Best ski resorts for familiesOnce upon a time you may have selected your ski resort based on the concentration of bars in the ski village; as a parent, your criteria will have changed to include childcare options, off-piste family activities and cot availability!
So, if you thought your skiing days were gone or you just haven't skied before why not make this the 'Year of the Family Skiing Holiday'. Powder Pups in ParadiskiMontchavin and Les Coches are two small, family friendly villages that nestle in the Paradiski area of France - four ski resorts that have been joined together with the arrival of the new Vanoise Express (the largest cable car in the world). Les Coches is a small modern village with a friendly atmosphere situated
close to the new Vanoise express. Totally pedestrianised, the village
is safe for families to explore. The
Family ski company offer catered chalet holidays with flexible childcare
in Les Coches.All their chalets are all very close to ski-lifts, ski schools
and amenities. One new outfit, Riders
Republic, is helping to bridge the gap between cheap and not-so-cheerful,
and luxurious but financially crippling family skiing holiday. So far,
it owns just one chalet in the Paradiski area of the French Alps, for
which it charges a flat rate of £333pp a week, even during the school
holidays and Christmas! The Cub Club in Sainte FoySainte Foy is nestled in the French Alps, close to the Italian border, at a height of 1550 metres. Often referred to as the "Jewel in the Crown" of the French Alps, it is surrounded by the world famous resorts of Val d'Isere, Tignes and Les Arc as well as the smaller La Rosiere (see below) from where you can ski into Italy! This central location gives you access to a fantastic mixture of terrain for all levels of skiers plus the gentle undulating slopes are excellent for children and beginners and all pistes end in a central location - so, no losing the little ones! It boasts affordable lift passes (half the price of those in Val d'Isere and Les Arcs!) and excellent traditional restaurants and bars.The village of Sainte Foy remains remarkably unspoilt and has preserved its authentic charm and local architecture. Premier Neige chalet in Sainte Foy offers great childcare facilities.
Their Cub Club crèche runs from 9am - 5pm, monday - saturday and is open
3 evenings a week from 5.30 - 7.30pm for the Husky Club, nannies will
take children to and from ski school, a private nanny service can be arranged,
an evening babysitting service is also available. For more information
see www.takethefamily.com Little Mountain Folk in Les GetsLes Gets is one of those little gems that will soon be discovered by the mass market - so now is the time to go there! For now it is an authentic village at the heart of the Portes du Soleil which means that this area has plenty to offer with over 650km of piste at your disposal. The village itself is a mixture of old traditional buildings and tasteful modern buildings, which blend nicely to give a distinctive character of its own. The main square hosts a weekly market and the main street has a colourful array of shops - not just ski hire shops! Thumbs up to Les Gets for taking steps to reduce the huge environmental
impact skiing has by replacing its diesel generators with solar panels
to power the ski lifts. Although the altitude is fairly low, the resort gets good snow for most
of the season. The ski school is excellent and there are enough gentle
slopes to hone your skills. The child care facilities are first class
and a holiday here would be great for the family. For non-skiers or days when you'd rather wear shoes than skis, the resort provides dog sleigh rides, swimming pool and spa, ice rink and pedestrianised areas, perfect for families. Over Christmas, families are invited to the enchanted forest (adventure park woods) where they will be taken on a guided tour (€2/person) in the company of Father Christmas. Skiline have seven chalets that offer excellent child care facilities. There is a local children's ski kindergarten, which takes children from the age of 3. Free ski passes are given to children under 5. Rustic in La RosierA picturesque resort: pretty tree-lined, with traditional wood and stone chalets. Its sunny position and incredible views make staying in La Rosière a joy. One sweep of the eye takes in the whole of the Tarentaise Valley. The village is one of the friendliest of Tarentaise resorts, and the ski area straddles the borders of France and Italy. Its snow record is good and at 1,850m, it promises decent snow in late season. The slopes are child-friendly and it's a wonderful choice for intermediate-parents! New, six-man chalets and hands-free passes put pay to queues, and a network
of forgiving blue and red runs is perfect for families skiing together. Ski Esprit has eight chalets in Rosier all offering Esprit nannies to take care of the little ones.They also offer English-speaking instructors who run the Snow Club for fledgling skiers and 'Snow Rangers' to deal with essential toddler needs. Sprites in SelvaSelva is one of the Italian resorts and lies very close to Santa Christina, making up the largest resort on the Sella Ronda circuit. It's quite sprawling with many types of accommodation but is ideal for families, with plenty of après-ski and non-skiing activities and fantastic dining. The resort offers Sprites childcare in nurseries staffed by qualified British nannies (NNEB or equivalent) 6 days a week from 8.30am to 5pm. Kids are king in AvoriazSet in the French Alps, Avoriaz is opening Biotop this winter, the first 100 per cent ecology winter forest adventure park. Everything has been made out of wood, such as tree-trunk slides, and will provide fun for all ages whilst looking after the environment. It's an entirely pedestrianised resort making it an ideal resort for families, plus there are many après-ski activities including horse-drawn sleighs and sledge transport for children. The resort is especially magical for children at Christmas when the slopes take on a dreamlike quality of twinkling lights and toy building workshops, culminating in the arrival of Santa on Christmas Eve. Les P'tits loups nursery welcomes babies and children from the age of 3 months to 5 years, Sunday to Friday 9am to 6pm. Visit www.avoriaz.com to find out more.
