There is nothing quite like a ski vacation to glue the whole family together. It gives you a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in one another’s company: you’ll spend the whole week planning your routes, chatting on ski lifts, indulging in long lunch breaks on the slopes, and then reveling in the après-ski scene before heading back home to your chalet for the creature comforts and relaxation in the hot tub, sauna and heated pool… and then doing it all over again! 

Ski holidays are brilliant for multigenerational getaways as there is so much for everyone to do. Even if the older generation is no longer willing to brave black runs, our unrivalled ski destinations offer a rich array of gentler activities that will entertain and delight everyone. It is no surprise that families continue to go on ski vacations together for years, even when the kids grow up and have children of their own. 

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Ski the sweet spots

Europe is one of our favorite ski destinations, being relatively quick and easy to access from the USA, England and even South Africa. Our advice is to choose a ski area that provides a range of activities to suit your group’s ages and skill levels. When you combine this with our unashamedly luxurious ski chalets, you hit the sweet spot.

The charms of Chamonix

One such ski paradise is Chamonix in France, on the western edge of the Alps. Just over an hour from Geneva, Chamonix is an adrenaline-addict’s dream revered by big-mountain skiers and snowboarders. In the shadow of Mont Blanc (the highest summit in the Alps), its steep, rugged slopes offer world-class off-piste terrain. Excellent ski schools, private instructors and mountain guides are on hand to cater to all ability levels, and with four large ski areas offering a variety of slopes for every level, you certainly don’t have to be an expert to ski here.

Base yourself at beautiful Chalet Couton. Just two minutes’ drive from the town centre, this sleek contemporary villa spread over three floors is the perfect base for the whole family. Sunlight floods into the south-facing main living spaces even in winter, and you can relax your tired muscles in the sauna, hot tub, or hammam. A games room and movie theater are great for family fun if you’re not heading into Chamonix for the buzzing après-ski scene.

Heli-ski in Iceland

If you are looking for a ski vacation that is truly out of the ordinary, Iceland offers a spectacular adventure. Situated in the Fljót Valley, which sees some of the highest average snowfall on the planet, Deplar Farm on the Troll Peninsula is a one-stop-shop for adventure, solitude, mystery… and high-end amenities. This is a jaw-droppingly beautiful heli-skiing paradise. Its proximity to the Arctic Circle allows for views of the Northern Lights from October to April, and long days in the land of the midnight sun mean more time to ski and explore.

This is the place for the ski vacation of a lifetime, perfect for strong intermediate skiers. Tackling untracked heli-ski descents on Iceland’s Arctic maritime snowpack is exhilarating and challenging. Adventurous souls—and the less expert skiers in the family—will also love resort skiing, backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, fat biking, whale watching, snowshoeing, dog-sledding and a host of other adventures. Back home at Deplar Farm, try your hand at archery, laser tag and sporting clay shooting. Or simply relax and unwind in the geothermal indoor/outdoor pool with bar, gray stone hot tub, sauna, steam room, and Isopod flotation tanks. What’s not to love?

Contact In Residence to curate your family’s dream ski vacation, from fun and ritzy Alpine ski resorts with a buzzing après-ski scene and ski schools aplenty to high-adrenaline ski adventures in spectacular otherworldly landscapes.