Les Marmottons, in Tignes, takes kids from 2.5 years old. The skiing is very very gentle, all in a walled garden, not out on the pistes, but nevertheless it's an actual 'ski school' rather than a garderie/creche. We had an almost unbelievably good experience with them last week, which I might write about at greater length elsewhere as they deserve the praise and exposure.
However, this is the one and only place I've found so far that takes kids that young. Three years old seems to be the usual starting point, or even four.
Does anyone know of any other setups that take kids under 3, for actual *skiing* and not just (at best) rolling around in the snow and sledging?
TIA
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I put the Mushette into ski school last year when she was only just 4 (by a few weeks). She was certainly too young to enjoy / learn "actual skiing". I think she would have benefited far more from just playing in the snow with some skis on. This might just be an individual case, but that is very young for any sort of structured learning. This year she made fabulous progress and very nearly caught her 7 year old brother up!
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?
Yeah, mini paulio only schusses along the flat, not snowplough or anything (probably because he doesn't know what a pizza is). He does like riding magic carpets etc though, and the experience of doing a bit of 'skiing' even if it's only straight-lining it on a 1deg slope actually excites him. He really looked forward to every single day at Marmottons last week.
Whereas going to a room full of spittle-encrusted plastic toys for a day makes him scream his head off until we get a phone call asking us to come and take him away. Hence the question.
WhistlerBlackcomb only takes them from 3 years old.
LittleH has been skiing from age just over 2, and is pretty big/strong, but I don't think he could have done lessons then - it was just us having fun on the snow, getting used to having skis on, and doing some occasional skiing- more as he got towards 3 and could suddenly ski properly
He's now just turned 4 and has been in lessons every Sunday this season. He clearly learns a lot but isn't dead keen on going.
I've been pondering not puting him in lessons next year, and was talking to an instructor friend over a few beers last weekend (an ex-national/olympic team coach, who now prefers teaching his grandkids ), who suggested not doing them due to the restrictions on places they can go with the little ones, but rather just work on a few drills and then go rippin' wherever he wants.
LittleH loves skiing the powder, trees, jumps, etc, but ski school (for obvious safety reasons) can't go there much, and can't even go on chairlifts yet with the ski school, so they are very restricted to the terrain served by the gondola, and he gets pretty bored.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
So does anyone know any, other than Marmottons in Tignes, that take kids from around 30 months?
Most resorts I have looked at start ski school proper at 4 or 5, but if your little one is only 2.5 I would look for a playground type affair with a magic carpet. Put them on skis and let them have fun, but don't try to force them into structured skiing lessons too early.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Er, yes. That is what I'm looking for. A skiing garden, preferably with a magic carpet, for the under 3s.
So. Does anyone know of any?
After all it is free
After all it is free
paulio, It's just possible Wengen might, but it being Switzerland with the current exchange rate it won't be cheap, they do have a snowgarden for the young kids but I'm not sure what age that's from, Oh and they get taught by a giant rabbit called Snowli
The snow garden is pretty well flat and they build a gentle slope using a piste machine for the kids to go down, it's a good location right in the middle of the village next to the ice rink which is handy for toilets etc. Also there used to be a kindergarten there but I have no idea if they still do that, last time I was in the kindergarten was nearly 40 years ago Though for some strange reason I can remember making a cat mobile which I believe was basically a large cut out cat head with a great long tail, why I can still remember making that I have no idea, other than I must have enjoyed it
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.
Do you mean like the ones they have in Les Gets and Morzine? the Piou Piou there both have big snow gardens with little magic carpets and lots of hoops to ski through etc
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Yep. But ESF/Piou Piou don't take under 3s, to the best of my knowledge.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
It's transpiring that the answer is 'Les Marmottons is the only one', which makes it even more remarkable than it already was.
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.
I was actually looking for something similar for my 2 year old nephew and found this in Le Chinaillon but didn't follow up on it in the end.
