 Poster: A snowHead
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What's the best Italian area/resort for infant care (like 6-12 mo) Whilst mum&dad ski
So we have a newborn who will be 7-8 months old when we plan to ski in late Dec and or Early Jan.
Mum (grinningsoul) is a beginner, had a few injuries and so needs good terrain and a good school (that speaks good english - he Italian is non-existent) so she can build her confidence back up, find her feet and continue to improve like she was doing before the injuries.
Dad (me) is an expert/racer and wants loads of varied terrain for when mum is in lessons and he wants to have fun,
but also wants there to be a good selection of beginner slopes for when skiing with mum - to help build confidence more and also to challenge and push her a little to help her improve.
Does such a place exist?
Is it La Thuile? is it Val Gardena? Is it Alta Badia (like San Cassiano or Corvara)?
I know it is not Courmayer.
Livigno looks like its ok for mum, but baby care? and daddy's fun?
What about Via Lattea? Enough beginner terrain? good baby care?
would love to hear people's experiences
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would recommend taking a look was www.espritski.com they have nurseries either in their accomadation or in near by dePending on which you choose. We went with them to Courchevel in Crystal 2000 and we have booked to go next year with them to St Anton in Pepi Gabl. There setup makes it particuarly easy with young children you have all the facilities in the accomadation like high chairs, children's plates, cutlery, beakers, a baby / parents rooms with baby change facilities, microwave, bottle warmers, baby food etc.
When we went to Courchevel our youngest was 15 months and had a good time in the nursery they are all English speaking nannies and it will reduce your concern about leaving your baby while you skiing. They also have baby listening on the evenings while you are eating evening meals.
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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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Just to add they have several chalets in Selva which personally we really enjoyed skiing there and think the area would fit your requirements
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NickyJ, just talked to esprit today. I for one could not afford them. 5500 for one week in tignes, exclusive of childcare and all other add-ons.
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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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Wow which week is that? We are paying a lot less, but to get that we are going last week of the season. The child discounts for the first and last weeks of the season mean our youngest is free and eldest 40% of brochure price. All in all it was £2700 for everything (childcare and lessons for both girls, lift passes, accomodation, flights, transfer, insurance) only thing we haven't paid for in that is ski hire as I have found that much cheaper to do independantly.
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patricksh, yes, I could never have afforded Esprit when my kids were little, either. Any chance you could organise some grandparents? My mother did a holiday with us when the kids were little, and did morning child care when the rest of the family was in ski school. And now I am the babysitting grandma!
Are you set on Italy? I have very little experience of skiing there, but when we spent a few days in a hotel near Cortina it was full of big Italian families, complete with grandparents! There are other family ski firms which have been mentioned here on Snowheads, including Snowbizz and Family Friendly skiing which are cheaper than Esprit.
Another option is to share self-catering with another family with small kids and take it in turns to do the child-care.
There's a world of difference between "late December" (super-expensive and crowded) and "early January" (quieter and a lot cheaper).
If I were you I'd leave the "challenging and pushing" to a ski instructor (preferably an incredibly attractive one with twinkling eyes and a sexy laugh). It can all go a bit wrong, between spouses, however good a skier you are - and however sexy your laugh. 
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quadwould,
In our area (not sure about others) the child care is highly organised for children of 3 yrs and above. Loads of activity centers run by various ski schools (including ours) that tie in ski lessons with other activities run by qualified nannies. You can place children in the centers for an hour, a day or any other length of time. They are run ski groups specifically geared toward your children and with the more child-friendly instructors.
But, for children under 3 there’s nowt. OK there are babysitting services available but I don’t think that’s what you’re looking for. The reason for this is that families tend to turn up in a resort with lots of generations so they always have someone to look after the babies.
There is a company I have seen called ski-nannies (or something like) that you could Google them and contact to see if they are within your budget.
I think in this case you may be better off going to one of the large English resorts in France as they will have more facilities for looking after English kids.
I would suggest Mark Warner (worth a phone call) as I seen loads of UK parents depositing their kids with the staff before they set off for a day on the slopes.
| pam w wrote: |
| If I were you I'd leave the "challenging and pushing" to a ski instructor (preferably an incredibly attractive one with twinkling eyes and a sexy laugh). |
Thanks for the recommendation
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quadwould, Try Crystal, they have a couple of Italian resorts with their own nursery for little ones. From personal experience of looking when mine was younger good options for little ones are almost non existent in Italy. Just thought of another one though, try Mountainsun (Joanne from there is on here) think they have a designated creche week once in the season at their place, that might work. Otherwise you will have much much more choice in France and Switzerland at this age, or maybe look at Kinderhotels in Austria.
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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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pam w, it is actually quadwould, asking question- not me! But I am interested in this thread too because we have same problem. I would not be interested in Italy, basically I am looking for something close to Geneva. We stayed in La Cachette in Arc 1600 2 years in a row which I highly recommend but we do want a change. So definitely interested in suggestions
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patricksh, ah yes, sorry, got confused. Not surprised to hear from wayne that it's grannies who do the care of the little ones in Italy - that's what I suspected. It was interesting seeing the multi-generation families when we stayed in a hotel near Cortina - where we were the only Brits and nobody spoke any English! A very different experience. I am now the grandmother of a baby who lives in Italy (and am learning Italian because the other nonni speak no English). So I'm interested in how Italian families do things.
