 Poster: A snowHead
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As the title suggests, my husband and I have just booked our first family trip (not just as a couple); complete with young dog and baby in tow (will be 13 months old at time of trip). Booked self catering chalet in morzine, planning on driving over and are also flying the parents out to help with childcare and daytime dog sitting. MIL does not ski but FIL will do the odd morning with us. Husband will knacker dog out on morning walk or try skijoring with him
We’ve been skiing at least once a year the last 10 years, tho for me I’ve had 2 years off since being pregnant and subsequently acquiring a new tiny human!
Really just looking for any tips, thoughts, recommendations for making it a success. Thoughts on morzine activities for non-skier? Good cafes/restaurants for daytime? We are well aware we will not get the same ski time as we used to as don’t want to take the P with childcare; but looking for a nice balance. It will be an adjustment as we are normally 30-50k a day skiiers!
Hoping we’re not completely mad to try it!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have to say it sounds wonderful to me in every way. Your new family (baby and dog) your in laws to help out with baby and your own chalet for the week. I suspect as new parents your own ski ambitions (vertical/distance/hours) will probably have waned a little and you will have lots of fun with your extended family. No tips on destination but I am sure it will be a fabulous and memorable trip.
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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 will have a lovely time! Just got back from Chatel with our 13 month old (and four year old). We have managed to squeeze a ski trip in every year since they have been born - there is definitely less skiing involved but it’s nice being more relaxed and you are not rushing out to spend every minute on the piste! Not much to offer on Morzine but if you can find a sledge! Both mine loved sitting with me in the sledge at that age, priceless giggles! Other then that try and keep your ‘normal’ nap time routine going (if you have one hahaha), take some of their preferred food with you - gives you a bit of a rest from thinking of/making up meals. Get a good snowsuit for the little one and we found using a sling (ergobaby etc...) is much easier in the snow (and the airport!) then a buggy! Have a fab time!
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Depending on where you are staying it will be possible for your parents to bring the baby and dog, of two of them, up to meet you in the middle of the day if that is the sort of thing you are looking for. They can come up Pleney and there is a bar of a cafe there or with a not too long walk they can meet you at Le Vaffieu, or Super Morzine gondola will work as well as a couple of places to meet up for a drink or lunch. It should be possible to hire a sledge affair with a handle so making it like a pushchair, sorry bad description, called a Dreamwesver, I think, which we had a couple of times for grandchildren. There are some pretty good buggies you can get nowadays which are good on the snow, we were lucky enough to have a neighbour in Les Gets who used to let us borrow theirs which was very snow friendly. It is nice as there will be a car around to perhaps go to the lake at Montriond where you can walk round the lake with dog and baby and have a drink or lunch st one of the cafes there.
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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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There's a nice park bordered by the swimming pool, the skate park, the bottom of the SM gondola and the lumber yard. It s called the Dereches, the river runs through it, and there's a trim-trail there too. You are supposed to keep your dog on a lead, but 90% of people don't, which is not a problem if they are socialised and don't attack people. You can also push a buggy round the park too.
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The walk round the lake sounds good and so does the Dereches. Thanks. Our dog is only 9 months at the mo but is very well socialised and if anything is too keen to meet people and investigate things! We’re going to take our crate for him should we need it but I understand France is much better with accepting dogs in cafes etc. We’re hoping some long walks in the morning to start the day will set him up for being nice and chilled in the day. He is a Eurasier tho and loves snow so will jump at any opportunity for walking and being busy even when exhausted.
I think I’m hoping to ski most days but anticipating doing a few mornings only so that the in laws get to enjoy themselves a bit too. Lunch meet ups will be perfect. Our chalet is closet to the Pleney gondola and specifically the bottom of the Bouchet drag lift. Hoping as we’re going in Feb there will be good base to ski right down to home
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@FiFi_Trixibell, certainly not mad - we did out first trip with our twin boys when they were that age, likewise we had grandparents along to help!
It's a long time ago now (they've just turned 17!!!) and while I recall they slept in the car a lot, we did decide to take 2-days there and back to avoid them being in car seats for hours on end and to allow for food stops, changes and everything else. Essential - bin bag and wipes to hand!
CDs of nursery rhymes helped (drove us mad) and when older audio books helped pass the time. They enjoyed the odd play outside as well.
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@Boris, yes, we’d heard that taking 2 days to get over is a good idea! think the plan so far is to stay in a cheap hotel in Dijon (I think) and then be able to do the supermarket run and finish the last stretch of the journey up the mountain the next morning. Bin bag is a good idea! haha.
We may well change what we do and send “the boys” by car, whilst I fly from Bournemouth with little one and MIL instead. Have also heard flying with babies is far easier than toddlers...! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@FiFi_Trixibell, I'd certainly recommend it, at least for the first time, if you drive. As you say certainly helps with the food shop.
