The ski route down to the ski school was a question at the back of my mind. Unfortunately, I think this may make our original accomadation a non starter. I can imagine that the convenience of being as close as possible to the ski schools would make up for the disappointment of not staying at Eos.
I assume that if this is the case I should be looking at accommodation at Flaine Forêt?
Re flights, I looked at flights to Geneva from Southampton this year to get an idea of cost, last minute I know and maybe not a true reflection on what I would pay next year. Over £2400 4x the price because of half term. I like the idea of driving anyway and even my wife is now all for it. She hates flying, and is always nervous when we go away. Like others have said I think the key is preparation.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Attached the gloves to elastic even for kids that are aged as yours are. Get some face masks in case it is very cold.
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?
We stayed at Centaur in Flaine which is very nice and central. The ski in/out is not for total beginners, but the walk down a load of steps isn't too bad.
But do look at Rabbit Club. This makes ski in/out less relevant as they keep your kids' skis and boots at the nursery below the church. Just walk them down in snowboots/wellies at 8:30am. They take them to ESF. Pick up 4:30pm.
Attached the gloves to elastic even for kids that are aged as yours are.
Not just for kids. I think the wrist straps for gloves are an excellent idea. No chance of dropping gloves on chair lifts. Just let them hang when you want something from your pocket. Brilliant. Just be careful gentlemen when you want to make yellow snow.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Jamessuperskyline wrote:
The ski route down to the ski school was a question at the back of my mind. Unfortunately, I think this may make our original accomadation a non starter. I can imagine that the convenience of being as close as possible to the ski schools would make up for the disappointment of not staying at Eos.
I assume that if this is the case I should be looking at accommodation at Flaine Forêt?
Re flights, I looked at flights to Geneva from Southampton this year to get an idea of cost, last minute I know and maybe not a true reflection on what I would pay next year. Over £2400 4x the price because of half term. I like the idea of driving anyway and even my wife is now all for it. She hates flying, and is always nervous when we go away. Like others have said I think the key is preparation.
Bournemouth and Southampton are our closest airports as well, yet we always end up flying from either Heathrow or Gatwick as we can save a fortune.
The method of get flights I linked to got us 2 sets of returns flights from Gatwick to Turin for 4 of us at £771 for them all, which we are using at half term and Easter.
Last year we did LGW to Salzburg which was £1081 for the two sets of return flights for 4.
This Includes baggage.
You can do flights to Geneva via this method as well.
We’re driving from Hook (not too far from S’ton) on the Friday morning to Geneva and staying at a €29 hotel and then making our way up to Flaine on Saturday morning to a) avoid mountain traffic, b) get a supermarket shop sorted, pick up ski hire etc early and c) with any luck get into the apartment early (and maybe ski Saturday pm? although I doubt that bit!). Nothing wrong in doing the trip in one go but it depends if you want to add on chores at the end. Last year we drove to Val T in one go, we’ve always done it in one go and it’s always been fine, but this time we wanted to do an en route supermarket shop and get the collection of the ski hire done. Traffic wasn’t great so the journey was longer than planned, supermarket shop was a rush, and the ski hire shop was closed on arrival resulting in the early morning visit instead, before ski school.
ESF was booked for my 6yo and private lessons for my wife at the beginning of Dec 2019.
I’ve preordered my Grand Massif lift pass in advance but Flaine has a pay as you go points based beginners lift pass covering an adequate area for beginners which saves a fair bit of money but can only be collected in resort.
In addition we want an extra day skiing this time, but switch over is the following Saturday as normal. We’re loading the car up on Friday night as usual, skiing on the Saturday and driving back to the cheapo hotel in Geneva (€22), then heading back early Sunday.
I’m not sure if there is a perfect way of doing it, we seem to do it different every year. But as others have said, location of the accommodation has to be the most important aspect when taking kids.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@dredgey, Not been to Flaine for a few years but from memory the main ESF meeting point is at Flaine Forum which requires a shortish walk including some steps to get to from Front de Neige. However it is right on the main nursery slope which used to have a chair lift. There is a second ESF meeting point at Flaine Foret which now has a magic carpet but hopefully you won't need to get to that one with the 6yo as it is a bit of a slog.
Someone with more recent knowledge might be able to update.
After all it is free
After all it is free
[quote="
A few questions we have are:
*Has anyone stayed in Flaine and in particular the Terrasses d’Eos apartments and what was your experience - how far is the ski lift from the apartment and also how far to ski school?, will will probably use ESF with the children going to classes every morning.
*In general what is the snow fall like in Flaine? We have been to a few other places in the Alps and have found it to be sludgy and Icy! Possibly due to a bad year.
*Are there any other good resorts you’d particularly recommend for children?
*Any other tips for taking kids skiing?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.[/quote]
Avoriaz - nice pool for the kids and plenty of other activities après ski. Very nice family resort with no cars.
Tips for kids skiing - one word: bribery. Promise (and deliver) lots of nice things... (although maybe more effective with younger kids). Also, don't force anything but equally be strict about the fact that if they are booked for ski school then the absolutely have to go. Do not compromise here as you'll struggle to get any skiing in yourself and your ski holiday won't really be a ski holiday... We started ours at 2.5 and 4 years old. They are now 5.5 and 7 and all they know is when we go skiing the mornings equate to ski school and that's just how it is. The first couple of trips were challenging with that, especially with our youngest, but even now at their age they are mountain savvy, being able to use all the different types of lifts and can ski most blues and even the odd red... The perseverance has really opened things up a lot for us as a family now. We collect them at lunch time, have a bite to eat and usually they want then to keep skiing so we go out as a family. However, this is absolutely directed by them and if they fancy doing anything else then that's their call and we simply won't ski that afternoon.
