 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks, I know its a bit early but am starting to think about next winter and how best to go about a ski season... I (24M) will be finishing up with uni this summer and would like to move out to somewhere in the Alps. Aim is to ski as much as possible (minimum 3 days a week if conditions are favourable) but not very pushed to actually live in a resort. Would be open to anywhere in the alps but speak French fluently + some German so probably italy makes the least sense, would have a preference culturally for French speaking Valais or France. Mainly interested in offpiste so want somewhere with good elevation and snow and decent freeride community. First thought was to find a flatshare in Innsbruck and get the Tirol snowcard, but seems cost of living in Austra is quite high from my research. would be open to other places with similar public transport accessibility to the mountains, but that's basically only Austra/Switzerland.
In terms of doing a season in resort, would be interested to hear people's experiences/what is possible. Some of the stories I've heard are pretty ridiculous, slaving away 6.5 days a week for shared room + minimum wage and having 1 day off to ski/recover (or less) seems nonsensical to me. If that's the typical resort deal, would absolutely prefer to live 1-2 hours by train from the snow and be able to work part-time. My prerequisites would be: ability to ski minimum 3 days a week (so either part time work or evenings shifts), single room, I am also willing to put in some of my savings. Have multi year experience working in a restaurant and as a tour guide so decent CV (along with language skills, EU passport). Does anyone have thoughts of what would be the best way to think about the season, when to start looking for jobs or accommodation, where to look etc?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sounds like you'd be a good fit for getting a job in a bar/ restaurant in France with your EU passport and fluent French.
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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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@aper0, Had a conversation with a Canadian guy last weekend in a gondola in St Anton. He turned up the week before the season started, booked himself a cheap hotel for the week, then proceeded to go around all the big hotels looking for work. He found a job in a hotel in St Christoph which gives him accommodation and allows him to ski every day. He did say it was quite hard physical work, some sort of back of house portering type thing. It is very noticeable that most of the bar staff etc in the hotels & bars dont speak very good German & prefer to speak English. It is really quite hard to find staff so not that difficult to find work. I believe there is a specific St Anton facebook group (presume same elsewhere) no interest personally but it is very possible. Suspect biggest issue is finding somewhere to live.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@aper0,
Try for Pub Montfort in Verbier. It's a GREAT place to work if you can get a berth. Take glass collector if that's all that's offered. My Daughter and her B/F worked there for a few years.
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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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@aper0,
Do you have to work, or do you have the funds to ski bum?
If work - with a UK tour operator or with a local business?
Not too early to be looking/prepping for next season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The issue you have is wanting to work part time and afford a private room. Evenings could work, but if you are living an hour + away from the skiing it's going to be a bit of a hassle and I think you'd get burned out pretty quick as you'd likely be on a low salary so need to work basically full time to cover costs.
Honestly in your position I'd save like crazy - you have 10 months. Then just do a 1-2 month "holiday" where you don't work (or just pick up a really light part time job) and can just ski everyday.
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Some of the stories I've heard are pretty ridiculous, slaving away 6.5 days a week for shared room + minimum wage and having 1 day off to ski/recover (or less) seems nonsensical to me.
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I've done multiple seasons ski bumming and never heard of someone doing such a thing. But the people I know were the ones skiing nearly everyday. If you want that freedom and are not a trust fund kid the only option is to live frugally. You simply can't make ends meet expecting to work little but live well.
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Mainly interested in offpiste so want somewhere with good elevation and snow and decent freeride community
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Chamonix makes sense. Also rail and bus links meaning you can live outside and travel in for skiing.
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Try for Pub Montfort in Verbier
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Verbier known for its budget accommodation 
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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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Try for Pub Montfort in Verbier. It's a GREAT place to work if you can get a berth. Take glass collector if that's all that's offered. My Daughter and her B/F worked there for a few years.
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Good tip! Would you recommend going in person and talking to them or sending an application over spring/summer? will be in Verbier a couple more times this season.
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Do you have to work, or do you have the funds to ski bum?
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Don't have the funds to cover full ski bum lifestyle but could save (as someone else also suggested) over Summer and probably cover all expenses except housing. Also not opposed to working full time as long as I get time to ski (maybe night shifts) and if it came with benefits such as meals/accommodation. Definitely would prefer a local business over a tour operator.
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I wouldn't say Austria is crazily expensive to live, certainly less than the Valais or a purpose built French mega resort, and if you're basing yourself in Innsbruck you're paying normal prices in supermarkets etc.
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Have never been, so can't really judge, but was surprised to hear about people crossing the border in Vorarlberg to do groceries in Switzerland, and flat-share price seems to be quite high (up to 800€ for room, I currently pay 450 in Germany). Innsbruck would be basically a continuation of my current uni-lifestyle as I've been studying in Southern Germany, but cost of living is definitely 30-50% higher than here from what I can see. Valais I imagine has much higher salaries even for barwork etc. France I guess is the least appealing apart from the cultural aspect (am half-French, have never lived in France, but always enjoy spending time there).
