 Poster: A snowHead
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We're hoping to go skiing sometime in the New Year taking Alice who will be 6 months old in January. Has anyone used Crystal's childcare services - Pepi Club?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mrs johnboy, no experience with Crystal for childcare - sorry. But a very long time ago we took our daughter of 11 months to Flaine. She learned to cry in French. And all the sprogs in the creche caught the same bug.
But at only 6 months, it's probably a lot easier. Enjoy the trip.
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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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Mrs johnboy, yes we have used it in Les Deux Alps and Morzine, although a few years ago now. Always seemed to be pretty good. Our kids went to nursery from an early age so were used to be left with "strangers". Don't forget to take a box of Calpol, baby neurophen as you often need it when you are away.
Hope you have a great time
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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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Mrs johnboy, yes, we've used them quite a bit and have always been really happy with them. We've always had really friendly cheerful staff in the creches. The kids go out for "walks" aswell so you will also need to leave suncream and glasses with them. Where are you thinking of going? We've used Alpe d'Huez and Courchevel with them.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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boabski, Yes, i didnt like the look of that one - Hotel Turquoise? - as it was in a dark basement.
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Shimmy Alcott, yup. Location etc was fantastic though. Thankfully my youngest has now been skiing with us for 2 years now, so don't need to bother about chidcare
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Mrs johnboy, Used them in Tignes, and daughter was very happy, aged two at the time. Nursery was in the chalet we were staying at and she just about got one to one. Took them out quite a bit.
Nursery was the best bit, the rest of what crystal did was rather average.
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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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Thanks everyone. 
Shimmy Alcott, not sure but hopefully France.
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Mrs johnboy, are you not taking grandma?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w,
Just looking at all the options at the moment.
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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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Just had a quick look and they've stopped doing it in Courchevel 1850 
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Mrs johnboy, not Crystal Pepi but I cannot recommend Snowbizz highly enough for childcare. It is a very small company read truly personal service, with the owner present every day in resort. The small team of nannies are all lovely and the head nanny has been with them for 3 possibly 4 seasons now, pretty sure she is returning this season. My son is nearly 6 and skiing all day now so not a big factor for us now but if I have another baby that's where I will go for the childcare. Resort might not suit you and johnboy as it is very small, the advantage though is you can back in a flash to Alice if you needed/wanted to. Best of luck with your choice 
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You know it makes sense.
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hi
have used them before in norway - where the creche was at the bottom of the main slope so you could ski round
every 20 minutes or so, we have also used exprit extensively.
i think the actual care rates about the same, although for actual skiing care - as they learn to ski esprit are better as they stay
with the kids during lessons.
ours is now 6 and for the last two trips and the next we have switched back to crystal on cost as we saved 500 this year over esprit.
Flaine was good last year - the totem was where we stayed - like all hotels it could be bit better looked after bu the facilities for the kids
and the extensive kids slopes just below the hotel ( shallow green about 500m long) was really usefull.
the crystal gang at flaine were very good.
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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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Mrs johnboy, I've stayed in the Turquoise in BP about 6 years ago - - - as a late booker taking a single room with no kids.
Cannot comment on the creche but the location is superb for piste access for you & Mr JB.
Don't recall any of the Mums & Dads moaning about the sprog handling at the bar of an evening so I suppose that's a +.
The food wasn't brilliant but family friendly. IIRC the hotel had no TV - didn't bother me.
But even the best place can change season to season with new staff.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mrs johnboy, if you go mid jan maybe have a look at skifamille (and mention you are a snowhead and you might get a discount). They seemed to pick their staff very well and they looked after the kids well. They often have offers for mid january.
Ski Esprit are also worth looking at as they have a wide choice of resorts, more like a big tour operator like Crystal
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We can really recommend Le Ski in La Tania (Chalet though, not hotel). Their creche is lovely and we used it for the last two years. The kids are taken out every afternoon for a walk/bum boarding session and later on in the season they quite often were taken up in the bubble for a hot chocolate and play in the snow at the top of the mountin. This was fun as the parents would meet the kids there and then ski back down underneath the bubble and the kids could watch them.
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FAQ
(nursery was in basement with no natural light). I think though for the age your daughter is at it will be ideal as they seemed to spend most of the time dealing with the under 12 month old kids (which is perfectly understandable but quite annoying in the sense that I felt that my son was missing out on fun time in the snow). We would often finish early so we could take him out sledging etc. Ski Familie (sp?) and Esprit get good right ups on here, although I've never used them as thankfully I'm passed all that now 
