Piou-Piou club

A snowHead

I’ve booked my 3 year old into Piou-Piou club in Alp d’Huez next month. Has anyone used them before? If so, how much time do they spend on skis? Also, do I need to hire the boots and skis prior to arriving at the club or do they sort that out?

A snowHead

dru, Welcome to Snowheads

Re. the Piou Piou Club, good luck Skullie

I am sure someone must have had a positive experience but I have not heard many. We tried the Piou Piou in Les Houches last week, so a different resort but I think they are all run along the same lines. They are there for 2.5 hours with a break, they spend most of this time on skis. I think if they are really unhappy or cold they sit them in a hut and let them play with toys instead. You will need to sort out the skis and boots before and present your child ready kitted out. You also need to send a small snack and drink in backpack (with spare gloves etc) for your child for during the break.

I was not expecting it to be great based on stuff I'd read on here and my own previous experiences with the ESF but there was no alternative in the resort and so I thought we'd try it.

My son is 4. There were 25 kids in the class, only 1 other child was english and that child was extremely distressed crying and screaming for his mummy. About 4 other kids were distressed. The instructors attitude to them was less than sympathetic. Again I had heard this but actually seeing it for yourself is something else. About 5 mins into the lesson one of the instructors shouted over to the upset english kid 'stop that now, that's enough, you know how it goes, get on with it' this was in english in full earshot of watching parents Shocked

Blimey, I wonder what they say when there's no-one watching!

They spent about 40 mins shuffling in a long line up a mat and then sliding down one at a time about 6m or so down a very flat slope. My son did this 3 times. So you can see how much time they were just standing around. After this they split the group, putting the more able ones into another group where they did a similar thing but going up a bit further using a rope tow and sliding down amongst obstacles.

We pulled our son out at this stage as my husband decided that he was at a higher level than this (he has had lessons at the Chill Factor e), and that he was getting bored, cold and might get put off. We felt it was a very isolating experience for him with no other english speakers to have a chat and a laugh with. The instructors spoke french to him as there were so many kids they kept forgetting which one was the anglais rolling eyes

When we took him out the instructor told us she could see he was more able and to speak to the school and try him in the Flocon class. We didn't do this as we felt he probably wouldn't be much better off in that.

I really hope that there are plenty of english speaking kids in the class and not such large numbers because I think this could make all the difference. If you have booked it through a tour operator you might have a better experience as the TO will likely have other kids booked in. One tip, I would write your child's name and write 'anglais' on a sticker and stick it on the front of his/her helmet. At least then they have a constant reminder to speak in english and they get the child's name right!

Alternatively I think in Alpe d'Huez there is an independent ski school ESI running similar childrens programmes, I would think they might well be better.

All the best with it!

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

dru, Little Avago 3, went to Piou Piou for the first time at Christmas in Val Cenis. Most of his class were French, but then thats what we had expected being in France! He thoroughly enjoyed his time there. Yes, the instructors are firm but fair. Children will cry if they can see Mum and Dad watching on. Little Avago did cry on the first couple of mornings but as soon as we left he was fine (watched from a distance). The instructors were very happy to give us a full run down of achievements and behaviour. I personally would not hesitate to send him to ESF again, but fully appreciate that other peoples experiences may be different.

You will need to hire the boots, skis & helmet (if you don't have your own).

At VC, they started off skiing and going up and down the magic carpet. They also went for a short walk to a static chairlift to practice and then returned for more skiing. A couple of mornings they did go into the hut, but on the whole they were outside for most of the session. Buy the end of the week they were all doing jumps off a little ramp and not one child looked unhappy. Smile

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Avago, I am really pleased that your little one had a good experience Very Happy

I was sad that our experience didn't work out because whilst I had heard some bad stuff, I knew that our son was fairly robust and happy to be left and I had really hoped it would be good. I knew we were going to France and that most kids would be french, I suppose I had just hoped there would be another child he could talk to but the only english one was really upset (and his parents weren't watching). Also the sheer numbers (25) of kids didn't help. Maybe we should have persevered but as I say husband made the call that son was getting nothing out of it and may have been put off. Maybe we should have taken their advice and tried him in the Flocon class Puzzled

Anyway all the best to dru's little one snowHead

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

We took our 4yr old to Piou Piou Club in Morzine last year, we were very happy with them, the level of care was excellent.He was on Ski's in the morning, then lunch and the hut for the afternoon, everyday he had made something to bring home, he cried a little at 1st but soon enjoyed it, we liked the fact the instructors spoke a mixture of french and english to the children he picked a little french up. I believe this part of the experience for them.
He is looking forward to Ski School this yr after a positive experience.
we had to hire his boots and skis. Hope you have a good holiday.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Not in a skiing context (on beaches and in villages), but I remember my kids at about 4 playing spontaneously and happily with non-English-speaking kids of roughly the same age, who they'd never met before. Somehow, they communicated for their purposes.

