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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

Children's ski school in Morzine

13 replies

Charliebean · 12/02/2013 14:38

We are just about to book a week at the end of March to ski in Morzine. we have never been there before and wondered if anyone had any good/bad experiences of ski schools there. We have a 4 and 9 year old who have never ski'd before. Do you think we should book ahead or wait until we get there ? I have had a look at the BASS web-site. The only thing is they do the whole week and wondered whether it may be better to try one lesson first in case they don't like it !! any other info on Morzine would be great. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:

vitaminC · 12/02/2013 15:07

Don't know about the ski schools, but my kids spent 10 days at summer camp there last July and LOVED IT! They still talk about it constantly and beg me to re-enroll them for next summer

I think you need to give them more than the first day to decide if they like it or not, but a full week will be exhausting for them if they're beginners. I would probably enrol them for a week of half-days. In fact, we live in the Alps and my kids and step-kids will only be skiing half-days this half-term as it gets so busy in the afternoons during school holidays!

vitaminC · 12/02/2013 15:08

Oh, and definitely book ahead! The lessons tend to get booked up pretty well in advance during the main season!

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 12/02/2013 22:33

BASS are great. I would definitely book ahead and go for a course with a couple of hours each morning for them.

difficultpickle · 12/02/2013 22:37

Ds did ESF for a whole week, all day. He loved it. He drove his teachers nuts as he sings when he skis and generally does not shut up. They were lovely with him (he had a different morning and afternoon teacher). I had injured my back a month before our holiday so I couldn't ski at all. Ds was 6 and it was his third week skiing.

difficultpickle · 12/02/2013 22:39

The only thing they didn't do there is lunch so I had to meet him and take him to lunch every day. Another resort we visited the previous year did provide lunch so I was surprised Morzine ESF didn't.

Original poster

Charliebean · 13/02/2013 11:11

Thanks everyone. Just about to book it and now a friend has said that they think that Avoriaz is a better place to stay than Morzine. It is a bit higher up and apparently better for families. Has anyone been to both ? Thanks again.

OP posts:

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 13/02/2013 11:36

Never stayed in Avoriaz but have skied there lots. Morzine is much more of a town in the tradition sense, Avoriaz is purpose build place at higher altitude. No roads, just odd looking vehicles on tracks and horse drawn sleighs.

Unless you can get accomodation very close to the Pleney lift side of Morzine, it can be a bit of a pain to get across town with the busses and very busy little road train. Avoriaz could be worth looking at, I think there's lts of self catering apartments and lots must have amazing views but don't know of any accomodation to recommend I'm afraid.

difficultpickle · 13/02/2013 21:00

Avoriaz is ugly and because they have horse drawn transport there is a pervading air of horse poo, particularly if you take the chair lift over the car park. Not much in Avoriaz if you aren't skiing all day. Morzine is a nice place to wonder around, ice rink, good shops, a range of lovely restaurants.

harrassedswlondonmum · 13/02/2013 22:46

Another vote for BASS - we have used them several times and they are great.

I would much rather stay in Morzine than Avoriaz - as others have said it is a lovely town. Avoriaz reminds me of a holiday camp on snow.

wildstrawberry · 16/02/2013 13:25

We love Morzine ESF Piou Piou. All day skiing, lunch and daycare means they ski with instructors and we get to explore the Portes du Soleil without racing back for lunchtime.
We're going later this year so are thinking about Le Village des Enfants in Avoriaz instead, but my dc will be sad to miss the Piou Piou!

difficultpickle · 16/02/2013 14:14

Piou Piou is for little kids though isn't it? The OP's 9 yr old won't be able to join that class.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 16/02/2013 21:45

Piou piou is the esf first award - for children just starting out on their skis.

ESF Morzine do offer all day classes with lunch, but not all will be piou piou.

difficultpickle · 16/02/2013 22:23

We were in Morzine 2 years ago. Definitely no classes with lunch outside piou piou. Utter pain as I had to meet ds after his morning lesson, take him for lunch and then take him back to ski school. I had hurt my back so wasn't skiing but spent hours on the local buses going to collect him. Unlike La Tania which did offer all day lessons complete including lunch with the ski instructor. Maybe the lunch at Morzine is new since we were there last. Piou piou definitely did include lunch but no children older than 4 were there the week we were there (first week of Jan).

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