Where to start - first family ski holiday 2018

[rubberducker]

We braving our first family ski holiday next year - looking to go either Feb half term or first week of Easter holidays.

It currently looks like it will be us with 3 DC (7, 5 and 1) and then 2 other families, both with 2 DC each (all DC between 7 and 4).

Ideally we'd like a catered chalet that we could take over for all of us without having to share with anyone else. We want a decent ski school for the kids and we'd also need childcare for the baby. We're not too fussed on where we go - priority really being on it being a child friendly/beginner friendly resort.

Having previously only been and stayed with family (SIL used to live in the 3 valleys) I don't really know where to start in terms of booking something. Who are the best companies to use? Can anyone recommend some good resorts? Will we find someone who can sort out chalet/childcare/ski school/equipment all in one hit?! We're getting together with the other families to discuss next weekend so I want to do some research and price up some options before then so any suggestions gratefully received! I was thinking of calling someone generic like igluski for advice/recommendations but not sure if that is the best route to take.

We usually book through crystal - always find them helpful

Club med! They will look after your kids from getting ski boots on to games in the snow! Lots of choice of resorts. I'd recommend getting your older kids to a snow dome for a few lessons if you can, if only to get them used to putting the boots on etc

Thanks both, I'll have a look - club Med sounds great!

We're really lucky as we live about 15 min from a snowdome so all of the children will be going for lessons before we go (as will I as it's been 8 years since I've been and I've only ever snowboarded so will need to learn to ski myself!)

Esprit - super kids orientated, or Total (who will cater for kids during the school holidays and especially if you fill a chalet). We've used Esprit since the kids were 3 years old, about 8 times in all. Excellent child care, even if the catering was a bit dodgy one year!

Try these guys - www.premiere-neige.com/

I can recommend Premier Neige for excellent accommodation, service and childcare for under 5's. Also Venture Ski who have a bit more choice of accommodation. Both are based in Sainte Foy, very friendly smaller resort with plenty for beginners, nervous intermediates and decent off piste. Good skiers can head to several big resorts like Val D'Isere for an easy day trip.
British ski instructors are available and you may manage to get the kids in the same group.
If you want a bigger resort try Family Ski Company, Ski Familie or VIP.

Catered chalet sounds ideal. We had good holidays with
www.leski.com/

Crystal website is good

For family holidays, I have previously booked with Co-operative Ski. We had a ski holiday in Austria and stayed at the Chalet Hotel Elisabeth. The accommodation was close to the ski resort and there is a range of family-friendly facilities.

Definitely try Family Ski Company www.familyski.co.uk we've just booked with them on recommendation of friends and customer service so far has been great. Will keep you posted on how it goes!

Probably way too late for this one, but Club Med every time for me. Their product is superb, they're the only operator to really think of everything you need (and plenty of extras you'd never think of!) and manage to offer it in a single location. Esprit etc are good but often their accomodation is a walk/bus from the lifts and there's the drawn out process of getting to lessons. Club Med's lessons are always starting and finishing right outside the hotel!

Final tip, never book Club Med directly as there are loads of agents who know the product better than their own call-centre staff. www.ifyouski.com always do a lower price than booking directly...