Do not whine, so skating: children’s ski schools

Not so long ago, in France, a sociological survey was conducted, which showed that the overwhelming majority of the French did their first steps on skiing in the resort of La. In this rainer, the spacious zone of skiing, indeed, a lot of gentle broad tracks, perfectly suitable for learning, so it’s not surprising that the whole six ski schools settled here. In addition, training slopes are clearly zoned and surrounded by reliable fences to calm students. About how it works in the resort.

– Thierry, do you learn how to ride skiing only children?

No, in the twenty-five years in the profession, I got enough experience and with adults, and with children.

– Who do you like to do?

I like to study with students when they enjoy the process, and it happens with adults, and with children. But in general, the children work easier and more efficiently – they instantly grab, easily repeat movement for me and, as a rule, nothing is afraid. In adults, there are always so many questions, they need to figure out everything in everything – in general, adults are able to complicate their lives. By the way, I noticed that many Russian skiers have a very good technique, but there is a tangible fear of a steep slope of the tracks. This is also from my head, I see that the technique allows them to come down without any problems from such trails.

– Is there a Russian-speaking instructors in your school?

In La plan, four branches of the ESF school – in Plagne Center, in Plagne Villages, in Plagnes 1800 and Plagne Soleil. In these branches, about 180 instructors work, of which only one Russian-speaking. But in general, we do not have language problems when working with children. We have a phrasebook with important phrases like: "You cold?" or "Are you tired" etc. The technique is always easier to show on yourself, children quickly understand that they are required of them. As for communication with each other, the children of the whole world do not have any difficulties due to the difficulty of translation.

– How old do you take children to school?

For the youngest, we have two groups – the initial Piou-Piou ("Chicken") for kids from 3 years old and Ourson ("Bear") for children from 5 years. Each group usually deals from 6 to 12 people. And if last year your child passed the course "Pew Pew", For the next year, we recommend again to give it to one or two days in the initial group so that it can adapt to the new dimensions of his body. You understand that there is a huge difference between a three-year-old and four-year apartment that can sometimes reach ten centimeters of growth. Your baby will not forget the technique since last year, it just should smoothly adapt to his new. During the passage of the two these levels, children will have to pass eight tests for gradually mastered ski skills. According to the results of the exams, they will receive medals with the heroes of our school – Blansso Zaita, Suslik Sifflote, Wolf Garol and Chicken Titurson.

– What, in your opinion, the optimal age in order to put a child on skis?

It seems to me that three years – quite suitable age to start. And it is better to start with the instructor, and not with parents, because, firstly, the children behave in a completely different way with her mother and dad (we even advise parents not to attend our lessons), and secondly, because that parents themselves immediately require rapid progress from children, and this is fundamentally not correct. At first, it is important to play all this – to walk in the boots of the robot gait, play skiing, sow in the snow. Do not demand from your child Olympic records at once, let him have to have fun and get used to skiing on the legs. The advantage of our training slopes is that several of them are located directly next to the kindergarten or playroom in a wooden house. Children who are tired or for some reason are not tuned to ride anymore, can go with the educator to play or repose – the classroom is always there an assistant instructor who is ready to take a child in the toilet and calm the crying (so that his sadness caught the whole group). Kindergarten at Plagne Center station is equipped with a bedroom, so that there are the smallests can sleep.

– How long is the training course?

To begin with, you can take a trial first lesson (3.5 hours in the morning or after lunch) and only after sign up for a weekly course. It seems to me that a week at school is a maximum for the first experience in the mountains.

– Do parents need to somehow prepare in advance to the child’s learning ski skirt?

Special preparation is not required. If you want to practice stamina in a child before traveling to the mountains, run up with it up the stairs. When decide on the dates of the trip, book yourself a place in the group on our site. Well, just before the first lesson, make sure that they have gathered a backpack with sunscreen and glasses, spare mittens and nutritional snacks like chocolate or banana.

Price of group classes with an instructor excluding equipment: from 30 euros for half a day and from 166 euros for six morning classes.