 Poster: A snowHead
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Just got an amazing quote from this place for next Easter. Reviews look good on tripadvisor too.
How family friendly is it? We have 3 children who will be 12,10 and 9. I'm looking for somewhere comfortable with decent good (gourmet not required) and friendly. I saw it referred to as "noisy" which has put me off a bit.
Any input would be great, thanks! Also, is it a pain to be in Tignes les Boisses as opposed to le Lac? I like the look of the more traditional village and love tree skiing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've enjoyed staying there, but always out of season (ie in Oct/Nov) so it was a case of getting the minibus up to Val Claret. However, I can't recall that there is any "traditional village" in the vicinity!
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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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Oh ok, I thought I read it was more traditional....maybe not! 
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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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RosieL, just got back from 2 weeks in Les Melezes (the larches) over Easter. We are a family of 5 with 3 kids aged 12, 9 and 5. We all had a ball.
Re Children / Families: Whilst there is no childcare a la Esprit or MW etc it is very suitable for families - I'd guess especially at peak holiday times such as Easter.
Why? Because it is quite big- 40+ beds so at peak holiday periods it is highly likely that there will be other kids (when we were there last week and the week before there were lots- too many to count- at least 10). Other kids means other kids to play with, which our kids did. Digging in the snow, watching DVDs, playing with Jam (Jam is the Chalet dog- he is a star), board games, Wii, minecraft, in the hot tub. They also do kids meals.
We have been on lots and lots of kids orientated ski holidays (independent Chalets/ Hotels + nanny, + grandmother + friends, Esprit, Mark Warner, Crystal etc). Les Melezes is absolutely fine, especially with kids aged 9-12. There were much younger kids there - especially in our second week- they were fine too.
Food- is good value- but not gourmet. Breakfasts are especially good though.
Les Boises- is a bit of a pain, but not much. We had ski school at 9am each morning (.30 on Sundays) with ESF based in le LAc. This meant getting on the 8.45 bus each morning. Which arrives just in time. This is a very short walk from the Chalet. We were able to ski back to Les Melezes each day, especially when I made my eldest son walk up to a bit of a bald patch with a shovel. If you have afternoon lessons thesis not such an issue as you can ski to le lac in about 30mins (if you have a 5 year old with you- mind you that is a 5 year old that can ski moderately fast if not tired). It is a small place- essentially a cul de sac but with traditional buildings and view of the dam and the church in Tignes 1800. If you are party animals then you will be disappointed- but since you have 3 kids this isn't an issue. I found the place much more convivial that le Lac.
Staff- the staff at Les Melezes are excellent. Cheerful, friendly, helpful, fun, great with kids. My smallest treasure had huge amounts of fun with them and they were very very sweet to him.
Laundry - €7 a load- which is a bargain! Essentail if you have kids (or at least if you have my kids).
We'd go again- especially if the price is right. I looked hard and couldn't find abetter deal for a high resort (Easter) catered suitable for kids (big).
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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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| Quote: |
the staff at Les Melezes are excellent. Cheerful, friendly, helpful, fun
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all agreed - the place offers unbeatable value. Maybe the surrounding buildings look better in the snow - it's all a bit scruffy in October.  Better than Val Claret, not that that's hard.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Jam is very well trained or is just a classic seasonaire as he ony hangs out in the bar and is not allowed in the kitchen or dining room.
He won't take the left over cake either, however much he wants too...
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bertie bassett,
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| ed123 wrote: |
RosieL, just got back from 2 weeks in Les Melezes (the larches) over Easter. We are a family of 5 with 3 kids aged 12, 9 and 5. We all had a ball.
Re Children / Families: Whilst there is no childcare a la Esprit or MW etc it is very suitable for families - I'd guess especially at peak holiday times such as Easter.
Why? Because it is quite big- 40+ beds so at peak holiday periods it is highly likely that there will be other kids (when we were there last week and the week before there were lots- too many to count- at least 10). Other kids means other kids to play with, which our kids did. Digging in the snow, watching DVDs, playing with Jam (Jam is the Chalet dog- he is a star), board games, Wii, minecraft, in the hot tub. They also do kids meals.
We have been on lots and lots of kids orientated ski holidays (independent Chalets/ Hotels + nanny, + grandmother + friends, Esprit, Mark Warner, Crystal etc). Les Melezes is absolutely fine, especially with kids aged 9-12. There were much younger kids there - especially in our second week- they were fine too.
Food- is good value- but not gourmet. Breakfasts are especially good though.
