Detail behind ‘game-changing’ family holiday to the French Alps
A relaxing holiday with a child under five is a rare find – but this destination has managed to work out the magic formula.
Standing on the side of an alpine slope, I watched my nervous but excited three-year-old son, oblivious to his audience tucked away above, navigating his first-ever ski lesson – and had a startling realisation.
This may be the most relaxing holiday we’d been on since he was born.
On paper, it had all the elements working against it – three people of completely different skiing ability, all the gear and effort that comes with a ski trip coupled with everything you need to have on hand with a child under five.
But this had felt different from the outset.
It’s usually me who’s burdened with the mental load of planning our adventures, but this time, Club Med Valmorel, tucked away in the French Alps, had thought of everything for us.
The arrival
Renditions of my son’s favourite track, “Are We There Yet?”, were abruptly silenced as we gazed out the window during final stages of the two-hour transfer from Geneva Airport to Valmorel. Soft flakes of snow were falling on the alpine road, offering the kind of winter wonderland welcome usually reserved for Hallmark movies.
Nature may have provided the aesthetic, but Club Med had been taking care of us since our flight landed a couple of hours earlier.
A clearly-marked Club Med Valmorel desk lay straight ahead as we entered the Arrivals hall, with plenty of staff on hand to help get us on our way to the mountain.
When we finally arrived, another team was waiting and ready to guide us through the rundown of the sprawling lodge.
There was a lot of ground to cover – ski rentals, pool, gym, games room, dining, apres-ski aperitives, the open bar – but perhaps the best feature of the resort’s family-friendly set up is its inclusion of the one-stop-shop wristband.
We were all given them during check-in, where it was explained that it doubled as a room key, locker key, and entry pass.
Wallet, swipe cards, ID? Forget it. That bracelet was the (literal) key to our whole Med experience. And with a kid prone to playing non-consensual games of Hide and Seek with all of our stuff – it was a godsend.
The gear
Once you’ve checked in, guests who require ski rental are sent downstairs to the resort’s in-house hire and fitting shop.
Having to try and move around, loaded up awkwardly with your skis, boots and poles, is easily the most inconvenient part of skiing – and it seems Club Med is well aware.
Lugging my equipment to its destination took 30 seconds. The lockers are located metres from the rental hut, and on the other side – metres from the actual ski field.
The Petit Club
A fundamental aspect of any solid group holiday is the ability for people to splinter off when needed.
There was loads on offer for us to do as a family (more on that in a minute), but skiing was not one of them – and we were at one of the most beautiful ski fields in the Alps, boasting 165km of slopes.
Not only that, but my son was ready to play with other kids. Enter the Petit Club.
While collecting our ski gear, we’d also grabbed his – and the kids’ club stand was right outside the door, ready to take it and store it ahead of his first ski lesson.
Plus, they took care of everything else – helmet, poles, bib – leaving us free to just focus on settling in.
Any residual parent guilt I felt about having some time apart from my son immediately evaporated when we dropped him off on his first day. After spotting the expansive play equipment and pack of children inside the clubroom, he was off like a shot, with barely even a backwards glance.
When we turned up later in the day – crossing our fingers there’d been no tears – he was in the midst of a Willy Wonka-themed party, alternating between the snack table and the jumping castle.
Safe to say: he was more than fine.
The dining experience
Speaking of snack tables: the food.
Did I mention it was all-inclusive?
With a massive, three-room buffet, the more upscale a la carte restaurant, and complimentary happy hour every afternoon, you are in no danger of ever going hungry (or thirsty).
And options feel endless – whether it be for the grown-ups, or the simpler palates of the kiddies (my son formed a particularly strong attachment to the pizza and gelato stations).
The cosy, chalet-style interior of the main dining area is enhanced by its breathtaking backdrop: floor-to-ceiling glass showcasing the gorgeous snowy range just outside.
The view inside? A smorgasbord of seemingly every type of international and local French cuisine, a salad bar, soups – you name it. For our hungry group after a day on the mountain, it was just as beautiful a sight as the outdoors.
While that spread was impressive, it’s the inclusion of complimentary pre-dinner aperitives and snacks that really won us over.
Baguettes, cheese platters, pastries and crepes, as well as a range of signature cocktails, all laid out (and free!) as the sun dips down. What more could you want?
The activities
The old saying may warn that “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life” – but honestly, we could probably apply it to a week in Club Med, too.
Even for the non-diehard skiers, there’s plenty on offer to keep you busy.
As well as the snowsports, guests at the resort can make use of the tobogganing sleds, the decadent indoor and outdoor swimming pools, the day spa, the games’ room, or of course, they can venture into the quaint town of Valmorel itself.
The only downside to our stay? Having to drag my kid out of there when it was time to head back to the airport.
The writer travelled to Valmorel as a guest of Club Med
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