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Booking private ESF lessons for kids

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Just wondered if anybody had experience of this? My daughters are of a similar standard (though one is faster) & I think that they might really benefit. I have been told to call them direct, which is worrying - anybody know the term for 'dry ski slope' in french? Smile


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 18-01-07 21:34; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rpft, Try pente sèche de ski Very Happy - not used ESF private lessons in Morillon, but did in Le Seignus (two boys aged 11 and 6) - found the teacher to be excellent, very patient, good enough English not to confuse them, effective teaching. They were both skiing the nursery slopes and a bit more by the end of the week, and came on far better than if they had been in the group lessons with a gang of French children
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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?
Anniepen, Thanks for this suggestion, are they in Morillon itself? Will look into this. Were your boys at a similar level?
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rpft, I have private ESF lessons occasionally over the years. The only "problem" with them is that they do them between morning and afternoon lessons usually i.e. 12-2 whic rather precludes you skiing a long way away in either the morning or the afternoon.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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rpft, Sorry - think I've confused you! Le Seignus is a Southern Alps resort so completely separate from Morillon. I know it does depend on the individual teacher but my reply was to say that our experience of ESF private lessons was good whereas I have seen less than favourable reports for ESF in general. Our boys had only had a couple of days of dry slope, so were at a similar level to each other, although the older one is Dyspraxic (co-ordination problems) so we were especially impressed at the teacher's ability and patience with a child with two left feet and hands snowHead
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rpft, two experiences, one good one bad, but both a long time ago now. The good one was in Courchevel 1850, a young guy called Frédéric who the kids worshipped. Mrs L and I also had a lesson from him and he was great. The bad one was a grumpy old woman in Megève who smoked on/in every lift, despite being asked not to. The kids hated her.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
laundryman, The latter sounds horrendous. Strangely enough there is a grumpy chain smoking woman in morillon esf too!! Were your kids similar standards at the time of the original lesson?
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Nick L, That's hopeless for kids - they'll be starving - or full up! I think that would really rule it out for us Sad
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Anniepen, sorry - I was being thick rolling eyes
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rpft wrote:
Were your kids similar standards at the time of the original lesson?

Yes, same standard. There's two years between them, but they'd had the same amount of skiing and the younger one is generally more athletic. They're still about the same standard (demonstrably so in GS races) and certainly leave me in their wake!.
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rpft wrote:
Anniepen, sorry - I was being thick rolling eyes
Worry not Very Happy
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
laundryman, This is exactly the same as mine (though its difficult to admit initially). When you booked, did you call from the UK & book in advance & were the lessons at lunchtime?
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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
rpft, Courchevel we booked in resort (as far as I remember) and Megève was pre-booked (arranged via the tour operator).
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
laundryman, after your comment about the chain smoking witch, I might pre-book & request Bertrand the brave who taught the eldest last year. Smile
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rpft, good luck!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
laundryman, thanks, I am grateful for the advice too Very Happy
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
We have always booked private lessons for myself, husband and son (age 9). We used ESF VT in December and found them excellent (we had our lessons at 10.00am for 2 hours, no major rush at breakfast which is a great plus). Our instructor Stephane was brilliant with our son, I must admit that having such a good instructor makes all the difference. My son improved more than ever with Stephane who showed extreme patience and was indeed very funny! A Great guy!! Very Happy
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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?
wannapop, I've just booked!! Managed to get lessons from 1.30 to 3.30 - which I am really relieved about, had visions of them bolting lunch for a 12.00 lesson. As you say not having to rush breakfast is a plus too! How are the lessons priced - they are listed as 57 euros for 2 hours, is this per person or the actual 2 hour lesson?
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rpft, I think you may find it is 57 euros per hour (not per person). We paid 1-2 persons 83 euros (for 2 hrs) and 3-4 persons 104 euros (for 2 hrs), depending on who had lessons at the time. I think you will find that afternoon lessons are cheaper - not sure why. We only booked for 4 days lessons but enjoyed them so much that we booked more Very Happy
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
wannapop, Have checked, it is 31 euros per hour & 57 for 2 - seems v.cheap!
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rpft, It's great value, we found it does not work out much more than ski school. The good thing about it is that it allows you to all learn together as a family if you want to regardless of age, we prefer this option (our son is much better than us anyway so he does not hold us back - if anything quite the opposite)!!

