Skiing with 2 year old...HELP!!

A snowHead

My wife and myself are going to France next January with our will be 2 year old daughter but was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice on how to go about using the creche facilities. We are wanting to put here in a creche in the morning (3/4 hours) and then spend the rest of the day as a family. Do you think she will be able to ski? What age did your kids start skiing?

We are open to recommendations on resorts etc but would prefer to stay in France as my wife is French so the language barrier shouldn't be a problem.

We are planning on Driving across and staying with her parents for one night who live in the north of France to beak up the journey a bit. Any tips on driving across there would also be appreciated.

I'm also looking at getting a roof box for a new shape 5 door Renault Megane. I need to get all our skis in it.... any recommendations??

I know I've asked a lot of questions but feel I need to find out more before starting to book.
THANKS!!

A snowHead

rickyday33, IMO 2yrs is a little young to consider starting skiing, the creche in our village, La Rosiere, takes children from 18mths old most of the time is spent playing or in the nursery, some friends of ours put their 3yr old there over Xmas week and he was very happy, had about an hrs skiing a day, play really, in the garden got his first etoile and his La Rosiere badge. January is usually the coldest month so you have to consider how you look after your infant. There have been cases of babies dying of cold when carried by skiing parents. None of my kids started skiing before 3 yrs of age.
For roofboxes I'd look at Thuile, they seem to have the most comprehensive range and manufacture a lot of the branded roof bars and boxes marketed by the auto manufacturers. Driving not a problem to any major French resort, most are within 11 hrs driving of Calais, some like the Portes de Soliel are within about 9hrs. Hope this is helpful.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I agree with David@traxvax that 2 is too young. Our kids first skied (about an hour a day) when they were just 4, and that was pushing it. I've heard of kids starting at 3. It was pointed out to me by an instructor who had taught his kids and grandkids to ski that kids need to be sufficiently 'socialised' to interact with each other during a lesson; chuck snowballs, wrestle in the snow and so on; they get bored and fed up otherwise. Your average 2 year old isn't. If you are prepared to devote the time, you could make a bit of skiing part of a general 'messing about in the snow' afternoon (if you can get small enough kit). Bear in mind that little kids get cold very quickly.

Any chance of taking grandmere et grandpere?

brian

... or drop the wee one off with grandmere et grandpere and pick her up on the way back ? 2 years old is very young to be out much in the snow in January.

Second the recommendation for Thule, more than happy with my box which I've had for 7 years.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hi

thanks for the advice. It helps a lot. Would you say that I'm better going In Feb or March Instead? We pretty much knew she wouldn't be able to ski but really wanted to know what the general age kids started. The last thing we really want to do is drop her off first thing in the morning in a creche and then not see her till the evening, we want to have family time, but also ski on our own for a few hours. I would really like to go somewhere where there is a decent size town/village not far away. Am I asking too much? Would I be better waiting another year until she is 3? I don't really want to miss another winter but the little one ALWAYS comes first.
Do all the creches speak English?
I know the trip is a long time away but I would prefer to find out as much as I can now.

We really appreciate all you help Very Happy

You'll need to Register first of course.

I've been skiing with a kid that small - it is doable - especially if they are already used to nursery - maybe one of the specialist child operators and late season rather than early? I'd leave any actual skiing for the little one until next year - 3 is ok for a little 'fun on skis' 4/5+ for actual 'learning' ime. Or team up with another family with kids and do 'mornings' and 'afternoons' so you each get a half day skiing? aj xx p.s no - not all creches speak english!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Friends of ours have taken their kids with them from very early ages. There are TOs who specialize in looking after little kids, provide nannies, escort them to and from crech or ski school, babysit, that sort of thing. The only name i know is Ski Esprit, which gets good reviews from chums

After all it is free

rickyday33, you might be able to find a creche that mixes childcare with a little time on skis - some creches have 'snow gardens' were kids can get used to playing on skis, but even then, 2 maybe a little young. Our eldest 'skied' at 2 years, but it didn't go too well, and we left it until 4 yrs old, which IMHO is a good age to start

As for topboxes, I agree with the recommendations for Thule - expensive but top quality and long lasting

and finally, what sort of information are you looking for regarding driving in France - best route ?, places to stop ?, quietest roads ?

thanks PATCH - Basically we was looking for recommendations on resorts to go to. We don't really want to go to a little village with not much there as we won't be spending all our time on the slopes.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

rickyday33, I went to La Tania in January with another family, staying in a catered chalet with Le Ski. My boy was 20 months old, and the others had a 3 year old. They all had a whale of a time in the creche, painting, playing, sledging etc. So much so, that when asked if she wanted to try skiing, the 3 yo said no becoz she didn't want to miss out on sledging with the others!

Leaving your child in a TO creche has advantages as the staff all speak english, and will be easier if the bairn is used to being in childcare, but they've got to start growing up sooner or later. I didn't hear any complaints about the Le Ski creche and I thought they were pretty good. They also did evening babysitting. Obviously in January it can be colder but common sense comes into play, and they don't go sledging in a blizzard if ones blows up.

La Tania itself is small, quiet and good for families. Not really near a "decent size town/village" unless you drive down the mountain, or up to Courchevel 1850? Meribel is nearby but I am not sure that counts!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Thanks THE ICE PERV, that gives me a lot more confidence. Did you leave your child in the creche all day or just half day?

snow reports

Les Gets is excellent for families and has a great village atmosphere

Easy to drive to from the UK too!

