So, you want to take the family skiing at half-term? Here's a quick survival guide from some relative newcomers to this phenomenon.
Half-term?
For those of you outside the UK and Europe, it's the 1-2 week period in the middle of February when almost all schools have time off in the middle of their winter term. As such, other than Christmas, it's the prime time for skiing with the family.
So What?
It's also the busiest week of the year on the European slopes, the most expensive and the Saturdays at each end of the week are the busiest air traffic days of the year. The latter matters a lot because it directly impacts available take-off slots (see below).
Booking
Being the busiest week of the year you need to book well in advance (up to a year) to secure your preferred spot. If you are less fussed about where you want to go then there are last minute options available. Our first year (when we had no idea about what we were doing) was booked about 10 days out and we ended up in a decent enough apartment in Les Arcs; but don't risk it if you have an option.
In the UK, there are a wide range of package deals that cover flights, accommodation, transfers and sometimes meal options. You can also package in ski passes and gear hire to make it simple. It's generally a well-oiled machine with mass-market companies like Crystal Ski and Inghams or higher end options like Scott Dunn.
If you prefer to make your own arrangements, it's perfectly feasible but will require more research and prep time. Get in early to secure good flight times and it's worth comparing the total cost of your self-service option with a package as you often end up at the same accommodation and may end up paying more.
Accommodation
For all the awesome things about skiing in Europe, accommodation is often not one of them. There are plenty of over-priced, underwhelming hotels and apartments alongside fabulous luxury accommodation. Overall however, there are less good quality options than you would expect in the upper-middle bracket. Therefore, combining quality of lodgings and a sensible budget requires a lot of research.
Apartments - best option if you have older children / teens. There are a few newer developments out there and we've had some good experiences in Val D'Isere and Kaprun but there are also a lot of disappointingly ordinary options.
Hotels - A large variety as you would expect with many being family run small hotels which can be a great experience through to international chains. Having to book multiple rooms can be expensive and some self-catering options are helpful even if just breakfast and ordering pizza.
Shared Chalets - popular with the Brits. This is where you have one or more rooms shared with strangers (unless you book the whole thing) in a large chalet catered by chalet staff. There are some smaller ones for a single family but not very many so best suited to sharing with multiple family members or friends. It has the potential to be a blast or a train-wreck (speaking from experience working in one - but that's a story for another day).
Getting There
Flights
If you book a package holiday then flights are included however the most important thing is the departure times. This matters because of take-off slots. Being the busiest flying day of the year the air lanes are at maximum capacity meaning if you miss your slot then you can wait hours for another one. This is made even worse if you are on a budget airline that has less leverage in negotiating a new slot. The best option therefore is to suck up the hideously early start and get a departure as early as possible. This way the inevitable problems don't have time to compound during the day and you have a shot at getting to resort before midnight. Even on the best days it's gruelling.
Airports
Timing - Even at 5:00am it's almost always a bun-fight in some respects. Just budget a decent amount more time than you normally would. We typically arrive at least three hours before departure and sometimes that can be tight.
Pre-booking a pay lounge. This can be worthwhile to mitigate against departure delays. You always need to pre-book well in advance. At Gatwick (and possibly others) your lounge booking allows you to use premium security which can be a big win.
Premium security - just pay the money especially if you are not leaving super-early when it's a little calmer.
Airport hotels. We've tried staying in a hotel at the airport a couple of times when there has been a very early departure however have now decided that the not insignificant extra cost isn't really worth it for a couple of extra hours sleep.
Tip: London City Airport can be an efficient option avoiding the crowds at the other London airports but has a curfew so there is a risk delayed flights coming home could be diverted (a problem if you drive and park).
Transfers
Your standard package holiday will include bus transfers possibly with the option of upgrading to a private transfer. Bus transfers are ok but slow depending on where you are in the drop-off stack. When you arrive at the airport there will be a rep from the ski company to meet you and herd you all into the coaches.
