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Where to go France Jan beginners and kids

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We'll be in France in mid Jan (9th-16th), and can't decide where to go. We have 2 kids 4 and 8 (8 year old has done club Piou Piou when he was 4) so beginners (but speak french), my husband's french and happy skiing on reds and blues, I've skied about 4 days total so somewhere with plenty of greens. We're coming all the way from OZ, so snow would be good, and we aren't really into apres ski with the kids, and ideally want somewhere that's quite french so the boys have to use their french. We've looked at Alpe D'Huez, Val D'Isere, le Saisies, Serre Chevalier, Devouluy but don't know and can't decided. Suggestions please!
Thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
ADH +1

My wife LOVES the green bowl in the village.

Which leaves me time to explore the rest of the area snowHead
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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?
I think LES SAISIES would suit you very well. It's not good for non French speakers who want group lessons but in your case the overwhelming Frenchness would be a bonus. Happy to answer any queries as I have an apartment there. Not available to rent - I'll be there myself. snowHead
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And welcome to snowheads snowHead
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I'm by no means an expert, but I have been to a few of those you list, and Devoluy would probably be a good option, as it is a very French resort (even down to the toilets in the restaurants / bars being the stereotypical French "hole in the floor") with very few English people (though a fair few Dutch!).

It's also a good size for beginners, neither massive nor tiny at 100km of pistes.

The only note of caution I would add is that I was there over New Year a couple of years ago, and the snow wasn't fantastic, and of course last year at New Year it was green pastures, so maybe the relatively low height at Devoluy might be a negative for early January.
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The skiing at devoluy is not low altitude really. It goes a lot higher than Les Saisies. But geographically it's in a different region. The southern alps sometimes do better for snow than the northern alps, sometimes worse. It can be a more difficult place to get to., depending how you are travelling. I've never been there but it looks interesting. Les Saisies has an excellent snow record. Always more than the TARENTAISE at the same altitude /aspect.

Of your list I'd discount Val d, Isere. Overwhelmingly Anglophone and very expensive. Not terribly beginner friendly either.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Having skied all of your choices (except SuperDevoluy) with kids in tow my recommendation would be for Les Saisies, The lovely big bowl there is a super area to ski with children.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Kenyafrog, welcome.

I'd note one thing. It looks like in Oz trail gradings go Yellow-Green-Blue-Black. In France they go Green-Blue-Red-Black. Green runs around here are typically flat mountain roads with almost no gradient and probably correspond to your yellows. I think what you really want is a good variety of blue runs...

Mid-Jan is getting a little more snow sure than say Xmas week. I'd +1 Pam and suggest that Val d'Isere will not force anyone to speak French and isn't a great idea for beginners. From what Pam says, Les Saisies sounds really nice and interesting but then, there are several areas in this neck of the woods that might suit - Evasion Mont Blanc area, Aravis e.g. La Clusaz, even some slightly left field areas like Praz-de-Lys/Sommand.
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Like Pam, I would cross Val d'Isere off your list. Also, probably, Serre Chevalier. It's a nice enough place but it's a bit straggley and beginners may struggle with some of the links between sections.

Personally, and given you are French speakers, I'd recommend Albiez-Montrond in a flash. It's a tiny place but it's got everything, is very pretty and most of the accommodation is just about ski-to-door. It would be difficult for the kids to get lost and you'd all have the satisfaction of being able to ski most of the resort. They do some good deals for families too, some including instruction. There's plenty of nice between-the-pistes stuff but if your husband gets cabin fever then he could always get in the car and nip round to Les Karellis where there's a variety of terrain.
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I'd recommend St Gervais. In particular this hotel in Le Bettex http://www.hotel-laflechedor.com/en/#/index.php

St Gervais is in the Evasion Mont Blanc ski area (also includes Megeve, Combloux, Les Contamines although the latter is not linked). It is an area that is well suited to beginners and families - plenty of moderate skiing, pretty, tree lined runs for bad weather. Short transfer from Geneva (60-75mins). Le Bettex is the mid station on the St Gervais side so you have quick access to St G, Megeve and Combloux areas. It is MUCH cheaper than Megeve (accommodation, eating) but you get the same skiing. The area is quite low but in my view that is quite a god thing in January - I wouldn't be worried about snow cover at that time and it would be better than many places in bad weather.