Mad for MorzineClose to the French/Swiss border (only an hour from Geneva airport) and the vast Portes du Solei, Morzine, like Les Gets (see above) is a resort geared up for families and has traditional alpine feel. Although the resort is low it benefits from excellent snow-making facilities and many lifts have been upgraded over the last five years and queues are rare - a definitie plus for impatient toddlers! SkiFamille are offering an all inclusive trip to Morzine which includes on site childcare for babies from 3 months old and up. Operating from 9am to 4.30 pm, qualified carers come to your chalet and use this as their base when looking after your children. Toddler fun in TignesTignes centres around three small villages forming part of the extensive Espace Killy ski area, which also covers neighbouring Val d'Isère. With plenty of gentle nursery slopes, it's an ideal resort for beginners but also caters for the more experienced skier with many advanced runs. Apres-ski is also well covered with shops, cinemas, restaurants and bars, as well as husky sleigh rides, bowling and swimming. Booked through Mark Warner you can be sure of the best childcare facilities to ensure parents and toddlers alike can enjoy this resort. Luxuries in ArosaRelatively unknown in Britain, Arosa in southern Switzerland offers an
exciting combination of Swiss chic and sunny open skiing. The wide slopes
are ideal for both beginners and intermediate skiers and Arosa is a highly
recommended resort for families learning to ski. The crèche takes children from the age of 6 months upwards, and is managed and operated by their own qualified Nursery Nurses on a 3:1 staff to child ratio. Open between 9am and 4pm, six days a week, the cost is £260 per child per week in peak season and free off-peak. Although Europe is hugely popular with British tourists due to its proximity and convenience, for those willing to travel further afield, the family experience doesn't get much bigger than across the Atlantic. The British Christmas, Easter and February half term holidays coincide
with the ski season in the USA & Canada but you will need to make
sure you book early. Fireflies and Little Dippers in VermontLocated in New England are Vermont's Green Mountains, three big mountains which have terrain for all abilities and ages. Nestled in the mountains is Smuggler's Notch, an award winning ski resort and winter wonderland, with a huge emphasis on 'family'. Smuggs has anything a winter-lovin' family might desire... The state of the art child care centre, Treasures, caters for children from 6 weeks old with qualified carers. The centre's special features include giant fish tanks, heated floors, indoor and outdoor activities and one-way mirror viewing for parents. Youngsters are split into two groups, Fireflies for ages 6 weeks to 16 months and Little Dippers for ages 17 months to 2½ years. A babysitting facility is also available. This US resort also offers a Funzone with slides and recreational activities for children, as well as numerous restaurants, spas, gyms, shops, cinemas and many outdoor activities. To find out more visit Smuggs Kids are OK in Keystone, Colorado Purpose-built Keystone is one of the nearest Colorado resorts to Denver and everything is conveniently ski-in ski-out. The skiing is laid out on three interlinked mountains served by 22 lifts. Of these, the huge Outback area is the size of both other mountains combined and is protected from the wind. The resort also has one of the biggest and best-designed terrain parks in North America. Keystone's main claim to fame is that it has North America's largest night-skiing area - so energetic teens and preteens can carry on skiing after dark. Childcare for little ones is good, as it always is in North America, with the nursery at Keystone Children's Center caring for babies from two months, and the Snowplay Programs are for children from three years old. Why Whistler works for familiesWhistler-Blackcomb is the biggest ski area in North America, located just two hours from Vancouver, Canada and hugely popular with tourists from Europe, Australia and Japan. Vancouver-Whistler has been awarded the Winter Olympics for 2010 and with this has come upgrading within the village itself, as well as huge investments to upgrade the resort as a whole. Childcare facilities at Whistlers are world class with licensed childcare for children from 3-48 months old. Parents are given a complimentary pager so they can ski with piece of mind knowing they can be contacted in an emergency if necessary. The Daycare Centre is open from 8am until 4pm and a babysitting service is also available for the evenings. For the non-skier, the resort is packed with things to do such as sleigh
rides, snowmobiles, spas, gyms, shops, restaurants, cinemas and bars and
as the village itself is pedestrianised, it makes the resort an all-round
ideal family location. If you want to go down the DIY route and book your own flight and accomodation try www.SkiChalets.co.uk
Family Travel is an independent site that provides comprehensive advice for travelling and holidaying with children. Companies that offer family skiing holidays:
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