Family Ski Review - La Clusaz
By Gail
Isted
How
is it possible to leave an apartment by 10 o’clock in the
morning
on a ski holiday with a four-year-old and a one-year-old in tow, with
all the right gear for a day’s activities? Do we need
sunglasses
or goggles…pushchair or backpack…mittens or
gloves…waterproofs or snowsuits?
Every day it was our mission to get more organised and out of the
apartment a few minutes earlier and every day we failed. As we like a
challenge we had also decided it would be a good idea to drive the
855km (531 miles) from Calais to the resort of La Clusaz, which lies at
the heart of the Aravis mountain range in the north of the French Alps,
for our first ever family skiing holiday.
Getting up in the middle of the night, having toast on board the ferry
at Dover and playing I Spy at 5am – it was all part of the
grand
adventure to Poppy. Penny just cried because she knew she should be
fast asleep in her cosy cot. But the P&O Ferries staff kindly
gave
the girls some warm milk before we disembarked onto the ever-efficient
French autoroutes. P&O Ferries offer upto 25 sailings a day in
each
direction so there’s no hanging around for the children. And
once
on board they offer free baby food, half price children’s
meals
in the self-service restaurant and a new ‘pick and
mix’
menu to please even the fussiest four year old. If you’re
travelling at peak times treat yourself to a Club Lounge upgrade for an
extra £6 per person for a quiet lounge, waiter service and
complimentary refreshments and newspapers.
We rented a self-catering apartment which nestled on a hill with a
stunning view across the village and over the slopes. Each evening we
stood on the balcony watching the setting sun softly and slowly icing
the mountain peaks with a pretty pink dusting. Then we watched the
magical movement of the moon and the “dameuses”
grooming
the slopes ready for the next morning. The hive of activity on the
slopes through the night, every night, is a sight to behold and
explains, in part, why ski passes cost so much.
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La
Clusaz is a member of the Famille Plus club – an approved
quality
charter. There are two day nurseries, the Club des Mouflets providing
indoor activities (eight months to four years) and the Club des
Champions with indoor and outdoor activities (three to six years).
There is also the Club des Piou Piou, a ski kindergarten in an enclosed
nursery with its own rope tow and magic carpet (three to five years),
and the Club des Marmottons for those who want to learn to ski in small
groups (four to five years) or private lessons for individual tuition.
At the end of the week all skiers are tested for their Ourson medal.
New last year was a special cross-country kindergarten where children
learn about balance thanks to lightweight, flexible equipment.
We
chose one-to-one tuition for Poppy and each morning she went off to the
slopes with Fabien from the Ecolé du Ski Français
(ESF) for an hour’s
intensive lesson. She is not a very confident child in a group
situation and with the language barriers and different environment too,
we decided it was worth paying the £120 for the five lessons.
Fabien
spoke English and she had the opportunity of a lifetime without
worrying about a class of strangers and a language barrier. Each day
she returned from her lesson with a beaming smile and growing
confidence. By day five she was making snowplough turns easily by
herself and after the lesson insisted on leading Mummy and Daddy down a
slope. Worth every euro! Her Ourson medal now takes pride of place in
her bedroom back at home. Under fives also get a free ski pass upon
proof of age at La Clusaz. And while her sister happily slept during
the afternoons Poppy went sledging, snowballing and building snowmen in
more snow than she will ever see in a lifetime living in England.
It’s
the perfect playground for all ages. Apart from skiing or boarding,
there are special sledging areas, swimming with an outside pool facing
the ski slopes, a skating rink, karting on ice, snow bikes,
paragliding, dog sledding, guided walks and snowshoeing (raquettes).
You can even ski by moonlight whenever there is a Full Moon. If you
just want to relax take advantage of the regular convivial Savoyard
evenings with local Reblochon cheese-making demonstrations, tastings
and talks or just sit and enjoy a vin chaud in a picture postcard
setting. Chocolaterie Morand in the village is also well worth a visit
for special gifts and just to experience the intoxicating aroma as you
open the front door of one of the best chocolate makers in France,
Jean-Dominique Gellé.
No, it’s not possible to leave the apartment before 10
o’clock in the morning. But when you’ve had the
foresight
to invite the grandparents to go on holiday with you and
you’re
planning to take a sentimental ski lift back to the top of the world at
Balme, who cares?
Bon ski!
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