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Advice please! - large family group with children and non- skiers!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Looking for some advice and recommendations please!

I'm starting early with the planning of my husband's 40th birthday for next year. We'd like to go (probably to france) with a large group of friends all with children. Probably at least 4 families maybe more, some of which are non-skiers. Well have to go in Feb half term or Easter hols, as all the kids are now at school, so some budget friendly options would be helpful!!!

So we'd like advice on places to go, where the non- skiers will have plenty to do.

And also having never been skiing with children yet. Advice for companies that run childcare and can co- ordinate ski lessons, so the rest of us skiers can go off and enjoy ourselves and know the kids are in good hands!

All advice welcome! Thanks Very Happy
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Katski78, have a look st Family Ski Company who are in Ardent just outside Morzine and have Chalet staff to look after children. Also Ski Famille in Les Gets
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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?
Child-care / lessons in France - a touchy subject I've seen here! Choose wisely!

Do we assume you will fly, or is there a chance of driving?
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@Orange200 we have always driven, but then it's only ever been me and my husband. So we were thinking of flying this time. But keeping our options open at this point.
What do u advise best with kids?...

And yes any experiences with childcare, good and bad would be welcome!


@Pamski - what are Les Gets and Morzine like for non- skiers.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Never used them but Esprit continually gets the thumbs up for this sort of trip.

Choose Easter over half term if you want to keep the cost down.

Difficult with non-skiers. Really depends what they like doing.
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@Katski78, If you children travel ok in the car, then take the car. Half term flights can be costly and frankly flying is a faff with luggage, kids etc. Much easier to bundle everyone/everything in the car and go door to door! Plus having your car with you gives you so much more flexibility in terms of what to do/where to ski. You can consider staying in a proper town that has activities other than skiing and you can drive around the area to access skiing or anything else!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hi

Les Gets is a good option worth exploring.
Ski Famille seem to be highly recommended for childcare catering Chalet options and I see them about the mountain with the children and the children seem to love it.

An option if you dont need the childcare built in as it were is Residence Les Fermes Emiguy a short walk from the lifts and is for the budget conscience and does a range of self catering apartment sizes and has a pool and sauna and games room and Spa treatments available. we found this good for a few different families all going together so each family had their own space. Its close enough to eat out in the town and a short walk to the supermarket.

We have used the ESF childcare options when ours was too young to be up the mountain (and now she is up the mountain) and we were happy but I understand from the forum this is not everyones cup of tea as they have them skiing from 3 whether they like it or not but they do offer a non skiing option indoors for kids and they are priced very well. Also they have options where you can drop kids off in the morning and pick up whenever and they will get them to lessons and give them lunch etc.

Non skiing options in Les Gets are cinema, bowling, ice rink and there are a few places with pools and spas etc. there is a sledging area beside the main lift and I am sure tons more things to do.

@Pamski will probably be along shortly and she is the resident Les Gets expert.
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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!
Mr brother is an annual half-term visitor to Les Gets with Esprit and rates them highly. His son is now ten and has had childcare with them since he was tiny.

I think they use VIP as well and like them.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Binked, ha ha! I think the real expert is MeMyselfandI who does indeed live there all the time. Our non skiing friends seem happy to potter around the village and attempt to meet up with us. There are various spas etc and snowshoeing seems to be increasingly popular and enjoyable. Certainly having a few cars in the party opens up options for trips to Annexy, Chamonix, Lac Leman Etc. I forgot Esprit we have had friends use them happily and indeed our daughter and family are with Esprit in Obergurgl this week and send back good reports.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
non-skiers are just people who haven't tried skiing yet, so one of their activities could be have ski lessons!

other than that there is an ice rink in the centre of Les Gets

and a cinema

and there are paths that you can walk around the mountains

and did I mention ski lessons?
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Easter 2019 is very late (21 April), so snow cover in lower resorts (e.g. Les Gets) could be getting a bit thin.
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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.
Pretty sure Ski Famille are in Les Menuires also which is much higher for Easter next year (although if you are in Scotland Easter is always the same..wink). I saw a few of them out and about last year and like other reports above kids looked very happy. LM not that great for those not skiing but there is trips to resorts in the rest of the valley (e.g. St Martin) as well as having a wee go on the skis!
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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
For such a mixed group and special birthday, have you thought of one of the 'Lapland' resorts (clearly not France, but a magical place)? We went to Saariselka which was lovely, it has great skiing for beginners but might be a bit limited for a week if you are slightly more advanced. Levi might be a good option.

There is loads to do for non-skiers. We skied in the morning and did other activities in the afternoon; skidoo ride, husky sleigh rides, snow shoeing etc. If there are younger children I think they still do some Santa stuff, how Santa gets ready throughout the year etc wink

If you were going at Easter is wouldn't be so cold snowHead

Hope you have a great holiday wherever you decide
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hi. Have stayed in Ardent with Family Ski some yeats ago and childcare was superb. We booked out the whole chalet for Christmas. There's very little in the immediate area for non-skiers, some nice forest walks but not alot else that doesnt involve a car journey.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
ecureuil wrote:
Easter 2019 is very late (21 April), so snow cover in lower resorts (e.g. Les Gets) could be getting a bit thin.

I tend to assume skiing at Easter = when the schools break up, which if Easter is late tends to be two weeks before. This year it is the middle weekend of our two weeks, whereas next year it's at the end. We break up 5th April 2019 (this year equivalent two weeks earlier). It is still relatively late though so worth considering.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Ski Famille you could book a whole chalet however all your conditions are not mutually exclusive i.e. you will pay for it !
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Katski78, I don't think there is a best option for travelling - it's what works for you and your family best. Only you will know that.

As others have said, are the non-skiers completely averse to the grounds of skiing? Seems somewhat bizarre to be in the mountains and not give it a go - FWIW my FiL learnt in his 70s and my parents still skied in 80s.
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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?
Hi everyone,
Thank u so much for everyone's suggestions so far!

Am off to research les gets and other places recommended,and look at ski famille website. And have ordered the espirit brochure!

Haha - and wish we could get everyone on ski's! But we have one very stubborn one (I just don't understand it - but each to there own!!!) And maybe my father in law may make it, but unfortunately he'll be watching on in jealousy, as his knees won't let him ski anymore 😔.

So was hoping for a resort with plenty shops, cafes, spa, ice rink, swimming pool, maybe. Staying near lifts, for easy access by gondola for non skiers to meet us up the mountain for lunch....

Off to do some research. Any more advice gladly taken! 😁
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@Katski78, ^^^^^^^^ (other than the "budget friendly options") I think that you've just described Val d'Isere.
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