UCPA Short Break 4 Day - Snowboard Beginners
The best option if you are short on time but eager to try snowboarding with instruction
This exact holiday is no longer available for these dates, see below for alternative options
Accommodation
UCPA Argentiere
Age Restriction
18 - 45
Lift Pass
Chamonix Le Pass + Aiguille du Midi + Montenvers
Activity Days
4
Instruction Ratio
1:10
Equipment Included
Snowboard and boots
Lesson Hours
Approximately 12 hours
Levels
Beginner
Please select below an available holiday for the same activity
Want to learn to snowboard but short on time? This is the solution. Enough time to get a great insight into snowboarding without having to commit to a whole week.
Included in the price
Accommodation
Lift pass
All meals
Instruction & guiding
Snowboard & boots
Bedding
NOT included in the price
Transport to resort
Insurance
Soft & alcoholic drinks
Personal clothing
Towels
Optional extras
Airport transfer
Arrival day
Arrive and check in from 18:00-19:30, evening meal.Day 1
Equipment and lift pass issue in the morning and breakfast. First session likely to be in the afternoon. In the evening there will be a 'welcome meeting' to explain the layout and any events throughout the week.Day 2
Morning and/or afternoon session.Day 3
Morning and/or afternoon session.Departure Day
The last day, you have the morning free snowboarding, check out in the morning and hand equipment back in the afternoon (actual time will be communicated once at the centre). Final meal is lunch before leaving resort.Argentière shares the same ski areas as Chamonix, the world famous ski resort. The skiing is varied and vast, but tends to favour the more advanced skier and especially those who are into off piste and high mountain adventures. There are some beginner slopes at Grands Montets and Le Tour (Vormaine) which are great for those starting out, but once you reach the intermediate stage, Chamonix valley is a little more challenging. It is without a doubt a great place to progress, but it lacks those long cruisy pistes which other resorts can offer.
For those who are into big adventures in the mountains, Argentière has prime access to Grands Montets area which is a 5 minute walk away. The lift network there provides you prime and direct access to the incredible Argentière Basin - a myriad of glaciers and steep lines. Of course there is also the Aiguille du Midi, the highest lift in Europe, which opens even more doors to high mountain adventures, notably the infamous Vallee Blanche.
Center distance to ski area
500 metres
Center distance to town
0 metres
Center Comfort
Room Capacity
4 to 6, twins available
Center Capacity
292
Catered
Full boardThe centre
UCPA Argentiere is located on the village main high street, metres away from the local bars, bakeries and shops. The historic Victorian building was fully refurbished in 2013 making it one of the newest and most comfortable UCPA centres. Within the centre there are multiple secure equipment rooms, drying rooms, a dining hall, a bar and plenty of social space to relax. The outdoor pool is closed in the winter.Multishare rooms
The shared rooms at Argentiere are modern and comfortable. The bathrooms are shared on each floor and are well maintained.
Groups who are on our system together as a group are typically roomed together in a combination that works. If your group size is bigger than the room size, or if you want your group to be split for rooming, then it's best to email the UCPA centre directly around 2 weeks before travel.
Where possible, solo travellers are roomed with others of the same gender.
Twin rooms
There are some twin rooms at UCPA Argentiere, with shared bathrooms. They are available to book for a supplement per person when making the booking. Please note single occupancy in twin rooms is not possible as courses are curated on a per bed basis.
All UCPA meals are buffet style and with multiple servings the norm; you won't go hungry.
Breakfast is normally yogurts, cereals, fruit juice, coffee and bread - don't be surprised to see that the coffee and tea is taken in a bowl!
Lunch is either buffet or packed lunch. It is possible to return to the centre for lunch everyday where you will find one or two hot options available. As with all meals there will be a salad bar, plenty of bread, cheese, meat and of course desert. If you prefer you can make a packed lunch at breakfast time and eat on the mountain. Either way you will save a fortune avoiding the piste side restaurants.
Dinner is a three or four course buffet - typically a salad bar style starter, a choice of around three hot main courses, a cheese and cold meat platter and ice cream/dessert.
Due to the cost focussed nature of UCPA and the wide range of dietary requirements, it is impossible to accommodate everyone as standard. If you have any severe dietary requirements please contact the centre two weeks before to let them know. Generally speaking vegetarians will find plenty of options, with vegan options being a little more scarce but improving year on year.
