 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Hi, In 2023 we took the kids to La Rosiere for their first ski trip. Everyone had a great time, then on the last afternoon the then 7yo fell innocuously and broke his femur. After a helicopter ride, surgery, three months in a wheelchair, 3 months re learning to walk, more surgery and a lot of physio whilst he's physically fine, there is a fair bit of trauma there. We're considering going again this new year which he is keen on but really need this to be a positive experience. He is currently refusing to go to ski school so am looking for recommendations for either private instructors that would be suitable or english speaking ski schools with small groups that would be able to manage the significant nervousness he will have. We're flexible on resort but appreciate we have left it a bit late as we are tied to new year or half term. Thanks in advance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Gosh, poor kid, what a trauma. I suppose, with school, it has to be school hols but New Year is so frantically busy. Would you consider Easter? It's late in 2025 but some of the school holidays are earlier, and there are plenty of resorts which will be fine in early April, and with small groups in ski school.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
If you can get her Helena at Ski Beyond Les Gets would be perfect for 1-2-1.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Any chance of you getting to a snow dome in the UK before your trip? Just getting him back up on skis so his last skiing memory ends with a cup of hot chocolate in the cafe rather than a hospital bed might change his outlook.
Also if ever option's on the table worth looking at Austria. My experiences of France, or ESF at least, is that they see kids ski school as just a way of making lots of money and see nothing wrong with one instructor leading a train of 15+ children. My experiences of Austria are very different with a lot of ski school making a point of small group sizes and having a much higher instructor/child ratio.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
My experiences of France, or ESF at least, is that they see kids ski school as just a way of making lots of money and see nothing wrong with one instructor leading a train of 15+ children
|
Rubbish. There are plenty of good ski schools in France, just as there are in Austria. And plenty of small groups, too. BUT New Year is exceptionally busy and the choice will be narrowing down rapidly. Even if you decide on private lessons (which would be ideal in some ways but maybe feel a bit lonely) there will be very little choice of times at New Year and many instructors will be fully booked already. The idea of going to a snowdome is a good one, if he's keen, but I'd be very wary about persuading him into anything.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Was he in a lesson when he had his accident?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are alternatives to ESF in almost every French resort if you wish to go to France. They are often under ESI banner, but also independent English speaking schools like New Generation. I think a patient private instructor would do his confidence a lot of good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
| If you can get her Helena at Ski Beyond Les Gets would be perfect for 1-2-1. |
Les Gets will be touch and go at NY, and is hellishly busy at HT. If Helena can get up to Avoriaz, then that could work.
I can also personally recommend Sally from TSI who also covers the same patch.
My only advice would be not to expect too much from the kid. I broke my tib and fib as a (slightly) older kid on a ski trip and also had a traumatic recovery. Put me off skiing for a few years.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 27-09-24 15:18; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mjit wrote: |
Any chance of you getting to a snow dome in the UK before your trip? Just getting him back up on skis so his last skiing memory ends with a cup of hot chocolate in the cafe rather than a hospital bed might change his outlook.
Also if ever option's on the table worth looking at Austria. My experiences of France, or ESF at least, is that they see kids ski school as just a way of making lots of money and see nothing wrong with one instructor leading a train of 15+ children. My experiences of Austria are very different with a lot of ski school making a point of small group sizes and having a much higher instructor/child ratio. |
My experience suggests the opposite—or rather, it's a matter of luck. The one time we spent New Year's in Austria with ski courses for the kids, it was a complete disaster—total chaos. I had to book a 2-hour private lesson for my son just so he could participate, as it was otherwise impossible. This was in St. Johann in Tirol, a relatively small resort with three different ski schools.
On the other hand, our week in November at Stubai was fantastic. In Les Menuires over New Year's, there were about 12 kids per instructor, while in Flaine (also New Year) and Chamrousse (during half-term), there were fewer than 10.
