What the kids Wore // Reima

One thing we learned very early was that the quality of clothing we buy for our ski holidays makes a big difference.  The temperature drop is quite considerable and we are not used to snow at home.  The bigger boys spend multiple hours a day outside whilst we are there and I want to feel confident that they are warm, dry and comfortable for it.  The children don't need a lot of clothes when we are away as they live in their thermals

We were sent a few items from Reima and the quality is outstanding.  Reima is a Finnish band committed to keeping kids active without letting the weather get in the way.  Their products are designed for an active childhood. Both Cora and Dylan had a set of thermals that were designed to keep their body heat in and they both found them comfy and warm.

  Dylan and Archie already have the fleeces which are the perfect mid layer and they wore them all week.  They are quick drying (they are pretty much dry when they come out the washing machine) and help keep the warmth in without bulking them up.  

Archie was also sent a beautiful blue jacket which he wore every day and we both loved.  It was perfect for skiing with a pocket for his lift pass, adjustable cuffs and a detachable hood, but he will be wearing it all winter as it is a warm, well made coat that can accompany him on his everyday adventures. 

We will definitely continue to shop with Reima for warm winter wear!

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Our Family Ski Holiday with Snowbizz

It was our fourth year travelling to Puy St Vincent with Snowbizz and there is a reason we and so many others go back year after year.  A lot of people wouldn't even consider a family ski holiday, but once you have tried it, you may well find yourself hooked.  We battle through the early morning airport meltdowns and the hyperactive toddlers on the flight because when we arrive in the snow covered resort, everything is so easy, so relaxed and just so much fun.

The fresh mountain air is cold and takes a while to adjust to, the snow is unfamiliar to little hands but soft enough to sink into and the views . . . I don't think I could ever not be in awe of the snowy mountains that dominate the horizon in every direction.  The first day is always put aside for adapting, for preparing, for collecting our hired boots and skis, for take away pizza and early nights.

The next day however is a different story.  Dylan and Archie were skiing for the third year and Archie has in the yellow group at ski school with Jean-Paul whilst Dylan was in the orange class with Benjamin.  They were up and dressed in their thermals and salopettes and raring to go.  Dropping them at ski school was as easy as walking down one flight of stairs as we are directly above it (I didn't even put my shoes on some days), and they can sledge and play outside or chill out with games in the lounge before their lesson starts.   It is a little further to drop off Finn and Cora but I can probably do the walk with both of them on foot in two minutes still.  We leave our apartment block, cross in front of a shop and we are at the welcoming Snowbizz creche where the pink ladies greet them every morning with smiles and cuddles.  There are always toys laid out inviting them to play and a craft or painting set up on the tables.

And then we can ski, or read a book, or go for a walk, or eat a fresh croissant bought from the bakery next to the creche.  The morning is ours and we love the freedom, the rest, the adult time.  

Our week is always a mixture of family time, adult time, skiing and some one on one time with the little ones.  We follow their lead and take it day by day and it works so well for us.  We love sledging and the creche has plenty of sledges that you can borrow to take to the little sledging hill next to the playground.  The restaurants all have tables outside so we can play in the snow as we wait for our lunch, and hot chocolate will never taste quite as good as it does from the Creperie after an afternoon sledging. 

We had snow, so much snow and we had sunshine. It snowed for about 24 hours straight with around 60cm laying just over night.  The next morning the sun shone, the freshly pisted slopes could not have been more inviting and we couldn't resist stomping in the fresh powder snow, watching it rise up our legs, rolling around in it and throwing it up in the air.  We could not have asked for better weather and I will always remember Finn's face as the snow fell, the excitement and awe, the desperation to be out in it and the sheer joy as he ran through it with his tongue out to catch the falling flakes. 

Dylan gained even more confidence skiing and on the last day we could barely keep up with him as he skiied down the blue slopes without fear.  For a child that has never been very physically confident, it is amazing to see how much he loves this sport, how well he is improving and the experiences it gives him.  Archie was the smallest in his class and needed extra help at the beginning of the week but we took him up on the lifts at the end of the week and were amazed at how well he could ski down, never falling over or struggling and smiling and laughing the whole way.

Ed and I tackled harder red slopes, improved our skills and took in the views from the very top of the mountain where we really did feel on top of the world.  We made friends as did the children and it felt like we had our own little community by the end of the week.  Being a smaller resort, the children really make great friendships as do the adults and we all found ourselves seated together on the plane on the way home too.

The boys loved the kids clubs in the evenings and award night at the end saw Finn awarded the 'Shining Star' for 'brightening up our day' whilst Cora got the 'Haribo' award for 'being a sweetie'. 

