wanted to say a huge thank you to the poster (Greylady?) who recommended La Norma

[Thelioninwinter]

While we didn't end up going to that actual resort, after reading your posts, we booked St Jean D'Arves in the Maurienne valley for halfterm. Just returned and it was possibly the best family holiday we have ever had.

I would never have known about the Maurienne valley, those resorts or just how reasonable a price we could get. It was fantastic value and an amazing week. We're booking for next year this month!

DH & I spent most of the week thanking Mumsnet! But thank you too.

could you possibly send me a link thelion? I am trawling the internet for a family ski holiday with another family and it's driving me nuts!!

Hi, I think the poster who recommended La Norma said that she had found it via a website called PeakRetreats. I found this on there, this is where we stayed Les Marmottes but I found the same place and booked directly through the french website of the company which owns the apartments/chalets. Here French website, english an option on the homepage

To give you an idea, for the first week of the Easter school hols, the first website gives you the price for a self-catering apartment for 6 people as £445, Goelia gives you the same thing for £223 for going direct.

Ski hire for the week for three children was £60, again via Goelia.

there are websites for Les Sybelles (the ski domaine that St Jean is linked to - huge) and St jean d'arves itself here

Very very small ski station/village, we loved it. Access to 310km of skiing at the top of the chairlift. Best view we've ever seen. Plus it cost £2200 for a week for five of us (included travel, accomm, ski hire, classes and ski passes. Might have spent a total of £250 in resort on pizzas, fondue, couple of activities, bottle of wine, chocolate pancakes.

Hard to beat? Anyone?

Thanks so much for all of the info - we were looking for a catered chalet but I will look through it all.

thanks again

hello, it was me that recommended la norma.
i am glad you had a great time - I would agree that the maurienne valley is a wonderful value for money place, and excellent skiing to boot.
i will check out the goelia website myself - hoping to return next year. what was st jean d'arves like?

orry just re-read your post. sounds well worth a try!

So glad you read it! St Jean was diddy, really sweet, all chalet-style so no blocks of flats etc. Very very small resort but we have three children under 9 so didn't need a night-time resort.

The tourist office had a weekly activity sheet, most of which were free or 1-3 euros each and very family friendly. So we visited a farm at milking time and tasted the milk/cheese, another night we walked with lanterns up to another small hamlet and were offered hot wine/chocolate before returning. Kids loved it.

Skiing good too!