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Just finished my last day of the season in Cervinia - off to the bar shortly.
The highlight has been the kids learning to board, which junior 1 now prefers to skiing. The weather this week has been fantastic, bar a couple of hours of wind on Wednesday morning which delayed proceedings. Next year I WILL get the lift passes which include the Zermatt side.
Now time for the Aperol spritzer. 😀
The highlight has been the kids learning to board, which junior 1 now prefers to skiing
Well, of course!
Hochkoenig shuts tomorrow, Flachau still in good shape with 1.5m up high. Still got a week here so a day at Leogang and maybe Flachau again.
Doing shuttle duties for my lad and his friend with their bikes tomorrow on some cracking single track past Mr Red Bull's mum's house tomorrow!
Can report that conditions in Tignes are great. Scorchio today, kids seem to have improved since last year, without any practice or lessons. Just stronger and better co-ordination I guess. Sadly having to bus up to Lac for the kids lessons but have to take the rough with the smooth this time of year.
Well the biking season is having a slow start in in the Rockies foothills so Sweamrs and I decided to spend Easter Sunday at Louise where we found surprisingly good conditions at least for the morning. Lots of terrain open and plenty of holes filled in since my last visit..
It was pretty quiet first thing.
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Which meant that yours truly found some fresh snow in the back bowls.
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Sweamrs getting a bit fast and loose... she's normally the better skier honest.
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And one more time everyone's favorite 10 year old keeping it neat and tidy as usual.
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Just back from Les Arcs - better than I expected snow-wise (higher up at least) but WARM and very melty. Nearly time to ride your bike round there I think - could nearly have played a round of golf at LA 1800 😀
I do bloody love that short window of super-grippy softening ice, though
Louise
😆
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Tignes was in great shape to be honest. We hardly saw a cloud all week, and the snow was holding up very well.
Kalinda apartments at 1800 were great, nicest I have ever stayed in TBH. We did have to take the kids up to lac on the bus for their lessons was a right pain. 30 odd pushy, pointy elbowed people and their kids all trying to get on a bus with all their ski gear at 830 isn't the most relaxing way to start your day!
We drove back on Sat and that was a breeze, got to love the French auto route and having a TAG in the windscreen, why don't all the French have them!
Just need to put all the gear into hibernation in the loft now, till next season...
why don't all the French have them!
Because it costs 1.5e a month, and takes longer and more thought to get one than shoving a credit card into a slot a few times a year. How many seconds do you save each time you use it?
More like ten to twenty mins on the busy peage. Roll through at 30 kph, don't even stop. Plus I only pay for the months I use it. Was as easy to get in the UK as a magazine subscription.
More like ten to twenty mins on the busy peage.
I can't remember the last time I had to queue at all at a péage. When the autoroute through the Basque country is choca it's not the péages that are the limiting factor, it's the two lanes and the fact the right lane is blocked by people waiting to get off at St Jean. When the auto route is one big traffic jam it's a traffic jam for all however they pay.
So, as a PSA I'd like to assure people that you will never save ten to twenty minutes and will typically save the difference in time between going through at 30km/h and stopping and shoving card in a machine (no PIN needed). Less time than stopping at a red light.
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You are more than welcome to come with me next time I drive to the alpes if you want. Second thoughts, maybe not.;-)
Second thoughts, maybe not
It's quite a detour via SW France and I'm not good company in a car. Either I have confidence in the driver and fall asleep or spend my time back-seat driving if they are of the "making progress" ilk.
I often stop at péages for a wander around and a pee. Less hassle than trying to park and queue at the bogs at an aire or service area when the autoroute is busy.
Surprising as it may seem the locals understand how things work and do what's best for them. Try not to be one of those unfamiliar with long hauls on autoroutes who drives high speed, non-stop, dozes, day dreams - BANG! Relax now and then, even if it's only the time it takes to shove a credit card in a machine.
Mark, those conditions look sweet at Louise (terrible woman).
Haven't bothered going up to avoriaz this Easter. Nice conditions for walking and riding at lower levels down here near Morzine.
[b]scaredypants - Member[/b]
Just back from Les Arcs - better than I expected snow-wise (higher up at least) but WARM and very melty.
Wonder if we were on the same lifts
Just back, brilliant week! Sunshine & sunshine. Snow wasn't great in the afternoon but the mountains were so pretty and warm and perfect for the kids who don't care if the snow is a bit heavy but love sunny afternoons.
