Private ski lessons and kids' group lessons
Whatever your skill level, European Snowsport will help you make the most of your time on the mountains. We work hard to deliver the best private ski and snownboard lessons in all our resorts – Verbier, Zermatt, St Moritz, Chamonix, Nendaz and Val d’Isère – with instructors from around the world, who love to teach, have extensive local knowledge and speak your language.
See our ski lessons below or contact us to discuss your requirements.
Private
ski lessons
Personal, tailored tuition on your terms, either on your own or with friends. Start when and where you want, and whatever your level, our friendly qualified instructors with expert local knowledge will ensure that you have a great time. Whether you want a technical lesson or a look around, we are happy to meet up the evening before to talk it through.
ES Penguins
3-5 years
Happy kids make for an amazing holiday, and our qualified and dedicated instructors provide a safe and fun environment for your kids to fall in love with skiing. Goody bags, certificates and medals for all at the end of the week.
Kids Academy
6-12 years
Our instructors’ boundless energy and enthusiasm will match your kids’ excitement at hitting the slopes. They can expect fun, technical instruction, and to make friends with other children of similar age and level. At the end of their stay they will receive a goody bag, certificate and medal. We offer flexible solutions with as many days or half days as you want to take.
ES Freeski
11-17 years
A fun and instructive programme for 11-17 year old skiers which offers variety and challenge, including tricks in the park, bumps skiing, powder, mountain awareness and video feedback. Time spent with our experienced and responsible ES instructors keeps these skiers progressing and loving their skiing as they improve their understanding of the mountains.
Off piste
lessons
If you want to find the best snow and conditions, try skiing with one of our off piste qualified instructors. They specialise in helping you to find the best terrain and snow conditions. These resort experts can also help you with using the equipment you need to go off piste safely and with confidence. You can improve your technique in variable terrain and powder at the same time as exploring new parts of the resort.
Company
ski trip
Our resorts are the perfect places for a corporate visit; They have accessibility, the best skiing in the Alps on reliable snow, a wide range of accommodation, and a wealth of bars and restaurants in nice towns.
Ski
safari
This is our four-day, fully supported ski safari. Now in its second year, our ski safari will take you across three countries and eight ski resorts. The ski safari is for intermediate to advanced skiers. It is a fully guided ski tour and gives you the chance to explore some of the most famous ski areas in the world.
ES
Adaptive
The ES Adaptive Programme assists those with disabilities to embrace the thrill and freedom of the mountain. Whether a client has a sensory, cognitive or physical impairment, our experienced and qualified instructors can provide bespoke adaptive tuition, guiding and specialised equipment. We are passionate about providing the ultimate snow experience for everyone who wants to enjoy the mountains.
Instructors who come to you
It is our instructors’ mission that you really enjoy your holiday both on and off the slopes, and make the most of your time together. They are happy to meet in your chalet or hotel before your lessons commence to discuss exactly what you want and expect, and to share their extensive resort knowledge.
Fun and friendly instructors
Our multilingual instructors are carefully chosen not only for their excellent qualifications, but also for their fun, friendliness and adaptability; they are ‘your’ instructor for your time in resort. We train them intensively to our own standards so that they add fun and value to your holiday, and they are requested by return clients year after year.
Local
Knowledge
European Snowsport instructors know the mountain intimately so that you enjoy the best slopes and conditions possible on any day. They also have valuable local knowledge and can advise on the very best bars, restaurants and fun activities to enjoy once your ski or snowboard equipment is stowed away.
Kids group
ski lessons
Our kids’ lessons are strictly limited to groups of six, and four for Penguins, so each member receives loads of attention, instruction and supervision, and has fun while making fantastic progress – there’s no hanging around getting bored and cold in our kids’ lessons. They won’t be able to wait to see their friendly instructor and new friends again each morning.
Did you know that those people who take ski lessons are 20% more likely to become a lifelong skier than those who go it alone? Gentle guidance through those first few steps with an instructor can save you time and money, avoid unnecessary embarrassment and prevent injury. If you can already ski to a reasonable level, a lesson could give you the little push you needed to escape your most recent learning plateau.
Whether it’s the first time you’ve clipped into a ski binding or you’re looking for a way to tackle the moguls for the first time, an experienced instructor can ensure you stay safe and avoid picking up bad habits. Even if you don’t want to learn anything specific, hiring an instructor to guide you around the resort and show you the best runs and restaurants can make the most of your time on the mountain.
People learn in different ways, at different speeds. This becomes particularly apparent when progressing away from the beginner slope. A private lesson can be tailored flexibly to you. Take the lesson in the direction you want and discuss your goals with your instructor more closely. Private lessons do not have to be one-on-one either; with European Snowsport, the cost of a private lesson doesn’t go up if you add more people!
How long is a piece of string? There is always more to learn, so there is no set number. For some people having a week’s worth of lessons so they can ski from one hot chocolate stop to the next is just right. For others, a top up lesson on the first afternoon of a week’s holiday every year can be enough to get the legs going again.
