I have recently returned from a week in Val Cenis with MGS, my second week away with them this season. I have been travelling with family & friends with MGS for over 10 years now and see no reason why I won't still be travelling with MGS in another 10years tim The service is that good! MGS is a family run business who pride themselves on the service the offer and I could never recommend them highly enough. Holidays with MGS are very reasonably priced and they offer both self catered accommodation and a hotel option. I have always stayed in self catered accommodation when travelling with MGS and after 10years we've stayed in numerous different apartments, all of which are fit for purposes offer great access to the village and the slopes and are quintessentially French. As one of the previous reviews states you do have to make your own beds, but frankly this takes all of 30seconds and isn't exactly a hardship, I'm sure this is not something you have to do if you opt to stay in the hotel. Clients are expected to clean the apartments at the end of the week and this helps to keep the cost of holidays reasonable, the degree of cleaning requested is something I would expect any self respecting holiday maker to do before leaving a resort anyway - wiping down surfaces with a cloth and sweeping/hoovering the floor again is not time consuming or difficult and also likely not to be required in the hotel accommodation!! The resort of Val Cenis hasn't been over commercialised and still has its French charm, the shops, restaurants and bars are owned and run by local people and they sell and serve traditional food and drink. The lack of commercialisation in this resort also means prices on the mountain aren't over inflated as in other resorts. Val Cenis doesn't have 100s of kilometres of pistes but it does have something for everyone. It boasts one of the longest green runs in Europe - ( l'escragot. Which in the summer months is a roadway to the neighbouring Italy) - and whilst a green run doesn't appeal to all its is fantastic for the beginners in resort and we were all beginners once. There are also plenty of sweeping blue runs, wide open reds and challenging black runs. The network of pistes is such that skiers of all abilities can access all areas of the mountain. There are stunning views of the Lac du Mont Cenis form the top of the mountain & with a gentle blue from the top, even first time skiers can appreciate the view. The mountain is never busy, lift queues (outside of Feb half term) are completely unheard of. There is also plenty of off piste to be had in Val Cenis and when travelling with MGS is is easy to experience the thrill of off piste skiing at an ability appropriate level. Every week, MGS offer group ski to the clients. Each afternoon MGS clients are divided into groups based on ability and together with an MGS representative and a fully qualified ESF guide get to ski the mountain at there own ability. Guided skiing is all included in the cost of an MGS holiday. I have skied areas off piste with a guide that I would have never ever thought I was good enough to ski on my own, yet I have never felt out of my depth or unsafe in doing so. I am also fully insured when off piste as long as I am with a fully qualified guide & I believe this to be the case for most decent insurance providers. Aside from the skiing, group ski offers a fantastic opportunity to mix with other clients and I have made some great friends as a result. Off the slopes MGS offer an equally attentive service. The MGS team meet daily for après ski drinks and take the time to talk to all of their clients - offering a personal service which is a real rarity these days. The team are knowledgeable about the mountain and the resort and can answer questions with ease. Each week MGS run a group meal which is a fantastic opportunity to mix with other clients & enjoy local food. The group meal includes a quiz and games together with prizes & is always an enjoyable evening. MGS and Val Cenis really do offer something for everyone, from children to grandparents and everyone in between, for people who've never put skis on before to those who've been skiing for years. MGS Ski truly are a 5 star company and the service they offer is completely unrivalled. read more

