Les Deux Alpes - Crystal - La Brunerie

[Leis]

I just thought I would let you know my experience of Crystal, La Brunerie and LDA from a family point of view. They were Brilliant!!!! LDA has great beginners slopes but the majority of them are at the foot of the mountain and are serviced by button lifts. There are a couple of greens up the mountain and I did one or two of them but not all of them. From a raw beginners point of view I thought personally that most of the areas I went to up the mountain were more for intermediate and most definitely more advanced skiers.

Crystal and La Brunerie were great. Obviously staff change every year but we found this year's to be extremely helpful, nothing was ever too much trouble and they were all very friendly. The food was amazing - both the adults and the kids meals. On nights that they had something our kids wouldn't eat, they would happily supply chips and beans if they had them.

The family room was basic but clean and had everything we needed and didn't feel like a closet. You walk in and they had bunk beds, the top one had a rail around so the kids couldn't fall out and our 4yo had no problems at all. Opposite the bunks are a refurbished loo and bathroom which were more than adequate. You then walked through a door into the main room which had two single beds (which could be put together), a telly, a table and two chairs and a lovely balcony overlooking the mountain!

The childcare was superb!!! We have a 4yo and an almost 3yo and they were together in one of the three childcare rooms (babies, up to 4yo and kids). They had two adults to themselves most of the week. The other days there were only 2 additional kids. They basically got one on one attention and the girls were fabulous. When the weather was good they took them onto the slopes for sledging, snowman making, snow angels and snow ball fights. They took them around town on bus trips and the like. On bad weather days they have such a great range of toys and every day was a different craft or two planned.

There was a shop right next door to the hotel which was also a godsend for those bits and pieces you invariably need and/or forget.

All in all, I would recommend LDA and Crystal and La Brunerie to anyone purely based on the childcare and standard of food let alone the skiing. Yes its a commercial tour operator and one of the cheaper ones at that, but we were very pleased. The only thing I would not recommend is group lessons through the ski schools - there are just too many people. Private lessons with Easiski would be my first choice, for either adults or children. My second choice would be private lessons through European Ski School - just not groups!!!

I hope I've helped in some way but am happy to answer any other questions you might have. Enjoy

[LunarSea]

Glad you enjoyed it. I've recommended Charlotte at Easiski here before - but will link it again in case anyone else is interested.

[mummydoc]

lovely post , we are off with crystalfinest in 10 days to courcheval - cannot wait now heard some positve rremarks about hte company.

[cacaboo]

Thanks Leis for the excellent posting. We looked very closely at La Brunerie and nearly booked, so it's good to hear lots of information from someone who has been there! And good that it's positive too!

It sounds like your kids didn't ski? Next year DS will be turning 4 and I was wondering if there is a decent snow garden and any tuition for him to have a little try, if he is interested.

[Leis]

Cacaboo there are some great snow gardens at LDA. My 4yo is a little precious which is why we didn't send him. hahaha Crystal didn't seem to offer that option for that age although I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem - it would just be a matter of finding out if they would book it or you if you did it direct. HTH

[cacaboo]

Thanks Leis! I'm not sure if DS would take to skiing either, and I really don't want to put him off the idea with a bad start! I guess we have to work it out closer to the time... Maybe an hour in one of those indoor snowdomes will give us an idea, if we are organized enough!