 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey all, I've been lucky enough to book an apartment in Brides-les-Bains for the season, I plan to work from there, visit the UK when I need to, and ski lots, as well as host guests from time to time.
It's not an area I'm familiar with though, so any hints and tips and advice would be most welcome. I read as much as I could find online, including this forum, before booking, but there is still more to find out.
In particular, I need to buy some skis, so any advice on the best shops out there would be appreciated. I'm thinking best to buy out there so as to be able to try first, even though it'll be more expensive presumably than buying in the UK. Also I'll be looking to take some private lessons - newgen seem to be well thought of?
I'm an intermediate on-piste skier, looking to improve but at my stage in life I'm not looking to go careering off-piste, just be a good piste skier, able to cope with just about anything.
The merinet and latania.co.uk websites seem to be good sources of information - any others, or good Facebook groups?
Travel wise, I'm taking the car down with me, and think I've become pretty familiar with travel options for friends visiting- into Geneva, Lyon or Chambery depending where they're flying from and on which days. Trains to Moutiers from the airports don't look like good options though, so if I can't meet them at the airport it looks like hire cars or transfers (Bens bus?) are probably their best options.
Insurances arranged, car MOT sorted (due in March - grrr), toll tag purchased, season lift pass arrived, it's all getting very real and exciting!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I was in BLB two years ago for a week in March. A full season would be fantastic, so jealous.
There are a couple of ski shops that were good. If you are determined to buy there, I would just go and scope out the shops and go by feel. If you click with particular staff member or shop, and they do demos, start with that. Not sure what your budget is but more than one pair would be a nice option.
Lessons at your stage will be best supported by mileage. Ideally an instructor should be able to give you a few key points that will take care of the minor ones. Not sure how much skiing you plan to do or how lesson plans are structured in France, but an 2 hour lesson followed by the balance of the day free skiing and working on some drills x a full season on snow should equal massive ski improvement. If you have a chance to do video review, I have always found that being able to watch yourself ski with feedback greatly accelerates progress.
Hope the season is great, you are living the dream.
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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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@Paul_ox, sounds like a lovely few months ahead of you!
Regarding instruction, if it were me I think I would drop a note to Marmalade ski school saying I was out for the whole season, and could they do me a deal for a certain number of lessons over the season and I'd take whichever days and times they had a gap in the schedule.
NewGen are also excellent by all accounts, I just know the Marmalade guys better.
In my experience, ski hire shops are set up to have demo skis you can choose to buy, and deduct the cost of rental from the purchase price. Just be aware that each shop will keep a different range and they won't all have the same brands.
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@xtr, glad that you had a good time in Brides, indeed a whole season should be great, it'll be fantastic to be able to just look out of the window and decide if it's a skiing or a working day!
I'm not necessarily determined to buy out there, it just seems a good option to be able to try before you buy. I'm not sure yet how much I'll ski, and it'll depend a bit on when I have visitors, but I'd hope at least 3/4 days a week on average. Maybe most days, but some of them shorter. I'm thinking of taking a couple of hours lesson once a week and see how it goes. I can get around ok, but know that my technique has a long way to go!
@Maireadoconnor, that's the kind of approach I was thinking of taking - speak to a few ski schools and give them an idea of what I'm looking for and my flexibility, and see what they can offer. I'm not planning on committing to a fixed number of lessons across the season, as I may decide to take more or less as time goes on. But certainly taking advantage of gaps in their schedule will hopefully be a win-win proposal.
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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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@Paul_ox, good luck with your season, sounds great.
I did a season in Meribel back in 2011-12, and I used Parallel Lines for a few lessons. They were excellent with me, I have to say, probably the best instruction I've ever had. What I found a difference was that all the instructors were British natives, and I just found the analogies they were able to give me just worked better than any previous instruction I'd had. While my French is very passable I'm nowhere near fluent, and the little tips and hints were just communicated so much better. Saying that, I've also heard excellent things about Marmalade ski school too, and Magic always used to get great reviews amongst my old customers.
For stocking/replenishing equipment like salopettes, gloves etc you're worth taking the drive to Albertville where there's a few decent stores, I found the Decathlon there to be excellent and very cheap compared to resort prices. Might also be worth having a look at for skis, if you're considering buying out there (depending on what you're after, of course). But my favourite shop is Labo in Bourg St Maurice, well worth a visit there. Let them know you're out for the season and you always used to get a bit of discount. Tip Top in BSM is also good.
Having a car is invaluable; a bit of pain with digging out, snow chains etc but absolutely well worth it.
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I would suggest renting skis to begin with and talking to your instructor about suitable skis to try out. Advice from an expert who has actually seen you ski and understands your level and where you might get to over the season and who can then ski with you with various trial pairs seems like a good way to get something that really suits you rather than what reviews well.
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