We've been going to Val Cenis for 13 years with MGS Ski and our daughters were little when we started going and we quickly realised that the whole resort was run by locals from ESF ski instructors to lift staff. In fact my first ski instructor now heads up the whole team of 100 or so instructors (www.esf-valcenis.com), worth visiting as they are a really friendly team. Not that you need to contact them direct, MGS Ski look after everything for you, simply tell them which lessons your group is interested in and they book it all for you. And as they have been in the villages for over 25 years they have an excellent relationship with ESF to get you ideal times and instructors to suit your needs. Also MGS Ski meet you for your first lesson to ensure you are in the right group and will sort any changes you want without a quibble. The accommodation is smart, clean and well furnished and again owned by locals, not some large corporation, so if you have a query the owner is right there and will sort it out and our biggest issue in 13 years was a jittery electric blind, which was resolved the next day. It's not flashy or posh, comfortable and well appointed. We think it's superb, honestly we really don't know how they supply the apartment, lift pass and great equipment for the price, just don't tell anyone who pays more than double in Val D'Isere, just one valley over. The village isn't big and dining and apres ski is limited, but you're in really pleasant surroundings and local owners preparing the food which are authentic Savoyard dishes presented with care. Sorry to harp on about everything being local, but this is not one of those big tourist resorts with cheap outside labour and chain restaurants that shuts down when the ski season finishes. And I've been to Meribel, Flaine and a few others besides, so this isn't biased, well not too biased. To the important bit, the skiing, we're a mixed band of abilities and the 125km of skiing is a good mix of slopes which gives us all lots of runs we can use. In the 13 years we've been going there we've seen several new or replacement chairlifts added. They really invest in new infrastructure regularly and are really proud when they get a new system, then keen to tell you what's coming in the next few seasons. It may be smaller than other French resorts, but they have big plans, all of which improves access and the overall area of skiing. MGS Ski know the mountain and for many years organised free guiding every afternoon with people of your own ability, making for great opportunity to see different areas and have a laugh with like minded people. When ESF instructors took over the guiding on behalf of MGS it made it even better, with greater knowledge of the mountain and even a few free tips on your dodgy turns. They are keen to share their local knowledge, even showing you their local summer farming sites! An MGS rep is with every group, making sure you're happy and will join up with another group if you feel like changing, nothing is too much bother. My mother doesn't ski and she enjoys meeting us for lunch and the Apres ski, but we asked MGS if there were any activities we could arrange for her and during the busiest week of the season they arranged art classes with a local artist, she loved it. I've recommended MGS to several friends and we've always had positive feedback on their experience of the MGS service and Val Cenis. So we have no hesitation in recommending MGS to anyone who isn't looking for a showy, over priced, impersonal ski holiday, you won't regret it (www.mgsski.com). read more

We have been skiing for well over 30 years all over the world five star, all inclusive, chalet, self catered, train, coach, plane and drive .... all sorts ... We just love it. We have friends and family in the Pyrennees, friends in the Alpes in "exclusive" large resorts and we have skied them to pieces over the years but... Year after year we return to Val Cenis with MGS. They have it spot on and at a great price for the family. The snow record is exceptional even with the poor start in Europe this year we were skiing from top to bottom and with most of the resorts nearby closed ... That was great. We have made friends in the resort and clients who return. You can do your own thing or immerse yourself in a great friendly atmosphere and varied activities, even had my wife parapenting ! We have new friends come each year and they now have it as a highlight in their calendar, and ours! Our family have grown up skiing in great places but we always return to Val Cenis. The beauty of MGS is its simplicity, it's great value, no frills, and the perfect escape from day to day bustle back home. The added bonus is the afternoon Guided group skiing all in the price. This caters for everybody... all they ask is you can ski a blue. Which is great for our group of friends with mixed abilities ... You can do what you want in the afternoon without feeling "guilty, waiting or holding your friends up" the staff are really knowledgable about the resort and the ESF team are fantastic and with a number of them having skied at the very highest level in World Cup and Olympic competition, they can share a good story as well as show the real beauty of the resort with great tracks and meadows to safely play around in, or cruise around all over the area including the hidden gems of Termingnon. With a fair amount closed this new year we still skied places and runs we have never skied before after 14 years!!!! Ooh and I haven't even started on the food in the resort something for all including one of the top 10 mountain restaurants in the Alpes, you do have to be a reasonable blue skier to get to it but hey ... what more do you want! We have tried the modern, the chic and the trendy... along with the hustle and bustle of the large purpose built resorts. My fear is I have told you too much and it will start getting crowded, fingers crossed MGS and Val Cenis stay just the way they are... Perfect! read more

