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Ski school recommendations for Val Thorens

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Off with the family to Val Thorens at Easter hols, with it being the kids second week of skiing. I was going to book them into Evolution 2, as that’s who we went with in Avoriaz for their first lessons and they loved it.

However, according to their website they look booked up already for Easter so am looking for alternatives. Any recommendations? English speaking, small groups (up to 10) and lots of fun ideally!!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Handy Turnip, we used prosneige in les menuires for the kids last feb half term, they are in VT as well, they fit your requirements.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Thanks @terrygasson
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+1 for Prosneige. Have done fine by my kids.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I’ve just booked ski cool for Easter in VT. max group size 8 and they’re really well reviewed on trip advisor.
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Prosneige. Really good, used them 3 or 4 times
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Cheers all, narrowed it down to prosneige and ski cool. Very impressed by the reviews on trip advisor, @Stinkpickle.
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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!
Ski cool is just ESF hiding under another name because they're not, err, cool.
Seriously, I picked up a couple of instructors hitching up the hill after a bit of an off piste adventure and when they said they worked for Ski Cool, I said, "Ah yes that's ESF isn't it?"
And they were quite shocked, "How you know this? It's not normal that people know."

I'll give a +1 for ProSneige while we're here - it might even pay to ask if there's a discount for snowHeads snowHead We've no formal arrangement in that respect but we have worked with them a lot over the years and they're positively disposed toward us.
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I knew that ski cool were owned by ESF before I booked the lessons.

However it seems to be a different product targeting a different market. They cap the group size at 8 and the clients are usually English speaking so the lessons are geared more towards English

The trip advisor reviews for them vs the standard ESF offering speak for themselves. Prosneige have bigger group sizes than Ski cool - up to 10

I debated with myself for ages between Prosneige and ski cool and the offering seemed identical except the group size. 8 v 10 and IMO 10 is just too many for a small child.
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@Stinkpickle, this was my thought about Prosneige as well.

Oxygène also operate in that area and have a max group size of 6. They are more expensive than Prosneige, but with smaller groups you can understand why. So another to consider
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The reviews on trip advisor and group sizes have won me over- going for ski cool, I may live to regret it but will report back obviously!
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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.
I’d have loved to use Oxygène but sadly I’m just too lazy to take the kids there when Ski cool meets literally in front of where we are staying Very Happy but yes, they seem like a great option too.
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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
Stinkpickle wrote:
I’d have loved to use Oxygène but sadly I’m just too lazy to take the kids there when Ski cool meets literally in front of where we are staying Very Happy but yes, they seem like a great option too.


That is a good decider, convenience of meet locations is definitely worth considering.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Handy Turnip, how did you get on with ski cool? Booked VT for easter next year.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Prosneige are fantastic and do some of the off piste guides at the EOSB. I've done two of these with them and they are great.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@lottster, they were fantastic, the kids loved them. Really friendly instructors, small classes with English spoken as the main language. The instructors did little things like give the kids a packet of sweets. Plus their skiing came on loads.
Definitely recommended!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Handy Turnip Perfect - thanks! Prosneige have such good reviews but not keen on classes of 10 people for young kids. Will be easter school hols so expect them to be at capacity. Ski cool are 8 people which I would prefer so good to hear you had such a positive experience 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?
@lottser we used https://www.skinewgen.com/ in Val Thorens and have used them in Tignes, Chatel and Courchevel. They have always been top notch, small cases and very nice instructors. My boy and our friends boy have used them since they were 5.
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I'm a fussy b****** seeing as I used to teach for many years - now I outsource it and my 6yo old had an amazing time with NewGen as well. Very impressed with what she learnt.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@lottster, yes they had 6-8 in their class each day. They knew all their fellow classmates names which was nice.

As you’ll see there are many options of good ski school (as well as bad ones), so check out prices, start times etc to work out which one fits best.
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@ronnierocket and @orange I was tempted by New Gen but they finish at something like 1:30 and I thought my 5 year old would chew his arm off with hunger. I know they stop for a snack but did yours cope without getting lunch until later?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yep we gave her snacks and she scoffed the lot and frankly it was better for that longer time
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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!
@stinkpickle didn't seem to be a problem, gave them a pocketful of snacks and money for a drink. When they are beginners, the longer class gives you a chance to get some decent amount of skiing done yourselves and then ski with them after lunch. It's also quieter for lunch at 13:30 and they always seem to come back happy.
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Booked Prosneige for my 15 years old son for this EoSB. Adult beginners - boarders, he went to the dark side Sad
It was supposed to be adults only, they had two 4 years old boys who obviously limited their choices of slopes and pace.
Gilad liked his guide, Alberto, although in the 3rd day they took a sudden turn leaving Gilad alone on the slope (after falling) unknowing which way to go. He took the right slope and hurried down, meeting them lower. Instead of apologizing, Alberto demanded he'll pay more attention. Shocked
Not a place I'll recommend.
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Stinkpickle wrote:
@ronnierocket and @orange I was tempted by New Gen but they finish at something like 1:30 and I thought my 5 year old would chew his arm off with hunger. I know they stop for a snack but did yours cope without getting lunch until 8later?


