Lessons (2008/09 prices)

The French Ski School has several locations: Méribel (479 08 60 31); La Chaudanne (4 79 08 58 81); Rond-Point (4 79 08 89 42); and Méribel-Mottaret (4 79 00 49 49). The school is exceptional with children and lessons from private to group and cross-country to powder skiing. It has 500 alpine ski instructors who speak French, English, German, Spanish and Italian and 10 cross-country instructors.

Group lesson cost €228.70 for five full days days; €152.90 for five mornings; €121.60 for five afternoons.

Morning private lessons (from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.) cost €164-€173 for one to four skiers. Afternoon lessons (from 2:15-4:45 p.m.) cost €127-€141. A full day private instructor will cost €328-€360.

Snowboarding lessons for ages 8 and old cost €152.90 for five half days and €183.50 for six half days.

Children pay €188.20 for five full days of group lessons; five mornings cost €112.20; and five afternoons cost €98.40. A supervised lunch costs €22.

Special lessons for powder skiing, snowboarding, mono-skiing, ski ballet and freestyle skiing are available. There are also racing clinics and a ski kindergarten. A special accompanied ski adventure through Les Trois Vallées and another tour through the 12 valleys of the Tarentaise—including the resorts of Val Thorens, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Val d’Isère and Tignes—are also offered.

Other instruction in English is available through Magic in Motion (479 08 53 36), the British Ski School (00 44 (0) 1702 589580) or Snow d'Light (664 81 60 10).