1. Ski! No matter what level different members of your family are at, Alpe d'Huez has something for everyone. Its the perfect place to ski as a family.
2. Get your skates on! Alpe d'Huez boasts a beautiful ice rink in the centre of town - and everyone with a 6 day or more lift pass gets one visit free! With great music, a seating area for spectators and a helpful range of skating aids for the little ones, all with an incredible view of the surrounding mountains, its a favourite holiday highlight with the whole family.
3. Make a splash! Forget to bring your swimming things? Never fear, the local outdoor pool has a range of sizes for sale and for rent! So there's nothing to stop you from experiencing the novelty of floating around in this gorgeously warm pool, surrounded by snowy mountains. On sunny days its a suntrap to rival a Mediterranean beach, ensuring that the kids will have as much fun as they do in summer and you'll go home with more than just a goggle tan. Its just as much fun on a snowy day - clouds of steam rise from the hot water and mix with the falling snow, forming a mysterious atmosphere the kids will love, and its an experience that makes a great talking point when you get home!
4. Make a splash indoors! If the idea of an outdoor pool in winter is just too big a leap, there is also an indoor swimming pool at the Palais de Sports. Both outdoor and indoor pools offer one free entry to everyone with a ski pass of 6 days or more.
5. Explore the ice cave! A favourite trip especially with younger children, head up the DMC cabin lift to the second station. If the journey in the lift itself wasn't exciting enough, to the left as you exit the lift you will find the Grotto de Glace - a cave carved out of the snow every year by a handful of talented artists, who transform the place into a wonderland of snow and ice sculptures. This year you are transported millions of years into the past... tiptoe into the depths and lookout for dinosaurs!
6. Reach for the sky! How many times in your life do you get to stand on the very summit of a mountain? For most of us, not all that many. So if its a clear day, wrap up well and take the DMC cabin lift all the way to the top - Pic Blanc at 3330 metres. The younger ones will love the journey in the lift, and every member of the family can enjoy the spectacular views from the top - see who can spot Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe, first! Don't forget your cameras and you can add some priceless pictures to the family photo album - and they can collect plenty of silly poses for their friends on facebook!
7. Indulge your sweet tooth! Alpe d'Huez boasts one of the best sweet shops around, Lollipop, a favourite stamping ground with kids aged 1 to 100! Even those strange creatures out there who don't like sweets will love this shop - its full to bursting with novelty items that whizz, bounce, whistle and wobble - even a trip past the window is highly entertaining. You even have two chances to see it - there is one store in the town centre near the ice rink, and one in the shopping centre at Des Bergers.
8. Have a teddy bear tea party! In the centre of town across the road from the Royal Ours Blanc hotel lies a delightful cafe crammed full of teddy bears! Its a great place to call for a coffee or hot chocolate with young children. They offer special mini-sized drinks for the little ones, who will love to picnic amongst the teddies. The cafe also offers an afternoon tea buffet with a luscious array of cakes and crepes!
9. Bumboard Des Bergers! Forget sledging at the foot of the piste, dodging irritated skiers! Alpe d'Huez has its own specialist bumboarding area in Des Bergers, opposite the Romains chairlift. A specially created bowl-shaped area, skis are forbidden and with different gradients around its edge its safe for all ages to slide around to their hearts content - although helmets are still highly recommended. If your accommodation doesn't supply toboggans, check out the shopping centre at Des Bergers where a sledge with brakes can be hired for around €6 a day. Bumboards are widely available to buy in resort starting around €3 each.
10. Try out the toboggan run! As well as the area in Des Bergers, Alpe d'Huez also has a purpose built toboggan run which starts at the first station of the DMC cabin lift and runs parallel to the snow park all the way down. Toboggans must have brakes in order to manage the corners (not provided) bumboards are not allowed, and helmets are strongly recommended. There are no age restrictions but under 6's are advised to stick to the Des Bergers bumboarding area.
11. Have a blast in the ball pool! The Palais de Sports' best kept secret, in a corner of the indoor mini golf area lies a small ball pool/soft play area. Its totally free and has a seating area, so its well worth hunting down on a snowy day! Just head downstairs and follow the signs for mini golf.
12. Challenge the family to a round of golf! The indoor mini golf course at the Palais de Sports is a great place to have some family fun when the weather is bad, and is very reasonably priced.
13. Tackle the high ropes! For your more adventurous family members with a head for heights, try your hand at Vertigo, the high ropes obstacle course in the Palais de Sports. Its open from around 3pm in the afternoons and earlier when the weather is bad. Helmets, harnesses and special footwear are provided. Over 6's can go unaccompanied; under 6's must have an adult with them. At €7 its fantastic fun for all ages, and for those who don't care to tackle it, there is a very nice little cafe next door where you can watch (and capture on camera) all their antics.
14. Play giant chess! Another of the Palais de Sports' free gems, a giant chess set, which lies on the concourse beside the cafe overlooking the mini golf. Older members of the family can challenge each other to a battle of wits, while the younger members can enjoy themselves in their own way with the big plastic pieces!
15. Make a snowman! No family holiday in the snow is complete without building a snowman, and with usually at least 3 or 4 feet of snow to play with, there's plenty of opportunities! Why not get everyone involved in making the biggest one you can, or split into teams and have a contest! Or why not branch out - make towering snow castles using plastic tumblers or containers, or get down to some serious digging and build yourselves an igloo!
16. Photo Challenge! Great fun for all ages, arm your youngsters with a camera and give them a list of things they have to have to find and then photograph themselves with! Perfect for keeping the kids occupied when you want a leisurely stroll around town and a look at the shops.
17. Jump for joy at the snow park! For your daredevil youngsters who've got the hang of their skis, the snow park is the perfect playground. With a wide range of small, medium and large jumps, bumps, rails and a mini half pipe, they'll get all the thrills they want! The snow park itself is a green piste in the midst of the beginner area, so most family members should comfortably get down it (whether or not they attempt the jumps) once they have learned to turn. As an added bonus, a photographer stakes out one of the jumps to capture the moment, and the pictures are available to buy at the Photo Breton shop opposite the ice rink. You can even have it immortalised on a t-shirt or mug - quite possibly the coolest holiday souvenir ever!
18. Take a ride over the rooftops! The gondola lift, more commonly referred to as 'the lobster pots' is not only a very handy (and free) way of getting from one end of resort to the other, but is always a big hit with the little ones! Include a trip in this lift in your explorations, and the kids will love sailing through the air above the town. See if they can spot the swimming pool and the ice rink!
19. Go huskey sledding! Husky sleds are a common sight in Alpe d'Huez, and a husky sled ride is a fantastic experience for the whole family! Snuggle together under the blankets as you are whipped along in a sled pulled by these beautiful and very excited dogs. Don't forget to shout mush!
20. Ogle the altiport! Head over to the altiport to have fun with the younger ones spotting small planes, microlights and helicopters. The free ski bus (citron circuit) saves you the trek up the hill and back and also makes a fun trip for the little ones - especially if they get to press the bell!
Still worried about keeping the kids entertained on your family skiing holiday? Why not consider hiring a nanny? Snow Angel Nannies provide high quality, flexible childcare in your own accommodation, with a programme tailored to suit you. We can ensure that while you make the most of your time on the slopes, your children will be having the time of their lives as well! Check out our website.
No comments:
Post a Comment