Ski train with an 18 month old

[hw88]

Hi all,

Looking to go skiing in La Plagne with our 18 month old and his grandparents. Any advice on whether the ski train or flight is more suitable?

Thanks :)

[atticusclaw2]

definitely the flight

[iMatter]

We went to La Plagne 18 months ago.

The 3 hour transfer from Geneva was absolutely hideous.

Shitty minibus, crazy driver. Awful.

[LIZS]

Isn't it nearer Grenoble? Skitrain would be a nightmare with a tot.

[hw88]

Transfer is 2.5 hrs from Chambery or 3.5 from Geneva. Chambers is a bit like a sardine can though :(

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

I've done Geneva and chambery and they both have pros and cons, but I'd def fly rather than train it.

[Shadowridge]

Does it have to be La Plagne - a short transfer like Morzine would be better with a tot. I remember sitting on the transfer bus years ago and there was a couple with a little one in their arms- god we were on the bus for hours crawling up the valley to the resorts - i thought they were mad! Can you afford a private transfer.

[Artandco]

The train is good. Bare in mind it usually leaves late at night from London.

You can only take direct train out Friday's and back Saturday I think ( fine for week long ski)

I like it. We have taken our children since 3 months on it. It's convient as no luggage restrictions so can take own ski equipment without charges, and can have dinner at home, take kids on train late in pjs, then everyone sleeps until morning, just in time for breakfast on train and arrive early. Means you can be skiing by Saturday lunchtime when everyone else is just arriving at airport, and everyone else has left so a quieter afternoon skiing

[Artandco]

Oh there are no cabins with beds on the train though, just seats

[hw88]

thanks for the info :)

Private transfer could be a good option.

We were thinking La Plagne purely because we are more familiar with it from previous years

[Artandco]

Oh yes if we fly, we always private transfer now with kids. Saves loads of time as just need you to get in car and it can leave, instead of bus, waiting for another flight, then going to several hotels first

Actually I really recommend morzine also with small children. The drive from airport to there is fairly short, and it's a full town all year around so you have an actually high street and stores if you need to get anything. Plus the paths cleared so easy for 1 year old to be taken for a walk. The ski buses to Les gets etc are regular so someone staying with child can take the ski bus with them and you can ski over there and meet up for lunch or whatever ( there's a cable car that babies can go up in there to restaurant also if you want). Lots of nice restaurants. Can ski up morzine/ les geht way, or avoriaz

[SienaSun]

I don't think La Plagne is a great choice to go with an 18mo.
I also agree with Morzine for reasons given above. it's the only place we went before our little boy was old enough to ski.

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

I like moraine too. There's a reason it's popular with Brits, the short transfer.

I love La Plagne, but the transfers have put us off with kids (going there on a girls trip this year though and private transfer).

[hw88]

Thanks all!

any recommendations on hotels in Morzine to take a look at:

[Artandco]

Morzine doesn't have many hotels, but lots of catered chalets.

Great with children as if they are tired they can go to bed and you can carry on with later dinner and wine etc

[hw88]

Are they shared chalets? Or single occupancy?

who do you normally book with?

Sorry lots of questions, just useful to know :)

[Artandco]

We usually book a whole chalet as go as a group.
But you can book seperate. A few years ago we booked a 14 person chalet, had 11 people in our party so they offered the chalet exclusive. Then a few weeks before we left they asked if we would mind if two others joined us, and they would reduce our bill by £500. So these 60+ year old gay couple joined our chalet and it was lovely.

How many people in your group?

[Artandco]

Oh we always book chalet/ flights or train and everything seperatly. Mainly as usually better deal, can choose own days and usually companies include stuff we don't need

[usuallydormant]

Or try Les Gets - hotels there (Nagano is nice, in centre with swimming pool, la Marmotte if you want to splash out). It's right beside Morzine but a much nicer resort imo. Really pretty village, kid friendly but a bit more French feeling than Morzine which is basically Anglophone. Or Samoens is also a very easy transfer from GVA (not even bends) again with a very nice village for kids and non skiers. You could also look at self catering apartments via Airbnb rather than the chalet option.

[SienaSun]

We book apartments as we like to eat with the kids. There's loads of good restaurants and they are very child friendly or if you want to save money there is a big supermarket and a couple of small ones so self catering is easy.
More mountain apartments were excellent and they also do chalets.

[hw88]

Thanks guys :)

[Artandco]

You can eat with kids in chalets. Some do earlier kids dinner at 6pm if you want, but ours always eat with us at 8pm ( they are tired after day in snow so usually nap 4-6pm anyway).
I just mean in chalet it's nice you can carry on at table and kids to bed if tired. Like ours might eat 8-9pm with us, then can get down and play with toys in living area 9-9.30pm, then one of us take them to bed and then we can carry on into the evening talking with group of friends etc and wine as kids asleep in next room. Restaurants fine also, but mean kids can't get down to play or be put to bed without one of you leaving early, and hotels you are far away from room so can't leave them alone

[hw88]

Yes that's the main thing I am a concerned about!

What is Morzine like in terms of getting up to the slopes - does it take very long? We're used to ski in / ski out...

[Artandco]

You can ski in and out still in morzine, the Viking hotel lets you do that. But then you need to get the last ski lifts up to hotel which can be early around 9pm.

Otherwise you do have to walk in morzine a little but only because there are lifts up both sides, so if your next morzine side lift, you will be a 10 min walk to the avoriaz side. Or v versa. There is a little road toy train type shuttle though for free.

Personally I prefer skiing the avoriaz side.

You can also leave skis and boots in lockers at the bottom of lifts in ski hire places for a small fee (£10 a week or similar), save carrying.

Ski in and out is our preference now everyone skis ( youngest is 5 years now), but we did fine being in a town helpful with 0-3+ year olds due to ease of getting them around with a non skier

Have you considered Austria skiing?

[hw88]

Never been, open to other places though :)

[SienaSun]

Kids can usually only eat with adults if you are booking the whole chalet.
There's a lot of restaurants in Morzine, so i would feel like I was missing out eating in every night, but chalets do work well for a lot of families.
Have a look at Zell an Zee if you are thinking about Austria.