 Poster: A snowHead
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We're looking at the options for our January holiday and have 3 resorts in the running. Avoriaz offers what looks like the best skiing, but looking at the resort website and google maps it looks a bit on the small side.
Anyone got any experience of being there with a toddler or two? Restaurants, swimming pool?
Other options are Serre Chevalier - although the flights and transfers are putting half our group off - and Les Carroz next to Flaine where we'd have a pool in the accommodation.
Les Carroz also looks pretty small, but the pool would be a good bonus.
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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, check the pool temperatures. There's an expensive complex here with a pool in - but people we met who stayed there said the pool was so cold their kids wouldn't contemplate going back again after freezing the first time they tried it. 
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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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shoogly, Les Carroz, the village, "looks pretty small" or the ski area  I've stayed in Les Carroz, and thought it was a lovely alpine town/village, with some nice trad shops, cafes,bars etc. The ski area is within the Grand Massif and even the 'local' pass includes Les Carroz, Samoens, Morillon and Vercland - the larger pass has all these plus Flaine - I wouldn't say either area was small for a week
Don't know about the pool at whichever residence you are considering in LC, but we offer a very good quality one in Samoens (and the pool is definitely heated!  ) Sauna and steam room too.....Not sure about childcare in Les Carroz, but in Samoens, if the toddlers need it (presuming you aren't taking a granny or similar with you and all intend to ski), there is a new garderie in the village which takes babies from 3 months, but perhaps more convenient if they are the 'right' age, is the ski kindergarten at the top of the Grand Massif Express in Samoens. You can drop them there, go and ski, pop back as and when you need/want to check in, and pick them up when their session is over or you are ready.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 30-06-09 19:13; edited 1 time in total
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shoogly, why are flights and transfers putting your group off Serre Chevalier?
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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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In les carroz there is a mgm with a pool, les fermes de soleil , pool has alway been a reasonable temp when we have been there
There is also the new CGH les chalets de jouvance which are near to the gondola, and have a pool . It opens in december. Only 34 apartments, so quieter pool etc whereas les fermes has 104
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went to avoriaz in january best resort ive been for skiing, views and the fact that you can almost ski a different run everyday with great links to morzine and les gets make it a must do next year for me again. It depends wat your going for if your going there with the main priority being to ski as much as possible then avoriaz is the one. there are a few things to keep the kids occupied i found that alot of the children there seemed to enjoy sledging and the horse rides at night. however there are very limited options for the kids. but great bars for the adults. Also expect high prices in the resteruants and bars. if you do go fly to geneva as the transfer is fairly short it only took us about 2 hours to get to the village.
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Depends on the levels of your group but Les Carroz has plenty as it is lift linked to the rest of the Grand Massif as Anniepen, stated. If you have beginers or early intermediates the smaller pass is more than enough. If you like to clock up miles get the full pass. Nice spot too.
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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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turin serre chevalier is a very easy trsnsfer -we did it diy though
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THanks for all the input fellow snowheads... i wish it was easy to satisfy the demands of other people in a group holiday.
AAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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shoogly, What are their demands? Let us know and I am sure  s can help.
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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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turin transfer was less than 2 hours and nearer 90 mins
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good quality hotel with indoor creche with english speaking and registered creche staff and swimming pool with short transfers good food high with guaranteed snow and flights from edinburgh or glasgow and a big ski area with powder trees lots of restaurants to choose from and a few pubs but nothing too lively 
dan100, i think i'm going to stop being an organisor, go alone and sit back and relax and wait to go to either serre che or claviere again!
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You know it makes sense.
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shoogly, Thank goodness you haven't got any non-skiers to contend with in addition!
Any of your 3 choices would be great. It may come down more to style - Les C and Serre Che both more traditional, but only Avoriaz can you do your hockey stop on the apartment doormat, unless you stay at This hotel in Les Carroz, which I think ticks most of your boxes, but is hust a bit above the resort centre.
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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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shoogly, Avoriaz has everything you want with exception to Hotel with English speaking staff. So the accomodation will be a problem for you. Ski wise and from a transfer point it is perfect.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| shoogly wrote: |
We're looking at the options for our January holiday and have 3 resorts in the running. Avoriaz offers what looks like the best skiing, but looking at the resort website and google maps it looks a bit on the small side.
Anyone got any experience of being there with a toddler or two? Restaurants, swimming pool?
Other options are Serre Chevalier - although the flights and transfers are putting half our group off - and Les Carroz next to Flaine where we'd have a pool in the accommodation.
Les Carroz also looks pretty small, but the pool would be a good bonus. |
To Serre chevalier
I flew Bristol to Turin £50 flights each inc boards and Ryanair stealth tax! Transfers from Turin aAirport to Villenvue are 2 hours tops!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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shoogly, The only creche in Les Carroz isnt english run, their website says that they have some english speakers but I doubt they are english registered. That said the MGM in LC is very nice and I am hoping for a visit there sometime this year, actually it would be good to find out where you go as we have similar requirements now with a new 3 month old who will need some supervision, so if someone can prove me wrong regarding the childcare in LC then I will be happy
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As a parent of a 2yo and a 7yo, I wouldn't go to Avoriaz with a toddler. You may like snow with everything and everywhere, but Avoriaz's elevation means that January can be pretty cold: if you want to ski that area, stay in Morzine down the valley and go with one of the many childcare options there.
Les Carroz I don't know about the childcare, but we have used the childcare facilities in nearby Morillion and in Samoens quite happily for a number of years: of course they aren't "english registered" but do you seriously expect them to be so? After all, a nursery in Oxford is unlikely to be "french registered" so why should be opposite apply??
Skiing wise, any of the places you mention offer great scope for masses of skiing - they are certainly not small resorts as there is plenty of scope for skiing throughout the interlinked areas, assuming you buy the area-wide pass, not the local one.
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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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prthomas, The childcare in les carroz is souris verte, we used them in the old creche building for my daughter who is now 8, and they were fine. You must take the red health book, and perhaps be prepared for a little health interview as english children do not usually have the BCG vaccination, but that procedure may have changed. There is now a brand new creche in a new chalet building across the road from the les fermes de soleil (opposite chalet D) its about 3 minutes walk. The new chalet looks very nice, but we have not used them for 5 years so no recent experience.
here is the link http://www.lescarroz.com/index.jsp?c=70668
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Used the creche (Souris Verte) for each of the last two winters for my daughter who was 5 months and 17 months at those times. As carroz, says, the location has moved and is now is a new, purpose built building that is just a few minutes walk from the centre of town. I provided innoculation certificates via email before going and had absolutely no time delays when I was there. I was very impressed by the place. Good faciliites and good staff.
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FAQ
Let me know if I can help you any more or if you have any other questions I can help you with. It's not often I know what I'm talking about 
(like to imagine I do anyway!!!!)
