 Poster: A snowHead
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We're a UK-based family looking to spend the January-February half term 2025 in a family friendly location, with a mix of locals / expats. Ideally, the area would offer opportunities for French lessons, good snow for snowboarding (intermediate), and homeschooling activities for our children (ages 6 and  .
My husband is French-Swiss and lived a bit in Switzerland, so we've been considering the Valais region, specifically Nendaz or Sion. However, we're also open to locations in France if they might be more affordable. Criteria is close-ish to airport as my hubby will be flying back and forth.
My husband speaks fluent French, while our French is currently limited. My children and I are taking lessons and hope to improve our conversational skills during our trip.
Any recommendations for a town near good intermediate slopes that also offers French classes would be greatly appreciated! Also looking for recommendations for how to find a 1/2 season rental 3-4 bedroom chalet / flat.
TIA
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 10-06-24 11:00; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alpine French School in Morzine, Mint snowboarding has locals snowboarding groups at the weekend in Avoriaz and lots of places for rent and a v big expat community.
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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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@jschleis28, Welcome to Snowheads.
My thoughts went to St Gervais.
We had a cosy appartment right in the middle of the town. From AirBnB
Across the road from the tourist office.
25 Metres to Mini Market
10 Metres to ATM
5 Metres from Ski Bus stop.
About 100 metres to the Bar.
Very good for beginer and Intermediate.
Or for Switzerland consider Crans Montana
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| Alpine French School in Morzine, Mint snowboarding has locals snowboarding groups at the weekend in Avoriaz and lots of places for rent and a v big expat community. |
This was my immediate first thought
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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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Welcome @jschleis28,
I really like Nendaz and often visited January. Haven't specifically used the facilities you request for family, but its a fairly significant infrastructure all in village.
Ideal, from location and simple ease of snow access, some very good slopes right there, also with access obviously to wider 4V ski domain. It has alot to offer and usually very good snow conditions.
Could try https://www.interhome.co.uk/switzerland/valais/nendaz/ office based in village with helpful staff and direct local knowledge. We've variously used them for different sized accommodation and always found them helpful.
I feel very worthwhile to consider for your request.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Depends whether you want to be culturally immersive in a town, or less so in a ski resort. Being somewhere like Martigny or Sion would make it easy to do bad-weather days out to places like Château Chillion and Lausanne, or spa/swim days at the likes of the Bains de Saillon. And these are places where ‘normal’ (as opposed to tourists) people are living and working. But if you want to be in a resort then Verbier is the biggest and has excellent public transport connections that run from early morning to late at night, but as mentioned, places like Nendaz are pretty cosmopolitan and a lot cheaper in terms of accommodation, but still connected to the wider Quatre Vallées ski area.
There have been threads on here that discussed staying in Le Chable as a positive in-between solution. It’s linked directly by train from Martigny and has a public télépherique up to central Verbier, but is cheaper than the latter for accommodation. It’s also convenient for excursions by train to Sion, Lausanne, Chillon, and Geneva. It has a big car park if you decide it’s easier to drive to the télécabine or railway station, depending on where you are in the village.
So if it’s the valley, take a look at Martigny and Sion; if a resort appeals, then look at Verbier or the cheaper Nendaz; and for an in-between option, take a look at Le Chable.
Personally, I’m not sure what value they’d get from sitting in a language class when they could be either skiing or actually out and about immersed in the culture. I’d treat the trip as a chance to exercise stuff they’ve learned back home from school or tutors, but with Dad in the background when they go on an excursion. If you could, I’d target a trip to Château Chillon as something that would appeal to all ages, and perhaps associate that with a ride on one of the Lake Geneva CGN Belle Epoch paddle boats that land there. There's a train station right by the château.
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Thanks for your replies, really appreciate the insight.
After doing some research, I think St Gervais and Morzine tick most of the boxes we're looking for so will concentrate our search there.
Would it be better to go through a real estate agent than Airbnb for the rental and does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks!
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@jschleis28,
If your chosen resorts have a facebook group page try asking on there.
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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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Great suggestion thank you 
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| Quote: |
Personally, I’m not sure what value they’d get from sitting in a language class when they could be either skiing or actually out and about immersed in the culture
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I think that's a good point. You might be better off in a resort where every other man-in-the-street isn't British and the assistants in the boulangerie shrug apologetically if you address them in English. And put the kids in French-speaking ski lessons where they get lunch too. Some resorts lay on "activities" such as crafts and cooking in the afternoons - though probably only in the holiday weeks. All good opportunities for conversation and an ideal adjunct to "home schooling". As are guided snowshoe walks for adults.
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