It feels like gambling—you never know what to expect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Would there be any chance of his taking a friend, perhaps a non-skier, but keen to learn, and their having lessons together?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 second going Easter (or rather when the schools break up) rather than new year week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Origen wrote: |
| Quote: |
My experiences of France, or ESF at least, is that they see kids ski school as just a way of making lots of money and see nothing wrong with one instructor leading a train of 15+ children
|
Rubbish. There are plenty of good ski schools in France, just as there are in Austria. And plenty of small groups, too. BUT New Year is exceptionally busy and the choice will be narrowing down rapidly. Even if you decide on private lessons (which would be ideal in some ways but maybe feel a bit lonely) there will be very little choice of times at New Year and many instructors will be fully booked already. The idea of going to a snowdome is a good one, if he's keen, but I'd be very wary about persuading him into anything. |
Oh I DO appologise and bow to your superior knowledge of MY experience... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@thatsamoore, Welcome to Snowheads. I think a private instructor would be the way to go. You haven't mentioned the age of his sibling(s) but if you book them in together it wouldn't be much more expensive. Why not just book a couple of hours first two mornings and take it from there? There are excellent English speaking instructors in both France and Austria so location shouldn't be your driver. Private Lessons tend to be delivered by more experienced instructors too. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| Quote: |
Private Lessons tend to be delivered by more experienced instructors too
|
And it might be possible to get a personal recommendation, once you know what resort you are going to. But do bear in mind that time to book now, before new year, is running out and there might not be massive flexibility. If you can get hold of a personally recommended instructor it would be worth booking for what might seem like awkward times.
@Mjit, your own experience is indeed your own experience but as you appear to have no qualms about putting it forward as a judgement on French ski schools as a whole, I have no problem pointing out its limitations. My very limited, and out of date, experience of Austrian ski schools for kids is of a 4 year old in quite a big class with an instructor who spoke NO English. I wouldn't think it worth reaching a judgement on that basis and in any case the instructor was sweet, and my daughter coped though she did comment that "German sounds like a cross language". I taught her to say "My name is Alex and I don't speak German" which she then proceeded to say to almost everyone she met. She did, I must say, generally get a more friendly response to that effort than beginner French speakers often get in France. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Thanks very much for all the replies. Will definitely look to get him indoor skiing in the UK before we go (he asked about that this week), and he would be in any private lessons with his 12yo sibling who is also a bit anxious after witnessing the aftermath of last time.
Think we're going to look at Flaine, Les Arcs or Vallandry - and leaning towards Easter (wc 5/4) I think, so looking at higher resort options though appreciate they are larger / busier. Feels like it might be sensible to have a bit more lead in time even if snow a bit riskier (recognising NY not risk free for snow either!).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
My daughter broke her femur when she was 8 in the school play ground giving her friend a piggyback.
The main thing we did when she was ready was take her up on the magic carpet, do the easy green for an hour or so. Then the next time the blues just to build her confidence up. Now she’s back to normal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Brice Lamons in Les Arcs is fantastic. Use him every year
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Quote: |
though appreciate they are larger / busier
|
But less busy than just about everywhere will be at New Year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@thatsamoore, good luck, I think the idea of planning for Easter is good. It gives more time to line up an understanding instructor, in fact it might be better to book the instructor before the rest of the holiday. Any of the places you mention would work fine.
Although a private instructor will almost certainly be best to support your son regaining his confidence as well as his skills, a child of that age is going to enjoy himself more doing things with other children. If the skiing levels don't work for sharing a lesson with his sibling, you might want to think about @Origen's suggestion of seeing if you can combine with another family - another child learning to ski for the first time might be ideal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome to snow heads
Sad to hear about the injury to your kid.
Easter sounds like a good plan. Private lessons are the way to go if you have the budget.
Les Arcs 1950 is my 10 year olds favourite resort, train transfer (if you want), everything is ski in ski out and you get a pool in pretty much every building so it would work for making things as easy as possible. My only reservation on Les Arcs 1950 is that the blue run directly above the 1950 village can be steep, busy and icy which would put in a point of stress for a nervous skier, it is possible to go down the Cabriolet lift from Arc 2000 to avoid this though.
I wouldn't discount Tignes le Lac (this is the village with the pool) as others have said. If you use the Toviere lift to get up and down you could access the excellent beginner area between Tignes and Val D.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
but have stayed at Arc 1950 in mid March and that was good. There is an ice cave you can visit with sculptures and get drinks there 
but while we have a little one we are just taking what we can get and making sure they learn to ski and enjoy it so at some point we can all go skiing all day together 