 Poster: A snowHead
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I was due to do my BASI 3 course in December in Courchevel but due to the season opening a week later than originally planned it looks as if I might have to delay doing the course till the new year. I have a couple of different options, end of Jan in Morzine with BASS, or march in Courchevel with New Generation.
Having never been to either resort I was hoping someone out there would be able to help me make up my mind. First hand info on the quality of the ski area would be most useful. I am hoping to keep the costs to a minimum so cost of accomodation, transfers etc are an issue as well as the price of the ski pass.
Any help would be most gratefully received.
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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'd make your decision purely on cost - on your BASI 3 you don't really spend a lot of time exploring every corner of a ski area
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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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Morzine is lower, so a chance of rain in resort, but enough skiing higher up. Both are nice areas, Morzine would be cheaper IMHO and also closer to Geneva for transfers.
What kind of skiing are you looking for?
Surely if you are on a course, then you ski where they tell you, so if it was me I'd go on the Jan one, rather than wait 2 more months.
Pics from Morzine early Dec of last season here:
http://gregh.co.uk/albums/morzine06/
Pics of Courchevel Easter previous year (late April)
http://gregh.co.uk/albums/latania2005/
Regards,
Greg
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've been to Corchevel three weeks and Morzine for a week for holidays. I've always enjoyed skiing in courchevel. Some say its not challenging, but I think there is enough to do to enjoy yourself there at any level. I didn't have a positive experience with the skiing in Morzine as it was the third week of March and snow was melting off the mountain. That shouldn't apply at the end Of Jan and Avoriaz will be snowsure.
That said , you are there for a purpose and won't have a choice where you are skiing. I remember Morzine being a nice town and being cheaper than Courchevel. I would expect transfers to Morzine to be cheaper just because its relatively close to Genenva. I'd also expect accomodation in Morxine to be cheaper but that's speculation.
How long is your course?Will starting in late Jan take you into half term queues etc
I'm sure you'll have a great time either way. Looking at Greg's picutre must book ski holidays where Greg is going to be 
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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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Been to Morzine once in 1993. Good ski area, but it rained for 3 days. Utterly miserable
Neverbeen to Courcheval
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi stocky, I have an apartment in Morzine and I'm doing the Fasttrack course with BASS in Morzine in January (the GAP course for people who have their own accommodation) - so you're unlikely to hear unbiased opinion from me...
...but I will try to be unbiased, having skied in both the three valleys and the Portes du Soleil.
To be honest, I don't think there's much to choose from in terms of choice of terrain or snow record - I've been to both and had great snow and I've been to both and had slush. I've had the apartment for last two years in Morzine - and both years I was able to ski before Christmas and skied on the 1st May - although Morzine itself does close earlier.
Morzine itself does probably have "worse" snow than Courchevel - though it does, of course, depend on which part of Courchevel you're measuring from. But there's, frankly, more than enough and certainly it's not a factor between January and March.
I've not skied with New Generation, but they have a good reputation and a friend of mine who did the BASI 3 course with them in 05/06 had a great time. I've had lessons with BASS and they were great - which is why I'm using them.
Probably the biggest downsides with Courchevel are that it's very much a ski resort and it's horribly expensive (although seasonaires can always get a deal).
What I like about Morzine - and why I chose to buy there - is that it's less of a ski resort and more of a proper town than most places I've been; it's easy to get to and from - and has Flaine and the Grand Massif within half an hour's drive and the Chamonix valley within an hour to and an hour and a half.
Which course were you thinking of doing? It sounds like you were just going to do the Instructor Trainee or Instructor Course - or are you looking at doing a 10-12 week "GAP" course?
BASS have two versions of their GAP course - a all inclusive one that costs £6,000+ and the Fasttrack one that only provides instruction and course fees for £2,000. I'm sure the balance could be done for less than £4,000...
One of my course mates has space to let in his apartment for the season if it's of interest...
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 23-08-06 15:54; edited 1 time in total
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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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My experience of Morzine in January was rainy and miserable, which has tended to colour my memory of the place, perhaps unfairly.
Courchevel has always delivered great snow when I've skied there.
I'm absolutely horrified at the cost of BASI training now. It's a ridiculous amount of money to learn the straightforward disciplines of teaching people to ski, which is really not rocket science.
The BASI 3 qualification (one fortnight's coaching (by Ali Ross) + exams) cost me £95 all in (accommodation and meals at Glenmore Lodge, Cairngorm).
