Catered Ski Chalets (part of Interactive Resorts) is an agent working with over 130 operators offering a variety of chalets and services. It was formed by a group of 4 passionate skiers and snowboarders. They pride themselves on their exceptional customer service from the moment you enquire until the moment you arrive back from your holiday.
With the promise of challenges met and overcome together, there are plenty of good reasons to ski the Alps as a family. Youngsters soak up all the exciting outdoor adventure the mountains have to offer, while their proud parents enjoy watching them progress from nervous learners to confident parallel-turners. And the memories you make together can last a lifetime.
Over the years, we’ve helped skiers and snowboarders with all manner of queries, questions and requests relating to booking family ski holidays. In our experience, it’s clear that making sure the kids get off on the right foot with their ski lessons is key to the success of the holiday as a whole. Helping your youngsters fall in love with skiing from day one will help ensure years of trouble-free enjoyment of the Alps as a family.
The benefits and challenges of skiing together as a family
On top of the obvious health benefits of heart-pumping adventure on the snow, there are plenty of great reasons for parents to book a family ski holiday to the Alps.
It’s an invaluable chance to introduce children to other languages, and boost their awareness of other customs and cultures. The mountain scenery is spectacular across the Alps, and kids can’t fail to be wowed by the soaring peaks and valleys they find themselves exploring. And the new tastes and flavours you can discover during a ski holiday are wonderful – from cheesy fondue and raclette to sweet Alpine honey.
It’s not always plain sailing, though, and taking the family to the slopes is fraught with potential difficulties. The killer combination of bad weather and tired children can turn a good day bad rapidly. Careful resort and ski school choices are key to helping ensure the kids make the most of their time on the snow. Catered Ski Chalets are on hand with the best advice for a smooth ski holiday, and a pocket full of chocolate buttons goes a long way in persuading tired learners to keep going.
What’s the best age to start learning to ski?
When deciding the right time to introduce your kids to the snow, give a thought to their levels of strength and coordination in day-to-day activities. Sure, the earlier the better is a good rule of thumb – but kids need a certain level of stamina before tackling the slopes.
The general consensus among ski schools like Oxygene that we partner with indicates that anywhere from 3 to 4 years old is a good time for little ones to master those tentative first turns. Most ski schools accept youngsters into group lessons from around the age of 4 – but of course, every child is different and some kids take to it better than others in the early stages.
Children Group Ski Lessons in Val d’Isere
The role of tuition in your family ski holiday
Engaging and enjoyable ski lessons help make a good family holiday great, with skilled instructors sharing their knowledge in ways everybody can relate to. Our experts at Catered Ski Chalets readily recommend Oxygene as their go-to ski school. They rank among the finest and most family-friendly ski and snowboard schools working in the French Alps.
When choosing your ski school, look out for that all-important connection between instructor and pupil. A good instructor will take the time to earn the trust and confidence of his or her young charges, in order to help get the most out of the lessons.
Kids Lessons in Meribel
Ski resort recommendations for a harmonious holiday experience
The French Alps are home to some of the most family-friendly ski resorts in the world, with gentle terrain perfect for learners, dedicated child care programmes and top-flight ski and snowboard tuition. With that said, some resorts are worthy of particular mention.
Val d’Isère is an amazing ski holiday destination, with exciting terrain to explore, and thrilling non-ski activities like dog sledding and ice-skating to enjoy as a family.
Val d’Isère, Espace Killy 2019
Val Thorens and La Plagne both boast a huge collection of ski-in/ski-out chalets and apartments, where parents can rest assured the kids have easy access to the ski school meeting point and lifts.
Over in the world-famous Trois Vallées, Méribel and Courchevel offer stunning valley views and expansive beginner-friendly terrain.
Off piste session in the Meribel Valley
The winter ski season is ticking by, but there are still opportunities for families to escape to the slopes together. If you’re lining up a snow-filled adventure, there’s a lesson, course or clinic to help you sharpen your skills on the snow.
For the ski holiday recommendations to match your requirements, the team at Catered Ski Chalets are here to help. The advice we share is gleaned from many years of booking family ski holidays, and dealing with the best instructors in the most reputable ski schools is a big part of that. Delivering world-class tuition in some of the Alps’ finest mountain destinations, Oxygene are top of the class.