 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi- I will be taking my 2 boys aged 2 and 4 skiing for the first time, for a week in the first half of January. I want somewhere where I can learn (also my first time) and my older boy can learn (separately I suppose?), and my youngest can be in a really good crèche. I was thinking half days so we can spend afternoons altogether doing other things (tobogganing is one that the eldest is keen on). I would like it to be clean, good food, not insanely expensive, possibly somewhere I can eat/drink with other adults in the evening once the children are in bed,but happy to eat with the children and relax with a book.
My questions: should I go with one of the tour operators or book chalethotel, flights etc. myself. Any recommendations for beginner friendly resorts with not too painful transfers, friendly chalets or hotels. Am I mad to try and go alone having never been before?
Thanks! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Clareski, Personally I can highly recommend Ski Esprit - they are family specialist so have childcare in their accomodation, have kids clubs and nurseries. They also do children's evening meal much earlier and then baby listening service in the evening allowing you to enjoy your evening meal with the other parents. We went with them when our girls were 1 & 4 and 3 & 6 and had very enjoyable times
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Another vote for Ski Esprit - worth looking at La Rosiere, catered chalet - maybe Le Braconnier. Very handy for the beginner slopes and enclosed area where the youngsters are taught.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Welcome to snowHeads, too, Clareski. 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As above - do yourself a massive favour and book with Ski Esprit or one of the other Family specialists (Mark Warner, Ski Famile, Family Friendly Skiing). Personally I've been on 4 Esprit holiday, some of the accommodation can be basic but the important stuff (kids care and clubs, getting them to and from lessons etc) are all brilliant taken care of.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another welcome to Snowheads Clareski, - my immediate reaction on reading what you have said was to suggest Ski Esprit or Ski Famille - but others have already suggested these names. We have friends who have used both and have been happy with what is offered.
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Clareski, would just endorse the points above, including the welcome. It would be very difficult on your own without a specialist tour operator, such as those suggested, to help. I have lots of experience of small people skiing (most recently as a grandmother - we had a group including a 1 year old, a 3 year old and two 4 year olds at Easter, not to mention older ones at 6, 8 and 2 x 9 year olds. ) and it's always a bit of a mission, even with lots of people to help. Great fun, but to give yourself the best chance of enjoying it, get that extra help.
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Clareski, welcome. I also vote for Ski Esprit. I have been with them 6 times and the child care is great. Quite social for the grown-ups as well. I prefer their chalet hotels as they are a bit bigger.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Clareski, for first time, yes go with one of the companies recommended above. There is lots of advice here on travelling with young kids and essentials to take, but feel free to ask if you can'f find it via search.
Welcome to
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Clareski, you've described a trip with Ski Espirit. Our two are about the same age as yours and we've been with Espirit 3 times now, and have our 4th trip already booked for January'14. Our eldest is already asking when we'll be going back to 'the snow school'.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Clareski, Would agree with all of the above. When the girls were younger we found chalets with ski esprit or ski famille to be good. Social able for the adults as well.nski esprit will often discount holidays for mid jan so you could pick up a bargain
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Clareski, if you come back to look at the advice in this thread, be assured that it's very rare to find such broad agreement on any topic!
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pam w, Yes let's not get into when to book the flight or how expensive things are.....
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You know it makes sense.
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Always a bit of a gamble, but it might also be worth looking at flights into Chambery if you elect to go with Ski Esprit to one of the Tarentaise resorts (i.e. La Rosiere). It does reduce the transfer times, but one has to weigh up the risk of delays into/out of the airport if there are weather issues. Used it on 2 holidays and did get a delay outbound at the end of one trip for a couple of hours.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Skifamille.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Clareski, for a first holiday, especially a lone adult with two small children, I think there's a lot to be said for a package, so if there are delays it's somebody else's headache to sort them out.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Point worth noting, if you do go with Espirit via Chambery, they have their own area in the Airport setup for families, with staff on hand, books, games, feeding and changing areas for babies etc. Very useful when the rest of the aiport is jammed solid with other people because 6 flights are delayed because of weather.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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another esprit fan here, as has been mentioned, whilst the accommodation isn't always the best, I cannot fault their teams childcare. The food and other service has in my experience has always been pretty good also. Our children are now nearly 8 and 13 and if they had the space we would be going with them again (4th year running in the same place and I am still hoping for a last minute cancellation for Xmas/New Year).
As for Chambery, in over 15 years of pretty regular flying into/out of Chambery we have only had one significant delay (and that was about 16 hours), but it is a bit of shed of a terminal. The Esprit dedicated room does help for younger children and families.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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And another vote. Esprit are great. La Rosi is great and sunny. Your kids will have a ball and so will you. The advantage of using a specialist ski-with- childcare is that there is always someone around to hold that extra hand/carry skis/mind the toddler while you go to the loo etc - it's so useful even if you are a multiple parent family! When you book, the staff on the phone are really knowledgeable and will be able to help you choose the right accommodation. You are not mad. Or perhaps we all are....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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If you fancy trying a smaller company, we went 6 years with this company when our kids were growing up, fantastic service, including bringing the kids up the gondola to meet us after lunch 
http://www.familyfriendlyskiing.com/
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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let's hope the OP comes back to find all this very helpful advice.
