 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
Need some feedback from you lovely peeps on ski schools in Serre Che. Last year as part of a prize holiday we got ski lessons with Ski Connections and I have to say they were pretty good - very flexible and really friendly. I've seen some other schools advertised ESF and New Generation and before I book again for this year (yes we fell in love with the place and are hot footing it back in Feb 15) I wondered if anyone had used either of the other schools mentioned and if so how they compared to Ski Connections. Price is something to consider but not the main factor and I'm am happy to pay a little more for the best instructors. x
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tuftmuppet, I haven't used Ski Connections, so can't really compare, but we use New Generation in Monetier, and have to say we are very happy with them.
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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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Thanks Hells Bells - that's good to know. Did you have group or private lessons?
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Tuftmuppet, we've always done privates, but our guests have spoken highly of the group lessons, and the groups are small.
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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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We are looking for private lessons too. We're staying at Chalet Les Marmottes in Chantemerle and ideally want to meet up at L'Aravat rather than Monetier or Villenueve and not sure if New Gen are happy to do that.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Tuftmuppet, it would depend very much on their other daily commitments I think, but it is not too much of a hassle to hop on the bus to Monetier or ski over depending on lesson times. Have a word with them to see what they can do for you.
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Yep might do - we used the valley bus all the time last year. Thanks for your feedback - when are you heading back out there?
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Tuftmuppet, we are out in mid-January.
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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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The lead instructor at Serre Che NewGen, Gavin Crosby, is one of the most highly regarded that we've used for snowHeads events.
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We went private with Darren Turner - he transformed both of us in the space of three hours!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Another vote for Gavin at New Gen and would agree that taking the bus up to Monetier is no hassle. Our 2 boys had some great lessons a couple of years ago when we were staying in villeneuve.
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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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Jenniper, Hi - Is Darren Turner part of New gen too?
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Tuftmuppet, no he isn't.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Tuftmuppet wrote: |
Hi all
Need some feedback from you lovely peeps on ski schools in Serre Che. Last year as part of a prize holiday we got ski lessons with Ski Connections and I have to say they were pretty good - very flexible and really friendly. I've seen some other schools advertised ESF and New Generation and before I book again for this year (yes we fell in love with the place and are hot footing it back in Feb 15) I wondered if anyone had used either of the other schools mentioned and if so how they compared to Ski Connections. Price is something to consider but not the main factor and I'm am happy to pay a little more for the best instructors. x |
As far as a 'standard' ski school goes I've been very impressed with Ski Connections the couple of times we've used them, far better than the experiences I've had with ESF. Not that I've ever found ESF bad, just not the quality of instruction or level of personalisation we had from Ski Connections. Those who had group lessons said they were good, done for our group both times and with people moved where sensible if they progress at different paces (not always practical and only when desired, but the effort was always there and it's always worked out). People definitely improved and had a fun time, and the instructor was happy to adapt lessons when they asked to try specific things.
The private lessons have also been good and very reasonably priced: IIRC it was ~€50 an hour, which worked out at ~£60 each for 3 of us having two short-half-day private lessons. We do it that way as we're at a similar level and like to work on a specific skill or set of skills to practice for the week, and the short-half-days mean we can do a couple of runs to warm up beforehand and a couple afterwards to practice what we've learned before heading for lunch, but get enough time to do a bit of exploration and learn something properly. Last year we did moguls/bumps and basic off-piste, the year before we focused on piste technique on steeper runs and at a faster pace. Both instructors were good teachers and personable, and found the right balance of pushing us and taking us on stuff we'd never have done without an instructor while getting to improve our technique.
The bottom line was it was fun, cheap, and we improved significantly over the week. The hire equipment we got from them was pretty good too.
Having said that the best lessons I ever had were with New Generation in Val d'Isere. They cost a fair bit more (somewhere around double) but the quality of tuition was exceptional and they used video analysis which was particularly helpful at seeing and working on bad habits (I'd love to say removing but no tuition is able to completely fix all mine...) - my view possibly helped that I went to same uni as our instructor and got to reminisce a bit as well as improving my skiing hugely. I haven't used them in Serre Chevalier as we had a couple of beginners both times and they only start from a slightly higher level, plus some of the groups were on more of a budget, but all the reports I've seen are just as positive as my experience in Val d'Isere was.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Tuftmuppet wrote: |
| We are looking for private lessons too. We're staying at Chalet Les Marmottes in Chantemerle and ideally want to meet up at L'Aravat rather than Monetier or Villenueve and not sure if New Gen are happy to do that. |
The owners of Les Marmottes are Karin and Denis Lucas - Denis was (and may still be) the Chantemerle director of the ESF there. In any case, he is a superb instructor and genuinely nice guy who speaks English to native level (Karin is English).
As an aside, if you've not been before, Les Marmottes is outstanding and you're in for a culinary feast if you're there on the catered option. Denis is also a wine merchant, so the wine will be pretty good too 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry, should also mention that I've also had lessons with New Gen in SC and they are a superb outfit. I did have to travel to Monetier for the lessons, although this wasn't an issue, as I had a car and picked up my instructor en-route each morning 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Also, as far as I remember New Gen start their lessons a little later in the morning, so you could always get first lift up and ski over. The road run in the middle isn't great, but other than that it's a nice trip.
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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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Drogue, some New Gen lessons start at 8.45 so that is not guaranteed, it just depends on the schedule that week what time your lesson will be.
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