Courchevel for Families & Kids

Courchevel prides itself on being a family resort and has the approval of the Familie Plus Montagne label, France’s first and only national tourism quality label. Therefore families with children can expect to find more in the way of activities and services developed with their needs in mind. ... see "Courchevel Childcare" for more

Most ski teachers wouldn’t recommend starting skiing before the age of three or four at the earliest. The right age will vary from child to child, and depends upon the child’s strength, co-ordination and attitude. For this age group skiing should remain a play activity, so don't expect a young child to ski all day - a couple of hours is ample. Do not take a baby skiing with you on your back – immobilised, he will quickly lose heat, and the risk of collisions or falls on the piste is always present. ... see "Courchevel Skiing for Children" for more

There are a multitude of activities to keep everyone busy in Courchevel, whether outdoor, indoor, on land, in water or even in the air! So many popular sports have been adapted to enable children or beginners to experience a ‘taster’ in a safe and fun environment, so there is no reason not to get stuck in and try something new! ... see "Courchevel Activities - Families & Kids" for more

So you want to ski all season in the Alps but you’ve got a house in England, perhaps a family at school there too, commitments, bills to pay, letters to answer etc etc. You don’t understand ‘the French System’, French bank accounts, the French school system, Insurance and a million other daunting things. Most of all you don’t know where to go to find out about all those things that you don’t know.

As Donald Rumsfeld, the American Secretary of Defence once famously said about the Unknown… ... see "Doing a season in the Alps" for more

• When taking babies and toddlers on a ski holiday, you will need to take special precautions against the altitude, sun and cold.



• As you drive up to the resort, the rapid drop in air pressure may cause problems for a young child’s ears. Take a 15 minute break on the road up to the resort, and give young children a drink or something to suck to help them equalise the pressure in their ears.



• Paediatrician Nathalie Blot suggests not taking a child under one to above 1200m altitude. A baby may suffer acclimatisation problems due to the drop in air pressure and decrease in oxygen level. Courchevel lies at 1850m, and a baby cannot always equalise the pressure in his or her ears as easily as an adult. The local doctor recommends taking the journey up the mountain to the resort slowly.



• She strongly advises against taking any child under three years on a gondola lift as they find the changes in altitude too sudden.



• The cold is another danger for very small children, whose temperature regulation systems are not yet fully developed. Waterproof boots, good quality mittens and ears protection are essential to protect from frostbite. Do not take a baby skiing with you on your back – immobilised, he will quickly lose heat, and the risk of collisions or falls on the piste is always present.



• Remember children lose heat faster than adults so dress according to the weather conditions and make provision for it changing - hats, waterproofs and gloves are essentials. Helmets are recommended for skiing and boarding too.



• Remember to protect your child's eyes and skin from the sun - not only are the infra-red and UV rays less filtered by the atmosphere at altitude, but 85% of the rays are reflected by the snow. Use category 3 or 4 UV sunglasses/goggles, and reapply SPF30 suncream at least every two hours.



• It's a good idea to have a contact phone number and address in your child's pocket in case you become separated on the mountain.



• Lift passes are free for children under 5 in Courchevel, but only with proof of date of birth.