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skiing holiday with toddlers



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 14th 06, 12:46 AM
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Default skiing holiday with toddlers

Hi

I am organising a ski holiday for two families: one with a 2 year old and
one with a 16 month old and a three year old. We are going to share
childcare, and perhaps may want a childminder for a few mornings, or use of
a half-day creche. We would like to gently introduce the 3 year old to snow
and skiing, and the others need to have a fun experience. We travel 11/12
March for a week. All accomplished skiers who have done the cattle market
ski company thing as well as numerous internet-booked holidays travelling
independently. But never with all the children!

So far have looked at Ski Esprit's various chalets and hotel deals, as well
as done a lot of trawling through independent chalets etc.

Options at this stage are La Rosier, La Tania, Tignes, and Champolouc. We
wanted to go for Saas Fee, but the lack of ski in and out was considered a
problem.

Any observations, advice, experiences re where to go (from our choices or
others) and travelling with toddlers, would be hugely appreciated.

Greg



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  #2  
Old January 14th 06, 05:07 PM
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Not in your list but when our kids were young we went to Argentiere near
Chamonix. The Panda Club takes kids from 6 months to 12 years and teaches
from 3 years to 12 years. They youngsters ski in the creche slopes in the
morning and play in the afternoon. Once ther're big enough they ski all day
returning for lunch. You can drop them off at 8:30 and pick up after the
last lift. They will even ferry the kids up to La Tour if they need to. The
only thing the kids moaned about was the very French lunch time meals. They
didn't go hungry though. At the end of the day we'd ski down to the bar
opposite the creche and have a swift half before picking the kids up. Skiing
was good as well. Now the kids are as good as us I think they need to put us
in a creche. We stayed in the Argentiere Apartments which had a pool (not
very warm) but the kids like to have a dunk before dinner.


"Greg Wood" wrote in message
...
Hi

I am organising a ski holiday for two families: one with a 2 year old and
one with a 16 month old and a three year old. We are going to share
childcare, and perhaps may want a childminder for a few mornings, or use
of a half-day creche. We would like to gently introduce the 3 year old to
snow and skiing, and the others need to have a fun experience. We travel
11/12 March for a week. All accomplished skiers who have done the cattle
market ski company thing as well as numerous internet-booked holidays
travelling independently. But never with all the children!

So far have looked at Ski Esprit's various chalets and hotel deals, as
well as done a lot of trawling through independent chalets etc.

Options at this stage are La Rosier, La Tania, Tignes, and Champolouc. We
wanted to go for Saas Fee, but the lack of ski in and out was considered a
problem.

Any observations, advice, experiences re where to go (from our choices or
others) and travelling with toddlers, would be hugely appreciated.

Greg




  #3  
Old January 16th 06, 12:11 AM
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"Greg Wood" wrote in message
...
Hi

I am organising a ski holiday for two families: one with a 2 year old and
one with a 16 month old and a three year old. We are going to share
childcare, and perhaps may want a childminder for a few mornings, or use

of
a half-day creche. We would like to gently introduce the 3 year old to

snow
and skiing, and the others need to have a fun experience. We travel 11/12
March for a week. All accomplished skiers who have done the cattle market
ski company thing as well as numerous internet-booked holidays travelling
independently. But never with all the children!

So far have looked at Ski Esprit's various chalets and hotel deals, as

well
as done a lot of trawling through independent chalets etc.

Options at this stage are La Rosier, La Tania, Tignes, and Champolouc. We
wanted to go for Saas Fee, but the lack of ski in and out was considered a
problem.

Any observations, advice, experiences re where to go (from our choices or
others) and travelling with toddlers, would be hugely appreciated.

Greg



Sounds like you are embarking on what we have being doing for the last few
seasons, although we have recently (at Xmas in Val Cenis) just gone past the
childcare stage as our youngest (5) has just done her flocon badge so can
ski now !

We have visited Avoriaz/Morzine, Valmorel, La Tania (3 times) and as
mentioned Val Cenis (Maurienne Valley) over the last few years with
various combinations of families toddlers, babies and skiing children.

