skiing in the alps or another winter activity?

I've skied in the Berner Oberland and at a lesser-known resort called Flumserberg. I can't remember if Flumserber has any sledding runs, but sledding opportunities are abundant in the Berner Oberland. If you decide to go here, most people will probably recommend Murren or Lauterbrunnen. However, if you're looking for winter sports, the slopes accessible from Wengen or Grindelwald are far superior. The best skiing in the region is on First (means "ridge" in German) on the Grindelwald side, and the longest sledding run goes from Kleine Scheidegg down to Grindelwald.

You did not indicate what part of Switzerland, but mentioned France, which we are close to. The link below is a place that is very easy and popular.

http://www.les-paccots.ch/en/

We haven't finalized our switzerland plans yet but we probably won't make it to the farthest eastern border. However, it someone said there is great once in a lifetime skiing excursion on that side perhaps we could be persuaded to make the trek.

I would only take an excursion to a big mountain ski place akin to skiing out west in the US. If I could find a back bowl like Vail, I think I would try to convince the family to join me. I don't want any of them or me for that matter falling off a cliff either.

Given we could plan a trip out to western USA big mountain skiing, I might not spend a day in europe doing something I could do in the US. Skiing in France or the Alps in general has been on my bucket list for a long time and it would be a lot of fun checking it off. A half day excursion 30 minutes away from wherever we stay (similar to my day at Alta in Salt Lake City Utah) would be perfect. Renting equipment would be sort of a pain so it would need to be worth it.

I will probably have to find some good european ski review sites as RS really isn't geared towards such things. Thanks for the tips though.

Not quite sure if I'm following this. Are you saying your kids don't find European skiing challenging enough that they would not take the time to do so, even if it was on their door step?

I'm leaving in 10 days for Madonna di Campiglio, Italy and wouldn't miss it for the world. Switzerland is out of this world for skiing and most resorts there make American ones seem puny in comparison. Its where the sport originated and every skier needs to experience it at least once. It might not be everyone's cup of tea. For one thing, they party a whole lot more afterward, even though the straight-laced Swiss have the rep for being a lot tamer than the Austrians.

By all means, you have the opportunity. Take it.

Swiss friend talks about the 20 km long on-piste run from Klein Matterhorn Zermatt into Italy:

http://www.onthesnow.com/news/a/107281/the-longest-ski-runs-in-the-alps

20-kilometre red run

Access one of the world's longest ski runs from the Klein Matterhorn,
also known as the Piccolo Cervino. Europe's highest cable car whisks
you up onto the Klein Matterhorn over gigantic glacial crevasses. From
its lofty height of 3,883 metres, take an epic 20-kilometre descent
down red runs to Valtournenche at 1,524 metres, Cervinia's lift-linked
neighbour. Alternatively, from the Klein Matterhorn, you can ski the
13-kilometre descent down into Zermatt, Switzerland. Whichever
direction you choose - Cervinia or Zermatt - this is one heck of a run
which begins with enormous glacial fields and drops into steeper
mogulled terrain. Due to its altitude, the ski runs from the Klein
Matterhorn are consistently skiable from late November to mid-April.
For something slightly shorter, try Cervinia's red Ventina piste, an
11.5-kilometre descent from Plateau Rosa.

Once again, Edgar posts a detailed link from the web instead of reporting his own personal experience.

What I can tell you is this. The first time I went to Whistler/Blackcomb to ski, we stayed at a B and B in the White Gold area owned and run by a Swiss couple. At breakfast someone asked Willie, a Swiss ski guide, why they moved to Canada. His answer: because the skiing is so much better here.

Not to say you shouldn't do this. But it may not be the bucket list experience you dream of. If therestoryour family is not interested in skiing, most areas have winter hiking paths, snowshoe trail, and sledding runs for family fun.

Sasha, do you have any specific tips for places you've been for sledding and winter trails? I'm looking for some specifics right now since I'm trying to plan something like what the OP is trying to do. My husband would like to ski, other members of our party are looking for sledding and trails.

