 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi there,
We are going to Chinaillon (Grand Bornand) next year in Feb half term. Our apartment is in Les Outalays to (hopefully) make life easier - although we have skied, it's not been in this area.
Our boys (who will be 8 and 6) will go to ski school. They are beginners (having skied once). I have a bit of a conundrum and wanted to ask any advice please!!
I believe our accommodation is on a green piste, at the bottom being the meeting point for ESF ski school. However they run classes of maximum 12 (and it will be 12 I imagine in half term!). Having contacted Star Ski, they run classes of up to 5/6 maximum but have said that their meeting point may not be suitable as it is a further 400m away from the ESF meeting point. Just to mention, there are buses that run between all the lifts I believe.
I will definitely have to book in advance. So here's the predicament. Should I go for a smaller Star Ski class but suck up the fact that it's further to get to (down to the bottom and walk/bus 400m) or do we take the easy option of the ESF larger ski class that is almost on the doorstep.
I'm hoping someone has gone through this before or knows the area well and can provide some valuable advice! Many thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It really all depends on what you're after.
The boys will almost certainly learn faster and do more in smaller groups than they will otherwise. It will also be better for them when they're doing a 'follow me' exercise.
On the other hand, they might find the larger group just as enjoyable and prefer the hassle free and convenience of getting to lessons that are just down the slope rather than having to make an extra foot / bus journey carrying their skis.
The added problem of course is that you can't take the 'max 12' as gospel. I can tell you from experience that ESF have a habit of over filling lessons at half term and you could have 15 or more people in the lessons.
At their level I'd probably go the ESF route as the key thing for me at this stage is that the holiday is enjoyable rather than trying to eke the best out of the lessons. If they were more advanced I probably wouldn't go with ESF.
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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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Hi, Thanks for the reply. Interesting about the over filling! Not good as my boys get bored easily if just standing around! There is the option of ski storage in the hire place which could be convenient, but not sure if that really works in reality. Could be more of a hassle. The other thing I thought about was maybe 6 x 1.5 hour private lessons (if you can do it that way)......doesn't seem to be that much more than 6 x 2 hour group lessons and I assume losing half an hour is more than made up by the fact that it is just the 2 of them??
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Is 400m really that big an issue ?
Also I would get the kids booked in to lessons or the ski club at your local dryslope or fridge starting now. By the time they go away they will not be beginners and maybe the private lessons will be by far the best option. Plus the kids will be able to ski comfortably with you after the lessons.
I would suggest though if you go to the dryslope that about a month or so before your holiday get some sessions in at the local fridge just to get used to how much faster the skis glide on snow.
If you
If you let people here know your location you will hopefully get recommendations for clubs etc.
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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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Hi, Yes I think I totally agree about the 400m. Not really a big deal to me and, to get a small learning group, it doesn't sound like a bad trade off. It was more the comment from the Star Ski person who emailed me back quote "I think it will be a little bit hard for you to reach our meeting point, you will be next to the ESF ski school
our meeting point is 400m away" - a little off-putting but then maybe that's a cultural thing about the 400m.
Was planning at least some basic skiing before going. We're in Ketton, near Stamford so Tallington lakes dry slope only 30 mins away and Milton Keynes XScape would be the snow stuff.
Cheers
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@Ketton snowmum,
I would contact both re either a kids club or a ski club and take the kids down. As the dryslope is a lot closer then that would be the best and cheaper option and if you went weekly they would def benefit more from the private lessons or the smaller group lessons at least while on holiday.
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@Ketton snowmum,
I think I would probably be inclined to go with star ski for the smaller group. You can start off by walking or easily getting the bus to the meeting point if the walk is a bit much for the boys. As they progress - probably very quickly knowing youngsters! - there is quite an easy traverse underneath the gettiers lift from outalays across to the bottom of the floria lift which is very close to the star ski meeting point.
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Check the timing of private lessons - sometimes in busy periods they are only at lunchtimes, which could disrupt your day.
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I arranged some private lessons through star ski there a few years ago. They were excellent. However it was tricky getting from where we were to their meeting point for a total novice. A beginner with a week behind them might do ok. Having said that, if you were to go for the private option I expect they would meet you somewhere else. My husband highly recommended an instructor called Etienne.
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Go with Star Ski for sure. I have been in front of classes of 4-5 and 6-8 year olds... and once over 10 kids keeping them safe and in view starts taking increasingly large chunks of time...
Groups of 12, possibly more I personally wouldn't spend my hard earned pennies on.
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