 Poster: A snowHead
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As a result of my other thread on Claviere and La Rosiere, it is now looking very promising that we may book our main ski holiday of 2011 through Esprit Holidays and to Courchevel 1850.
I was amazed at the price that they offered, when the girl first said Courchevel i suggested that it may be way over budget. How wrong i was.
The only thing i've ever heard of the place is how expensive it is. Is this correct, or is it possible to survive on a budget there. We'd be half board at the hotel anyway so at least we'd be getting our two main meals of the day at the hotel.
I think the point of this thread is just that i need re-assuring that we're making the right choice from a family point of view; going to Courchevel and going with Esprit Holidays?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes it is expensive and lunch will cost you if you decide to eat out. Nice family resort though in terms of kids learning to ski etc.
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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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Has anyone ever taken their wee one out of resort to eat in one of the other neighbouring resorts? Are there gondolas, cable cars etc that we could take the wee one up?
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shoogly, I wouldn't worry. I don't know it very well but it's a good place with a child, I'd have thought. Stuff to do indoors if it's horrible (look at people on the climbing wall etc, or marvel at the absurd prices of underwear). Quite a few gondolas, easy to jump on a bus too (e.g. to 1650, which is a bit cheaper).
If I were you I wouldn't really do lunch at all. Not in a restaurant, at any rate. Arm yourselves with some cereal bars etc or make some cheese rolls - although the shops are expensive buying a few bread rolls, a slab of cheese and a couple of apples won't break the bank. Eat all you can at breakfast, and make do during the day. Take a minimal picnic kit - knife to cut cheese and fruit, for example. There are some "salles hors sac" - heated indoor space to eat your sandwiches - but I can't remember where.
Be aware that you can't necessarily judge the expensiveness of the restaurants from the outside. On the mountain, I mean. I was saved from an impossibly expensive hot chocolate one day by a ski companion from our chalet who'd been stung there the day before and steered us somewhere cheaper. Relatively speaking. A couple of coffees and a coke will cost you an arm and a leg just about anywhere in the 3 Valleys.
But the skiing is very good, accessible, plenty of scope to potter around at the base and watch the world going by.
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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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cheers for the tips pam, and thanks for the link boabski... much appreciated.
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fantastic area for kids to ski, mine learnt there, lots of safe enclosed gondolas feeding green and blue runs, with Jardin Alpin having multiple stops which the kids loved moving up the mountain as they improved (although we stayed in La Tania)
We often got sandwiches from inside the covered shopping area that weren't that expensive, and there was also a cheaper restaurant on the run down to 1650, just under the tunnel, where the instructors often take kids, and I think we saw Esprit kids in there.
When the kids were very young the ski company mini bused ours around to Courchevel for their beginner lessons. We were going late Easter and the magic carpet in La Tania was shut, if this was open it wouldn't be necessary. Once they can ski a blue you can get to Courchevel from La Tania on a gondola and then a 4 man chair.
Worth checking prices with http://www.familyfriendlyskiing.com/ IMHO
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If you're half board and you're not going out every night clubbing then yes you can do it on a budget, just avoid sitting in the slope side places in, around and above 1850 as you can easily pay 5-10 euros a drink, and cut out hot choc stops and excessive apres. Carry some drink/snacks wtih you.
And as for eating you can easily pay Michelin star prices if you want to, but there are relatively cheap places to eat (depending on your definition of cheap/expensive), but some of the cheaper places for lunch include:-
Kaliko Sandwich window/hatch at the top the Tovieres Chair, on the left just after you ski under the road bridge as you leave 1850 on the piste down to 1550. - 6 or 7 euros for a large baguette stuffed with burger, salad and chips. The girls on our trip would share one.
Creperie in 1550 (in the row of shops under the 1550 gondola station) - crepes from 3-4 euros or they do a set lunch for about 10 euros with two crepes and a drink.
Also similar Creperie in la Tania.
Whilst some of the mountain restaurants are pricey (10 euros a hot choc) some of the mountainside restaraunts do daily specials whith decent proper meals for some 12 euros or so. Bouc Blanc at the top of the La Tania gondola is a good bet if you do decide you fancy an on-mountain meal.
Theres also a sandwich window with stools out front right at the bottoms of the pistes in 1650.
If you want a restaraunt meal without busting the bank, the row of 3 restaraunts on the road by the roudnabout in 1650 (just 50 yards from the bottom of the piste) are a good bet. They all do daily specials and sets, my favorite of which is L'eterlou (and is a result if the daily set lunch is tartiflette but which also does enourmous very good pizzas).
As for the ski area it is truly superb so enjoy it. Great area for a family and great for kids to progress. Wide easy quiet greens and beginner areas. Miles and miles of rolling blues. Nice reds to progress to, efficient lift system and impecable grooming. In case you couldn't tell, I love the area!
I've never been with Esprit so can't personally comment, but have friends with a toddler who had a great trip with them last year.
