 Poster: A snowHead
|
I am going to be out in Chamonix with my family for the first two weeks of February and the first two full weeks of April. My daughter is just under 3 and at the moment my wife and I will be taking it in turns to ski and not going out on an evening as we have no childcare (and the agency rates are not affordable). My question is do any of you locals/regulars know of babysitters who would be willing to do the odd evening and maybe some half days so I can ski with my wife? Also what does anyone think is a reasonable hourly rate for a directly paid babysitter for evenings/days?
Any help would be appreciated, we're pretty experienced as skiers but this parenting is all knew.
Thanks Carl
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 28-01-09 9:42; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Also - is anybody else in Chamonix those weeks with thier similarly aged kids who might like to meet during the days to help the non skiing parent that day to not get too 'cold turkey'? Or maybe even do some babysitting swaps to enable couples to ski together.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
No body out there who's got any advice or will be in the same boat at the same time? (That should bring it back on to the home page if only for 5 minutes 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
midgetbiker, Try this outfit http://www.baby-cham.com/ I have no experience of them but saw their poster in a supermarket in Les Houches a couple of weeks ago.
Alternative ideas: look at cards displayed in the supermarkets; I am assuming you are going independently if not then ask the TO rep; Ski Esprit have a big chalet hotel in Chamonix which means they have a big childcare set up, you could try turning up there and seeing if you could negotiate with them for a few hours in their creche if they have capacity(not likely if it's school hols weeks), I don't know if they will do this, the official line would be no but they might, Mark Warner would have done this for me in ADH a couple of years ago but I didn't follow it up; See if there are any other UK family TOs in Cham who might do the same; for evenings ask the Esprit/other TO staff if they would do babysitting; why don't you try your daughter skiing? then you could get a few hours skiing time, the Panda Club ski kindergarten in Argentiere seems to get good feedback http://www.panda-club.com/ or there's the ESF snow gardens, you could try. Generally you can do 2.5 hours or half or full days with them and with the ESF you don't have to book the week you can pay as you go on a daily basis generally, don't know about Panda.
Re. babysitting rates, I think you might expect to pay 8E per hour.
HTH a bit 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
have you even tried esprit just for chldcare ?
I am planning to give it a go oneday just to see if they will do
for instance half term
esprit have very little availability for holidays - but lots of child care available - can they really afford to
turn away money ???? it has to be worth a try
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I've heard there is a Zoo in Chamonix, maybe it has a creche? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I know the people at baby-cham and they're very nice. The tourist office also carries a list of babysitters though not all will speak English
Evo2 don't take them that young I think but can sometimes arrange childcare, worth a try?
http://www.evolution2-chamonix.com/accueil_en.html
Also Ellie at babycham has just started an art class for kids:
Baby-Cham.com is happy to introduce a Children’s Art Workshop in Chamonix!
Release your child’s potential with the guidance of Leontia Reilly who, using her degree in Art from Leeds University has been running a London based children art work shop for several years. Leontia is here to let the children of Chamonix find out how to put the fun in Art using all of it's forms.
The classes will be bi-lingual for both French and English children and will start on the 9th of January and continue every following Friday.
They will be divided in two categories, the 6 years and under and children of 7 years and over.
Friday's @ 16.30-17.30 is for the under 6 years old;
A fun and creative way to explore arts on its basics, using hands on approach, children explore themselves using colours and senses.
Workshops range from;
• Printmaking
• Mask making,
• Finger paining
• Drawing and many more....
hope this helps...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| I've heard there is a Zoo in Chamonix, maybe it has a creche? |
or one of those kids boot camps
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
sarah, gazza2 & firebug thanks for the advice. I will try everything you suggest (and more) until I find a solution. Should be easier next year when she is old enough for creche/ski school, but then Mrs Midget wants another 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I hope they enjoy the Finger Paining!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
midgetbiker, we will be out in Chamonix in April 2010 and friends of ours will be in a similar situation to yourself. (A long time to go I know but we like to plan!) Did you settle on anything recommended above or an alternative?
If there is anyone else who can give any other pointers for childcare in Chamonix ( or Les Houches) it would be much appreciated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Tatty, in feb '09 we used some swedish 'nannies' (read ski bums) who were pretty good, in april '09 we found a british lady who had moved to Cham and was setting up a business (she was excellent but moved to Canada on Sept '09 just after our summer break). For xmas, feb and april '10 we have had a girl recommended by the lady who moved away but she is a little shy on committing to specific times and dates which is making us nervous. It might be we just end up hitting the tourist info directory again (that's where we have found the others). when are you in Cham over april, maybe we can team up to help each other out (either with actual babysitting or shared costs).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tatty, ps I'm sure baby-cham are great but as we are there a fair bit they would have worked out dear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Actually now that this has been bumped: Anybody out in Chamonix this season and looking for a bit of babysitting/nannying for 1 to 2no three (pushing four) year olds?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
