Is La Thuile Good for Families? Our Honest Review of Skiing in Italy with Kids

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission — at no additional cost to you. We only recommend hotels, tours, and experiences we’ve personally used and loved.

We’ve been skiing for over 15 years, all over Europe, and we’ve now taken our son Joshua to La Thuile four times — starting when he was just 5 years old and still very much a beginner. We’ve visited in both December and February, stayed in the Planibel complex, used Crystal Ski, tried the ski school, relied heavily on Beanie Club, eaten our way around the village, and even celebrated New Year here.

So… is La Thuile actually good for families?

Short answer: yes — and especially if you have younger kids or beginner skiers.
Long answer: it depends on what kind of ski holiday you want. This guide will walk you through the reality.

Why We Keep Coming Back to La Thuile

We originally skied in La Rosière on the French side of the mountain, but over time we’ve almost completely switched to staying in La Thuile.

Why?

Because La Thuile is:

• Quieter

• More relaxed

• Less crowded on the slopes

• More Italian in feel

• And much more family-paced

It doesn’t try to be a huge, flashy mega-resort. It feels like a small, calm, practical ski village that just happens to have excellent skiing attached to it.

👉 Read more about how and why we made that decision here:
Why We Chose La Thuile for Our Family Ski Trip (And Who It’s Actually Best For)

What Kind of Families Is La Thuile Best For?

From our experience, La Thuile is ideal for:

• Families with young children

• Families with beginner or early intermediate skiers

• Parents who want a calmer, less stressful ski trip

• Families who value good food, space, and simplicity over nightlife

It’s probably not ideal if:

• You want hardcore après ski

• You want a big, buzzy resort atmosphere

• You have only advanced skiers who want endless blacks and off-piste

The Skiing: Is It Good for Kids and Beginners?

This is one of La Thuile’s biggest strengths.

There are no green runs, but don’t let that put you off — the blue runs are wide, gentle, and confidence-building. Joshua went from cautious beginner to confidently skiing blues and even some reds here.

The resort is perfect for:

• Learning to link turns

• Gaining confidence

• Building stamina without being overwhelmed

👉 Full guide here: Skiing in La Thuile with Kids: Is It Beginner-Friendly?

And if you’re wondering how it compares to the French side:

👉 La Thuile vs La Rosière: Which Is Better for a Family Ski Holiday?

Ski School: One of the Best We’ve Used

We rate the La Thuile ski school very highly.

They’re:

• Extremely organised

• Very safety-focused

• Well staffed (and add extra instructors in bad weather)

• Firm but kind with the kids

Joshua made huge progress here — and importantly, he was happy going every morning.

👉 Full review:
La Thuile Ski School Review: Our Honest Experience with Kids

Crystal Ski Beanie Club: The Real Secret Weapon for families with young kids

If you’re going with younger children, Beanie Club is honestly a game changer.

They:

• Get the kids ready

• Take them to lessons

• Take them to lunch

• Look after them in the afternoons

• Do sledging, games and crafts

This is the reason we can actually ski properly ourselves.

👉 Full breakdown:
Crystal Ski Beanie Club in La Thuile: Is It Actually Worth It?

And if you’re worried your child might not even like skiing:

👉 What If Your Kids Hate Skiing? A No-Pressure Family Plan in La Thuile

What a Real Ski Day Actually Looks Like

Our days in La Thuile follow a very predictable, very family-friendly rhythm:

• Early breakfast

• Beanie Club drop-off

• Early quiet skiing for us

• Coffee stop on the mountain

• Lunch break

• Pick up Joshua

• Either more skiing or activities

It’s relaxed, not rushed, and never feels chaotic.

👉 Read the full day-in-the-life here:
Our Real Family Ski Day in La Thuile: What It’s Actually Like

Where to Stay: The Planibel Complex

We’ve always stayed in the Planibel complex because:

• It’s genuinely ski-in/ski-out

• It’s close to ski school and lifts

• It’s practical with kids

We’ve stayed in the apartments, while friends have stayed in the hotel.

👉 Apartments review:
Planibel Apartments La Thuile Review: Honest Family Pros & Cons

👉 Comparison:
Planibel Hotel vs Planibel Apartments: Which Is Better with Kids?

What Is La Thuile Village Actually Like?

La Thuile is:

• Small

• Pretty

• Quiet

• Not flashy

• Very safe and easy with kids

It’s decorated nicely at Christmas and Valentine’s, has a few nice bars and cafés, and a very relaxed evening atmosphere.

👉 Full village guide:
What La Thuile Village Is Really Like: Quiet, Pretty or Boring for Families?

Food: Very Kid-Friendly (And Much Better Value Than France)

This is Italy — so yes, pizza, pasta, hot chocolate and gelato feature heavily.

We mostly self-cater but eat out a few times each trip. We ate lunch on the mountain which kept costs down.

👉 Full guide:
Where to Eat in La Thuile with Kids: Our Honest Family Restaurant Guide

When Should You Go? December vs February

We’ve done both.

December:

• Colder

• Quieter

• More “Christmassy”

• Fewer runs open

February:

• Warmer

• Sunnier

• Busier

• Easier for kids (and parents who hate the cold)

👉 Full comparison:
La Thuile in December vs February Half Term: Which Is Better for Families?

Is It Worth Going in School Holidays?

Short answer: yes — if you choose La Thuile instead of a big French mega-resort.

👉 Full honest take:
Is La Thuile Worth It During School Holidays? Our Real Family Experience

Planning, Logistics & Cost: Crystal vs DIY

We’ve done both Crystal and DIY.

Spoiler: DIY was not cheaper and was more hassle.

👉 Comparison:
Do It Yourself vs Crystal Ski in La Thuile: Which Is Better for Families?

👉 Cost reality check:
We Thought Doing It Yourself to La Thuile Would Be Cheaper – We Were Wrong

What Else Is There to Do (Besides Skiing)?

Quite a lot, actually:

• Sledging

• Snow walks

• Play areas

• Cafés

• Pool & spa at Planibel

👉 Full list:
10 Things to Do in La Thuile with Kids (Not Just Skiing)

What to Pack (Especially With Kids)

You do not need half the stuff people tell you to buy.

👉 Realistic packing list:
What to Pack for a Family Ski Trip to Italy (The Realistic List)

So… Is La Thuile Good for Families?

For us, absolutely yes.

We keep going back because:

• It’s calm and uncrowded

• The kids club and ski school are excellent

• The skiing is perfect for progression

• The food is great

• The logistics are easy

• It never feels stressful

It’s not the flashiest resort.
It is one of the best, easiest, most family-friendly ski trips we’ve found in Europe.

Not sold on La Thuile? If you want to try something a different, consider Skiing in Finland - it is super convenient, beginner friendly and skiing by flood light is out of this world, read our 👉 Our review of Ruka with Crystal Ski