Best Ski School for Kids?

[MyAngels]

Hi

Please can you lovely people pass on your recommendations (or non-recommendations!) for ski schools for children.

We are thinking of going somewhere snow sure for New Year, self drive, self catering, so could go to any resort. My DD is 7 (skiied a couple of weeks - pretty confident) and DS is 5 (just skiied one week - very limited experience (due to rubbish ski school - hence this post)). Where has the best ski schools?

I've heard bad things about ESF (grumpy, limited English), and would like to have classes with a large proportion of English speakers and an English speaking instructor of course.

I notice that the French (ESF?) seem to be very focussed on technique, whilst the Austrian's (we went there this year) seemed focussed on speed! I just want the DC to enjoy themselves. DD would probably like to ski with us in the afternoons, so the option to have half day lessons for her would be good.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[angelcake20]

Depends a little on what else you require from a resort, but we had great times when DCs were younger with Snowbizz who have their own ski school in Puy St Vincent so all kids are travelling with them and are generally British and the French instructors have always spoken great English. Lessons are half days with flexible creche available in the afternoon for under 7s and the resort is very family friendly and convenient. Lots of people self drive. Ski2 also have their own ski school in Champoluc (Italy) and many of their instructors are British. It's a bit further to drive but there are always a few British cars in the resort. Neither resort has a massive piste mileage if that is important to you but we found PSV to be plenty when kids were learning and have just returned from our 5th trip to Champoluc.

[Foxred10]

BASS are fantastic if they operate in the resort you're going to?

[Olivermoliver]

Magic in La Tania, excellent!

[MyAngels]

Hi
Thanks all.
We went with Snowbizz in 2013, and although they were good, we fancy somewhere different.
I like the idea of Champoluc (we went to a wedding there a while back - my Italian friend's family have a house there - I might investigate that further. We don't mind the drive - we drove to the Italian Dolomites with DD one New Year).
I love the 3 Valleys, so La Tania is definitely an option too.
I haven't heard of BASS - where are they?
All great ideas, thanks.

[Foxred10]

BASS are in most of the French resorts, 3 valleys, Val D'Isere, Courcheval, La Tania, Meribel etc.

[rookiemater]

Hi we went to serre chevalier and used new generation. Small classes ,English speaking and DS seemed to have lots of fun and improved a lot. They are in a number of resorts if you check their website (sorry on kindle too faffy to do links).

[magicberry]

Another vote for New Gen - see the Courchevel post below for example - lots of recommendations. We were disappointed with Oxygene in Val d'Isère.

[DaisyFitz]

European Ski School in Les Deux Alpes were simply brilliant (Dec 2013)

Andorran Ski School in Soldeu - totally fantastic (Feb 2014)

Way better than ESF or any other Austrian ski school I've been to. Only ones I'd compare to are the older Esprit ski classes. They're pretty good from what I've seen too.

[teachpeach]

I also recommend the ski school in Andorra - we were there in Feb with friends and family, and all of us , ages 6- 46 really enjoyed the lessons. English speaking, really well organised. We ski schooled in the mornings mad then skied together in the afternoons.

[Olivermoliver]

I think la Tania is a great resort for families, New Gen also teach there. No personal experience but friends rated them.

[MyAngels]

Thanks all.

I like the idea of Soldeu, but the drive might be too far (!).
Still pondering La Tania, but also wondering about Alpe D'Huez, if anyone has any recommendations for there.
DH and I used to ski Deux Alpes in the summer/early season when we lived in Grenoble, so am not sure of the accommodation. What's it like?

[DaisyFitz]

@MyAngels

In Deux Alpes. We stayed at ClubHotel Provence with Rocketski. V basic and v v cheap but fine. Bit of a hike back at the end of the day.

The Neilsen hotel is very popular and good for ski school at start of the day.

Bus system not good - so you want somewhere you can walk to.

I wasn't too enamoured with LDA, but the ski school was so good, I'd go back just for that. However, Soldeu is MUCH better and worth the drive. We selfdrove (never again, too stressful) from Barcelona. Friends holidayed wit Neilson and I think we're all going back there again. 2.5-3hr transfer. Which is what we had from Grenoble to LDA at Xmas!!

[Iwantapony]

Oxygene in La Plagne (they're also in Val D'Isere) restored ds's confidence after ESF shouted at him in French aged 4. They also coped with our v stroppy dd. We went there 3 years running because the ski school was so good. Children can do 2.5 hours in the morning and/or 2 hours in the afternoon.