Ski Weekends

When you’re booking a short break in the Alps with your family, it’s essential that you feel confident that your chosen resort has all the facilities and amenities to keep kids safe, secure and entertained.

The easiest way to find a family-friendly French Alps resort is to look for the Famille Plus accreditation awarded by the national organisation France Montagnes, which rates resorts serving families with children from age 18 months plus on no less than 110 specific requirements related to six broad commitments ̶ a personalised welcome for families, suitable entertainment for all ages, prices to suit all ages and budgets, activities different age groups can enjoy together and separately, easily accessible services and businesses, and the highest possible calibre of professional childcare.

Several of our resorts are proud holders of the Famille Plus seal of quality, but here are a just a handful of prime examples:

• Morzine is an authentic Alpine town in the popular Portes du Soleil ski area and it’s a haven for family ski breaks. Here you’ll find the Lil Stash kids snowboarding course which is set in a cool location in the heart of the forest and features a number of wonderful eco-friendly obstacles, a snow garden and gentle nursery slopes for smaller kids, and alternative activities like tobogganing, ice skating, and splashing around in the aquatic centre. L’Outa nursery cares capably for children aged 3 months to six years and Club Piou Piou from highly-rated ski school ESF provides skilled instruction for children aged three to 14 years old. There’s plenty to keep parents occupied in Morzine too, with awesome apres-ski in venues like Dixie Bar and L’Opera and superb skiing and snowboarding that’s probably best suited to intermediate and advanced winter sports fans.



• La Rosière sits at a lofty altitude of 1850m in the San Bernardo ski area and it’s nicknamed ‘the balcony of the Tarentaise’ because of the spectacular views from its perch on a plateau above Bourg St Maurice. There’s a huge choice of kids activities on the menu here, from snowshoe hikes to ten-pin bowling and ice skating to husky dog sledding. Alternatively, for something a little more thrilling, the x-treme luge toboggan runs on a 700m rail track at speeds of up to 45km/h and snake gliss is fab fun and involves tying several sledges together in a huge ‘snake’ that then winds its way down the piste. There’s a high standard of childcare in La Rosière too, with half-day or full-day care for children from 18 months to 13 years at Les Galopins Kids Club which includes activities like snowman building and nature walks, with healthy hot meals available. Alternatively, Snow Little Child Care has a terrific team of CRB-checked and fully trained British nannies based in Bourg St Maurice who care for children on an hourly, daily, weekly and overnight basis.



• Alpe d’Huez sits at the foot of the Pic Blanc at 1860m and has 250km of perfect on- and off-piste skiing that includes some of the longest pistes in the world, some of which extend to a mind-blowing 16km. There’s a massive range of delightful distractions here for kids of all ages, so there’s no way your children could ever be bored. Children over 8 years old can try indoor archery, swimming and football at the plush Palais de Sport, older children enjoy canoeing and kayaking in the Ecrins National Park, there are two cinemas showing English-speaking films, an ice skating rink in the centre of the resort hiring skates and a 400m zip wire at the XFly Centre, which also offers climbing activities and a giant airbag. There are ample nursery slopes and green runs here for novices and three snowparks, with the largest one beside the beginners runs accessible from the DMC 1st station being most suitable for children and beginners thanks to its gentle slopes and obstacles. There are several accredited childcare facilities and services in Alpe d’Huez which cater for kids as young as 6 months old, so you can enjoy a rare date night with your partner with complete peace of mind.

When you want a quick family break with a difference, booking a French ski weekend or short break with your kids is a terrific treat that they’ll never forget, and if the resorts we’ve highlighted don’t quite hit the mark, we have many more family-focused locations in our collection.