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Ski Guiding - Help =]

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sambob
Posts: 73 - Karma: 187
Ok so it's been awhile since I last posted (house move). Anyway for anyone returning readers, I successfully passed my BASI Level 1 Alpine.

Anyway I was also talking about doing a gap course etc but got advised to just do a few seasons instead, so I took the advice and I've secured a position as a Ski Host this coming winter season.

BUT, I speak decent French and Russian so i've requested to be placed in the paradiski or 3 vallee areas. However I remember awhile back there was some big commotion about guides getting arrested all the time in France, and I'd like to know how the situation resolved itself. Are guides allowed in France still? My friend who teaches in Switzerland every season tells me guiding in France is still a bad idea and guides in France do very little actual guiding due to issues that arose with the French.

Any insight or information is appreciated.

Many Thanks

Sam
Jul 19 2013 7:15AM
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manwiththemetalleg
Posts: 1636 - Karma: 91
A ski host is not a guide - you will 100% get into trouble if you start calling yourself a guide.

A ski host shows a chalet companies guests around the piste. They stop for lunch, and talk about the best places to eat a fondue.

There were some problems last year, as the French saw ski hosts as 'guides' who were taking away business from the ESF. As long as you do not wear a uniform, look like you are teaching a group, stay on piste and pretend that you are simply skiing with a bunch of friends, you will be fine.

If you really wan't to be a guide, I believe you'll need to do your BASI 3 or 4 to meet the equivalent French standard, and your British Mountain Guide qualification to guide on glaciers. I'd double check this though - Google. Either way, to become a 'guide' in the sense that you are operating legally will take a good few years, and cost a lot of money.

My advice for doing a season - fuck off working for a chalet company/tour operator, sort out your own accom in a resort of your choosing, arrive early and find a job paying cash. Otherwise you will end up being a bitch all winter and have little time to ski.

Sources: 7 winters in the alps
Jul 19 2013 9:02AM
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sambob
Posts: 73 - Karma: 187
Boom, thanks. Yeh a lot of people advised me to go just go out early and get a cash in hand job. Shouldn't be too hard I've done my boot fitting and equipment servicing qualification. I still think i'll stick with the job i've already got lined up, at least just for this season. Might try and get in with a local company while i'm out there and secure a job early for next season though.

Thanks for pointing out the guide vs host dilemma as i've no doubt i'd have made the mistake of saying I was a guide and not a host.

As for the uniform I'm pretty sure the TO expects me to wear the uniform they provide me with, i'll have to make sure I ask all these questions once I ship out for ''training'' a few weeks before the season.
Jul 19 2013 12:08PM
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Pastucka
Posts: 408 - Karma: 936
It's your ISIA that you need to instruct and guide in France. It can take a number of years to get trained up and can be expensive if you do a gap year course. How's your German? The Austrian Anwarter is a quicker and less expensive route but all of the tuition and assessment is in German and it only qualifies you to work in Austria. You can get away with some guiding so long as you're not wearing a uniform and always at the front of the group.
Jul 19 2013 12:24PM
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sambob
Posts: 73 - Karma: 187
Yeh I didn't mean guide I meant host, i'm going via the BASI system and am going to book my level two while i'm out there, to work in France with BASI I need to be qualified to level 4, which I know will be a long haul.

Unfortunately I speak very little German, literally only a few words, Its a shame I learned French and Russian instead of something German, but as a teenager I didn't think I'd be following this career path now lol.
Jul 19 2013 1:50PM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
Quoted for truth. Do not work a customer service job for a tour operator if you want to have a good winter. Pick where you want to go, show up in October and take your pick of housing, jobs and the rest. Figuring things out on your own is al part of the fun.
Jul 19 2013 1:54PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Been quite tempted to do this somewhere in europe next year myself, I figured I'd save up a few grand just in case I'm unable to get a job though
Jul 19 2013 2:47PM
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Pastucka
Posts: 408 - Karma: 936
Nothing more depressing than turning up in a resort in October when the lifts open early-mide december, but it's a pretty good way of finding work... mid November is usually early enough.
Jul 20 2013 6:17AM
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sambob
Posts: 73 - Karma: 187
id probably just turn up in resort if I could talk a friend into doing it with me, and like what was said before i'd want to save a bit of spare cash up just encase.
Jul 20 2013 9:35AM
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