 Poster: A snowHead
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| Legend. wrote: |
| I think the answer on this is it it depends on what you want... |
This, plus what your child wants/will enjoy. I think it can be very different for families with 1 vs more than 1 child. Certainly in our experience as parents to a single child, the opportunity to socialise and play with other kids was a vital part of a successful holiday (winter or summer). If you have a single child, then the family-focused operators provide this. It's not to say it can't be done independently, but it is harder. If you have a group a families going together, then the benefits of independent stack up.
@MHskier we did 5 trips with Family Ski, all excellent, as long as you are happy being part of a shared chalet (or can fill one yourself). It's not for everyone but if this model works for you, and you can afford it, then they are a very good company.
@geomickb, if you seriously consider the likes of Family Ski or Ski Famille, then ring them (rather than taking the online info as gospel). We always checked what other kids were booked in before committing; they were happy to tell us ages of the kids, and make up of the groups. The least successful holiday we had was where we were sharing with one other large group; where the groups were more mixed, it worked better. Also you can discuss what options they have for room arrangements; one year we got a deal on 2 twin rooms rather than a larger family one, because the second room was a bit small and less desirable - not a problem for our daughter and she loved having her own space.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Esprit worked well for us on our first three family ski trips to La Rosiere (kids were 6 and 10).
Chalet Amelia - right next to nursery slope so ski in/out.
Chalet was for three families (we went with friends and met a lovely family the first year and got on so well we went back as a group the following two years). It has a great outside patio for snowman building and kids could sledge on nursery slope after lifts closed.
Chalet hosts were fine but as another Snowhead said , you are at the mercy of how well they can cook . One year we got a very poorly Scottish lad who really struggled.
Chalets themselves a bit tired and small bedrooms but warm and clean.
Childcare was superb. The reps pick up the kids at the boot room door at 08:30 and take them off for a sing song / warm up before lessons. Then they will feed them lunch so you don’t have to rush back too early. They will look after them all day if you so wish (and our kids also did some guided skiing in the afternoons which was extra and they loved it as the Evo2 instructors were young and took them off the sides of the piste to do jumps and mess about in the trees.
Kids get high tea around 5 pm (and depending on the hosts you get - you can slope off for a beer in town).
Adult food about 7 ish and kids can go to kids club in building next door , plus older ones can go on nights out bowling , ice skating etc.
La ros is very pretty little place and easy skiing .
We moved on after a few years and started going with Crystal and DIY as we wanted a bit better food and luxury but those first few years with Esprit were invaluable.
We did one year at the Le Savoie in Val (Inghams which is part of same group as esprit) and that was very good if you wanted something a bit posher but access to the esprit childcare.
but the ducs de Savoie next door looked horrid….our daughter went for one high tea and it looked like a food fight so she ate with us after that.
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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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Each to their own, and I am sure the family ski company thing works for many. And that having 4 kids it is a very different dynamic than families with a single child in terms of socialising for the kids themselves. BUT, reading some of the posts here I can't imagine a worse family holiday!
Kids picked up at 0830
Don't see them at lunch or after
Kids eat at 5pm with other kids not parents. And you can nip off for a beer without them? We have always enjoyed eating together, we do it every night. We have always gone out for dinner every Friday and all my kids have come since they were babies, so they have always been happy and known how to behave in a restaurant. They would have hated having a "kids" tea so early, and without us.
Kids in go to kids club after "tea"
Not for me, I would rather have the time with them to be honest. The only upside I can see is having someone else take the responsibility for arranging ski school, more kit, childcare etc. I get that for those taking first ski trips that makes some sense, but it really is quite easy to organise yourself. And if worst comes to worst, take a grandparent or two with the money you save by organising yourself.
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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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I used Ski Famille 3 times. Would recommend albeit not cheap but nannies were brilliant, it was all well organised and the chalets and catering was all good. I’m sure there are many alternatives but as a zero stress option it worked for us. We now self cater and organise ourselves but for small children it just worked.
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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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| zikomo wrote: |
Each to their own, and I am sure the family ski company thing works for many. And that having 4 kids it is a very different dynamic than families with a single child in terms of socialising for the kids themselves. BUT, reading some of the posts here I can't imagine a worse family holiday!
Kids picked up at 0830
Don't see them at lunch or after
Kids eat at 5pm with other kids not parents. And you can nip off for a beer without them? We have always enjoyed eating together, we do it every night. We have always gone out for dinner every Friday and all my kids have come since they were babies, so they have always been happy and known how to behave in a restaurant. They would have hated having a "kids" tea so early, and without us.
