Val d'Isère ski school: ski off-piste with us, in small groups

In brief

Your level

All levels, from a first cautious step off the piste to seasoned freeriders, ages 10 to 85

Group size

Private groups of 1 to 6

What you get

A qualified off-piste instructor, matched to the terrain and to you

Safety kit

Avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe, provided and checked each morning

We meet

8am by the tourist office, Val d'Isère

Price

From €600 per day for 1–4 people (€650 in school holidays)

Season

Roughly early December to early May, snow depending

We reply

Within 24 hours

Ski with a small team that knows the valley by heart

Val d'Isère has fine schools for learning on the piste. Ours is a Val d'Isère ski school devoted to the off-piste: you ski in a small private group, with the same instructor from the first coffee to the last run, on a day shaped around where the snow is best.

We built PowderWeGo around that idea: a small, independent school founded by Boris Malesset, who has been working the snow of Val d'Isère since 2001 and directed the TopSki school in Val d'Isère before setting up on his own. More than twenty winters in one valley teach you where the wind loads a slope, which aspect holds cold snow into the afternoon and, above all, when to lead the group onto another slope. You book a person, and the twenty winters that come with them.

Your group is capped at six, because off-piste calls for a different kind of teaching. Your instructor watches every skier find the fall line, reads the snow one turn ahead and keeps the whole party within a comfortable margin of safety. Six is the number at which that attention stays complete.

Your day out, from the kit check to the bar

You meet at 8am by the tourist office. First comes the kit, for every skier whatever their level: the avalanche airbag pack goes on your back with the shovel and probe inside, and your transceiver goes on for a send-and-receive check against the others. Over coffee your instructor talks through what the mountain is doing that morning: the avalanche bulletin, the overnight wind, where the good snow is likely to be and which slopes to keep for another day.

Then you ride up. From the lifts of the Espace Killy you're rarely more than a short traverse or a ten-minute skin from untracked snow: sheltered powder in the trees on a flat-light day, wide open faces when it's clear and stable. We ski until lunch, stop somewhere with a view worth the wait, and go again through the afternoon. You're back down around 5pm, with a couple of runs you'll still be talking about at the bar.

Ski terrain chosen for your level

Val d'Isère and Tignes share some of the largest lift-linked off-piste terrain in the Alps, wrapped around the edge of the Vanoise National Park. It runs from mellow, forgiving powder fields, ideal for a first taste, to committing couloirs and long, remote descents into the next valley. We pitch the day at your level: the real pleasure lies in terrain that suits you on the day, and every good day off-piste starts with the snow, read before the diary. Our page on off-piste skiing in Val d'Isère takes you through the sectors, from Solaise to the Couloir des Pisteurs.

PRICING

At a small, independent Val d'Isère ski school, you know exactly what you're paying. Here it is in full: per day, for the whole group.

• 1 to 4 people · €600 per day (€650 during school holidays)
• 5 to 6 people · €700 per day (€750 during school holidays)

Included in every day: a qualified off-piste instructor, and the complete safety kit: avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe.

Extras: lift passes, ski and boot hire, transfers, lunch and personal insurance.

School holidays are the French half-term and Christmas/New Year weeks: the busiest weeks of the season. (All our prices are on our pricing page.)

THE TEAM — the people you'll ski off-piste with

Boris Malesset, founder. A professional in Val d'Isère off-piste skiing since 2001 and former director of the TopSki school in Val d'Isère, Boris built PowderWeGo to do one thing properly: take people into the best snow the valley offers, safely, in small numbers. He is a qualified instructor, and this snowpack has been his daily reading ever since.

He's joined by a team of qualified off-piste instructors, matched to the terrain you'll be skiing. Each of us will tell you exactly what we are certified to lead, since your safety rests on it.

The level you need: comfortable on a red is enough

All you need is to be comfortable on a red piste and keen to leave it. We start plenty of skiers on their very first proper off-piste day and take them at their pace; we also run full days for strong freeriders who want steeper, more committing lines. Ages run from 10 to 85: the oldest skier we guided last winter was 78, with better balance than most. Tell us your level when you enquire and we'll match the instructor and the terrain to it. Not yet at ease on a red? Our ski lessons in Val d'Isère start from your first turn, and private ski tuition in Val d'Isère refines the stance you'll take off-piste.

