aharwood wrote: 8)Hi guys, In response. Have skied throughout Europe and have settled on Austria for last few years because where we stay in the Sports complex really suits our kids as they are able to play sport 'till their hearts content, even after a full day on the slopes. The accommodation is excellent as is the food. Finally, I take large group parties to Austria (30 - 40 young people) In France we have been unable to get instruction for the whole day. I have only found ski schools who will do 2 X 2 hour slots with unsupervised lunch. Sometimes they want 2 hours between lessons. On occasions they can't start the lesson untill 11.00am so we have to manage 40 beginners until then! Our first visit to Austria was a revelation. They start when we want them to, and ski with their group all day, with a supervised lunch to help them order etc. Their preparation for ski instructors is very intensive including a second language, local geology, flora and fauna etc so they are very knowledgable. They obviously have a grading system depending upon the level of the learner. 1st level can only teach beginners up to plough/braking turns, level 2 up to basic parallel...etc.
Will no doubt go back to France as I love the food and language and the French people, but not impressed with instruction experiences. When carvers first arrived on the scene, took a private one to one in France with an instructor at some expense. His methodology was....'Follow me'.... I came back with very little feedback or technical imput, partly because his English was not very good and his main goal seemed to be to show me how fast he could ski. My French was ok conversationally but he could have used other teaching methods to get instruction across. So all in all Austria suits my needs just now while kids are skiing with me and also the needs of the large groups I take across.
There is the odd exception but I have always found the French instructors to be very good, I normally request a female as I find them better teachers :wink:
