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Info about travelling with a baby, and Samoens



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 28th 04, 11:56 AM
Greg Wood
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Default Info about travelling with a baby, and Samoens

I am trying to organise a ski trip for 3 advanced intermediates (although
off-piste may not be on the cards) and a reluctant beginner who may choose
not to ski at all. Our party also includes a 16 month old baby.

The idea is the beginner/reluctant skier will look after the baby on some
days, and the skiing parents will take turns on others. These will probably
be half-days, so the resort needs to be accessible (ideally ski in & out, or
easily accessible from the slopes). There should also be some interest to a
non-skier (and baby!) at resort. As there are only 4 adults, I assume we
would have real trouble finding a catered chalet due to having the baby in
tow.

We have enjoyed La Thuile, Valmorel, Peisey/Vallandry, Val d'Isere,
3-Valleys, Serre Chevalier, & St Anton before, and would look toward a
French, Italian or Austrian location. We will be going in the 2nd week of
March, so some snow reliability is important, but cannot stay too high up
(hurts little baby ears!).

This is the first time we will be travelling with our baby. I have
considered Samoens, but am concerned that our little baby will not get to
play in snow, as it is at 700m.

Does anyone have experience of Samoens in March, whether this would be a
good place to go, or any alternate suggestions? Seems the Grand Massief area
has wonderful skiing and a fair snow record, and Samoens is quaint and has
historical interest (of interest to the non-skier/reluctant skier).

Any advice on how to deal with a 16-month-old on such a trip would also be
very welcome!

Thanks

Greg


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  #2  
Old December 28th 04, 06:23 PM
Dominique Foucart
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Dans son message précédent, Greg Wood a écrit :

This is the first time we will be travelling with our baby. I have considered
Samoens, but am concerned that our little baby will not get to play in snow,
as it is at 700m.

Does anyone have experience of Samoens in March, whether this would be a good
place to go, or any alternate suggestions? Seems the Grand Massief area has
wonderful skiing and a fair snow record, and Samoens is quaint and has
historical interest (of interest to the non-skier/reluctant skier).

Any advice on how to deal with a 16-month-old on such a trip would also be
very welcome!

Thanks

Greg


Greg,

I can recommend Samoëns (but don't consider this as advertising, my
appartment is too small to accomodate you all ;-) for most of your
queries. What I cannot guarantee is that you will have snow in the
village in March.

In addition to its ranking as the only wintersport resort classified as
an Historical Monument (so much for the cultural environment), it is
also a "P'tit Montagnards" resort, which means that it is clearly aimed
at families with small children. From 6 months till adult, there are
specific activities scheduled in the village and in the resort. They
all can enjoy the snow. Lift being free of charge for the baby, you can
directly go to 1600 where in March you will have plenty of activities.
The "Grand Massif Express" drives you there in less than 10 minutes.

If you want to know more, you can just visit my website or email me
directly:

http://dfoucart.tripod.com/lovelysamoens

--
Dominique Foucart
Site for hiking trails in Giffre Valley:
http://dfoucart.tripod.com/randosamoens
Studio rental in lovely Samoens:
http://dfoucart.tripod.com/lovelysamoens/id3.html

  #3  
Old December 28th 04, 07:50 PM
Steve Haigh
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Greg Wood wrote:
I am trying to organise a ski trip for 3 advanced intermediates (although
off-piste may not be on the cards) and a reluctant beginner who may choose
not to ski at all. Our party also includes a 16 month old baby.

The idea is the beginner/reluctant skier will look after the baby on some
days, and the skiing parents will take turns on others. These will probably
be half-days, so the resort needs to be accessible (ideally ski in & out, or
easily accessible from the slopes). There should also be some interest to a
non-skier (and baby!) at resort. As there are only 4 adults, I assume we
would have real trouble finding a catered chalet due to having the baby in
tow.

You could try a some of the child-friendly companies. I'm not an expert
but a mate of mine with little un's recomended Mark Warner and Ski
Esprit (I'm sure others will post some other ideas). These companies
seemed to be fine about kids in the larger chalets (and have creches,
child minders etc)


We have enjoyed La Thuile, Valmorel, Peisey/Vallandry, Val d'Isere,
3-Valleys, Serre Chevalier, & St Anton before, and would look toward a
French, Italian or Austrian location. We will be going in the 2nd week of
March, so some snow reliability is important, but cannot stay too high up
(hurts little baby ears!).

This is the first time we will be travelling with our baby. I have
considered Samoens, but am concerned that our little baby will not get to
play in snow, as it is at 700m.


I'm afraid you can't have it both ways, if you want snow you need to be
higher than 700m, and if that hurts the baby's ears then I'd say you
were out of luck in this regard. You may get lucky, it was very snowy in
Samoens last New Year, but I'd say it was unlikely to be very snowy in
mid March.

