Hi all, husband has just booked a week with Esprit for Champoluc in Feb this year, just us and our 3 year old. I'm a bit anxious about going as the last time we went (La Plagne, 2020, 18 months old) was a disaster - baby got really sick and we spent our time in the hotel room with not much to do. We know the area well but only ever been pre-children. If anyone has some hints or tips to help plan a week with a 3 Yr old in the village, I would be really grateful. We have booked childcare for the afternoon sessions, fingers crossed its OK.
If anyone else also happens to be going that week (27th), feel free to say hi here!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Welcome to the forum. I can only repeat the - wise - advice given by others here when I asked a similar question. And that is to somewhat reset your expectations for the holiday with regards to the amount and type of skiing you will get to do. I surprised myself by just how much I enjoyed skiing short gentle slopes enjoying watching my son progress. It was a pleasure of its own.
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?
Had nothing but good experiences with Esprit for the time that they were useful - pre school age. As @greengriff says, expectations of ski holidays with toddlers require a mental reset. If your 3yo becomes unwell, at least you're in the mountains!
There is a spa ... there are swings and things in town if that helps ...
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Be aware that a fair amount of the week will be like being with a 3 year old at home! But 3 is much easier than 18 months, provided he/she is going to be OK with being left. If 3 = nearly 4, they might be able to do some skiing. If it's only just 3, probably not. But lots of kids really enjoy toboganning at that age. Which is very good exercise for whoever has to do the pulling back up the slope.
Understandable trepidation given past experience. But.
Just enjoy the magic of being in the snow with your precious cargo - short walks in the snow, make a snowman, gentle sledging, snowballs, hot chocolates. Take loads of pics to treasure.
I’d do all that again if I could with nippers (ours are now late teens).
If you manage to ski, that’s a bonus.
Have a great time.
[We actually had a break from (expensive) family ski holidays for a couple of seasons when our were about 5 - they used to get upset at nursery or with the fairly aggressive French lady running the youngest ski groups with the family TO we always went with. A wise move not forcing it - a little older and stronger, they later fell in love with skiing].
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
We thought the hotel and childcare was very good although our kids are a bit older and so could ski. Parents of younger kids seemed happy also based on a couple of conversations. Kids food good.
Baby listening service with esprit was good to enable you to eat without worry and give you some time yourself.
There is a bouncy castle and a small fairground type ride at the top of the first gondola - maybe some other things for a 3 year old too.
The village is small but pleasant walk along the river. There’s a playground I think the other side of the river from the hotel and at the far end is a park with sculptures which was really nice.
I am sure you will find it fine!
After all it is free
After all it is free
When we did esprit we booked the childcare all day. Or at least 3 full days and through lunch. Sorry seems cruel but they loved it. They wanted to stay and play rather than be dragged around to bum board or play with us.
This made things so much easier as we skied all morning (first lift to around 2 - after their lunch) and then we had 2 kids and went bum boarding etc. but they demanded to stay in childcare for most afternoons. So …
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.
Like lots of other people, we used Esprit for the first few years of skiing with our daughter. First took her at age 4. That year she was in the kids club thing in the morning, with ski lessons in the afternoon, which meant we dropped her off about 08:45 and didn't have to be back until 18:00. First morning, my daughter required a fair amount of encouragement to get her down to the kids club. Second morning, she raced off and already had art stuff on the go by the time I got there to sign her in. She had a great week.
We had the same high standard of child care every year that we used them. Once you get over any separation anxiety (for you or your 3yr old), I'm sure you'll have a great week.
My main tip is to take a supply of your child's favourite snacks with you. Keeping them fueled during all the snow based fun is key.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski Esprit know how to do it. Their reputation is based on their childcare so its important to them. Label everything, especially the one toy that is vital for calming a crisis. Fill out any info forms carefully because this helps the nannies, then have a great time skiing.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Couldn't recommend esprit highly enough with young children. Their focus is on the children, allowing the adults to make the most, we never did 'full child care' as our's could already ski, so it was morning lessons and then afternoon with them. Evening childcare/listening when they went to bed before us was well managed and run.
Our youngest (now 16, gulp) fell in love with one of the Rangers (aka child care assistants) she was so lovely.
But be aware they'll soon be doing this and putting you to shame.
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.
Thanks so much everyone for the amazing response, it's helped just having people taking my anxiety seriously and trying to help. I have heard great things about Esprit but I am admittedly nervous about leaving my LO - he is an only child and a little shy. He is in nursery but settling took a while! I guess I might just need to be brave!
We are sadly on the first floor of our hotel so apparently no listening service - any tips on how we might get dinner to ourselves are welcome. I thought about our old baby monitor but probably won't work over that distance. 2 way radio?!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@icklepinkstar, first time we went with esprit, with a 4 & 1 yr old we took our baby monitor. Again we were first floor, and could JUST get reception but only in one corner of restaurant. Worth a try! Shame about not baby listening this was a feature we loved about esprit
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@icklepinkstar, I echo what others have said. Esprit was great for our daughter - though obviously at a cost to us. She was also an only child, and those skiing holidays have contributed to her social balance in teenagerhood and now university. She worked out how to navigate those kids' clubs/skiing lessons, loved it, and has learnt so much better than her parents how to relate to people she has only just met but will be doing activities with all week. (And skis much better too!)
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
icklepinkstar wrote:
Thanks so much everyone for the amazing response, it's helped just having people taking my anxiety seriously and trying to help. I have heard great things about Esprit but I am admittedly nervous about leaving my LO - he is an only child and a little shy. He is in nursery but settling took a while! I guess I might just need to be brave!
We are sadly on the first floor of our hotel so apparently no listening service - any tips on how we might get dinner to ourselves are welcome. I thought about our old baby monitor but probably won't work over that distance. 2 way radio?!
Wi-Fi was decent at the hotel you are at so maybe FaceTime between two phones? Baby monitor might work depending on where your room is - staff were great so you could ask to be seated near the restaurant entrance which might help with the range (closest to stairwell and thus the rooms). It’s relatively compact so worth trying that first.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@icklepinkstar, hi can I ask how the trip went? We’re trying to decide on going next half term (2023). Our children are older 7 &5 but never skied in Italy and so hard to make a decision…any good/bad/ great/ugly feedback…would you go again? Thanks
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
