 Poster: A snowHead
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We travelled to Les Gets at the end of December 2012 for the New Year week. Having received so much advice over the past few years I thought I would share my experiences with other members.
Esprit Ski: Fantastic service. From booking, to changes to travel plans, to arrival in resort the admin staff were great. In resort the Esprit team were all new as it was only their second week with customers but they were all well trained and helpful. In chalet catering was good. It’s a bit weird booking a holiday for a student to cook for you all week but they held it together and the food was good. Wine was plentiful and tasted OK.
Childcare: Absolutely awesome. My 4 year old girl did not want to leave the snow club every day. My 23 month old was having fun too and seemed very happy. They do so many activities and even go up the bubbles to watch the skiing and do sledging. The travel on the fun train, build snow men and igloos, play games and sing songs. In the evening one of the childcare team then joins the kids in chalet for their evening meal before the adults eat. Hats of to esprit for making this part of the holiday worry free.
The Chalet: This is located about 3 mins from the nearest bar/shop and10 mins from main lift. If walking with your own gear this could be a pain. However, the ski hire shop stored ours overnight and made life easy. The chalet is one large chalet separated into four separate ones. Child care, nursery, boot room etc is all contained in the same building. The chalets are simple, clean and tidy. No frills but comfortable. We were in Martine and also saw Chalet Aventine which looked nice.
Resort: Loved Les Gets. Traditional resort (not purpose built) with lots of bars, restaurants, shops, ice rink, ‘fun train’, and other things to do. The ski lifts are easily accessed and the fun train runs between two main lift areas. There is a wide range of local ski runs to suit all abilities. You can travel to Morzine on the local pass or get an area pass and travel into other resorts and Switzerland if you are more adventurous than me.
Snow/Piste/Weather Quality. I will stress that I am not an expert and this is just my opinion. We had one evening of snow which provided a nice new layer of snow for the next day. Otherwise, we had lovely sunshine to ski in every day except for one morning that was like skiing through pea soup for 2 hours. It soon cleared and normal sunshine returned. The slopes in Morzine were less fun than Les Gets. Icy and lots of artificial snow in place. It may be due to the direction the slopes faced but Les Gets slopes were lots nicer to ski in my opinion.
Ski Hire: We used Delavay Sports. The service was good. On the afternoon of arrival we visited to the shop to get fitted. They stored the skis and boots overnight so no long treks for us. The store is 20m away from the slopes. Perfect location
Tuition: We used Ecole 360. We are still learning/intermediate skiers. This was one of the only ski schools with lessons available over New Year so we had little choice. We booked 2 days of private lessons for our group. The instructor Julian was good. He provided advice on improving our skiing and took us around the local area for orientation. Located at the foot of slopes/ski lifts and right next to Delavay Sports the location was great. Happy with the service and they replied to my annoying emails.
Overall. I loved this ski trip and did not want to come home. I will no doubt return one day but as this is only our second skiing experience we will probably try a few others before we do. Would I use Esprit Ski again? Absolutely. I am already looking at next year’s holiday in their brochure. La Rosiere anyone?
Thanks again to all forum members for the help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mike-H, glad it went so well.
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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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Mike-H, Nice review, I love Les Gets, glad you had a good 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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Mike-H, glad you had a good time. We travelled to Les Gets with Esprit in 2008 (I think the first year they started using the building). Their childcare offering has always been their strong point, and the standard of the accomodation in that block is better than some of their other places I think. Kids are older so will not be using them again, but glad you have discovered 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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Mike-H,
if you fancy it and if you are still thinking of Esprit - Chalet Hotel Crystal 2000 in Courchevel (ignore most of the doomsayers who say it's expensive). Right on the slopes ski-in/out.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ansta1, is it easy access to the town? We like to ski in morning and gave fun with kids around town in afternoon. I am Hoping to get my girl skiing next time.
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Would any of you recommend a resort like les gets? Nice town and good access to blue slopes.
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Mike-H, fantastic.
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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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I am going to that same chalet in March, first time in les gets (I am an veteran of chatel though) and this is my 4th time with Esprit. Agree with all the above, the chalets are basic and the one in Peisey last year was a little lacking in hygene in the dining area but that is why it is so cheap. We put up with the lack of quality and comfort in some of the chalets for the child care, particularly the evening clubs as my son is notorious for coming out of his room until 10PM even at home. This way we can enjoy dinner without constantly feeling awkward around other guests as he marches into the dining room with yet another question or request. All the other kids including my 6 year old daughter go to sleep, my 9 year old son just doesn't seem to need it and he spends all night disturbing the evening. Esprit is the only company I have found that caters for this and makes it possible to go on ski holidays.
The La Rosier chalet was very good if you get the big suite at the front of them with two balconies but i found the ski area a bit small and samey. The top floor of the peisey chalets have a huge amount of room including a walk in boiler room in the attic perfect for luggage storage and wet ski gear. It had a huge bedroom/lounge, a bunk room and then spiral stairs into a small private lobby area (again great for storage of snowboard and helmet) with a door leading into the main lounge. Really great for some privacy and space, the type of space you could only dream of in les arc where the chalets whave nowhere to put snowboard bag, cases, or snowboard at night. I had to put my bag next to my bed, keep my board in it and we had nowhere to dry wet things so I had to stretch them out on my snowboard. We had no room to swing a cat and as it was below ground level the view was of a mound of snow with a small slither of sky up above us.
