by There are a few things to consider when skiing as a family.
First, choose resorts with short transfer times, that way you’re bound to get off to a good start: a three-hour winding transfer with fussing kids doesn’t scream “holiday.”
So consider your own ski tribe: Family ski vacations with the little ones are a different ball game than skiing with the older or teens. Next, track down the best ski schools and day care centers that offer you that well-deserved two hours of riding down the mountain, à deux, maybe even the occasional lunch in peace.
Then look at the easy slope access – anyone who has attempted to haul a brood into a rammed bus with all poles and limbs still intact, or just anywhere, will appreciate this point. While we can’t put in a word with the big boy about more snow, we can do the resort homework for you.
Here are three resorts to consider for your last minute family ski vacation.
Megeve, France
Conceived in the fertile mind of the Baroness de Rothschild, aiming to replicate the fairytale good looks of St Moritz in a French setting, the Megève resort attracts more manners and understated glamor than bling, with families (much like the Rothschilds) who have been skiing there for generations. The transfer of the hour is a welcome alternative to the Trois Vallées slogan, and the cobbled, horse-and-cart character of the village (existing long before the resort) offers the authenticity other ski resorts try in vain to create.
Families flock to unpretentious classics like Apage for rounds of raclette and pass snow-clad children in horse-drawn carriages for a Savoyard-style ride. Three- to five-year-olds can be docked at the Piou Piou Club in Caboche and Mont d’Arbois, with ESF instructors guiding them like little ducklings down learning trails through a morning, an afternoon, or (huzzah) the whole 9-5.
Nurseries or drop-in centers such as Meg’ Loisirs keep little ones entertained – the Lutins group (1-3 years) is a wonderland of soft play and toboggan runs – leaving parents time to rediscover their ski legs ( and carefree rosé pit stops) on the mountain.
The multi-level runs are well suited to families: beginners should head to La Caboche with its cruising greens and sweeping blues, intermediates can whiz down the corduroy runs of La Jaillet, and confident thrill-seekers can tackle a handful of blacks like Emile Allais, or swerve -track at the legendary Magic Garden Coté 2000.
Where stay:
For easy access to the slopes and truffle wagyu sliders to ski home for, the Four Seasons Hotel Megève (fourseasons.com) is surprisingly family-friendly (considering its walls are lined with the family’s art collection worthy of the Rothschild Louvre). The upscale kids’ club would make Holland Park’s pricey nurseries blush, while husky sleigh rides, sinfully thick hot chocolates and a steamy outdoor pool provide plenty of time to bond, en famille. Two minutes down the mountain, Les Chalets du Mont d’Arbois (fourseasons.com) offers a more traditional, tartiflette and taxidermy version of Megève with the same Rothschild heritage and kids’ club.
On the quiet edge of the village, Beaumier l’Alpaga Hotel and Chalets (beaumier.com) nods to the rural soul of Megève, only with Scandinavian wood paneling and blond, trendy tables. While cribs and high chairs emerge in a flash, the mid-century-meets-Savoy reception and pocket spa feel more conducive to grown-up children. The three-star Au Coin du Feu (coindufeu.com) presents a cheaper (but no less glamorous) option, with twee tartan curtains framing snowy panoramas and pine-covered innards, a cozy haven for raclette after a day in the mountains. .
Morzin, France
Yet succumbing to the Alps’ penchant for the ruble or Rolls Royce capers, Morzine’s rustic, open-air spirit endures with families returning year after year for the child-friendly facilities and multilevel skiing. Part of the Portes du Soleil ski domain, the resort is often bathed in sunlight: its wide, fast runs glisten until the goggles are taken off for well-deserved late lunches (the low elevation comes with no snow guarantee of other resorts though ). Easily reached by lift for the non-skier, the restaurant terraces are dotted with multigenerational families savoring steaming fondue and crozets de Savoie, against a dramatic backdrop of Mont Blanc.
