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Ski and snowboarding

For ski chat, join the Mumsnet Ski forum. Check out our guide to the best resorts in Europe and our family ski holiday packing list.

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Original poster

Choosing a ski holiday - helperama please!

18 replies

PoohBearsHole · 13/02/2012 16:01

Right, DH has just informed me that he wants to go skiing.
In the next 3-4 weeks
Specifically 1st or 2nd week of march

I am more than delighted as I would love to go.

I have dc 18mo and 4yo, would like to do nothing (so catered for) would like to have childcare available for both.

So any ideas?

(I do know of Ski Espirit but wondered if there were other options)

I don't want to go to Meribel/Les Arcs, would quite like to try another country but am happy with France, ideally would like pretty. (don't want to go to those two places as have only skied in Le Trois Vallees for several years and the only other place dh has gone recently is Les Arcs so we thought somewhere different would be nice )

OP posts:

Original poster

PoohBearsHole · 13/02/2012 16:18

bump

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VivaLeBeaver · 13/02/2012 16:25

I've been to every resort esprit go to in France so can advise about their resorts if you have questions.

Small chalet or larger chalet hotel?

Remember Switzerland is expensive.

Val d'isere is good if your skiing is ok. Ditto tignes. I love courcheval but obv three valleys. Plan peisey chalets with esprit are nice but v close to les arcs. La plagne is nice but I disliked the esprit hotel there.

Mark warner are meant to be similar.

Original poster

PoohBearsHole · 13/02/2012 16:35

Viva - was quite keen on La Rosier (?) Val D'Isere is an option definitely, don't really mind the size of the chalet although smaller would be great I think. I would go to Courcheval but literally I have not been to another ski resort for 20 years and would really like a change .

Tignes is a bit built up ugly isn't it? Like les Arcs?
I want a nice hotel/chalet with a bit of a luxe feel iyswim. I know the budget is affordable as I have already checked with them so am happy with that. Switzerland might be nice for a change as haven't been for years but get where you are coming from with the pricing. I do want to have a plate of chips and a beer at lunch time without remortgaging .

Not to sound cocky but both of us are very very competant skiers, and both have had a thought that any lunch budget might go on a heliski trip as we have both wanted to do this for ages .

The problem I can see is that childcare for 18mo isn't in the same place as the 4yo. Not a huge prob but dd can be a bit sensitive and am not sure she will like skiing as she won't be able to suck her thumb

OP posts:

Original poster

PoohBearsHole · 13/02/2012 16:36

(Actually have never stayed in Courcheval itself but have thoroughly skied the area iyswim)

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witchwithallthetrimmings · 13/02/2012 16:42

la rosiere is lovely, w've been at xmas two years in a row and i think they have 3metres of snow in the village (4 on the peaks). The ski beat chalets are lovely, they have a creche on site for under 3s and one that co-ordinates with ski school for the bigger ones. It is ski in ski out and you can ski to italy if you feel like pizza rather than croque monsieur

heather1 · 13/02/2012 16:47

Hi, we are going to La Plagne with ski beat next week Never used them before but they do a variety of resorts, Also provide childcare and take children from lessons to childcare so I can ski all day if I want. Also seemed quite reasonable on price.
Would also suggest Kinderhotels if you want to be totally spoiled. Lots of childcare. Serfaus in Austira is lovely. Enjoy choosing your holiday!!

Mumofthreeteens · 13/02/2012 16:57

Try Morzine, Chatel or Champery all part of the Porte de Soleil ski area. St Anton is lovely. Monêtiers-Les-Bains is small and authentically French in the Serre Chevalier ski area. There are so many choices......

VivaLeBeaver · 13/02/2012 17:13

La Rosiere is nice, smaller resort but you can take the long drag lift over to Italy and ski there. IIRC it has a reputation for being windy and at times the link to Italy can be shut. Weather was fine when we went apart from one day which was terrible, so much so that everyone, even DH came back to the chalet.

We stayed in one of the Ferme d'elisa Esprit chalets. Ski in/ski out if the snow is good. Only pita is that you ski down to a little drag lift which doesn't take you quite high enough to get to the chairlift. You have to then side step up the slope, but only for 30secs.

Our room was tiny and we were charged extra for a suite. I was very when I saw our suite as it was the smallest room we've ever had in an Esprit chalet. There was a wide hallway with a bunkbed in, then a doorway (no door) to the bedroom with the double bed in.

I think we had the smallest bedroom, other couples had bigger rooms. Which was a tad annoying as they'd all booked last minute and got good deals and we'd paid full price. 4 couples plus kids in each apartment/chalet. Nice open plan kitchen/living room/dining room with enough space for everyone to sit down in.

