Private ski tuition in Val d'Isère, from the piste to the powder

In brief

Your level

intermediate to expert (you ski a red with confidence)

Format

private (1 person) or small group (up to 6)

Length

full days, from a single day to a whole week

Terrain

the pistes of the Espace Killy, Val d'Isère, Tignes

Taught by

a qualified instructor, an off-piste specialist

Price

from €600 a day for 1 to 4 people

Season

December to the end of April, snow depending

A ski instructor in Val d'Isère, and technique that serves you all over the mountain

Private ski tuition in Val d'Isère begins with the snow under your skis: hard in the morning, softened by midday, crusted in the shade of the chairlift. Your ski instructor in Val d'Isère corrects the way you stand on your skis, and explains why that same stance will serve you later in thirty centimetres of fresh. In a private ski lesson, the piste becomes your training ground, and a fine place to grow as a skier.

With a private ski instructor, the pace is yours: one to one, or with a few people of the same level. A whole day at your disposal: an hour on a single turn if that is the one that troubles you, or the reds of Bellevarde strung together if you are ready to push on.

A private ski lesson, hour by hour

The day starts at 8 am near the tourist office, on Avenue Olympique. Coffee, a look at the bulletin, and a conversation about what you would like to work on: the speed that unsettles you, the legs that stiffen by late afternoon, the wish to try the edge of the pistes. Then up we go. The morning is for the technical groundwork, on snow still firm enough to expose every flaw. At midday we eat somewhere with a view. In the afternoon we put it into practice where the sun has softened the snow, the kind that rewards supple legs.

Private off-piste lessons, when you're ready

There comes a day when a red run goes cleanly: edges set, upper body quiet, eyes well down the slope. From that day, our private off-piste ski lessons can take over. The moment is yours: we tell you when we see you're ready, and take you onto your first route when you feel it too. Many of our powder skiers began with a piste lesson two or three seasons ago. If the idea already tempts you, see our page on off-piste skiing in Val d'Isère.

Ski Tignes with us, the other half of the Espace Killy

For more than twenty years, in every weather, we've been taking skiers round Tignes too. Val d'Isère and Tignes share the 300 km of the Espace Killy, and the day crosses over via Tovière and the Col de Fresse whenever the snow calls for it: the Grande Motte glacier for cold snow on a warm week, the rolling reds above Le Lac to rack up the kilometres. Your instructor in Val d'Isère is your ski instructor in Tignes too: one day can take in both sides, and our Tignes piste map shows you every sector. If it suits you better, we can meet you in Tignes, at the same rate: everything is on our ski school in Tignes page.

Our private ski lessons in Val d'Isère follow the school's price list, by the day and per group.

• 1 to 4 people · €600 a day outside school holidays · €650 a day in school holidays
• 5 to 6 people · €700 a day outside school holidays · €750 a day in school holidays

Included: a qualified instructor who specialises in off-piste, and the full safety kit as soon as we leave the pistes. Extras: lift passes, ski equipment, transfers, meals, insurance.

The full detail is on our prices page.

Ski a red with confidence? These lessons are for you

Our private lessons are for intermediate to expert skiers: you ski a red with confidence, and you want to iron out a stubborn habit or reach the next level. If you're clicking into skis for the first time, start with our ski lessons, built for first turns too; these private lessons take you onwards, towards the wider terrain. Adults, advanced teenagers, families of the same level: the private format adapts. Tell us your level, and we'll build the lessons around it.

The avalanche bulletin each morning, the kit for everyone

Even on the piste, we keep our professional habits. Your instructor reads the Météo-France avalanche bulletin every morning, knows which sectors tend to slide and which are holding, and points them out to you through the day. As soon as we brush the edge of the pistes or step into real off-piste, the safety kit comes out: avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe for everyone, all checked before we set off. Your lessons are taught by a qualified instructor who specialises in off-piste.

What to wear, what to bring

For a piste lesson, your usual alpine skis are fine. We'd advise sharp, freshly waxed skis: a keen edge makes all the difference in a carving lesson. Helmet recommended, sunglasses or goggles depending on the light, a spare layer in your pack: the Espace Killy weather turns quickly. Ski equipment and lift passes are yours to arrange; the safety kit is ours, as soon as we leave the groomed runs.

Ski the Espace Killy, one to one

Val d'Isère and Tignes make up the Espace Killy, one of the big ski areas of the Tarentaise. There's a slope for every step of your progress: the gentle blues of the Rocher de Bellevarde to settle a movement, the reds of Solaise for linking turns, steeper slopes when you ask for more. The ski area borders the Vanoise National Park, whose summits you can see on fine days. Depending on the snow and how you're skiing, your instructor chooses the day's sector, and the plan can change as the day unfolds. The full layout is on our Val d'Isère ski map.

The practical side of the day

• Meet at 8 am near the tourist office, Avenue Olympique.
• A typical day runs until around 5 pm, breaks included.
• We can be reached Monday to Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm.
• By the full day or the whole week, at the same daily rate.
• We reply to every request within 24 hours.

A word from the founder

A piste lesson is where we set the stance that will one day take you off-piste. We've been teaching in Val d'Isère since 2001.

Boris Malesset, founder of PowderWeGo, off-piste ski professional since 2001 · Meet the team

Before every outing that leaves the groomed runs, we fit the avalanche airbag packs and check everyone's transceiver, shovel and probe. The snowpack and the weather are followed daily, the avalanche bulletin read every morning. When conditions call for it, we turn back or choose other terrain: knowing when to turn back is as much a part of the craft as the skiing itself.

FAQ

Do I need to ski well already for a private lesson with you?

You need to ski a red run with confidence. We're a school that specialises in off-piste: our private lessons take you from intermediate towards expert. If you're starting from scratch, our ski lessons, built for beginners too, are the place to begin.

How is it different from an instructor at a big school?

We're off-piste skiers first and foremost. Even on a red, we pass on how to read the snow and a technique that stays useful beyond the pistes. The lesson is private or in a small group of the same level, so the pace is yours.

Can a piste lesson lead to off-piste?

Yes, that's exactly our approach. Once a red goes cleanly, we can take you off-piste. Many of our powder skiers started with piste lessons. See our page on off-piste skiing.

Are equipment and the lift pass included?

No. The price covers your instructor and the safety kit as soon as we leave the groomed runs. Lift passes and ski equipment are for you to arrange. Details on the prices page.

Can I book a half-day?

No, we teach by the full day or the week, at the same daily rate. A full day is what makes the progress stick: the groundwork in the morning on firm snow, then the afternoon to put it to work on snow that has turned.

Tell us what you'd like to work on, and your instructor will shape a full day around it, at your pace.