[Closed] Ski seasonairre

Doing a what?

I did a ski seasonnaire once. She was lovely. Came from Leamington Spa, if I remember correctly. She wasn't being a seasonnaire when I did her, but she had been the season before, in Flaine of all places.

I'd imagine the techniques required haven't changed all that much, to be honest.

Oh....did you mean something else?

My mate was last season in La-Plange. I went out there for a weeks skiing and cheap accommodation and it sounds like you do have to work a bit, but then you get a fair amount of free time to ski.

Obviously depends where you work, what you do etc... but he got free lift passes for the 3 months he was out there, food and accommodation paid for. In return I think he had to work about 5 hours a day minimum, he said it was hard, but he was a lazy slacker tbh. I'd have bloody loved it!

Did 3 in Courchevel, 1 in Queenstown, NZ from 2006-2009.

I can't imagine it's changed an awful lot. If you're hoping to get out there for this season you've probably missed the boat for starting in November/December. The good news is that loads of people fail to realise that there is actual work involved and get fired/homesick in the weeks leading up to and around Christmas, so there's quite a demand for people to go out on short notice.

Chefs/Nannies always seem to be most in demand. I would get registered at a few places now to express your interest and get on the waiting list if you can.

www.natives.co.uk is a very useful website, with a forum full of people who can help. There is even a regular poster on there who does recruitment for SkiWorld, so play nicely 🙂

I did the two winters between 2002-2004. The first was the time of my life, the second not so much.

It's obviously dependent on who you work for, but my concern would be that at around 40 you will be a generation apart from the average seasonnaire. No matter how young at heart you feel, your expectations in terms of work, being on the lash, and not living in squalor will be very different to your co-workers. This was a problem when I was only 27 so keep this in mind.

Recommendations? I'll just project what I would do:

Get regular lessons while you are out there, it's a chance to improve your skiing/boarding beyond what will naturally happen from being able to get out nearly every day. I didn't exploit this enough.

Take a road bike - at the end of the season you will be bored of skiing, your body will be crying out for a change and you will have been spoilt by the conditions earlier in the year.

I did about 12 seasons all told although most of it in full time employment rather than just the season, it hasn't changed much.

If you want any information, natives is the best place to head as rj2dj said but it isn't just SW recruitment that look at it. Most of the Ski companies HR team check it out so if you are an arse on Natives it can certainly go against you.... Just be nice!

I did around 10 seasons in the 80's and early 90's, mainly in NZ, but some backtobacks at Steamboat in the states.
Don't really ski at all now- it's hard to get enthusiastic about spending a small fortune for a rushed 6 days when it used to cost next to nothing to hop on a lift whenever you felt like it.

Gave it up when I realised I was in danger of turning into one of those sad old bastards with no future, sitting on a stool in a bar most nights drinking too much and preying on any woman they can find.
Doing seasons is a game for the young imo, unless you're running your own business.

Les Deux Alpes for a couple of seasons, loved it, time of my life etc etc (the stories still seem mad now), however I was 28/29 at the time & I have to say those who were much older didn't fit in quite the same way so I would hesitate to do it again... like an old girlfriend etc, never go back.

My liver has almost recovered after nearly 20 years

Ski jobs are that, they are jobs, surely anyone going out there would expect to work 8 hours a day, at least ? Anyway I looked into it after leaving Uni and never did it, big regret. If you have a chance go for it but please understand it's a job not a holiday.

If you want to go and just hang out and work a bit, more a ski bum that's cool and you'll get a lot more skiing time but have to pay your own way a bit more.

Personally given the choice I would do the latter but it depends unpon your circumstances.

I would also expect things to be pretty tight financially amongst ski companies this year

I did it for a season at a friend's language school in Megeve, also had to collect students from Geneva airport and do general stuff around the chalet like nipping to the wholesalers for food. It was good and I learned to ski pretty damn well. I was paid nothing at all so cash was a little tight but I got all expenses and board, lodging and ski passes.

Did them until I was 22 which was the point I realised I am too old for this.

