Childcare and lessons for a five year old and a three year old

[SarahBeenysBumblingApprentice]

We're just back from a fantastic week with esprit in Val d'Isere and I would recommend them to anyone. However, if we go with them next year, our three year old will have afternoon lessons and our eldest will have morning lessons which means virtually no family time together. So I'm looking for advice on ideas, if anyone has any!

I was thinking about the jardin d'enfants in avoriaz or perhaps kinderhotels but I'm a little worried about putting them in a multilingual class as they're so little. The eldest is quite reticent about new things and I'm concerned that he would get sidelined due to being English and possibly whingy. They are both friendly children and used to childcare.

When they're a bit older we'll actively want them to go into multilingual classes but I can't decide if it's the right thing for now and would appreciate hearing about other's experiences

Sorry, meant to add, snowbizz looks great just not us- DH and I like to put in the mileage.

Crystal tend to be steering away from ESF (due to the whole ski guiding thing) and seem to be using Evo2 and New Generation a lot more which I believe would have more English-speakers than the more traditional ESF. Saying that, they used ESF in Plagne 1800 in 2012/2013 and my then four year old and six year old did not mind at all really, even though they were the only English speakers.

I find them one of the best of the offerings for childcare because you can have their all inclusive package which includes taking them to ski school, and you can pick them up on an ad-hoc basis on afternoons if you so wish for family skiing too.

We were in val d'isere last year with esprit and in puy with snowbizz this year. We were pleasantly surprised with the range of pistes available in puy. We also like to put in the mileage and there was plenty to keep us occupied, we'd definitely go back.

Family Ski in Ardent is great, but it will depend on the age of your youngest. They're happy for them to start skiing from 3 3/4 and all lessons are in the morning with ESF Les Lindarets. They have English speaking Ski School helpers in the lower ability groups specifically to help the Family Ski guests which has made a great difference to our dc in their early years of skiing.

The Ardent lift takes you into the middle of the Portes Du Soleil and there are miles of good skiing in France and Switzerland on your doorstep.