You mentioned ski-in/out... I'm afraid Samoens doesn't offer this at any
time, regardless of how good the snow might be. None-skiers could drive
to Samoens 1600 and meet you there, but it's not the most attractive
location.

Samoens is a great town and has some interest to none skiers, but it
doesn't really fit your criteria that well. Have you considered
Chamonix, or perhaps Briancon? Both these are larger towns with much
more to do off the slopes.
  #4  
Old December 28th 04, 10:07 PM
Dominique Foucart
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Steve Haigh a présenté l'énoncé suivant :

You mentioned ski-in/out... I'm afraid Samoens doesn't offer this at any
time, regardless of how good the snow might be. None-skiers could drive to
Samoens 1600 and meet you there, but it's not the most attractive location.


Since last year you don't need to drive anymore, since you've got the
Grand Massif Express from Samoëns 700 that leads you in 10 minutes to
Samoëns 1600. Very large parking facilities next to the departure area
and close to the centre. It preserves the style of the village while
putting the slopes minutes away from it.

but that's a biased opinion, since I am a clear supporter of
Samoëns...;-)

--
Dominique Foucart
Site for hiking trails in Giffre Valley:
http://dfoucart.tripod.com/randosamoens
Studio rental in lovely Samoens:
http://dfoucart.tripod.com/lovelysamoens/id3.html

  #5  
Old December 29th 04, 09:32 AM
Steve Haigh
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Default

Dominique Foucart wrote:
Steve Haigh a présenté l'énoncé suivant :

You mentioned ski-in/out... I'm afraid Samoens doesn't offer this at
any time, regardless of how good the snow might be. None-skiers could
drive to Samoens 1600 and meet you there, but it's not the most
attractive location.


Since last year you don't need to drive anymore, since you've got the
Grand Massif Express from Samoëns 700 that leads you in 10 minutes to
Samoëns 1600. Very large parking facilities next to the departure area
and close to the centre. It preserves the style of the village while
putting the slopes minutes away from it.


Thats true, but you'll have to walk across the flat area of piste from
the top of the Express to the small lift up to 1600. It's not too far
though.
  #6  
Old December 29th 04, 02:05 PM
Greg Wood
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Thanks for the help!

I will try and get a few options for the group, and Samoens and somewhere on
the Ski Welt will be on the list.

Greg

"David Mahon" wrote in message
...

"Greg Wood" wrote:
I am trying to organise a ski trip for 3 advanced intermediates (although


off-piste may not be on the cards) and a reluctant beginner who may choose



We went to Scheffau (part of the 250km piste Skiwelt region) last year.
Both
Crystal and Esprit offered a nanny service (in the hotel Alpin) which was
reasonably priced and you could use for the full day or half a day. Snow
was excellent in January.

From 3 years Esprit will actually take them up the mountain, skiing at the
"kaiserkinderland". We're going back there in a couple of weeks as she
turned
3 at the end of the last ski season. I hope to go on a couple of other
weekends
but we'll leave the little one at home for those.

If you want absolutely guaranteed snow, one of the nanny's (Sarah, I
recall)
was redistributed to Zell am See which is just down the hill from the
Kaprun
glacier. There are also be plenty of non-ski things to do in Zell around
the lake (we went there a couple of years ago too).
--
David Mahon
Reply to



  #7  
Old December 29th 04, 05:27 PM
Steve
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Default

We took our daughter to Flaine when she was 14 months old, a few years
back.
Flaine is at 1600 but she didn't have any problems at all with
ears/altitude, etc.

We also took her grandmother as a babysitter/reluctant skiier.

Daughter had a great time playing in the snow right outside the
apartment (Flaine Forum, NOT Flaine Foret)
We had "to the door" skiing and granny even had a few debutante lessons
and actually enjoyed them!

Granny said she found plenty to do in Flaine as a non-skiier and spent
quite a lot of time with our daughter in the large indoor heated
swimmingpool.

Sure it's a "modern" style resort without the charm/history of Samoens,
but everything is so much more "on your doorstep" which is what you want
with a very young one in tow...

Flaine is very snow sure right up until April. Being a natural bowl in
shape and its location in relation to Mt Blanc, it tends to keep the
snow better than most other resorts.

Daughter is now 7 and is coming with us back to Flaine in January for
her first real ski trip as it's an ideal resort for young beginners (or
any beginners for that matter) but we intermediate/advanced folks still
get the whole Grand Massif to play with !

Steve

"Greg Wood" wrote in message
:
I am trying to organise a ski trip for 3 advanced intermediates (although

off-piste may not be on the cards) and a reluctant beginner who may choose

not to ski at all. Our party also includes a 16 month old baby.

