Anyone been to Les Gets with Esprit?

[NormaSnickers]

Hi, we're planning to take DS on his first skiing holiday next winter, probably mid Jan when he'll be 4.9. Not sure how he'll fare skiing and guess he might not do more than an hour or so a day so looking at places with childcare. Can't afford Snowbizz or Ski Famille so are considering Esprit and the chalets they run in Les Gets seem to meet our needs. Anyone have experience of the chalets/childcare/ski school (would be in Spritelets I think) and can offer any advice please? Or suitable alternatives? Thanks very much in advance.

[trixymalixy]

I'm baffled that you think snowbizz is more expensive than esprit?!?!

[NormaSnickers]

Certainly looks more expensive to me, as with Esprit DS would be free for the week we're looking at and should also qualify for half price lessons and childcare. But I'll keep doing my research.
Thanks for your input.

[trixymalixy]

We've skied with both and snowbizz definitely the budget option for us, and also recommended on MN often as a budget option compared to esprit, crystal etc. Esprit will be catered as snowbizz is self catering so I would definitely go with Esprit if it is cheaper.

I haven't stayed in Les gets with Esprit, but found their childcare and ski school experience very good when we stayed with them in Val d'isere. DD was in spritelets (our sproutlets as she called them!) and had a fab time.

[NormaSnickers]

Thanks, that's really helpful. I'm indecisive at the best of times so am finding this quite difficult! I'm definitely leaning towards Esprit, we don't often stay in hotels so I think a catered chalet will make it more of a special holiday experience for us all. Just hope DS enjoys it!

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

I think he'd manage more than an hour. My 4 year old will do about 5 hours across the day.

Esprit tends to be pretty good with lessons and childcare. Not usually a budget option though.

[NormaSnickers]

I'm hoping DS will ski with us a bit too, I used to be an instructor at our local dry slope so hopefully can help him along a bit!
I will have another look at Snowbizz and then do my sums again, guess I need to make some phone calls to make sure the prices I'm looking at are accurate.
Thanks for your help!

[trixymalixy]

Agree with dontcallme, my two were skiing a couple of hours in the morning and a couple in the afternoon at age 4/5.

Might be worth taking him for a few dry slope lessons before you go.

[ChalkyC]

Hi - we have been to Les gets but not with esprit - it's a fab place for kids and the esprit gangs of lessons all looked well organised.

Last year our youngest at 3.10 did 3 hr lessons and then we did stuff in the afternoon together - this year at 4.11 he's in 9-1 lessons and spent the afternoon today trying to snowboard!

Esprit looks good - we always do a catered chalet without childcare and do lessons for the kids in the morning and then tobogganing/ski together/chill out in the afternoons.

[NormaSnickers]

Thanks ChalkyC, I think we may forget about childcare and hope that DS manages a few hours skiing each day and can spend some time on the slopes with us. Will work out cheaper that way and I'm so excited to ski with him so fingers crossed it all works out. Can you recommend a ski school in Les Gets?

[ChalkyC]

Hey - we used 360 international - ski famille use them too. We stayed in a lovely little chalet run by Reach for the Alps which was really great.

The only thing was the lessons were only 2.5 hrs - this year with new generation they are 4 hours!! We have tended to steer clear of esf after a bad experience.

[crappyday]

I've been to les gets with esprit.
Chalets- if you go with the top floor of the building that has 4 chalets in (sorry can't remember name) it's very small, and the sitting/eating/kitchen areas are all on top of each other so chalet girls very much in your space all the time.
Not great, especially with overflowing bins & rubbish piling up.
The lower floor chalets- I think they are used for kids meals at lunch time, which (in another resort) has left our chalet really messy & floor covered in food.
Esprit childcare works really well. Esprit food is ok.
Les gets is a lovely resort (got back yesterday having been for 3rd year in row)
Hth

[Abraid2]

I'm in Les Gets now and it is lovely.

[museumum]

How is the adult skiing in Les gets? Can you ski to avoriaz or is that a bus? It's very low - does it often lack snow?

[campfan]

Snowbizz was £2500 cheaper than espirit when we looked and called both for quotes.
The espirit brochure price didn't include childcare. Ski school, lift pass , equipment hire etc

[Frazzled2207]

Not with esprit but loved Les Gets. Snow was good when we were there, somewhat better in Avoriaz. Morzine is easy to get to and you can I think ski to Avoriaz though it's quite a trek involving quite a lot of lifts. So you wouldn't be skiing over there every day. Les Gets particularly good for kids/beginners/intermediates. Lots of blues.

[ratherworriednow]

Museumum - you can ski to Avoriaz via Morzine from Les Gets. It would take quite a while though, and means crossing Morzine by road train or bus.

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

We ski each year from Ardent up to Avoriaz, down to Morzine (use Super Morzine loft) walk across town to Pleney (less than 10 min walk) up Pleney and over to Les Gets then across Les Gets (5 min walk) to the bottom of Mt Cherie for a day over there.
The trip takes about 1 1/2 hours if you know the route. If snow conditions aren't great then the link between Les Gets and Morzine (across the golf course) can be closed.