Courchevel as a family: snow at a child's height

Each Courchevel village has its own ESF school, and several independent schools operate in the resort. We ask for a private instructor for your children, ideally the same one all week, who speaks their language and knows their level: meeting at the chalet or the foot of the slopes, progress at their pace, back in time for tea.

During school holidays, good instructors are booked weeks ahead. We plan early, and tell you frankly when another slot or another school is the better option.

In Courchevel 1850, the ESF's Village des Enfants gives the youngest an enclosed, supervised area of about three hectares to play and slide; the Club Piou-Piou introduces children from age 3. For toddlers, childcare is available from 6 months, such as Les Marmots in Moriond.

Several palaces have their own club too: Le Carrousel at Cheval Blanc, the Winter Camp and its teenagers' room at Airelles. We check ages, hours and places before you arrive.

When legs tire, the resort changes game: the Tovets toboggan run, some 2 km floodlit from 1850 down to Courchevel Village, best for over-10s; dog sledding through the forest; ice karting; Aquamotion with its indoor surf wave, climbing wall and pools.

For the curious, the Olympic ski jumps at Le Praz, built for the 1992 Albertville Games, tell another story of the snow. We compose short half-days, supervised and suited to each age.

A ski-in family chalet or connecting suite in a palace, a chef who adapts the children's meals, a playroom: we choose the place as carefully as the staff. Nannies are trusted, often multilingual, carefully selected and vetted.

Lift passes ready on arrival, rental equipment fitted at the chalet the night before the first lesson, helmets and protection in the right sizes, child seats in the car: the winter's logistics are settled before you drive up.