Ski Schools in Val D'Isere

A snowHead

Can anyone reccommend a good school / instructor in Val D?
I need someone to help build my confidence and lead me gently into the next stage!!! Shocked

A snowHead

I can't really judge the whole school - but here's our one-time experience.

My wife (first time on snow) and I used ESF in Val d'Isere this year.

She ended up in tears a couple of times. After I happened upon them on the third day the instructor abandonded her and a couple of friends (taking the other 13 people with her - yep 15 in the class) so I showed them around a few greens and they had a much better time. The instructors attitude, and english, were appalling.

IIRC we went back and complained and asked to convert the remaining days towards a private lesson. Not interested in the slightest.

I also went ESF for parallel turns level lessons. I'd had 6 days skiing experience from 2 years before and had gotten happy on blues.
The warm up/assesment run was on a red (my first ever) and we did a well groomed black later that morning.
I loved it but wouldn't call it being led gently Smile

HTH

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

lbt,

Thanks - won't be going there then!

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British-run ski school New generation are opening in Val d'Isere this season. They have avery good reputation In Couchevel so they might be an option for you.

http://www.skinewgen.com/

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks, Rob. Will have a nose at the site!

You'll need to Register first of course.

Michelle, Surely with all that practice the other day you'll be wooshing down the blacks?

We used Evolution2 when we were in Tignes....they were very good. They've got a base in Val D too website here might be worth a look?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

That's what I thought homphomp.

Ditto the recommendation of Evo2. Also used them in Tignes following suggestion from our leader, U. Very good indeed, and they'll sort that left shoulder out Michelle Wink

After all it is free

Thanks Guys! I'll have a nose!

Mark: NehNeh

Michelle,

I can well recommend Mountain Masters:

http://www.mountain-masters.com/about/news.htm

if you want to be led in gently then Dave Cowell is your man. in truth though they're all first class in my experience.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

The best for guiding groups of good skiers off-piste are TopSki (partly because of the Zimmer brothers who started it and get very good skiers skiing with them). I always join one of their groups when I'm in Val.

Second best for that are Alpine Experience, who I used to ski with.
I don't know what they are like for lessons from personal experience but I've heard good reports and I think I'd go for them myself.

Alpine experience are very good for speaking English especially as nearly half of them are native speakers (Australian etc) and they speak to each other in English. They started as a more democratic break-away from Top Ski, They all share equally, rather than the best taking the plum jobs, so you won't find a fed-up junior taking you. They all have a stake in building up the company and are very friendly.
But, as I said, I don't have personal knowledge of their teaching skills and I don't know their more recent instructors/guides.

Their Website is www.alpineexperience.com

Has anyone else here skied with them?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I have skied several times with Alpine Experience and with all of their instructors, although mostly with two or three of them. They specialise with off-piste skiing. They also do on-piste technique lessons intended to improve skills for off-piste use.

Having said that, they do occasionally teach novice skiers. They are very good skiers who are also good teachers. They have years of experience and know how to improve peoples confidence on skis and consequently their sking.

I would reccommend Alpine Experience to all except complete beginners. They do get booked up, so I would suggest contacting them and booking __before__ you visit Val d'Isere.

snow reports

Adrian, welcome to

snowHeads

and thanks for a useful first post.

Michelle, I've had a couple of lessons with Mark Jones of Mountain Masters,very inspirational. You could also try some of the dryslopes (Bowles I think is near you), before you go......

You know it makes sense.

ski, Mark Jones was teaching on the course I did in Tignes last week although for ICE rather than Mountain Masters, he's certainly very good.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

EVO 2 excellent had 3 great days with them in Tignes only ski school I have ever used in France.

A snowHead

I had some beginning-off-piste lessons with alpine experience. I thought they were excellent. They took us to some tricky places and some easier places with good snow. Part of the teaching was technique and part of it was fun. Some of the stuff was related to how to think in the mountains.

So of course when I tried to go back they were fully booked. Doh!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Michelle, All of the above recommendations are fine as far as I know. But, if you're looking for confidence then I suggest you avoid a Scottish instructor call Ian Beveridge, used to trade as Metaski. I've put several clients his way with the same results every time. He even had me in tears.

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Thanks easiski, have replied to your PM.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I would echo what 4thefunofit says about Mountain Masters - have used them a couple of times and between myself and my better half, we found all three instructors were excellent. It seems like Mark Jones has moved over to a new school, and he was good, so you have at least two to try. Also back up the positive reports of New Generation in Courchevel...

Help!!

Ski Schools in Val D'Isere

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