 Poster: A snowHead
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Going to Morzine next year and am trying was wondering whether to put the kids into the BASS school or to just go with the ESF. They will be 13 and 11 and both ski parallel on easier blues, get a little messy on reds.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We have used them 3 times for our children and were very pleased with the results.
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brian
brian
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DAVID F, BASS has a good rep but is extremely pricy.
I used the ESI school in Les Gets, 360 international, last year and was very pleased.
http://www.skisurf360.com/
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DAVID F, ESF , ESF ... have you seen BASS prices ? Yes they speak English ( so does everyone else in Morzine) ... but the prices are crazy in comparison with ESF and what makes us think they are as well qualified ( without wanting to start WW III) ?
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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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oops sorry brian, we cross-posted .. I also would reccomend 360 and they will meet you in Pleney ( as long as it isn't PEAK season ie 1/2 term)
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I should probably have added that last time we used 360 and were equally impressed. The reason we initially used BASS for our children was that BASS guaranteed a max group size of 8 although when we used them it was never more than 6.
We had previously seen some very large groups with the ESF instructors.
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The price is one of the main concerns for me, but another is that the ESF takes kids up to 12 yrs, my son will be 13 and we are a bit concerned about him going into an adults class. We will be going at Easter, I suppose there should be enough 12+ kids to make up a class?
(By the way, thanks for the replies.)
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We had previously seen some very large groups with the ESF instructors.
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That always bothers me, too - in our resort they say maximum 12, but we often count bigger groups from the chairlift, and the stragglers don't seem to have too much idea what is going on. They are certainly not necessarily getting much tuition, just following my leader (which is great for the first one or two kids behind the instructor but a fair waste of time for the rest). The BASS groups, especially with first language English, and small groups (max 6, when we used them) do have a lot of advantages especially for kids who are less than gung ho confident. The additional cost is not THAT great in proportion to the horrendous price of taking kids on a ski holiday! I wouldn't put a 13 year old in an adults class either.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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DAVID F, BASS every time. We used them last season for my 5 year old and she came on really well, while other parents were complaining about the size of ESF classes.
Also I had to stop for a young british lad who had fallen as part of the ESF ski group. He was simply left and when I had helped the lad to the instructor I got the "French look".
If you are going when the French are on holiday I would avoid ESF from what I saw.
Book BASS early though as they get full quickly.
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BASS BASS BASS!
For what it's worth
They got my sisters three kids (thug 1, thug 2 & thug 3) skiing to a high level very quickly. They even still talk about their instructors. She found the ESF this year rude and unatenttive and took the kids out of ski school mid week.
Jonathan
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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He was simply left and when I had helped the lad to the instructor I got the "French look".
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I've had that look too. I was going up a short draglift, on my own, on a cold day in La Plagne somewhere, and came across a weeping bundle of 3/4 year old in a heap beside the lift. I got off and talked to her, eventually discovering that she was English, but way too distressed to have a coherent conversation with a stranger! I picked her up, wiped her nose and made comforting noises. Nobody turned up, so after a while, with the child getting colder by the minute, I decided to take her down to the bottom of the lift, where at least I could ask the liftie to make contact with somebody and she could shelter in his shed. When we got there a snotty ESF Frenchwoman turned up and told me I should have left her where she was. eEvans, I have had lessons with 3 BASS instructors, and they were all well qualified (BASI I, which is good enough for me). My son shared a flat with a BASS instructor in Val D'Isere this last winter, and said he was brilliant. I'm sure all ESF instructors are well qualified, but they are not all equally well motivated and however good you are, a class of 14 (or even 12) 4 year olds is a nonsense.
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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.
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I was with BASS in Morzine for my first week 3 years ago and thought the instruction was ace. Our group didn't exceed 5 all week. Subsequent trips have been with huge ESF groups as they were "the only show in town". Lessons have been OK but I feel I would be a better skiier than I am (not difficult, I admit) if I had been able to use BASS or similar instead.
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I lived in Morzine last season and whilst I did'nt have lessons with BASS I did hear nothing but praise from visitors and met a couple of the instructors socially, seemed very nice. Personal tutition was reputedly £50 per hour, we used to see them on the hill most days and I did'nt see anything approaching a large group, mostly 2's and 3's., its the way to learn I reckon. Having said that I used the ESF at Montriond/Lindaret(just below Avoriaz, there is also an ESF at Avoriaz which I've not used) quite a few times and found the private lessons excellent (and about £39euros an hour from memor). The group lessons with ESF did get a bit large in February simply due to demand but we found most of the instructors capable and enthusiastic with better than average english. There are some other ski schools back up in Avoriaz too but I have no experience of them. Whatever you decide its definatley worth booking in advance.
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You know it makes sense.
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Frosty, I booked a couple of hours for my daughters with the Bass Instructor after their final lesson for him to give them an introduction to boarding lesson, from memory the cost was £110 for the two hours. I must admit if I had know the price before commiting I might have had a re-think.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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kevinrhead, Frosty, £50 per hour is too much! Around €50 is fair if there are more than two peeps together.
I know BASS are good and recommend them myself to my clients if the occasion occurs - but the ESF is NOT only class lessons. You are not forced to book through the TO for group lessons (BTW most TOs don't get commission on private lessons). Take private lessons and explain clearly what you're looking for, then you might see a difference.
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Poster: A snowHead
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easiski, i just looked at the BASS web site, the price for private lessons is £50 per hour for 1 person or 2 for the price of 1 ie 2 people still £50 then add £10 per person
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£50 per hour is too much! Around €50 is fair
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don't under sell youself, the going rate in the UK at a VW dealership or similar is £45 per hour for a monkey to look at your car (sorry plug a computer into your car and tell tell you what is wrong) do you not think that pou are more qualified than them , therefore should be able to demand a better price,
the £50 per hour seems to be fairly standard for a private lesson from a decent ski school (independant rather than national) 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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CEM, I don't think that hourly rate is proportional to quality of qualification (unfortunatley?).
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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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richmond, if it was it should be about £15 to get your car serviced 
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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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CEM, indeed.
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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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CEM, We're cheap here! I try to stay reasonably close to the ESF and ESI in price. I think the European Ski School could be a tad more expensive than me. But generally i think last year's prices of €40 for 1-2 and €50 for 3-4 in privates was very fair. I'm just amazed at how much some of these "British" schools seem to charge - but then they're usually in Val D or Courcheval etc.
None of this reflects, however on the good service peeps get from BASS
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Thanks for all the advice, we've booked them into BASS for lessons. also booked my daughter into there 3 lesson snowboard beginners class in the afternoon (her idea not ours). At least she'll sleep at night!
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FAQ
