 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, anyone stayed here and offer opinions / recomendations? Also thinking of putting kids in Magic ski school which gets rave reviews, although we've done esf for them in other resorts - and we like the progress element of their badges. I know esf varies resort to resort. Any views on esf La Tania v Magic? Thanks all.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to Snowheads. 
This won't be the most helpful post you'll ever see on this site but my two penneth worth (having just done the exact same research on ski schools in the Courchevel area) is that Magic gets some very good reviews but that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the ESF. It may be worth allowing your children to progress with the badge scheme as it allows them a visual representation of their progress as opposed to the tactile feedback from skiing.
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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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Hi & welcome
If you are thinking of coming to La Tania, firstly have a good look at www.latania.co.uk as it has loads of information on the resort and different companies with chalets here.
I've never been in Chalet Chalouis but it is in a good location just off the green / blue runs. Probably about a 5- 8 mins walk from the centre of town on foot.
With Ski schools it depends on your budget too as there is a huge difference in price between ESF and Magic. ESF is very affordable and the the instructors are good (sometimes except with the really little ones- culture difference), lessons are only 2 1/2 hours long. Magic ski school is alot more expensive.. is it worth it? Not sure. The bonus though, is that the lessons are quite a bit longer, giving the adults enough time to get a good ski around Courchevel before heading back. They also do a full day during the week which gives the adults a day to explore the Three Valleys. There are a couple of other ski schools venturing in to La Tania, New Generation and Progression. Not had any reports on them either way..
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Stayed there (specifically Chalouis Bas, the lower one) last year in Feb. Mixed opinions, but you might find this useful:
Extremely well situated, a few minutes walk from the centre, but truely ski-in, ski-out (I made it into the boot room / garage last time after a dump covered the drive) and most people over say week 2 would be able to ski to the ski-school meeting point / gondala via an easy blue.
Inside its fairly small, and people who were staying in mixed groups with kids might be uneasy about the kids rooms not being directly connected to adult ones. Also, there are three bedrooms that also share a bathroon / WC on the living room floor, again, it probably depends on how confortable you are walking around pre-shower in the morniing (there was some muttering when I was there).
The only other slightly worring thing would be the steep wooden stairs - this might depend on how old your kids are really, but they probably aren't that easy when you're layered up...
I'm not sure when you're looking at either, but I thought it was pretty good value when I was there and the staff were very good looking after the kids in their creche thing and also fitting them out with boots and skis too.
To summerise, I recall the coversation around the table going:
Women from different groups to each other: "No en-suite, no hot tub, its smaller than I thought"
Males from different groups: "Its so close to the piste I can touch it with my 'old chap'"
It depends where your priorities are really! 
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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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Thanks all. Really useful stuff. With the chalet, we're most probably a whole group doing the haut part, and had been considering an apartment before which generally seem a lot smaller on the whole so I feel OK ish about size. With a mixed group I can see it would be different. Are the bathrooms / showers OK, modernish, enough hot hot water - if so, then I'm happy (let me know if you noticed / remember). Food OK and beds comfortable I presume? But that proximity to the slope sounds perfect - definitely my husband's cup of tea so he'll be happy. Kids are over six so unless they're at the vin chaud I hope they can manage stairs.
Still deciding re ski schools. Any particular instructors recommended for 6 to 8 year olds if we considered private lessons as extras with either school?
Loving snowheads - can't believe all my angsty queries being answered so swifty and spot on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I don't remember any problems with hot water (and I'm sure I would have developed secondary ear-ache if there was) so I think it will be fine. It was exceptionally cold two nights when we were there too and I remember it still being warm inside so that's also a plus.
The food was OK, nothing special, but that does vary from host to host anyway. The proximity to the slopes was the best thing for me and over-rid everything else!
Ski-school, we put a first-timer 5 year old in ESF and they were excellent with her. A few days in the snow garden at first and courchevel by the last day! That was out of holiday time though so it may be different if you're going 1/2 term for example. I did see a recent thread that said classes would be a maximum of 8 pupils per instructor this year too though? Ski Magic's creche seemed good too - she enjoyed herself with them if you were thinking a full day skiing would be too much for them.
Hope this is useful - I've been greatly helped on this forum myself in the past so time to return the favour!
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Great. All sounds perfect then. Am booking chalet now. Thanks so much.
Just ESF v Magic Academy to decide on now. Ho hum. I'll sleep on it.
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We have stayed in this chalet twice, at easter 2008 and Xmas 2009 both times the top chalet. I echo the above comments regarding the size and shared facilities, but we had sole occupancy so wasnt such a big deal. Ski Magic themselves were a mixed bag, excellent chalet host on the first visit but mediocre childcare and on the second visit pretty average chalet host. That said, it is the best positioned chalet in the whole resort, right on the corner of the blue, green and you can practically ski into the chalet if you are in the bottom one.
In terms of ski school, if you can afford it Magic is the way to go. When we went for Xmas 2009 we decided against childcare for our (then) 6 and 8 years old and put them in the Magic half day and 2 all day classes. It turned out that our 8 year old was in with 2 others and our 6 year old had a week of private lessons! The quality of teaching and the size of the classes is way ahead of ESF, in fact we used both ESF and Magic this year and they came on much more with Magic (even though it was out of season schedule for Magic which is the same length lessons as Magic).
If you want any more information please PM me
Cheers,
Peter
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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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Thanks. Magic gets such rave reviews I think we're going to have to go with them. Gulping at the cost, but longer lessons I suppose and worth the investment long term when the kids overtake my ski ability. Once you're in it, as they say.
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SwishWithMe, welcome to Snowheads
I will throw a spanner in the works and suggest you look at Ultimate Snowsports, http://www.ultimatesnowsports.com/ website says Courchevel but they are based in La Tania. They are a small British ski school with small classes, longer lessons than ESF but not as long as Magic (4 hours at a stretch is tough for a lot of 6 year olds), good young fun instructors and reasonable prices. Used them last year for our party which had 9 kids. We had a combination of Sam and Matt for the older ones and Lee for the tinies. Very, very good indeed.
In past years our party has used the ESF for littlies and found them good in the Jardin, not used them for the older ones. We have also used Magic and had shared private lessons for the kids with them, very good, very expensive. Would recommend 2 instructors with Magic, Denis and Laure.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Goodness, more useful info. What a mine snowheads is. Thanks so much, I'll look into them straightaway.
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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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Just back from half-term week in La Tania. Had a 10 yr old in ESF, as he is keen to progress up their system, and has got on well with them in the past, and a 15yr old in an adult group with Magic in Motion (who has previous done ESF). Both did 2.5 - 3 hour afternoon lessons. ESF were fantastic, and my 10 yr old got on really well, his skiing advanced a lot, and he very much enjoyed himself. Great instructor (Alban) and good tuition. My 15 yr old had a different experience. Magic's instructor wasn't an instructor; really just a glorified resort guide. Very little instruction was imparted, and he consistently skied off before the group had all arrived at stops. People criticise the 'ESF snake'. Our experience was opposite - ESF taught very well, and our fears of over-crowded half-term classes were unfounded. Magic did do a snake of sorts, with the head not waiting for his tail, and not doing much to improve his clients' standard of skiing. We'll be sticking with ESF.
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name of the said 'guide'? I'll understand if you'd prefer not.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hello,
Regarding the Chalet Chalouis being beside the ski run, can anyone tell me if there was noise from the snow cannons/snow makers in the night?
Thanks,
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FAQ
