 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, my partner and I are hosting our siblings and their families between 26 December and 31 December inclusive in a rented house in Passy. We have 4 adults and 4 children (2 pairs of siblings aged 5 and 7.5, and 12 and 15 respectively) all of whom are interested in learning to ski but have never skied before. Ideally we'd like to organise morning lessons for them during that time and then spend time together in the afternoons.
Would really appreciate any advice on the best approach including recommendations for English speaking ski schools and for the best resort in that area for a great intro to skiing and/or great places for kit hire. We'd be happy to pay for a week's course which they then wouldn't use all of if that makes the whole thing more seamless.
Any advice much appreciated. We're seasoned skiers ourselves who spend a lot of time in Chamonix and the surrounding area but have never needed to introduce beginners and/or ski with small children before, so this aspect of it is very new to us!
Thanks so much for reading!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I don't think many people will be in the position to compare ski schools, they will only have experience of the one their own children went to. And this is extremely short notice for a busy week, a lot of classes will already be full. So I think you may have to go with what you can get.
The obvious starting point is ESF who appear to offer the majority of children's ski classes. At least two of the St Gervais ESF instructors are native English speakers, but that doesn't guarantee they are available.
Otherwise there is Evolution 2 which I think runs classes. And given the size of the group you could look at private instructors, probably different ones for children than adults. For those you can look at smaller operations as well as the big ski schools, we have used BASS Chamonix (who also operate across Evasion Mont Blanc) who are very good but most likely already booked up.
In terms of where, my guess is St Gervais offers the easiest progression of nursery slopes to easier proper pistes, but I might be biased by usually skiing from there myself.
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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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And this is extremely short notice for a busy week, a lot of classes will already be full. So I think you may have to go with what you can get.
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This.
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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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I’ve skied in both Combloux and les Houches with my kids when they were beginners at about 8 or 10 (they’re 25 & 26 now!). We were only there for a couple of days each time and were therefore in private lessons, but I found the ESF did a fine job.
The benefit of les Houches is that the nursery slopes are higher up, at the top of the cable car.
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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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Thanks very much for the advice, yes ideally we would have started this earlier but better late than never! Really helpful to know that ESF has worked OK for people, that was our big concern. Thanks again all.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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With 4 kids you could get private lessons shared rather than sending them to a class.
I recommend Shona Tait of BASS , if they have space then they will be able to tell you where is best
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| Jonny996 wrote: |
With 4 kids you could get private lessons shared rather than sending them to a class.
I recommend Shona Tait of BASS , if they have space then they will be able to tell you where is best |
Thanks, I hadn't realised BASS covered St Gervais/Evasion as well as Chamonix. We have booked the tinies into ESF St Gervais for the mornings from Sunday and are now seeing what we can find for the adults/older children around that. Have messaged Shona. Thanks again.
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Three of our grandkids started out in St Gervais with esf, but with private lessons that is the biggest thing , group lessons with French kids isn't going to work. St g is ok, personally I think combloux would be better as more space for total beginners , les houches no
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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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group lessons with French kids isn't going to work.
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This is too sweeping. Depends on the kids. Mine did OK as beginners in Austrian groups with German speaking kids, and instructors who, even if they spoke some English, naturally mostly spoke in the language of the other kids. Kids learn by watching and copying, rather than hearing instructions about edges and shifting weight! Depends particularly on how keen the kids are - if they are being "persuaded" that they want to learn to ski, might not work. Motivation is all....
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| Origen wrote: |
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group lessons with French kids isn't going to work.
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This is too sweeping. Depends on the kids. Mine did OK as beginners in Austrian groups with German speaking kids, and instructors who, even if they spoke some English, naturally mostly spoke in the language of the other kids. Kids learn by watching and copying, rather than hearing instructions about edges and shifting weight! Depends particularly on how keen the kids are - if they are being "persuaded" that they want to learn to ski, might not work. Motivation is all.... |
Might work in other countries, many French ski instructors arent that good with "soft" British kids, luckily when we used ones for our grandkids they were ladies on both occasions.
Our daughter in law was a bit hesitant in her beginner group and her instructor was using very little English and no help at all, she is a very determined person and told him she was leaving the group, she found her way home up a drag lift without him,
Lots of good instructors obviously but lots of poor ones too
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have eight grandchildren, from 5 to 23 years old now, all of whom have learnt in France. Some were the sort of kids who got on fine in groups, some weren't. None of the instructors was horrid. It's also too sweeping to suggest that "many French instructors" aren't good with kids, though I do agree that British kids can be annoyingly "soft"! Somebody on snowheads once said that their kids "would not" stay in cheap hotels. I'm afraid mine never got to turn their noses up at cheap hotels.  They felt they were often an improvement on camping!
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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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| schauspiele wrote: |
| I hadn't realised BASS covered St Gervais/Evasion as well as Chamonix.... Have messaged Shona. |
Good luck for Shona having some slots, though I do know she has at least a couple of lessons booked (for my wife) over that period.
Shona and Derek Tate actually live in St Gervais so are always happy to teach there, even if the get most of their clients in the Chamonix valley.
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