Holiday Essentials
03. Childcare
If you're coming to Val d'Isère with young children, whether they’re too young to ski or will ski for a few hours but need looking after for the rest of the day, there are plenty of options.
Whatever you choose, though, you absolutely must book as far in advance as possible.
Especially during school holiday weeks, the best options are booked up very quickly.
The most popular option is a private nanny and there are several nanny companies and agencies operating in Val d'Isère. We particularly like Jelly and Ice Cream – they even looked after our own children back in the day!
A private nanny will come to your holiday accommodation, entertain your children there, take them out on excursions and adventures, drop them off at ski school and collect them afterwards. During peak weeks you may have to book a full-week package, but more flexibility is usually possible in quieter weeks, allowing you to dip in and out as required.
Evening babysitting can also be arranged. Private childcare can look quite expensive, but it can work out surprisingly good value if you have several children in your family or group.
A play club is usually cheaper and can be more fun for sociable children. Jelly and Ice Cream have the Popsicles Play Club for children aged 2 to 6, with all staff English-speaking. There's also the municipal-run Chalet des Aiglons on the edge of the nursery slopes, with a crèche for children from 1 to 3 years and an activity club for older children. It's mainly French-speaking, so bear that in mind, especially if your child is shy or nervous.
Some hotels and tour operators still have their own in-house crèche or childcare facilities, but this is a lot less common than it used to be. One that does is Neilson at the Hotel Ducs de Savoie, just off the main street. It caters for children from 4 months to 12 years, will drop older children at ski school and collect them afterwards, and also includes evening childcare on three nights each week so parents can enjoy a meal out. At the luxury end of the market, the five-star Airelles also has a children's club, themed as Merlin's Magical Forest, complete with its own cinema.
Most ski schools accept children from around three years old, although at that age lessons are generally quite short and are as much about building confidence and having fun in the snow as learning to ski. As children get older, many ski schools also offer lunchtime supervision and lunch clubs, allowing them to ski all day without parents having to return to collect them at midday.
Evolution 2 has also recently introduced an afternoon Winter Camp for children aged 5 to 8. It's open to everyone and isn't restricted to children taking their morning ski lessons with Evolution 2. Activities obviously depend on the weather, but can include snowshoeing, electric snowmobile driving, igloo building and even avalanche rescue – great fun as well as a brilliant way to learn about the mountains.
Val d'Isère is a fantastic resort for families, but good childcare is one of the few things you can't rely on finding once you arrive. Book early and you'll have a huge range of excellent options; leave it until the week before your holiday and you may find there is very little left.
