 Poster: A snowHead
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5 weeks out from our ski holiday and teenage son has broken his collarbone at school.
Originally thought on cancelling and trying to claim on travel insurance, as he is fit to fly not sure if insurer will cover as booked flights/accom separately.
We are going out to Plagne Soleil with a few other families so there will be more than just skiing, lessons are a few afternoons and kids enjoy the pool near as much as they do skiing 
Decision at the minute is whether to cancel and try to claim on insurance, or go for it and wife and I take turns being with eldest while others are skiing, then all being together in the late afternoon/evenings.
Questions I have:
1. Hotel has gym/swimming pool so eldest will have plenty to do, we are even contemplating taking his computer to make sure he is occupied while away, for anyone that knows La Plagne are there many other options through the day outside of the hotel that we could look to do with him?
2. Is Plagne Soleil handy enough for wife and I to tag team and split our time between eldest and two youngest who will be on the slopes?
3. How early can you access the slopes? (as kids lessons not until afternoon they may not be in usual rush out each morning so was hoping the teenage sitter could get some skiing in early doors).
Cheers in advance for any advice, as the week has went past since his injury we are swaying more towards going than not, but want to make sure we are not being overly optimistic!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Did you ask the doctor if he’s allowed to ski? 5 weeks is borderline. A lot of activities will be ok by then.
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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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No, consultant says due to the type of fracture he will be 8-12 weeks minimum so skiing is a no-go unfortunately
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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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@Beunos, even though fit to fly, you will need to inform insurers of the injury
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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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@Beunos, get a letter of cancellation from the GP. There will be other skiing holidays.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I would carry on with the holiday if your ds is happy to amuse himself in the apartment and able to use some of the wellness area. I would also check with the insurance company that he would be covered for going abroad and not skiing.
Another option would be for the rest of the family to go and your son stay with a relative maybe. Then you could make up for his lost holiday in some way eg parent and son short break when he is fully recovered. But then it is nice having the whole family together so I’d only do this if he cannot get insurance to come or doesn’t want to.
We went to La plagne this season and Plagne soleil is very well situated in the ski area so you would definitely each get a decent amount of skiing in.
One other thing to bear in mind is the risk of further injury and apparently a good percentage of injuries in resort are things like slipping on ice when not skiing. So your son would have to be particularly careful walking around resort.
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Leave him at home, he will be bored shitless unless he is happy doing nothing all day.
No one likes a grumpy bored teenager.
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Beunos, what does your son want to happen?
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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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@Jonpim, that is the ultimate question.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Seriously though. I think I’d either leave him at home with relatives or all three of you claim on your travel insurance, assuming it was in place before he had his accident?
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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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@Beunos, hopefully someone will be along soon to answer the questions you actually asked - unfortunately you've had the classic Snowheads response of people who (mostly) don't have the information you asked for answering 
You might get it better response if you edit the subject to mention Plagne Soleil. Another option would be to post in this thread:
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=169836
which is where a lot of the La Plagne locals hang out. @Jonpim, has asked the key question though (and I suspect could answer some of the others) but I'm thinking you may want some more information to help your son and you make this choice.
Unfortunately, I don't know Plagne Soleil or how well it's linked to the other villages, so can't be of much specific help. Information about the buses is definitely on the La Plagne resort website. It's probably also worth downloading the Yuge app and having a look at that.
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The information WE don't have is how old your son is, how he is doing after his injury and how he feels about all this. A 13 year old is a very different proposition from a 16 year old. Does he really need someone to sit with him? Some kids are more resilient and self-reliant than others and some collar bone fractures are harder to deal with than others. I don't see why he should be any more "bored shitless" in Plagne Soleil than at home. Poor kid will be bored a lot whatever happens! Having a laptop with him will make a big difference and a change of scene might be helpful - is there good WIFI where you are going?
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You know it makes sense.
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@sugarmoma666, the rolling eyes are un-necessary IMV.
From what I remember Plagne Soleil was a bit isolated from Plagne Centre with only a few chalets, but it has probably grown considerably sine we were there last. It wouldn't have been an easy place to get around on foot to other places.
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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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@sugarmoma666, I think I was pretty well qualified to answer having recently stayed in La Plagne. And as it happens I’ve also spent a week in a ski resort with a teenager who broke a bone on the first day. She did not take up the option of flying home as still found it exciting to be in the alps rather than sat at home.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry, I'm another person who doesn't have the info about La Plagne that you're looking for. Just chipping in to say that I've been in the same position myself... as the injured son. I was 16 and broke my toe playing football in a school PE lesson. I didn't even like football – I was absolutely gutted.
My parents decided to go ahead with the family holiday to Meribel anyway and, as far as I can remember, I didn't hate them for it. I enjoyed the change of scenery and, being quite a diligent kid, I used some of my free time for extra GCSE revision. It was a sunny Easter holiday and I remember walking around the village on my crutches, feeling cool because I assumed everyone would think it was a skiing injury 
So, if you do decide to go ahead with the holiday, I hope your son will see the positives too. Good luck!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@snowymum, hence the "mostly" in my post  Do you know if it's easy to get across from Plagne Soleil to Plagne Centre by bus? That would open up some more options for meeting up at lunch etc. Oddly, although I've skied in La Plagne several times, I don't think I've ever even skied through Plagne Soleil, although I have a feeling I may have been over on a lift.
