Flaine International Ski School 2003 - 2010
Current website: www.esi-grandmassif.com/

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For a number of years this was the official English / French version for the Ski Ecole International ski school's website.
The International Ski School in France provided a range of ski and snowboard group lessons and private lessons for adults and children. It had its own children's snow garden. Group lessons were three hours a day. Online booking was available.
Content is from the site's 2003 - 2010 archived pages, as well as from other outside sources and more recent updates.

If you have inadvertently ended up on this site while looking for a ski school in Flaine, go to the ESI Grand Massif website at: www.esi-grandmassif.com/
The ESI Grand Massif is a combination of the two ski schools in Flaine and Les Carroz: the Flaine (International Ski School) and Les Carroz (New Dimension), as well as the development of a third ski school site on Mont Saxonnex. Created in 1978 on Flaine and in 1988 on the Carroz, our ski school and our snowboard school are located in the northern Alps between Geneva and Chamonix, in a village resort called Les Carroz d'Araches. This ski area encompasses 260 kms of track that is part of the Grand Massif.

 

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Immeuble Vega
Flaine Forum
74300 Flaine
Tel: 04 50 90 84 41

Flaine continues to offer a wide choice of ski instruction, with some highly specialised instruction clinics and schools available.

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2020: We had just returned to NYC after a week skiing in the French Alps, specifically in Flaine which is France's 5th largest linked ski area in the country. My wife and I prefer the marked runs, while our two college age kids prefer the exhilaration of freeride or freestyle! The Le Grand Massif ski area is an immense playground for freeriders, but we insist the kids always go with a professional guide. Even then the fact one should carry a shovel/probe/ARVA avalanche receiver, makes me nervous. But my kids say the semicircular Combe de Gers offers great offpiste adventures that are pure bliss.

As I was saying, we had just returned from France when the Covid 19 pandemic hit NYC like a tsunami. Our kids did not return to college but finished their school year taking their classes virtually. My wife set up a work space in our living room to work from home. I have my own office space at home since I am a freelance graphics designer and have always worked from home. It's been 9 months now and with a vaccine finally approved we, like so many folks, are hoping life will return to a more "normal" by the Spring of 2021. The kids are already planning on returning to college in the fall of 2021.

We are very fortunate not being front line health care worker or essential workers that have been out there every day. I'm perfectly content working from home, but the kids are antsy, which I totally understand. Just this week I picked up a new client who wants me to work with a firm they hired who are experts in e-commerce marketing. My new client is an online jeweler that sells cubic zirconia rings (cz rings) and has decided to push their advertising into the social media platforms of Facebook and Pinterest. They have hired me to create the campaigns for their stunningly beautiful products. I am excited to be working with their social media expert who also happens to be one of the company's principals.

Meanwhile, we have no plans to return to Europe for what use to be our annual ski trip in February to Flaine. It will just have to be put on hold till the following year. Hopefully by then the pandemic will be under control, the vaccines successful, and this past year + just a memory. Marsji Wallace

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7 Good Reasons to Ski with the Ski Ecole International!

1. A warm welcome, a professional service and individual attention.
2. 4 meeting points in Flaine - as close as possible to where you're staying.
3. Maximum 9 in a group for all ski and snowboard group lessons - for maximum enjoyment and safety.
4. Attentive instructors who can adapt to individual requirements, keep the same instructor all week for continuity and enjoyment.
5. Continual evaluation progress during the week.
6. Group lessons include end of week tests.
7. Our main ambition - help you get the best out of your holiday!

 

SKI LESSONS

           

 

Maximum of 9 in a group. Our group ski lessons take place in the mornings.

2 options for you to choose from:

• 6 Days: from Sunday to Friday, with an opportunity on Wednesday to tour the Grand Massif, with your instructor as your guide. (Dependent on ski ability and snow conditions)
• 5 Days: from Sunday to Friday. With a break on Wednesday.

 

Adults and children. Ski, snowboard, telemark, snowshoes...

For a personalised approach at your own pace consider private lessons.

Have your own instructor for your family or group - discover new pistes, improve your style, try out something new - like snowboarding or telemarking

Get off the beaten track, try the off-piste equipped with ARVA's - work at what you want!

• 1 h for 1 -2 people.
• 2 h for 1 - 4 or for 5-6. (See conditions)
• Half day from 12.30, or full day.

Sessions of 3 hours each afternoon.

On reservation only and in small groups of up to 9. The weekly programme is available at the office but can include for example;

• Grand Massif discovery - guided by an instructor.
• Off piste - technique and fun in the powder, with ARVA training.
• Carving technique

Plus snowboard tasters, snowshoe walking, telemark instruction...

 

Group Lessons - 6 days	Prices
Adults / Teenagers 3 hrs/day - (incl Wednesday tour)	129€
Children (from 6 - 12yrs) 3 hrs/ day	103 €
Children (from 4 - 10yrs) 4 hrs a day (2hrs- am, 2hrs- pm)	113€
Group Lessons - 5 days
Adultes / Teenagers  3 hrs/day  (not including Wednesday)	119€
A la carte afternoon
Adults/Teenagers 3hrs	23 €
Private Lessons
1 hour ( 1-2 people) after 12.30	33€
2 hours ( 1 - 4 people)  after 12.30	66€
2 hours ( 5 - 6 people) after 12.30	82€
2 hours ( 1 - 4 people)  before 12.30	82€
Full day	242€

  

 

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SNOWBOARD LESSONS

           

 

We have some real pros in our team of snowboard instructors - champions in World Cup boardercross and regulars in the top 10 of the annual Verbier Extreme contest. To get the most out of the mountain - be like them - get instruction !

