 Poster: A snowHead
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Of to La Ros next weekend for the first time & taking my partner who is, effectively, a beginner. One SH has recommended the ESF there , but as there seem to be 3 ski schools there has anyone any experience of the others?
I'm also interested to know if anyone can recommend a ski hire shop that stocks a reasonable range of skis in good condition & , of course, If there any particularly noteworthy mountain cafes or restaurants or pistes that must be skied.
cheers
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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 recommendation for ski school would be Evolution 2, we used them, small groups good instructors http://www.evolution2.com/rosiere/default.asp?id_lang=2
Ski hire, Arpin Sport who are part of Sport 2000, good selection, very helpful
Beacuse of the lessons we tended to meet back in the resort, gone blank on the names of the restaurants!
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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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radar, thanks, will look into both of those. Think a small class would be better for my partner as she is somewhat cautious & likely to be a bit self concious.
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| Quote: |
likely to be a bit self concious.
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small classes are definitely better. But not from the point of view of being self-conscious; it's easier to lose yourself in a group of 10 or 12 than in a group of 6 with plenty of time for individual performance analysis!
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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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pam w, true, but, rather like me, is generally less patient in her advancing years & would therefore rather be 'doing' than standing watching others I suspect !
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nickH, I'll second Evo2 - had very positive experience of them in La Ros and Tignes. The director of ESF in La Ros was an English guy a few years back and they also had (as I was told at the time) a solid reputation for a good standard of teaching and focus on communicating well in English.
I've also used Arpin Sports (well-known skiing family, one of whom was a World Champ in ski jumping IIRC) and Twinner - both pretty good.
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thanks Chasseur, I'll get in touch with Evo then & check their rates etc - good to have some positive recommendations
As for the ski hire, can you recall which had the better choice as price wise there isn't much between them. I think the chalet I'm in is closer to Arpin, so it might just boil down to how far I'm willing to walk !!
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nickH, Another vote for ESF. I had a good experience with their private lessons a couple of years back. Can't remember the instructor's name though, sorry. Had a bad experience with Twinner ski hire though. Overruled what I told them and insisted that I have skis that turned out to be too short for me. I didn't know enough at the time to insist on a change. Lost my confidence a lot that week. 
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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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Schuss in Boots, interesting about twinner - amazing what difference the right skis can make to confidence, especially when not the best of skiers ( yes, talking from personal experience here ).
Anyone tried Olympic ski hire or the intersport shops ?
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nickH, IIRC there are two Arpin Sport 2000 hire shops - not all that far apart. Again, IIRC Twinner is (or certainly was) opposite one of them. As for range, I'm struggling to recall which had the widest. They were both well-stocked though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Chasseur, are the two Arpin shops run by the same people ?- if I book via the internet with one do you think I'd be able to go to the other if they had the better choice or skis that I particularly wanted to try ?
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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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nickH, certainly by the same family. Here's the link to their site - appears that there is only one email address. There's a map of their location also. The on-line booking takes one through to the Sport 2000 main site.
I see that the Arpin's also run Evo2.....and probably own a fair few chalets I suspect. Perhaps the Mayor is an Arpin..... 
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Chasseur, not to go on about it ( arpin ?) but think I've read somewhere that much of the resort is owned by one family - I'm getting an idea of what their name might be !
Think I might go the sport 2000 route if I get 2 shops for the price of one, particularly as they're not too far from the chalet - wonder if they do ski hire & tuition packages ??!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Chasseur, the mayor isn't an Arpin but the the resort was founded by Jean Arpin, there are quite a few branches of the Arpin family tree in the Tarentaise. There isn't a problem going with any of the ski schools but the ESF has by far the largest brigade and in busy times Evo2 will use ESF instructors anyway. Twinner will always get my vote as the owner is a neighbour and none of our guests in 7 seasons ever had any issues with either the quality of their hire equipment or service. Olympic in Les Echerts also gets a thumbs-up, good stock and a very good technician.
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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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Been to La Ros twice. Had very good ESF tuition both times. The second time in particular, the instructor was awesome. Used Twinner (brilliant skis - brand new, saw the wrapper being removed, excellent service) and Sport 2000 (OK service, but horrendously poor & battered skis).
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Poster: A snowHead
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David L,
thanks for some local knowledge. Is it the case that both the ESF & Evo2 run classes of similar size ( Beginners that is ) ?
I'm staying down in Le Gollet, so Twinner looks as though it's the closer, but not having been to La Ros before, how much further is to Olympic.?
Just to pick your brains further, any recommendations for mountain restaurants ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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magic_hat, thats another vote for Twinner then! sounds good
Don't suppose you can remember the name of the instructor can you - I'm toying with having some lessons myself as well, though my partners need is greater ( I can at least get round most pistes, it just ain't pretty !)
