First time family skiing

Hi. My husband and I have never skied. We'll be in Paris for New Years and thought to take our young kids (under 9s) for a week in the French alps over Christmas. Any advice welcome! Do we opt for ski in? I don't need catering, and don't want to break the bank! We are thinking to drive from Paris. Recommended resorts? Any chance we can avoid crazy queues? Thanks!

Hello Momof3
Such a huge question - where to start.
Well skiing is wonderful! Mind you not for everyone.
What ages are the under 9's?

Driving from Paris - most of the French Alps is easily reachable but queues can be really bad on change over day around the end of the Autoroute and then on the final climb up to resort. You'd need to make sure you have snow chains in the car and know how to use them.
TGV - simple, quick, probably no more cost than driving - but got to manage luggage for 5 with only 4 hands!
Christmas is the start of the season and so you would need to choose a resort reasonably high - say 1500m plus.
I would suggest a compact resort as you don't want the added problems of a bus with three kids in tow. So; accommodation sensibly near the ski school meeting point.
And as total novices you will be looking at ski school I am sure.
Self catering is an option but I would suggest not totally independent on bookings. Having a resort rep floating around could be hugely helpful to get you going otherwise you will be spending all your time finding ski school and booking and then lift passes and then skis and boots......
A managed chalet hotel could be a good option - sensibly chosen this won't be more than self catering probably and would have advantages of other people on hand to help and offer advice - also bound to be other kids floating around to help get rid of excess energy. Because the parents will be exhausted and the children totally "wired" at the end of the day, begging to go tobogganing etc when what you want is a soak in the bath and a drink :)
This is enough to get you started - do come back with more questions.
But; don't leave it too long, Christmas does get booked up early.

We too first skied when our children were around the age of yours. We stayed self-catering at Val Cenis and Chamrousse. Both are lesser-known, not trendy resorts but as a result they are cheaper and most importantly quieter,low-key family resorts. They lack night-life (a plus for our family!) and do not have the range of runs to keep an experienced skier busy for a week, but they have plenty for first-timers. Val Cenis has an enormously long green run. Both have a decent range of restaurants. Smaller children find carrying skis and walking in ski boots difficult, so walking to a bus stop is an added nuisance you do not need. I would not hesitate to recommend either resort.

Les Saisies is the right place for you (part of the Espace Diamant) very long beautiful slopes and typical village