Loved Les Arcs, plenty of snow in 2000 bowl, good runs and the kids loved the Border Cross runs. Most lifts were fairly quick queues, great week 🙂
Friday afternoon end of season fun at the Snow Park
90cm forecast for Saalbach this week... it closed today!
that short window of super-grippy softening ice
Oh yeah!
Just back from Courchevel which I believe closes today. Stayed in 1850 up towards the Altiport just about managed to ski in/out everyday. Runs down to la Tania/Praz/Meribel all closed by end of week, Mottaret just about doable although a PITA heading back from VT in the afternoon. Predictably VT was heaving, particularlly on Good Friday. We spent most of our time staying in the Courchevel valley, pretty good skiing higher up on very empty pistes.
So time to start looking for next year. Last 2 trips have been with Esprit who are absolutely fantastic for the kids but not exactly cheap especially in school holidays. So any other companies that offer similar to Esprit but are slightly cheaper? Kids are 2 and 6. Moon on a stick?
Mossi. I guess Mark Warner is the other obvious one.
Our one experience with esprit was okay but not great, Certainly at half term it's hard to get the feeling of good value. Crystal and the other usual travel operators offer wrap around care too so don't discount them. I think Esprit are owned by Crystal. esf also do the kids club so have a look at what they offer. Different resorts have different services so worth looking about.
Ski Famille - except not cheaper than Esprit.
We tried Esprit (at Courchevel strangely) and weren't that impressed. Ski Famille ain't what they were 5 years ago, but still good.
Club med is possibly worth a look, mostly French speaking, from what I understand.
We have used Esprit twice and found them excellent but expensive (kids aged 4 and 2). This year we went child less to Morzine and in our hotel (hotel l'Aubergade) there were loads of kids and found out there was an in house crèche. Had we known we would have taken the kids.
You can also hire a private nanny through the hotel for E80 per day. The hotel is next door to the children's ski school. I would suggest emailing the hotel with your requirements. We worked out that we would save approx £1000 by doing this rather than Esprit. (l'Aubergade)
We used Ski Famille this year in Les Gets and were super impressed. Not cheap but then I'd rather pay a bit extra for my daughter to be properly looked after, the nanny at ski school was very helpful.
How does it work then? Do you ditch the kids for a day?
Nanny arrived at 08:45 and took them to ski school, stayed with them, then took them back to chalet for lunch. Ours wasnt't booked into the afternoon care but for some reason they decided that she was and took her with them - she loved it. Not massive amounts of kids and they did some cool stuff like ice skating and sledging. Frankly she had a ball and we didn't see her between 08:45 and 5pm !
Thanks, didn't realise it worked like that. Ours did Ski school which we dropped them off at 9:30 - 12 but for the rest of the time they ski with us.
Crystal and the other usual travel operators offer wrap around care too so don't discount them.
We've had a fair bit of success just using the operator's kids clubs.
We've been to this place twice:
https://www.neilson.co.uk/ski/france/les-deux-alpes/neilson-hotel-aalborg
Specifically because it has Neilson-run (i.e. British) kids' clubs. They take them to ski school in the morning, pick them up later, and do afternoon activities like sledging, ice caves, snow painting etc.
Our other technique is to pay for my mum to come along on holiday with us. Costs a bit but means the kids get to spend valuable time with grandma and we get a "nanny" that we know we can trust.
Last holiday (3 Valleys) our kids were 3 and 6, so we didn't bother with kids club as they were both in morning ski school for three hours a day.
My mum was able to pick them up then we had the option to join them for lunch and ski in the afternoon with the eldest.
Not too keen on the private nanny or the parents/in-laws as I like the idea of the children making new friends for the week and skiing and playing with them throughout the week.
I think Esprit are owned by Inghams/Total ski.
Have had a couple of negative reports re: Club Med but will definitely look into Ski Famille, Mark Warner and Neilson.
I'd say depends on age as well, ours was 4 and dumping her in ski school didn't sit well with me. I used to teach kids to ski and inevitably one needs a wee which is hard to accommodate when you have 10 of them. So having a carer there that can manage all that makes the 'experience' better. She was 4 a couple of weeks before we went and had done 1 hour in a snowdome for fun. Last weekend she was up and down a plastic slope on the rope tow alone doing linked plough turns which for a week is good progress, importantly she see's it as a positive thing. We also wanted somewhere that she would make friends as she's our only child and we seek out options for her to mix with other kids as much as poss.
..ours was 4 and dumping her in ski school didn't sit well with me. I used to teach kids to ski and inevitably one needs a wee..
It was our 3 year olds first time in ski school this year. We had similar worries, but there were only 6 kids in her group, with two teachers, and they spent the week doing laps of the magic carpet which handily had loos nearby.
