@Flipjango, I would pay for what you can afford and have slightly shorter lessons or spend a bit more given what you have already spent, unfortunate but not worth ruining holiday over a few hundred quid. 3 x 1 hr private lessons would probably be enough, with them practicing what they had done in lessons for 2-3 hrs after. It is easy to forget how exhausting it is for beginners. We had one on our trip last week and he told me he felt like hed been run over on the 3rd morning
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Flipjango wrote:
@ecureuil, we can’t do group lessons as it’s a child and an adult together. They have already told us they cannot find a replacement teacher.
I'm guessing you've thought of this or maybe there's a reason why it isn't suitable in your case, but have you checked if any of the groups will take either the adult or child separately? I think there is a general reluctance to teach adults and children together due to the very different approaches to learning.
Although by no means a perfect solution, the Darren Turner beginners ski videos might provide some useful information if you still end up self teaching tomorrow. The first one is here:
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Hope this doesn't sound unsympathetic but sometimes when things don't go to plan you've just got to suck it up and make the best of it. I would suggest you either spend what it takes and enjoy yourself or accept separate group lessons and enjoy yourself. You'll have a great time either way. Moping around wasting time will just ruin the holiday for both of you.
I plan everything meticulously and have rarely had a holiday go exactly as I would have wished. poo-poo happens!
we can’t do group lessons as it’s a child and an adult together
You *can* do group lessons. The adult goes into adult group lessons, and the child goes into child group lessons. Unless there are some kind of additional needs that mean the child needs a carer with them at all times, this is clearly the most sensible path to avoid having your holiday ruined.
Or suck it up and pay the higher prices for less time if you insist on having the adult and child taught together.
You need to think about trying to find a solution to 'save' the holiday not get bogged down in rigid thinking.
Why can't one of you teach the beginners? Teach yourself instead of moaning.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
nevis1003 wrote:
Why can't one of you teach the beginners? Teach yourself instead of moaning.
Because teaching beginners isn't skiing?
j b wrote:
It is worth a try at the Tourist Office
This! Don't talk to any of the girls there. You wan't to speak to a full grown woman, the older the better. Then you cry a bit and explain your problem. A solution will be found.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Flipjango, might be worth going into/ringing ESF/local schools? they may be able to get you in over the lunch period as a private, but it's probably peak week at the moment....
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Depending on your income, I would consider it more productive to add to your expenditure to get a fully functional ski holiday, rather than sit in the hotel and effectively “burn” your sunk costs and thus get no ski holiday. Both will be expensive but only one will see people making progress. Only you can decide.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
It's all moot now anyway...they leave tomorrow
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
It's not easy to organise a "DIY" holiday when you don't know the ropes - or the resort. The choice of ski school was evidently a bit disastrous, with no local "chef" to knock heads together if required or even, when all else fails, dig some superannuated and pickled old boy out of the bar, tell him he is no longer allowed to teach with a Gauloise hanging out of the corner of his mouth and send him out to teach a couple of beginners.
Our early trips were all packages - I wouldn't have had a clue where to start on a DIY holiday, and even now the internet does not make it foolproof.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I have a close friend who owns and runs a brilliant ski school and bike guiding company. He works INCREDIBLY hard to make sure that any behind the scenes problems with instructors are not felt by clients; 24/7 from more than dawn-dusk and on days on which everyone else is on holiday. He does things on occasion which lose him money but make sure that clients have what they booked. But then he is the owner of an in-resort business and not a remote booking agency.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@nevis1003, bit presumptive aren’t you? My husband only snowboards and doesn’t know how to ski. I can’t ski. The competent skier in the family is 11 years old and has only done one week of skiing with school and isn’t capable of teaching it. The 8 year old doesn’t want to learn to snowboard, he wants to learn to ski. My husband therefore has to supervise the 11 year old so they can at least get some time in the snow but is not able to teach us anything. And I don’t think I was complaining as it goes, I was asking if I could claim for our losses which are substantial. Whilst everyone is trying to be very helpful, I have tried everything in my power to find other classes and am not able to as it’s half of Europe’s half term and all the lessons are full. Maybe stop trolling and try helping.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Wed 14-02-24 21:57; edited 1 time in total
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Orange200, I think maybe you missed my earlier comment. As a hospital doctor, I’m never able to get a full week off at half term so we weren’t able to arrange a package to fit the dates we could travel.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Flipjango, you've had a really difficult time. I feel for you.
If this hasn't completely put you off the idea of family ski holidays, do think about the Easter holidays, which are preferable in many ways. Half term is awful, even if you have a whole week.
Start a new thread on Snowheads and ask for suggestions and hints and tips. Some of them will be more helpful than others, but you can sort the wheat from the chaff and start off much better informed the next time.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Flipjango, I do sympathise, my daughter will be the most junior of hospital doctors in a couple of years if she manages to continue passing end-of-year exams. And she - who skis much better than I do - already struggles to get more than a long weekend.
Plus I feel a connection since you have ended up in an area we know well having bought our own small apartment over the ridge in St Gervais (after retiring from medical-related jobs).
