Family skiing in Chamonix: the week by your children's age
In Chamonix, family skiing starts on the small ski areas before the big ones. The plan for a week for 3 to 5-year-olds, 6 to 9-year-olds and older children, the right pass for each, lessons and the snow garden, the morning logistics with children, fallbacks in extreme cold and the budget for four.
Chamonix does not have a single family ski front: it is a valley of separate ski areas, and children start on the small ones. The Savoy, at the foot of the town, and Les Planards, ten minutes away, cover the first days; Le Tour and Les Houches come once the child can control their speed.
Four winters at the ticket office taught me the most common mistake: buying the big pass for the whole family while the little ones stay on a carpet lift. Here is the plan for a week by age, the right pass for each, lessons and the budget for a family of four.
The valley's beginner areas are on the map, from the Savoy to Les Houches, with the pool for cold days.
Which ski area suits your children's age?
| Age and level | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5, first steps | Savoy, Planards | carpet and short drag lifts, back to your accommodation in ten minutes |
| 5 to 8, beginner | Planards, Vormaine | gentle slopes, play areas, lessons on site |
| A child who controls their speed | Le Tour and Balme | longer blue runs, gentle terrain |
| Family of mixed levels | Les Houches | tree-lined runs, terrain for everyone, more sheltered from the wind |
| Staying in Argentière | Les Chosalets, then Le Tour | avoid crossing the valley every morning |
The Savoy is open from 19 December 2026 to 28 March 2027, with a carpet lift and two drag lifts. For a three or four-year-old who tires quickly, thirty minutes on a bus to a big area cancels out the benefit of its runs. The overview of activities by age is in Chamonix with kids.
What plan for a family ski week?
| Day | Children aged 3 to 5 | Children aged 6 to 9 | Parents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | snow garden at the Savoy, two hours | level test and lesson at Les Planards | morning at the Brévent, afternoon with the children |
| 2 and 3 | lesson in the morning, sledging in the afternoon | lesson in the morning, free skiing at Les Planards | Brévent or Flégère during lessons |
| 4 | rest, pool or alpine coaster | family day at La Vormaine | family day |
| 5 | lesson, then skiing with the parents | Le Tour as a family if blue runs are fine | Grands Montets in the morning if the sky is clear |
| 6 | last session and medal | Les Houches as a family | Les Houches as a family |
A child under five skis for an hour and a half to two hours, not a whole day. Planning a half day without skiing in the middle of the week saves the end of the stay.
Which pass for each member of the family?
Under-5s ski free on the valley's ski areas. For beginners, take the small area's pass rather than the big one: at the Savoy, a youth day costs €23.40 and six days for a child €140.30.
| 2026-2027 pass | Price |
|---|---|
| Savoy, six days, child | €140.30 |
| Planards, six days, child | €130.50 |
| Planards, family day (2 adults, 2 children) | €100.40 |
| Vormaine, family day | €82.80 |
| Les Houches, family day | €186 |
| Chamonix Le Pass, six days, adult, high season | €373 |
The smart combination: Chamonix Le Pass for the parents, the beginner area's pass for the children, and a family day pass on the day everyone skis together. The full price lists are in our lift pass guide.
How do you book lessons and the snow garden?
Children's lessons fill up before lift passes do: during school holidays, book them at the same time as your accommodation. ESF Chamonix covers the Savoy, Les Planards and the centre, ESF Argentière Les Chosalets and Le Tour, and the Les Houches school its own area.
- Under 3: childcare and snow play, not real lessons.
- From 3: snow garden, short glides and balance, two hours in the morning.
- From 5 or 6: group lessons with lifts and level tests.
- From 8 to 10: more independent groups, snowboarding depending on the school.
The lift pass is never included in the lesson price, and group lessons only run with at least four people signed up. Options and prices are on our ESF page.
How do you get organised in the morning with children?
The real issue of a family ski week is the 8am logistics. A tired child copes badly with a crowded bus in ski boots, helmet and poles, and snowy pavements make a standard pushchair useless.
- Stay close to the children's ski area: in the centre for the Savoy and Les Planards, in Argentière for Les Chosalets, in Les Houches for its own area.
- Have equipment delivered or collect it the day before, as close to the slopes as possible.
- Prefer a sledge with a backrest to a pushchair for toddlers in snowy streets.
- Pack a dry spare base layer and plan a warm break.
Ski buses are free with a valid pass, but full at lesson times: leave ten minutes earlier. Small boot sizes and helmets go quickly in school holidays, see ski rental.
As a family, Les Houches gives you an easy ski area at the foot of your accommodation, tree-lined runs more sheltered from the wind and bigger apartments for the same budget as central Chamonix.
See places to stay in Les Houches →Partner link: booking through it supports the site at no extra cost to you.What should you do in extreme cold or rain?
Shorten the session rather than trying to get your money's worth from the pass: an hour and a half to two hours in extreme cold, with a warm break. The Savoy and Les Planards are the best choices on those days, because you are home in ten minutes.
In the rain, the Richard-Bozon sports centre pool costs €5.90 for a child, and the Les Planards alpine coaster runs from 11am to 5:30pm, at €47.50 for a six-ride card. Other fallbacks are in what to do in Chamonix without skiing.
What budget for a ski week for four?
| Item, 2 adults and 2 children | Range |
|---|---|
| Passes: six-day Le Pass for the parents, beginner area for the children | €1,000 to €1,100 |
| Children's lessons, five mornings | €400 to €1,200 |
| Rental, four six-day packages | €350 to €800 |
| Meals, seven days | €700 to €1,400 |
| Total, excluding accommodation and travel | €2,500 to €4,500 |
Accommodation comes on top, from €1,000 to €3,500 a week depending on the standard and the village. In April, the spring family pass brings six days down to €900.20 for the whole family, and lessons are easier to book. The breakdown is in what budget for Chamonix.
The end of the season, from 10 to 17 April 2027, is the week for savvy families: spring family pass, emptier lessons, snow still good at Le Tour and the Grands Montets.
See places to stay for the end of the season →See family activities in Chamonix →Partner links: booking through them supports the site at no extra cost to you.Possible disappointments
- A big pass paid for a child who stayed on the carpet lift.
- Full lessons because they were booked after the accommodation.
- A bus ride standing in ski boots, with a four-year-old.
- A small area closed for lack of snow early or late in the season.
- A whole day planned for a child who skis for two hours.
For summer with children, see Chamonix in summer with kids. Other pages are in the With kids section.
Sources
Sources: Chamonix Tourist Office (Savoy, Planards and Vormaine ski area pages, 2026-2027 prices), Les Houches-Saint-Gervais ski area (2026-2027 prices), Compagnie du Mont-Blanc (Chamonix Le Pass, spring family rates), ESF Chamonix (2026-2027 children's options), Richard-Bozon sports centre and Les Planards leisure park (2026-2027 prices), consulted from 26 to 28 October 2026.
Ages are guidelines from parents and instructors, not official rules. Budgets add up published fares and ranges for lessons, rental and meals.
Frequently asked questions
Where should a beginner child ski in Chamonix?
From what age can a child take ski lessons in Chamonix?
Is skiing free for children in Chamonix?
How much does a family ski week in Chamonix cost?
Which area should a family with different levels ski?
Clémence Bossonnet
Clémence grew up in Les Houches and worked four winters at the ticket office of a lift in the valley. She knows which passes sell for too much on a Saturday, and which runs close first when the snow gives way in April. She only gives a lift time if it is on that day's board.