Ecole de Ski Français
« Les P’tits Bout de Glisse »
Jardin des neiges. A partir de 2 ans et demi jusqu’à 3 ans. Découverte de la glisse un moniteur sur 1 heure.
Prix indicatifs : séance d’une heure (12 €) ; 5 séances d’une heure (50€) du dimanche au vendredi.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
miranda wrote:
I was actually looking for something similar for my 2 year old nephew and found this in Le Chinaillon but didn't follow up on it in the end.
Ecole de Ski Français
« Les P’tits Bout de Glisse »
Jardin des neiges. A partir de 2 ans et demi jusqu’à 3 ans. Découverte de la glisse un moniteur sur 1 heure.
Prix indicatifs : séance d’une heure (12 €) ; 5 séances d’une heure (50€) du dimanche au vendredi.
So, right on my bloody doorstep then! Hadn't spotted that. Thanks.
Emphasis seems to be on XC rather than Alpine ski equipment, but I guess that's cool.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
whats wrong with rolling around in the snow and making snowmen when you are 2 1/2 ?
I keep forgetting Chemmy was racing when she was still in the womb
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
skimottaret wrote:
whats wrong with rolling around in the snow and making snowmen when you are 2 1/2 ?
Nothing at all.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
paulio wrote:
miranda wrote:
I was actually looking for something similar for my 2 year old nephew and found this in Le Chinaillon but didn't follow up on it in the end.
Ecole de Ski Français
« Les P’tits Bout de Glisse »
Jardin des neiges. A partir de 2 ans et demi jusqu’à 3 ans. Découverte de la glisse un moniteur sur 1 heure.
Prix indicatifs : séance d’une heure (12 €) ; 5 séances d’une heure (50€) du dimanche au vendredi.
So, right on my bloody doorstep then! Hadn't spotted that. Thanks.
Emphasis seems to be on XC rather than Alpine ski equipment, but I guess that's cool.
I sent them a message via the SHITTY WEB FORM that the tourism office provides, as oppose to just giving an email address. WHY OH WHY DO WEBMASTERS STILL DO THIS? AGH!
They said they only take from 3+.
But I think it's a mistake. The web form emails the ESF, but the above club is run by an XC wing of the ESF who seem to be a separate entity. So I've mailed them instead.
Y U so complicated, life?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
paulio would be interested to hear if you manage to sort anything out - there is of course nothing wrong with rolling around in the snow but all the three-year olds were loving their ski lessons and there were a few "I WANT SKI!!!" moments from the 2 year-olds. Frankly - as I looked on with a busted knee - I felt the same, and I didn't even get to go sledging and eat cake to make up for it! As you say, even if they're just pootling about on a 1 degree slope, they really feel like they're skiing like world champions
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?
Sadly Grand Bo's XC season has come to a halt, and hence that outfit is closed for business now, as all the snow has gone. Good on-topic suggestion though, thanks miranda.
paulio, that's a shame - I think I saw that they did it in Flaine too, which is too far to have been of interest to me and the little kids here but might be a possibility for you.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Lessons from 2.5 at Gerlos if you want to add that to your list.
As long as the expectations aren't too high and the sessions are kept short there's no problem with introducing them young - our oldest first had skis on at around 9 months, the youngest on his 1st birthday.
This was the youngest at 20 months: http://youtube.com/v/O1xovYeMdUI This season, at 4, he's been skiing with us and copes happily with most Austrian blue/red runs.
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.
paulio, Arc en Ciel school in Siviez near Nendaz, links into Verbier. They take them from 2.5 years in a group of 2-4 kids for a couple of hours. Our lad was much older when we used them but I saw the way they handled the tiny ones and was seriously impressed (I have posted this before on a thread somewhere), their set up is a far cry from the typical Jardin de neige, they get the kids up the chair and skiing from the start.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
), who suggested not doing them due to the restrictions on places they can go with the little ones, but rather just work on a few drills and then go rippin' wherever he wants.