We used the Family Ski Company a couple of times in Avoriaz/Morzine, who
were
particularly good at when we stayed in Ardent. Full daily childcare before
the days days of us
having any skiing kids. More recently we have had several trips to La Tania.
There is a Jardin de Neige there for nursery level care and also private
nannies and childminding available (not that we have used them but the
service is available.) At Valmorel and La Tania we have always shared
child-care between the 2 or 3 families in our group

Checkout
www.latania.co.uk for all the details about LT.

LT is particularly good as it is small scale resort wise, but with access to
the biggest ski area you can imagine. In the resort centre beside ESF there
is a free drag lift as well so the youngsters can learn the basics in a
self-contained area. It is almost all virtually ski in-ski out. In the
evening, ski-less, it was a 5 minute walk back from the village centre to
where we were staying.

That said we have had good times at all of the other resorts mentioned too.
Ski in-ski out is one of our pre-requistes and LT, Val Cenis were
particulalry good for this.

We have used mostly self-catering apartments since if you have young kids
you can do your own thing and work to your own timetable without worrying
about upsetting other people (or staff !)

As for travelling perhaps we have been lucky, but we have always driven and
split the journey en-route at an Accor group hotel (Novotel, Ibis, Etap
etc). Our kids travel well and enjoy the journey, but I know only too well
that it can be unpleasant and stressful if they start to act up. Travelling
in the evening, early morning means that they get a good rest before we
start to look out for snow.

Friends have also used Eurostar from Ashford which goes direct to eg.
Moutiers. Very fast, very easy and a lot less tiring if probably a bit more
expensive and less flexible if like me you like to check out other resorts
while away.

Depending on the child, I think 3 may be a bit too young to do much with
skis. Our daughter did Ourson (Teddy Bear ESF class) at 4.5 years. Our son
didn't start till 7. Main thing is for them to have fun and as long as they
don't get cold. I am sure they will have lots fun in the snow. They all love
sledging or being dragged round the resort so depending how you travel,
perhaps you can take some sledges.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

All the best,

Edi


  #4  
Old January 16th 06, 07:02 PM
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Hi again

Thanks for your advice!

Edi - I will keep your posting in particular . . . very reassuring.
Having been to France many times, we have opted to travel independently to
Serfaus in Austria. They are seriously geared up for children, and three &
four star hotels are relatively cheap but with great facilities. Flying to
Munich and hiring a car to travel to Serfaus.
Decided on the strength of their very good website, as well as the heaps of
praise on the Ski Club website.

I will post my impressions here and on the Ski Club website once we return.

Greg


  #5  
Old January 16th 06, 07:32 PM
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"Greg Wood" wrote in message
...
Hi again

Thanks for your advice!

Edi - I will keep your posting in particular . . . very reassuring.
Having been to France many times, we have opted to travel independently to
Serfaus in Austria. They are seriously geared up for children, and three &
four star hotels are relatively cheap but with great facilities. Flying to
Munich and hiring a car to travel to Serfaus.
Decided on the strength of their very good website, as well as the heaps

of
praise on the Ski Club website.

I will post my impressions here and on the Ski Club website once we

return.

Greg


Have a good one... a while to wait though ! Lets hope the snow stays good in
the East and we get some precipitation in West for us by half term.

All the best,

Edi


  #6  
Old January 16th 06, 08:37 PM
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Kinderparadies in Zermatt take all age groups: including youg babies. I
have used them several times and I always have been very pleased with their
service. http://www.kinderparadies-zermatt.ch/

The Swiss ski school and the Stoked ski school only take children from age
4.

Paul

"Edi" wrote in message
...

"Greg Wood" wrote in message
...
Hi again

Thanks for your advice!

Edi - I will keep your posting in particular . . . very reassuring.
Having been to France many times, we have opted to travel independently
to
Serfaus in Austria. They are seriously geared up for children, and three
&
four star hotels are relatively cheap but with great facilities. Flying
to
Munich and hiring a car to travel to Serfaus.
Decided on the strength of their very good website, as well as the heaps

of
praise on the Ski Club website.

I will post my impressions here and on the Ski Club website once we

return.

Greg


Have a good one... a while to wait though ! Lets hope the snow stays good
in
the East and we get some precipitation in West for us by half term.

All the best,

Edi




 




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