The hotel is on the piste and is genuinely ski in ski out. It is great with young kids because it is so easy to drop back for lunch and a rest then nip out again. We had several holidays there when the kids were small and it worked very well. It is about 100m walk to the lift ticket office and hire shop. 200m to the ski school, jardin de neige and crèche. Hotel is recently refurbished to a high standard. Clientele are mostly French. Run by French family and staff who speak English but are very happy to encourage beginner French! The resort is not as well know by Brits as some so has a bit more of a French feel. All that is good but the absolutely best thing about the place are the sensational views from the restaurant, terrace and mountain facing rooms (go for one of them!). You look straight at the Mont Blanc Massif and can see the Chamonix aiguilles plus the NW faces of the massif. One of the very best views I have had on a ski holiday.

St Gervais itself is an attractive town but Bettex is a hamlet on the slopes - almost no nightlife but sounds like that wouldn't be an issue for you.

Anyway, just an idea - no shortage of good options for you.
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@jedster, sounds rather nice and +1 the ski area would almost certainly suit well.
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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.
and St Gervais is a very pleasant town to visit, if you have a car.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
La Rosiere would tick your boxes. Madeye-Smiley
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
This brochure should help a lot:

http://smbt.g-r-c.fr/userfile/file/1413899628_Guide_neige.pdf
(look especially at page 7)

It lists all resorts in departments Haute-Savoie and Savoie - and so covers the majority in France.


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Wed 26-08-15 12:28; edited 1 time in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Kenyafrog, St Foy - most accomodation on either on piste or very close. Lovely little place, but great for skiing.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Grand Massif might be an idea. You can stay at valley level in villages rather than resorts (probably more "French") but still (probably in Jan) ski right down. For your priorities avoid Flaine which is purpose built and ugly although the skiing is great. We were there last year at the start of Jan and it was a very poor start to the year, even so there was good skiing in all the sectors, just not right to the villages. There is a good choice of blue and easy red routes and, unlike some places in France, the grooming was excellent, even in bad snow conditions we had they kept the runs ice and rock free
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Lots of good places to choose from but I would second Alpe d'Huez
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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?
Risoul or Vars may be worth a look. Quite quiet and quite French. Risoul has some nice long green runs from what I recall. Lots to keep the husband happy.
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I would consider Chamrousse. I was there last year with two young children and it is a good resort for them. My 5 year old who couldn't ski parallel yet could ski from the top of the mountain to the bottom on an easy blue. There is a Piou Piou club if required at Chamrousse 1750.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I'd vote for Montgenevre. Great resort, very family friendly, snowsure, and beginners feel like they can really "travel", rather than being stuck on some nursery slopes.
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Thanks everyone - need to get on with my homework. Devouluy, Val d'Isere and Serre Chevalier off the list, thank, but a few more added. We'll be TGVing down from Etaples (near Calais), to either Lyon or I think Chambery, and then flying back to Oz from Lyon. My thought is that with 4 of us in low season its probably easiest to hire a car even if it has a week's sitting. What do you recommend (I guess it will depend where we go to a certain extent). What do people do about food with kids - in Oz most of the supermarkets do online pick up, so if you are heading to the back of beyond you order in advance from the nearest supermarket, drive in, pick up and are on your way - anything like that in France? If we were driving we could stock up low, and not pay high altitude prices....
(PS to the person who flattered my skiing ability - definitely French greens, I'm a scaredy cat, possibly because everyone I go skiing with can ski, and cannot understand what it is like to not be able to ski and don't see the need for lessons. I was the laughing stock of Les Saisies last time (we nipped up for a day when Crest Voland ran out of snow), as I couldn't get going and the greens head off in front of all the cafes. I'm weighing up between doing group lessons or a few private lessons, and am not going anywhere on skis until someone shows me how this time!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Kenyafrog, my last year trip from Brussels to St Foy by train:
* direct 'Thallys Train' from Brussels to Bourg-St-Mourice (6 hours, 3-4 hours less than by car) Bought in advance ticket was 90 EUR return. similar trains go from FR or even UK (direct Eurostar?)
* transfer from Bourg-St-M to St Foy is 16 km circa by a local transfer company - 15 eur return
*The same can be done by car (did it twice) just driving time would be arround 9-10 hours depending on traffic and conditions
* not sure you can do online supermarket pick up in resorts; however supermarkets do exists and you can even have a grilled chicken on spot if you do not fancy going to a resto or cooking yourself Smile
For skiing abilities - you would love St Foy - it is nice and easy, but also entertaining for more advanced. Couple of private skiing lessons is the best way forward if you want to really improve or lose bad habbits.

