Elderly Seasonaire

A snowHead

Not too sure where to put this topic.

We've talked about the possibility of doing a season in a few years time and we'd be grateful for some advice.

It may be totally impractical. In a few years time my wife can retire. We'll be in our early 50s and our daughter will be 12 (Year 8 ). My wife has all the skills coppers collect and I've spent lots of years in customer service.

What sort of things could we be thinking of? I'm not sure I'd be up to the traditional stuff. The youngsters seem to work really hard and not sleep much.

And schooling? Daughter would be a couple of years out from GCSEs, so possible education wise, but possibly a world on trouble otherwise.

Has anyone experience of any of this?

A snowHead

I've met a lot of retirees in their 60s doing seasons. They are not working. Likely spending their lump sums. Will your wife be getting a lump sum? That would appear to make most sense if financially viable. I imagine you'll only make peanuts working anyway.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I would think you need to wait until daughter has done A levels.

I guess there are swings and roundabouts about having kids early or late.

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My wife (55) and I (58 ) are jacking it all in to go to Serre Che next year to live, you're never too old Smile

I'd have thought at 12 your daughter could miss a few months of school without too many worries, but you'd want to consider filling in her education yourselves so she doesn't miss out.....
Maybe transfer reps at weekends so as to free up your week for skiing/schooling?
Good luck!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

henzerani, if you can get this right, it could be a super opportunity for your daughter to learn French and experience a different culture. It's harder at 12 than at 4 but I don't see any problem at all in her missing a season of UK schooling at that age - people start getting hysterical about GCSEs before the kids are out of nappies these days.

I agree with peanuthead about the peanuts, though. I reckon you'd need to be able to scrape by without working, then consider any jobs you could get as a bonus. And use the intervening time to do some intensive work on improving your French (and you daughter's at the same time, maybe?).

It depends on the child, really - some are more adaptable than others but it would be said to be too set in your ways at 12!

There are some Snowheads who have done similar - one I can think of, called Annie, did it with a lad of a similar age (who was a very good skier and joined the local ski club etc). They had a wonderful winter. If she doesn't respond to this, try sending her a PM - she gave a lot of thought to the schooling issue. There are others, too, who have very relevant experience. Getting the location and your daughter's schooling right would be key to success. Annie was in St Gervais, which would probably be a good bet (plenty of skiing on the Evasion Mont Blanc pass, which is not too expensive, and a range of accommodation options). There's also a Snowhead living in Les Gets with a child, IIRC.

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we are planning somthing similar although its just the two of us with the kids visiting on the holidays/long weekends.
aged 53 and 43
planning to pay for our own accommodation and passes etc and work for beer tokens.
would prefer to work weekends when its busier and have a few days midweek skiing.
only in planning now , but will be making firmer decisions come April this year

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I think you would certainly need money behind you. Working casually on weekends in shops or whatever would be difficult in France, the local employment system isn't set-up for that kind of thing (too difficult for employers to do it legally). There's normally cash in hand stuff floating around but hardly to be relied on.

Transfer work for British companies is an option but driving licence rules have got tougher for minibus drivers, and if you're thinking of doing the holiday rep on the coach style thing it's definitely not for those who enjoy their sleep; depending on the firm's flight schedule, a transfer rep can start work at 6am and finish at 4am.

Age is no barrier to being a chalet host and working full time for a company (pick one carefully of course...) but I can't see any accepting a child in tow.

Maybe a private house-sit / part-time host affair like nixmap's would work for you? He/She posts every year looking for people to take care of their chalet in Switzerland and have free reign of it until they come to visit, at which point you cook and clean around them.

After all it is free

I imagine you could do quite well doing apartment cleaning/checking/key handover, maybe for UK owners of apartments, on Saturdays, if you were in the sort of place with lots of British owners. But, as Kenzie says, that's also the quietest day on the slopes!

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would never of thought that ,had imagined weekends being packed with locals etc.
either wouldnt bother us , work whatever days we are needed and ski the rest.

i would imagine its much less stress working direct than taking on a full package?
Im sure those major companies dont hand out lift passes and accommodation for nothing

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

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Husband and I worked part time- plenty of jobs for hardworking responsible adults if you at happy to front your accom and living costs.

You know it makes sense.

Yeah i would imagine a lot of smaller companies would jump at the chance of honest , reliable and hardworking staff without the hassle of getting accommodation , lift passes etc etc

for the record!!!

early 50's is NOT elderly Smile

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Thank you everyone. Some good thoughts. Especially the idea of looking after chalets or chalet sitting. We would have a pension from my wife so we could cover costs here and some there. But the lump sum is already spoken for peanuthead!
Any more advice would be gratefully received.

A snowHead

Nadenoodlee, where did you go and what work did you do?

KenX, good luck. Are you planning to work?

pam w, thanks, great advice as usual. Our thoughts were that our daughter gets a taste of another culture at a time when she's quite aware of the world. And it would force our old brains to work harder at brushing up our French. At that age is there any chance she'd be able to go to a local school?

albinomountainbadger, it seems nixmap gets some stick for his adverts but I can see what he gets out of it.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

What about advertising your services as a stand in chef/cook to cover unexpected absences, sickness etc of regular chalet staff? Not sure of your culinary skills but even an ability to whip up (or defrost!) a spag bol at short notice is better than a whole chalet going hungry.

