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Pampers and powder do mix - especially in Avoriaz

A GP in Avoriaz, has the following tips for keeping your baby happy and healthy in the resort:· Keep babies well hydrated at altitude. They will breathe faster because there is less oxygen in the air, so they will need more fluid intake.

· Don’t overheat your flat. Parents tend to do so in the mountains, but a baby’s bedroom should be 14-18C. Alpine air is dry even without heating. The dry air will irritate the sinuses and could lead to a blocked nose and cough. A bowl of water on the heater acts as a humidifier.

· Go outside with your baby every day. As long as they are dressed properly, they are better off outdoors than indoors.

· Keep the baby’s head and hands well covered when out. Sunglasses and suncream are essential.

· Until babies are six months old, the Eustachian tube is very large, so they are unlikely to experience pressure in the ear from the change in altitude.

· It’s inadvisable to take babies to the mountains if they have an untreated heart or pulmonary problem.

Essentials

· For more details, see avoriaz.com. For help organising a ski holiday with an infant, contact Esprit Ski (01252 618300; esprit-holidays.co.uk) or Ski Famille (0845 644 3764; skifamille.co.uk).

According the the Independent two of the most child friendly resorts in Europe are in Italy and France.

Val Gardena, Italy

Children are made to feel like stars in the sun-dappled Dolomites, where skiing is viewed as a family activity to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Prices compare favourably to the Alps; children ski and stay free during Superkids weeks, from 15 March 2008. With low-cost flights available to Verona, Bergamo and Innsbruck, and easy transfers from each, Val Gardena is a good destination for families wishing to go it alone. Child care and ski school is available locally or through British tour operators; worth noting is the Family Hotel Posta (www.familyhotelposta.com), which offers week-long activity programmes.

Val Gardena, Italy (00 39 0471 777 777, www.valgardena.it). A week’s half board for a family of four at the Chalet Weisenheim with Esprit (01252 618300; www.esprit-holidays.co.uk) costs from £1,180, including children’s tea and activities
Flaine, France

Modernist architectural relic meets holiday camp: compact Flaine Forum is filled with children frolicking at the foot of the slopes. Up the hill is the quieter Hameau de Flaine village, with echoes of Scandinavia. A new US-style hamlet, courtesy of Intrawest, is under construction. Though small, the resort has the requisite pool, ice-rink, bowling lanes, cinema and climbing wall, plus a gallery and library to amuse parents. The resort’s P’tit Loups crèche (00 33 4 50 90 87 82) takes children from six months, and there are two ski kindergartens.

Flaine, France (00 33 4 50 90 80 01; www.flaine.com). Seven nights for two adults and up to three children with Crystal Families (0870 402 0293; www.crystal families.co.uk) costs from £1,578