Some of the most memorable moments came from the unplanned ones. Early in the week, they stumbled upon a small snowmobile area where children could ride kid-sized snowmobiles around a short track. “The kids had an absolute blast and it only cost about ten dollars,” Erin says. “I swear, this would never happen in the US. It would be insanely expensive, require forty-three waivers, and need reservations weeks in advance. Watching them try to maneuver those tiny machines was the comic relief we didn’t know we needed.”
They also found a sledding slope with a conveyor belt, which allowed the girls to run laps while Erin and Jeremy drank cappuccinos at a cafe at the bottom. The simplicity of it, especially in contrast to the structure of ski school, made it all the more delightful.
Ski school in France
If you ask the adults, the girls’ ski school was extraordinary value. “Cost wise it was essentially the same price to enroll the kids in a full week of ski school versus one full day lesson at a big resort in the US, so it felt like a no-brainer for us,” Erin says.
If you ask the kids, they will offer a very different review.
“They’re strong skiers so our goal was really just to let them hang out with other kids while we enjoyed some kid-free ski time,” Erin explains. “Instead, we accidentally signed them up for what felt like a very serious, very structured ski school.”
The instructors also took progress seriously. Whenever Erin and Jeremy suggested a half day or the possibility of skipping school altogether, the teachers seemed genuinely baffled. The focus remained squarely on development, not socializing. At the end of the week, students were required to take a skills test to graduate to the next level. There was even a graduation ceremony.
Hot chocolate breaks were rare. And the food proved to be the most enduring talking point. “It was very traditional French cuisine, which apparently included beets every single day,” Erin says. “The kids still bring up the beets.”
The long days were made even longer by the language barrier. Most of the kids in their groups did not speak English, and Erin’s daughters ended up separated from each other. “The social aspect was tough, which made the days feel even longer,” she says.
Still, the girls emerged stronger and more confident. Whether they ever agree to return to ski school, however, remains unlikely. “They’ve informed us loudly and repeatedly that they are never doing ski school again,” Erin says.
Mealtimes were a core part of the trip, says Erin, helping to expose the family to the culture of the Alps.
Erin and Jeremy FreedmanCapturing the Alpine vibe
Erin still thinks about the food and the atmosphere of the Alpine restaurants, which became part of the trip’s rhythm. She describes long, sunny patio lunches and afternoon aperol spritzes that felt almost cinematic. “Sitting on a sun-soaked patio in the Alps with a Spritz might feel cliché, but honestly, it’s so my vibe, and the 3 Vallees delivers that in spades.”