Not a big choice of restaurants in La Ros, but there was a nice, cheapish one near the chalet which we had lunch in every day.

The Esprit chalet in Val d'isere has slightly bigger rooms plus a TV and dvd player in every room. There is a bar/seating area downstairs, seperate from the dining room. However there aren't enough seats in the bar for everyone to sit down so lots of standing. Its not as cosy. Skiing is more extensive than La Ros but harder and more expensive resort.

Tignes is ugly, built up but good skiing. Links into Val d'isere, expensive lift pass still but cheaper eating. Some of the Esprit chalets are quite a walk from the main Aeroski gondela.

VivaLeBeaver · 13/02/2012 17:14

Les Gets would be nice. I haven't stayed with Esprit there as it used to be Morzine where they had a chalet which has now closed.

Original poster

PoohBearsHole · 13/02/2012 18:02

Right have just been speaking to ski espirit before they closed for the night they are offering a suite in the Hermine in Peisey les Arcs. Sounds nice and with everything included it isn't too horrendous (well ykwim!)

So will also get quotes from Ski Beat and others suggested too. La Rosiere with Ski Espirit for the dates isn't possible anyway sadly which is a shame. Also quite like the fact that Peisey is lower with the smaller one who hasn't been in the mountains before and ears and stuff so might be a bit warmer for him. Will keep coming back so keep them coming.

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VivaLeBeaver · 13/02/2012 18:07

Yes I've been to peisey. I think hermione is the big chalet next to the road so is a slightly different layout to the others. Snow club and nursery are in hermione. We stayed in castor. I think the bedrooms are the same, just hermione is bigger overall due to childcare space.

Big bedrooms, out door hottub. Skiing very close to the chalet. Te skiing is fab. You can stay in peisey or ski over to les arcs easily. Also you can take the vanoise express over to the la plagne side. I'd recommend.

Original poster

PoohBearsHole · 13/02/2012 18:26

Thanks Viva - looks nice and bonus is that dh has skied past it in the past so knows what it is. He did just do a big gulp and "isn't there anywhere cheaper" but I got the full on major quote for both dc in childcare, ski hire, passes for the full area etc etc and it was still cheaper than a week at the porto sani in greece so............we shall see. Might have to give him a bj although as I would be paying half am not sure what his malfunction is

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expectingagain · 16/02/2012 23:29

Would you be happy to book a hotel or apartment and sort out your own childcare? Have done this in the past with a local nanny agency as our youngest was too little for kindergarten and that way we could arrange the accommodation we wanted, kids were all together when not skiing and we had tons of flexibility with meeting up for lunch etc and extra pair of hands to take them sledging etc. Also bedrooms with Mark Warner and Es

expectingagain · 16/02/2012 23:32

Sorry hit send! Was going to say rooms with Mark Warner and Esprit aren't always that great so arranging things independently can sometimes get you a better quality place.

OneLieIn · 16/02/2012 23:32

Peisey is fab, great skiing, fab chalets!

La rosiere is a much lower standard, less skiing as well

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 18/02/2012 16:18

would recommend la ros when your dc are a bit older as La Ros can be cold and windy. We have had some good skiing there with the dc when they were between about 7 and 11 - first time we went with Esprit in the ferme d'elisa and has a good time - excellent ski-in ski out and nice slope for tobogganing in the evening so if your room faces the right way you can observe the kids sledging (obv not when only 18m & 4 ), agree with Viva that it is annoying the the drag doesn't go right up to the next drag - I wonder why they don't fix that - presume is deliberate.) We also stayed with Ski beat a few time in Les Eucherts which is quieter, but also has the icerink and bowling.
Have you considered leaving the DC with GPs and going just with your DH?
Ski hol is expensive child care if the DC don't like/can't ski, and although the nannies do ther best, there is always the nagging worry that the Dc might not be happy... If I had my time again I would prob do that and take them when they are old enough to enjoy the skiing and manage the classes - ie school age.
Ds2 was nearly 7 when we first took him (after an awful hol when he was 2 and DS1 was 4 ) - and he took to it straight away - he has been 11 times now ( he is now 12) and skis brilliantly, so not starting when he was a toddler did not hold him back. (And save the money in teh early years to use when they can appreciate it )

Newtothisstuff · 18/02/2012 16:25

I've been looking at kinder holidays. They come with 70+ hours of childcare.. Expensive but they look amazing

DianaTruelove1982 · 10/04/2012 22:04

I'm in Serre Chevalier (05 Dept in France) at the moment and the snow was looking really ropey when we arrived, but it has actually been snowing today. Couldn't believe it as it was bikini weather yesterday :)

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