Have you been to La Plagne with Esprit?

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

I've just booked for next Jan as I've been wanting to go there since they got the big chalet hotel there. It looks fab. Please can someone come and tell me it is fab and the skiing is good there.

[Crunchie]

the skiing is fab there we went to Montchavin in La Plagne 2 years ago, and skied past the new Belle Plagne place. I belive it is supposed to be great. Pricey though

We are looking tath the new La Malendre or whatever in Alpes d'huez

[wheelybug]

Haven't been with Esprit but have been to La Plagne twice. I love the resort - we were in La Plagne 1800 but skied all over. Fantastic skiing for all levels. Will definitely go back again.

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

I didn't think it was anymore expensive than other Esrit places....will have to check now.

DD isn't happy that she isn't allowed in the hot top at La Plagne and has spent the evening crying 'cos she wants to go back to Plan Peisey I'm just happy that Sprites can now ski all day if they want to as she was not impressed by been in Snow Club in the afternoons last year and ended up coming skiing with me instead.

[2HotCrossBunnies]

I have been lurking around the skiing threads over the last week as I really want to go next year (March) with DSx2 who will be 3.10 and 1.11 then. I'm struggling to decide what the best thing to do it and I currently have a triple room at the new Esprit place in Belle Plagne on hold... My mil thinks it's extortionate but she only pays £550 per person to go skiing incl passes and rental that is coach travel though but still
I do, sort of, believe you get what you pay for and with 2 small DS quality is very important to me. We also want DS1 to have lessons and Esprit seem to offer a good package for little ones. Please reassure me that this is a good option

I've looked at Mark Warner and Snowline, both more expensive. I also have a friend who works at Scott Dunn but I nearly died at how expensive they are!

[youcannotbeserious]

We went to Belle Plagne this year.

It was great. Good ski runs for all abilities.

[2HotCrossBunnies]

PS - sorry for the hijack, was (sort of!) the same question x

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

HotCrossBunnies - I've been with Esprit 6 or 7 times now, just not to La Plagne. I do think they're good.

[dalek]

Another vote for Esprit - went his year and they were great with kids. We are going to their place in Belle Plagne next year as well - know some people who went this year and they said it was fantastic.

[pralinegirl]

I also have a room here on hold but DH is unhappy with the cost! If anyone has been and had lessons (we're both intermediates, confident on reds) could you advise on whether we will need the whole area lift pass for lessons or just La Plagne's. Seems enough runs there for me! It would cut cost down a little - also is it possible to just book lessons for three days or something?
Ta! Am trying to tell him the skiing has gone up in price due to this year's snow ad you can't do this kind of holiday with children cheaply.Hes giving me the 'I'll look at the figures.....'

[andiem]

we have been with esprit 3 times now and they are very good the childcare is excellent
we went to meribel this year but have booked the chalet hotel in la plagne for next year
the staff at meribel said it had been a bit chaotic this season but all the teething problems will be sorted by next year
the childcare manager from meribel is going to be at la plagne next year and she is lovely
we have also done mark warner and tbh I thihk esprit is better the childcare programme is much more varied

[sandk]

We went to Belle Plagne with Esprit early last season.
The hotel was indeed very lovely in all aspects that I can remember,
the ski area is one of my favourites, 99% of the Esprit staff were wonderful -
including a couple of nannies who went beyond their job's worth (what's the expression?).
The rep did a couple of sessions of ski guiding early in the week, which were fab.
IMHO Belle Plagne is the nicest "village" in La Plagne as well -
compact, good selection of shops and activities, also easy to hop on the gondola down to Bellecote.
There are lots of steps though - we often noticed a few pushchairs left temporarily at
the bottom of the village! (However there is a couple of lifts.)

Negatives - unless it has moved, the nursery ski garden is in an awkward place for the little ones to get
to. They are bussed up the road as far as it goes, but still have quite a long, very steep little
path to get up, in their ski boots. The esprit staff did seem to be helping them by lifting them up
parts of it, but there is 1 staff member to several kids. Having said that, the
day I watched them, most of the kids were fine with it.