It is always luck of the draw who you get looking after you, all of them are great people but some of the 18 year old lads have a different standard of hygiene and food quality then I have but this is a small issue when it comes down to it, I am two and half times their age so what do I expect 
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| Mike-H wrote: |
| ansta1, is it easy access to the town? We like to ski in morning and gave fun with kids around town in afternoon. I am Hoping to get my girl skiing next time. |
The simple answer is no, the chalet is up just under the altiport, the free bus runs past the front door, and Esprit do a free minibus as well. (it's a 5 minute drive). It's perfectly feasible for a beginner to be able to ski down to the centre of town (as long as they can use a drag lift and snowplough safely). Quick drag up the aliport drag and across the piste to the bellecote green into town.
Also there are 2 drag right outside the hotel which our 2 use on their own. As mentioned before the Esprit facilities can be a little tired (though I here the one in Belle Plagne is new and swanky), but made up by their childcare in my view.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ansta1, Thanks for reply. May leave this for a couple of years. We like the catered chalet. I have never tried a chalet hotel and like the kids within listening distance.
mheadbee, Which chalet did you stay in? They have a few in La Rosier. One I liked is booked already but there are still options. La Rosier is a few pounds cheaper too. With reference the limited skiing I am confident on blues but not a red run man yet. Is it easy to head over to Italy? It seems to be ticking a lot of boxes so far and as you mentioned the childcare wins over all the smaller issues. As the kids grow our options will improve.
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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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| Quote: |
Would any of you recommend a resort like les gets? Nice town and good access to blue slopes.
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Les Saisies, but there are no British tour operators, no British chalets, no British ski school groups. It's great.  For when the kids are older, perhaps.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
Would any of you recommend a resort like les gets? Nice town and good access to blue slopes.
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Les Saisies, but there are no British tour operators, no British chalets, no British ski school groups. It's great. For when the kids are older, perhaps. |
Sounds like heaven.
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You know it makes sense.
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Mike-H, esprit do a free listneing service, basically when you put the children to bed, there are a number of people on each floor who are sitting there checking on your children. If there are any issues they can either just come and get you or if you choose they can go in and try and settle them if you prefer. Honestly they are fab, and that is coming from parents who do not like leaving their children far from earshot.
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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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| ansta1 wrote: |
| Mike-H, esprit do a free listneing service, basically when you put the children to bed, there are a number of people on each floor who are sitting there checking on your children. If there are any issues they can either just come and get you or if you choose they can go in and try and settle them if you prefer. Honestly they are fab, and that is coming from parents who do not like leaving their children far from earshot. |
+1. It is what is slightly worrying me about not going with Esprit next season. A plus side of larger properties is potentially more children for your kids to make friends with. We had a fantastic time in the Crystal 2000.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
mheadbee, Which chalet did you stay in? They have a few in La Rosier. One I liked is booked already but there are still options. La Rosier is a few pounds cheaper too. With reference the limited skiing I am confident on blues but not a red run man yet. Is it easy to head over to Italy? It seems to be ticking a lot of boxes so far and as you mentioned the childcare wins over all the smaller issues. As the kids grow our options will improve.
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We stayed in camelia room 4.
The kids beginners slope goes past the chalet door, fantastic. This resort is outstanding for kids and it has some of the most amazing long, wide, rolling blues you will ever see just like motorways. Wide and shallow, perfect for beginners but also great for those that like to go flat out on a board without turning (me). I just found there was little else on offer and I got a bit bored particularly as some of the lifts were very slow and i could walk up the hill carrying my board faster that one of them.
To get to italy you have to take Europe's longest drag lift, about 20-25 mins across. Hell if you are on a board. It was a white out and I came off half way and had to walk the rest of the way. If you are on skis it will be a doddle.
La Ros has an incredible mini climate due to being in the middle of two valleys. The first day was soooooooo cold we were literally crying on the lifts as an ice cold wind found its way through every minuscule gap in our clothes like a dagger, the second day was so windy it was like a hairdryer. The rest of the week was stunning t-shirt weather.
Having taken all the above into account I absolutely recommend it as a family resort and the only reason i wouldn't go back is because there are too many other places too see.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| mheadbee wrote: |
| I am going to that same chalet in March, first time in les gets (I am an veteran of chatel though) and this is my 4th time with Esprit. Agree with all the above, the chalets are basic and the one in Peisey last year was a little lacking in hygene in the dining area but that is why it is so cheap. |
First time I have seen Esprit and cheap in the same sentence 
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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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Their first week and last week of the season (normally) as the discounts for children are so much greater in addition to the base price being cheaper. Sadly next year the last week of the season isn't like that as it is a school holiday week. Also there last minute deals are worth considering.
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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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mheadbee, many thanks for advice again. It's on the list.
sarah, I'm comparing stuff now and when kids are past two getting reasonable prices anywhere at half term or ny is impossible. £1000 per child with most companies. Esprit come in slightly better but the childcare wins it.
ansta1, thanks again. It's on the list.
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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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First time I have seen Esprit and cheap in the same sentence
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That really surprises me. I have exhaustively searched every tour operator or catered chalet in europe and they are all 25-30% more expensive than esprit. Every chalet I have seen is 800-1000 per head with child discounts a minuscule £50 each. With esprit the kids are anything from free to 80% off which makes a huge saving. If you book a catered chalet you generally have to pay for your own transport and then hire a nanny who will only sit in your chalet all day and offers no fun for the kids.
Esprit are what I would consider a cheap and cheerful outfit who's childcare makes up for the other shortcomings, but certainly not expensive.
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FAQ
