One child skiing families where do you go?

[tailsandscales]

I'm planning our first Christmas ski trip this year. We usually self cater but I thought for Christmas a chalet would be nicer and our son would have other kids to play with. But Family Ski Co only offer all day child care (we want to eat lunch and ski or spend time together in the afternoon) and Esprit only offer beginners lessons for 5 year olds. Ski famille looks lovely but a bit pricey. Are there any other options/solutions??
I'm also a bit nervous about being in a chalet if all the other kids are older/already know each etc and DS being left on his own. Has anyone with an only been on a holiday like this and how did it go??

[user1497557435]

We go to Andorra which is a hell of a drive (from Barcelona) but classes are good and loads to do locally plus where we go there is a creche - generally Andorra (Arinsal) pretty good value. It's not a glossy ski resort tho.

[theancientmarinader]

Would a resort with on-hill childcare that allows you to check them out for lunch (and offers ski lessons as part of the childcare package) combined with a hotel be better? If so, maybe consider Canada rather than European resorts? The one we used when the DC/s were tiny issues pagers so you can be notified if anything is untoward, tiny tots lessons, or intro parent/child lessons as part of the daycare. You can pick them up for lunch or not.
Depends on your reasons for chalet though - if it is to get to know a group of other families and spend Christmas with them, then that is obviously more important than child care, and you will have to suck up the unknown quantities unless you can fill the chalet with friends.

[tailsandscales]

User14 - do you know what Andora is like at Christmas? I'd like somewhere like Les Gets where there's a santas grotto in the snow, lots of Christmassy things on in town etc so I can tell DS we are going to the North Pole

theancientmarinader - yes. we normally do something similar with ski school/childcare but in France. I hadn't thought about Canada but I bet they make a big deal of Christmas over there.
I was thinking a hotel or apartment might be a bit impersonal for Christmas, especially Xmas dinner. I know the family Chalets are decorated and some have Santa visits etc.
I've never been away at Christmas before so I don't know what to expect....

[user1497557435]

Never been at Xmas but I doubt it would offer what you're looking for - the snow doesn't get really good until January/February and often in the town there is very little.

[Londonmumlivinginessex]

We have booked with family ski company and don't know anyone else in our chalet! I fear of mine too that my kids won't know anyone but I figure kids are so welcoming and just get on with it!

I think you can take children out of childcare after lessons if you want to have lunch with them or spend the afternoon together

[Notmybag]

My 8and 10 year olds had beginner lessons with Esprit last year so have you actually spoken to them? Te very little ones were in a different group.

[tailsandscales]

Problem is that he isn't a beginner. It will be his 5th week on snow.
I have spoken to Esprit, they recommended a chalet hotel in La Plagne but to book ski school separately. It's quite a good deal, but the draw of Esprit seems to be the ski school, which we can't use. And I'd worry all the other kids will know each other from ski school. The person I spoke to wasn't sure if there'd be a santa in resort either.
Family Ski looks nice but it would be a waste of money for us to book so much childcare and use very little of it.

[MaybeDoctor]

Esprit is exactly what you are looking for...

Seriously, the instructors will just bump him up a group or two if needed.

[tailsandscales]

Are you sure? The Esprit guy I Spoke to said they couldn't move him up because of his age.
If he could go to the ski school it sounds perfect.

[Notmybag]

There were loads of kids if all sorts of abilities at our esprit chalet hotel. They were working with ESF and then esprit staff joined the groups too.

[tailsandscales]

Ok that's really good to know!! Thanks
The guy I spoke to was new I think - he kept putting me on hold to find stuff out.
Has anyone been to La Plagne at Christmas or to the Esprit hotel there?

[MaybeDoctor]

Phone back and ask them again

[Notmybag]

We booked through Tim/Janet at Chaletline : they knew everything about all the resorts and could not have been more helpful.

[tailsandscales]

Notmybag- I just rang them and spoke to Tim and he really was helpful!! He's going to email me a shortlist - thanks for the suggestion.

[Notmybag]

That's great. I stumbled upon them purely by chance and was impressed

[eeyore2]

We went to family ski company and none of the families knew each other. There were quite a few one child families (not us). It was a great atmosphere. We didn't leave the children in childcare all day every day but instead mixed and matched. I really recommend it

[youhavetobekidding]

How about www.skivo2.co.uk/? Everyone gets tuition included. Teachers are all native English speaking

[tailsandscales]

Ok, so we have booked to go with Esprit (through Chaletline - thanks again for that rec, they were really great).
DS who will be just 5 is booked into Sprite Improvers. Has anyone else done this level with a 5 yo? He's a pretty good skier but he's small and shy so I'm a bit nervous about how he'll cope.

[dontcallmethatyoucunt]

My DD and her friends did tails. We went to La Plagne with MWarner when she was 3 and 4, but went with Esprit when she was 5, but to Tignes. They'd all skied at our local snow centre in between trips too so were pretty competent. The Esprit lessons were fine, I think some of it is down to who's on the trip

If the ski school in la Plagne is Oxygene, they were pretty good. You could always speak to them directly once you get there.

[Tigresswoods]

One child here & DH can’t/won’t ski. As a result we go with friends. 14 of us in a chalet is great fun. Do you know other families who you could live with for a week?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

You can go with Family Ski and not book their childcare (book lessons direct with ski school) but I appreciate that the other kids are likely to get to know each other at ski school and in the afternoon kids club.

I would avoid Les Gets/Morzine at Christmas - we've been a few times and the snow has been really poor (non existent at town level).