..ours was 4 and dumping her in ski school didn't sit well with me. I used to teach kids to ski and inevitably one needs a wee..
It was our 3 year olds first time in ski school this year. We had similar worries, but there were only 6 kids in her group, with two teachers, and they spent the week doing laps of the magic carpet which handily had loos nearby.
Ditto when my eldest was 3, we went away the day after her 3rd birthday an nearly didn't put her in ski school. Glad we did though as she had the best time, morning spent in ski school doing laps on magic carpet with loos on nursery slopes. We would pick her up mid afternoon and alternate between sledging and skiing.
Our experience with skiing with young kids was pretty mixed. Aside from childcare once they are in school you pay £££ for a holiday with packed pistes. That being said we found Mark Warner about the best (20 years ago mind !). Club Med are excellent but expensive as full board inc lessons and kit for all. The Club at Peisey is very nice with pools and terrace and easy to ski half days. Another top tip was to try and avoid Feb half-term, eg week before Christmas if school hols fit or a few days after NY and before they go back, Easter if not too late. Pick a high resort for snow reliability.
Age wise we didn't take the youngest till she was 6 as our experience with the others was that was a waste of time / massive hassle. Note my ex-wife hated skiing so made everything more difficult than it needed to be
I enjoy skiing with my kids, although it holds me back I think it pushes them on loads.
I reckon in 3-4 years they'll be out skiing me so it will be role reversal with me trying to keep up.
..once they are in school you pay £££ for a holiday with packed pistes..... try and avoid Feb half-term
+1
Handy illustrative image I keep on standby to emphasise such points:
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Obviously it is less of an issue if your school's half term doesn't coincide with the majority (worth checking!). Or of course if you're the kind of irresponsible, selfish, morally reprehensible parent who thinks a 6 year old missing four days of school isn't exactly life changing. 😉
My 10 year old is way better than me in terms of speed and technical ability.
But I still have more stamina and I know where the bars are.
The down side of the aarlborg is that the coffee is, quite frankly, not up to the standards of your average stw'er.
But it is right next to the free drag lifts, so excellent for holidaying with really small kids. If you don't drink coffee 😉
Not sure I ever touched the coffee there. The wine was pleasant though 🙂
But yeah being piste-side at the bottom of the easy runs, next to the free drags, with the ski hire place in the basement, and ski school meeting point a very short walk away PLUS those kids clubs, makes the Aalborg a great place for young families (just not in half term!)
We did Esprit last season, Paisey Vallandry.
Only reason we could square away the cost was that our Feb half term was the week before most of the country.
It was okay. The kids club was great, picked them up at 845 from the Chalet, did lessons, lunch and a bit of singing, playing and coloring in. (Kids 4 and 6)
We could then slide in at 2 and take them for a ski, sledging or hot choc.
Downsides were it was French Holidays so the resort was very busy. MrsDTs and I would be out as soon as we had finished brekkie, ski and have an early lunch to avoid the crowds.
The Esprit chalet staff were not great, they tried their hardest but you are still being catered for by an 18 year old who is there for the skiing not a catering career (Been there done that). They spent most of their week telling us that they needed to get the chalet ready for the very important people coming next week, who pay a fortune to be there at half term..! Which made me feel very special.
ESF kids lessons are very patchy from my experience. My poor nephew (5yrs) filled his pants as here was nobody to take him to the loo! (Courcheval 1650)
Last week in Tignes 1800 they were great (Wendy, swoon)
Just want to chuck in my 10p's worth on Ski Famille. Went twice with them in Les Gets and yes it's pricey but it was totally worth it. 2nd year we were there, 2013 I think, it puked all day and night for a week. Kids were out of our hands by 8.45 and it was straight on first lifts. Is Mont Chery that little separate section off the back of the resort? We were up there lapping that black run and the surrounds at high speed all morning before nipping back to check on them at lunch. Totally brilliant week.
haha ski man wtf. looks rad. except the blades .
one footed backflip madness
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Winter isnt over yet 😀
My 10 year old is way better than me in terms of speed and technical ability.But I still have more stamina and I know where the bars are.
+1 8)
Want some new touring/freeride skis that are a bit lighter and have some rocker. Been recommended these, anyone used them?
They're sexy as hell, which is the main thing really.
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Oh yeah, some snaps here from my trip to Arolla in Switzerland.
http://www.grahamwynnephoto.com/blog/2017/4/21/ski-touring-in-arolla
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Some lovely shots there Grum, the conditions look great.