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@henzerani, As PamW said, we were in St Gervais from end of November through to May when my son was 11. Other than just wanting to ski, our motivations were similar to yours. He is now in Year 12 with a clutch of A/A* GCSE's under his belt so for him, there was no negative impact of missing school. There were however a huge range of positives. He did do a couple of months of 3 days a week at College de Varens in Passy which was the local french secondary school. (if you head to that corner of the world) They were very good at integrating him and did a lot of work to develop his language skills. St Gervais ski club proper wouldn't take him for a single season, but he skied with the local kids leisure club which he enjoyed immensely and cost something like 5 euros an hour.

We were fortunate that my husband was able to work remotely so didn't need to worry about a job. I would do it all again in a heartbeat!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@henzerani, Yes, but only for beer tokens and to integrate into the local community and improve my French!
Also to keep myself occupied Smile

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How strange, I'm not getting emails for this thread . . . and I've just posted something and it hasn't turned up here. @hawkwind, it appears 50 is old, I can't work computers anymore.

Annie, that sound really positive. Did you son have issues finding kids his own age? My daughter's very outgoing but I guess it's hard fitting into a new school . . . and being English, as well! I think "adventures" like that are far more educational and character forming than classroom time. There is the possibility of me working from home, but I don't make a huge amount. My wife officially finishes in the January, so we could take the last week or two as leave and be on a full salary. Or we could wait until the following year.

Big Dave, that's a good idea. If we start early enough we can contact some of the chalet owners, companies, etc and let them know we're about. I could almost just start emailing and phoning people and see what comes out of it. In fact there seems to be huge numbers of people involved in the business here on SnowHeads.

@albinomountainbadger, are there many people needing hosts/housesitters? I'd be happy to do it the way nixmap describes it but I don't think I'd want to do chalet hosting in the traditional sense. I had friends went to do that in Courchevel a few years back and it sounded like a lot of hard work and not much down time.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@nixmap, they do take the micky, don't they. I didn't apply because this is a distant dream. We can't do it until my wife retires from her job. But it's nice to know that it's a possibility. Certainly high on my list of things I'd like to do. And advertising is a good idea too. Hope I don't get as much stick as you!

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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Me and my wife retired 2 1/2 years ago at 55. We got jobs instructing in Canada (lifelong dream) and had the best time of our lives. Last season we got a VERY cheap rental for 3 months and lived as cheaply as here in England. This season we're doing some higher certification and then working for a month instructing for a schools ski operator.

My point is that as an idea it's brilliant and doable. Like I say we just love it. I don't know what the situation is with finding work other than instructing. We had a little try last season but to be honest were met with rampant ageism on several occasions so be prepared for that. It's annoying especially as we're fitter than the vast majority of people half our age let alone the experience we have.

As for the schooling idea, I don't know as our kids are grown up but the idea of learning a language sounds good if you can arrange it.

In principle don't hesitate. You won't regret it and you are most certainly not too old. In our snowsports school in Canada we were welcomed with open arms as age seems to matter rather less over there by the way.

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You know it makes sense.

Not questioning that there are companies employing older people Dav, just really preparing them for some potential unpleasantness as well. It's not nice when it happens. The company who ceased communication with us was a small one by the way. It happens across the board once you get beyond about 55. Quite a shock actually.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Good advice Dav!

A snowHead

The larger companies prefer youngsters because they are easier to control. Your experience counts against you here. Some fantastic older chalet hosts are the exact opposite as employees because they know how to stand their ground, and also because they aren't afraid of the distant HQ bods and their silly dictats.

I think I know exactly who you mean Dav - sounds like a drink by any chance?

The accommodation factor is certainly a big consideration though.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@albinomountainbadger, that's a bit too cryptic for me! But initials are R&L (not sure of their surname if that's what you're referring to).

But yes, your comments about control also ring true.

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Ah no, not the ones I was thinking of - well at least they have a few great hosts then!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@nixmap, thanks. and I shall look out for your advert when the time comes.

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@Ade57, I hadn't thought of instructing. I'm not sure I have the time and the energy to do learning again. But I guess if it's got skiing as a part of it it's mostly fun. I hadn't thought about Canada either. I was assuming an EC country because of the lack of work permit issues (although by then . . .). It would certainly solve the language issue and give us the chance to ski somewhere else. And the wife and child seem quite interested.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@henzerani, We had some very nice and giving "Elderly Seasonaire" couple last christmas in Chalet Ranjarde. So if you want to be a chalet host I think you should find some smaller company - but Nixmap¨s kind of stay gives you much more time for skiing - and I agree about his last statement.

After all it is free

PM me by all means if you want a bit more info about teaching in Canada, work permits, instructor qualifications etc.

Hyst, actually, nixmap's offer sort of equates to two days a week work. Chalet hosting for 10 or 15 people must be a full on full time job. I know this sounds awfully lazy but we were kind of thinking that this would be a sort of holiday. But one that requires that we cover some of our costs beyond our income. Maybe we could do a stand in hosting thing to let chalet hosts have a day off or cover for injury/illness which is sort of what Big Dave suggested. I wonder how I'd get that idea out there?

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@henzerani, sadly I can't see any company allowing their hosts to hire you in so they can have a lie in, and the staff wages of 10€ a day won't pay you much either.

Help!!

Elderly Seasonaire

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