As @Origen says, providing not too much goes wrong it makes for a brilliant family holiday which was an annual highlight throughout our daughter's schooldays. I do hope you manage to come back to skiing. If you can manage to carve out a whole week then it will take a lot of the stress out to go with an established company (e.g. Crystal, Neilson, Inghams, various chalet companies) in the first place. Easter might be easier, but best then to choose a higher resort than Megeve.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
nevis1003 wrote:
Why can't one of you teach the beginners? Teach yourself instead of moaning.
Do you think that an apology is in order? You had no idea who in this party could or couldn't ski.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
nevis1003 wrote:
Why can't one of you teach the beginners? Teach yourself instead of moaning.
Bit harsh, that!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Bergmeister wrote:
Origen,
Have you changed your username?
See the name change thread in Le Chaudron
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
adithorp wrote:
Bergmeister wrote:
Origen,
Have you changed your username?
See the name change thread in Le Chaudron
I have no idea what that means
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Bergmeister wrote:
adithorp wrote:
Bergmeister wrote:
Origen,
Have you changed your username?
See the name change thread in Le Chaudron
I have no idea what that means
It means look at the name change threads in the Le Chaudron forum.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Layne wrote:
To be fair I've always found @nevis1003 to be a complete arse and best ignored.
Just to update everyone, thank you for all your help. We’ve tried hard to find other lessons with no luck so we’ve just had to busk it. It’s been hard and exhausting but I’ve at least managed to get the youngest on the snow a little - mostly just sledging but also by copying what others are doing. It’s not the easiest resort for beginners as most of the nursery slopes are closed due to no snow so the open ones are packed out. My other son tells me the greens here are really hard too, more like blues so we’ve not managed to try anything more challenging, it’s too scary as they’re very steep.
It hasn’t put me off but I won’t be able to go again this year as costs of this trip have wiped us out! Maybe next year.
Thank you everybody for all your support
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@Flipjango,
Good luck next year.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Flipjango, good luck for next year, and maybe come back and research resorts on here that might be suitable for you and your family?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Flipjango, Are you near enough to any of the indoor snow centres in the UK? Some lessons at one could help your youngest get past the total beginner stage.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
The well known french resorts are notoriously crowded at UK half term, as also french school holidays. Plus if limited to less than a week, that doesn't fall in well with kids beginners ski school starting Sunday with the basics. It is a bummer when restricted to school hols with kids.
Your plan would have worked had it not been hit by a combo of the injury/ absence of ski instructor and then tricky conditions / lack of snow at lower altitudes.
If looking for next year, you don't need a big resort to learn to ski at. A small "locals" resort is often better and indeed better value.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
rjs wrote:
@Flipjango, Are you near enough to any of the indoor snow centres in the UK? Some lessons at one could help your youngest get past the total beginner stage.
yes, we’re reasonably near Hemel Hempstead. We’d both had a 2 hour lesson before we came which at least allowed us to snow plough badly this week. My youngest will have had a weeks skiing on his school trip before next year so he’ll be doing fine by then so it’s just me that needs to improve now.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hells Bells wrote:
@Flipjango, good luck for next year, and maybe come back and research resorts on here that might be suitable for you and your family?
+1
I'm really sorry your family has had such a disappointing attempt at a ski holiday. I hope it hasn't put you off completely.
I think you may find it easy to book a short break during the Easter holidays (a lot of French resorts outside the REALLY high ones are very quiet at Easter so easier and cheaper to find accommodation and ski instruction).
We've skied a lot at Easter over the hill from Megeve in Les Contamines (more snow sure at Easter than Megeve) and if you want to try again next year then please do reach out for advice/recommendations.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Layne wrote:
To be fair I've always found @nevis1003 to be a complete arse and best ignored.
Only a total dick would have 18000 posts on an internet forum....
Does it matter, Who TF spends all day posting apart from a complete dick
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
nevis1003 wrote:
Layne wrote:
To be fair I've always found @nevis1003 to be a complete arse and best ignored.
Only a total dick would have 18000 posts on an internet forum....
Thanks for clarifying Layne's opinion.
Al't best
After all it is free
After all it is free
t44tomo wrote:
If looking for next year, you don't need a big resort to learn to ski at. A small "locals" resort is often better and indeed better value.
While this is true in terms of piste KMs I wouldn’t say it’s true of the resort as a whole. In particular lessons where the big resorts tend to have many more ski schools and therefore a bigger variety of services on offer. A small resort (even some of the medium to biggish) resorts will typically only have an ESF (if in France) with Sunday to Friday group lessons.
Big resorts may also have a greater variety of beginner slopes and better beginner infrastructure such as magic carpets. And more off snow activities for when the legs are done.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Big resorts may also have a greater variety of beginner slopes and better beginner infrastructure such as magic carpets. And more off snow activities for when the legs are done.
“May have” but not guaranteed.
Really, a small resort with a lot of beginner slope would be just as good. Potentially a lot less expensive too.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
A lot of big resorts have more budget accommodation available, and lots do a beginner lift pass which is significantly cheaper and limits the lifts that can be used
It’s not to say the big is better, it’s just fairly ludicrous to also claim small is better for beginners. It’s dependent on the individual resort and what works, big or small.
But one thing big resorts definitely have in their favour is many more options for ski schools, which is fairly relevant to this thread. Big as in mega (3V, PdS, paradiski etc) not Megeve obviously!!
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