If you already do other sports, you may be a natural! For some, the movements and balance needed for skiing may come quickly, in which case you may need a few introductory lessons to get started. For others, it may take a little longer. Either way, your first lesson will be spent getting used to the sensation of standing and sliding on your skis. Then you can begin to control your speed and direction.
A full day private lesson can be a fantastic kickstarter for your skiing. As a beginner, the first lesson can be tough on the legs, so it’s worth taking a few breaks throughout the day to keep yourself energised. It is entirely possible that by the end of the day you will have a good grasp of stopping on your skis and maybe turning too.
Skiing is an extreme sport, so it’s best to start in the right area on the mountain and know a little about the equipment to make the best use of it. Although it’s possible to muddle through these first steps without an instructor, it’s certainly not easy. Bad habits picked up along the way can have a knock-on effect later on, and they can be challenging to unpick later in the process.
Of course! It doesn’t matter what age you are or what experience you have. Everyone can learn to ski. It may take longer for some than others, but with the right guidance, anything is possible. We run many programmes that cater for all ages. We also teach sessions for adaptive skiers too so there’s no need to feel held back when you get onto snow for the first time.
Dry slopes are a great way to try out the basics back home before booking a holiday on snow. The material you learn on, however, is a little different to snow though. So although the technique is the same, it can be a change going from dry slope to snow. Luckily it is easier to ski on snow, making it quite a smooth transition.
We do not recommend it. But you can learn to ski while pregnant yes. There are safety concerns associated with skiing while pregnant. Many ladies request a gentle, patient instructor to help them learn. Skiing doesn’t have to be fast or scary, and you can learn well within your comfort zone and enjoy the experience!
Learning to ski is often a case of mind over matter. Anyone can learn, no matter their age. Here at ES, we teach little ones as soon as they can stand, all the way through to their grandparents who want to share a snow experience with their families. You are never too old to learn to ski.
Certainly! A week of lessons is an excellent way to get started. By the end of the week, you will be away from the beginner area, trying out chairlifts and seeing the sights on your skis. Everyone learns differently and at varying speeds but most people are delighted with how much they have achieved after their first week on the snow.
Dry ski slopes are a great way to get started when there’s no snow around. If it’s a concern of not enough snow out in resort then why not try some guaranteed snow resorts which are high enough to maintain proper conditions and have artificial snowmaking facilities? Resorts like Zermatt have some of the highest slopes in Europe meaning great conditions throughout the winter months – there’s even skiing in summer on the glacier!
Three days worth of private lessons should get you off to a good start. It’s long enough that you can start to work on your skills and with your instructor’s help, hone that muscle memory so that you can stand on your skis with confidence. Depending on how you take to the sport you may be up and out of the beginner area and exploring the mountain in no time.
No doubt! Learning to ski isn’t just for kids. Plenty of people pick up the sport at all ages, and there’s no time limit on it. Here at European Snowsport, we have a variety of instructors who can cater for any learner, confident or nervous. We make sure you can learn at your pace in a way that suits you.
Learning anything new is all about breaking it down into achievable steps. As long as these steps aren’t skipped or rushed, skiing is possible for anyone. We tend to come across learning plateaus and eureka moments throughout our skiing careers, it’s just important to recognise these moments for what they are.
Have you ever heard of the term “all the gear, no idea”? There’s no need to buy before you ski for the first time. It’s most important to be comfortable and warm. Proper ski socks and gloves, snow-proof trousers and a jacket and some layers underneath so you can adjust your temperature. Good goggles or sunglasses and high factor sun cream are a must too. Rental skis, boots and helmets will do you just fine to get started with.
That is entirely up to you! Skiing is a sport based on gravity, so it’s essential to learn the skills to control our speed and line. That way we can choose how fast we go. Taking lessons and starting on shallow, achievable slopes is the best way to get used to the sensation of sliding at a comfortable speed. Then as we improve our technique, we can increase the speed with confidence.
Speed is dependent on the type of slope we are on and our ability level. Olympic downhill racers can easily achieve speeds over 100km per hour! For most of us recreational skiers, we are more likely to travel around 20/30km per hour. What’s important is to travel at speeds within our ability level so that we can control our skis safely.
Skiing is great exercise! Those who ski are likely to increase their cardiovascular endurance, work on proprioception, strengthen lower body muscles, improve flexibility and receive a boost to their mood too! Skiing can also help you sleep better after a long day on the hill. Skiing is great for you!
Neither sport is more dangerous than the other. Both skiing and snowboarding come down to the person in control of the equipment, just like driving a car. Learning along the correct pathway with an instructor will ensure the safest way to do either sport. Both are great ways to enjoy the mountains!
It may come down to what you have done before. If you can already surf or skateboard, snowboarding may feel more natural for you. If you have tried ice skating or rollerblading, then skiing may be your sport. Some people like the security of having their feet attached together on a board, whereas others enjoy the independence of having two separate skis beneath them.
Not necessarily. If you learn in the right area, on a shallow beginners slope with the help of an instructor, learning to ski doesn’t need to be dangerous at all. It is always worth being aware of your surroundings and being vocal about your comfort zones. There are other people on the mountain too, so you need to keep an eye on what’s going on around you.