Childcare provision is good, lots of lovely toys and most staff seemed good, good baby facilities,
but of course it is the "group" scenario, you can get new bugs spreading like wildfire.
I mention this because my DD was taken out of her childcare at lunchtime on day 2 and did not
return for the rest of the week - it does happen. So we were grateful for the nice hotel and good resort.
By the end of the week, I think that more than half the babies were out of the nursery with D&V.
Not the fault of esprit or their staff, of course, more a comment on that kind of set-up.

We didn't do ski lessons. Bought lift pass for whole La Plagne area - would recommend
this for intermediates and above, lots of lovely runs on the "back" of the mountain.
IIRC the La Plagne pass includes a day in Les Arcs (over on the Vanoise Express,
assuming it is open next season!) which sounds like fun!

[pralinegirl]

Thanks sandk, this is great info. Our DS will be 5 and with the 'improvers' so should not be limited to the ski garden and at 5 is energetic enough to walk and manage stairs. The bugs are a concern in a hotel that size but I worried anyway last year about him catching something before we went. The resort sounds great and I think the lessons will take place on the la plagne area anyway, so the day's pass would be a bonus but I don't think we'd need the whole area pass for les Arcs too. I've never gone and not had lessons before but husband would prefer it actually and I could just book a private lesson or two to sharpen up. The lessons do mean a lot of waiting around for latecomers, waiting for DH, if hes in the class below, etc. He wanted me to check out canada but I already did and they don't seem to offer the same intimate wrap around care esprit do. Its also not worth going there for a week with a 5 year old. Guess I'll keep chipping away at him....

[andiem]

thanks for that sand it is great info
we have been victim of vomiting bugs as well on skiing holidays I agree that it is the nature of the beast

[pralinegirl]

Anyone been with crystal - wondering if childcare as good as esprit or not?

[Nettee]

I went with Crystal in April this year and I thought the childcare was great. I also think it is cheaper than Esprit with more flexible travel options. Although I am not 100% sure that you get the free childrens places if you self drive or go on the train.

I have never been with esprit though so can't make a comparison on quality. I really fancy the Belle Plagne Esprit chalet hotel for the swimming pool. Interesting to hear about the location of the nursery ski garden.

Has anyone been to Crystal's Turquoise Club hotel in Belle Plagne - it says the ski school is right outside the door but is that the adult one?

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

SandK - that info is ver helpful, thanks.

We went to Peisey earlier this year and were disappointed that the TransArcs was shut. But guess it means next year we won't need to cross over to the Les Arcs side as we have well and truely covered that.

We've booked dd in for all day skiing lessons so hopefully she might not be as likely to come down with the dreaded d&v. We'll take some antibacterial gel with us I think!

[pralinegirl]

Well DH has been worn down. Can go ahead and book tomorrow once hes checked his holiday with work. We cut out the chambery flights as there was a supplement and although the journey is shorter the flight leaves stansted an hour earlier meaning an even earlier drive. Also discovered from brochure that we can pre-book a private lesson so we won't have the expense and hassle of lessons every day - last year it felt like such a rush. Out of interest, for anyone reading this considering kaprun, the esprit only bus from the main glacier area leaves the bottom station relatively early in the afternoon and really limits your skiing time. The free bus open to all runs later but is very crowded.Thats why this year we're going for ski-in and out. We're on bread and cheese until March but never mind! Its DH's 40th while we're away and by the way they really will do you a cake - we had 3 cakes in our chalet last year for birthdays!

[2HotCrossBunnies]

Just seen the lastest messages on this thread. Makes for interesting reading! We booked the Belle Plagne hotel in the end for the end of March - may well see you there pralinegirl!

[hatwoman]

sounds like its the place we went to last year, it's fab (so it should be for the price!). the rooms are huge and stylish. nice swimming pool (but changing room too small) staff very good and helpful.they have an excellent baby-listening thing where someone sits out in the corridor so you can relax in the bar and restaurant. my only hesitation is that when we went it was only half-finished - several floors were empty - and we felt that the communal areas were only really big enough for the numbers they had, if you see what I mean. it's ski to the door and back - which is great. found the childcare good too. but don't do what I did and hire one of their gadgets to measure how fast you go and then go too fast, wipe out, and end up in hospital