Val Thorens – Where to stay for easy access to ski school?
Posted on August 18, 2020
Two seasons ago, we booked a really special residence for our Christmas week holiday. It was in a ski-in/ski-out location on a nice cruisy blue run. No lugging of equipment to reach the white stuff for us! We imagined leisurely mornings with the kids, munching on fresh pastries and enjoying our coffee before strolling onto the piste and down to ski school for our 9.15am start! We felt smug!
We had booked into our usual ski school as they had impressed us year after year with their class sizes and enthusiastic instructors. Sadly, on this occasion, we hadn’t done our research and didn’t realise that to reach our ski school we would have to take two magic carpets, traverse across the piste and then take a third magic carpet. We arrived daily, dripping with sweat, with moaning kids and just in time for the class departure….by the skin of our teeth!
We survived, of course, but decided it was about time we put this experience to your use by compiling a brief guide to Val Thorens’ most popular ski schools, and which of our residences are in the most practical locations to access them…..
What they say…… “We’ve been coaching since 1998 and have 18 ski schools across resorts. We’ve spent a long time helping people develop technique, build confidence, and have fun in their skiing and snowboarding. You’ll be taught by an excellent, qualified teacher (not just a great skier or snowboarder) and go away with some great skiing and snowboarding skills as well as memories.
Our Val Thorens Ski School has been in action since 2014. The Val Thorens team are all highly experienced and fully qualified and teach all level of skiers or boarders from cautious first-timers through to off-piste adventurers!”
We say……We hear consistently good feedback on New Gen, their energetic instructors and the group sizes. They are well located in resort and can be easily accessed by several of our Val Thorens’ residences. If ease is your thing, then you can’t go wrong looking at Residence Village Montana as the New Generation meeting point is right in front of the building. It would also be well worth considering Montagnettes Soleil, Le Cheval Blanc and even Le Hameau du Kashmir (terrace pictured below) and l’Oxalys, the latter two just needing a short ski down and one magic carpet ride….not so bad!
What they say…. “Our seasoned experts offer group and private ski and snowboard lessons taught in English and French as well as off-piste guiding for both children and adults. Poles apart from traditional tuition, our down-to-earth instructors know how to get the most out of every pupil. Whether you’re in a group or one-on-one, a complete beginner or seasoned pro, our inspiring teaching techniques makes learning to ski feel so good. So strap in, jump ‘on-board’ and prepare to love this stunning valley as much as we do.”
We say…… A favourite amongst The Ski Company clients, the small groups are great and children return with big grins and a love of the sport. Their Val Thorens meeting point is set slightly away from the other schools just in front of the hotel Le Fahrenheit7 above the Castor & Pollux magic carpet by the brightly coloured flags. You would be well placed to consider Montagnettes Lombarde (pictured below) and Le Val Chaviere for a very easy morning start or enjoy wonderful Residence Koh-I-Nor and ski down the blue Plein Sud to reach the meeting point.
What they say…… “Whatever your desires and your level, the ESF Val Thorens instructors, as ski professionals, will share with you their enthusiasm and their perfect knowledge of the 3 Valleys ski area. In Val Thorens, the instructors are ski technicians and teachers with whom you will progress in complete safety. They are also ambassadors of their country, mountain men and women, who will be keen to share with their customers much more than a ski lesson.”
We say…… The original French ski school, instantly recognisable on the mountains. The groups tend to be larger than the newer ski schools, but the instructors are experienced, and they are usually a more competitively priced option. They have different meeting points for different classes, but majority of classes meet at the top of the Campagnols magic carpet. Ability depending, you can ski directly to this point from nearby Le Val Chaviere (pictured below) and Montagnettes Lombarde or ski straight down the blue ‘Plein Sud’ from Les Balcons de Val Thorens and Les Balcons Platinium.
Check out The Ski Company website for our growing range of self-catered apartments in Val Thorens and speak to one of the team to make sure you pick the right option for you this season.
