 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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robertsnerys, from experience as a rep/piste guide in the late 80s...
How hard do you really work? Ie, hours per week in season - pretty much all of them
How financially viable you have found it - barely
Have you managed to maintain any kind of family life? - I imagine it would be tough
Whether you'd go for some other kind of business in retrospect? - yes, renting self catering apartments.
All that said, I have many friends who run small catered chalet businesses and although it's immensely hard work in season (when I lived in London I generally got more skiing done than they did) it's clearly very rewarding. I think the business model I was working too has been superceded.
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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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robertsnerys, my girlfriend and I have run our chalet for 3 seasons and found:
once you've got into the swing of it you have plenty of time for skiing - we're free from about 10AM until 3.30PM every day (later if we know people aren't going to come back for afternoon tea until later). I probably work from 7.30AM to 10AM and from 6.30PM until 11PM. The hours mean we don't have much time to mix with other people other than on the slopes or a few drinks after skiing or on our night off.
we could now make the money we earn over the winter last for the rest of the year but prefer to come back to the UK to work to build up savings and see friends and family. We could make a bit more by having a rigid business plan and sticking to it but we gave up proper jobs to get away from that sort of thing.
I'd pick a similar resort to where we are - we're in an area unknown to most UK skiers (and the UK TO's) so it's very quiet a lot of the time. Purely on a cost basis, I'd look at smaller villages linked into big areas. I wouldn't go to one of the mainstream resorts as you'd have to spend a lot on advertising to stand out from the crowd in, e.g, Chamonix.
neither of us would trust a gap year student or other employee to do as good a job as we do so we're stuck with running the place ourselves.
we thought about a restaurant/cafe business in a ski resort but then you'd be working in the day when you should be out skiing!
Send me a PM if you have any more specific questions.
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Depends on the Chalet job you take. Mostly, though, you will work like a dog. Very few days off.
The upsides are a great workplace, lots of food, much wine, good socializing, and plenty of fillies to ride throughout the season.
The downsides are long hours, low wages, unpleasant cleaning jobs, annoying guests, and, often, nowhere near as much skiing as you think you're gonna get.
Alpine Winter jobs tend to fall into two broad categories. They will either be low-paid, with plenty of skiing time but few career prospects (e.g. barperson, driver, ski guide, etc.). Or they will be better-paid, with reasonable career prospects but limited ski time (e.g. Resort Rep, Resort Accountant, etc.).
And don't forget, most Brits who work for tour operators in the Alps are usually 'running away' from troubles at home. Most are 18 to 35 year-olds trying to escape failed careers or sub-standard education back in the UK. Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers.
In short, working in the Alps is cool, but, once the novelty wears off, nowhere near as glamorous or rewarding as you might expect.
Good luck.
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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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| Quote: |
And don't forget, most Brits who work for tour operators in the Alps are usually 'running away' from troubles at home. Most are 18 to 35 year-olds trying to escape failed careers or sub-standard education back in the UK. Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers.
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That does not match my experiences of chalet staff.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
And don't forget, most Brits who work for tour operators in the Alps are usually 'running away' from troubles at home. Most are 18 to 35 year-olds trying to escape failed careers or sub-standard education back in the UK. Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers.
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And then there are those who just genuinely love being in the mountains doing what they enjoy most and have left miserable cynical people doing 9-5 work behind them.....
Aside from that - running and your own chalet is hard work but it is also really fun and rewarding. We find that the hard work pretty much extends year round with all of the marketing, taking bookings and general organise that goes with running your own business (espcially as we also work freelance on non ski related jobs over the summer) so from that point of view we can't wait to get back out to the snow and be able to combine that level of hard work with a few hours skiing everyday as well. We certainly do not ski every day but that is proably more from our choice than lack of time. We certainly found last season that it was the stress of running the business than the day to day work in the chalet that was exhausting and we are hoping that that side of things will be a bit easier this year.
