J2Ski group holiday to Tignes January 13th 2013

AllyG wrote:

The Ski Club of GB currently have a deal with a ski school called insideoutskiing.com at The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead, so that I can do my first technique course with them for only £49, after a 50% discount.

The day course consists of three 90 minute coaching sessions with video analysis, breaks for tea and lunch, and free recreational ski-ing afterwards. The whole day is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. And hire of skis and boots is included in the price.

So, the street price is around £100 for 4.5 hours tuition on a group basis?

Do you buy your slope pass on top of that? What day of the week is this running, will you get priority on the lifts?

Sounds fantastic Ally - just what I need as a year is too long to go for me inbetween skiing. I loose confidence at the begining of each holiday this would be ideal. Have you booked yet - when are you going ? Thanks so much for the link. Will look into it.

Bandit and Lizzie-B,
Here is the part about the skills clinics:

http://www.insideoutskiing.com/uk/skills.html

I am booked on to the Skills for Steep Terrain on Monday 12th November, and there seem to be plenty of places left. The full price is £99. Obviously this particular course is not meant for beginners, and they have their own ability level scoring. I put myself down as being a level 8, rightly or wrongly. I do seem to temporarily forget how to ski, from one year to the next, and start off snow-ploughing, so I thought this would give me a head start when we get to Tignes.

If anyone wants to join me on this course they will be very welcome :D

I'm sure the lift pass is included in the price, but I don't know about priority access to the lifts. I think they told me over the phone exactly what the day consisted of. Their phone number is 0845 890 7979 if you want to check the details. And this is what they said in their e-mail to me:

"Thank you for booking for a Skills Clinic at the Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead.

Please arrive at least 30 minutes early to get your pass, boots/equipment and
change. On arrival at the Snow Centre please report to Reception on the 1st
Floor to collect your pass. Reception staff will have your name, which will be
part of the "Inside Out Skiing" group. Your slope pass will be valid from
9.00am to 6.00pm. You are welcome to have a few warm up runs before the clinic
if you wish, and to practice after the clinic has finished.

We will meet at 10.00am at Bench 1 in the changing/technical area. Please be
ready to ski, with boots and skis already issued. Your coach will be wearing a
light blue jacket or hoodie with Inside Out Skiing logos.

The course fee includes all kit hire if you need it, but obviously you are
welcome to use your own equipment if you want to. Helmets are optional, and can
be hired free of charge from the Snow Centre if you wish to use one. During the
course we will take some video clips of your skiing to use during feedback. If
you would like to take a copy of the video clips please bring a USB memory stick
with you. Parking at the Snow Centre is free. Storage lockers are available
in the changing area, and require a £1 coin (which is refunded) to use them."

Sorry just saw this is on your Tignes trip thread should have PM'd you.Just to keep on topic I agree with all the others that have said what a great job you have done in making the J2ski Tignes holiday possible, (if it keeps going maybe could join you when not school holiday bound). You have been a fountain of knowledge Ally and I am sure it has also been useful for anyone else considering going to Tignes.

Thanks for the ski clinic info

Thanks AllyG, I wasn't considering attending any of this company's events, but was more interested in their charges and slope priorities. I tend to stick with one performance coach and their system to avoid confusion.

Lizzie-B wrote: You have been a fountain of knowledge Ally and I am sure it has also been useful for anyone else considering going to Tignes.

Thanks Lizzie-B :D

I realize not many people can come with us on this trip, for one reason or another, so I am trying to include information etc. which other people who are going on different holidays to Tignes, will find relevant. Plus, some information which skiers/boarders in general will find useful.

And on that note, I have just checked the Saturday to Saturday indirect ski train prices for 5th January to 12th and a return is now only £129, in case anyone who isn't coming on this holiday is interested.

Bandit - I know what you mean about different coaching styles. I have had a great many ski instructors over the years and they all seem to vary slightly in their ideas - particularly the 2 English ones as compared with the French ones I have mainly had. I guess I pick the ideas I like, and can carry out, and ditch the rest :lol:

I have now ordered my 8 day Espace Killy lift pass and Carre Neige insurance from Bonjour. The lift pass costs 276 euros for 8 days (currently £224) and 235 euros for 6 days. They will have this ready waiting for me in the chalet when I get there, and I don't have to pay for it until then.

It's priced in euros so I hope the exchange rate doesn't get worse, although I suppose if it starts to go downhill I could always cancel with Bonjour and buy it myself, directly on here:

http://www.skipass-tignes.com

The current Visa exchange rate can be viewed here:

http://www.visaeurope.com/en/cardholders/exchange_rates.aspx


I usually do buy the Carre Neige insurance because it's so cheap. I think it's only 2.80 euros per person per day, and it means you won't have to produce your credit card or cash on the spot in order to be rescued (which has happened to some people).

This year I bought snowsports insurance through the Ski Club of GB from P.J. Hayman, and when I was reading the small print I found that the excess for search and rescue is £250. So I e-mailed them and asked if I could claim from the Carre Neige instead, if necessary, and they said that would be fine as long as I didn't try to claim from both.

However, I also e-mailed Diot who are the insurers for the Carre Neige, on behalf of the group to clear up a few queries. It seems that only people who live in France can utilize the cancellation part of this insurance. And although CatP, who lives in the U.S. can buy this insurance she will not be eligible for free repatriation back home. It only covers repatriation back to Europe.