We Thought Doing It Yourself to La Thuile Would Be Cheaper – We Were Wrong

If you’re planning a family ski trip to La Thuile, it’s very tempting to ask:

Is it cheaper to book everything ourselves instead of using a package like Crystal Ski?

Because on paper, DIY sounds like the smarter option:

• more flexibility

• more control

• and a chance to save money

This guide is for families travelling with children who are weighing up DIY vs a package and want to understand what that really looks like in practice — not just the cost, but how it feels day‑to‑day.

Quick Answer: Is DIY Actually Cheaper?

Not really — or not enough to make a big difference for most families.

For us:

• DIY only saved around £200–£300 per person

• but required significantly more planning and coordination

It gave us more space and flexibility — but the overall experience felt harder to manage.

After several Crystal Ski trips, we decided to try doing La Thuile ourselves. We booked everything independently — flights, car hire, accommodation, ski hire and lessons — expecting it to be cheaper and give us more control.

Considering a trip to La Thuile with kids with Crystal Ski? Start here: → La Thuile Ski Trip with Kids: Honest Family Guide (Crystal Ski Review)

What we found was slightly different.

This guide breaks down exactly what we spent, what worked well, and what we’d do differently next time.

Some links in this article may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend options we’ve personally used and would choose again.

If you want to compare a similar package option side-by-side as you read this, here’s the trip setup we usually book: See the Exact Trip We Booked (Crystal Ski)

The Reality: What We Actually Spent (DIY)

Here’s what our 2024 December DIY trip looked like for a family of three:

• Flights: £650

• Airport parking: £110

• Car hire: £308

• Fuel & tolls: £80

• Accommodation (Airbnb): £1,435

• Ski passes: £670

• Ski hire: £325

• Lessons: £253

• Hotel pre-flight: £70

Total before spending: £3,904
With food and extras: ~£4,436 total
~£1,480 per person

What We Expected vs Reality

We expected:

• big savings

• more flexibility

• a better overall experience

What we got:

• very similar costs

• more effort every day

• but… a nicer apartment and more space

That trade-off is what matters.

If you’re comparing options already, it helps to see exactly what’s included when everything is bundled:

→ See what’s included in the La Thuile trip we booked with Crystal Ski

The Bit That Caught Us Out: Day-to-Day Spending

Even when you think you’re being sensible, the “little stuff” adds up fast on a ski trip.

We spent money on:

• coffees and hot chocolates on the mountain (more than you think)

• snacks between runs

• a couple of lunches out

• a couple of dinners out

• groceries for breakfasts and easy meals

This is why DIY didn’t end up feeling dramatically cheaper. Ski trips have a lot of unavoidable spending points, even when you’re self-catering.

If you want the bigger picture on how ski trip costs usually break down (not just this one trip), I’ve laid it out here: How Much Does a Family Ski Holiday Cost From the UK?

What Was Better About DIY (Genuinely)

There were real perks, and I wouldn’t pretend otherwise.

1) The apartment was much bigger

This was the biggest win. It felt more “Italian”, less like a ski complex, and Joshua having his own room was a genuine upgrade.

2) The walk was actually lovely (most days)

We were around a 10‑minute walk from the slopes. That could be annoying in bad weather, but most days it was a pretty snowy tree-lined route and Joshua enjoyed it.

3) Ski locker on the slopes made mornings easier

We rented a locker at Berthod Sport, so we didn’t have to carry gear back and forth. This helped, even if the locker room itself was busy and not exactly relaxing.

4) Driving gave us control

Not being locked into transfer timings was nice — particularly on the travel days.

What Was Harder About DIY (The Part People Underestimate)

This is the bit most “DIY is cheaper” posts skip.

DIY isn’t hard because any one task is difficult. It’s hard because you become the coordinator for everything.

The daily friction adds up

You’re managing:

• ski lesson bookings and timings

• lift pass purchasing

• ski hire logistics

• getting everyone to the right place at the right time

• adjusting when the weather changes

• the extra walking / extra steps / extra decisions

On a normal holiday that’s fine.

On a ski holiday, when everyone is cold and tired, it becomes much more noticeable.

The Biggest Thing We Missed: Built-In Support

This won’t matter to everyone, but as a family it was a clear difference.

We missed having a setup where:

• ski school and childcare logistics were integrated

• the week had a predictable structure without us having to create it

For families with younger kids especially, this is where package holidays can justify the price difference.

If you’re not sure what I mean by “integrated structure”, the best example is Crystal’s kids club setup: Crystal Ski Beanie Club in La Thuile: Is It Actually Worth It?

If you’re leaning toward “make this as easy as possible with kids”, it helps to see what’s actually included when it’s bundled: View the Package We Used (Crystal Ski)

What We’d Do Differently Next Time (Honest)

If we did DIY again, we’d:

• choose accommodation slightly closer to reduce walking (especially in school holidays)

• plan “easy meal nights” more deliberately so we weren’t tempted into expensive convenience spending

• pre-plan lesson logistics so day one felt smoother

• be stricter about the “small spend” items (hot chocolates and snacks add up fast)

DIY can be great — but you need to go into it knowing the savings might be smaller than expected.

Two Practical Tools That Made DIY Easier (Optional, but genuinely useful)

These aren’t essential, but they did remove friction for us:

Data / maps

We used an Airalo eSIM so we had data as soon as we landed — mainly for Google Maps and quick coordination without relying on WiFi.

If you like having your phone working immediately on arrival, this is what we used: Airalo eSIM (what we used)

Insurance

We always take winter sports travel insurance. Ski trips are exactly the type of holiday where you want the cover sorted properly before you go.

We useJust Travel Cover because it makes it easy to compare policies with winter sports included

The Verdict: DIY vs Crystal Ski for Families

DIY was not the bargain we expected — but it did have real perks.

DIY is best if you:

• want more space and privacy

• don’t mind coordinating the trip

• like flexibility and organising things your way

• are travelling off-peak, where the logistics feel lighter

Crystal Ski is best if you:

• want the easiest, most predictable version of the trip

• are travelling in school holidays

• have younger kids or want support built into the week

• don’t want to spend the holiday coordinating logistics

For our family, the package option still wins most of the time — not because it’s always cheaper, but because it makes the week feel easier.

planning a trip to La Thuile?

Want the full picture? See our cost breakdown and honest Crystal Ski review here:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.