Running your own chalet can be a great way of life as long as you are clear what you want out of it and are prepared to put in the hours. If you want an easy fun stress free season skiing - work for someone else! If you want something that can mean you life revolves around you being and working in the mountains then maybe you want to take on a bit more responsibility. You will make money out of it eventually only don't expect to do so your first year.
It is definitely something that I do not regret embarking on and would do it again without a doubt. My advice would be that if you are going to go for it make sure you do your research and no not enter into it blindly!
Let us know what you decide to do 
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I seem to remember a Channel Four spoof programme, a few years ago, about a John Major type who ran away from a life in the circus to join a firm selling office supplies.
It would also be interesting to hear from people who left the snow and mountains to move to the big city.
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Thanks for the very thoughtful and detailed responses so far - lots of different opinions, that's what I like....(although given that I am not a bloke "plenty of opportunities to ride fillies" was not high on my wishlist for a new life - not all skiers are young drunk blokes you know!
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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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| Floppy the Snotman wrote: |
| Quote: |
And don't forget, most Brits who work for tour operators in the Alps are usually 'running away' from troubles at home. Most are 18 to 35 year-olds trying to escape failed careers or sub-standard education back in the UK. Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers.
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That does not match my experiences of chalet staff. |
Mine neither. Most of the ones that I've met have been pretty well motivated, and usually are enjoying themselves before rejoining the rat race.
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| Quote: |
most Brits who work for tour operators in the Alps are usually 'running away' from troubles at home. Most are 18 to 35 year-olds trying to escape failed careers or sub-standard education back in the UK. Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers.
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That's the most arrogant load of nonsense I've ever had the misfortune to be subjected to. Have you ever actually met any resort staff?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Whitegold, what a load of nonsense. Many of them are young, that's certain, but losers? We certainly haven't found that.
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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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Must agree. You always find someone who sponges of the rest of you everyplace in the world. But having had 3 seasons running our place now must say our staff have been fantastic. Running your own place is hard work no question. But when that hard work is for yourself and you get to live somewhere in the alps then is it really work?? I have now retrained as a chef and am loving the new life. Certainly get plenty of skiing time in as thats what we are here for at the end of the day. Some days you get none but you plenty over the course the season you definately get enough, if can ever get enough.
If I was to over any advice it is to do your research as there are many local things that will trip you up and that differs resort to resort but if you the desire then you will make it happen. I have heard of many brits that are doing exactly that and more and more are moving over here. If you can get the chance do it, and dont look back.
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My husband & I are just about to go into our fourth ski season and wouldnt swap our life style to go back to the same old drudge day in day out back in the UK for anything. As Ben was saying in an earlier reply once you get into the swing of it you do get plenty of time for skiing, but I will add that probably the first season you are so hell bent in bending over backwards to please your guests, (not that we dont now) that most of your energy goes into doing just that. We still managed to get up to the slopes but it was more an after thought and if you had enough energy left! Last season though, guests still fully satisfied with their accommodation, and us a little more relaxed abolut it, we managed to get up to the slopes on a very regular basis 
Our day also probably starts around the 7.30am mark, breakfast cleared and rooms tidied by 11am max. Start again around about 3.30pm with tea and cake etc and then go straight through till around the 11.30pm / 12am mark.
Financially it has been worth while and it keeps the wolf from the door, but the biggest benefit has definitely been the change in lifestyle and being more in control of your life.
If we were to be starting over again it would probably be in the same place we are now, although I can think of far easier languages to learn!
We still maintain a good family life although our daughters are still back in the UK, with webcams phones etc we are always in contact. They visit us many times over the course of the year. In fact I think it has probably improved our family relationships as we have had many cousins aunts etc visit us here, that back in the UK with work loads etc you never quite get round to visiting.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm a real loser - spend all winter in the mountains doing all that boring skiing stuff, whilst all my old friends have exciting 9 - 5 jobs, I am so jealous of them, and really want to leave my ideallic lifestyle to return to the rat race.
