Who offers ski hosting?

smartski wrote:

But if I understand correctly, the test case is not about going 'off-piste'. It is even about being a "Host" on-piste.

So if somebody goes out with a group (friends, uni students, met down the pub, met on a website :shock: ); and that person decides where the group goes, then to my mind they are doing exactly the same as a "Host".

It's a mine field!

Yes, this is my understanding too. If you are notionally, leading/organising/showing around a group in a resort on piste, they'd like you banned. Unless you are a qualified ski instructor, then the ESF will turn up with a Gendarme and try to have you arrested for teaching illegally.

The French authorities would really like you to hire a French ski instructor, or a French Mountain Guide to point out the piste markers, lifts, and where the free toilets are on the hill :roll:

I feel a middle digit twitching...... :twisted:

bandit wrote:

smartski wrote:

But if I understand correctly, the test case is not about going 'off-piste'. It is even about being a "Host" on-piste.

So if somebody goes out with a group (friends, uni students, met down the pub, met on a website :shock: ); and that person decides where the group goes, then to my mind they are doing exactly the same as a "Host".

It's a mine field!

Yes, this is my understanding too. If you are notionally, leading/organising/showing around a group in a resort on piste, they'd like you banned. Unless you are a qualified ski instructor, then the ESF will turn up with a Gendarme and try to have you arrested for teaching illegally.

The French authorities would really like you to hire a French ski instructor, or a French Mountain Guide to point out the piste markers, lifts, and where the free toilets are on the hill :roll:

I feel a middle digit twitching...... :twisted:

We will have to practice our "I am Spartacus" routine to protect AllyG when she is reading the piste map for us when we go to Tignes then :shock:

Probably all get locked up as a result tho :roll:

bandit wrote:

The French authorities would really like you to hire a French ski instructor, or a French Mountain Guide to point out the piste markers, lifts, and where the free toilets are on the hill :roll:

I feel a middle digit twitching...... :twisted:

And this is one of the reasons my group now prefer to look at other countries for our skiing. And a good job too, we had a fantastic time in Austria last season and are looking forward to returning this one. Italy and Switzerland have both proven to be great alternates as well.

felthorpe wrote:

bandit wrote:

smartski wrote:

But if I understand correctly, the test case is not about going 'off-piste'. It is even about being a "Host" on-piste.

So if somebody goes out with a group (friends, uni students, met down the pub, met on a website :shock: ); and that person decides where the group goes, then to my mind they are doing exactly the same as a "Host".

It's a mine field!

Yes, this is my understanding too. If you are notionally, leading/organising/showing around a group in a resort on piste, they'd like you banned. Unless you are a qualified ski instructor, then the ESF will turn up with a Gendarme and try to have you arrested for teaching illegally.

The French authorities would really like you to hire a French ski instructor, or a French Mountain Guide to point out the piste markers, lifts, and where the free toilets are on the hill :roll:

I feel a middle digit twitching...... :twisted:

We will have to practice our "I am Spartacus" routine to protect AllyG when she is reading the piste map for us when we go to Tignes then :shock:

Probably all get locked up as a result tho :roll:

Footage of Ally being arrested & carted off the piste by the gendarmes could be worth a fair bit on the open market & could cover the groups trip costs, so think carefully before adopting the "I am Ally" routine :evil:

There's a perfectly simple solution to this - I'll just qualify as a ski instructor. I mean, I've got 73 days before the holiday - that's plenty of time - nothing to it :wink:

And maybe I'd better delete that photo of me, on our group holiday thread, in case we have to move to plan b :lol:

Mind you, plan c sounds pretty good too - as long as I get a share of the money and I finally get out of prison! I think my holiday insurance covers legal fees :D

smartski wrote:

AllyG wrote:
And as for myself and the group I've been organizing - I've got no intention of going off-piste, or encouraging anyone else to do so. And to be quite truthful I don't think any of us are intending to go off-piste - I mean it's too much hassle hiring all the gear and carrying it and worrying about the state of the snow, the weather, the avalanche warnings etc. etc.

If anyone does decide they want to go off-piste I will advise them to hire a guide.

But if I understand correctly, the test case is not about going 'off-piste'. It is even about being a "Host" on-piste.

So if somebody goes out with a group (friends, uni students, met down the pub, met on a website :shock: ); and that person decides where the group goes, then to my mind they are doing exactly the same as a "Host".

It's a mine field!

The difference seems to be getting paid for it. Anyone leading the way but not getting paid for it isn't doing anything wrong.

This is all a bit crazy, ski hosts do a different job entirely to a guide. They don't teach or go off piste so they compliment the ski schools of guiding services not compete with them.
What's more they will be the same people who book ski school or a guide for their clients, so they risk biting the hand that feeds by stopping hosting.
I suspect that this companies hosting went far beyond orientation.

If anyone does want an off piste guide in Espace Killy, I can recommend a superb one.

Have been on the Neilson ski hosting in L2A before, they do, from memory, Cruise The Blues, Race the Reds and something to do with Blacks!!

I did the blues day, 2 Neilson resort staff to about 8 or 9 guests, they took us on a variety of runs - I went along, as I'd been to the resort before but with friends who'd been several times, and as the husband had taken to boarding this particular holiday, I was skiing pretty much on my own and wanted to refresh my memory about the runs without heading somewhere on my won I was unsure of.

Went back to L2A with Neilson again last season and pretty sure they were still offering it, think it tells you n the brochure which resorts they offer this but I may be wrong, a phone call to them would probably answer that question.

andyhull wrote:

smartski wrote:

AllyG wrote:
And as for myself and the group I've been organizing - I've got no intention of going off-piste, or encouraging anyone else to do so. And to be quite truthful I don't think any of us are intending to go off-piste - I mean it's too much hassle hiring all the gear and carrying it and worrying about the state of the snow, the weather, the avalanche warnings etc. etc.

If anyone does decide they want to go off-piste I will advise them to hire a guide.

But if I understand correctly, the test case is not about going 'off-piste'. It is even about being a "Host" on-piste.

So if somebody goes out with a group (friends, uni students, met down the pub, met on a website :shock: ); and that person decides where the group goes, then to my mind they are doing exactly the same as a "Host".

It's a mine field!

The difference seems to be getting paid for it. Anyone leading the way but not getting paid for it isn't doing anything wrong.

This is all a bit crazy, ski hosts do a different job entirely to a guide. They don't teach or go off piste so they compliment the ski schools of guiding services not compete with them.
What's more they will be the same people who book ski school or a guide for their clients, so they risk biting the hand that feeds by stopping hosting.
I suspect that this companies hosting went far beyond orientation.

If anyone does want an off piste guide in Espace Killy, I can recommend a superb one.

The Inghams web site seems pretty unequivocal:

"Meet the Pistes is a free orientation service offered to all Inghams guests in selected resorts. A great way to get your ski legs going and a good way to meet your fellow guests too! Don't miss it if you are travelling on your own, or if the other members of your group are busy on the nursery slopes or in ski school.

All we ask is that you can ski red runs confidently, but you do not need to be an 'advanced' skier. No instruction is given - that is strictly for the local skischool - but this is a great way to get a knowledgeable overview of the area, meet your Rep and fellow guests, and enjoy a great ski day out! Details will be supplied on arrival from your Resort Rep."

maybe thats why they are going after this other company as andyhull says..