ESF children's badges in La Rosiere

A snowHead

Hi,

My children have just completed a week's ski school in Les Eucherts, La Rosiere with ESF. My daughter, aged 3 1/2, was in club Piou Piou for the week and received a St Bernard dog badge (ESF website says Piou Piou badge awardedfor any week in club PP). My son, aged 6 has skied twice before and gained Ourson and Flocon badges in Arc 2000 and Mottaret. He was in the 1 star snowflake (flocon) class in La Rosiere but was "always the champion" (ie overtook the other children) and needs to "learn to control his speed". But he could ski a humpback rail, straight rail and a small jump in the mini/green snow park in La Rosiere by the end of the week. My son was also awarded a St Bernard dog badge, as he didn't achieve the necessary skills for the 1 star! I realise I could have asked at the time (?!) but does anyone know what the St Bernard badge means? Is it a special badge for naughty children who don't do what they're told?!!

By the way, the instructors were all really helpful, kind to the children and actually seemed to like teaching them (when we were looking). I'd definitely recommend ESF in this resort.

Thanks

A snowHead

It sounds as though your son should have been in the 1 star class not the flocon class if he already had his flocon. Surely they should have moved him to the 1 star class? I think the reason he didn't get the 1 star is that he was in the wrong class and therefore didn't have the chance to practice the things needed for 1 star.

We skied with the same school last year - les eucharts. My daughter was awarded the piou piou award and my son was awarded the flocon (his second week on skis). By the end of the week he could ski the blue runs from the top of La rosiere down no problem. He was traversing with skis parallel and then turning in a snow plough. He learned to use drag lifts and they also used chair lifts.

This time we are going to montgenevre and use the International ski school so am unsure whether to put him down for the bronze or silver class..their awards systems seems completely different.

We thought the flocon class was good in la ros but were less impressed with piou piou. Nursery area was freezing in the mornings and there were too many children so they stood around getting cold a lot. Hope your daughter had a better experience.

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

He was in the 1 star class (sorry, didn't make that very clear). He missed the first day as he didn't have any poles and had a tantrum because the other children did, and wouldn't side step up to the drag lift. They moved him back into the flocon class for the morning and he went back into 1 star the next day when we had got him some poles. He did use drags and chairs, the ski school took the group up the chairlift on day 2 and he was very happy on blue runs. He reckons they even did a bit of a red.

The instructors told me my daughter was a bit tearful for a couple of days in Piou Piou but I had some spies (grandparents) who said she was fine for the rest of the week. She always looked happy when I saw her. There were about 10 children with 2 instructors, so they were moving enough to keep warm. It was freezing though, I thought it was sheltered until the last couple of days when the wind really picked up and they were being blown all over the place!

I went to Montgenevre years ago, before I had children and before they built the tunnel, and loved it. The snow was excellent and runs perfect. We mean to go back one day, but because we now always go by snow train/Eurostar thought it wasn't an option. Have now realised that you can get a train to Briancon so might well go again in the next few years. I'd be interested to hear what the ski school is like there, when are you going?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Oh - I don't know why they didn't give your son the 1 star then. Sounds strange but probably something you would have had to take up with them at the time. In your position I would put your son down for the 2 star class next time if he has spent most of a week doing 1 star.

It sounds as though there were fewer children in your daughter's piou piou class. I think we were unlucky with the class size and wind in Les Eucharts.

We are going to Montgenevre at the end of March and really looking forward to it. We also like to travel by train and have discovered that you can get a TGV from Paris to Oulx (Italy) taking 4 1/2 hrs. Oulx is a 25 minute bus ride from the resort. I will let you know how the journey goes. You are right that there is also the Briancon option - we took the sleeper to the stop before briancon when we went to Puy St Vincent a few years ago. The children loved the sleeper but I couldn't sleep a wink..we therefore thought we'd try the Eurostar plus TGV option this time.

One of the reasons we have chosen Montgenevre is that it has an International Ski School Apeak and they have had some good reviews on here. See comments by a lady called Sarah on a thread I started about Montgenevre ski school - in bend zee knees section. she has just got back from Montgenevre and her children had good lessons with Apeak.

Help!!

ESF children's badges in La Rosiere

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