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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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nickH, Twinner is the closest, Olympic is in Les Echerts about a mile from the village centre. You won't find large classes in any of the ski schools, both Evo2 and ESF have a good number of English speaking instructors but there are more of them in the ESF. If you want private lessons any of the senior ESF instructors will be good, there's a distinct pecking order, the more established better qualified instructors will get more private lessons, the younger junior instructors more kid's classes. Johnny Wilkinson, who runs the Friday speed tests for English skiers works part time for the ESF, but Mattieu, Nicolas and Sebastian all have a good command of English and all are superb skiers, Nicolas is an ex-member of the French Olympic squad, and married to an English girl. As for restaurants, my own favourite is Le Turia in the Centre Commercial, as is Le Genepi and Les Marmottes, all very good but fairly pricey. We used to recommend L'Ancolie but we've had a few too many indifferent meals there to continue to support it. For reasonable steaks, pastas and pizzas, Le Petit Danois is good whilst Le McKinley is a good spot for lunch, also good for pizzas in the evening. For mountain restaurants the best choice is to be found in Italy.
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many thanks David L, a great help, will go ahead & book classes for my partner & think about something for myself once there ( & assuming I'm not to busy just enjoying myself ).
A last question. Being child free, & not normally skiing in france at this time of year so I didn't think about it when I booked, but am I right in thinking it'll be the second week of french school holidays ? if so just how busy is it likely to be?
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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've eaten at the Traversette (at least I think it was called that) mountain restaurtant in La Ros. The food was fine and plenty of it - nice south-facing terrace too. That said, I should point out that this was a good 5 years ago, so things may have changed. Sounds as though David L may have a more current view.
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nickH, You won't find any problems in La Rosiere, there's a limit on the number of beds available, it's complex, the lift company upgraded the lifts to cope with a proposed expansion to 14,000 beds per week but the regional government wouldn't upgrade the road to allow for the expansion, you'll see why when you arrive. So the number of tourist beds available per week is limited to 10,000 but there's capacity for lots more, as a consequence there are rarely any queues, the same is true of La Thuile, I can't ever remember a queue there. Traversette is fine, it's a great spot to take in some rays, the terrace faces due south and the coffee is good but the food is adequate rather than special. For really good pasta take pista 7 down to La Thuile and stop at Lo Reindet, it's right by the road going down to la Thuile.
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Nick H we went to La Rosiere last year. I can also recommend Evo 2, we booked 2 private lessons - the boys had a chap called Fabien and he was excellent. We really enjoyed La Rosiere - the town was friendly, the pistes really good for building confidence. and we'd go back. Had some good lunches at the mountain restaurant just off the gelinotte blue/roc noire red (sorry can't remember what it was called) and also in Italy at the bottom of the Fourclaz express lift. In La Ros we had a good dinner one night at Le Relais de Petit San Bernard - they do lots of regional specialities and had a good lunch there one day too. Have a great time.
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David L, Thanks for that reassurance, had visions of pistes swarming with mites & endless lift queues - not the best way to impress my partner who I'm trying to get into skiing !!
Dr George, thanks also. Good to hear the pistes are 'confidence building', just what my partner needs. Thanks also for the restaurant recommendations, looking forward to trying them.
cheers
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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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| Quote: |
Dr George,
... the mountain restaurant just off the gelinotte blue/roc noire red (sorry can't remember what it was called)
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Plan du Repos. Self service, efficient, nice people, large sun terrace.
There's also a kiosk at the top of the fort chair for drinks & snacks. Decent vin chaud, I'm told. Also if you ski down to les Eucherts you can walk a few paces to the bowling alley etc, where you can get drinks and snacks, or more.
In Italy...
Just before lo Reindet (do you like polenta?) on pista 7 there's a smart hotel. It's uphill but they will come down and get you with their skidoo if they spot you. I have eaten a very nice meal there in the summer. La Thuile restaurants on the beaten track are heaving. My favourite stop is just to the left (heading downhill) of the Piccolo s. Bernardo chair. Hot chocolate they seem to make by taking chocolate and heating it till it melts enough to pour into the cup, also good for panini. But the facilities are very 'rustic' - not ideal for the ladies.
You'll have fun,
David
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DJ, Thanks for that . Like the sound of the hot chocolate place particularly - am rather partial to one mid morning with a shot of rum in it. As 'the lady' will be in ski school in the mornings it sounds as though I'll have to go there myself so she doesn't have to suffer the 'rustic ' facilities !!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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nickH, The hot chocolate at Piccolo San Bernardo is great but it's even better at the Roxy just a couple of kilometres away by the Fourclaz chairlift. Piccolo San Bernardo is the heli-skiing pick-up point and you can also learn to kite-ski there.
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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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David L, think I'm going to have to make it a mission to check out the hot chocolate establishments ( I can see the posting now - hot chocolate bars of La Ros ). As for the Heli Skiing, beyond my ability & well beyond my wallet & whilst probably beyond my nerve, the kite-ski is not without appeal. Think I might have to check it out whilst there. Cheers
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Yup! Have to agree with the Roxy recommendation. The public loos next door are positively the cleanest I've ever seen, moutainside or otherwide
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You know it makes sense.
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Chasseur, perhaps 'loos of La Ros ' will have to be another posting. Excuse for another trip !!??!!
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