The morning safety routine, and who leads your day

Off-piste is avalanche terrain, and we treat it that way every single day. You're fitted with an avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe, and we run a transceiver check with you before we head up. Your instructor reads the avalanche bulletin each morning, watches the overnight wind and the state of the snowpack, and plans the day around it, with the judgement to turn back or choose a better-suited slope whenever conditions call for it.

You'll be led by a fully qualified off-piste ski instructor or mountain guide, the guide joining on request for the occasional route that requires one. Matching the right professional to the right slope is the heart of the job.

Pack for a full day in the mountains

The full safety kit, avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe, is provided and included in the price. You bring your own skis, boots and poles, or hire them in resort (any decent shop will set you up with all-mountain or freeride gear; ask us and we'll point you somewhere good). Come dressed for a full day in the mountains: layers, proper gloves, goggles and sunglasses, sun cream, water and something to eat.

Ski touring or freeride: choose your next step

Some off-piste days begin on skins. If you'd like to climb for your turns, we run introductory touring days: skins on, a steady climb away from the crowds, and a descent into snow you have to yourselves. It's the natural next step if you've caught the off-piste bug. At the other end, our freeride sessions are for skiers who already move well off-piste and want more from the terrain: steeper faces, tighter couloirs, longer lines. Both are private, and both are built around your day.

Go further: day trips and heliski

Some of the best snow sits an hour's drive away. Our guided day trips from Val d'Isère reach quieter corners of the Tarentaise and beyond: Sainte-Foy, La Rosière, Bonneval-sur-Arc and, over the Italian border, La Thuile, where the powder often stays untracked for longer. For a bigger day, we also arrange heliski: reverse heliski on the French side, where you ski the descent and the heli flies you back, and classic cross-border heli days over in Italy. Terrain, weather and snow decide the plan, and we'll tell you what's on.

Before you come: timings and booking

We meet at 8am by the tourist office in the centre of Val d'Isère. A day runs roughly 9am to 5pm with a proper lunch stop. The office is on Avenue Olympique and open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Book as far ahead as you can for school holidays, as those weeks fill first. Lift passes, ski hire, lunch and insurance are for you to arrange (see pricing below), ideally before you arrive.

With us, safety shapes your whole day. We read the avalanche bulletin every morning, check the snowpack and the wind, and plan around what the mountain is doing. You carry an avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe, checked before we leave. When conditions call for it, we choose another slope: knowing when to turn back is the finest skill in the craft.

FAQ

How much does a Val d'Isère ski school day cost?

A private off-piste day is €600 for 1–4 people (€650 in school holidays) and €700 for 5–6 people (€750 in school holidays). That's per day for the whole group, and it includes your instructor and the full avalanche safety kit. Lift passes, ski hire, lunch and insurance are extra.

How big are the groups?

Six at most. Off-piste teaching needs the instructor watching every skier and reading the snow ahead, so we cap every group at six, and most days run smaller.

How much skiing do I need before going off-piste?

If you are comfortable on a red piste and keen to leave it, you are ready for a first off-piste day. We take complete off-piste beginners at their own pace and also run committing days for strong freeriders. Tell us your level when you enquire and we pitch the terrain to match.

What's included in the price?

Your qualified off-piste instructor, and the complete safety kit: avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe. Lift passes, ski and boot hire, transfers, lunch and personal insurance are extra.

Do you provide the avalanche safety equipment?

Yes. Every guest is fitted with an avalanche airbag pack, transceiver, shovel and probe, all included in the price and checked each morning before we set off. You bring your own skis and boots, or hire them in resort.

How do I book?

Send the enquiry form on this page or call +33 6 51 66 58 53. We reply within 24 hours with a proposed day and clear advice. School-holiday weeks fill first, so book those as early as you can.

Can you organise ski touring or heliski as well?

Yes. Alongside private off-piste ski lessons we run ski touring initiations, freeride sessions, guided day trips across the Tarentaise, and heliski days on the French and Italian sides. Tell us what you have in mind when you get in touch.