Private transfers are a good option if you want to avoid the slowness and fellow passenger lottery of the buses. Expect to pay £800+ for a van at half-term week. If you are organizating things yourself, I've used Alps2Alps a number of times in different counties and not had a fail.
Regardless of which option you choose, you can expect progress to be slow through the traffic up to resort. Most European visitors tend to drive their own cars and there can be massive tail-backs especially leading to popular areas like the Trois Vallees, Espace Killy, Paradiski areas.
Food
There are generally limited options and time when you arrive to connect with the coaches service to resort so if traveling with children, a bag of options from e.g. Pret is a worthwhile investment even if you don't need it.
In-Resort
Gear
If you need to hire gear, it makes a lot of sense to pre-book it either through your tour company or independently. Collecting it when you land is always a bit chaotic so worth doing as a priority as soon as you arrive in resort.
Restaurants
The smart money books their restaurants in advance. If you've been to the resort before it's easier, but if not then it's worth researching recommendations. Walk-in's are possible but difficult and often involve long waits. France in particular is challenging because there are limited on-line reservation options and you generally have to phone them to make a booking. They are not always very helpful but it's worth persisting. If possible, leverage your hotel or apartment concierge.
Supermarkets
Most resorts will have one or more small supermarket options. This is ideal if you are self-catering and most also have a decent wine selection which is of course critical to any ski holiday.
Insurance
Essential for obvious reasons but check your policy carefully that it includes comprehensive winter sports cover including credit card insurance. Having seen some pretty serious medical situations first hand while working in the Alps, don't underestimate this one.
In France you also need something called a Carte Niege. This covers you for on-mountain rescue including helicopters. It's not automatically included when you buy a ski pass so make sure you confirm that or purchase in advance.
Ski School
It seems like a no-brainer - the kids in ski school and you're on a deck chair with a mulled wine and a fur blanket. No wait, it is a no-brainer! Actually, the ski schools are generally fantastic and a lot of fun but get harder to sell as your children get older. In France, old- school ESF tends to be predominantly French speaking so a bit challenging if you don't speak the language. On the flip side, the instruction was excellent and my children's skiing progressed enormously. However, there are a lot more English speaking options although sometimes it's a bit a day-care service versus actual ski school and the numbers in the group lessons can be large. This can frustrate more aggressive young riders who don't want to wait for people to catch up.
How busy is it?
It's busy but generally the atmosphere is good when a resort is full. Planning and booking ahead significantly takes the stress out of things including lunch bookings if you want to eat at non walk-in places on-mountain. Lift queues can be pretty crazy at times and certain pistes worth avoiding if you don't want a hell ride home courtesy of out of control learners. A few tips:
Once you get to know a mountain you can be a bit strategic about lift choices depending on location and time of day to minimise queues. Sometimes you can ride a less popular slower lift or one that's harder to get to and just do laps for a bit without waiting.
Eating lunch relatively early has the benefit of a relatively quite period during the main lunch rush.
Research the resort you are planning to visit. The big resorts like Val D'Isere, Les Arcs, Courchevel etc. have well designed lift systems that can cope with a full resort but the main lifts can have long waits especially in the early mornings. However, many smaller resorts might suit you better if you prefer a quieter experience with less lifts and less people.
What does it cost?
Obviously it varies hugely on the type and quality of accommodation but assuming a family of four in a mid-range two bedroom apartment at a premium resort you should budget around £10,000 for the week including ski passes, all meals etc. You can do it for less in a one-bedroom apartment, shared chalet, less popular resorts but 8-10K is a good guide. If there is any option not to go this week you will save thousands.
Is it worth it?
Overall, yes. Skiing with your family is one of the most fun and rewarding things you can do together regardless of age. You have to be prepared for some frustrations from delayed flights, slow transfers and restaurant denials to the chips and scratches on your new skis / board in the free-for-all lift queues. (Ski in North America if you value politeness in the lift line). Patience and calmness will enhance your experience even if you have to dig a bit deep at times.
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