I so far stayed in Challet Chaudanne which is close to the lift, close to a local supermarket and backery (1 min by foot in a morning to get warm croissants). Perfect for families, but no sauna or swiming pool. January should be reasonably priced too. I'm only disclosing since I would not be able to go to St Foy this year myself Wink
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@Kenyafrog, hiring a car is ideal. French supermarkets in the valley are open long hours (except on Sundays.....) and much cheaper than resort shops. But if you do a big shop on the way most resorts have enough to keep you going during the week and "traiteurs" to provide ready made dishes, not cheap but delicious and cheaper than going out to a restaurant.

You will do MUCH better to have lessons. Private lessons might be best and are cheap in Les Saisies, especially out of season (71 euros for two hours). I could recommend a rather nice instructor........ wink

Les Saisies has markedly better snow than Crest Voland and a better variety of slopes, including some quite challenging blue/red variants off the superb new 6 man Bellasta chair which opened last season.
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^^ Everything Pam says re car hire, supermarkets (although I did look into having groceries delivered at La Rosiere a couple of years back and was told it was theoretically possible but in the end we stocked up in Bourg St Maurice before driving up, had bread & cakes delivered daily and picked up the odd few items at the resort supermarket) and private lessons! Smile
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Thanks everyone, we found a nice little chalet style apartment in in Les Saisies - the smaller resorts on the suggestion list got the veto from my husband who is planning on making up for 20 years of living in Oz in one ski trip. Fingers crossed there is some snow. Pam did you go through ESF for your instructor, or are there private instructors. Ideally I'd like to try and do lessons whilst the kids are in ski school in the mornings, but for obvious reasons ESF do their private lessons over lunch time.... Thanks again.
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@Kenyafrog, I generally use the ESI which is called Glisse Passion but private lessons often are at mid-day. You could do worse than join a beginner group class - at that time of year groups are likely to be small. The ESI is a bit more flexible than ESF who have a rather prescriptive "one size fits all" approach sometimes. It does work - French kids who go through their system tend to become very good skiers - but I find the more relaxed ESI approach more sympa.

Do you speak French? If so you might enjoy a group lesson. Otherwise I can see that if the OH is zooming all over the Espace Diamant you will have a job coordinating picking up the kids and doing your own ski lessons.

Where is the apartment you have chosen? That makes a difference.

Another idea. Private lessons which mix adults and kids are not the best - because learning styles are different. BUT private lessons for you and your kids together would be very affordable - the basic cost for 5 x 2 hour lessons is 315 euros, with a modest charge for extra people. If possible I'd recommend Stephane as in instructor. He's great with all ages and abilities and speaks enough English.

If there's no snow in Les Saisies in mid January there'll be even less in most other northern Alps resorts!
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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.
La plagne anyone? Seems to fit the brief. Lots and lots of easy blues.
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