Snowboard and boots are included.
All ski and snowboard hire is included and managed directly in the centre, meaning you don't need to arrange equipment hire once you arrive. If you have any problems with your equipment during the week we can sort it out for you in the centre. This saves you quite a lot of time and faff.
We have a mixture snowboard brands such as APO, Nitro and Rossignol. Our ski shop team are experts in maintaining and setting up equipment. 50% of the equipment is new each season and is very good quality.
You will be given skis suitable for your course and ability level, but if you need to change anything during the week, the centre will do their best to help!
As a beginner, you probably won't have everything that you need. It can be quite expensive to buy everything in one go, especially if you don't know if you will enjoy skiing! We suggest searching for second hand stuff, borrowing or hiring. If you do wish to buy your own, shops like Decathlon provide affordable and good quality gear.
Clothing for snowboarding:
- Base layers (thermals)
- Mid layers (fleece, or other thin insulation)
- Waterproof ski jacket
- Salopettes or waterproof ski trousers
- Warm and waterproof ski gloves
- Ski socks
- Ski goggles
- Hat and neck warmer
- Helmet (not required, but recommended, can usually be rented)
- Small backpack
General:
- Warm clothing for evenings
- Waterproof shoes/boots for walking around town
- Toiletries
- Towel (bedding is provided but not towels)
- EU adapter and chargers
- Good sunscreen in small bottle
- Passport
- Ear plugs
- Water bottle
- Padlock for wardrobe/locker
By Air
Geneva airport is the nearest airport and the only airport with regular transfers to Argentiere. For most trips we can provide transfers, just select the option at checkout (the prices quoted are return transfer prices).
Airport Transfers
We offer shared transfers from Geneva airport to Argentiere with our transfer partner Mountain Drop Offs. The journey is 115km and takes around 1h30 and is usually in a 9 seater minibus.
| Dates 14/12/24 - end of season | Latest flight arrival time | Earliest flight departure |
|---|---|---|
| All days | 20:00 (21:00 on Thurs/Fri) | 09:25 |
There is no timetable, passengers are grouped together based on flight times. The typical time from flight arrival to transfer departure is 1h30, often much less.
Please log in to your dashboard to enter your flight details as soon as your booking is confirmed and your flights booked, in order that we can book you onto the best possible transfer times, otherwise transfers will be subject to availability at the time that we receive your flight details.
By Coach
Our partner company Snowexpress offers affordable and environmentally friendly travel to the alps. All hold bags and ski bags are included in the price. The coaches travel through the night from London Victoria to resort, arriving typically after lunchtime.
Snow Express is usually only available to Chamonix and Argentiere on the busier holiday weeks (e.g. February half term).
By Train
It is possible to get to Argentiere via train, please check out Trainline, SNCF or another train booking website for information on possible options. The train station in Argentiere is located right next to the centre, 30 seconds walk away.
By Car
There is no parking at UCPA, but there are some options available in the town; the train station and Grands Montets are free at the time of writing and take less than 5 minutes to walk to UCPA. Please also bear in mind that winter driving may require snow tires and chains.
As a group or couple, you can all do different courses and still be roomed together, usually having the same free time together too. Some groups split the total cost between themselves where there are differences in course prices or availability, others work as ‘grouped individuals’ - you can all manage payments individually or as a group.
To book as a group, continue as one person and then click 'add a friend' during the booking process, or click 'share group link'. You don't need to do the same course!
You have a few payment options with your trip...
Deposit
You can book with a £/€100 deposit if your start date is more than 8 weeks away, the balance is due either 35 days or 20 days before your trip depending on if you pay in instalments or not. There is no extra cost for paying by deposit only or instalments.
Instalment
If you paid with a deposit, you have the option to pay an instalment (50% of the balance) up until 35 days before your trip. The second and final instalment is due 20 days before travel. There is no extra cost for using our instalment option.
In Full
Of course, you can pay in full at the point of booking. If your booking is less than 8 weeks away you may only have the option to pay in full at the point of booking.
YOUR ACTIVITY
- UCPA Short Break 4 Day - Snowboard Beginners
- 24/01/2024 - 28/01/2024
- Argentiere