Quiet Feb half term resorts with childcare- possible?

[niceberg]

We've always skied in term time, in the small resort of Puy St Vincent, with Snowbizz. Great childcare and we've had lovely quiet slopes and little queuing for the lifts.

Next year we're looking at half term and wondering if any of the bigger French resorts would be better in terms of not feeling completely packed out. We'd need childcare (not nannies) still.

Or am I better looking at other countries? Someone mentioned Italy on another thread, because they don't have Feb school holidays. Are there resorts with good kid clubs, and English speaking lessons?

Thanks for any advice!

My experience of big French resorts at half term is BUSY BUSY BUSY. It's worse in the 'british' resorts, but France have their holidays across that period too and it's mental in some places. We queued for over an hour to get up the hill in Belle Plagne and I'd never go back.

If you are going to go at half term to France then I would choose a bigger resort. They have more money to invest in their uplift and have more modern faster lifts with greater capacity. So although there will be more people, the queues move more quickly.

I'll never go back to a small resort at half term. Once DH and I queued so long for antiquated 2 man chairlifts, that by the time we got to the top we had to go straight back down to get the kids from ski school. It was incredibly frustrating.

I have no experience of Italy or other countries.

Thanks both.

trixymalixy which bigger resorts have you been to that you found were ok? I guess they vary too much to make a generalisation!

Ahhh Puy we skied there when the children were small. La Rossier may suit you and you can ski from France to Italy (children enjoyed that!)

I'll look into that, thank you jellybean. I like the idea of skiing from France to Italy!

I would recommend not-France any day. And in particular, Austria or Italy. U our issue is going to be the childcare element, more so in Italy where Mamma or Nonna don't ski and do the childcare.

If your child will be reception age and is fairly sturdy then you may just about get away with Austrian style all-day ski school which is essentially 4h per day plus lunch. One of mine was more than fine with this. Other one, it would have been too much.

Italy, you could try Esprit or Ski2 (to chapoluc area ). Latter highly rated although I have not used them.

Finland, Norway or Sweden tend to have fab childcare and whilst busy with domestic tourists won't be overwhelmed with Brits, French or Germans, at least.

Austria is great for families and less busy than France (tho avoid St Anton). Espirit do a couple of Austrian resorts tho only chalets I think, not hotels.

We gave up on France even before we became parents. Too busy, grumpy instructors, crap food for veggies and filthy toilets.

Andorra is our favourite pre kids place to ski (have almost had the slopes to ourselves) but not yet geared up for childcare. Am hoping espirit will start there.