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.
tarrantd wrote:
@dredgey, Not been to Flaine for a few years but from memory the main ESF meeting point is at Flaine Forum which requires a shortish walk including some steps to get to from Front de Neige. However it is right on the main nursery slope which used to have a chair lift. There is a second ESF meeting point at Flaine Foret which now has a magic carpet but hopefully you won't need to get to that one with the 6yo as it is a bit of a slog.
Someone with more recent knowledge might be able to update.
When booking with ESF I had the choice of three meeting points so we went for Flaine Forum which was fairly close. I do remember the chairlift from a few years back but I think it’s been replaced with a magic carpet now. Although I could see much online about it, when I was looking up the adjacent restaurant Les Covagnes I stumbled across some pictures of it. I think it may even be free but I’m not sure.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Page23 wrote:
Also, don't force anything but equally be strict about the fact that if they are booked for ski school then the absolutely have to go.
Second this! Our boy started with ESF at the age of three and although we’ve been really lucky and never had any “I don’t want to go to ski school today” comments (or worse still tears) it’s really paid off now that he is six. I think because he accepts it’s compulsory he actually looks forward to ski school and can’t wait for his new ESF badge! Crucially though as Page23 has mentioned, it’s ensured that our son is more competent and disciplined around the mountain.
As a side note it may be useful to know that having booked ESF in Flaine this season I learnt that they alternate classes between mornings and afternoons throughout the half term weeks.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Tue 14-01-20 14:25; edited 1 time in total
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
We stayed in Flaine last Jan, our friends had their kids (aged 5 & 7) learning with ESF just in the mornings but by the end of the week they were going up the lifts and cruising down green and blue runs.
There is a guy on youtube who really rates Flaine trips with his families and last 2 years has posted videos while staying at E'os take a look at this one http://youtube.com/v/YqXLEjUC8N4 then maybe look at a few others he has posted to get a sense of things.
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.
Resign yourself to the fact they'll leave you for dead in a few years time
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
Can I add that I suggest you go for afternoon ski school. Firstly, with kids of that age you spend all of termtime trying to get everyone ready and to the school gate for an early morning deadline - the last thing you want on holiday is that as well. Secondly, they tend to get more tired in the pm - so let the instructor deal with that instead of you...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Thanks for all of your advise. Your posts have given us lots to think about.
5pike wrote:
We stayed in Flaine last Jan, our friends had their kids (aged 5 & 7) learning with ESF just in the mornings but by the end of the week they were going up the lifts and cruising down green and blue runs.
There is a guy on youtube who really rates Flaine trips with his families and last 2 years has posted videos while staying at E'os.
We have seen a lot of his videos on youtube. That’s were we first saw the Eos apartments, with my wife then finding the apartments on Homeaway.co.uk. Unfortunately I don’t think they will be suitable this time.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Jamessuperskyline, I think Eos is a pretty good choice for your requirements. They are great apartments, with one of the few underground car parks in the resort. The journey on skis to the main slopes is really easy (though not necessarily quick) even for beginners, as soon as they can use a chairlift and it would have to be an exceptionally bad season for the ski in/ ski out not to be available. Someone above mentioned it being shut over Christmas 2016, but that was very early in one of the the thinnest snow seasons in recent times. We were there at Easter the same season and the track was open and despite a daily melt in the roasting hot temperatures the resort managed to keep it open until the day we were leaving. There is actually also an ESF ski-school meeting point just out the back of Helios, next door to Eos, though I suspect that might not be for total beginners’ classes - possibly worth enquiring though.
Only downside I can think of is the price, which will be top whack for Eos at half-term. I’ve stayed there at Christmas and Easter, but when we go at half term we go cheap(er) and cheerful in one of the more knackered blocks down in Foret.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Ingemar_Skidmark wrote:
@Jamessuperskyline, I think Eos is a pretty good choice for your requirements. They are great apartments, with one of the few underground car parks in the resort. The journey on skis to the main slopes is really easy (though not necessarily quick) even for beginners, as soon as they can use a chairlift and it would have to be an exceptionally bad season for the ski in/ ski out not to be available. Someone above mentioned it being shut over Christmas 2016, but that was very early in one of the the thinnest snow seasons in recent times. We were there at Easter the same season and the track was open and despite a daily melt in the roasting hot temperatures the resort managed to keep it open until the day we were leaving. There is actually also an ESF ski-school meeting point just out the back of Helios, next door to Eos, though I suspect that might not be for total beginners’ classes - possibly worth enquiring though.
Only downside I can think of is the price, which will be top whack for Eos at half-term. I’ve stayed there at Christmas and Easter, but when we go at half term we go cheap(er) and cheerful in one of the more knackered blocks down in Foret.
To be honest I thought prices were very reasonable on private apartments advertised on home away.co.uk although I have seen two tour operators add a considerable premium for Eos.
My biggest concern is getting the kids to ski school. As much as I love the look of Eos I cant help but think something right next to the nursery slopes may be my best bet this time. Other than lessons they will get on dry slopes before we go they will be complete beginners.
I too saw the underground car park at Eos. Odalays also state that they have underground parking. This is currently were we are considering.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I can imagine that the convenience of being as close as possible to the ski schools would make up for the disappointment of not staying at Eos.
4x the price because of half term. I like the idea of driving anyway and even my wife is now all for it. She hates flying, and is always nervous when we go away. Like others have said I think the key is preparation.
