Activity Advice for Families in Meribel

Creches, Childminding & Baby Sitting Services

The French Ski School (ESF) runs ‘Les Saturnins’ day nursery for children from 18 months to 3 years. It is located at the Chaudanne in the Olympic Centre. Children are introduced to sledging and other snow games as well as indoor activities. You would need to bring proof of the child’s date of birth, and you are asked to bring health documentation and a favourite teddy bear. Children can be accepted for half or full days. Book on +33 (0)4 79 08 66 90 Children from 3 to 5 are taken by the French Ski School’s three Les Piou-Piou skiing kindergartens (formerly called les Jardins des P’tits Loups) located at Le Rond Point, La Chaudanne and in Mottaret. Here they are introduced to snow and skiing in a special snow-covered playground equipped with inflatables and a mini ski lift. There is also a heated chalet and rest area. Children can be accepted for full or half days, from 9am to 5pm. Book on +33 (0)4 79 08 60 31 (Méribel) or +33(0)4 79 00 49 49 (Mottaret). It is strongly recommended to pre-book for the busy New Year and February school holiday period. Places are often fully booked months in advance. Several British-run companies specialise in providing UK qualified nannies who will come to your accommodation. Try Snowkidz, tel UK +44 (0)870 402 88 88; Kid's Etc, tel France +33 (0)6 22 62 69 03; or MeriNannies, tel UK +44 (0)7860 925055. Méribel and Mottaret Tourist Offices also hold a list of registered child-minders, some of whom speak English. Tel +33 (0)4 79 08 60 01.

Children's Clubs - Summer

There are children's clubs for all age groups. Most, but not all, speak at least some English.

KINDERGARTEN ‘LES SATURNINS’
Olympic Centre, Méribel Tel: 04 79 08 66 90
For children 18 months to 3 years
Activities: indoor and outdoor games, picnics
Open Monday to Friday

LES PIOU PIOU KINDERGARTENS (formerly les P'tits Loups)
Olympic Centre, Méribel Tel: 04 79 08 66 90
Le Chatelet, Mottaret Tel: 04 79 00 36 66)
For children aged 3 to 8
Activities: crazy-golf, rock-climbing, archery, grass skiing, swimming, hiking, trampoline, fishing, adventure park, dam construction, painting, face-painting etc.
Open morning and afternoon, with optional lunch

MERICLUB
Tel: 04 79 08 66 90 / 06 22 52 75 93
For children aged 8 to 13
Activities: educational, cultural and sports activities, trampoline, mountain fishing etc.
Open Monday to Friday

LES CASTORS JUNIORS
Tel: 04 79 22 08 23, or contact Marie de Gélis: 06 60 11 75 68
For children aged 6 to 12
Activities: introduction to the natural environment of the mountains; trekking with a donkey; discovery of the forest, plants, rocks etc; fishing; learning to orientate; sleep overnight in a tepee; watch the stars; see the animals; listen to mountain legends around a campfire.

SPORT KIDS (run by Alain Falcoz)
Tel: 04 79 08 67 25 / 06 60 38 37 39 / 04 79 00 37 39
For children aged 8 to 18 years
Sports activities for three different age groups: Kids (8-10), Juniors (11-13) & Teenagers (14 and over)
Activities: mountain-biking, quad, roller-skating, rock-climbing, kayak, rafting, street-hockey, swimming, scuba-diving, archery, grass-skiing, adventure park, paint-ball, karting, canyoning etc.
Open Monday to Friday

MOUNTAIN GUIDES’ OFFICE
Tel: 04 79 00 30 38
Activities: rock climbing for children aged 8 to 13; 2 half-days on an artificial climbing wall and 1 full day at a natural site with a test at the end.

JEUNESSE ET FAMILLE LEISURE CENTRE
Morel, Méribel Tel: 04 79 08 60 39
French Youth & Sports Ministry certified leisure centre for children & teenagers aged 3 to 16
Activities: For children 3 to 12: creation, expression, circus crafts, magic & ventriloquy workshops, sports clinics, ice-skating, theatre, mime & clowning. For children 12 to 16: sports & mountain discovery weeks (camping, swimming pool, trampoline, paint-ball, mountain-biking, water-sports, archery, canyoning etc).
Open Monday to Saturday

Note also there is an enclosed play area at la Chaudanne in Méribel.

Children's Clubs - Winter

KINDERGARTEN ‘LES SATURNINS’
Olympic Centre, Méribel.
Tel: 04 79 08 66 90
For children 18 months to 3 years
Activities offered: indoor and outdoor games, sledding, handicrafts.
Half and full day options available.

LES PIOU PIOU KINDERGARTENS (formerly LES P’TITS LOUPS)
Olympic Centre and Le Rond-Point, Méribel Tel: 04 79 08 66 90
Le Chatelet, Mottaret Tel: 04 79 00 36 66.
For children aged 3 to 5, run by the French Ski School (ESF).
Open morning and afternoon, with optional lunch.
A snow-covered play and ski area, equipped with mini ski lifts, where children are introduced to skiing and games in the snow. There is also a heated chalet where children can rest, or play during bad weather.

RAQUETT’EVASION
Snow shoe outings for children aged 7 – 12 year
Tel 04 79 24 10 40
Children learn to use snow shoes and build igloos. French speaking groups, available during the French school holidays only.

Children’s ski lessons are also available from Magic in Motion, the ESF (French Ski School) and other local ski schools. See ‘Ski & Snowboard Schools’ for contact details.

Tips for Families & Kids

• When taking babies and toddlers on a ski holiday, you will need to take special precautions against the altitude, sun and cold.
• As you drive up to the resort, the rapid drop in air pressure may cause problems for a young child’s ears. Take a 15 minute break on the road up to the resort, and give young children a drink or something to suck to help them equalise the pressure in their ears.
• Paediatrician Nathalie Blot suggests not taking a child under one to above 1200m altitude. A baby may suffer acclimatisation problems due to the drop in air pressure and decrease in oxygen level. Avoriaz lies at 1800m, and a baby cannot always equalise the pressure in his or her ears as easily as an adult. The local doctor recommends taking the journey up the mountain to the resort slowly.
• She strongly advises against taking any child under three years on a gondola lift as they find the changes in altitude too sudden.
• The cold is another danger for very small children, whose temperature regulation systems are not yet fully developed. Waterproof boots, good quality mittens and ears protection are essential to protect from frostbite. Do not take a baby skiing with you on your back – immobilised, he will quickly lose heat, and the risk of collisions or falls on the piste is always present.
• Remember children lose heat faster than adults so dress according to the weather conditions and make provision for it changing - hats, waterproofs and gloves are essentials. Helmets are recommended for skiing and boarding too.
• Remember to protect your child's eyes and skin from the sun - not only are the infra-red and UV rays less filtered by the atmosphere at altitude, but 85% of the rays are reflected by the snow. Use category 3 or 4 UV sunglasses/goggles, and reapply SPF30 suncream at least every two hours.
• It's a good idea to have a contact phone number and address in your child's pocket in case you become separated on the mountain.

School Holiday Dates 2011/2012

France divides its school holidays into a regional timetable to ensure that the entire country doesn't go on holiday at once - however this staggered system can mean that some months (particularly February) can be busy from beginning to end as one region after another arrives in resort! Planning ahead can help you avoid the crowds...

• Zone A - Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes & Toulouse
• Zone B - Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Besançon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen & Strasbourg
• Zone C - Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris & Versailles