Resort jobs tips and advice

Hi all!

My boyfriend and I are both planning to give up our 'stable well paid' jobs to go give chalet hosting a go in France. We have never done a ski season but have decided that we have enough catering skills, language skills (I'm currently a languages teacher!!) and more than enough enthusiasm for running our own business to get us up and running once we get out there. However for obvious reasons we are a little nervous about the complete change in lifestyle.

We have planned to do a season working for a company as a chalet couple but we are not too sure whether this is a good idea or not.

Has anyone ever done a season for a company as a warm up for own catered chalet? Has anyone had a similar light bulb moment and realised that if you want to try your hand at something completely different and you can you should??

Also we will be renting out our house in UK whilst over in France with the view to staying in France longer than 1 season. What is the property market like in the Alps? Google tells me prices are high and oppportunities are far and few between!! Options we have are buy our own property or lease a chalet for running our business?

Apologies for length of post but we are trying to get as much advice as possible from people in the know as our respective families think we are crazy and having a late twenties crisis!!!

Thanks :)

Hi,
Some positives and negatives for you to consider ...
I think you absolutely MUST go and try out the Alps for a season (or more) before committing all your UK life to a foreign country.
A season is such a different proposition to enjoying a week or two's holiday. I did 9 seasons in total (admitedly many years ago) and the best I can say it is the hardest I have ever worked and amazingly rewarding but also terrible frustrating at times.
Silver Ski (I think) is a good company looking for couples to run their chalets - could be a good start.
The catered chalet market is extremely competitive with many big players in the field who cost things out in a way that a sole operator would be unable to manage. There was a TV reality show a couple of years ago about running a chalet (anyone remember it - I can't remember the title) pretty sure the upshot was that to expect to cover costs in the first year is unlikely, so you would need cash behind you.
Do do everything you can to keep some sort of base in the UK, financially, otherwise you could get stuck abroad with no realistic way of returning and rejoining the UK housing market.

So .....
Go for it - so glad I did! :D
But be really cautious about commitment until you are certain.
Do a season or two for someone else - you will find out if you like it and learn an enormous amount (at someone elses expense) and don't forget to think about what you will do in the summers.
Hope this helps.
Andy

Hi Andy

Thanks so much for the very detailed post.
Seems our plan to go it alone first off after having never done a season is far too ambitious and very risky in terms of money.
would be interested to know what that reality show was called as I have a vague memory of it but may be confusing it with grand designs or some other similar property show where the couple totally renovated a chalet etc.
We are planning for the 2012/2013 season so still have a lot of time to consider all the pros and cons.
We will definitely give it a go as I think we would end up regretting not trying it out for size :)

Thanks again!!

P.S. will look up that recommendation - have heard the name but don't know much about them....will get googling!

I dredged something from my memory as I also saw a reality tv prog about a couple setting up a ski chalet.
I think it was called No going back.
If I'm right this is them.
http://www.demipiste.com/
best of luck...

thanks for that Dids1 - you are spot on!
Looking at their website they have obviously done extremely well since the programme although the enormity of what we want to do bites you hard when you see such a well-established business :cry:

However it is also good to see it can work with the right tools, hard work and a lot of grit and determination so my optimism levels have not been too badly damaged!!

:D

I totally agree with Andy - working at least one, preferably more, seasons for a specialist chalet operator before tryting to go it alone. You'll get to learn what works and what doesn't, whether to operate to a strict budget, or go more luxurious for minimal extra cost.

I also think you'll learn far more from a specialist chalet operator than a mass market company such as Crystal etc. Their business model is too different to the one you will need to use.

I worked for 3 seasons for Silver Ski, but there are lots of specialist operators who would be good choices too. Meribel, Courchevel, Val d'Isere and Verbier are 'THE' chalet resorts in which to work and learn your trade.

Be very realistic about your occupancy rates in your first couple of seasons. also find out about the extra revenue sources - lift pass commissions, ski hire, etc.....

Good luck!

Are you looking to eventually buy a place in France/Switzerland? The programme mentioned was one of a number where the migrants were able to fully-fund the purchase of a chalet i.e. no mortgage costs. Even then, they couldn't generally make it pay for some years, if at all - and this was at a time where the exchange rate with the Euro/SwissFr was 20%-30% better than now. If you are going to need a mortgage, then you'll have to convince a local bank that you have a viable business plan. If you don't have a track-record then this'll be difficult - hence, I imagine, your strategy of a year or two spent managing somewhere, so that you can establish your credentials.

Good for you .... give it a go :thumbup: