Child Care (2007/08 prices)

Alpe d'Huez has some of the best child care and childrens' ski school facilities in the Alps. Both the French Ski School (476 80 31 69)and the International Ski School (476 80 42 77) have good programs with plenty of English-speakers.

Nursery care is available for children from 6 months to 3 years at Les Intrepides (476 11 21 61) for €31 for eight hours with lunch and a snack. Cost for three hours without lunch is €11 and fours hours with lunch is €17. Call for reservations.

At the French Ski School Les Eterlous provides specially designed lessons for children from 2-and-a-half years to 5. A beginner lift ticket is available and the learning area has two drag lifts and a 60-meter moving carpet. Six full days with lunch costs €275; six half days is €216 with meals or €149 without meals.

A day care program with a snowplay park and basic ski instruction provides parents with a good combination of activities for kids 4 years and older. The cost is €279 to €306 depending on the level of skiing taught.

The French Ski School also runs a kindergarten, Le Crapouilloux (476 11 39 23), for kids 2 to 10 years from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eight hours of care will cost €30 with a meal; a half day of six hours costs €28 with a meal and four hours costs €25.

The International Ski School has a Baby Club for kids 2-and-a-half years to 4 that costs €137.50 for five two-hour lessons with equipment. the Club des Marmottes starts for kids at 4 years and a six-day course costs €332 for morning and afternoon lessons. Lunch is €74 extra.