Flying v driving is personal preference - we drove the first time as we just couldn't face airports and flying with twins and associated clobber! The following year the boys had a sister - so again driving was our preference!
We still take 2-days to drive down, shopping near resort and getting an afternoon skiing in on Saturday. The trip home now is done in one hit.
My parents went by train for years, we took their bags, which gave them an easy time with just a taxi at end.
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We’ve never driven, but actually on paper it seems that for a resort such as morzine; if we were to fly from a London airport that the total time door to door is very comparative to driving, except we can take it more at our own pace (Hence why we’re now giving driving a go). Hubby is also well versed at driving to more northern parts of France for competitive inline hockey tournaments... so what’s a bit further for the mountains!
It does all feel slightly terrifyingly different; given we normally fly, there’s only 2 of us, we usually only do a week, we don’t do self catered (normally last min & cheap TO catered), don’t have the dog and don’t have a child or parents to consider. Nothing like throwing ourselves in at the deep end!! Haha
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@FiFi_Trixibell, If the snow in the town itself is not bonkers, you will se that there is an in-line hockey pitch next to the skate park. It's opposite the ice rink, and the kids from the hockey team play there in the summer.
Also the Morzine Penguins play Wednesdays and Saturdays in the season, so there's a good chance there'll be a home game while you're there. We go a few times a year, and its a relatively cheap night out 8€ for friendlies and 12€ for league matches, if your husband plays inline he might enjoy a night at the Penguins.
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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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@FiFi_Trixibell, I'm never going to say driving is better than flying - just that it works for us!
For us, we could not face twins, bottles, nappies, feeds at an airport, on a plane, on a transfer coach - and carting all their clobber. Car meant we could throw everything in, stop when we needed to etc.
Although our first trip was catered, we switched very quickly! Again for us, find it far more relaxing to be able to slob around in PJs eating what and when we want.
You'll be fine, just enjoy it 
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@Boris, thanks! Yeah I’m inclined to agree with you on the leisurely pace. Plus I absolutely despite coach transfers!
@WindOfChange, sounds good! Haha, yes research has already been done by hubby into the ice hockey. We have watched a lot of local teams in resorts when games have been on. Definitely always a good laugh of an evening now I’m too old and “responsible” to be out until silly o'clock in the morning downing jaegerbombs and dancing in my ski boots! #old
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You know it makes sense.
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I drive to Morzine all the time with my pets, but normally collect my family from Geneva on the way. When I do have to drive with the kids I drive through the night, they sleep all the way and this is especially useful on peak weekends. Last year we all drove home after half-term, friends who live on our road left Morzine at 11:30am, we left at 8pm, yet they only got home 20mins before us.
Yes walking in the Dereches is good with dogs and kids, there's also a playground there. It's also a nice walk up along the river path into the vallee de la Manche. The vets is Montriond is the easiest place to get your pet passport checked before you leave, although they do have strange opening hours so ask in advance.
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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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FiFi Trixibell - dont forget to organise your pre travel vet visit for your dogs return to the UK.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@FFIRMIN, Yep, will do thanks! Hope the rabies vaccine isn’t too horrible for pup
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@FiFi_Trixibell, and don’t forget that the rabies jab has to have been given, I think, at least 21 days before travel. Check on that but no good having it done in the UK at the last minute.
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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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Main supermarket (Carrefour) is 10min drive outside morzine on the Thonon road, much cheaper for groceries, bigger selection and the fuel is cheaper than the garage in resort.
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@Pamski, Noted! Thanks 😊
@MikeM, we were wondering if that carrefour on google maps was the best one to go to as know the little supermarkets in resorts are always extortionate. Gonna whack the slow cooker in the car too for an easy meal here and there
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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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| Boris wrote: |
@FiFi_Trixibell, I'm never going to say driving is better than flying - just that it works for us!
For us, we could not face twins, bottles, nappies, feeds at an airport, on a plane, on a transfer coach - and carting all their clobber. Car meant we could throw everything in, stop when we needed to etc.
Although our first trip was catered, we switched very quickly! Again for us, find it far more relaxing to be able to slob around in PJs eating what and when we want.
You'll be fine, just enjoy it |
I remember those days. Did long haul back from China with our twins when they were 13 months but much preferred the drive for skiing. If you are lucky enough to have one that sleeps in the car, then you are laughing. You can drive for hours and hours between feeds. Don't want to tempt fate but be assured that I have always found French medical services to be fantastic. In my experience they really take care with little ones and do not like to see them suffer. So while, in the UK you get 'it's a virus...bug off and give them sugar water' essentially in France they gave us stuff to get rid of congestion and other such elixirs, also the calpol/ibuprofen equivalents are be weight not age, which is so much better (esp for small twins). Mind you they will not give anti-histamines for kids over the counter, so take your own. Good luck, have a great time.
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