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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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Thanks for all the replies.
He's 13.
He's up and about atm although still on painkillers.
He wants to go, I'm more cautious due to risk of him falling while getting around.
Will all be dependent on his recovery over next couple of weeks, consultant currently saying sling will be off 2/3 weeks and running will be dependent on how comfortable/uncomfortable it is.
We are going as a party of 20 so the social aspect outside skiing he doesn't want to miss out on.
He has two younger siblings hence my query about tag teaming through the day.
As it stands my view is we wait and see how he is closer to the time, our travel insurance is annual but I will need to check if we need to make them aware within a certain time period or if we can decide not to go 2 weeks out?
Cheers again
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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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@Beunos, thanks for the info, makes a difference if you are in a large group, rather than just a family of 4.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Leave him at home.
I’ll take his place.
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@Beunos, your annual travel insurance will have clauses saying you need to notify them of anything like that. Whether or not you are going to cancel. Because holiday is already booked they should hopefully just say that you are still covered for travelling as holiday booked before incident. However without should something However unrelated happen you could find him uninsured
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@sugarmoma666,
We stayed in Plagne Centre and so only went past Plagne Soleil on skis and passed several ski to the door residences. It is also central in the La Plagne area so it is definitely a good location for skiing part days and still being able to get a decent amount of skiing in.
We did not go to Plagne soleil in the evenings so other people will know better than me what there is in terms of restaurants etc. At least op mentions there is a wellness area in the accommodation so there will be something for her son to do. I also noticed there are a few tele-metro pedestrian lifts between the La Plagne villages in that area but didn’t take one so am not sure exactly where they go. Worth looking into them as well as resort buses.
When we were there at Christmas the lifts opened at 9 and we tended to finish skiing by 4 but later in the season longer days might be possible. Hopefully the lift opening times are on the resort App.
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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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@Beunos, your annual travel insurance will have clauses saying you need to notify them of anything like that.
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Yes, my advice would always be to inform insurance right away, even if you have (quite reasonably) not decided yet whether or not to go ahead with the holiday. I had an 8 year old nephew who broke an ankle jumping off a wall in the playground 10 days before a ski holiday. They came anyway - his ankle was in plaster after surgery but his clever dad had fashioned a waterproof boot for it. He'd had lessons before, and was going to have more, with the same instructor. That was off, but we did book a couple of "handiski" outings, where the instructor took him round the mountain at breakneck speed. He was thrilled with that. As with your impending holiday, it was a big family time, across several apartments, very sociable. I don't think there was ever any thought of cancelling the holiday.
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One Christmas husband and I had gone skiing leaving our sons at home.They were 20 and 22 and were usually sensible.
On Christmas Eve they arm wrestled; being brothers no one would concede and the noise of the upper arm breaking was at first thought to be a shattering kitchen table leg.
So Christmas in hospital, but nothing was said to us until we got a phone call while were waiting at Chambery airport for the flight home. So thoughtful to spare us the worry and spoil our holiday.
The arm healed well. We were all due to ski in La Plagne during the first week in February, it didn’t occur to us to inform the insurers.
Great time in La Plagne for everyone, then of course the toboggan run beckoned and they and my husband and friend opted for the fast run with the driver.
The force on the bends pushing the bad arm against the wall of the toboggan was so great that son thought his joint was going to open up.
Fortunately it held, all was well.
Advice to Beunos: keep your lad and his collarbone away from that toboggan run.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Mopsmum, do you mean the toboggan (luge) run? I would have thought the bobsleigh run more likely, given your description.
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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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I meant this one:
Immerse yourself and follow in the footsteps of competitive bobsleigh crews.
An extraordinary and unforgettable experience.
In a real competition bobsleigh (remodelled and completely safe), piloted by a professional, hurtle down the Olympic Bobsleigh track.
Up to 3G in some bends, around 120 km / h, thrills guaranteed!
The G-force in the bends, the ever-increasing speed, the sound of the friction on the ice
Not for the faint hearted!
Bob Racing leaves you with an unforgettable memory.
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Plagne Soleil is a great location to ski in and out easily so you can get a few early runs in with not much fuss. I dont think there is actually much in the village but there is a free bus service between the villages so he could get down to La Plagne centre easy enough. There are also a few lifts he could go on as a pedestrian so you could get him up the mountain for lunch or to just enjoy being on the mountain
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You know it makes sense.
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@Beunos, back to your initial questions.
1 For other activities I would check the La Plagne website and/or with the Tourist Office directly. A few advertised activities are sometimes aspirational, or limited to only part of the season. You can also find the pedestrian lifts and walking guides from there.
2 Plague Soleil is well situated for split roles. It is a single lift back from Bellecote or Centre, or 2 from 1800.
3. Most lifts don't open before 09:00 (or occasionally later if there has been heavy snowfall). From Plagne Soleil you will probably ski down to the Bergerie chair, which is currently a bit of a bottleneck before around 10:00 (say 15 minute queues) but in another 4 weeks should be less busy.
As another poster said, you can get a bus to Plagne Villages, and then the Telebus link to Plagne Centre. Not sure if there is a charge for the bus if you don't have a lift pass. From Plagne Centre there is a further resort bus linking with Bellecote and 1800.
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