Kids in go to kids club after "tea"
Not for me, I would rather have the time with them to be honest. The only upside I can see is having someone else take the responsibility for arranging ski school, more kit, childcare etc. I get that for those taking first ski trips that makes some sense, but it really is quite easy to organise yourself. And if worst comes to worst, take a grandparent or two with the money you save by organising yourself. |
I’ve got one kid and the thought of the above isn’t my cup of tea either. I spend enough time at work not seeing him. He’s nearly 11 now but the first holiday when he was nearly 7 he went into ski school for 5 days. They were all Austrian except for one bilingual girl who translated for him - he had a whale of a time and came back with a bit of German. Now that he can ski he’s in for 3 days each time but my favourite moments are skiing down the mountain behind him.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Timmycb5 wrote: |
| @Rois1980, the first I took my kids skiing, my son was 5 (literally just 5, the first day was his 5th birthday) whilst his older sisters were 7. They skied all day no problem. Just got to make sure there are regular breaks for hot chocolate and snacks. |
Yup, after 4 days on a dry slope in uk, my 4.5 and 6.5 skied all day - morning esf lesson, lunch club, skied with us in the afternoon
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| zikomo wrote: |
| I have 4 kids, each two years apart. Other than covid never had less than 2 ski holidays a year. Never used a tour operator. It is easy to find and arrange whatever you need with a bit of research, whether that is just ski school or additional childcare. It does help if you relish spending time in the mountains with them and accept you might ski a bit less yourself when they are wee. Some of my best memories are messing about on the nursery slopes with them, sledging, buying them hot drinks and food treats, etc. Get a decent apartment or chalet where they have space to play and relax, and you can feed them at times that work for you and with food they like. Happy to help you out this sort of thing together, just shout! |
With that in mind, where would you recommend that is close to Turin?
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Esprit isn't perfect, and post Covid they have a lot fewer destinations (a lot of other family ski companies also seem to have scaled down or even closed). But they totally tick the fuss-free boxes, they organise everything, especially kid-related. And if your kid doesn't like skiing, they will keep them happily entertained for however long you want to ski.
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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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Another vote for Powder Byrne. They will look after all of your needs.
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I’ve used Esprit in the past in Kaprun, Obergurgl, Val d’Isere, Les Arcs and Alpe d’Huez (twice) and would recommend them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Kinda depends if you want a holiday from the kids or with the kids.
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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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@Rois1980 We used SkiFamille twice and both brilliant holidays albeit not cheap. My daughter had a whale of a time with the nannies to the extent we had not booked afternoons but by the time we got back every day she had decided to stay with them all day !
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| OuatteDePhoque wrote: |
| Kinda depends if you want a holiday from the kids or with the kids. |
Or possibly both , I have never used a travel company for skiing with the kids and have often gone with other families but I can see the attractions for a family with a single child in having other children around for company other than purely in ski lessons.
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You know it makes sense.
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| T Bar wrote: |
| OuatteDePhoque wrote: |
| Kinda depends if you want a holiday from the kids or with the kids. |
Or possibly both , I have never used a travel company for skiing with the kids and have often gone with other families but I can see the attractions for a family with a single child in having other children around for company other than purely in ski lessons. |
Think 3rd is FOR the kids. Opportunity to do things with similar age and ability as themselves was an attraction from mine. Oh the strops I got when trying to extract mine early to go off with us on occasions and even now my 16yr old in December had a wonderful time going off with the other teens both skiing and to the pool. They didn't want their parents spoiling their fun
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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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Esprit is good.
Club Med is good.
We've done both.
The instructors usually recommend that younger children don't ski all day. Obviously they can and will want to, but it's worth having a balance otherwise you reach Wednesday or Thursday and they are broken. We did tobogganing, etc.. so still outside, but not actually skiing.
Our first Esprit holiday was a revelation. The staff took them to lessons etc.. and we had one evening out! They could have an early tea and we could have a chill.
Our second Esprit holiday was a bit of a let down - but mostly due to the chalet staff being new/under trained in terms of food and cooking...
Club Med was great, we had a great time. Again they mostly got sorted out for lessons by the staff and we had genepi sugar cubes as we went on the slopes and oysters etc.. on return! Very welcome! Although our youngest was determined to get coca cola for breakfast!!! Which was available in the buffet area!!! The food was great and really varied. Even had frogs legs and so on 
It really depends on what sort of children you have and what sort of parents/family you are. Some will appreciate the time apart and then being able to meet up at lunchtime or after lunchtime and then either do something non-skiing in the afternoon or ski together etc..
Both of ours are too old for that sort of stuff any more. We had 3 such holidays and then had self-catered chalets after those I think. So it all ebbs and flows. We're back to a catered chalet this year.
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FAQ
