A lot can happen in 15 years. Since I last went on holiday with my two brothers and our parents, the world has seen six British prime ministers, the invention of Instagram, a drone landing on Mars, three royal weddings and a global pandemic.
My family’s make-up also looks very different from when I was 16 and the last time the five of us holidayed together in the Austrian resort of Rauris in 2008. Our lives have changed and our lives have changed through marriages, house moves, retirement and two births. holiday habits have changed.
But what has endured is our family’s shared passion for the outdoors. So when tasked with finding the best way to celebrate our parents’ milestone ruby wedding anniversary, the ski slopes were always going to be the venue of choice.
Organizing a ski holiday for three generations was no simple task. To start, I needed to find a resort that could accommodate the full spectrum of skiing ability; from five-year-old Charlie, who had never worn ski boots, to his father and my father, who last skied over a decade ago. “Are we going off track?” husband and ambitious retired father. Diversity was important and the English Val d’Isère favorite offered the perfect solution: a large ski area with guaranteed snow and a lively village with plenty of activities and character off the slopes.
Next, where to stay? Our last trip together on the ski slopes was a simple hotel with a half-board package. But with a milestone to celebrate and mature tastes, a private chalet seemed more appropriate. I was keen to avoid the logistical hassle of cooking my own food, but the reduced number of food and drink options in the Alps deterred me.
One of the operators that bucks this trend is Ski France. “Contact-free” dining chalets, which were implemented during the “social distance” epidemic, allow groups to vacation together without any interaction with the staff. The appeal of the concept offering extra privacy and complete control over the holiday schedule has waned. With everything in place, the Aspden party set off for the French Alps for the February half term.
Chalet Arosa is a quintessential Alpine retreat with superb wooden exteriors, set on a quiet hillside 15-minute walk or short ski bus ride from the resort. Spread over four floors with an open-plan living room, comfortable mezzanine and sunny terrace with spa bath, this villa has plenty of space for a family to spread out. On arrival the celebratory champagne was on ice and the giant fridge freezer was filled with the delicacies our host Agnes had left for us.
Agnes was always there for me, but in a 21st-century twist, I never met her in person. We communicated via WhatsApp before and during our trip and he checked in every day to make sure no one went hungry. We were delivered plenty of daily breakfast ingredients and, for six nights, three-course dinners of epic proportions with extra options for picky eaters, from traditional tartiflette to pan-fried veal and duck parmentier – all we had to do was read the heating information. Give instructions and argue about who loads the dishwasher.
We also had a direct line to a driver on site; Logen was waiting outside the chalet every morning, ready to take us to the ski slopes at the time we chose. In the evening he returned trackside to take us back to base or the nearest bar. It was a seamless experience with no interference. There were no worries about putting on your pajamas for breakfast, and no frowning faces when we arrived a little late for après.
Planning the holiday was a learning curve, but nothing prepared me for what skiing as a family of 10 would be like.
Our first morning was a chaotic experience with a struggle to get to the slopes in time for the first chair lift or ski school lesson. We soon learned that the secret to a great family getaway was to accept that it was impossible to spend every moment together. Choosing instead to divide and conquer, novices visited the Intersport equipment shop where pre-booked rentals awaited, while other more experienced skiers warmed up and set out to explore the Val’s 300 km (186 miles) of pistes.
This was a tactic that served us well throughout the week and kept any fights at bay; in the morning we would go our separate ways, leaving the chalet at our own pace, and while some opted to ski until lunch (the top run with my father from the summit of the Grande Motte glacier in Tignes was particularly notable), we would take lessons or soak in the jacuzzi, when the mercury rose at lunchtime We agree to regroup. That’s when the Solaise mountain in Val d’Isère came into its own, and I began to see how ski holidays could help bring broken families back together.
We managed to connect as a whole family on this beginner-friendly mountain, which underwent a €16 million redevelopment in 2016 to restructure its slopes. Beginners (and their ski-insecure grandmothers) were sledding on their home slopes or sunbathing on sun loungers; The more advanced among us were content to cruise on the wide, flowing blue boat after experiencing their excitement before lunch. runs.
After three days of lessons under the supervision of Franci from Supreme Ski School, the youngest generation felt confident enough to go further and we were able to share our first chairlift as a family. As I descended at the top of the Madeleine elevator, I caught a glimpse of my family’s faces: a look filled with pride, gratitude, and disbelief that this was really happening — 15 years is a long time to wait just for memories from the holidays. can be delivered.
Not a day goes by without making memories like ice skating on the rinks, swimming, and playing retro video games at Le Pub. It turns out that this diversity and the opportunity not to allow boredom is another secret of intergenerational harmony. One afternoon, my siblings and I engaged in some long-overdue sibling bonding (i.e., rivalry) on a fat bike tour in the pristine Manchet Valley; Meanwhile, the kids’ highlight was joining Gramps on the twilight tree-top adventure course – complete with rope ladders, swing tackles and illuminated obstacles in the woods above the hillsides.
On the last day of our holiday, the Aspden family snaked down the Col de la Madeleine piste one last time. As I led the way, with my niece Martha following closely behind me (she now eagerly asks “can we do this every year?”), I had to remind myself to stop for a moment to take it all in. This holiday has been 15 years. As we waited and reunited the family on the slopes, coming down grinning with shared happiness, I knew the next one couldn’t come too soon.
Fundamentals
Ski France (0203 475 4756) is offering a week’s stay at Chalet Arosa for a total of £11,087 for up to 10 people using the Contactless Catering Service. Return transfers from Geneva to Val d’Isère with MV Transport cost €855 (£735) for eight people. Five-day tuition at Supreme Ski School starts from €499 (£429), while daily rental at Intersport starts from €8 (£6.90).
Lucy and her family were guests of Ski France and Val d’Isère Tourism.