Family ski holiday Peisey-Vallandry
Peisey-Vallandry is a popular choice for family ski holidays and sees many families return year after year.
Although part of the Paradiski area and well linked with Les Arcs, it is marketed independently by its own tourist office.
On the border of the Vanoise national park, Peisey-Vallandry is a combination of several villages including Peisey village, Peisey-Nancroix, Moulin, Vallandry and Plan Peisey.
Peisey-Vallandry is centrally located in the Paradiski skiing domain in the French region of Savoie, nestled between the 3 valleys ski domain and Espace Killy.
The villages of Peisey-Vallandry offer a variety of accommodation options, some with ski in / ski out convenience or shuttle buses from the chalets to the slopes.
The older farming villages have real authentic charm whilst still providing easy access to the slopes.
The more modern slopeside resorts of Vallandry and Plan Peisey have modern apartment or chalet style accommodation with convenient restaurants and amenities at the foot of the slopes.
Travel to Peisey-Vallandry
Peisey-Vallandry can be accessed from Geneva, Lyon or Grenoble airports within 2.5 hours, or Chambéry within 1.5 hours.
The best and easiest way to get here from the airport for your family ski holiday is by transfer from a company like Whiterides, Coolbus or Mountain Rescue Transfers. These companies provide professional drivers who are trained to drive in snowy and icy conditions.
Travel is also possible by Eurostar from London to Bourg Saint Maurice followed by a short 30 minute transfer.
Skiing in Peisey-Vallandry
The fantastic family skiing amongst the tree lined slopes coupled with the comfortable catered chalet style accommodation is a perfect combination for families.
The slopes of Peisey-Vallandry are the best teaching slopes available for children as well as adults.
The terrain offers excellent progression and the trees offer terrific fun for children with easy off piste and plenty of adventure.
Teaching in Peisey-Vallandry is really enjoyable and offers a wide variety of terrain for every level of skier.
Skiing for beginner children
Absolute beginner skiers have a small area available to them at the bottom of the slopes. Once able to snowplough, they can take the chairlift with their ski instructor to the beginner specific area.
Beginner snowboarders can do the same once they have practised sliding after getting off of the chairlift. Following their first lesson, the skier or snowboarder would normally return back to Peisey-Vallandry with the chairlift.
A specific lift pass is available for beginners which enables then to use the chairlift twice a day to access the beginner area.
Depending on the progression of the skier or snowboarder, the instructor could decide to descend with them all the way back to Peisey-Vallandry. For skiers, this would normally be via a gentle blue run named La Forêt.
This gentle path is mainly flat and allows lots of snow-plough practise. There is another excellent protected area for learning skiers to practise their parallel turns above the Peisey chairlift.
Once the skier is developing parallel turns then a huge amount of slopes are available to explore.
Our instructors love to show beginners the fun of exploring off piste with gems such as “the kingdom of doom”, “forest of fun” and the “land of epicness”.
The network of blue runs across Peisey-Vallandry and Les Arcs means that even the beginners in your family can reach every Les Arcs resort.
Intermediate skiers in Peisey-Vallandry
Peisey-Vallandry is an intermediate skiers paradise. There are nice confidence building tree lined pistes offering a smooth progression of difficulty.
There are long consistent gradients which allow the skier to build their confidence, developing their speed and control.
Experienced and off piste skiers will enjoy the beautiful and challenging tree runs which are surely some of the best in the alps.
The Aiguille Grive peak above Peisey-Vallandry provides some excellent off piste descents from 30 upto 45 degrees with a 30 minute hike.
There are some excellent adventures to be had in the off piste around Peisey-Vallandry and down into the Peisey-Nancroix valley.
Great French wine is dependant on ‘le terroir’ and similarly, Peisey-Vallandry benefits from its geography, its aspect and its altitude.
It’s beautiful forests provide sheltered slopes in the worst weather conditions and it’s chairlifts are often the least affected.
The slopes of Peisey-Vallandry are mainly West facing and tree lined so the snow remains shaded from direct sunlight until later in the day.
This allows the snow to stay more consistent and suffer less melt freeze transformation.
Peisey-Vallandry is perfectly located in the Paradiski area. If you decide to venture further than Peisey-Vallandry, a single chairlift ride will allow you to ski into the Les Arcs ski area or otherwise, take the Vanoise express cable car to reach the La Plagne and its vast ski area.
Accommodation in Peisey-Vallandry
When looking for accommodation in Peisey-Vallandry, families will typically look for catered chalets for convenience and comfort.
For example, Whitebeam Chalets offer 3 chalets available to families with children of all ages, including child specific features such as cots, high chairs, toys and games consoles.
Whitebeam’s catered ski chalets include breakfast available every day, and on the 6th morning, a hot option is prepared.
A tea time snack is often prepared for when you return from the slopes e.g. cakes, quiche to keep you going before a 3 course dinner is served, with canapes and their chalet hosts can cater for all allergies.
Whitebeam’s catered chalets also offer a children's specific menu that is served at an earlier sitting to allow adults to eat later and enjoy their stay and whilst dinner is prepared for them.
The children's menu is all freshly prepared with a dessert option as well. They are also keen to provide healthy and filling dinners for the little ones.
Family activities in Peisey-Vallandry
Peisey-Vallandry has a host of other family activities available including the excellent cross-country skiing centre in Nancroix which also hosts horse drawn sledges and husky sledge rides.
There is also a farm with goats and other animals to visit along with the cheese shop whose excellent cheese is produced locally.
Peisey village itself is a quaint old farming village which has walking tours during the evening.
School holiday periods are extremely popular so booking early is advised.
AIM Snowsports provide private ski and snowboard lessons across Peisey-Vallandry and Les Arcs.
Our instructors are all top qualified and experienced coaches, and who will help you enjoy your ski or snowboard holiday to its fullest.
Please contact us on UK 0131 618 7210 or info@ski-aim.com with any enquiries.
