When it comes to skiing as a family, it can be difficult to know where to begin when choosing your ski destination. Do you go for a tried and tested favourite like Tignes? Or do you opt for a smaller, more charming and more unique resort? With family holidays, we find that the latter always seems to provide the more magical, memorable family experience. La Toussuire is one of these spots, a hidden gem, criminally overlooked by British holidaymakers but an absolute haven for families.
With a beautiful view over Les Aiguilles d’Arves, La Toussuire is an incredibly picturesque, sunny resort, part of the Les Sybelles ski area.
Les Sybelles ski area spans 393 hectares and is the fourth largest ski area in France. Set at an altitude of 1100m – 2620m, it has an impressive snow record and a huge amount of variety so that skiers of all ages and abilities can enjoy the mountain.
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The area has benefitted from a €10.5 Million investment for winter 2018/19, with the majority of this going towards new ski lifts to ensure you can quickly and comfortably zip around the area! For example, the new Mont Corbier ski lift, replacing two old lifts and drastically reducing the time taken to reach Le Corbier peak. This means extra ski time (always a bonus) as well as reduced environmental impact as a result of fewer pylons.
The area’s 146 slopes demonstrate how good an area this is for families, with 37 green, 59 blue, 41 red and 9 black runs. If you have young children or beginners in your group, Les Sybelles provides the ultimate playground to enjoy and develop. Specially designed beginner’s slopes keep learners well out of the way of more advanced skiers, while fun zones keep younger skiers entertained while they learn. The La Toussuire area in particular is fantastic when travelling with children and will allow you to ski with greater peace of mind that they are not going to take a wrong turn on a blue and end up on a black!
When we say this is a family-friendly area, we don’t mean just for younger children. There’s also a lot here for teenagers to enjoy, whether it’s the area’s lively snowpark, two boardercross areas, big air bag, 6 sledging slopes or adrenaline-inducing zip line! The zip line in particular is one of our top picks, allowing you to soar 150 metres over Lake Titou and providing a thrilling experience that the whole family won’t be able to stop talking about! The zip line can be found on foot or on skis at the beginning of the Le Chaput chairlift.
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La Toussuire is very accessible, which as we all know is a godsend for a family holiday. You can easily drive there; the resort is just eight hours from Calais. When you’re travelling as a family, with multiple bags, ski gear and childcare essentials, driving can make the most sense as a preferred method of travel. Yes it may involve being cooped up in a small space for longer than a flight, but it also means less stress of navigating airports, luggage and transfers with little ones in tow.
However, if your children enjoy flying or are slightly older, this can be a better option. You can reach La Toussuire easily from Grenoble and Chambéry airports, both of which are a short flight from a number of UK airports.
Finally, the one aspect that may sway your teenager to believe La Toussuire is the greatest ski resort they’ve ever visited? Wifi on the slopes up to 2400m! Think of all the social media potential…
Where to stay in La Toussuire – Our Top Picks
Les Hauts de Comborciere
The beautiful 4-Star Les Hauts de Comborciere residence is located at the foot of the slopes in La Toussuire and is just 100m from the resort centre, making it an ideal location for families. Built in the traditional Savoyard architectural style, the residence offers a picturesque location with high quality facilities. You can choose from great value studios to more luxury 3 bedroom apartments, all with access to an indoor heated swimming pool and whirlpool, sauna and steam room! There is also a ski hire shop run by Olympic slalom champion (2002) Jean Pierre Vidal, located at the base of the residence. A great addition, this means no lengthy walks to the hire shop upon arrival, it’s all within easy reach!
L’Ecrin Des Sybelles
A collection of three charming stone and timber chalets, L’Ecrin Des Sybelles holds 85 apartments in La Toussuire. Located 500m from the slopes and ski lifts, just 200m from the resort centre.
Les Balcons Des Aiguilles
Located right by the ski lifts, this residence offers ski to the door access, so no lengthy walks home in your ski boots! With very close proximity to the slopes, Les Balcons des Aiguilles is set around 800m from the resort centre and just 50 metres from a mini-market and restaurant, for all the essentials you might need. Three 3-story chalets are home to 26 apartments, all of which are modern and well equipped, with a shared indoor heated swimming pool and whirlpool.
For more information on this accommodation, as well as self-drive, rail packages and airport transfers, contact Lagrange’s UK reservations team on 020 7371 6111 or head to https://www.lagrange-holidays.co.uk/