by 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, an unmanned landing on Mars, three royal weddings and a global pandemic.
The makeup of my family is also very different from when I was 16 and the last time we vacationed together as a five in the Austrian town of Rauris in 2008. Through marriages, moves, retirements and two births, our lives have changed and our holiday habits have distanced themselves.
However, one thing that has endured is our family’s shared passion for the outdoors. So when we were tasked with finding the best way to celebrate our parents’ milestone ruby wedding anniversary, the ski slopes would always be the venue of choice.
Organizing a ski holiday for three generations was no easy task. To start, I had to find a resort that opened the entire spectrum of skiing abilities: from five-year-old Charlie, who had never worn a pair of ski boots, and his father, who last skied more than a decade ago, to my “Are we getting off track?” husband and enthusiastic retired father. Variety would be key and the British Val d’Isère favorite presented the perfect solution: a vast ski area with safe snow and a lively town with plenty of off-piste activities and character.
Next, where to stay? Our last outing together on the slopes had been in 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 eager to avoid the logistical challenges of self-service, but was deterred by the dwindling number of catered options in the Alps.
One operator that has bucked this trend is Ski France. Its ‘contactless’ catered chalets, launched during the pandemic era of ‘social distancing’, allow groups to holiday together without any interaction with staff. The appeal of the concept, which offers greater privacy and complete control over the vacation schedule, has persisted. With everything ready, the Aspden group headed to the French Alps for the February half term.
Chalet Arosa is the quintessential alpine retreat, nestled on a quiet hillside a 15-minute walk or short ski bus ride from the center of the resort and boasting a dreamy wooden exterior. Spread over four floors, with an open plan living room, cozy mezzanine and sunny terrace with hot tub, there is ample space for a family to spread out. Upon our arrival, the celebratory champagne was ice-cold and the giant fridge-freezer was packed with delights left for us by our host, Agnes.
Agnes was always available, but, in a 21st century twist, I never met her in person. We communicated on WhatsApp before and during our trip, and she checked in daily to make sure no one went hungry. We were provided with abundant ingredients for daily breakfast and for six nights a three-course dinner of epic proportions, ranging from traditional tartiflette to sautéed beef and duck parmentier, with additional options for the pickiest eater – everything we had What to do was read the heating. instructions and argue over who was loading the dishwasher.
We also had a direct line to a resort driver – Logen was waiting punctually outside the chalet each morning ready to take us to the slopes at our chosen time. He returned to the track at night to take us back to the base or the nearest bar. It was a perfect experience, without intrusions. There were no worries about wearing pajamas to breakfast, no frowning faces when we stayed a little late at après.
Planning the vacation had been a learning curve, but nothing prepared me for what it would be like to ski with a family of 10.
Our debut morning was nothing short of chaotic, with a scramble to get to the slopes in time for the first lift or ski school lesson. We soon learned that the secret to a large family getaway was accepting that it’s impossible to spend every moment together. Opting to divide and conquer, the newbies visited the Intersport equipment store, where pre-booked rentals awaited them, while the other more experienced skiers warmed up and headed out to explore Val’s 300 km (186 miles) of pistes.
It was a tactic that served us well all week and kept any disputes at bay: in the morning we went our separate ways, leaving the chalet at our own pace, and while some opted to ski hard until lunch (the highlight was running to the bottom from the top of the Grande Motte de Tignes glacier with my father), take classes or soak in the jacuzzi, we agreed to regroup when the mercury rose at lunchtime. That’s when Val d’Isère’s Solaise Mountain came into its own and I began to see how ski holidays can help reunite dispersed families.
On this beginner-oriented mountain, which underwent a €16 million renovation in 2016 to reconfigure its slopes, we were able to connect as a whole family. The beginners (and their tentative skiing grandmother) were at home on the children’s slopes, sledding or sunbathing on a deck chair, and the more advanced ones, having had our thrills before lunch, were content to navigate the wide and fluid bowl of blue waters. careers.
After three days of lessons under the watchful eye of Franci from the Supreme Ski School, the younger generation was confident enough to venture further and we were able to share our first chairlift as a family. I caught a glimpse of my parents’ faces as we disembarked at the top of the Madeleine elevator: a look of pride, gratitude, and disbelief that this was happening; 15 years is a long time to wait for the kind of memories that are just vacations. Can deliver.
Off the slopes, not a day went by without more memories surfacing: ice skating, swimming, and playing retro video games at Le Pub. That variety, and the inability to allow boredom to prevail, turned out to be another secret to multigenerational harmony. One afternoon, my brothers and I struck up some long-awaited sibling bonding (i.e. rivalry) on a fatbike tour through the pristine Manchet Valley, while the kids’ highlight was joining Grandpa on the adventure circuit in the Treetops at Dusk – A challenge of rope ladders, swings and illuminated obstacles in the forest on the slopes.
On the last day of our holiday, the Aspden family meandered down the Col de la Madeleine track for the last time. Leading the way, with my niece Martha following close behind (now excitedly asking “can we do this every year?”), I had to remind myself to pause for a moment to take it all in. This vacation had been 15 years While I waited and, after gathering the family on the slopes, when we reached the bottom, smiling with shared delight, I knew the next one couldn’t come too soon.
Essentials
Ski France (0203 475 4756) offers a week’s stay at Chalet Arosa from £11,087 total, for up to 10 people sharing a contactless catering service. Return transfers from Geneva to Val d’Isère with MV Transport cost €855 (£735) for eight people. Five-day tuition with Supreme Ski School costs from €499 (£429), daily rental with Intersport costs from €8 (£6.90).
Lucy and her family were guests of Ski France and Tourism of Val d’Isère.
