tignesie-tots.com | Quality Childcare in Tignes

Rachel gives her rundown on ski schools in resort and offers advice on making lessons a success…

There are a number of options available to you in resort but remember that the success of a class is often down to the instructor and not a particular ski school. To make matters more difficult, instructors will often change the ski school they work through from season to season. It has to be said that not all instructors enjoy teaching children and that the ‘French way’ is somewhat different to our approach. If you are unhappy with your teacher then it’s always worth asking for your child to be moved into a different class.

If you particularly like an instructor then ask for some details so you can make contact directly in following years – you will probably have to book through the ski school they are with, but with a little notice the schools will happily reserve a named instructor.

Featured Instructors
Sarah Musson is a British female ski instructor working with Evolution 2 in Tignes. A perennial favourite with holidaymakers, we talked to her about lessons for children. You can read more here.

We've also been talking to Stuart Bernard about his experiences working in Tignes with BASS (British Alpine Ski and Snowboard School) and Ski Focus and you can read more here.

So what are your options?
Firstly you need to decide if you would like your child to have private or group lessons. The main differences between these are the price and the length of time that the classes last.

Private lessons are perfect for children who respond better to receiving the personal touch and many English instructors would always recommend private tuition for children under the age of 5. Lessons can accommodate a maximum of 3 children and usually cost from 45€ per hour. The lessons can last as long as you require but I would recommend no longer than 2 hours for young children in a one to one session.

Group lessons are fabulous for confident children who make friends easily and are relatively independent. Classes should cater for no more than 8 children at one time but in busy periods it is likely that this will be exceeded – it’s always good to check with the ski school what their policy is on group sizes and ratios of instructors to children.

Being a large, family oriented resort, Tignes and its ski schools will almost certainly be able to offer a group lesson to suit your child’s level. Also, it may be that your child will be moved into a different group during the week to suit his or her skills and experience.

Below is a list of the ski schools offering children’s lessons in Tignes. Again, the individual instructor can make or break the lessons and as such I wouldn’t recommend one particularly above any other.

Based in Le Lac and Val Claret they take children from as young as 3 years old in groups of 8-10. They have a designated ski area on the piste where it’s safe for youngsters to learn. It offers small drag lifts and colourful, animated animals in order to keep the children’s interest. Bouncy castles and outdoor play equipment are also available to the children.

Marmottons offer morning sessions from 9-11.45am with or without lunch, afternoon sessions from 1.45-5pm as well as full days from either Sunday to Friday or Monday to Friday. You can hire skis, boots and helmets from the Marmottons shops located in Le Lac and Val Claret.

In our experience the best thing about Marmottons is how appealing the ski lesson area is to children. They are centrally located in Le Lac but slightly less central in Val Claret where they are perhaps a 10 minute walk up the side of the Bolin piste. Their instructors work solely with children throughout the season and they usually speak English well. There is a small hut on site with a toilet and you can leave your children’s skis there from one lesson to the next.

At the end of the week they have an awards ceremony when your child will receive a badge and certificate and this is included in the price of the lessons.

ESF offer both group lessons and private lessons to children over the age of 4. Similar to Marmottons they have a designated ski area with a small drag lift and animated characters for children to ski around and under. Private lessons can also take place in these areas if suitable.

Kindergartens are based centrally in Le Lac and Val Claret offering half day sessions from 9-12pm and 1.30-4.30pm as well as full days for 5 or 6 days.

At the end of the week your child will be presented with a certificate and badges can be purchased from the ESF office.

Evolution 2 also offers both group and private lessons to children over the age of 5. However they do not have a private designated area specifically for young children hence why I would not recommend young beginners join their lessons.

Classes meet at central locations in Le Lac and Val Claret and they will provide helmets for children. Lessons are offered mornings and afternoons or for full days.

Evolution 2 also offer a host of alternative activities such as horse riding and husky dog sledging which children thoroughly enjoy.

British Alpine Ski School (BASS)
www.britishskischool.com/
Tel UK: +44 (0)709 2206321
Tel France: +33(0)679 512405

BASS offers private a group lessons (although a minimum number is required) for children aged 4 years and upwards.

BASS offers you qualified English instructors who are able to adapt to teaching young children as well as adults.

They do not have a designated area for children to ski, instead they use the free nursery slopes and drag lifts when children are competent enough to use them.

In our experience the best thing about BASS is their approach to children and the flexibility that they can offer especially if you hire an instructor for a week to cater for all ages within your party.

Alliance are the only British snowboarding specialists in Tignes and come highly recommended by my husband and brother-in-law! Alliance will normally take children from age 8 and once they have mastered skiing. In our experience the best things about Alliance are the friendly, flexible instructors and the innovative teaching methods. Perhaps one for Mums and Dads as well!

Ultimate Snowsports
www.ultimatesnowsports.com/
Tel UK (May to November): +44 (0)777 269 0746
Tel France (November to May): +33 (0)624 714 401

There's a new ski school in town called USS. Matt, Simon and Sean are fully qualified instructors, young and enthusiastic, they have a good understanding of learning through play and they guarantee small class sizes for youngsters.

Preparing for ski school
• Ensure that the ski school has your contact number in case they need to contact you or your Tignesie Tots nanny.
• Be realistic about what your child can achieve on their first day, they may be tired after travelling to resort, however be persistent - it is not wise to skip lessons.
• Not all children enjoy ski school so be prepared to have a back up plan.
• Offer your child a rest in the afternoon at the beginning of the week. Learning to ski is hard work!
• Supply your child with a 30+SPF suncream and lipsalve, tissues and a snack. Remember undoing zips with mittens on can be difficult!
• Beginners do not need ski poles (one less thing to carry) but it is recommended that children wear a helmet whilst skiing and this is particularly essential if they progress to using lifts.
• Good quality sunglasses or goggles are essential to protect children’s sensitive eyes from the sun. They can be bought in resort for around €25.
• Take a small rucksack with a spare change of clothes just in case of an accident. A favourite comforter is useful to cheer little ones up.
• Ski school can involve a lot of standing around so children can get cold quickly particularly before the sun has had a chance to warm up the nursery slopes. Good quality clothing is essential to keep children smiling and remember, if the weather is no fun for adults to ski in then assume that your children aren’t having much fun either!
• Ski passes are free to children under 5 years of age but they are not needed until your child progresses beyond the nursery slopes, check with your ski school to see if you will need one later in the week. You won’t need a picture for the pass, but you will need proof of age such as a passport.

We like to chat to the instructors in resort and get their opinon on teaching children. Read what Sarah had to say here and check back for more instructor's words throughout the season!

Ski Schools and Private Tuition in Tignes