Lessons (2008/09 prices)

There are six ski schools in Avoriaz and Morzine. Nathalie Bron (680 25 67 72) is an independent instructor. Both Handi-Sport (450 79 05 62, fax 450 74 84 36, mobile 683 03 94 32, e-mail: michel.journal@wanadoo.fr) and Sym Concept (811 03 75 09, fax 450 75 19 50, e-mail : info@symconcept.com) focus on providing instruction for disabled skiers. Sym Concept also organizes all-inclusive vacations for disabled visitors. Then there's the Ski Snowboard & Adventure School also known as Easy2Ride Ski & Snowboard International (450 79 05 16, fax 450 79 09 36, e-mail : info@morzineski.fr); The Snow School (486 68 88 40, e-mail : info@the-snow-school.com) which just opened in 2007; and the French Ski School also known as Ecole du Ski Francais and the ESF.

The Ecole de Ski Francais (ESF) has locations in both Morzine (450 79 13 13, fax 450 79 17 70, info@esf-morzine.com) and Avoriaz(450 74 05 65, fax 450 74 10 14, info@esf-avoriaz.com). In Morzine there are 140 instructors who teach one quarter of Morzine’s visitors. The office and meeting place is at the bottom of the Pleney cablecar. In Avoriaz, you can sign up for lessons in the Place du Telepherique, in the Tourist Office or in the Cap-Neige building near Fonaines Blanches. The meeting place is either at the Place du Telepherique (at the bottom of the Plateau chairlift) or on the Plateau near the Plateau chairlift and the Dromonts ski lift. Ski passes are not included in the lesson prices, and the prices do not vary much between Morzine and Avoriaz.

The following are the prices for the Ecole de Ski Francais (ESF) Morzine. (These are non-holiday prices.)

Group lessons: Half days 9:30 a.m.–noon or 2:30 p.m.–5 p.m., adults cost €31.50. Six half days are €122.50. For children ages 4-14 years old, the price is €28.50 for a half day. Six half days are €113.

Private lessons for skiing and snowboarding: one hour, €38 for one or two skiers, €48 for three to five skiers. A two-hour lesson costs €72 for one or two skiers, €81 for three to five skiers. These prices are for lessons given outside of group lesson times. If you take a private lesson while a group lesson is taking place, the price increases significantly.

Snowboarding lessons for adults cost €122.50 for six half days, €31.50 for one half day. For children age 8-14 years old, they cost €157 for six half days, €35.50 for one half day.

Freeriding costs €137 for two and a half hours; €153 for three hours; €204 for four hours; and €295 for a full day (outside of french holidays) for guided touring across the Portes du Soleil region. There is a maximum of six people on the same skill level.

Cross-country lessons cost €40 for a half day and six half days are €167. A full day treck with a mealin a traditional alpine chalet costs €55. These prices are for adults age 15 and older.

Morzine

Easy2Ride Ski & Snowboard International (450 79 05 16, Fax 450 79 09 36) in Morzine is slightly more expensive than ESF, as lessons are taught in smaller groups (maximum of eight people). The office is a few doors down from ESF, and meeting points vary according to the kind of lesson.

Group lessons for skiing and snowboarding: Half days 9:30 a.m.–noon, noon to 2:30 p.m.or 2:30 p.m.–5 p.m., adults and children cost €60 full day: €180 for five days; and €190 for six days. There are also special programs for children. Contact the school for more details.

Private lessons for skiing and snowboarding: one hour, €55 for one or two skiers (€70 if the lesson takes place at the same time as group lessons). Each additional person costs €10 an hour.

They offer good guides for the Valee Blanche and other off piste trips in France and Switzerland and also have half and full days of Heli Skiing.