We're going out the end of Dec for our first family ski hol to La Plagne, staying in Belle Plagne. When I came to get the lessons booked today, I thought that the ESF there looked a bit on the pricey side and, indeed, the same set of courses at Bellecote works out around 25% less. Now, if it was just lessons for one then I wouldn't be too fussed, but as it's a full week for 3 people then the price difference is quite material.
If they can ski straight down to the ski school meeting point then I'd be tempted to book the Bellecote option.
From the piste map this looks like a quick whizz down a blue to the village, but obviously I'm seeking opinion on whether that's actually the case! As one of the reasons we picked Belle Plagne was for ease of access to the ski school, I don't want to make it hard work for the kids.
There you go ask for advice and all you get is more choice
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?
wickyb, You could also get the gondola down. I doubt if anyone would be going down at that time so no queues. However I'm surprised as well at the cost difference.
Yeah that's a short piece of easy blue (bottom of the Arpette). I worked in Belle Plagne last season and the lift hub is Bellecote anyway. Very easy ski.
As mentioned you could get the gondola down, but I'm not sure why you would unless you were a complete beginner, i.e, less than a couple of days on snow. You could ski down in less time!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
why not try contacting them first by email or phone and challenge the price difference. you never know they may price match despite whats on the website. Don't ask don't get and if they say no you're no worse off than your current dilemma. If they say yes no probs then its happy days
Thanks all. Oxygene looks great but a 30 min bus ride would be a pain each morning; plus we wouldn't be near the apartment if we needed to. I'm tempted to go for Bellecote on the basis that it's an easy run down, but I'll definitely see first if Belle Plagne will match their price. I think next year I'll find the tuition that's best for us and then base the rest of the trip around that!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
One thing you may want to check is that you are comparing on a like for like. I haven't compared these two you mention specifically but I know that sometimes our clients don't realise that some lessons are say 2h30 whilst others are just 2hrs so it's worth looking at every aspect. ESFs in each resort are independent and set their own prices and there are sometimes massive differences between the smaller and cheaper resorts that we tend to offer and larger ones for instance but then I would be surprised if there was so much difference for two resorts so close on the same ski area. I can't see that sort of situation being manageable for them as a lot of people like you would be making the comparison.
Not that it's the subject here but I used the ESF in Belle Plagne for my son a while ago and they were very good.
After all it is free
After all it is free
wickyb wrote:
We're going out the end of Dec for our first family ski hol to La Plagne, staying in Belle Plagne. When I came to get the lessons booked today, I thought that the ESF there looked a bit on the pricey side and, indeed, the same set of courses at Bellecote works out around 25% less.
Didn't you know the costs of food/lunch/beer and more gets increasingly expensive the further up the mountain it is?
Besides if you are a beginner in BP you can get to have free rides in elevators (through the apartment blocks) rather than chair or drag lifts.
Yes the blue run down to bellecote from Belle plagne is pretty straightfoward - but it'd be a bit much for complete beginners, and whilst you'll be fine at 09:15 come 15:45-4:30pm it can get very busy as people roar through trying to get to the Arpette for a lift back towards Les Arcs..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Quote:
One thing you may want to check is that you are comparing on a like for like.
indeed - another difference might be that some are offering 6 days lessons (sometimes described rather oddly as "5 lessons plus one free"), others 5.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
wickyb, check that there isn't an offer you may be eligible for too, for example the ESF in Alpe d'Huez offer a 30% reduction for the third member of a family, maybe other ESFs offer similar discounts.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Hi there
This is my first post and will also be my first ski trip in over 10 years!
My girlfriend and I will arrive in Belle Plagne on New Years Eve and very excited. We have both pre booked lessons with ESF Belle Plagne (6 Days and 2.5 hours each morning.)
We are at slightly different levels of ability and I wondered if they test you before deciding which group to put you in? My girlfriend hasn't been on a skiing holiday in 25 years and only skiied once before. We went to the sno zone at MK recently (she had a lesson and I went straight onto the slope.) I found that I could do parallel turns straight away but my girlfriend was back to learning how to snow plough again.
We are going back to the sno zone in a couple of weeks and she will do about 5 hours lessons over the weekend so this will hopefully help her a great deal.
I'm just wondering how they group people? Im be no means an advanced skiier but I don't want to be with a group of beginners learning to do parallel turns again. The last time I went skiing I joined a friends group of intermediates (I was surprised that they were described as such when everybody seemed to be still doing snowplough turns) and after a few days I became very frustrated. I ended up taking my frustrations out one afternoon whilst skiing with some much more experienced skiers and down a black run, got a little too cocky and broke my colarbone/dislocated my shoulder!
Anyway - I'm a little older and more sensible but would like any advice you can give regarding lessons.
Thanks!
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.
Baron101, welcome to SH. If you have booked you and the girlfreind in the same level which it sounds like the case, and if your girlfreind doesn't catch up to your standard in the 5 hours lessons at MK. The the esf instructor will have two options one move you up to a higher Group or two move the girlfreind down to a lower Group. Im sure there will be plenty more Brits in the pack to talk to !. Have a good new year
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Thanks! We haven't actually spoken to ESF about our ability level - just paid for tuition through Crystal. I was expecting to be in a different group to my girlfriend just wondered how they normally group people. Are there quite a few different levels in the intermediate range?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Baron101, They have 4 Category's. 1 been snowplough turns. 2. been able to step turn ( bringing your skis parallel at the end of the turn). 3. continues parallel turns on Blues maybe reds. and 4. been able to ski blacks reds moguls all in parallel. If you want to be in the same group as the girlfreind say your at similar ability, but the instructor afetr 10 mins or so may have to move one of you up or down a level. If you find that the girlfreind is holding the whole group up then shes best surggesting to go into a lower group to be fair on th others . Depending on how many groups there is all depends an how many people have booked withy the ESF.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thats great thanks! I'd rather my girlfriend was in a group that she felt happy in which will probably be level 2 (the 5 hours we plan at sno zone should get her back to this level hopefully.) Reckon I am realistically level 3 as wouldn't fancy going straight back on to black runs.
That makes me feel much better as we should both find a level where we are happy and get both improve!
Thanks for the info
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Baron101, Good choice enjoy La Plagne, one tip get the Paradiski decouverte which gives you one day in Les Arc. Theres some nice tree runs over that side
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Cheers Cockofthenorth! We both have Paradiski passes. I know my GF probably wont get over to Les Arcs but it wasn't that much more so I figured it was worth giving it a go. Can't wait! I enjoyed just going to the Sno Zone so much that actually being back on a real piste again is going to be amazing! The next two months are going to feel like forever!
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?
Off topic but I really love La Plagne. I'm hoping to take Mrs B in March next year. We've always stayed Self catering in BP but the Terra Nova is calling me to Plagne Centre (Mrs B "tolerates" skiing so a bit of pampering wont go amiss). We usually DIY but a mate and I did a Thompson hol to BP last Jan and it was the easiest travel experience to a ski resort I've EVER done.
Its straight forward, a bit steep at the top for total beginners but it levels out. it takes 2 mins to get down to bellicote.
We statyed in Belle last year and i loved it. Make sure you take the Arpette chair out of bellicote and ski down to les coche, lovely tree lined runs on that side of the hill.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
The blue into Bellecote is reasonably steep from Belle Plagne and can be icy in the morning, bit of a challenge for the first run of the day unless you are confident on all blues.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Have a good new year 
. Depending on how many groups there is all depends an how many people have booked withy the ESF.
one tip get the Paradiski decouverte which gives you one day in Les Arc. Theres some nice tree runs over that side 
