 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm now planning next year's ski trip in advance as I've missed the last 2 seasons through injury to my partner and then her pregnancy/ the birth of my daughter.
Here's my scenario:-
I have skied for about 16 years and am a strong intermediate,
Beanie has skied for 2 weeks and has detroyed her ACL 2 years ago so is very nervous but wants to get back on skis.
My son and daughter will be 14 and 11 respectively and have never skied,
Aylishb will be 18 months old when we propose going in Feb 2007.
I've tentatively selected Alpe d'huez flying from Manchester to Chambery and staying in the Crystal hotel Hermitage, as it has a British run creche for Aylishb and can also accommodate my 11 year old daughter's dietary needs, as she has PKU.
Do you think this is a reasonable choice of resort to take beginners and a nervous Mum. What is the Apres ski like? Has anyone been to the hotel recently?
Any info would be gratefully received.
Cheers 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Peter B, skiied ADH last weekend for the first time and really enjoyed it.
It looked like a good resort for beginners are there are lots of greens/blues around the main bowl surrounding the town. Also plenty of other more demanding terrain to keep you happy.
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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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Peter B, I think you may find a few  have some comments to say about Crystal and their creches. I am sure Alpe D'huez will be a great resort and there are plenty of resorts experts here who can give you advice.
Usually the smaller operators can cater for special dietary needs if they know in advance.
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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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Peter B, Have been to AD twice with family, there are some nice easy runs for the nervous & beginers alike & some challenging ones for you, can be a bit bleak if it's rough weather though as there are no trees.
If you can contact Stuart Adamson at I think Masterclass, he offers good tuition.
Be aware that Chambrey can be a nightmare at busy periods like school holidays & often shuts down in bad weather, facilities there are almost none existent! Traffic can also be bad at peak times, once took 6 hours to drive from airport to AD on Saturday of half term!
Popped into Hermitage for a drink with friends about 3 years ago, they weren't over impressed with their accom!
Sorry if that's a bit negative 
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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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contact Stuart Adamson at I think Masterclass
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Will second that, he was great!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Peter B, We have skied Alpe d'Huez with kids from Vaujany and agree its a great resort for beginner, but do look at SKI PEAK who operate from Vaujany and have a very good creche. As a resort its a bit more "sympa"
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We didn't think it was great for nervous beginners when we went (02 I think) as the runs home are all down the same 'face' and get very busy and aren't that gentle. I also found it to be very dead in the evenings and a little odd to navigate with all the different levels. However it was a bad snow year and maybe we just didn't try hard enough with the apres ski (we were by the swimming pool if anyone knows the resort well)?
For nervous skiers I'd be more inclined to recommend soldeu or les arcs of the places I've been?
aj xx
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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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ajhainey, Sure you are thinking of Alpe D'Huez?
There are various runs back down, I think at least 3 greens & It was all on one level at bottom last time we went there.
Would agree that apres ski is limited but that's an advantage with youngsters.
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Peter B, Why not consider a quieter resort than ADH. Nervous skiers and learners are always intimidated by busy slopes.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've only been to AdH once but would say it's near perfect for nervous skiers, with superb long wide green runs directly above the resort - better for beginners than anywhere else I've been out of ~50 resorts, with the possible exception of Courchevel 1850. Obviously that's just terrain, and you need to get the right ski school/instructor, but my experience of the ESF (admittedly on snowboards) was fine. Have also skied 3 or 4 wks with Stuart Adamson a few years ago and would echo the compliments of others here.
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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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Check out Valmorel - a nice resort for beginners / improving intermediates with good access as it is in the Tarentaise. Afraid I can't comment much about the sprog situation though as I don't have any!
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Peter B, We stayed at the Hermitage in Alpe d'Huez in 1998 over New Year. It was very convenient for the slopes, about 100 metres walk and then ski down to a chairlift. The food there was probably the best we've had on a tour operators holiday - but no doubt now out of date! Lots of green runs for nervous people and I understand some seriously good stuff elsewhere (but I was a beginner then).
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You know it makes sense.
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We stayed with Skipeak as well. fantastic food (I've never had lobster bisque between courses on a ski holiday). The creche in Vaujanay was pretty good its very big, used by all th elocal pisteurs, guides etc. However, we found it a real fag waiting for the minibus to take us from the accomodation to the lift and its a bit of a walk from the creche to the lift - fine in snowbaord boots but the skiing mum weren't too impressed.
i can't speak that well of the skiing becasue the snow was absolutley dreadful - mainly artificial and its not possible to ski back to vaujanay. We went in 2002 so I may be a bit out of date.
When we were there one of the people in a neighbouring chalet fell over on an icy blue and seriously damaged his face and worse - words like coma, and brain damage were used. In fact he was something to do wit hthe evening standard I think and his story featured in the press in the last 12 months or so about his rehabilitiation and getting back on skis. I may have mixed these stories up a little but the innocuous fall on the easy blue nearly resulting in the skiers death did happen when we were there. In fact that whole chalet seemed jinxed they all had bruises, black eyes, broken bones and stuff by the end of the week.
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