Tips and recommendations
Before going skiing
Winter sports holidays with children should not be planned on the spur of the moment, especially if it is for the first time. To make a success of your stay, the most simple way is to be well organised. Carefully packing your suitcases and booking the services you require in advance will help you avoid problems and nasty surprises.
Before setting off, remember to book:
- Your accommodation - hotel, holiday home, holiday village - or consult the ideas for breaks proposed by Savoie Mont Blanc Réservation (available soon). You can also fill in the accommodation search form (on the accommodation tab in the contacts section), checking the boxes next to your preferences.
You can also choose amongst one of your favourite Bristish Tour Operators (see our partners on "Additional Info..." on the right side of this page).
If you do not know where to go yet, the ‘Prepare your winter holidays' section will help you select the ideal place for your next holiday.
- Ski equipment: hire it when you book your accommodation with Savoie Mont Blanc Reservation (0 820 00 73 74), or directly from a sports shop in your resort - remember to hire a children's helmet (NF EN 1077 compliant), a strongly recommended safety precaution.
- Ski lessons (including snow garden sessions) with the school of your choice, for example, the ESF.
- Ski passes for all your family.
- The day nursery for your little ones.
- The railway station to resort shuttle bus if you are travelling by train.
A useful tip: use the tourist information office's on-line services. Ski lessons, ski passes, etc., can all be booked with a single click on the web site of the resort you have chosen.
Take the time to check:
That you have insurance for all the family. If necessary, you can obtain insurance at the ski lift ticket offices (cover for search, rescue, medical aid and emergency transport, medical surveillance and repatriation, reimbursement of unused ski passes in case of poor weather).
In advance, identify the following on the map or the resort:
Accommodation, day nursery, ski school, ski area infrastructure, shops and services. This will help you save time when you arrive.
Children's suitcases: the essentials
- Clothing: wear lots of layers! On the top half, a synthetic tee-shirt, fleece jumper and lightweight, resistant waterproof anorak. On the bottom half, tights or thermal underwear, and waterproof ski trousers with elastic braces. Do not forget mittens or gloves, woolly hats and a scarf. For babies and toddlers, an all-in-one snow-suit with fleece-lined booties affords very good protection against the cold.
- Footwear: warm, light and waterproof after-ski boots.
- Sunglasses: by preference, use CE labelled supple-branch glasses with UV filter and a hold-on strap. Whilst skiing, it is better to use ski goggles.
- Sun cream: a high protection cream is strongly recommended, such as sun-block.
- Children's health diary: necessary for the day nursery.
At your destination, remember:
- With all the family, have an ample breakfast, including, milk, cereals, fruit and put a small snack in your children's pockets for later on.
- Explain to your children the rules of conduct on the slopes (rights of way, stopping, signposting, etc.).
Our favourite British Tour Operators: