Beginner Ski Holidays

Thinking of going on your first Ski Holiday or Snowboard Holidays? You've come to the right place.

It can all seem a little daunting at first, there's a lot to plan and think about. It can seem a little more difficult if you'd like to go on a solo skiing holiday or if you are a single snowboarder. Where to even start?! That's what I'm here for though, to guide you through everything and I'm more than happy to answer even the smallest question or concern you might have.

I was a late joiner myself to the world of skiing, I did my first beginner ski holiday aged 27, and can still remember how confusing it all seemed at first. Maybe though this help me to relate better than most to help guide you through it all.

What is important to note, many of the chalet owners, visitors and workers in the resort, have skied for many, many years. They don't remember what it is like when your boots pinch too much, your thighs burn from too much snow ploughing and getting on a chairlift is genuinely a traumatic experience!

They also don't remember getting so exhausted you could fall over right there, how many bruises you pick up along the way and just trying to keep up with the group. Skiing for the first time is really hard work, but when it pays off - boy do you have something to write home about! Just check out the photos in the main part of the site of previous Pistepals trips!

Once you nail it, you have many years ahead of you of long lazy lunches, gorgeous sunny skies and groomed pistes, Vin Chaud stops with friends, meeting new people on chairlifts, snowball fights during apres ski, learning to carve and do moguls, being faster than all your friends (even the boys!), buying a fabulous ski outfit to match your ability, wearing big dark sunglasses, looking forward to owning your own sexy skis and boots - tailored to you, dancing in Buddha till late, still in your ski boots, getting up really early on a fresh powder day to get the fresh untouched snow, skiing with your poles tucked behind you at 50km per hour

I learnt only a few years ago, in Morzine, so I understand what you are going through, sitting there at home - thinking the same things you are right now about beginner skiing holidays or learning to snowboard ... "should I do this?" "what if I am rubbish at it?" "I don't even know what I need to take". I'm here to help you with all that, to introduce you to your instructor and make sure your first skiing experience is one you'll never forget.

So please don't hesitate to get in touch, I'd be more than happy to chat through the whole wonderful experience of learning to ski with you.

Special Beginners Weeks!

Fancy a chalet full of other beginners, all of you taking your first tentative slides down the pistes together? New for 2013 we are doing Beginner's weeks.

We've just set our first date as the week starting Saturday 19th Jan in Chalet Les Meuniers. We'd be more than happy to arrange the full package of Lift passes, ski lessons and equipment hire for you so everything would be ready and waiting for you on arrival. the costs are as follows;

6 x 2.5 hr morning lessons plus local lift pass (6 days) £200
(Please note this is only available through ESF. If you choose to use another ski school you won't be with the rest of the group and will have to pay the costs separately - for example BASS (native English speakers) runs an 8 hour course (ESF is 15 hours) for £159 plus the lift pass of approx £122. However you are entirely free to book your own ski school. Skiing is not hard to pick up - the basics are pretty simple so I personally feel it's better getting the 15 hours under your belt than paying the extra for a native English speaker. This will become more important as an improver but for the moment - ESF will do a grand job - I used them myself to learn.