Mumsnet Talk

After the most miserable, worst Christmas ever scenario (whole other thread) I have suggested to DH we consider getting back to skiing next season and go over Christmas week at the end of this year. There are 6 of us, so this is, we know, not a cheap option. I've costed it up quickly with Esprit, and we are looking at £4700 plus equipment and passes, but of course the advantage of a package is no scouring the Internet looking for all the different elements, and all that door to door childcare.

So can anyone make some suggestions as an alternative to a full Esprit package please? We would like:
Catered chalet not chalet-hotel
All day child care available with lessons (DCs will be 19mo, 5, 6 and 7)
Might consider driving
Don't want to have to drive daily to the snow once we're there

It's been so long since we skied, this all feels new to me again!!

Can only help with driving element, I'm afraid.
We drive every year to Belle Plagne. It's autoroute all the way and then a quick 30 mins up the mountain: v easy (esp for me as DH drives).
We stopover at Dijon on the way down, but drive door-to-door on way back (yr DCs maybe too young for that option).
Also, I would advise that you consider how snow-sure your resort is, as Xmas can be a bit early for good snow.
Good luck!

We are going to a catered chalet in La Rosiere. The price per person is £475 per week, plus they are picking us up and dropping off at the airport. £203 for the flight, (Scotland) and £175 for the lift pass. If you book your flights and wait you will get great reductions as I kept checking the website. Your chalet will arrange your lift passes and equipment and a lot of the companies will deliver to the chalet. Quite often you will have the chalet to yourselves, we have for the last three years. I would rather do it myself because there is absolutely no problems in doing so. You could also try and make a deal with the chalet owners for the cost of your children especially if you put them all into the same room. St Foy was even cheaper for ski passes, ski hire etc.

Deste what do you do for childcare? I must admit its probably the prospect of trying to organise all of that independently that worries me the most, hence looking at packages

My two are both grownup but my friend is taking her three year old GD. She is booked into ski school in the morning and nursery in the afternoon. Some resorts have nannies that you book if you want childcare. My friend haggled on the price of her GD and they took it down a bit. If the chalet fills up she will sleep in their room if not they will give her a room to herself.

Meribel might be a good resort, 8 hrs from Calais, and most of it really accessible. Only chalet I know there is now a bit pricey but great food - Vallee Gourmets - and the owner can sort childcare/passes/lessons etc so perhaps worth looking for an arrangement like that? The childcare area is right in the centre of the resort at the bottom of the main slopes plus there is a bowling alley, ice rink, great sledging and stuff to do other than ski. Plenty of eateries too!

in austria it is common for children to have 2hrs childcare in the morning AND the afternoon, sometimes there is an option for lunch as well.Lots of people drive to austia.
You could try crystal and see what they can off you - there are good reports of claviere for example.

My other thought would be a big resort and trying the local nursery, but be advised that as these places have a lot of transient kids from all over they are often rife for infections (not their fault).
Bulgaria and slovenia would be cheaper choices, as would italy (and think of the food).

We go to a very small resort in Austria where we stay in a b&b, eat what we're given, about 200m from the ski lift and, if necessary, our 11 year old shares with us. Total cost of b&b, 3 ski passes and ski rental for DS = less than €1000. We think it's a bargain but I know it's not to everyone's taste. We also have a 10 hour drive from Belgium, where we live. Fourth year this year

We skiied in La Plagne Christmas week just gone. We went with Crystal Ski and had a catered chalet. We were a party of 11, 4 kids under 7.

Kids club started at 8.45, they took them to ski school, and collected them, and gave them lunch, option to collect them at 5, but we usually did earlier.

We are going, just the 4 of us, again, in March, to Tignes this time, self catering. With Crystal ski again though so same childcare set up.

We went to Mayrhofen in Austria at Christmas it was great. I booked all the bits separately yep you have to spend a bit of time trawling the internet but I calculated we saved £1200 compared to booking exactly the same hotel, flights, ski hire etc. with Crystal ski. Also did the same last year and went to Les Gets, France lovely resort.