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Alternatives to ESF at Les Menuires?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm going to Les Menuires on the 4th of Feb for my second ever ski holiday (can't wait!).

I took group lessons last year in Alpe D'Huez with ESF and wasn't overly impressed with them. There were 16 people in our group, I don't think anyone really learned that much.

So far, the only ski school I've found at Les Menuires is ESF - does anyone know an alternative? Any help would be much appreciated.

PS. is Les Menuires really as ugly as they say?!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
To answer your last question first, yes, it's fairly grizzly by most standards, but you'll either be out on the mountains or tucked up inside a bar, so it doesn't matter.

We used Elite ski, in the person of Patsy Duncan, recently in Couchevel. I think that they are based over that side of the 3V, but they may operate in LM. She was good; I didn't ski much with her, but those in our party who did were reasonably impressed.
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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?
Thanks richmond, I'll check that out.
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greg, Les Manures has earned it's nickname, only rivaled by Alpe D'Huez for sheer god awful ugliness, it would look hideous in Essex never mind the Alps.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
greg, welcome to snowHeads! snowHead

I've passed through Les Menuires a few times on the way to Val Thorens. It is quite spectacularly unattractive, the worst bits look like towerblocks in a Moscow suburb.
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greg, Drop over to Meribel for lessons with New Generation.

http://www.skinewgen.com
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
greg - do you need lessons (i.e first or second hol) or do you want lessons (working on parallel turn/general brush up/guiding service)?

If the former you will have to go esf like it or not, at that level I don't think you could manage the linking runs to meribel?

If the latter I would suggest not booking in advance, go in at about 8.30am on the first day of your hol and ask how many people are in the group - if you like the answer pay for 1 day's lessons. If you like the lesson/instructor then cough up for the remaining 5 days at that point. Or why not go for privates?

Many ESF instructors/classes are ok, some are good, and like anywhere they have some excellent instructors, you don't know, you might get lucky - and it is easier than treking to another valley every day...

If you do want to go for another resorts school, from memory I would say it's easiest to get to Meribel Mottarett than anywhere else? Meribel is also easy enough, VT harder than I expected and courchevel really a bit of a hike.

Les menuires isn't THAT bad guys - it's just wierd black and white blocks? Maybe we just had a good angle on it Smile only dropped in for lunch once or twice...

aj xx
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Many thanks for your help guys - it's all much appreciated.

ajhainey, I think Meribel could definitely be an option for me, though I think I'll have trouble getting my other half over there - she's at a similar level to me, but has far less confidence. Our instructor took us down a red run last year - she fell head first, slid for about 5 meters and cried in her goggles (it's amazing how quickly water freezes at -20!), she was fine but it's left her with a definite preference for the tamer runs.

After trying to picture what Romford would look like in the alps, I think I'll take richmond's advice and get myself out to a bar when we're not on the slopes, which, if last year's anything to go by, will be when the lifts close. Mind you, I suspect we'd be doing the same even if we'd gone to Courchevel (at least, until our money ran out).
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greg,
I agree with aj to a large extent a lot of the bad reports from ESF come from classes which are way to large rather than bad instructors. I have no idea what Les Menuires ESF is like but you are going at the beginning of the French holidays and groups are likely to be large.

Personally I would ring in advance rather than wait till I got there to find out what the maximum size they have in each group if it is more than 8 or so I would be inclined to book a private insructoe in advance for a few lessons as this is likely to be easiest for your partner. I would also specify someone English speaking and female for her as it sounds like she needs someone to give her a bit of confidence. If you wait you may find that a lot of instructors are already booked and you will not be able to get the same one for 3-4 days running which is what it sounds like you need.
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greg, I have just got back from ADH and can have no complaints about ESF however I arranged a private lesson each day for my kids as it was their first trip and they are only 7 & 5. I just emailed ESF and they sent confirmation through the post.

By the 4th day they were on the chair lifts and whizzing down the greens, It cost 53 Euro's ( 1 or 2 pers ) per 1 1/2 hour lesson from 1245 - 1415 and it worked out roughly the same as been in ski school. I personally believe they progressed more but it meant I skied with them the rest of the time.

I also booked one lesson to get rid of the cob webs ( 9 years since my last jollies ) .

Very Happy
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greg, Just back from Les Menuires (Reberty) and we had a 2 hr lesson with Dominique (male) from ESF in Les Menuires, could have been the Reberty Branch. Friends had a 2 hr lesson before us, and we all thought him superb. Lovely bloke, very good English and a very good lesson that made heaps of differance. There is another fella called Eric who is also very good.

I have no hesitation in heartily recommending him. 4th Feb is the start of the French Holidays so get in touch quick.

The skiing in LM is awsome and the lifts superb.
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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.
There is an alternative to the ESF in Les Menuires - Ski School Snow Bow.

http://www.skischoollesmenuires.co.uk/

No idea what they're like though!
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 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
Has anyone tried the Prosneige school in Les Menuires? Seems they're used by the EoSB in VT, but wondered if there were any reports from LM.
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