J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by skifun

Tony_H wrote:
Don't you fancy the wall then?

Funnily enough, no - not after watching the YouTube videos of it.

Thanks for the replies! Just off to buy my Euros now.

Title says it all. We're staying in Chatel next week, but hope to ski into Switzerland (absolutely NOT doing the Swiss Wall).

Do we need Swiss francs if we want to stop off for a hot chocolate, or will a credit card and Euros suffice?

thanks!

Where abouts are you going to be staying in Chatel?

It's an apartment at Chemin des Ruisseaux.

We'll give it a go - 007 theme tune on my iPod, should be no problem.

Very envious that it's your commute to work Snowb4ndit!

Do you know what time the buses start running from Chatel to the first lift? We think it's not until 8.30, which wouldn't give us enough time, but we'll be able to drive to the lift if so.

Excellent news, many thanks!

We're thinking of trying out the ski club of GB guiding service in Avoriaz while in Chatel next month - but, would it be possible to get to Avoriaz by 9.30am on skis from Chatel?

We will have a car with us, so could drive if not.

Alternatively, would anyone recommend a guiding service based in Chatel?

Thank you!

Ian Wickham wrote:What was the issue with them with your Young uns ??

This was very many years ago - young 'un is now in university - but we were put off by the large class sizes the ESF ran, and the fact that you'd see crying children all over the mountain with little sympathy from ESF instructors - difficult for them to attend to one fallen child when there were so many in their groups.

So, we booked a private lesson for our 5-year-old and agreed where to meet the instructor afterwards. His English was patchy to say the least, and was nowhere to be seen when we turned up to collect her.

After some frantic searching, we discovered her in a lift hut - perfectly happy as the liftie was giving her sweets - but we weren't so thrilled at her being abandoned - and it was Andorra for the next 3 or 4 times for us with excellent English speaking instructors who the kids had lots of fun with.

By the time we returned to France, there was more competition amongst ski schools, so other ones to choose from rather than ESF - but, as I said, I think as a result of the competition, the ESF have had to raise their game too.

Thanks Ian - you promised to respond to my cry for information, and have come good!

A friend and I are off there on 28 Feb for six days - anyone else around at the same time?

Very glad to hear little W did so well - we found the ESF unsympathetic with our children when they were small, and decamped to Andorra for a few years where the ski school there was superb - but that was quite a few years ago.

I suspect the ESF have had to raise their game with so much competition (at the time our kids were small, the ESF had a French closed-shop which was overturned by law).