Val d'Isère Ski Schools,
Instructors & Mountain Guides

02. Private Lessons

If you want to improve as quickly as possible, nothing beats a one-to-one private lesson with a good instructor. Yes, it’s more expensive than joining a group, but the instructor focuses on you and no one else for the whole lesson, so you’ll get a lot more out of it.

That might mean learning to ski from scratch, gaining confidence on steeper slopes, improving your carving, getting comfortable on bumps or simply exploring parts of the mountain you've never skied before.

Even a nervous beginner will usually be skiing happily with their friends after a few hours of private instruction, and most instructors will take up to four or even six people in a private lesson, so it can work out surprisingly good value.

A morning or afternoon with a private instructor is also a great option for a family or group of friends who mainly want someone to show them around the ski area, with a few tips thrown in along the way.

(Only qualified instructors are allowed to guide skiers on the mountain in France.)


Highly recommended:

Pretty much all of the commercial ski schools offer private lessons, but for great instruction from English-speaking instructors we'd go with some of the guys (and girls) at

The Development Centre
Mountain Masters Ski School
Elevation Ski School
BASS Ski School

There are also a few excellent English-speaking instructors who aren't associated with a ski school and work independently. They're often fully booked well in advance but, if you can get a half day with Lynn Mill, Ella Underhill or Elaine Bunyan, you won't be disappointed.

Early / Late Season Opening Hours

PLEASE NOTE: the above opening hours apply 12th Dec - 11th April. If you require information on early or late season opening hours please contact us.