Recently spent another Xmas in my favourite place to ski - Val Cenis - and with MGS Ski. With 3 children, it has been just right over the past 12 years. Great value for money, safe beyond what one can expect these days, and never boring. If you like home away from home, this is it. Meeting likeminded friends from all over England who we only see in Val Cenis and meeting new people every year. You move into a clean, tidy and cosy apartment upon arrival which you make your home within 24 hours. You are looked after by young enthusiastic fun people who know the resort inside out and help with everything you need to know or have problems with. A helpful smiling welcome and care throughout the whole time you are there. The owners, make you feel at home and organise a lot of social events which have something for everyone and celebrate the camaraderie that sport especially in the mountains is all about. I personally like to stay in after a day's skiing but my kids and my husband love it. It's a small village, Lanslevillard, the old part where MGS customers spend their time. And it feels like coming home - locals even recognise you and say hello. How is that for the French. One of the highlights is group skiing in the afternoon. You don't have to, but most of us do because You join the group depending your ability and instructors make sure you do not overdo it. It is fun with others you have not met before and friends as well. With great guys from the ESF instructor team. Fun and taking you to the best snow and off piste, safely and guided by the local experts. All included in the very reasonable package that covers ski pass, skis and boots plus insurance. All organised so we can just get on with skiing and having fun. This Xmas was tough with all the ice and little snow, but the MGS team organised great fin in the evenings and the ESF instructors made skiing fun and there were no accidents. Now it has snowed! I am watching the webcam everyday and can't wait to get out there again in March. First with a friend who has not been there and then again with my family. Best holiday of the year. read more

I keep coming back to Val Cenis and MGS Ski. An off the track treasure thats as far removed from the maddening crowd as one can want. The thing about this resort is that it looks small on paper but the options for off piste and back country open it up into a wonderful adventure playground thats as good or as better as anywhere else in the world. The wee town is small but equipped with the perfect number of friendly bars and restaurants so you can eat out somewhere different every night if you so wish, but, its never too busy here. I queue for longer to get on the slopes here at home in Scotland on any day of the week than I ever have in Val C. The idea that so much wonderful fresh groomed piste can be all yours to tackle at whatever pace you wish, with INCREDIBLE scenery and vistas, yet be so comparatively quiet to enjoy with your friends is wonderful. The group Ski every afternoon is the highlight of any weekday for me. The confidence that you get being guided by a local E.S.F instructor along with an MGS rep or two all included in the frankly low cost of the MGS package is incredible. not to mention the social aspect (always hilarious and always meeting new people) and all the hidden wee nooks and crannies dotted all over the valley that you would never find if you were on your own and only stuck to the pistes - you would be missing out on a big part of what makes the MGS experience so very special. I have developed so much confidence in myself in my ski and snowboarding down to the amazing experiences and opportunities to push my skills to new levels thanks to the group ski. Make no mistake, this resort isnt Brits abroad or ibiza on the slopes - when we first met Peter and Brenda at a ski show in Glasgow years ago they actually tried to warn us off as they were convinced that we were going to find it too quiet for three young(ish) lads in their 20s. They couldnt have been more wrong - the place is like home for us now. Vive la MGS!! read more

We've recently returned from a fantastic week with MGS Ski in Val Cenis. We are a family of 4 and our kids are in their late teens. There are so many great things to say about this resort and MGS, so I'll try and limit it to the main ones: * Family run company with lovely reps offering a friendly, helpful and personal service - they really do care that you have the best time possible. * Traditional French village offering a selection of restaurants and bars. Prices are reasonable and we enjoyed great food, drinks and service in welcoming surroundings - we particularly like L'Arcelle. * Plenty of varied skiing - the group skis in the afternoons led by ESF instructors are grouped roughly according to ability and are a great way to discover the hidden gems of the mountain and to meet friends. * Socially it's great too; most people meet after the group ski in the Fleur et Neige, a fab, friendly bar on the piste front. There are social nights too; meeting at the bar and a group meal with a very light-hearted quiz. * Affordable - the holiday itself is very reasonable. We chose the self-catering option as it gives us the flexibility to eat in or dine out when we like. Our apartment was traditional, spacious and very clean and in the heart of the village. It's worth noting that in resort the prices are not over inflated either. * We hired skis and boots through MGS and the equipment is excellent; and no fuss to change if the first ones aren't quite right for you or if the conditions change. * No queues and generally quiet pistes - this really is a bonus and means you can spend a lot longer enjoying the beautiful North facing slopes. Would we recommend this holiday company and resort, and choose to return? Absolutely - and for many years to come, we hope! We have been going there for over 20 years now, and all love it! read more

We have been going to Val Cenis with MGS Ski since 2011 and we thoroughly enjoy every holiday with them. Having traveled with the big companies for a number of years the approach taken by MGS is a breath of fresh air. The personal touch they give like your lift passes being in your apartment on arrival with a welcome bag of biscuits,bread and wine is lovely! The no pressure approach from the whole team is fantastic, the social side is there and very welcoming but if you just want a quiet week away then thats fine too. For myself as a beginner/intermediate there is plenty of varied runs for me to try out including the longest green run in Europe. For someone like my partner who is more advanced, the back country and off piste is limitless with group ski every day he loves to go and explore with a very knowledgable ESF guide and a rep from the company who is usually someone who has grown up skiing/boarding in Val Cenis. Its a lovely traditional french mountain resort, free from the mayhem and drunkeness you find in the major resorts. We will continue to travel with MGS for many years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmljKQMMItQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjU5mj5U_q8 read more

I have skied all over the world and experienced every type of resort. If you want a fully serviced chalet, nightclubs, concrete blocks and expensive over filled slopes then it's not for you. If you simply want a great holiday with friendly people all of whom what to enjoy themselves, pay great value and ski on quiet snow sure slopes and much more then MGS is for you. This family run business in a traditional ski resort is perfect for families. The reps are hand picked having the right mind set to make sure that every visitor enjoys themselves. Accommodation isn't the Ritz but neither is the price and all it includes. Organised afternoon skis with ESF guides allow families to ski and have fun. Our daughter can ski at her level and my wife at hers without pressure. I would recommend both MGS and Val Cenis and have done. The greatest pleasure is when people go on my recommendation and then come home and thank me as they've have a great time. We can't go every year because of our daughters skiing takes us far and wide but if we have spare time it would be first choice for a great family ski. read more

I have been traveling to Val Cenis with MGS Ski for the past 13 years and have recently returned from another excellent week. As always we received a warm welcome from Pete, Brenda and their team. Val Cenis is based around two towns Lanslevillard and Lanslebourg and is linked to a neighbouring resort of Termignon. There is plenty of on piste skiing for all abilities, on big wide uncrowded pistes, with a good network of lifts. However the real beauty of Val Cenis is the Off Piste and this along with the excellent service offered by MGS is the reason that so many people return time and again. The guided skiing that they offer with ESF guides is included in the price of the holiday and allows clients to mix and meet with others of a similar standard as well as having a bit of banter and a lot of fun. A very reasonably priced resort that feels ultra safe for children and great for families (we happily sent our 5 and 8 year old to the local bakers every morning ) thinking wow we could never do that at home. Without reservation we will be back very soon! read more

Having just returned from an amazing weeks holiday with Mgs, I have booked to go back again in March The resort is beautiful, quite & peacful with amazing skiing on piste & off The guided skiing with esf guide & a friendly Mgs staff member at the rear of the group was fantastic I felt very safe Skiing off piste ( my insurance covered off piste with a guide ) The apatment very very clean & they were worth the wait ( not being able to get key till 4pm ) whilst we waited for our apartment we got our boots & skis, Pete Major the owner of Mgs was at the ski shop giving us a very warm welcome & good advice as to which skis would suit our ability The resorts offers something for beginners & the very experienced, the sociable & not so sociable being able to dip in & out of social events ( we all loved the quiz night ) We have children aged 18 & 21 who loved the Ho,I day as much as us read more

This fabulous little resort has drawn me back for the last 10 years. I've skied the big European resorts, tried America, Canada, New Zealand and yet this is the place I keep returning to. No lift queues mean lots more skiing, the local guides show you the hidden gems you'd never find on your own and MGS Ski know the resort inside out. MGS ski provide guided group skiing for all abilities in the holiday price, this means no one has to ski beyond their ability and the big grins at the end of the day for the after ski get together show they have got the formula just right. The MGS ski package of accommodation, ski hire,lift pass and guided skiing are fantastic value and make it difficult for me to go anywhere else. read more

I just got back from Val cenies today and to be honist with you MGS Ski really turn what could be a good resort into a great resort. All the staff were So friendly welcomeing and I instantly felt at home evere time ive been (This was my 7th) from my first week when I was 15 to now (27) this has always beem my favrouter resort. If I could only ski with one company for the rest of my life it would be MGS Ski i really can't do them justice in one review so you'll just have to go see how good they are go on go now Ill wait Your booked good now get ready for the best ski holiday of your life you'll love it. read more