Lessons & Guides – chaletcaro.com

Meribel is in the heart of the 3 Valleys, the biggest ski resort in the world.

Make the most of it by enjoying some lessons or guiding.

We strongly recommend that you take at least some ski/board instruction. Not only is it the best way to improve your technique, but is an excellent way to find your way around the area, and in particular to find the best snow conditions, or even some of the best restaurants and coffee stops. It is also a fun way to meet new people and find friends to ski with for years to come.

Mountain Guides

If you plan to ski off-piste then your insurance cover will require you to take a guide. We do not recommend going off piste without a properly qualified mountain guide who knows the area well. Professional mountain guides alone are allowed to guide you on glaciers.

Like most French ski resorts Meribel has its own “official mountain guides” office, with its fully qualified IFMGA mountain guides who are the top specialists of off-piste skiing and ski touring. With them you can enjoy off-piste skiing (or “free riding”), ski touring, heli-skiing, ice-climbing, and snowshoeing. Click here for the Meribel Mountain Guide website , or send them an email guides.meribel@gmail.com. Tel: +33 (0) 6 43 89 72 91. They advice that you give them at least 48 hours notice, so as not to be disappointed. Please tell them you are staying at Chalet Caro

LESSONS

We recommend that you pre-book your ski or snowboard lessons well in advance to avoid disappointment and that you do so as early as possible during the busiest times ie Christmas, New Year and other school holidays.

Private Instructors
We have our own contact list of favoured Private Instructors in Meribel, so please do contact us if you wish to be put in touch or require further information.

Ski & Board Schools

Meribel is fortunate to have a very good selection of Ski and Snowboard schools, and guides, including the ESF, the French Ski School that was created in 1945, when its red uniform was introduced and is still in use today. It is a group of about 250 ski schools in France, with 17,000 ski instructors making it the largest ski school in the world . Click here for the Meribel ESF website where you will 380 Instructors to welcome you during your stay, and to teach you a wide variety of techniques and disciplines.

If you prefer smaller class sizes with a more personalised service, then we recommend you contact us to help you to make your booking at one of the following ski schools who we have had some great times with.

OXYGÈNE SKI & SNOWBOARD SCHOOL (FORMERLY MAGIC IN MOTION)

Oxygène now has ski schools in 16 French resorts, including in Meribel, where it was formerly called Magic in Motion. It is highly recommended, and offers a very personal service. It specialises in group ski or snowboard lessons, primarily taught in English, but most of their instructors speak French, Italian, Russian and other languages too.

It is renowned for its superb children’s (ages 4-5 and 6-12, with 12+ during high season) lessons with innovative activities to help kids get the most out of their time on the slopes. Beginners are particularly well catered for in the “Magic Garden”, a fun enclosed area with special equipment, exclusive to Oxygène. Groups are kept small for a more personal approach.

Oxygene instructors are also available for adult groups, private lessons and snowboarding, as well as Off-piste guiding and Adaptive lessons.

Oxygène has 6 different levels of adult group lessons, so whether you’re a complete novice or expertly experienced on the slopes they’ll find the right group for you Adult Group lessons are from about €310 for 3-hours-a-day from 09:15 till 12:15 Sunday to Friday in groups of no more than 8 people. Check-in on Sunday? No problem. Join your group on Monday at a reduced price. We love these 3 hour lessons as they give you more time to learn and more time to get further afield and explore the 3 Valleys, unlike other ski schools who do shorter times.

Private adult lessons are available morning, lunchtime or in the afternoon. They start at about €190 for a 2 hour Lunchtime private lesson, or €275 for a 3 hour afternoon session, for 1 to 2 people. More friends can be included for just a little extra per person.

Please contact us, or email Oxygene directly to make you booking, or with any help you need with booking your lessons – chaletcaro@oxygene.ski

Further details can be found on Oxygenes website.

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PROSNEIGE SKI SCHOOL

Pride themselves on their ability to listen to clients and personalise the services offered. Their shop is located centrally and is close to the main ski lifts and ski school meeting points at Chaudanne.

Prosneige offers private and group lessons, starting from 5 years old and ranging from beginner to expert level. They offer lessons for skiing as well as for snowboarding.

Adult Ski or Snowboard group lessons take place all week from Sunday to Friday, you have the choice between lessons in the morning from 9am to 12pm or in the afternoons from 2pm to 5pm.

Childrens group ski lessons in Méribel are offered in both the morning or the afternoon. They start at 10am on Sunday and 9am from Monday to Friday and finish at 12pm. In the afternoon, ski lessons start at 2pm and finish at 5pm.

All Group lessons are limited to a maximum of 7 people. Prices start at about €312 for 6 1/2 days. Private lessons start at about €172 for a 2 hour session. Longer sessions are also available.

The Prosneige shop combines sports and technical support for their customers thanks to the shared know-how and expertise of their boot-fitters and ski instructors. Their shop offer equipment to buy or to rent, so you can book your ski lessons, rent your equipment and complete your equipment in the same place.

Also, for a small additional charge you can take advantage of their on-site ski locker at the ski school in Méribel, no more carrying your skis to the chalet or the bar!