There are so many reasons that we love going on a family ski holiday and I have written in the past about 

5 things not to miss on a Snowbizz holiday, 

our first time skiing,  

my top tips for taking kids skiing, 

learning to ski at 2 and 4 years old, 

going on a ski holiday whilst pregnant 

and packing for a family ski holiday

You can also check out our

First family ski holiday in 2014

Our 2016 family ski holiday

Our 2017 family ski holiday

A little video from our 2017 trip

We received a discount on our stay but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own 

and we are already looking into booking for next year!

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Our Week away with Snowbizz

Have you ever been somewhere and realised that you left a little piece of yourself there when you left?  That is how we feel about Puy St Vincent.  This year was the third time we have taken a family ski holiday, the third time we have headed to the snowy French Alps with Snowbizz - The Family Ski Specialists, and we know that it won't be the last.

From the helpful staff in the office to the friendly greeting at Gatwick airport to the Pink ladies welcoming us to Turin, we felt looked after at every stage of our journey and in resort I felt confident leaving my children with the qualified nannies and knew that the boys' ski lessons were all overseen by Michel, who makes it his business to ensure every child (and adult) is getting the most from their time in Puy.  

This year was our first time with four children, and I was a little worried about how it would all go.  They are all still so young and with two under two, we were flying with one on our lap each and another child next to us each.  Somehow everything seemed to come together on the day and it just fell into place.  The drive up to the resort from the airport is full of anticipation and snoring as the early start means we all struggled to stay awake.  When you open your eyes to the stunning view of endless mountains, crisp white snow and tall trees it is just so magical and we were in Puy before we knew it.

Our week was exhausting but relaxing and we each got so much from it.  The bloke and I progressed in our skiing thanks to our wonderful instructor Hugo.  He pushed me to try some of the red runs, he took us off piste after the fresh snow had fallen and he helped me every step of the way when I struggled with my confidence.  

Dylan was in the Junior ski school this year which meant a two hour lesson each morning.  To say he loved it would be an understatement, he was dressed and ready to go each morning an hour before the doors even opened! There were four of them in his group and he spent the week on the green and blue slopes.  On the last day after much asking, I went out skiing with him.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to help him much, that I wasn't good enough myself but he amazed me with his independence and skills.  His instructor had taught them how to get their skis on themselves, how to get up when they fall and how to ski well.  We skied down alongside him amazed at how far he had come in only a week!

Archie loved his lessons too with instructor Matthieu.  The 'Totons' are skiers aged 3 and 4 and each group has one of the qualified nannies out on the snow with them.  Archie had two other little boys with him which meant an amazing ratio and so much attention.  He was keen to keep trying all lesson and didn't want them to end after the hour!

Cora and Finn were in the creche - Finn charmed everyone as he always does and Cora surprised me in the best way.  For a baby that is attached to me almost 24/7 at home, I wasn't sure how she would cope in a new surrounding.  At 6 months she is still breastfed on demand and she is used to being worn in a sling a lot. She settled into the creche immediately and didn't cry all week.  She was content and smiley for the wonderful ladies and they were very respectful of my parenting, happy to hold her and cuddle her as much as she wanted.  I popped in just before my lesson and straight after it to feed her and she fell into an easy routine whilst we were away.

The wonderful thing about a ski holiday is that there is something for everyone.  Our week was a mix of adult time and family time and we could all go off in the day and have our lessons but we all came together again afterwards, refreshed after a little time apart and with the wonderful backdrop of a snowy mountain to relax us.  Skiing is physically quite exhausting so our evenings were snuggly and our bedtimes early.

Snowbizz offers so much but the things that really make it perfect for young families like ours are the exceptional childcare and the closeness of everything.  We would leave our apartment and have our skis on within 30 seconds walk, ready to go.  At the end of my lesson, I could pop my skis against the wall with Ed and be back with the children in less than a minute.  The resort is small but has everything we needed with a selection of restaurants, ski shops and two supermarkets.

The childcare is by far the best we have come across in any country.  The nannies all seem so genuinely happy to be there and their energy and enthusiasm is catching.  I would pop in to feed Cora at sometimes quite random times but I always found them totally engrossed in play with the children - painting faces, making up songs, pushing them around in cars or following the children's games.  I felt happy leaving Cora there each day despite the fact that until last week I had never left her with anyone other than Ed and never for more than 30 minutes.

This little resort buried 1600 metres up the slope is the place we spend all year looking forward to visiting and we are not alone.   The personal service of a family run company means there are families that come back year after year and many new families are captivated on the first visit.  For children learning to ski, this is the perfect resort with small classes and the nursery slopes on their doorstep.

Skiing may not be the first thing you think of when looking for somewhere to take young children, but it is an amazing holiday for every age and we have definitely got the ski bug!

Thank you to Snowbizz for hosting us last week - we may turn out to be your most loyal customers!

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