 Poster: A snowHead
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WE have always skiied as a family, but our family has increased. We are looking for a european resort which will keep happy five intermediate skiers, one near beginner and one toddler( the mother of which is not a commited skier) Where would you suggest we go? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Les Gets
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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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margaret,
Virtually any resort should be able to keep your intermediate skiers happy and most will keep your near beginner happy. There are difernet compromises made in keeping a party including a potential non skier and a toddler together with the rest. Modern purpose built resorts make it easy to return to appartments /hotels etc. for meeting up. More traditional resorts are usually more pleasant for non skiers to wander around if they are doing some of the child minding. Do you want the resort facilities to be minding the toddler or do you want a company that specialises inchild minding or will you be doing it yourself?
These things change but when my children were todddlers the best resort facilities we came across on either side of the pond were in Lech and a non skiing granny enjoyed it.
Puy St Vincent is a very pleasant compact ski area and Snowbizz who operate there have a faithful following with quite a few snowHeads. It may be a bit purpose built though for a potential non skier.
La Rosiere is notorious amongst snowHeads but seems to have a good reputation amongst those who have tried it for its childrens facilities, the skiing should certainly suit. Once again though although not purpose built, it does not strike me as a great place for someone not skiing.
I was very impressed with the look of the childrens facilities in Kappl when I visited last year and although we did not use them I would think they are worth looking at . Very pleasant compact ski area similar to Puy St Vincent with slightly more traditional village.
Ski Esprit are popular as a childrens operator and a wee bit more pricey Powder Byrne and Mark Warner seem popular, I have never tried any of them as I always DIY being a skinflint.
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Normally I would assume that any ski resort provided areas for every skier no matter what level.
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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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margaret, if the mother of the toddler isn't a commited skier, then I'd suggest that you look at a resort that has lots of non-skiing options. That way mum has a few options if she decides to spend time with her child rather than ski.
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| Quote: |
| Normally I would assume that any ski resort provided areas for every skier no matter what level. |
Janine, that's a fairly heroic assumption and you don't want to believe everything you read in brochures. It helps, when advising on resorts, to know what people's ski priorities are. In particular, many resorts are not good for people who want to progress from almost flat nursery slopes to gentle greens and blues. And quite a lot have very little territory to challenge the expert skier.
For margaret, an important question will be whether the non-committed mother would prefer somewhere with lots of non-skiing options, or a smaller place where it's easy to meet up, accommodation and shops are near the skiing, and she can get up the mountain, with toddler, for a wander round and look at the scenery. Or where the scenery can be easily appreciated from the village. Or where there is a nice little safe toboganning area for toddlers right in the middle of the village, near the accommodation. Is a swimming pool likely to be useful? etc etc.
Also vital to think about when to go. Not in school holidays, not when it is likely to be pretty cold and dark, etc etc.
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Lech or Saas-Fee may be worth a look. 
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