Once you have booked private lessons you will never look back Very Happy Enjoy!!!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
rpft,

I'm just back from ADH Crying or Very sad and for the second year my two kids ( now 6 & 8 ) had private lessons over the lunch hour 12:30 - 1400, we booked the same instructor as last year and at 55 euros per day it worked out about the same as sending them both to ski school.

the kids love claude Smile and enjoyed the holiday again getting their 1st star. They may be two years apart but with the same time on snow the only difference is in there strength.

I emailed the instructor direct in October and he booked me in, i then confirmed a couple of days before.

would recommend private instruction if you want to leave them together rather than a herd or if you want to ski as a family for most of the day.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
rpft, we had private lessons with esf in vaujany, it was really cheap for the lunchtime slot, but not a good time good for us, so we paid a bit more for the morning slot.
Oh and it was all booked by email!
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wannapop, can't believe how cheap it is - this is just for the kids though, the rest of us have skied for some years, but we get them for the morning, which is lovely.

Curtains, 7 yr. old will get her 2nd star this year but 4 yr. old hasn't had esf lessons before (she has had 8 months of dry slope lessons) - but they are pretty close. 7 Yr old (just 6 then) had bad experience with the 'herd' last year - she was put on a lift with a mad (or drunk) scotsman who proceeded to tell her how much he hated the english. she dropped both poles trying to get away from him, so a bit of one-to-one on the chairlift will be good too!

feefee, We paid the same as the lunchtime slot - perhaps we are low season.

Thanks for the feedback - I am really glad we did this Very Happy Very Happy (as long as they don't get the chain smoking witch!)
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rpft, my daughter now twelve has gone completely through the ESF system from age 7 as a 1 star and passed her competition slalom badge last year. I have nothing but high praise for the ESF instructors in Mottaret. The only lesson she didnt like was running gates because they had to use the button lifts all day Skullie

My only complaint was some of the English parents insisting their kids should be in a higher level than they were capable and causing a slow fast gropu. They perhaps didnt use ESF initially and guessed where their kids should be but then complain when the instructors (sensibly) put them into a lower class and refused to grant the higher badge. The ESF are serious about the ratings and it can cause difficulties with kids if they "dont make the grade"

Did you put the kids in the "international " section which is meant to be english speaking.?
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Didn't know about the international bit, but they are both on Morillons ESF records as english children. I agree 100% with your comment about the 'pony club mother' type of parental pressure - last year there was a 6 yr old english boy who's father was enthusiastically telling the instructor how they had skied a black run with their son the previous afternoon - as there was a blizzard the previous day, the bloke was either a complete tw@t or lying through his teeth! I have no concern about the speed of their progress at all, I just want them to be safe & happy on skis & I am hugely relieved they both love it Very Happy


Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Wed 24-01-07 0:18; edited 1 time in total
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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.
rpft, might be worth an email to see if you can get booked into international just to make sure, sometimes isnt enough english kids and they will speak french and english in the mixed groups given it is french half term as well. if they do an international see if you can get them in that group. wink
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 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
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
skimottaret, We decided to book one instructor for the 2 of them - although there is a 2.5 yr difference, the older one (7) is an extremely laid back, gentle sort, while the youngest (nearly 5) is an athletic, speedy type, but I ski with them a couple of times a week on the dry ski slope & they ski well together, kind of meet in the middle somewhere & they love doing sport together, so hopefully they will do well with this type of lesson Very Happy
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
rpft, fantastic, i do some dry slope teaching and find that in ones and twos kids if interested will really progress quickly. at times several times faster than large groups. They also tend to have more fun as you can listen to what they want to do and what they are confortable with. Smart call Toofy Grin
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
skimottaret, good to hear that Smile
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