A lot can happen in 15 years. Since the last time I 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.
My family composition also looks very different than when I was 16 years old and we last went on holiday together in 2008 in the Austrian seaside resort of Rauris. Through marriages, moves, retirements and two births, our lives have changed and our vacation habits have grown apart.
What has endured, however, 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 were always going to be the location of choice.
Organizing a ski holiday for three generations was no easy task. To start, I had to find a resort that catered to the entire spectrum of skiing abilities – from five-year-old Charlie who had never worn a pair of ski boots and his father who had last skied more than a decade ago, to my “Are we going off-piste” husband and retired father. Variety was the key word and that favorite from the British Val d’Isère offered the perfect solution: an extensive ski area with guaranteed snow and a bustling village with lots of activities and character off the slopes.
Next, where to stay? Our last outing on the slopes together had been a simple half-board package hotel. But with a milestone to celebrate and mature tastes, a private chalet seemed more appropriate. I was keen to avoid the logistical challenges of self-catering but was put off by the dwindling number of catering options in the Alps.
One operator that has bucked this trend is Ski France. The “contactless” catering chalets, launched during the pandemic era of “social distancing”, offer groups the opportunity to holiday together without any interaction with staff. The appeal of the concept, which provides extra privacy and total control over the holiday schedule, has stuck. With everything in order, the Aspden party was on its way to the French Alps for half term.
Chalet Arosa is the ultimate Alpine retreat, situated on a tranquil hillside a 15-minute walk, or short ski bus ride, from the center of the resort, and boasting a picture-perfect wooden exterior. Set over four floors, with an open-plan living area, a cozy mezzanine and a sun-drenched terrace with hot tub, there’s plenty of room for a family to spread out. On arrival, the festive champagne was on ice and the giant fridge freezer was packed with goodies that our host, Agnes, had left for us.
Agnes was always present, but – in a 21st century twist – I never met her in person. We communicated via WhatsApp both before and during our trip and she checked in daily to make sure no one went hungry. We were provided with ample breakfast ingredients daily and on six evenings a three-course dinner of epic proportions, ranging from traditional tartiflette to stir-fry parmentier of beef and duck, with extra options for fussy eaters – all we had to do was read the heating instructions and argue over who did the dishwasher was loading.
We also had a direct line to a driver at the resort – Logen was punctual waiting outside the chalet every morning to take us to the slopes at our chosen time. He returned to the slopes in the evening to take us back to base or the nearest bar. It was a seamless experience, without any intrusion. There were no worries about wearing your pajamas to breakfast, and no frowning faces if we stayed a little late during après.
Planning the vacation had been a learning process, but nothing prepared me for what it would be like to ski with a family of ten.
Our debut morning was nothing short of chaotic, with a struggle to get to the slopes in time for the first lift or ski school lesson. We quickly learned that the secret to a big family getaway was accepting that it’s impossible to spend every moment together. Opting to divide and conquer, the novices visited the Intersport equipment shop, where pre-booked rental accommodations awaited, while the other, more experienced skiers warmed up and headed off to explore Val’s 300km of pistes.
It was a tactic that served us well all week and kept any bickering 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 summit run down from the top of Tignes’ Grande Motte Glacier with my dad was a particular highlight), take lessons or soak in the hot tub, we agree to regroup while the mercury cools at lunch rose. It was then that Val d’Isère’s Solaise mountain came into its own and I began to see how a ski holiday could help bring dispersed families back together.
On this beginner-oriented mountain, which underwent a €16 million redevelopment in 2016 to reconfigure the slopes, we were able to connect as a whole family. The beginners (and their cautious ski grandma) were at home on the practice slopes, sledding or sunbathing in a lounger, and the more advanced among us, having had our thrills before lunch, were content to cruise around the bowl with wide and flowing blue runs.
After three days of lessons under the watchful eye of Franci from Ski School Supreme, the youngest generation had enough confidence to continue and we were able to share our first chairlift as a family. I caught a glimpse of my parents’ faces as we stepped off at the top of the Madeleine lift: a look of pride, gratitude and disbelief that this was even happening – 15 years is a long time to wait for the kind of memories that only holidays exist can deliver.
Off the slopes, not a day went by without making new memories: skating, swimming and playing retro video games at Le Pub. Such diversity, and no opportunity to let boredom take over, turned out to be another secret of multi-generational harmony. One afternoon my brothers and I became embroiled in some long-awaited sibling bonding (i.e. rivalry) on a fat bike ride through the pristine Manchet Valley, while the kids’ highlight was joining Grandpa on the dimly lit treetop adventure course – a rope ladder challenge , swings and obstacles illuminated in the forest above the slopes.
On the last day of our holiday, the Aspden family slowly wound their way down the slopes of the Col de la Madeleine for the last time. As I walked in front, with my niece Martha following closely behind me (now eagerly asking “can we do this every year?”), I had to remind myself to pause for a moment to take it all in. This holiday was 15 years ago. in anticipation and after reuniting the family on the slopes, when we came down grinning with shared joy, I knew the next one couldn’t come a moment too soon.
Essentials
Ski France (0203 475 4756) offers a week’s stay at Chalet Arosa from £11,087 in total, for up to 10 people sharing on a contactless catering service. Return transfers from Geneva to Val d’Isère with MV Transport cost €855 (£735) for eight people. Five days of tuition at Supreme Ski School costs from €499 (£429), daily rental at Intersport costs from €8 (£6.90).
Lucy and her family were guests of Ski France and Val d’Isère Tourism.