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Original poster

I LOVE THIS TOPIC!

42 replies

twizzler · 06/01/2009 17:56

Can I just say, I am loving reading about where everyone is going. Everyone is so excited (as am I!).

Lots of great tips and hints for kids and great websites for gear.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me with planning my holiday and posted replies to my (numerous)questions!

Developing a bit of an addiction to the skiing topic! (taken over from AIBU)

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 06/01/2009 18:05

I hate this topic, becuase I am so of you all.

So I'm now going to hide it.

Goodbye skiers!

Original poster
twizzler · 06/01/2009 18:12

Bumpety bump

OP posts:
TheRealMrsJohnSimm · 06/01/2009 18:21

I love this topic too . I feel like I can come and whittle my worries away (am least decisive person in the world and drive DH round the bend with my "yes but what if..." approach to holiday decisions!). So you are all helping to keep both me and DH sane .

fourkids · 06/01/2009 18:25

I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!

fourkids · 06/01/2009 18:27

TheRealMrsJohnSimm

come and talk to me on your 'we've booked our ski trip' thread??? please or on here...

i neeeeeed your wisdom!

LIZS · 06/01/2009 18:32

we normally fund it from dh's bonus payment - not looking likely this year

fourkids · 06/01/2009 18:36

we booked as soon as we got back last year because our choice of suites/rooms is limited by size so we need to get in early...and seriously considered just losing our deposit (times is 'ard y'know!) but in the end decided to grit our teeth...but they have so much accomodation going begging i think we would probably have been quids in if we'd lost the deposit then rebooked at the discounted price!!! hey ho.

TheRealMrsJohnSimm · 06/01/2009 19:03

4 kids......I have dutifully replied .

Lizs....we wouldn't be going without the bonus either. I am a sun lover and would happily forego skiing but not my summer holiday. If DH and boys were really desperate for a ski break, my FIL lives 5 mins from Thollon Les Memises but its very low alp and you cannot guarantee there will be snow. Also means I do all the catering and therefore more of "same crap different city" as opposed to holiday IMO!!

fourkids · 06/01/2009 19:26

thank you was i being a bit bossy?

TheRealMrsJohnSimm · 06/01/2009 19:27

no !!!!!

Not at all! Glad I could help

Original poster
twizzler · 06/01/2009 19:41

Lynette and LIZS .

If I could stuff you both in my boot bag, I would.

OP posts:
snorkle · 06/01/2009 19:51

Can I come too twizzler?

Original poster
twizzler · 06/01/2009 19:54
OP posts:
TheRealMrsJohnSimm · 06/01/2009 20:36

probably room in my suitcase too.....skiing is the only break where I don't overpack!

toomanyprojects · 07/01/2009 09:52

I'm still dithering about which one to book with Esprit. We want to go to La Ros the 1st Feb and Bracconnier is booked so we have a choice (amongst others) of Amelia (new chalet in Ourson right next to Brac) which has three suites, lots available in Ferme D'Elisa wich are 4 rooms/suites per chalet but one is only a double so probably only three families or Suite 1 or 3 in Schatzi which is big.

There are five of us - just thinking that if we went in the samller chalets that there might not be many friends for my three to play with. It would be us and two other families if they sell the space in the next couple of weeks. Last time we went to St Anton and there was only one other family in Alisea and one night there was only me and DH for dinner with a personal chef! On the other hand Schatzi is very busy or was the last time we went.

What does everyone think?

Thanks

toomanyprojects · 07/01/2009 09:57

forgot to mention - a good place for gear:

www.campingworld.co.uk

in frensham garden centre near farnham. We used to go here a lot before we moved and it's now on line. (sorry can't do links)

Nettee · 07/01/2009 10:05

I love it too - also very excited about Belle Plagne - 8 weeks to go!

fourkids · 07/01/2009 14:07

toomanyprojects, the chalets in ourson are really really nice. the ones in ferme are not as nice, but certainly ok and having your skis/boots all together in the garage looks really convenient. i've never been in schatzi...just looked in the window and doesn't look quite as nice as the others, but can't really judge by that! landeliere is available but the poor kids have to trudge up the piste every morning to their meeting point! valentine is available - isn't that the one that is just for one family? we looked around that last year with a view to squeezing us all in (was too small) and were quite impressed, although there wouldn't be other kids to hand of course. nevertheless, we would have opted for own own chalet with our own chalet host if we could have! you probably know all that as you have been before anyway! so probably not that helpful i was just thinking that if it were me i'd go for ourson or valentine...

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 07/01/2009 17:54

This time next week I will be wizzing down the slopes in Belle Plagne. Am very excited.

fourkids · 07/01/2009 18:18

come and give us a blow by blow account when you get back...whet our appetites some more

slalomsuki · 07/01/2009 18:36

Toomanyprojects. We satyed at the Scatzi in December and it was great. The rooms are huge and you get lots of space. We were in room2 next door to room 1 and it was a good room. The people who stayed in room1 said they had never had so much space at a ski chalet. The great benefit of rooms 1 and 2 is that the baby listening sit right outside the door so its like having personal babysitters without having to pay for it.

The living area was great but not as comfy as I thought but we didn't spend too much time in there. Its not that big a chalet since about half of the people are kids and the other half adults which meant that you had 15or 16 peopls at dinner, enough to keep the conversation going but not enough to get bored of one or two people. The chalet staff were fine, young and keen and were happy to help. The novelty may have worn off by now though!

The childrens ski area was right out the back and you didn't have to walk up hill at all which you had to do at the Ferme and the Braconner. The other advantage was the main street to the town was on the same level at the Schatzi.

Would we go back...yes we would and enjoyed it.

If you book it I will give you some gossip on the schatzi staff that you can use.

toomanyprojects · 07/01/2009 18:54

thanks Salomsuki

We did stay at the Schatzi but it was four yrs ago - think it was in its first season. I think the living area has been made a bit more comfortable since then. We loved the rooms - we were in suite 2 - (above the shop) - is that where you were? When we went it was full and they had squeezed more children in somehow - there were 32 or 33 there and tea time was chaos!

There was no baby listening when we went - everyone had baby monitors which wasn't great.

I like to meet people and have a chat at dinner - DH liked being so close to the slopes - I remember watching DD1 who was in Spritelets from our balcony! This yr though we have one in nursery and two older ones so won't get to do that - where is the sledging this year - is it by the lift still?

Will mull over a bit more and chat to DH tonight before we book,
Thanks again

Katisha · 07/01/2009 19:10

OK could you cope with advising a total beginner?
What would be the way forward for 2 beginner adults and 2 beginner children (9 and 7).
Where would be good to go that wasn't too faceless and what would we need to book in terms of ski school, lift passes, gear etc?
Say in Feb?

slalomsuki · 07/01/2009 19:10

I think we were in suite 2, had 2 bedrooms, living room which was large, bathroom and seperate toilet.

DS's were in sprites and DD was a spritelet and it was great being able to watch them. The shop was quiet and there were 2 St Bernards stationed in a very large kennel next door which was great for the kids. There is a small St Bernard museum opposite. We liked the chalet and thought it was good value for money. Have done Mark Warner(with DS's) before and thought it was poor, Ski Beat and thought they were OK and Thomsons who were by far the best but are now Crystal who I would not use again!

DS'S liked the fact they could ski and use the lift outside the chalet without us having to be with them

slalomsuki · 07/01/2009 19:16

Didn't see any sledging when we were there near the chalet apart from the little sit on try type sledges. There was a snowpark which was just beyond the nursery lift but we never went there with the kids. they liked the skiing so much even dd who is just 3

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