I don't treat my job as a holiday, I work hard and have realised there is more to life than money
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks everyone, you're brilliant! Glynis, dobra vecer and thanks... having learned serbian I can appreciate that Bulgarian (a close linguistic relative0 isn't the easiest language in the world. Well done you for giving it a pop. Nerys.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Spindrift, how many seasons have you worked? How many more do you plan to do? where u off next season? Just interested as I'm off for my second season on the 29th and can't imagine doing anything else in life.
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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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Nerys.. DObre outro..Im impressed. Az Nadyavam ce mhogo kismet.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| skiben wrote: |
| Spindrift, how many seasons have you worked? How many more do you plan to do? where u off next season? Just interested as I'm off for my second season on the 29th and can't imagine doing anything else in life. |
I planned to do one season - but that was 3 years ago. I've done France, Andorra and America and I'm going back to the States next week. Keep saying it's going to be my last, but it is very addictive. I do the summers aswell!!
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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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I cannot resist reinforcing the posts responding indignantly to the idea that running your own chalet would mean hobnobbing with a load of losers. Whitegold's post suggests that at least some of the seasonal workers live down to the stereotypes in those ghastly "chally girl" TV programmes. But my experience of people who change their secure 9 - 5 existence for something which they do for love, not money, could not be more different. I have never run a chalet (though having an apartment and heaps of visitors mean I work the same hours for nothing....) but I have stayed in a range of chalets, some owner-run, and been impressed not just by the efficiency with which they serve a lot of people a lot of good food, but also with the clear way they have thought out their life style. Having just spent a week in a boat, on a sailing course, with a Yachtmaster Instructor who did exactly the same thing and is now poorer in cash but far richer in everything else, I have great respect for that lifestyle choice. But he had to put in a huge amount of hard work to gain the skills and experience required, plus make a big financial investment in a boat. Glynis learnt Bulgarian. You absolutely must learn the local language, well, but if you've done Serbian (fantasticno!) that shouldn't stop you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Depends on the Chalet job you take. Mostly, though, you will work like a dog. Very few days off.
The upsides are a great workplace, lots of food, much wine, good socializing, and plenty of fillies to ride throughout the season.
The downsides are long hours, low wages, unpleasant cleaning jobs, annoying guests, and, often, nowhere near as much skiing as you think you're gonna get.
Alpine Winter jobs tend to fall into two broad categories. They will either be low-paid, with plenty of skiing time but few career prospects (e.g. barperson, driver, ski guide, etc.). Or they will be better-paid, with reasonable career prospects but limited ski time (e.g. Resort Rep, Resort Accountant, etc.).
And don't forget, most Brits who work for tour operators in the Alps are usually 'running away' from troubles at home. Most are 18 to 35 year-olds trying to escape failed careers or sub-standard education back in the UK. Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers.
In short, working in the Alps is cool, but, once the novelty wears off, nowhere near as glamorous or rewarding as you might expect.
Good luck. |
Please tell me you don't really believe what you have posted here???
Sounds like season work is not for you and you may be a little bit deluded....
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| Whitegold wrote: |
| And don't forget, most Brits who work for tour operators in the Alps are usually 'running away' from troubles at home. Most are 18 to 35 year-olds trying to escape failed careers or sub-standard education back in the UK. Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers. |
That sounds unlikely. I've met Brits (and others) working in resorts who were there to ski, shag, drink, learn something about the travel/catering business, work hard, do as little as possible, learn to speak a foreign language and pretty much any combination of the above (except work hard and do as little as possible). None of them have appeared to be 'running away' from something. Some (too many) of those employed by the big TOs were incompetent, but that wasn't always their fault. Most of them were relatively well educated (by current standards). The few I know well who have had a season or two most definitely do not come into the uneducated, runing away loser category.
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Hi
We're just approaching our second season, but we have self catering apartments/B+B so we don't do the whole chalet thing. We decided that with 2 young boys it would be too much work and too hard on the family. So admittedly we don't reap the same financial rewards but we do get a family life (in fact too much quality time on a bad day!!), and we ski as often as we can .