I would also thumbs up familyfriendly - i've just booked with them for the 3rd year running.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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shoogly, 1850 is a great location for family holidays. The greens coming back into resort are perfect for little ones as are the beginner areas. It can be pricey to eat out on the hill but if you are after a sandwich/panini/burger and drink type thing, you've got a few options in the Forum Centre (right in the middle of 1850) which houses a small supermarket, bakers, other sandwich shops plus the Kaliko (where a lot of the ski schools take kids).
There are a number of gondolas you could take a little one on for the experience and most have a restaurant at the top. If I were taking a child up for a fun ride with lunch at the top I'd probably opt for the Ariondaz bubble out of 1650 up to the Bel Air restaurant or a ride up the Chenus bubble (1850) to the restaurant at the top. You've always got the Saulire too.
The Hotel Courcheneige on the green Bellecote run into 1850 is not ridiculous for a coffee or hot chocolate stop either.
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thanks for the info.
i have now narrowed down our holiday choices to two - only because i've had another option recommended to me by a friend.
I'm now looking at either Courchevel or Val D'Isere. Both through Esprit Ski. Both the same price. What it's going to come down to, i think, is the hotel.
Crystal 2000 in Courchevel
http://www.espritski.com/AccommodationDetails.aspx?resortId=52&accomId=3018
or Hotel Ducs de Savoie in Val D'Isere
http://www.espritski.com/AccommodationDetails.aspx?resortId=28&accomId=2078
At the moment, ski in ski out in Courchevel is a major plus point for me, as is the in hotel pool, although i've yet to find any info on the standard of the pool in Val D'isere. The very helpful girl from Esprit said it's only a short (free) bus ride away.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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shoogly, I wouldn't recommend the Val D'Isere home runs as being wee kid friendly, I'd pick Courchevel every time for kids.....
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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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kitenski, cheers for that. good point, and another bonus of ski in ski out i guess. just noticed where you're from. we're off down to leeds for a stag weekend first thing friday.... beware 
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shoogly, enjoy, the chances of me being in Leeds City Centre for a night out are slim!!
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You know it makes sense.
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I'd pick Courchevel every time for kids.....
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Absolutely. 100% easier for things like meeting up to swap kids, have a little ski together, etc etc etc. And for just popping out for a short ski, then back to the hotel for a rest; kids get tired easily.
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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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We haves booked the courchevel one. They told us that it was onlny that cheap as it is new to there brochure. We look at the val disere one but the rooms we were interested in were already booked (we are were looking at there suites) I was also looking at chalet alber in st anton. As we are going very early season we are taking a chance on the snow and the courchevel one had a pool which gives us more to do if the snow is poor
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Poster: A snowHead
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We haves booked the courchevel one. They told us that it was onlny that cheap as it is new to there brochure. We look at the val disere one but the rooms we were interested in were already booked (we are were looking at there suites) I was also looking at chalet alber in st anton. As we are going very early season we are taking a chance on the snow and the courchevel one had a pool which gives us more to do if the snow is poor
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Definitely go for Courcheval over Val D'Isere for family skiing. As others have said, the home runs are much easier and the linking of areas is very simple too.
Buy water and Coke from the supermarket and carry with you in a backpack to avoid high on-slope prices (Coke is the same price as beer anywhere you can see a piste even in 1650!!!). We also made great use of happy hours in the various bars where drinks were half price for Apres Ski. I have no idea whether soft drinks were any cheaper though!
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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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I would also thumbs up familyfriendly - i've just booked with them for the 3rd year running.
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Me too!!
Agree with all the comments re Courchevel/ 3Vs. You can make it as expensive as you like but also, possible to save a few bing bongs here and there. My biggest slope side sting was in a forced hot choc stop (6 yr old cold and fed up). Automatic sliding plate glass doors did not bode well and the glossy Rusky/ Frenchie celeb photos were a definite danger sign of the €6.50 ea chocs and €4.00 25cl Stella to come!!! To be fair, I'd normally know better than to stop in the nearest bar to the Altiport but any old port in a storm...
Nice toilets though!!
Can't comment on Vd'I, never been - yet!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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well... that's us all booked up. March 20th. gives me plenty of time to save up for the 20 euro hot chocolates
now... anyone any experience of getting discounted lift passes for the 3 valleys?
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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, discounted lift passes in the 3 Valleys ...
You made the right choice with Courchevel over Val. Ski over into the Les Menuires / St Martin Valley and you may even be able to afford a slopeside lunch. Not sure if they will be doing it next season but the Michelin starred "Le Farcon" in La Tania was doing a skiers lunch for €25 last season. Astounding food (and yes I know that's not in that valley...).
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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, do you want a job as a contractor!?!
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Yes...
but my wife wouldn't allow it 
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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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[quote="pam w"]shoogly, There are some "salles hors sac" - heated indoor space to eat your sandwiches - but I can't remember where.
There's one at the bottom of the Saulire Cable Car, and there used to be another by the Soucoupe restaurant though I'm not sure it's still there
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