructors were wedelling (making short pivoted turns), racers still had a wide stance because it was the most stable and best for carving. Then again, if you do want to 'wedel' a narrow stance would be better, as it also is for short, pivoted turns in bumps or in powder.
In the zipper line (short turns down the fall-line in bumps) it is near impossible to maintain a wide stance; you must have both feet together, going through troughs and over crests simultaneously, to simplify the absorbing movements. There's also a difference between the narrow stance for 'classic' short, bouncy turns in powder and the wider stance for longer carved turns - a more modern way of skiing powder that exploits the 'surfing' capability of wide-bodied skis.
Whatever you do, it's pointless to keep your feet clamped together in pursuit of some dubious 'style'. The skiers to copy are those who are effective, graceful and adaptable.
· Send your ski questions on resorts, technique and equipment to Martin at ski.clinic@observer.co.uk. For details of Martin Bell's coaching see www.skimartinbell.com.
