Snow sports for winter

Skiing holidays are a fantastic way for families to get together and bond: Getting to spend some time with your children or partner, whilst talking part in activity that you all enjoy not only strengthens family ties but is also a relaxing, enjoyable and active way to spend a week’s vacation, something which can be somewhat lost on beach holidays. Not only are they fun filled and more memorable but skiing holidays also helps to encourage children and adults to pursue more active holidays in the future, something which your children will hopefully carry on into adulthood and so contributes to a healthier lifestyle. Some may even show a talent for it and one day make it to the level of the Olympic greats.

Like any holiday the key to making sure you get as much quality time with the family is as possible is often down to where you travel to, unfortunately not all ski destinations are particularly family friendly. If you get it right then making some fantastic memories together. However if you get it wrong your winter adventure can easily turn into a saga both you and the family will be determined never to repeat. It may still be the middle of summer but a any seasoned traveller will tell you; you can never plan too far ahead that is why we’ve put together a list of some of the best family resorts for skiing holidays in 2015.

La Plagne, France

10 seperate villages connected by intermediate ski runs form the La Pagne resort. The differing characteristics of each individual base make it ideal for families and skiers of all levels. There is a children’s playground ideal for youngsters to learn how to ski as well as nursery schools and nursery runs each with expert instructors so mum and dad have the option of escaping the kids for an hour or two should they decide to. There are also 225km of blue and red slopes to challenge those more experienced skiers in the family as well as 5 terrain parks to keep older children happy.

Laax, Switzerland

The unfortunately named Crap Sogn Gion offers a good number of green slopes for beginners as well as an excellent ski school the instructors of which all speak English fluently. For those with more experienced and older children the resort’s 5 terrain parks and annual freestyle competitions provide a wealth of entertainment especially for teenagers and intermediate skiers. The resort is easily accessible via an efficient train and bus service which runs to and from Zurich.

Cervinia, Italy

The small Italian town of Cervinia is not the biggest of resorts however it boasts a number of quality nursery slopes near itstown centre, ideal for novices and families with small children looking to learn the basics of the sport. There are also a good number of blue slopes and other intermediate runs further up the mountain to progress to when they are ready to move on to something a bit more challenging. The resort also has 2 kindergartens with excellent instructors to help the little ones find their feet and that will allow parents to get a couple of hours of alone time on some more challenging slopes should they desire.

Alpbach, Austria

This quaint town situated in the Austrian Alps is a particular favourite of British families. The resort has a number of excellent nursery slopes right near the centre of the village as well as a number of fantastic blue slopes for when the kids begin to progress and furthermore boasts two excellent ski schools. For those with a bit more experience under their belt, there are also a number of off-piste slopes that will offer good challenge.

Alpe d’Huez, France

With its wealth of beginner’s runs the Alpe d’Huez is an excellent playground for young children and those new to skiing in general. The resort also has a good number of blue runs to progress to and that will keep older teenagers and intermediates well challenged. There are also a number of self-catering apartments available at this resort for those who prefer to be a bit more independent on their travels.

There are of course many other family friendly destinations out there, just be sure to have done your research properly and you can look forward to one of the most memorable experiences you’ve ever had.