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| aper0 wrote: |
Have never been, so can't really judge, but was surprised to hear about people crossing the border in Vorarlberg to do groceries in Switzerland, and flat-share price seems to be quite high (up to 800€ for room, I currently pay 450 in Germany). Innsbruck would be basically a continuation of my current uni-lifestyle as I've been studying in Southern Germany, but cost of living is definitely 30-50% higher than here from what I can see. Valais I imagine has much higher salaries even for barwork etc. France I guess is the least appealing apart from the cultural aspect (am half-French, have never lived in France, but always enjoy spending time there). |
Seems surprising that people would shop in Switzerland, my experience isn't the same, but perhaps that's how things are for some. I'm in Switzerland for a week next month, so i'll see how prices in supermarkets compare.
Here's a room currently available in Innsbruck, similar price to what you currently pay
https://www.immobilienscout24.at/expose/699383e67737b5cca295d7b9
And another slightly more
https://www.immobilienscout24.at/expose/6992e4868ffa3b29cc271941
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If off piste is a big objective then I definitely think a French speaking area would be best suited(finding partners/crew), doubly so if you are looking to go touring. TBH touring is really the way you access the very best off piste and freeride terrain.
Then it will be partly what sort of vibe are you going after e.g. more high pressure and extreme communities like Verbier and Chamonix or somewhere much more relaxed and quieter, but still with amazing terrain and higher chance of fresh tracks.
Quieter places will potentially mean little night life but they will be significantly cheaper. So cheap in fact you might be able to be a ski bum.
Personally I would be looking for an option that maximises opportunity for time on snow and also meeting like minded people. Finding like minded people is essential if you are really looking to be focused on the back country.
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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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Finding like minded people is essential if you are really looking to be focused on the back country.
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Agree, and in the past you would have to make links in person for this. In today's world you can just use apps. I rocked up in Chamonix knowing 1 person and used the oak app to find partners to tour with everyday.
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more high pressure and extreme communities like Verbier and Chamonix
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I've only spent around 3 weeks in Chamonix so feel free to tell me I'm wrong. However my experience was that it's as "extreme" as you want to make it. Sure there are people out there to ski/climb super crazy stuff, but there's plenty more people doing "normal" touring. (Although I guess there's a lot of glacier terrain so harness, and crevasse rescue gear is fairly common which maybe gives an impression of more "extreme" than it often is e.g. I'd happily send my intermediate skier friends down valley blanche with a guide.
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@aper0, I've pm'd you
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You know it makes sense.
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@aper0,
If you are looking for work that includes accommodation and food then tour operators would be your best bet (they'll probably include a season pass & insurance in their package too). With an EU passport you'll be at an advantage over most applicants.
Not all TOs offer one day of a week eg le Ski offer two days off.
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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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@Kenzie,
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Not all TOs offer one day of a week eg le Ski offer two days off
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isn't that across the board with all T/O's nowadays?
must admit i have not been keeping up with it all, long time since i did seasons, but i thought that there were a lot more regulations came into force for T/O resort workers, along with standard of staff accommodation, ie not shoved into a windowless room in a basement somewhere 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My son is currently having the time of his life in the Alps. He works for a bus transfer company so works Sat and Sun and is free to ski 5 days a week - and earns a full week's worth of wage. OK the hours are long, but 5 days to ski, it's a winner. His role is to make sure people get off the bus at the right stop and to transfer passengers from the GVA-Moutier bus and onto the resort feeders, so no driving. He lives in Brides les Bains - cheaper than being up in the 3 Vallees and easier to get to work in Moutiers and to get to the supermarket.
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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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| boarder2020 wrote: |
Verbier known for its budget accommodation |
Most seasonaires live down the valley in Le Chable or neighbouring villages which are more affordable. The gondola is considered public transport so open from 5am until midnight which facilitates access.
And unless you’re skiing every day off the AdM Verbier is a much better option for a season than Cham imo (I’ve had season passes in both)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@SarahRad, Wow that sounds like a great gig, does he have an EU passport?
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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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| SarahRad wrote: |
| My son is currently having the time of his life in the Alps. He works for a bus transfer company so works Sat and Sun and is free to ski 5 days a week - and earns a full week's worth of wage. OK the hours are long, but 5 days to ski, it's a winner. His role is to make sure people get off the bus at the right stop and to transfer passengers from the GVA-Moutier bus and onto the resort feeders, so no driving. He lives in Brides les Bains - cheaper than being up in the 3 Vallees and easier to get to work in Moutiers and to get to the supermarket. |
Sounds brilliant. Plus one on the passport question, and how did he find the job in the first place. Daughter wants to do a season 2027/28, so keen to know good places for her to start looking.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@aper0, I live in Chamonix but I'd go with @BobinCH, unless you are doing mad stuff Verbier has some of the best lift accessed off piste (OK, some touring/boot packing) around. At least in this neck of the woods. And from his commentaries, I reckon it gets better snow earlier.
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@SarahRad, Wow that sounds like a great gig, does he have an EU passport?
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Yeah, sorry he does have an EU passport.
it's very hard to get a job in France without one as to get the working visa the employer has to prove that you can't get a French/EU person to do the job just as well.
Look into whether you have a random grandparent born in N Ireland!!
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His role is to make sure people get off the bus at the right stop and to transfer passengers from the GVA-Moutier bus and onto the resort feeders, so no driving. He lives in Brides les Bains - cheaper than being up in the 3 Vallees and easier to get to work in Moutiers and to get to the supermarket.
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This sounds like a really interesting option - do you mind sharing which company it is he is working for?
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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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I’ll message you
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FAQ
