 Poster: A snowHead
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I know there must be some Snowheads who have the answer to the following (AI doesn't have all the answers....yet)
The brief:
- Easter
- France (as will drive and don't have winter tyres which rules out most other places)
- Somewhere with a good bit of skiing at altitude so not skiing slush all the time
- Childcare for 18 month year old, and some sort of club with ski lessons for 5 year old
- Self catering - bonus points for super close proximity to childcare above!
We have done snow Bizz in the past and Val Cenis ticked the boxes last year (albeit not at easter).
I know one of you must have successfully found a solution to the above! Try not to get distracted by the winter tyres reference 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We go to Les Arcs at Easter, and we love it.
We have driven it once,and now get the train. Easy enough drive. We broke it up over two days, leaving the UK on a Friday, arriving back on a Sunday.
Stay in Arc 1950 and look at Evolution2. They offer childcare and club/lessons.
https://www.arc1950.com/en/commerces/the-yeti-nursery-40
1950 is high (1950m), all accommodation is ski in/out. The village is small and flat, so also easy to walk around, so everything is close proximity to ski school.
Can't offer any specific accommodation suggestions as we stay in 1800, but I know there's plenty of SC options there.
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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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We do this every year, Portes du Soleil. It's slushy, but great as relatively lightly trafficked.
Childcare is sorted out pretty much a year in advance, though. We do a combo of a childminder, private lessons and a bit of ESF for the elder (7 this year) Your best bet may be a hotel with childcare, at this stage.
But also, check the local social media forums for childminders for your chosen resort. Usual caveats apply - checking competence, legality, references etc.
Best of luck! I love taking the kids at Easter - warm, sunny, fun for them.
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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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@Owlette, big fan of Les Arcs, a well trodden path for us (before kids), was having a look around 1950 already so you are on the right thread!
@Harry Flashman, not sure I will convince the other half, who is already hesitant about putting the youngest in childcare, to leave our youngest with an individual we have not met before.... Easter is great time to go like you say!
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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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Mmm. 18 months can be a difficult age. We didn't go skiing till our youngest was 4 and could go into ski lessons. I have subsequently done a lot of "ski child care" over the years for my grandchildren, including transport back and forth to lessons, picking up and bringing home for lunch, etc
I can understand your wife's reluctance to put your baby into child care if they are not well accustomed to nursery etc. Any chance of taking a grandparent?
Easter is much the best bet for a small child who can enjoy playing out in the snow - just a stick to poke a pile of snow with, or a little bucket and spade, can keep them occupied for ages, provided they have suitable clothes. In the depths of cold dark winter it's much harder.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Agreed - I dont much like the idea myself. We are lucky, as we have spent entire winters in the PdS, have local friends, and thus get local, trusted recommendations.
We went to Selva a couple of years back and managed it, but again got a recommendation from friends with kids a few years older than ours, organised the childminder months in advance, and still spent the whole first morning worrying that the kids had been abducted (they hadn't).
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Depending on your budget, you can hire nannies to take with you. They will meet you in the UK and spend some time with your children, then come out with you.
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Looks like I'll be taking our children at Easter - of course they're all in their 20s now - once you start taking them you can't stop 
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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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@Skiyeah, regardless of whether you have winters officially you will need chains - though you are highly unlikely to need them at Easter.
5th year on the trot we are going to Les Menuires Easter - maybe tells you where we are at in terms of recommendation.
Can't comment on childcare there though.
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| Quote: |
though you are highly unlikely to need them at Easter
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Indeed unlikely but I've only needed chains twice to get up to Les Arcs in the dozens of times I've been and one of those was at Easter.
It was 3 in the morning and I could have waited until dawn when the road would be cleared.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes I once needed chains in April to get up a short but steep hill. I had 4 good snow tyres but the sudden shower of very wet snow gave no grip at all no matter how low delicate my foot on the throttle. I put the chains on and did my shopping - that same stretch of road was steaming dry by the time I came back a couple of hours later.
The French regulations approve some snow socks - they have lots of disadvantages but some people (not me) find them easier to fit than chains and they'd be a useful insurance, in the boot.
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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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@Skiyeah, we've been Arc 1950, Belle Plagne, Avoriaz and Val Thorens at Easter with the kids. They are all fantastic in many different ways, and whichever one you pick you'll have a great time, but if I gave the family/kids a choice, Val Thorens would win every time. Never going below 2200m, with heights of 3400m can make a big difference in a warm April.
Les Arcs is one of my favourite ski areas (and I tend to go with friends most January's) - but have to say the slopes around Arc1950 were horribly soft, lumpy and slushy anytime after 1pm.
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We always drive and self-cater at Easter, though my kids are a bit older and we never had to worry about childcare (they were 6/9 and both straight in to ski school the first time we went after not being able to go earlier due to covid).
We've done three trips to VT and one to Tignes, and back to Tignes for Easter 2026. Both decent options, plenty of self-catering places with good access to the slopes. Wouldn't personally want to go much lower at that time of year.
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You know it makes sense.
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We've done three trips to VT and one to Tignes, and back to Tignes for Easter 2026.
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Tignes is hosting the British Alpine chapionships at Easter so will provide a bit of spectator sport.
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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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@Skiyeah,
UK child specialist tour operator?
No winter tyres? No problem, just make sure you have chains - even with 4w drive & winter tyres the police can insist you put chains on if the conditions dictate. I did 4 x seasonnaire in Tignes with summer tyres & chains.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Origen wrote: |
| Mmm. 18 months can be a difficult age. We didn't go skiing till our youngest was 4 and could go into ski lessons. I have subsequently done a lot of "ski child care" over the years for my grandchildren, . |
The problem is the one set of grandparents already going, and as I have said to them they still ski far too much for my liking..... We have done a couple of trips with both sets of grandparents when child one was sub 3 years, but I didn't see that as much of a holiday!
I see we have still been drawn to tyres like moth to a flame.... seeing we are looking into the flame.....driven out to the alps 30 ish times - half of which January. Had to put on chains or socks less than 5 times. For me personally I am comfortable with snow socks (and the associated frailtys) for the few times I might need them - 2 sets of socks live in the boot of my car for those fearing I am gambling on taking nothing (2 sets because 1 set is part worn and wouldnt want to completely trust if it is a long drive on snow in mixed conditions)!. It's more of an issue that I am not really allowed to drive to Austria or Switzerland.
It's definitely easier when they can go into some sort of ski school and creche. Couple more years until that point!
Easter is great time for kids (apart from how wet their gear gets!)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Skiyeah, we’ve done the past two Easters as self drive, loved it. Great way to keep costs sensible and still have a great time.
We’ve been the week before Easter due to schools breaking up the weekend prior, but this year it was very late (second week of April) and the year before was end of March the year before. We visited L2A this year, Oz En Oisans the previous year. Both offered great snow, and it wasn’t busy either. Both those resorts are dead simple drives as well. Plus, there is a ton of great accommodation via the likes of Sunweb.
Our kids have loved both trips; they’re 11 and 16 now so they’re pretty self sufficient and mobile, I.e it’s not a hassle getting in a gondola or downloading if there’s no low snow. But even in the days when it’s been a bit slushy and/or not much snow low down, they’ve loved it regardless and I’m sure your bambino will have a whale of a time.
BTW, I’m with you on tyres - the idea of shelling out a load of money on top of a holiday sealed the deal for us to self drive to France, fly to everywhere else.
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