A SKI trip with a toddler might sound like a meltdown in the making.
Tantrums in ski boots? Dragging a buggy through slush? No thanks.
But our trip to Les Arcs in the French Alps proved otherwise. With a relaxed pace, the right resort and a dose of flexibility, a first family ski holiday can actually be . . . relaxing.
Here’s how we pulled it off without losing our minds.
TAKE THE TRAIN
OUR trip started on the Eurostar from London St Pancras, and it was immediately clear — trains win.
No long security line, no liquid bans, no making your kid take off their shoes.
Just space to move, tables for colouring books and no need to wrestle luggage into an overhead bin.
Sure, nine hours door to door with a three-year-old is a risky proposition — but it beats cramming into a car or navigating the airports followed by an alpine taxi transfer.
This is especially true if you’re heading to Les Arcs.
It’s the only French Alpine resort that you can travel to, door to door, entirely by rail from the UK, thanks to a seven-minute funicular connecting Bourg-Saint-Maurice station straight to the slopes.
BREAK UP THE JOURNEY
IN winter, Eurostar runs a so-called “direct” Snow Train, but only on Saturdays — and it involves a nine-hour slog with a change in Lille. With a toddler? Forget it.
Instead, we took things slow and made a proper trip of it. We stopped overnight in Paris, staying at a brilliant Nestay apartment in Sentier — right on car-free Rue St Denis, a vibey street packed with bakeries and wine bars.
Sprinkle in a little sightseeing and the journey quickly became part of the holiday, making the extra cost of train travel over flights feel worth it.
RIDE THE FUN-ICULAR
THE next morning, we hopped on the Paris Metro (now far more luggage and buggy-friendly thanks to Olympic upgrades) to Gare de Lyon, where we boarded the high-speed TGV to Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
It’s a stunning five-hour ride. Our daughter, Lena, was glued to the window until she wasn’t — then it was iPad and Frozen on repeat.
The queues in the cafe car are horrific, so top tip, order your snacks from your seat via the TGV website to skip the line.
At Bourg, the real magic began. The funicular (a cross between a mountain tram and a Disneyland ride, which Lena loved) zipped us up to the resort.
STAY SOMEWHERE CAR-FREE
ARC 1950 won’t win awards for authenticity — it’s purpose-built, complete with ye olde clock tower and a fountain — but it’s perfect for families.
The whole resort is pedestrian-only. That meant our three-year-old could wander around safely or make snowballs in the town square while we kicked back with a glass of wine.
Our base for the week, the Pierre et Vacances Premium residence, was a win, with spacious modern apartments featuring a heated outdoor pool and a friendly vibe among lots of other families.
LET SOMEONE ELSE COOK
SKI holidays tend to give you two options — eye-watering restaurant bills or hours in the kitchen.
Enter Huski — a food delivery service that drops oven-ready meals straight to your apartment.
Think lasagne, curries, shepherd’s pie or even a full three-course dinner.
Prices start at €8 per meal for simple mains, or around €20 for three courses.
We stocked up online before we arrived, meaning more time on the slopes and less money dining out.
BE FLEXIBLE – DON’T JUST SKI
DESPITE the fantastic, friendly staff, Lena found her ski lesson at Yeti Camp was a bit of a shock. So we let her take it slow.
On day three, we instead headed to Bois de l’Ours for brunch — great coffee, plush sofas and excellent Vietnamese noodle bowls.
Les Arcs offers plenty to do for little kids and big kids besides skiing.
While one of us hit the Arc 2000 zipline (terrifying but epic), the other explored the resort’s outdoor hot tubs and spas.
There’s also sledging, tree-top adventure parks and play areas.
While our ski holiday with a toddler wasn’t completely stress-free, a few smart choices made it more chilled than I ever imagined
KIDS GO SKI
KIDS under four travel FREE on Eurostar, TGV and the Paris Metro if they sit on your lap.
STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ self-catering in a one-bedroom apartment in Arc 1950 Le Village with Pierre & Vacances is from £184pp based on a family of four.
SKIING THERE: Lift passes from £312 for six days.
GETTING THERE: Eurostar tickets from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord are from £78 return. TGV tickets from Paris Gare de Lyon to Bourg-Saint-Maurice (for Les Arcs) are from £46 return.
See eurostar.com and sncf-connect.com.