I thought the same! Thought the lessons sounded a bit too long.....? Although am sure the boys would be delighted with double snacks!
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Lesson times were quite key for us - we have a preference for the morning lessons ideally around 9-12pm. It gets us out early to enjoy a few hours of skiing, but we get the kids back early enough to get some well needed lunch and still have time to ski in good conditions in the afternoon (being in mind it's April). Plus they had a late start on day 1 of 10am, which was really useful as we needed to get our ski's!

Obviously everyone's requirements are different.
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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.
A children's perspective from this year's SFaB https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=3395629&highlight=#3395629
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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
always29 wrote:
A children's perspective from this year's SFaB https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=3395629&highlight=#3395629


Yes, it did amuse us...

As well-meaning as @camskisam's post is, and as his dad I should know, he's quite a competent skier and easy going. He achieved his gold-star badge with Ski-Cool at the SFab2019 with @AlwayzPink and @AlwayzBlue in the same group.

They had an excellent week with their instructor Arthur and the kids took great delight towards the end of the week in dragging their parents down the bumpiest black-runs they could find!

However, a different experience of Ski-Cool was had by @AlwayzPink and @AlwayzBlue's younger brother @sparkly_chicken in a different group with a different instructor. I'm sure @sparklies can fill you in if needed.

What it boils down to is that you can't judge a ski-school by one - good or bad - instructor. Each instructor is different as is each child and they can both have good and bad days.

We didn't know that Ski-Cool are part of ESF. ESF are often grumbled at on the forum but @camskisam has always progressed and learnt more technique with them than any of the other ski schools. The biggest gripe he's had since he started to ski was when he was in all day ski-school and didn't like the lunches...

As always, it's horses for courses.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

and didn't like the lunches...
As always, it's horses for courses.


They had a horse course at lunch? No wonder Camskisam wasn't keen... Alex_sideways on the other hand probably would have had third helpings, especially if it came with pasta.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Here was me about to chime in saying our experience, but @jd_evans has explained it all! snowHead Saves typing! (edit - no, I've rambled anyway as usual..)

Yes, so much is down to the luck of the draw with the teacher you get. With four children, two now at ESF gold star level, and the younger two will be at 2* and 3* next season, we've had a lot of group lessons with a lot of teachers in a lot of ski schools in lots of resorts. Everyone sings the praises of Prosneige in VT for example, but last season (not this one just gone) the experience wasn't great for our younger two, in particular our then 7 year old son. So we went to try SkiCool and the poor sod ended up with a dud again! He also had a dreadful one for his first ever week on snow when he was little too.

I would think maybe it was just him, but he had such an incredible time in Austria in February with his teacher there, to the extent he turned down sledging to go for his afternoon ski lesson. He had reasonably good experiences with Evo2 (aka Spirit) in Arc1950 too. He's also had fantastic times with private lessons, where you often have the luxury of asking for a "gentle" teacher which suits his personality. You don't get to choose with group lessons after all. And our not very fussy 5 year old also said her SkiCool teacher (they were in the same class this time) was not very nice. I got a bad vibe off her too, she was clearly lacking in any compassion or even humour.

Yet as @jd_evans says, our oldest two had an absolutely cracking time with their teacher and if that had been our sole experience with SkiCool, we'd have been singing it from the rooftops! Our daughters really enjoyed themselves, and learned lots, and got to do all sorts of interesting things. Their first ever ski lessons were with ESF in La Plagne and their teachers there were good too, as were the Evo2 ones in Arc1950. We won't talk about the shambles that was the nursery class there though, absolutely dreadful.

My oldest two are pretty robust and can handle a strict teacher, but our youngest two are quite sensitive, so we play the ski school lottery every season. Sometimes we win, sometimes we don't! But we do tip (or not at all!) accordingly.

So, not very helpful of me really, apologies for that! I guess all I'm trying to say is backing up the previous post in that it really is pot luck unless you go for privates and make a special request. ESF schools do tend on average to be stricter probably, with less compassion but as has been mentioned, are very hot on technique compared to other French schools we've used. English-run schools on average are more likely to be a bit more gentle. Other than that, roll the dice.
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