1st time seasonaire - some advice please?

A snowHead

Hello all!!
I am new to your forum and come here seeking your advice.
I am going to work my first ever season this year in Tignes and I would like to pick all of your brains in order to help me with my preparation.

Please respond to this post with anything at all I should know about working in-resort, working in Tignes, working with locals, working with Brits, companies/people/establishments to avoid or to engage?
I would really like to hear about all of your experiences as I am very new to this. New insomuch as I have been on alpine holidays but not ever considered going 'the other side of the bar' as it were.

I will be 40 years old by the time I leave and I know very well that most seasonaires are in their 20's, any weird tips for old farts? I hope to be working for a company called Val Heli Ski, so any insight around that company would also be very much appreciated.

If you are inclined to reply, thank you very much for your time.

A snowHead

You perhaps need to give an indication of what information you are after and it would help with Your role/function/job as the response will differ depending on what You are going to there to do and the type of company you may be going with.

Bottom line, most lilkely a lot of hard work, not as much skiing as You perhaps planned (but that will be role specific) lots of fun and limited money.

Natives is Your best source and also one of the snowheads has a website with some further information, but on the go so can't locate it right now.

either way good luck.

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

Thanks, I was fishing for all-round general tips for virgins really as I really don't know what I don't know.
I've gone and registered on Natives, thanks for that. I will trawl their forum as well.

I am looking for people who may have worked for Val Heli Ski before or perhaps folks who've used them for a day?
I know I won't be working chalets or bar but as I've never done it before, I'm not sure I know what to expect.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

DevilsAvocado, don't try and keep up with the 20 year olds. You can't.

I assume you aren't pilot or ski guide? You'll be in the office then? Expect long hours, not as much skiing as you'd like, weird hours, etc.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Bus driving? With VHS I doubt you'll be surrounded with kindergarten colleagues. Work hard, be reliable. Never miss a day's skiing for a hangover, get out every day you can no matter how sh,te the conditions. Make the most of opportunities to ski with better skiers/ those with local terrain knowledge.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Thanks guys.
No, I am not a pilot or ski guide...in fact, I've never been on the Italian side of the Alps.
I expect to be shuttling clients from accommodation to helipad and back; doing a little bit of data/knowledge transfer along the way.

Dave: Thanks. I've never missed a day on the hill for a hangover...that's for 20yr olds.

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

I was 40 when I did my season, working as chalet staff/ski host in Les Menuires. I think everyone's experience is a little different depending on their job, and resort. There were plenty of older farts about who were taking the lifestyle opportunity for a season or more. I'm sure there are even more these days. They tended to be the ones who were most enthusiastic about skiing. I most certainly did not party till 2am every night-I was too knackered most of the time, and it never really appealed. I would hang out at the bar near our chalet on a couple of occasions each week but socially that was about it. If, like me, you are used to your own space, living in shared accommodation and having limited opportunities for real "head space" time was the hardest bit.(Lairy 20 year olds can get a little wearing after a while, especially if they are from the privileged gap yaah" end of the spectrum).
That meant that on my day off, more often than not I'd take myself off on my tod and ski like a maniac all over the 3V enjoying just being on my own.
I agree with those who say ski whenever you get the chance. I was ski hosting guests 4 days a week and often found myself more enthusiastic than them when it came to getting out early and skiing all day, especially if the snow was good. In an 18 week season I would guess there were probably only a handful of days when I didn't ski (apart from changeover day, I can only actually think of one!)
Had I been a better skier at the time, I think I would have sussed out off piste opportunities more with the local instructors in low season, but I was pretty much strictly a piste skier at the time.
Grown up gappers are not doing it for the money. I had a couple of grand stashed away to supplement my "income" as such, though in fact as I was fed and housed, I didn't dip into it. However, you want to be able to enjoy yourself, so if you want a big lunch on the mountain in a good restaurant, or buy new kit then it's good to feel you can just do it. Buying kit in resort is an expensive thing to do, but for really good boot fitting and the like it's worth it.

After all it is free

Perty: Thank you. Some fantastic insight there...especially the in-resort boot fitting. It makes sense.
I am certain that lairy gap yaahs will annoy the sh*t out of me regardless, just hopeful that Dave's correct about my prospective colleagues/roomies.

HI, my site (mentioned above) is www.seasonnaireweb.com if you see something useful, great, if theree are things you'd like including then let me know! Good luck, Dave

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Tignes has plenty of 30years+ British seasonnaires - just get around the bars & introduce yourself.

Help!!

1st time seasonaire - some advice please?

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