It is basically living the life of a professional skier / snowboarder and degenerate alcoholic and holding down the worst job of your life, all at the same time.

The last season I did I drank less to concentrate on the boarding but the squalor and other alcoholics got to me.

There are some little niche / bearable jobs out there but people spend years working there way into them. From scratch it will be hard to find anything other than washing pots or toilets and living in shared accommodation.

If going now at 30+ I would just save up c£5k and pay for my own squalor flat and season pass. You might not last more than 3 months but you would have the freedom to find bearable work if you can or if not just ski every day until the money runs out.

I spent 2001-2 in Fernie, BC. Worked the summer doing catering jobs, some of which went towards kit, flights, insurance. Got a working visa from BUNAC and flew over in November to get sorted and find jobs. Bit more savings went on more kit, a season pass and a 1975 Buick Century.

No-one started hiring till the snow started falling, so we spent 3 weeks hiking, biking, effing about on the springboards at the swimming centre, drinking and playing pool.

I got a job in a new and very good restaurant which only opened for dinner. 4-5 evening shifts a week. Minimum wage straight to bank which covered rent and bills. Tips usually between $100 and $200 per shift. So lots of booze, Cat skiing, some kit and a camera, avy courses, money for travelling round BC and West Coast US after the season.

And we got 11 metres of powder.

I had a good time.

It's obviously dependent on who you work for, but my concern would be that at around 40 you will be a generation apart from the average seasonnaire. No matter how young at heart you feel, your expectations in terms of work, being on the lash, and not living in squalor will be very different to your co-workers. This was a problem when I was only 27 so keep this in mind.

This!

In all the time I spent out skiing and the season I did, people in their late 30's or 40's found it very and in many ways quite lonely as co workers are kids. The most sucessful older people I saw were couples who did their work and then did their own thing and didnt pretend they could keep up with the late night drinking etc.

I get the idea that unless you know someone, work in European resorts is provided by agencies so much that you'll probably be in line for some of those hard-sounding options above mine.

If you wanted to go down the route of spending some savings and maximising your time on the snow, have a look at some operations like nonstop ski and snowboard:

[url] http://www.nonstopsnow.com/dates-and-prices [/url]

Edit, and I know they get a good slice of 30, 40+ career breakers on their courses. I'm biased suggesting nonstop because it's a friend's company, but I've read plenty of admiring reports. Have a look round though if the idea appeals, there are others.

well im a basi 3 which may help,not much of a drinker tbh but like the odd tipple...im very happy to work,i know the wages are awful but id be going for a change of scene/snowboarding..i could chef also as trained but would be more interested in a driving/plongeur job.the age thing doesnt bother me...

got a mate who runs 10 chalets in courcheval...id call him first 😆

thanks all,theyres some good tips theyre...

I'd just go and be a bum... The other half and I spent eight weeks in the Three Valleys based in Courchevel and it was possibly the best time we ever had. We got a stonking deal on the accommodation because we were there for so long and got to know all of the chalet staff so still got breakfast on their days off. We were knackered when we got back and my 'amazing' goggle tan lines didn't look so cool in Sheffield!

But being able to get up and go boarding every day was awesome. The season lift pass was expensive but got us 10% off at most bars and restaurants.

I'm heading to St. Anton in just over two weeks to do my first season.

There are still apparently a few jobs about on natives and even snowheads infrequently, as people have referred to. Also contact the hell out of companies if you want to do it this season. Even if they can't offer a job, be 1st reserve for inevitable dropouts!

Most chalet style jobs with UK TO you get; 1-2 meals a day, lift pass, ski/board hire, shared accommodation, flights/transfers and ~£350/month pocket money (France tends to be slightly higher with some companies due to associated living costs being higher).

Go for it and get applying/bumming!!!

10 years in Austria from 1990 here.

Took a couple of years to get a decent job, before that I did alsorts of rubbish just to get by.

Worked as a ski instructor for a while in a local ski school, which was ok but not enough "me" skiing time.

Ended up running a ski hire shop with another guy and it was great. Loads of skiing time, decent money, and an enjoyable job.

cool all good tips...ill look into it...thanks all