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

Thanks for the comments everyone. I have twins so they'll have each other to speak to at least. Glad to hear that they spend part of the day inside as mine are booked in for full days but we plan to pull them out some afternoons for family stuff.

After all it is free

dru, I am sure they will be fine then.
laundryman, you're right and on our last holiday (not skiing) our son played happily most days with a little spanish girl.
Maybe we should have stuck with it.

dru, Both my girls have done Piou Piou. Experience for the eldest (who was 4 at time) was like sarah at bit but as she had not skied before she probably got more out of it. She was only in mornings. Weather was not great that year in Les Gets, wet many mornings, but now she is 8 and I struggle to keep up and she has done three weeks of ESF lessons since then (this year in Les Carroz were particuarly good). My youngest did Piou Piou at age 3 in Les Gets and had a great week, did Ourson last season and then Flocon in Les Carroz this season (where she was the only English child, with the rest French) but again a good instructor and progressed well. My youngest just talked to the French kids, or should I say talked at them - just like home then. Toofy Grin

So hope is all goes well for your family next month, it can be a bit of pot luck with the ESF. Good weather always helps.....

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Friends came back from Avoriaz last week and they put their 4 year into Piou, Piou,he is a quiet kid but absolutely loved it and cried when he had to hand back his skis. No problem with the instructors, they said they were very patient and had seen tantrums and tears many times, but this was because mum and Dad were standing nearby spying!! Dont worry, our lot when through all their skiing lessons with ESF in half term and out, met loads of kids, and they are brilliant skiers now, puts us to shame!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

our 4 year old was in ourson last year. Speaking french I was able to explain that she had been taking lessons back home, and it was no problem at all getting her into class. The french can be more helpful when you speak french so I dont know if that had an influence on things at all.

We have a 2 1/2 year old as ell and I had wondered about seeing if she could get into Piou Piou in a couple weeks, but I wonder if she might be too young. Anyone got experience of a young 3 year old? or a kind just under 3?

snow reports

unfortunately no experience at all with Piou Piou but :
our kids first experience with ESF was last Januar . They are older (now 6 and Cool

but they never had a problem with the language (the big speaks a little bit English, my daughter absolut zero). However they have fun and enjoy the course. Really silly as the instructors sometimes use google translator for the purposes of the course

However our kids started ski courses with 2.5 y old, and what @sarah describes you could find it everywhere. Saw it in Austria, Switzerland, Italien...it has to do with the kids, and the instructors.

@Super Tennents, I recall the smallest Sideways doing Piou Piou once in VdI and heartily enjoying it at about 2y8m - but he always was quite adventurous and very used to being away from us at nursery etc so no issues with being separated off from his parents for a bit.
That week was also him having a go on his brothers kit for a bit of a slide about with us on the green slope and on some of those steering reigns, and then informing us he wanted to go on the black La Face run ... He did La Face about 2 or 3 years later.

You know it makes sense.

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

Helps if they're a bit obsessed with penguins too... and all small kids love a penguin.

A snowHead

@Super Tennents, In the skischool where I teach, ESF Belle Plagne this winter, the minimum age for pioupiou technically is 3 years old. If the child is not yet 3 but only a couple of months away, a private lesson can be given to check that the child is ready, after which if it worked out all right they can join the group pioupiou class.

A snowHead

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

Parents hanging about watching kids, and surprised they are crying and carrying on. Seriously.

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@Super Tennents, Perfect, I might see you soon then Smile

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

When my little brother was about 4 we had a holiday wild camping (as it's now called....) at Arisaig, on the west coast of Scotland. We had driven up from South Wales and the only other campers were from Wishaw, near Glasgow. Their 4 year old and my brother played together the whole time, mostly poking little boats about with sticks, around the rocks. They could not understand a single word the other said, but it didn't matter one bit.

Help!!

Piou-Piou club

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