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pam w, I thought that a week ago...kinda puts you off providing advice sometimes. Though in fairness it is the summer and the OP might be on holiday.
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If it's any consolation Cacciatore, I've a 1YO and an (almost) 3YO so this thread is quite useful for me.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Seem to be quite a few SH's with kids in that age bracket, ours are 2 and 3 and a half. Know M'lady has been posting on the Forthcoming Events thread about a Family Bash thread too...
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Richard_Sideways, However old our kids are now..they were that age once..I admit we did not ski with ours until they were 8 and 4. Other life stuff prevented us, not the ease/difficulty of taking them when younger. Made up for it now though!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Eldest skied (sort of) in Jan this year, showed enthusiastic aptitude for freestyle.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Richard_Sideways, AAwwww!  You wait till he's 12 and won't wait for you...motivation to keep you fit anyway!
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12! He won't wait now! Ever since we got back he wants to know when we are going back to the "little mountain house".
Got to wean him off this 2-plank nonsense though and over to the darkside sharpish, not carrying more skis - the wifes are bad enough.
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You know it makes sense.
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Richard_Sideways, You carry your wife's skis??? (I think I'm missing a trick here). Since I learnt to ski at 11 I have always carried my own ( erm...more than 40 years). bit of weight bearing exercise never hurt anyone.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thanks all for these tips above. I've been thinking of taking our three year old on her first ski holiday, so I'll check out the recommendations.
I see Ski Esprit includes flights, which we won't need, and discounts only occasionally for accomodation-only. I'll have to give them a call.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Do a search on here for www.snowbizz.co.uk
Myself and many other Snowheads have used them many times and can't speak highly enough if both the resort and the company.
You won't regret it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| hedley wrote: |
Do a search on here for www.snowbizz.co.uk
Myself and many other Snowheads have used them many times and can't speak highly enough of both the resort and the company.
You won't regret it. |
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Clareski, another vote for Ski Esprit, used them 7 times until Jan 2012 with my daughter, started going elsewhere as sensible discounts ran out
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Clareski, Hello and welcome to snowheads.
I'd really suggest thinking about a different month. The first half of January is good price wise but COLD and the is sometimes no sun at all (eg in the ski garden in Tignes or almost anywhere in Saas Fee). This really can be hard with small kids is it is really chilly. all that said the start of January- just like the end of December is doable- we've done it and had fun.
The very end of the season also offers better prices and sunshine / not COLD, these days it is very unlikely there will be not enough snow. The days are much longer and you can have fun outside after skiing.
We have tried lots and lots of ways to ski with our 3 kids now aged 11 to 4. Esprit is as above very good indeed primarily for teh childcare and that all the guest are there with kids. We'd recommend the Esprit places in Peisey- nice small villlage- great chalets- very near the slopes- which are ideal for beginners (on mountain food not brilliant though) and Obergurgl in Austria- very large suites in the Alpenblume Chalet, a very good ski area (high though and it can be cold- but this means good snow) and very very good value on mountain food (fantastic actually). In France you'll have French instructors (ESF or Oxygene)unless you pay a big premium for New Generation (who are very good I'm told). In Austria you may well have native English speaking ski instructors.
We had a really good ski holiday in late December 2012 in Obergurgl with Esprit- this was our then 3 year olds second trip- but he was still in the ski garden. He was spoilt rotten with childcare staff at his beck and call all week, he was as happy as a pig in poo-poo. I was happy because the the snow was excellent, the runs pretty empty and the mountain restaurants friendly and good value (meaning 2 adults and 2 kids eating lunch with 3 adult mains 4 drinks a couple of coffees and desserts for around €50). Only downside was the food in the Chalet which wasn't as good as that in Esprits 'Chalet Hotels' (this is an important difference- the Chalets can be quite big but the food in the Chalet Hotels is always much much better).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| pam w wrote: |
| let's hope the OP comes back to find all this very helpful advice. |
she hasn't. It's always disappointing not to get feedback....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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holidayloverxx, I agree....a lot goes into helping people with information.
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holidayloverxx, Swissie, agreed, but I've found it really useful anyway! So thanks all for the great tips.
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The same happens on forums all over the place, people trump up, don't bother searching. Ask a couple of questions, get loads of well meaning answers, but never come back. Kind of gets on my nerves a bit, but mostly tend to ignore them. I get more annoyed (though still manage to bite my tongue most times) about those folks who...
I've decided to by product XXXX as I think it's perfect for the job and I'd like your wisdom.
27 posts later all telling them product XXXX isn't the right product for them for a multitude of reasoned, sensible and knowledgeable reasons they...
Tell you they have just got product XXXX
ah well there is nowt like folk.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Oh well, she may be on holiday or shy. Another vote for Esprit (and Selva at that age).
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FAQ
