 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anyone stayed here? We are taking our four teenagers out for a week at half term (Feb 11th) and have booked the full 'club med package'. I've never stayed with club med before nor visited Alpe d'huez. From the guides and comments on this forum Alpe d'huez sounds like a great resort. Two of our kids snowboard, the rest of us are 'middlin intermediate' skiers so I'm looking forward to trying some of the varied runs available.
One specifc query - since we are on the 'all inclusive' package, I am not expecting to have to pay for drinks, particularly alchoholic ones. But what about the 16 and 17 year olds? does anyone know if they will be served with beers, or will Mrs Ax and I need to do the 'buying'? (all the kids enjoy the odd glass, in a teenage, 'two pints and their legless' kind of way) 
any info/experience/comments appreciated...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We've stayed in Club Med in the summer (in Vittel). The accomodation was good and the food excellent (although all buffets, which is a bit uncivilised for dinner), and the activity facilities and creche were very good (the kids, then aged about 2, I think, were very well catered for), but it was one of the weirdest hols I've had. It's an upmarket Butlins. We dined at large tables with others (which we really don't like), under rather bright lights. There were bizarre 'entertainments' put on after dinner by the Redcoats (or 'gentils organisateurs' as they are known, to distinguish them from the guests or 'gentils membres'). Our fellow guests were mainly French, with some other Euros thrown in, a few Brits, and the atmos was pleasant and civilised, but weird.
I imagine that each resort is different, but I believe that there is a Club Med philosophy which extends to all its resorts and which is definitely not for everyone. We enjoyed the hol but it was all a bit too communal for us and we shall not repeat the experience. It was all slightly precious, and anyone not of a bourgeois disposition (fortunately we are) would have felt very out of place. It's the sort of thing which those who like it do year after year, wouldn't dream of going anywhere else.
To answer your specific question, we had wine (perfectly decent but not special), beer and soft drinks thrown in with meals (lunch and dinner). I think you could buy better wine, but we didn't. Other drinkies, including pre- and post dinner, had to be paid for (with vouchers or tokens which we bought in advance in bulk, God knows why), and were quite pricey IIRC. Since it was all self service at meals, we helped ourselves to beers from a tap and to wine by the carafe from a bulk container, so your kids will probably be able to enjoy a glass or two (unless that would infringe rules about drinking age, I suppose, which I doubt).
If you like the philosophy, you'll have a great hol.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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AxsMan, French law states they can't buy alcohol in a bar under 16 years of age (They can buy in a supermarket from age 14!). Nothing says they can't be given it by their parents though, as far as I know. I was told this by my 17 yr old (part of his a-level course!)
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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AxsMan, you can still let them have some though, as long as you are with them. It's only buying they can't do.
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Our 11 yr old had his mouth spray filled with Genepi in a restaurant above St Martin de Belleville, truly hilarious.
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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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AxsMan, We went into the Club Med complex at Alpe D'Huez to have a look one evening, I think you could say it was fairly lively, perhaps some earplugs might be a good investment!
It will be busy then, If you want to get to the top on the Gondola first thing, go to the far side of the Ski School meeting points & take the long green drag across towards it as soon as it opens, it's normally open before the other lifts. Have fun.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| mouth spray |
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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provenjohn, Thanks for that - good tip re the lifts. Only problem is getting 4 teens to surface before the crack of noon! (still Maybe Mrs Ax and I can get some skiing in while they are still snoring!)
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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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richmond, Imagine a Windowlene or similar type of bottle with a trigger spray. Adjust spay to jet mode and fill mouths of diners from a distance of half a metre. Great laugh had by all.
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AxsMan, but you can leave them with the older ones, as they are old enough to buy the alcohol. They'll still be allowed in the lounge area anyway. Free wine and beer is only served during the meals anyway.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Curtains, A tad over £7k, and that's self-drive!. OK there are 6 of us, and that is all-inclusive so nothing but petrol to pay for but it still seems pretty steep to me!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Frosty the Snowman, do you warn the lucky diners or just wait 'til they open to shove a forkful in and fill them full of Genepi?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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AxsMan, I have done Club Med in Val D'Isere a couple of times, as well as in St.Moritz and Pontresina. Also done Club Med in Mauritius a couple of times. First thing to note is that the winter Clubs are different from the summer clubs in that you don't get as much of the animation crap going on. The second thing to note is that if you don't want to take part in any of the animation stuff then nobody is going to force you or think the worse of you for it. There are always quiet corners that you can withdraw to if you want.
I personally like the thing about meeting all sorts of different people with lots of different nationalities, and I also prefer buffet style food to a la carte, so it suits me and my wife fine. The ski instruction in Val was done by ESF, at least for the higher groups , and I can only say that we had absolutely nothing to complain about there. One time we had a teacher/guide who used to train the spanish women's national team. Excellent guy!
All in all I have always had a good time, even though I'm not in fact the kind of guy who goes in for party games and animation. The only downside about Val was the quality of the rooms. They tend to be somewhat minimal! But then again, I never spent much time in the room so it didn't bother me too much
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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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We did a last minute = cheap Club Med to Greece, near Marathon, a couple of years ago. It was also pretty much as richmond, described it. Very good food and sport facilities, not many Brits around ( good point ), well organised but Bizarre 'entertainment'.
We would do it again but I would not use them in the Winter as it seems far to closeted for my liking. We saw some of the antics taking place outside the Club Med at Val Claret on Christmas Day this year as we passed by on the chair lift. There was a procession of baloon clad ( and little else ), I guess GO's, parading around what looked like a monster outdoor buffet - it must have been -20C outside as well.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| richmond wrote: |
| Frosty the Snowman, do you warn the lucky diners or just wait 'til they open to shove a forkful in and fill them full of Genepi? |
this wasa done by the waiter, although he did ask permission first.
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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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we took kids (10y & 8y) to club med in les 2 alpes a couple of years ago. Best and most relaxing ski holiday we've had! Food plentiful and good - plenty choice. Plenty drink at mealtimes - wine on table (unlimited) and beer on draught just like soft drinks to help yourselves. Ski lessons for all of us included in price (kids intermed - us advanced). Easy to ski back for lunch - no need to queue for extortionately priced mountain restaurants, nor for toilets after! Very French. We enjoyed their company and were happy to try out our French! Only a handful of other English voices. Can't comment on eve entertainment as too knackered too stay up! However it is mainly in French, as you might expect. All round great holiday. PS we booked in euros on french website, much cheaper than GBP on British website, could just have been good £ to euro.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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dingy, welcome to snowHeads  .
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dingy,
Welcome to Snowheads, and thanks for the info!
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FAQ
how much did you pay . I'm looking to get away again with the kids ( 5,7 ) . We went to ADH in January for there first skiing jolly and they loved it 