 Poster: A snowHead
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maggi, who said I would do it on my own?  I've got bookings for the apartment, so staying there for the whole season wouldn't be possible, but I'm still thinking.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Anyway, I don't think he would let me.
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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?
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Hells Bells, I wouldn't! You might do a Shirley Valentine and never come home  .
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I did my season when I was just 40. Definitely recommend it. I went out to be chalet cook, but ended up as "ski host" as well as helping out in the chalet. Hard work! Didn't do much partying- too tired, and also up in the far end of Les Menuires there was little on the doorstep. The advantage of doing a job that means you are working from 7.30am and in the evening is that you get to ski in the day. Lots. So don't discount those jobs. My guess would be that you will get pissed less often than you think (too pricey and you're too knackered) and you will want to ski more than you ever imagined.....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hells Bells, are your bookings for school holidays? Mine is likely to be vacant then.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Harry Flashman, Getting wasted every night is for 18-21 year olds. A couple of social beers is one thing, jagerbombs at 3am another. Best job on that basis probably bartender (provided you get some sleep mid afternoon to start of shift) but also most in demand.
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pam w,  . not all of them, I have some regulars staying in Jan, then a week booked in Feb (but that is the week or the Birthday Bash), then two weeks February (but one has just been cancelled).
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| Harry Flashman wrote: |
I may well be on gardening leave/sabbatical until April, so I too (at the age of 36) am looking at doing a season, if this job offer happens and I accept it (far from a certainty - but I am enjoying dreaming!).
Any advice useful. While I could bum around and not work, I'd rather do something while out in resort, if anything so that I meet other people and have a social life! But no chalet hosting or anything else that involves minimal sleep. What jobs would you recommend for someone who is 36, not good at very early mornings after drinking (hangovers are real now, unlike in my 20s) and who would actually like to be able to ski and improve (so no working in shops during the day etc)? This driving malarkey sounds good, as I have had a licence for ages and am pretty familiar with large vehicles/driving on the continent.
Any experiences or advice warmly welcomed by a chap desperately hoping that his first season could be possible...! What about accommodation - I guess a flatshare would be the way to go.
Thing is, I won't know if I can do this until about October - too late to talk to travel companies and fish for jobs? |
Sorry for the delay in replying; not been on here for a while.
I'm happy to give my opinion; but do understand that's all it is, my opinion! Others may well disagree and look for different things / different roles in resort, so I can only say what suited me and what didn't.
First off, the "rather do something while in resort rather than bum around", I couldn't agree more. My first "season" was a half season where I did nothing but ski; and after a few weeks I found I really needed something else to occupy my time / thoughts. Sounds strange to say but I did find the routine of skiing every single day a bit tiresome by the end. I knew I wanted to do a follow on full season, but I knew I needed to do it working.
So my first winter season; I worked for Crystal in Les Arcs as a rep, part of a 14 strong team plus another 10 or 12 chalet hosts. So plenty of instant friends, being lonely at any point whatsoever was completely impossible. I stayed in a pretty sh* apartment with 3 other lads aged 21 to 27; and aside from a few minor incidents we all got on like a house on fire, I really can say I loved my time there. Despite the age gap (21, 22, 27 and me 36) we all got on brilliantly. I'd be lying if I said it was a normal lifestyle; it clearly wasn't and there was a lot of drinking, a lot of socialising, and a lot of working strange hours (getting up at 4am on your first transfer day and finishing close to 24 hours later is a novel experience). But you very quickly acclimatise to that, and despite some bad hours it really was about the easiest job I've ever done, if you have just a modicum of common sense and professionalism then you'll be fine. Also there's plenty of opportunity for lie-ins and recovery from hangovers!
Second season I was Resort Manager for a smaller chalet company in Meribel. Again I had a really good time, but a combination of the job, living in my own accommodation and a couple of other bits meant that I wouldn't put it up there with my first season. Perhaps a little bit too much responsibility for such a job; its an escape from reality to do a season and at too many times this itme round it felt more like an actual job rather than an extended holiday.
If I had my time again, if I was 36 like you, I'd definitely go down the rep route. Personally speaking I think its better and easier than chalet hosting which strikes me as being really hard work. I went with Crystal as they were the biggest company out there and I figured the support network would be very good. Also i considered if working with youngsters wasn't for me I could opt out, go home, and it wouldn't be like leaving a smaller company in the lurch with no replacement staff. Pretty sure the application process started in June/July and went all the way up to November. My advice would be to apply, take the job offer, and you can always choose to not take it up later (you would lose a £100 security deposit though). Leaving it to October, you're really going to be cutting down on the options available to you. I knew I wanted a big French resort, working within a big team, and that's exactly what I got. Plus I earned myself some friends for life.
You mention a driver's job; that might be ok and some lads of a similar age to me did that in Meribel last year. I don't think it would be for me though, you can typically work from 8am every morning, until 10 or 11, and you're probably work again alter that day so getting to other places or having a full day out can be difficult. Repping means seeing the customer when they've finished skiing, so typically "working" hours are 5pm - 8pm or so. Plus once we got into the swing of things it was standard to be able to get 4 completely full day's skiing plus another couple of half days per week if you so desired.
Hope that helps; fire any more questions if you have them.
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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.
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I will chip in with if you're crap at early mornings then being a transfer driver is not for you. Mr NN was waved off at 3/4am
Many a time heading for 4+ chalets then on to Geneva. He loved it as he was often home and finished at 9/10am and we'd head out boarding but if you don't like mornings at all then it's not for you.
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Ski resort work in general is not for those who can't do mornings. Chalet staff can expect to start work at 07:30 - apparently some people consider this early.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Lizzard, I think working mornings is best as you get all day out to do what you want (including Apres), others clearly like their lie ins....
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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.
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Nadenoodlee, agreed
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This is anecdotal and partly forgotten, but I was the only passenger in one of the Morzine<->Geneva minibus runs and got chatting to the driver about his season/the job etc. He said that they work 4 days on-4 days off with long days of probably 10-12 hours when you're 'on'. So a driver for alpybus/morzexpress etc probably works a different pattern to someone doing package holiday type driving.
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You know it makes sense.
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Anyhoo, looks like I'll be waiting a long time to do my season, as hubby does not look too enthralled at the prospect. 
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