This should be an inexpensive qualification, enabling lots of people to take up ski teaching and provide inexpensive lessons for the public.
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PhillipStanton, The course I am looking at is the 10 day instructor training course 8-19 Jan. I have been an ASSI since 1999 so thought is was about time i moved up a level. I am exempt the Trainee instructor course due to the qualification I already have.
I have had a look for accomodation but a lot of the available stuff is coming up at about EU300+ per week. I was looking for something much cheaper. I had provisionally booked a studio appt in Courchevel 1650 for £100/week but since they changed the course dates that is no longer an option. If your course mate can sort me out for a couple of weeks at a decent price then that may solve my problem.
ski, As I mentioned above I have been an Artificial Slope Ski Instructor since 1999 and I also did my Military Alpine Ski Instructors course in 1998 (run to the then BASI syllabus by BASI Trainers) and have worked at Wycombe Summit and Sheffield Ski Village. I just thought it was about time I stepped up a level. Cheers for the advice though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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stocky, Have fun ! 
David Goldsmith,
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This should be an inexpensive qualification, enabling lots of people to take up ski teaching and provide inexpensive lessons for the public.
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There is one. It's called Club Instructor from SnowSport England.......
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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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Hi Stocky - the coursemate isn't an option as he's looking for someone for the whole season.
I've got a feeling that EU300 is as good as you're going to get in Morzine, as the resort is mainly hotel and chalet based. Most of the self-catering stuff is up at Avoriaz - and you don't want to be up there if you've got a course to do in Morzine. It's not that it's difficult, it's just that it'll rob you of 40 minutes sleep you could probably otherwise do with.
I have some vague idea that there's a bunkhouse in Morzine - but I've no idea where / how much - and I'm not sure I'd want to stay somewhere like that personally if I had a course to do.
The best option might be to drop BASS and New Generation a line to see whether they can fix you up with anything. Both run GAP courses and have access to accommodation.
David Goldsmith - £95 for two weeks, including accommodation and teaching. When on earth did you do your course? 
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1893
No, I lie. It was May 1975. BASI was focused on instructors who worked in the (then) three Scottish ski areas of Cairngorm, Glenshee and Glencoe. Money was tight, but the scene was very busy indeed (now, it's largely evaporated due to climate change). I'd spent the season teaching unqualified for £15 per week plus board and lodgings (i.e. the course cost me 7x my weekly earnings). That said, in relative terms, the BASI course was way better value with fewer pretentions of how complicated it is to teach people to ski.
It really isn't complicated at all.
Last edited by 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  on Wed 23-08-06 18:51; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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David Goldsmith, £95 in 1975's money would be around £560 in today's money (blame the inflation of the late 70s and early 80s).
So Stocky's course, at £490 for two weeks, isn't quite the rip-off it might, at first appear.
The one thing that almost certainly hasn't caught up, I suspect, is ski instructor wages. I don't know many BASI 3s who get £80 a day plus board and lodgings. My friend who taught in Canada this season was on $16 CAD an hour without accommodation. Now that's progress for you.
Sat here, looking at the BASI manuals, I must admit to be leaning more, than less, in favour of your comment on complication.
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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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PhillipStanton, David Goldsmith, In the early 90's I taught skiing and IT (not at the same time). I could earn more that 10 times as much teaching IT as skiing..... 
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Poster: A snowHead
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ski, surely the solution to that is simple then? Teach IT for one week and ski for nine? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| PhillipStanton wrote: |
So Stocky's course, at £490 for two weeks, isn't quite the rip-off it might, at first appear. |
Sorry, I didn't connect with that info. Which course is that, and what does the price cover?
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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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David Goldsmith, nostalga's not what it used to be!
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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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Ah yes, all those happy hours rescuing pupils who'd fallen off the t-bar!
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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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It's not half as much fun rescuing pupils who've fallen off chairlifts. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| PhillipStanton wrote: |
So Stocky's course, at £490 for two weeks, isn't quite the rip-off it might, at first appear. |
Sorry, I didn't connect with that info. Which course is that, and what does the price cover? |
BASI Instructor Training. The £490 is just the price of the course itself. I also have to pay for travel, accomodation and lift pass aswell. Then food and drink on top of that. Probably looking at the thick end of £1500-£2000 all in.
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Ah yes, stocky's right of course - so the £490 is an unfair comparrison. But hey...
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