 Poster: A snowHead
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We think we're going to be heading to Serre Chevalier for our ski hol next season - mid January - and need a base that has plenty to do for us and our friends with a couple of really young kids. Swimming pool and other stuff would be a big bonus. What's the best place to go? Mix of skiers and boarders as well with different abilities. My folks are also thinking of coming out for a break and to help with the wee one so it would be good if they had stuff to do. I know that there's spas etc in the area.
Oh, and childcare/nursery as well.
Recommend away! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shoogly, I'll be back later, busy at work.
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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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merci
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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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Helen Beaumont, will give you the low down on Monetier I expect! Snowangel has also written about the baths too. We didn't manage a trip this time round, but it looks lovely. I recall there is a pool in Villeneuve too.
If weather is fair, which it usually is, Monetier is nice for strolling round, as is old Villeneuve, le Bez, St Chaffrey, and around Chantemerle. The tourist info has loads of leaflet info on village walks etc. There are also ususally nice things arranged in the week [that's a bit vague, sorry]. If you want to meet pedestrians for lunch etc, then Serre Ratier above Chantemerle is accessible most of the time by the big gondola [closed 1 -2pm I recall]. The big caffs can be busy but the food is ok, and the atmosphere congenial. For more adventurous trips [sans enfants perhaps!] you can do easy arranged snowshoe walks e.g. up the valley where the Tabuc run comes out. You can even have a ride in the piste basher. Pedestrians can go up the Bachas and Casse de Boeuf chairs too.
Briancon has enough for a good day trip - the old town is lovely, with lots of tat shops, cafs, and history [Vauban was here!].
There is a ski bus which you can use free if you have a pass, and I know pedestrians can use as our chum did when she came and couldn't ski. Must have got a pass.
There is plenty to explore in a week. Much more than say Flaine, Meribel-Mottaret, Les Arcs, where we have been recently too. We have been going for over 10 years and still haven't seen everything...You will love it.
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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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shoogly, It depends a bit on whether you have a car or not when you are out there.
Monetier is convenient for the slopes and has hot springs . It is an attractive spot to walk round though a non skier could be bored after a week.
Briancon at the other end of the ski area has a very attractive old town for walking around and it has an excellent public pool with an out door bit a lazyriver, water slide etc. It gets a bit more sun in January than the other bits of Serre Che. for boarders the down side is that to get back from the rest of the skiing you need to get a short tow or a very long traverseing path which is not always snow sure. Tow can be crowded in high season but unlikely to be a problem in January.
If you don't have transport the area next to the lifts is convenient but dark and a bit depressing. Furthur away you may be relying on public transport. There is some accommodation reasonably close to the lifts that is fine but you need to know the area a bit to work out which to use.
I have been to Briancon with parents and young kids who have enjoyed it but I don't know about childcare arrangements I'm afraid.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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shoogly. HOw many will there be in your party?
All the villages and Briancon are easily accessed by the ski bus which runs along the valley evry 15-20 minutes until 6pm .So you can visit Briancon easily enough without staying there. If you have a car you can stay anywhere, and all the villages have their own charms.
If you have young ones learning to ski, I suggest Villeneuve and Ski-connections ski school.The creche in both Villeneuve and Chantemerle have been recommended by various SnowHEads too. There is a pool, but it is attached to one of the hotels I think.
The creche in Monetier is brilliant according to some of my guests, some with very small babies have used it too. There's the new hot springs (which are fabulous and Chamoissiere accomodation has a pool , sauna and steam room.www.eurekaski.com/accommodation.html has some larger apartments there,which are only 200m from the pistes. There is a reserved sledging area at the bottom of the lifts in Monetier. It also has some great restaurants (but so do the other villages too),
www.serre-chevalier.com has details about childcare, creches, accommodation and facilities in all of the villages.
Chantemerle also has some MGM and Best Western apartments with pool etc. Easy to get up the mountain via the cable car to Serre Ratier with the little ones to join the skiers for lunch too. Le Troll is our favourite place there.
Anything else you want to know, just fire away.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 23-05-09 18:23; edited 1 time in total
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Monetier has got to be the place, purely on its charm. A little quiet, but so beautiful. If you don't like ugly buildings (not as bad as Tignes/La Plagne, but still dissapointing urban architecture) avoid Villeneuve.
Excellent skiing in Monetier and the other areas are easily accessed by skiing over or taking the bus.
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Would argue that the old bit of Villeneuve and Bez are very pretty enough.
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There is a pool, but it is attached to one of the hotels I think.
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The hotel Plein Sud in Chantemerle had [has] a pool - and was not too far from the slopes. Friendly enough and Brit run, though this was a few years ago when we went.
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Monetier has got to be the place,
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This was our revelation year - we've always stayed in Villeneuve and Chantemerle and thought Monetier seemed to get lots of traffic, but were very pleasantly surprised when we stayed there, as it was very calm at the end of the day.
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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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Positive I posted in here last night.
SO...............
Agree with MarjMJ, about the old part of Villeneuve and Le Bez, only the 70's stuff close to the lifts is ugly, as are parts of Chantemerle. Of course I am entirely in agreement with both MarjMJ and Christopher, that Monetier is by far the best village. There are plenty of restaurants, a couple of hotels if you don't want self-catering, and of course, the fantastic hot springs, although children under 4 can't use it.
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There are 6 adults (2 non - skiers) and 2 toddlers. We'll need creche/nursery facilities as well.
I think i'm going to see if i can find someone to put a complete package together for us including the flights/transfers.
Thanks for all your input, much appreciated.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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shoogly, for childcare, see if Pippa Curtis can help. She is based between Villeneuve and Chantemerle. If you book a certain number of sessions (I think three), she will pick up the children for you. She looked after our two girls, 7 & 6 at the time, along with her own daughter, and they all had a thoroughly good time 
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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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shoogly, try SkiMiquel if you want a chalet package. None of the private chalet operators or even tour ops do childcare in Serre Chevalier though, so you will have to rely on the local provision.
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shoogly, try SkiMiquel if you want a chalet package. None of the private chalet operators or even tour ops do childcare in Serre Chevalier though, so you will have to rely on the local provision.
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