Little ones stagger to L’Outa Kindergarten, Felix Ski or Action Sports at Pleney base for a playful introduction to skiing and dog sledding, while those who aren’t younger (3-14 years) join The Piou Piou Club, affiliated with the ESF, where children can hone their carving and balance skills. These can be practiced on the (gentle) Little Indian Run, or at Burton Riglet Park in Avoriaz, specially designed for 3-6 year olds to master shallow inclines, half pipes and mini rails.
A maze of challenging reds and blacks keeps hopeful broods busy, as does the après scene, guided night sledging and snowmobiling for older children and teenagers. Central Morzine looks like a Hans Anderson fairy tale: a labyrinth of snow-laden chalets that glow an inviting amber at night. Families head here for the ice rink followed by a ride on the carousel and creamy hot chocolates. Morzine has also just opened a vast indoor swimming pool complex near the Super Morzine gondola – good to know if your hotel or chalet doesn’t have one.
Where stay:
If kids’ clubs are on the agenda, choose a hotel near the Pleney lift for a stress-free morning. With its old-world chalet charm and huge swimming pool, Hotel Les Airelles (igluski.com) is a stellar option, and a prime location for ski schools or nurseries after a basic breakfast. of cheese and salami. Overlooking Morzine’s pretty town square, the Savoyard-style Hotel Le Petit Dru (lepetitdru.com) is renowned for its family-friendly credentials, including an indoor/outdoor pool and spa, games room, and a shuttle bus stop. ski bus right outside its doors. Older foodie families can debrief their daily mountain escapades over magret de canard at The Farmhouse (thefarmhouse.fr), a traditional, toasty hotel in Morzine’s oldest building.
Val Gardena, Italy
The transfer from Innsbruck Airport to South Tyrol’s Val Gardener is doable in 1.5 hours, with 740 miles of Dolomite slopes awaiting all tribes of skiers. Along with spas to soak those skiing muscles and sun-soaked terraces awash with local beers and that effortless Italian spirit, parents make their annual pilgrimage here for the outstanding children’s Scuola di Sci Selva and Funslope, located just below the Dantercepies raise.
Most hotels and chalets are adept at booking babysitters, for parents to take a break for the wide, groomed slopes or tackle the legendary Sella Ronda (a race that winds along the scenic (and impossibly steep) Sella massif, from two upwards, before they are old enough to find their legs on skis, they can check into the Val Gardena Mini Club for an enviable list of indoor/outdoor activities.
With the end of ski school, younger families and beginners can show off their new skills on the gentle slopes of the Alpe di Suisi/Seiser Alm, or the whole clan can head into town for sleigh rides, tobogganing and skating on the ice. Perhaps Val Gardena’s greatest charm for family ski weeks is its multitude of tardis-style refuges (such as Baita Ciadinat Hutte, Fienile Monte and Panorama Hut), where classic Tyrolean dishes such as speck and cheese platters, dumplings and apple strudels spread out over terraces and into twee, firelit rooms. These tend to hide iceberg-style cellars and, subsequently, impressive wine lists for parents to delve into.
Where stay:
Post Family Hotel in S. Cristina (familyhotelposta.com), as the name suggests, focuses first and foremost on children, ensuring that parents do not rush for activities to keep them busy, or childcare, which for incidentally is provided Monday to Saturday (9.30am-10pm) at the 3+ Dumbo Club. Family packages have solved all the pain points of skiing with broods in tow – transfers to ski lessons, workshops and courses endless, kids-only breakfast buffets, healthy dinner choices — and all while keeping things hip (and spa-centric) parenting once they’re off track.
The Brothers Grimm turrets of the Adler Spa Resort (adler-resorts.com) hide an unexpectedly low-key, Zen-like interior where families wander in white robes around the cavernous pool and spa complex, returning to the sprawling suites to plan their next day’s skiing or hiking adventures . When not being whisked to the nursery slopes for ski school, kids can splash around at the blond wooded AKI Kids Club, with its chichi juice bar, movie room and outdoor area, breathing in the fresh air alpine.
Biancaneve Family Hotel (biancaneve.it) parks all the swanky notions around kids’ clubs at the entrance, fully embracing color, face painting, animals, and loud, energetic activities. Ski school is a convenient morning stomp away and the pool fills that oft-forgotten gap between the slopes and dinner.
