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Ski and snowboarding

For ski chat, join the Mumsnet Ski forum. Check out our guide to the best resorts in Europe and our family ski holiday packing list.

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Original poster

school holidays and skiing

34 replies

Wheelybug · 08/04/2009 18:42

Next year is our first year of school holiday restrictions and so considering when to go - what are the pros and cons of:

new year
feb half term
first week of easter (first wk of aprul)

obv ny and easter will be a gamble in terms of snow but are they much quieter than half term ?

OP posts:

MollieO · 13/04/2009 15:40

We did that this year (albeit I thought I'd booked during school holidays and they then changed the term date). I am going to do the same this year even though it means missing the first three days of term. I don't think the school are particularly against missing a few days as ds was asked to show his skiing award in assembly!

I can't afford half term prices and it is a busy time workwise. Easter is still fairly expensive so we might do something last minute then as a second week.

DebInAustria · 14/04/2009 21:55

The snow here has been fine this Easter and the weather sunny and warm, we've had so much snow this winter that we could carry on skiing for weeks.

MrsWobble · 16/04/2009 15:47

we used to go to Val D'isere with ski beat at easter and always had good enough snow. we've just come back and the snow was slushy at the bottom but fine up the mountain and you don't need to ski down through the slush if you don't want to. We don't go with ski beat any more as we don't need the childcare but i think they're still there.

Original poster

Wheelybug · 16/04/2009 15:50

Thanks all.

We've decided to leave it for the time being with a view to taking dd out of school in March but we'll wait until she's started to see whether its likely to be met with disapproval (and from what we've heard it probably will be). If we don't feel brave enough we'll risk easter.

Mrswobble - Skibeat do still go to Val D'Isere but I don't think they have a creche there now.

OP posts:

serin · 19/04/2009 21:43

We would take DC's out of school to ski as we do consider it educational and lots of schools do trips anyway, however DH is a teacher so the head might not look quite so favourably on him!

All depends when Easter is, last year it was very early, later this year and it was bizarre skiing in a temp of 19 degree c.

mumof2222222222222222boys · 28/04/2009 14:08

I would go for Easter with small children - the temp is going to be so much more conducive to them having fun. Also you can eat sanwiches on teh slopes and not have to hide in expensive restaurants for breaks. Yes snow can be slushy, but are you seriously going to be skiing 9-5 with little ones? We went 3rd week March and it was fab. Also did early Jan, and it was fine, but not as good. Snow great throughout though.

Directskiandsun · 01/05/2009 17:48

If you are still looking for advice......Christmas/NY can be manically busy, cold and icy (can also be fab conditions and sunny, but will still be manic!); HT week - I would avoid like the plague (and do....) especially as, as it was this year, there is only one HT week and it's shared with large chunks of France, all of Belgium, Holland etc. Same next year I'm afraid, and I am inundated with HT week enquiries - have been since March....

FWIW I had a large group of clients staying in lovely apartments in St Gervais last Feb HT week - they loved it! Reported it was much quieter than other resorts they have been to at HT, and are in the process of re-booking.

Easter - can be fab, as it was this year even though 'late', but can be slushy and warm. Easter next year is a week earlier I think, so if you choose the resort wisely, you should be fine. It's cheaper and generally quieter too Hope this helps

frottie · 01/05/2009 20:08

Interesting advice from everyone, I am looking at booking for next year too, with a 3yr old and a 6yr old. I was hoping to take my boy out of school because the prices are too high but will look at the high altitude places and someone recommended Flaine to me in France as very snow sure because of the position of the resort so could be worth looking into as a late season place. They said it also has a good creche with crystal ski. I have found snow reports via www.littleskiers.co.uk and some helpful advice.

Directskiandsun · 01/05/2009 22:02

We take our children out of school for a week to ski - not for everyone, and a very personal decision, but it works for us and we have no problem with either of their schools. They both have excellent attendance otherwise.

If you decide on this, the choice and prices will be much greater than in HT week, but be aware that, in France, the whole of Feb and even the first week of March, are French HT weeks (they are staggered, unlike ours) and prices/busyness don't really settle until 2nd week of March or January

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