 Poster: A snowHead
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We are a family of 4. Wife and I are 39, and kids of 12 and 2 at time of travel.
To avoid taking eldest out of school we wanted to go skiing the week before Christmas, 16/17 December. Clearly this will have to be a high resort, but I am happy to book late to open up a few options.....but we have an (possible) issue with child care. Unfortunately we niece can't come anymore.
We could take it in turns to look after the little man, but I would also like to ski as a family too. Do many places offer to look after kids as young as 2?
I'm also 40 at the end of April and fancied skiing on my Birthday, just the wife and I. I guess we just rock up to where there is snow. I didn't want to do a whole week just a wed to Sat/Sun, something like that. Book easy jst flights now to somewhere and hire a car?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You should be able to find good TO deals for 16/17 December. Obviously for higher French resorts or maybe even everywhere depends how good the start of the winter is.
We did two DIY trips before XMAS - Livigno and Obertauern and they both have been excellent, snow + sunny weather.
I would wait for good TO deal to Tignes for example. Some resorts even if the snow is good might not be in full swing before Xmas week.
As for your April trip I would go for Austria - flight and rent a car (best will be Insbruck) - good glaciers Stubai, Hintertux , Solden etc.. or even end of the season party in Ischgl
Driving should be fairly pleasant at this time and will give you plenty of options.
http://www.bergfex.com/stubaier-gletscher/
http://www.ischgl.com/
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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 don't think I'd drive for half a week!
Yes, I'd book flights for April then wait and see. Either the Austrian suggestions or fly to Geneva and go to Tignes.
For the pre-Christmas trip there should be some deals including childcare. I'd not book yet, though.
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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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For the December week, I'd contact companies that specialise in childcare stuff, first that springs to mind is Ski Famille. They have a property in Reberty, which is high enough for that week to be fairly snowsure, good access to Val Thorens even if the start of the season is a stinker, but you should be fine. To get childcare etc, leaving it last minute could be a mistake. You don't want to rely on leaving a 2 year old with a company you've never heard of in the back of beyond. When you say ski as a family, I can only assume you mean parents and older kids playing on the nursery slopes while 2 year old sort of stands up a bit and gives it a go or gets on a sledge or something?
For the April trip, I'd just bag a spot on the EoSB and even if you do half a week it will be good enough value and high enough altitude that if anywhere has got snow they'll have found it. If you don't want to go that route you will find quite a few companies prepared to take end of season shorter weeks because they won't be fully booked. Normally you'd struggle because they want weekend to weekend bookings through the season, but some hotels are more flexible.
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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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Monium, I meant, that if we can't get child care and we take it in turn looking afterwards we will miss out on any 'family' skiing. As in the family that can ski!
Although I always want to end up strangling 12 year old daughter....so might not be a bad thing!
EoSB does work out well.....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Also take a look at Esprit. We were with them in Courchevel 1850 in Crystal 2000. They have onsite creche which our 15month was in. They were very good and the hotel is ski in ski out. My eldest was 4 at the time and had a great time - all the children seemed to be having a great time.
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dave_m, we took ours out at age 2 with this company, and went back about 6 years on the trot from memory!!!
http://www.familyfriendlyskiing.com/
Looks like they are offering free childcare for the w/c 19th Dec
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Didn't think that through.
I cracked my femur at the end of October - my consultant say no skiing until Feb.
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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: |
I cracked my femur at the end of October - my consultant say no skiing until Feb.
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I'll guess at your confusion 
You think I should challenge what he says as 4 months is a lonng time for a cracked femur
You think I am dumb for even thinking I could go that early after a cracked femur
I'm a half wit who ruptured his ACL not that long ago
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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dave_m, I think he was more referring to the fact that the end of October is a week and a half away...
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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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LOL!
Very good point, of course I mean't the end of September 
Not leaving the house for a few days is turning my brain more mushier than before!
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| Quote: |
I think he was more referring to the fact that the end of October is a week and a half away...
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yup.
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You know it makes sense.
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| dave_m wrote: |
We are a family of 4. Wife and I are 39, and kids of 12 and 2 at time of travel.
To avoid taking eldest out of school we wanted to go skiing the week before Christmas, 16/17 December. Clearly this will have to be a high resort, but I am happy to book late to open up a few options.....but we have an (possible) issue with child care. Unfortunately we niece can't come anymore.
We could take it in turns to look after the little man, but I would also like to ski as a family too. Do many places offer to look after kids as young as 2?
I'm also 40 at the end of April and fancied skiing on my Birthday, just the wife and I. I guess we just rock up to where there is snow. I didn't want to do a whole week just a wed to Sat/Sun, something like that. Book easy jst flights now to somewhere and hire a car?
Thanks |
Hi Dave. Our family have been trying to book a holiday the week before Christmas with childcare at snow sure resorts and we were very surprised how all the childcare appears to have been booked up for that week. We tried everywhere Espirit Ski, Skifamily, Skifamile to name but a few. Some operators suggested booking a hotel/apartment and putting our grandson in a local Creche. Good luck in getting childcare if you are going to leave it late. If you try the sites that deal with childcare now you will see how booked up they are already. We ended up booking with Mark Warner at Val D'Isere as we had no choice. Really looking forward to it though.
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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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Probably because schools are off all that week, and it is significantly cheaper than christmas week and half term week. If I had realised that sooner (befor TOs realised and upped their prices I would have booked then)
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Poster: A snowHead
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dave_m, my friend Melanie can organise childcare in Serre Chevalier. Either with a local creche or privately. Creches are used to English kids . Her website is www.eurekaski.com The snow before Christmas is usually very good (we've had a big early fall which should form a good base). I've also got availability in my apartment from 16th-23rd December which is just 200m from the pistes. Link in my signature.
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