Ski Esprit, with in-house creche and all Brit staff. Good resorts. We are going for the third year running in April and my son is not yet 3. Forget skiing for her, just don't think they get excited about it!

You know it makes sense.

Sounds like Morzine or Les Gets might be for you. They both have a number of childcare options with locally run creches and also check out Jack frosts (a British run affair - we used them when in Morzine). Also, they're just about the closest resorts if you;re driving, both good sized villages with character etc. Plenty of private British run chalets there too, see the Solutions Room on chaletsdirect.com

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

rickyday33, creche hours were 9-5 I think. We usually dropped him off just before 10, and picked up some time after 4. Also took a couple of afternoons off to take him sledging, rolling about in the snow etc. The staff were pretty flexible about it all. The Le Ski creche included lunch and escorting the older kids to ski-school, but not all of them do, you will need to check. The chalet did an early kids tea at about 5-30 or 6pm.

Make sure you get your sprog a decent water/snowproof all-in-one or jacket/salopettes, and decent insulated snow boots. Baby-bans are good too - like little sunglasses on an adjustable neoprene/velcro band. S&R do them. Don't forget little snow-mitts either. And a hat! All the gear adds up but so does the adult stuff, doesn't it?!

A snowHead

rickyday33, sounds like you'd enjoy Serre Chevalier,the creche in Monetier-les-Bains is highly recommended too (we haven't used it though). It is also just at the bottom of the lifts,and there's a sledging area too.There's loads to doiIn Briancon too when you're not skiing. There's the hot springs in Monetier, and a swimming pool in Briancon, As it is not high, it's not too cold around the village either esp in March. There are lots of options from UK run chalets, French hotels (Alliey and Auberge de Choucas are nice), also self-catering (we have an apartment there). Ideal if you want to spend the afternoon doing things other than skiing. The restaurants are good too.

A snowHead

we've been a few times to morzinewith kids of 1 & 2 yrs old (then the following 2 years) . We used a local nanny service (alpinenannies) i'm not sure if they're still operating however there are other in the same area. This worked really well, nannie came to our appartment with toys etc and kept them amused all day, we also met up some days for lunch and we swapped an afternoon for evening babysitting. As their mother i can say it was well worth it, I had a very relaxing time especially as the children really enjoyed the attention, playing in the snow etc

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Morzine's a good destination for families (or Les Gets). Very Happy

Alpine Nannies have now stopped trading but Jack Frosts are going strong in Morzine, friends of ours have used them for the last three weeks and we've found each of the nannies who've been coming to our house to be well briefed and with previous childcare experience, not bad at all. Morzine will give you all a town to peruse outside of skiing. The ESF have a Childrens Garden next to and part of the Piou Piou club which is a purpose built building for very young children to play in. The snow garden adjoining has magic carpets, lollipops to ski round, ramps, imitation animals, etc etc all very enchanting for children. Personally as far as skiing goes I'd simply try and buy a pair of clip on skis (seen 'em on ebay from time to time or you can usually rent them in many shops here) They go over your childs shoes and just have some sliding fun early on in the day before they get tired

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rickyday33, didn't brave it at 2 I'm afraid. I've seen kids on skis at those sorts of ages - if they can stand they can be stood up on skis - but unless they have regular exposure I doubt if they get much out of it skiing wise, more just another fun form of play. We got our kids dry slope lessons at 3.5 which I think is the youngest worthwhile age 'cos even at that age their ability to understand instructions and their concentration are limiting factors. We took them for their first week at 3y9m and they were able to ski blues with us. I think kids become easier to teach anything to at 5 but we don't regret taking them at that age. They just needed more exposure and patience and expenditure.

We are going in March while the kids are still relatively small so it's likely warmer. We chose to go half day at a ski kindergarten/childcare centre because we knew the kids wouldn't tolerate a whole day out in the cold. It was the French run the Pommes de Pins at Les Arcs 1800 for kids of all ages. The staff spoke varying amounts but usually disappointingly little English. At this age the kids got an hour or two in the fenced off ski garden complete with magic carpet and mini poma drags and little slope each morning. Fine if they hadn't had lots of dry slope lessons. At first we thought we should try to get them taken up the mountain proper as part of an arrangement the centre has with the ESF for older kids but we decided they were a little too fragile and precious to be allowed up a mountain in a large class and just accepted they'd have a quiet morning while we skied. We skied with them after lunch for a couple of hours at which point they were tired and went in.

It didn't work badly for us in the end. It was relatively cheap. It included equipment hire and you could use it when they weren't in the nursery too. It got us out early and gave us 3 hours or so to ourselves. It would've been easier to use a company with its own British childcare staff but they are a lot more expensive and we didn't go with a TO. The kids will be 5y9m when we take them for 2 weeks next month and it's much easier now. It'll just be morning ski school for them and as usual we'll ski with them in the afternoons.

I believe La Cachette hotel at Les Arcs 1600 has a good reputation for accomm and partic its Kids' Club childcare but haven't used it myself. I don't know how easy it is to get the Funicular down to the largish town of Bourg St Maurice from the hotel but should imagine it's not too difficult. Ski Esprit and Mark Warner have good reputations for childcare but are quite pricey.

Help!!

Skiing with 2 year old...HELP!!

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