 Poster: A snowHead
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Has anyone used the ski school in La Thuile? I'm off there soon and wondered if it was and good and if i need to book lessons in advance or will i be ok just turning up to book?
Oh and my Italian is none existent - do they have many english speaking instructors - or will we have to try my monosyllabic french?!
Also does anyone know the best shop to hire skis from?
Cheers Guys
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sebee, I can help with food related questions 
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Never used the ski school, but they do like big groups, even when they aren't busy.
Only Ski are good for ski hire - they've got shops in the village and at the top of the gondola.
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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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Sebee, We went to la Thuile probably 10 years ago now. My how time flies  And it is somewhere I would like to revisit at somepoint as the skiing is great and the food and wine is excellent.
My wife went into ski school for her first ever ski trip and the first thing their instructor told them was that he didn't like teaching beginners as he usually taught the advanced groups. It appears that they run a rotation system where everybody has to do their stint.
I had my suspicions when every lunchtime when I picked her up she was on the verge of tears and I then had to spend the rest of the day bringing her back up to the standard that she was at at the end of the previous day. I finally decided enough was enough when I came across her on her own at the side of the piste with no sign of her group. It appears that she had taken a tumble for which she was told "do not fall over" as her 'instructor' skied passed and carried on leaving her on the mountain alone, as it appears he was in a hurry to have his lunch. 
At this point (day 3) I pulled her out of her group and cashed in her remaining lessons for 1 private lesson. I had to practically manhandle her back up the mountain the next day and plead with her to just give it a go and if after this one lesson she really didn't want to ski again then I would accept her decision and leave her be. I just couldn't allow her to make a decision about skiing based on her experience with one (particually diabolical) instructor. That day it was a complete whiteout and blowing a gale, I survived one trip up the chair and called it a day, retiring to the cafe at the gondola station resigning myself to the fact that she would never want to ski again.  At the alloted time I wandered out to the collection point all downheartened only to hear through the blizzard screams of joy and out of the murk comes my wife being followed by her instructor throwing snowballs at her. Thankfully this guy had appraised the conditions, realised that there was not much instruction he could do so instead just made it a fun time, and she was hooked! Needless to say that the first instructor was a fairly young guy (late 20s early 30s) and the other guy was old enough to be this guys dad. Obvioulsy vastly more experienced in what skiing is about and how to make it fun for beginners.
So I think what I'm trying to say is that the ski school obviously has some great instructors, who are brilliant at their jobs and can teach all levels in any conditions. Unfortunately they did have a few bad apples, whom whilst no doubt excellent instructors at their prefered level, should not have been allowed to become instructors with the attitudes they had.
I hope things have changed in the last few years, and I am in no doubt that they have, but if you hear those dreaded words that my wife heard on her first morning then get out as soon as possible. 
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Hi Sebee,
My GF and I were in La Thuile in January last year and both found the ski-school to be of a decent standard. I'm a low end intermediate and had an instructor called Dario who brought my technique on no end. There were about nine in our group and all seemed to rate him highly. My GFs group was lead by a chap called Eduardo, who by the end of the week, had a group of near beginners happily tootling down one of the easier black runs. All the English folks we spoke to in ski-school has no problems understanding the instructors.
The only downside was that we spotted one instructor in the pub at luchtime knocking back the Grappas then taking kids classes in the afternoon. Not impressed.
The ski hire shop right in the middle of the Plannibel had decent skis and boots which seemed to be well looked after.
I can also recommend a restaurant in town called La Fordze which does really good pizza and has friendly staff.
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Hi Seebe,
Ski school in La Thuile very good. Plenty of English speaking instructors. Andreina, Dario & Edoardo have already been mentioned but there are plenty of others Davide, Giulio, Franco, Filippo, Fulvio & Walter all get by with enough English to keep a ski class going. Worth booking in advance to get best slots for private lessons - group lessons usually10 - 12.30 groups vary but not usually more than 10 again book in advance. You can phone 0039 0165 882143 or book on line email scuoladisci@lathuile.it 
Ski hire try Berthod Sport under the gondala station. Very good, helful and usually has someone that speaks English. No problems with changing equipment if it does not feel right. 
Restaurants in the village try La Grotta - Ernesto the owner and his family always make you feel welcome and they certainly do great pizzas. Also try La Bricole, La Lisse, Lo Creton, Le Rascard, La Fordze and in the Planibel complex La Raclette all will provide good food at reasonable prices. On the slopes try the Meleze self service just above Les Suches gondala station. 
Hope you enjoy especially with the latest snowfalls. All the best for a great trip.
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