So many activities in Verbier revolve around adult pursuits that it's easy to forget that the resort has real appeal for families too. There are specific areas in the village where they can enjoy learning to ski, most notably Les Moulins and Les Esserts, and good practice areas in Savoleyres and around La Chaux.
Once skiing is over for the day there is a small but reliable selection of activities to keep kids occupied such as tobogganing on the closed nursery slopes, ice-skating at the Sports Centre or tucking into crepes and milkshakes at the
Milk Bar.
Where to stay
Your accommodation options all have pros and cons. Children love the social interaction of chalets and hotels and childcare costs can usually be shared. On the other hand, self-catering arrangements are more flexible (particularly at meal times). If you have young children, being close to the slopes, a bus stop or a ski locker is particularly important, as you will inevitably end up carrying their skis as well as your own!
Child-friendly tour operators include
Crystal,
Mark Warner and
Scott Dunn.
Top ski school tips
- Children generally can start skiing from around four years old (older for snowboarding)
- Young children, or those new to skiing, may only manage half a day - it can be very tiring when they're not used to it
- Plenty of high factor suncream is essential - factor 30+ and water resistant
- Younger eyes are more sensitive so it is important to make kids wear good quality sunglasses or goggles all the time. If you only plan to buy one or the other, buy goggles.
- If possible, book with an instructor who speaks good English so your child can understand the instructions and if there's a problem, they can understand it
