End to ski hosting in France

Well, it's a heck of a lot easier to ski being led by someone who knows where they are going and has been there several times before than reading a piste map in an unfamiliar resort. Skiing time is maximised, and, on the point of being in company rather than alone, it does make some people feel more secure; apart from being simply more fun. Of course, there are occasions when people may prefer to ski alone. I've done both and enjoy both, depending on the circumstances and on my mood.

Some parts of some resorts can be quite empty and desolate at times, and, particularly for a single lady skier, (but not only them of course) can be a bit unnerving - not on account of skiing conditions, but simply because of the seeming remoteness. I see no harm in informal, unofficial guiding by travel reps, who all make it clear that they assume no responsibility, accept no payment, give no instruction, but are simply guiding a group around.

verbier_ski_bum wrote:
Why exploring alone will be more risky if you can ski and certain that you don't need lessons? The whole idea of lessons is to make skiers independent and free in their choice of terrain because they can handle it well. If conditions or grading of a certain slope worry you you do need lessons. It's a very strange comment because everyone can benefit from a lesson. Even ski instructors of high level go on courses to maintain proficiency.

Seriously? I am sure you are just trying to get a rise out of me.


YES, i agree that everyone at some point will take value from instruction.
But when we go away my family go on a skiing HOLIDAY. That means we go and enjoy ourselves, we do what we want.
I've never heard my wife tell her friends we of off on a skiing course.

We have taken lessons, we are all at a certain standard and we would like to enjoy and consolidate all our hard work for a while before moving on. We will take further lessons when we are ready to take the next step... After morning ski school don't instructors tell you to go away and practice?

As for skiing alone: I think the point is that there is safety in numbers and i don't mean technically. Just having people around you should an accident happen is a warm security blanket. People have accidents all the time, expert or beginner.....Perhaps Lindsey Vonn should have been taking lessons instead of racing that day?

Basically the argument is pointless. The Law states that to provide mountain hosting a person should be adequately qaulified. I always thought that for tourists it's either accept the laws of their host country or go elsewhere. Writing petitions to foreign govetnments asking them to revise the law is just pathetic. Just as leaving stupid comments on ESF facebook page - but this is actually quite entertaining to read, how sad people might get after all and how seriously they might be taking themselves. Why people just cannot get on with it? You will get your guiding in one way or the other, be it by a qualified person, or by a host who will give you directions and organise meeting points etc. I am sure that for whom skiing is mainly a social event will also find the way to socialise more. This is not such a big deal than you guys are trying to make out of it.

I've no intention of petitioning anybody nor writing anything on an ESF facebook page. As previous correspondents have posted, this is all about loot - the French have spied a way of cashing in on what was a free service to many visitors. It's old-fashioned protectionism, pure and simple. The safety argument is spurious - and a smokescreen.

Oh well, never mind, off to Austria in 13 days! :)

Completely with VSB. Middle class Britain would be up in arms, even make TV programs about plumbers, builders etc not being registered or qualified. Cannot see any logic why this is different. You may be on holiday but for people who work in the mountains it's their profession being undermined by effectively cheap labor. This has nothing to do with Nationality and never has, is about the French government respecting the standards they have requested. People have invested time and money to reach these standards and deserve governments full support. Chalets can still provide a service they will just need to be qualified as mountain guide or ski instructor. Amazingly this will not just apply to British tour operators as some people seem to suggest.

I am going ski-ing again in just over a week, and I was very much looking forward to the ski hosting, because I had so much fun last time.

As a result of this ruling I imagine this will now be cancelled. So an element of the holiday that I would very much have enjoyed is no longer available :cry:

I will be ski-ing with a group of friends, but none of us are particularly knowlegeable about the resort. Therefore, I know full well that we will waste ski-ing time whilst we look at piste maps, go to the wrong lifts, accidentally end up in very expensive restaurants, go down runs in the afternoon that would have been better in the morning etc. etc.

I am not a very bad skier, but I still don't feel safe ski-ing on the mountain on my own, and I very much prefer to ski in a group. Plus, of course, there is the social side to it all - which I very much enjoy.

And I simply do NOT believe that it is more dangerous for me to ski in a group with a ski host, than to ski on my own.

AllyG wrote:I am going ski-ing again in just over a week, and I was very much looking forward to the ski hosting, because I had so much fun last time.

As a result of this ruling I imagine this will now be cancelled. So an element of the holiday that I would very much have enjoyed is no longer available :cry:
I will be ski-ing with a group of friends, but none of us are particularly knowlegeable about the resort. Therefore, I know full well that we will waste ski-ing time whilst we look at piste maps, go to the wrong lifts, accidentally end up in very expensive restaurants, go down runs in the afternoon that would have been better in the morning etc. etc.

I am not a very bad skier, but I still don't feel safe ski-ing on the mountain on my own, and I very much prefer to ski in a group. Plus, of course, there is the social side to it all - which I very much enjoy.

And I simply do NOT believe that it is more dangerous for me to ski in a group with a ski host, than to ski on my own.

What are you gonna do Ally, Cancel the holiday or get on with it and have a good time :shock:

I have cancelled my holiday Ian. I am going to stay home for the week instead and write letters to all the politicians and newspapers about it :wink:

I am really VERY annoyed about it. I mean, I have had loads of group lessons with the ESF. I am NOT one of those skiers who uses the group hosting as a cheap way of getting a lesson. I LIKE the ESF and their group lessons. BUT I also like the ski hosting. They are totally different things. I would also be very annoyed if they said no-one was allowed to have any more ski lessons with the ESF.

What I am angry about is having an option taken away from me for a reason which does not make any sense to me (my safety) :evil: