![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Poster: A snowHead
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I am off to Val Thorens next season (March 2023) with family. 8 adults all range from ok to excellent skiers and then we have 3 children with us who have never skied. My daughter will have just turned 5, my son will have just turned 10 and my nephew will be almost 7. Looking at ski schools and really not sure - ESF is what springs to mind first but then I have heard that they have massive groups. Any recomendations of ski school for total beginers in Val Thorens? I think that they will all really love it when they get going but sure they will be a bit nervous to start with.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) 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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I heard some horror stories with ESF - very large classes and not great. The childcare I have also heard is not ideal.
My two have done two weeks in Val thorens.
First was with prosneige - they were good kids stayed for lunch and were taken to the play area a number of times - looked over at lunch if you wanted. Classes were quite big though and whilst they coped I think they would have progressed in smaller classes.
Second week was with New Gen - they were very good even in the bad weather. Small classes and good teachers.
Oxygene ski has got good reviews but their meeting point awkward for us - needed to get the carpet lift and ski down or walk across the piste so be weary of this one.
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Oxygene ski has got good reviews but their meeting point awkward for us - needed to get the carpet lift and ski down or walk across the piste so be weary of this one.
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Good advice. Perhaps the most important thing with ski lessons for absolute beginner kids is ease of getting them to and from the meeting place. If they (and you) are frazzled to start with, you're lost.
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![](templates/subSilver/images/full_size.gif) Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I'd also say avoid ESF. Classes too big and though they swear blind the instructors speak English, if there are any french children in the class they revert to that and only give brief explanations in English (at least this was my experience in la Plagne and Samoens). I've got my daughters booked in with Oxygene in April, they were super helpful on the email before hand and classes are taught in English. I have heard good things about Evolution too.
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I used New Generation and they were excellent.
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Prosneige in Val Thorens did well for my teenage children and my wife, over 2-3 years. Class sizes were not very large, maybe 6-8.
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