At times in the last year I have regretted the move but I don't now, our eldest has just started school and flits from German to English with such ease, youngest is quite settled, both love skiing and we have spent more time with our families than in the UK.
Deb
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Have been away for a while with work, so am just catching up on all your postings now. Thanks very much for your comments - inspiring, but have also given me a dose of realism too! Deb, it was really interesting to get your perspective about how that kind of lifestyle fits with raising small kids - as we would probably want to have some soonish (well, we'll blumming well have to if we're going to at all, as I'm not getting any younger!).
Thanks everyone. All the best of luck to you running your businesses.
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All Sorry but White Gold does have a point... I'll be doing my 6th season this year, the first running our new chalet company. *but* ...I'm a looser baby, so why don't you kill me... In fact most of my friends are loosers too. Still 94 days skiing last year, I'm a very happy. Running away for real life? Nah, running towards powder. Looser. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Who are all these loosers? Have they OD'd on laxatives? 
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Would one say that working for a TO, and running one of there Chalets for a season, would be a good way, to see if you were cut out for
attempting run your own chalet, or is the experience liable to put you off forever?
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You know it makes sense.
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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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To those of you who've set up in business yourselves - can I ask a bit of a personal question? Did you have a huge stash of capital before you set about moving? If that's too personal, could I ask you to say how much over and above the capital costs of buying your b and b/ chalet do you think is needed to establish yourself in the country you chose? We are currently thinking that we'd buy somewhere that needs only cosmetic updating or very minor structural work - and most probably somewhere with approximately 6 double bedrooms.
Thanks to those of you who offered PM as a form of communication - but I'm technologically quite inept on that front so I can't take you up unfortunately.....
Thanks
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Poster: A snowHead
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robertsnerys, just click on send/read messages (or it might say "x new messages") underneath Santa.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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thanks laundryman - will give it a go....
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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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robertsnerys, important choice is location. In France for example, properties of the size you are interested in, can cost from 200k euro's in the smaller ski resorts, to 2million in the more expensive places. I can think of much easier ways to make money with 2m euro's than running a chalet. Research is vital.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Let's just say that the resorts where a suitable property costs e2 Million aren't really an option! If I had that much money, we'd be retiring to the snow right now, never mind running a chalet/ b and b ......
I kind of favour some parts of switzerland at the moment for our relocation; idle dreams about the italian dolomites too, although I'm not sure either me or my partner could cope with the realities of small-town Italian life..... we'll see!
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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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robertsnerys, if you're going to do it, my best advice would be to buy in a resort with summer (even better, all year round) attractions.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Pension Enzian, Good Evening again. Interested to hear your comments. If I get the chance to ski Saalbach again your place sounds really great.
On a marketing point I think that you could include a link to your website when you make post - see Charlotte Swift of easiski.com. on this post. Nothing wrong with a bit of self promotion for a good product.
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ben wright, Hi, We are looking at buying a chalet in the Samoens area to run as a catered chalet. How big is the chalet you are running? We are looking to run 10 bedrooms and employ a chef + 2 chalet girls. We do however want to have time to get some skiing in!!! Any other tips for success?? Thanks a lot. 
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[quote="Whitegold"]Thus, your work colleagues will often be losers.
quote]
Not true! I packed in my career to do the ski season I always wanted to do. 6 months off I was meant to be taking - to have a re-think. It opened my eyes and I didn't come home for two years. I now continue to work within the industry (based in the UK now since having a baby) but, while it's true many of the people I met were re-assessing their lives, NONE of them were losers - just people who had seen the light and realised life is way too short to always run that rat race treadmill.
It's hard work though, in a saturated market where competition is tough. Hugely rewarding however! And if you keep your energy levels and enthusiasm high you'll find the time for plenty of skiing 
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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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Do you know of people running a catered chalet business with approx 10 rentable rooms and employing chef + chalet staff who are making enough money to live on and have time to ski?? Thanks.
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edit> zzzz
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 6-12-07 17:02; edited 1 time in total
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