Off-piste beginners lessons/guiding Val d Isere

A snowHead

Group of 5 - 7 , all competent piste skiers who have played on the sides a bit, want to learn the right way to ski off-piste, and looking at our options.
Alpine Experience have been recommmended on here, and they do look like a great company, just wondering if they are the
best option for beginner off-piste skieers? They look like they actually cater for very strong and experienced off-piste skiers.
Anyone had their first off-piste lessons there?
Any other suggestions in Val d Isere welcome.

A snowHead

Yes I did, and they have groups to cater for all abilities. Our group varied between 3 and 5 over the week. We had the full week half day option really enjoyed it but some afternoons was completely knackered. We also arranged to meet up with friends for lunch at 1 but we were normally quite late and when they were in Tignes very late! snowHead

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

You could try TDC. I found them very good.

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

We did a private afternoon with Alpine Experience a couple of years ago and it wasn't quite what we'd had in mind, with lots of hiking for little skiing. I realise with hindsight we didn't want an introduction to offpiste-as-a-skistyle-choice, we wanted to learn to play around in slopeside powder better and maybe a little further afield...Not their fault, ours, for not being clear in what we wanted, but I think it's worth mentioning so you can avoid the same mistake (which my group has now made twice, so assuming it's a common one!). On the plus side they do know their stuff - in a busy week they found gorgeous untouched powder miles from the beaten track, and absolutely perfect gradient for practising, and we genuinely were experiencing a intro to what I would call 'proper' offpisting - finding routes with the binoculars, heading into the quiet and peace away from the crowds, finding a line, hiking a bit for a good bit etc etc. Unfortunately mostly what I learnt was that I am not fit enough for it, and should stay on the pistes!

We also used http://www.tignes.co.uk/ultimate_lessons.htm, maybe not omg-the-most-awesome-instructor-ive-ever-met-they-changed-my-life but fun, everyone was learning and all 40 or so people I've sent their way so far have been happy.

aj xx

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

There are several very good ski schools in Val d'Isere. People have their favourites. I have skied several times with Alpine Experience and they are very good. Their guides and teachers have spent many years, over 25 for some of them, in Val d'Isere and Tignes. They thus know the places to go and the places to avoid in all conditions. Alpine do four hour morning sessions and normally there is very little hanging around so you can expect lots of skiing. They also do afternoon technique lessons or extra off piste sessions. I find the morning alone is normally sufficient challenging skiing for me.

You'll need to Register first of course.

All of the ski schools in Val d'isere will teach off piste skiing.

Alpine Experience will usually teach the off piste techniques in the afternoons and take groups off piste in the mornings for 1/2 days. I've learned/skied off piste with them a few times. All of their instructors/guides are fluent in English.

Top Ski are more French orientated but have some English speaking instructors.

TDC and Mountain Masters instructors are all English speaking, a lot of them are British.

Snow Fun, Evolution 2 and Oxygiene are other ski schools.

ESF is of course the main French Ski School and the largest, mainly French speaking.

You simply have to contact them and find out which can offer off piste instruction for beginners while you are there. I assume they will only put on a class if they have enough students to make it worth it.

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

of all those suggested TDC or mountain masters are the stand out ones

After all it is free

As a slightly off the wall option, have you considered the UCPA course. They have centres in Val D'Isere and Tignes. Its an all inclusive holiday package including off-piste lessons but is very cheap and apparently very good. Probably not everyones cup of tea but worth considering. I suspect the entire holiday including lift pass and equipment would be not much more than the private lessons on their own. Check out the Action Outdoors website who are the UK partners and very helpful.

I have used Martin Mckay a few times in Val , had a great time with him , unique way of teaching , and took me from being completely new to off piste .ie edge of the piste in powder to eventually taking routes into Col Per which is completely out of the Val D ski area.

http://www.skimckay.com/

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

i've just signed up to do 8 weeks with alltracksacademy.com in val - anyone else happen to be doing the same?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Thanks everyone.
Emailed Alpine Experience, and will see what they suggest. Tdc also looks really good, will mail them as well.
Wish we could do a full course Dorset Andy, but part of a big families group, and would like to ski some with kids as well.
Unfortunately too far (expensive flights) away to do two trips a year, so have to combine family holiday and some instruction.

I know that all skischools will do off-piste, but trying to find the best option for our group of late learners with too little time on the slopes each year..

snow reports

http://www.mountain-masters.com/
Val based off piste courses and others.

Did an intro to off piste with TDC a few years ago. Excellent!!

Help!!

Off-piste beginners lessons/guiding Val d Isere

snowHeads Forum Index >>> Bend ze Knees