We live in New England so we have plenty of small mountain skiing here in the Northeast so I wouldn't go out of my way to ski on a small area in Europe. We only have a limited amount of time in the French & Swiss Alps so I am not sure there would be time for a ski outing anyway. I would take my kids to ski to experience skiing that we couldn't find here in the Northeast. The back bowls of Vail specifically would be the criteria. I mention the bowls because they are knee deep in snow and seemingly a mile wide so I would not worry about young kids flying off a cliff either. When I was in shape, I was comfortable skiing blacks at Jackson Hole albeit with a guide so I didn't get myself into trouble. The blanc vallee (?) will be on my bucket list for a solo return if it is worth it but I am not sure. I probably need to train for a ski trip like this in a fashion similar to preparing for a marathon which won't happen in the next four weeks.

We might do the sledding excursion regardless though. There are some comparable sledding experiences in Canada near the St Lawrence River in the Quebec area. The swiss 2 hour hike for the longest sled run won't happen with our family on this trip but perhaps another one.

A moonlight ski, torch parade, or something similar would be a lot of fun too but I am having a difficult time finding any.

Thank you for the responses.

Someone posted this on my France question on the same subject which I thought was also helpful. Anyone ever go to Nendaz or the 4 Valees places? It sounds intriguing from my initial research. [Rachel, I cannot help but add that my Salt Lake City trip was to visit friends who were living there but who have since moved to Seattle.]

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A really nice place where lots of families go (including our European relatives) is Nendaz in Switzerland. There are slopes of all levels form beginner to basically jumping off of a cliff. It's part of a larger ski area that is interconnected by a single ski pass and gondolas (if you want to do that) called the 4 Valees. It includes Nendaz, La Tzoumaz, Verbier and Veysoynnaz (sp?). You could ski for a year and not do the same run twice! The lower runs at Mont Fort in Nendaz are similar to the bowls in Vail. The higher you go the more challenging the skiing. It's worth it just to ride the various gondolas up to the top for the views to the Italian and French Alps.
Nendaz is a lovely town high up in the mountains overlooking Valais just south of Zermatt. It's a lovely corner of Switzerland that is not very touristy and mainly frequented by Europeans.

I found this sledding activity. The place is near Bern. It appears to be a small mountain.
http://www.kaisereggbahnen-schwarzsee.ch/fr/kaisereggbahnen-lac-noir-hiver/soiree-luge-a-la-riggisalp.html

This seems fairly small as well.
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/interests/adventure-sports-winter/toboggan-fun-on-the-gurten.html

4 Valleys is another mega-resort. Verbier, the highest part has become very upscale (read expensive and exclusive). Nendaz, La Tzoumaz, and Veysonnaz are the more family-friendly, low-key sections of this area. Fabulous skiing.

I think we are going to do the Grindelwald sledding. That should satisfy the itch to go skiing on this trip.

Thank you for the responses.

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/faulhorn-bussalp-grindelwald-the-longest-toboggan-run-in-europe.html

https://www.grindelwaldbus.ch/en/sledging

The descent from the Faulhorn via Bussalp to Grindelwald offers unforgettable thrills for anyone who enjoys a toboggan ride. Among aficionados, «Big Pintenfritz» ranks as one of the greatest of all runs.
An enjoyable walk from Bussalp or First takes you to the summit of the Faulhorn (2,680 m) (Tobogganers have to pull their toboggans) in about 2.5 hours. From here to Grindelwald is a distance of 15 kilometres with a vertical drop of 1,600 metres – making Big Pintenfritz the longest toboggan run in Europe. With the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau for a backdrop, the setting is spectacular, too.

The curious name of Big Pintenfritz («Big Pub Fritz») refers to a village innkeeper who supposedly inaugurated the run after a bet.
Information

Starting point: Faulhorn (2,680 m.a.s.l.)
Accessibility of starting point: By Foot / Gondola lift / Postal bus / Bus
Finishing point: Grindelwald (1,034 m.a.s.l.)
Altitude difference: 1132 metres
Length: 15 kilometres
Level of difficulty: Medium
Toboggan hire onsite: Yes
Illuminated for night sledging: No
Option to eat: At the start, on the move and at the finish