Les Boises- is a bit of a pain, but not much. We had ski school at 9am each morning (.30 on Sundays) with ESF based in le LAc. This meant getting on the 8.45 bus each morning. Which arrives just in time. This is a very short walk from the Chalet. We were able to ski back to Les Melezes each day, especially when I made my eldest son walk up to a bit of a bald patch with a shovel. If you have afternoon lessons thesis not such an issue as you can ski to le lac in about 30mins (if you have a 5 year old with you- mind you that is a 5 year old that can ski moderately fast if not tired). It is a small place- essentially a cul de sac but with traditional buildings and view of the dam and the church in Tignes 1800. If you are party animals then you will be disappointed- but since you have 3 kids this isn't an issue. I found the place much more convivial that le Lac.
Staff- the staff at Les Melezes are excellent. Cheerful, friendly, helpful, fun, great with kids. My smallest treasure had huge amounts of fun with them and they were very very sweet to him.
Laundry - €7 a load- which is a bargain! Essentail if you have kids (or at least if you have my kids).
We'd go again- especially if the price is right. I looked hard and couldn't find abetter deal for a high resort (Easter) catered suitable for kids (big). |
Thanks you so much for such a detailed reply! It sounds just up our street. The dog will be the icing on the cake for the kids!
How did you find ESF? I'm not a huge fan so I was thinking about using an independent school.
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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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I've been to Melezes 4 or 5 times for their early / pre season "ski and board camp" deal - unbeatable for price, in my experience.
However, you should know that it is very basic - many rooms don't have own toilets, fir example - so your group need to specify one of the rooms with en suite toilet, or he ok with going to the hallway.
It us also rather basic and the decor us decidedly dated.
Kids are not allowed on the pre season (ie Oct-mid Dec) "ski and board camp", so I have no experience of what they are like with kids (mine is only 5 and 2, so anyway a bit different from yours).
Tignes les Boisses, being out of the way, is for me a pain - there really is pretty much nothing outside the hotel itself.
I will go again but it will only be for pre season "ski and board camp".
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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RosieL, we are fine with ESF. Our kids have dozens of ESF lessons behind them. Only one of our kids was in ski school as the older two have now gone through to finish gold star and the middle one didn't want to do Competition (which I think was a pity as he could do with it). The 2 weeks were a bit different. For the first week the instructors at the cut didn't realise our 5 year old wasn't French and the instructor he was with didn't have much English (which is different from no English). Now we are not particularly bothered by that. Which I think is unusual. The lad was happy. Also I'm not at all sure that small kids learn to ski by being told anything complicated, actually I don't really learn about skiing through long verbal explanations either. What is important is the bond between the child and teacher and Seth loved and adored Michelle (Michelle even though he was a boy- as Seth put it) and would follow him anywhere. Second week a younger ESF instructor Raphael with perfect English and avery engaging manner, Seth cried at first he wasn't back with Michelle, but soon again bonded with the new instructor and went very well. I quite like going to another country and having at least some interactions with the locals and for my kids to get used to this too and to the idea that not everyone speaks English and people have different approaches to life etc. (Sorry if this sounds a bit pompous but hey).
ESF is also a lot cheaper that the alternatives. All that said I've never heard anything but praise for New Generation (funnily enough we met Mrs New Gen at Geneva Airport on the way home).
Re rooms and loos- I think most are ensuite- but some are not. Room 5 or The Apartment is the most sought after but will be booked by now I think.
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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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| boardiac wrote: |
I've been to Melezes 4 or 5 times for their early / pre season "ski and board camp" deal - unbeatable for price, in my experience.
However, you should know that it is very basic - many rooms don't have own toilets, fir example - so your group need to specify one of the rooms with en suite toilet, or he ok with going to the hallway.
It us also rather basic and the decor us decidedly dated.
Kids are not allowed on the pre season (ie Oct-mid Dec) "ski and board camp", so I have no experience of what they are like with kids (mine is only 5 and 2, so anyway a bit different from yours).
Tignes les Boisses, being out of the way, is for me a pain - there really is pretty much nothing outside the hotel itself.
I will go again but it will only be for pre season "ski and board camp". |
This was my experience. My wife wanted to check out on arrival. I thought it was ok, especially for the cost.
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I paid extra to have my own room with en-suite. An en-suite is probably an option if you book early. I can't think why anyone would object to the quality of the "public" areas, given what the place costs. My bedroom/bathroom were good - I think some have been renovated but I've stayed in one of the older rooms in the past and had no problems. The bar area is cosy and friendly.
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You know it makes sense.
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nothing wrong with the quality of the public areas - the whole place is just a decade or two past its prime. But it's cosy, and as I said, I will definitely go back. The "cheeky November ski trip" has become a bit of a "thing" for us.
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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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boardiac,
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the whole place is just a decade or two past its prime.
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I stayed there over two decades ago and thought it well past its prime then, sounds like little has changed over the intervening years a bit scruffy and down at heel but perfectly acceptable for a cheap holiday.
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Poster: A snowHead
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RosieL, Try stewart woodward of esf (and of the Tignes snowcast of this website)
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