In our small French resorts it's mainly grandparents, too - there is no creche for little ones and very few people offering baby sitting services (I searched a few years ago, for a Snowhead who was hoping to get a baby sitter). It's mostly the Brits who seem to want this kind of child-care. Hence wayne's recommendation for a resort with a lot of British tour operators.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, by the way, I agree re your comment on spouses- learnt that one from bitter experience
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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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quadwould
I have not stayed in an Italian resort since having children so have not used childcare in Italy. However if via lattea is a ski area you are considering I'd recommend basing yourselves in Montgenevre just over the border in France. There is a new purpose built ESF creche in a building at the foot of the slopes, right by the ski school meeting point. Friends of ours used it this year for their one year old and were happy with it. Montgenevre is an excellent resort for beginners with good ski schools so would suit your wife's needs. It is linked to the milky way (via lattea) so you would be able to ski over to the Italian resorts (although if you had a car it might be easier to drive to Sestriere, Sauze).
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You know it makes sense.
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WOW what a response,
Right... oh and a note, the baby is being raised bi-lingual (English and Italian), so Italian only nursery is ok (possibly preferred)
NickyJ, Yeah we have seen some in Selva, I think through Esprit, but that's about it. Is your experience there at Wiesenheim?
pam w,
Grandparents are not an option. We want an us-3-only holiday. (also, my parents are deceased, and hers are adverse to cold)
Yes, Set on Italia
I have taught many in the past, including partners, (and will eventually qualify as Basi 2 - when I have the time) so will be carrying on in that way because that combined with morning lessons will help reinforce and stabilise what she's learned.
Wayne, pity because Folgarida/ Madonna Di Campiglio might have suited well.
France is not happening. been there far too much b/c of traveling with friends.
Mark Warner comes up with £1260-1410 for Courmayer - So price wise it is promising - but i am not sure about he baby care there, and i think there is not much timid(recovering from injury)-beginner-friendly terrain . (the main schooling area, from what i remember seeing is Checrouit - which is crowded)
snowymum, Maybe... but we wont have a car. So what are the busses like?? And What's it like for baby care in Sestriere or Sauze?
I am not adverse to larger Italian resorts (though to be fair, few are HUGE/overcrowded, like many French or Swizt or Austiran places)
I know there is a great british draw to things french (its somehow oddly wired into us), but we are both firm in our position, it must be Italy.
We can ski France in groups of mates later in life, when we can leave the little one with his grandparents. and we will be having him ski as early as possible in Italia - (cuz he will get his French fill with school trips and races (should he choose to compete))
There are loads of great places to Ski in Italy, but the fundamental question here is, Which can also provide a good school for mum (with good english speakers) and good baby care for
Anyone with any experience at La Thuile?? i know they have great beginner terrain and good schools.
and how about Bardonecchia?? I skied there aged ago (1990's), so cant remember much - Baby care??
Thank for the replies so far.
please keep them coming.
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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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quadwould,
I think maybe my last post was done at the same time as yours so you may have missed my correction.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Quadwould - If you definitely want to go to Italy I think La Thuile would be a good option for your wife - plenty of easy to intermediate skiing.
However I don't know if any of the UK operators (Crystal, Mark warner etc) have creches there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Our kids are just out of Ski Esprit ages this year. Apart from the first time when my son was 20 months In Chamonix and then just under 4 months in Verbier I've never paid brochure price. We've pretty much used them fo rthe last 8 years solid. You can pretty much work out when the deals are going to appear for the week you want and then go for it. Even with two kids in 2011 I paid sub £1500 for the base price in Val D'Isere at Easter in catered Chalet Hotel. This year the prices looked to have gone up a few £100 but it was still doable and was again sub £1500 for the week after Easter. So it is all a question of picking the weeks. If you can avoid normal school holidays (which I can't!) you can normally get a good deal somewhere. It also helps to be more flexible on resort. But I've been with Esprit to Verbier, Chamonix, Courchevel, Les Arcs/La Plagne, Val D'Isere for example all of which have great skiing. They go to La Rosiere where they have a lot of chalets so you have La Thuile if you do want some Italian skiing.
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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 am afraid i havent been to any of their places in Selva, when we went to selva it was before we had children, loved the area and did consider
Weisenheim but when I went to try and book for first week of season it was fully booked.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Wayne,
Indeed.
wow, that adds up quickly... it would be like £400 just for a sitter.... leave the baby at home with grandparents would be the option there...
snowymum, was thinking it for mum, but for baby, the availability is the main question..
Reecie, France just isn't going to happen
NickyJ, Selva is looking like a major contender. Wiesenheim gets pretty good reviews, but some "meh" ones too. need to do more digging I think
Bardonecchia anyone?? the piste maps looks like its really friendly for mum, and i have am acquaintance that instructs there... so.. any experience with child car there?
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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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quadwould, Champoluc with Ski2?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Speak to Joanne at Mountainsun. They do a great week towards the end of the seasons which would fulfill all our requirements.
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under a new name,
not really the right place for mum
RobW,
I was thinking their Chalet in San Cassianno, but I am unsure about how suitable it would be for a 7 month old infant. But the terrain is perfect for Mum...
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quadwould, I agree may not be too brill for an infant normally, but they do one week towards the end of the season in which they lay on creche/childcare. [Or at least did, not been for a few years.]
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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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In Alba di Canazei there is a nice creches that will take little ones for the day at the top of the cablecar. http://www.tananai.com/index_invernale.htm
It's a nice quiet area for Mum to get some confidence building skiing in.
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There's quite a few threads I see about childcare, and so many places that offer so many varied levels of care and cost.
I wonder if there would be a market for a 'skiset' ski hire style model for child-care facilities in resorts.
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