The idea is the beginner/reluctant skier will look after the baby on some

days, and the skiing parents will take turns on others. These will
probably
be half-days, so the resort needs to be accessible (ideally ski in & out,
or
easily accessible from the slopes). There should also be some interest to
a
non-skier (and baby!) at resort. As there are only 4 adults, I assume we

would have real trouble finding a catered chalet due to having the baby in

tow.

We have enjoyed La Thuile, Valmorel, Peisey/Vallandry, Val d'Isere,
3-Valleys, Serre Chevalier, & St Anton before, and would look toward a
French, Italian or Austrian location. We will be going in the 2nd week of

March, so some snow reliability is important, but cannot stay too high up

(hurts little baby ears!).

This is the first time we will be travelling with our baby. I have
considered Samoens, but am concerned that our little baby will not get to

play in snow, as it is at 700m.

Does anyone have experience of Samoens in March, whether this would be a

good place to go, or any alternate suggestions? Seems the Grand Massief
area
has wonderful skiing and a fair snow record, and Samoens is quaint and has

historical interest (of interest to the non-skier/reluctant skier).

Any advice on how to deal with a 16-month-old on such a trip would also be

very welcome!

Thanks

Greg


  #8  
Old January 2nd 05, 12:00 PM
Martin
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Posts: n/a
Default

Greg,
I would heartily recommend checking out Ski Esprit ..... I have no
relationship with them other than a satisfied customer for the past three
years. The non-skier may get fed up with child care and Ski Esprit really
shine in that area. We took our 1 year old with no problems at all.

regards
Martin

p.s. the babies ears should be O.K. and at 16 months I would have thought
breathing O.K. too ... our advice from our doctor when we lived on the
continent was not to take babies above 1500 m until after 1 year old owing
to lung formation not complete ..... that may be complete B.S. but it's what
the doc told us.

"Greg Wood" wrote in message
...
I am trying to organise a ski trip for 3 advanced intermediates (although
off-piste may not be on the cards) and a reluctant beginner who may choose
not to ski at all. Our party also includes a 16 month old baby.

The idea is the beginner/reluctant skier will look after the baby on some
days, and the skiing parents will take turns on others. These will probably
be half-days, so the resort needs to be accessible (ideally ski in & out, or
easily accessible from the slopes). There should also be some interest to a
non-skier (and baby!) at resort. As there are only 4 adults, I assume we
would have real trouble finding a catered chalet due to having the baby in
tow.

We have enjoyed La Thuile, Valmorel, Peisey/Vallandry, Val d'Isere,
3-Valleys, Serre Chevalier, & St Anton before, and would look toward a
French, Italian or Austrian location. We will be going in the 2nd week of
March, so some snow reliability is important, but cannot stay too high up
(hurts little baby ears!).

This is the first time we will be travelling with our baby. I have
considered Samoens, but am concerned that our little baby will not get to
play in snow, as it is at 700m.

Does anyone have experience of Samoens in March, whether this would be a
good place to go, or any alternate suggestions? Seems the Grand Massief area
has wonderful skiing and a fair snow record, and Samoens is quaint and has
historical interest (of interest to the non-skier/reluctant skier).

Any advice on how to deal with a 16-month-old on such a trip would also be
very welcome!

Thanks

Greg



  #9  
Old January 2nd 05, 12:11 PM
IANDAYUS99
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Posts: n/a
Default

Went to Sameon end of march 2002 and you have to walk or drive everywhere in
Sameon, no nightlife or apres ski at all, no snow at all in the village . Snow
conditions at mid station ok in morning but slush in PM
  #10  
Old January 2nd 05, 03:07 PM
Steve Haigh
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Posts: n/a
Default

IANDAYUS99 wrote:
Went to Sameon end of march 2002 and you have to walk or drive everywhere in
Sameon, no nightlife or apres ski at all, no snow at all in the village . Snow
conditions at mid station ok in morning but slush in PM


I don't know where you normally go, but I've found I have to walk in
every ski resort I've been to.

Samoens is a fairly compact litte town, once you've parked in the main
car park everything is within a few minutes walk. It is very low in
altitude, hence no skiing to the village and the lack of snow in town,
and the lift accesses some very reliable skiing. The mid-station you
talk about is, I assume, the top of the gondola or Samoens 1600. Either
way it is not a mid station, it is the base as far as skiing is
concerned - you can only ski a couple of very short beginers runs down a
100m or so from there. Hence you'd expect it to get slushy in the
afternoon, especially in late March.

It might not be what you'd expect from a ski resort if you are used to
places like Val or the 3 valleys, but it is a great place to stay with
great skiing.
 




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