Our group lessons run from Sunday to Friday (afternoons). We have classes for three levels:

• intro: beginners
• intermediate: for those who have already got basic technique
• advanced: freeride, freestyle, for more experienced riders

Private lessons are available with instruction in snowboard, freestyle, halfpipe and boarder cross for both adults and children.

The meeting point is in Flaine Forêt and Flaine Forum.

An afternoon to discover the Flaine Free Ride area with a pro ( each rider is equipped with a life belt bip)

Plus ! Every April we are co-hosts of the Snake Run - Flaine's famous snowboard competition.

 

Group Lessons - 6 days	Prices
Adults & Teenagers 3 hrs a day	129 €
Children (from 10 to 12 yrs) 3 hrs a day	103 €
Private Lessons
1 hr ( 1-2 people) from 12.30	33 €
2 hrs ( 1 - 4 people)  from 12.30	66 €
2 hrs ( 5 - 6 people) from 12.30	82 €
Full day	242 €

 

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SKI SCHOOL FOR KIDS

           

 

Childrens' ski school: for children aged 6 - 12 years.
Maximum 9 in a group, supervised by qualified instructors trained in the latest techniques for coaching children.

3 hrs a day for 6 days, Sunday to Friday. Lessons are in the morning.

Fun & Games: from Beginners to Silver. Put on your skis and have fun. Maximum 9 in a group, training is based on games and discovery.

Crazy about Ski: Gold and Competition Classes. Carving, bumps, powder, slalom and boarder cross. Maximum 9 in a group.

Slalom Training: Silver, Gold and Competition Classes.

In addition to their morning lessons, your children can take Slalom Training , 2hrs a day every afternoon, for coaching in slalom and race technique. 3 hrs + 2 hrs = 5 hrs per day.

The little ski school for kids. 2hrs of ski in the morning and 2 hrs in the afternoon. Plus a kindergarten service and the option of lunch. A snack is served after skiing in the afternoon.

Beginners can develop in a supervised and safe area before going into the main ski area of Flaine.
Crash helmets are obligatory. Crash helmets and ski hire are not included in the cost/

Ski School for 3/4 year olds:

Around 1½ to 2hrs each session. First steps for fun at the pace of your child..

Ski School for 5 - 12 year olds:

Maximum 9 in a group. Ski lessons for 4 hours per day, (2hrs morning, 2 hours afternoon)(2 h. le matin et 2 h. l’après-midi) supervised by qualified instructors trained in the latest techniques for coaching children.

The Green Mouse Club	Prices
6 full days with lunch (from 09.00 - 17.00)	227 €
6 full days without lunch (from 09.00- 12.00 & 14.00 - 17.00)	176 €
6 x half-days with lunch: 3/4 yrs (morning 09.00 - 14.00 or afternoon 12.00 - 17.00)	178 €
6 x half-days without lunch: 3/4 yrs (morning 09.00 - 12.00 or afternoon 14.00 - 17.00)	124 €
Private lessons
half hour (for 3-4 yrs)	17 €
1 hour (after 12.30)	33 €
2 hours (after 12.30)	66 €
Group lessons - 6 days
3 hrs a day (from 6 to 12 yrs) 09.30 - 12h 30	103 €
4 heures (from 5 to 10 yrs) 09.30 - 11.30 14.30 - 16.30	113 €

 

 

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OTHER ACTIVITIES

     

 

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon - why not try something else. Snow shoe walks available, guided by an instructor, who can show you Flaine and the area as you may never have seen it before. Prices on request, minimum 4 people (includes cost of snow shoe hire)

Or try something completely different - Croq'raquettes ! 
Every Thursday evening, a great walk wiith snow shoes, with our instructors as your guides, followed by a savoyard meal in an old alpine chalet.

Also available, afternoon walks ( for 3 hours approx ) followed by a sweet or savoury snack.

Prices on request.

During the school holidays, the instructors of the International Ski School with the Tourist Office, invite you to discover the downhill torchlit descent.

For groups, we can organise the torchlit descent with or without dinner.

Day trips - discover more of the Grand Massif, or go further afield to the famous Vallée Blanche of Chamonix, or other resorts, can be organised.

We can also organise your ski and snowboard competitions. Ask us about the options available.

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PRESS RELEASE

 

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More Background On Flaine-InternationalSkiSchool.com

 

Flaine-InternationalSkiSchool.com functioned for many years as the bilingual shop window for an independent ski instruction provider operating in the purpose-built resort of Flaine in the Northern Alps. At a time when many European ski schools relied primarily on tour operator brochures or on-site sales desks, the organization embraced the web early. Archived snapshots from the 2000s show online booking forms, structured program descriptions, and clear pricing tables aimed at British, Irish, Benelux, and French visitors.

The tone of the site reflected a practical, service-oriented philosophy. Rather than glossy lifestyle marketing, it emphasized class size limits, continuity with the same instructor, child-safety protocols, and the convenience of multiple meeting points near accommodation clusters. For families planning winter holidays from abroad, that clarity mattered. In the pre-Airbnb, pre-dynamic-packaging era, knowing exactly where to gather on the first morning of lessons could make or break the start of a trip.

The Resort Setting and Why It Matters

Flaine is part of the vast Grand Massif domain, one of the largest linked ski areas in the country, with lift connections stretching toward Samoëns, Les Carroz d'Araches, and Morillon. The geography provides an unusual blend: high, snow-sure bowls above tree line combined with long wooded descents to traditional villages. For a ski school, this diversity is a pedagogical gift. Beginners can progress on sheltered nursery slopes; intermediates can cruise long blues; advanced riders can explore steeper terrain, moguls, or lift-served freeride sectors.

The website made frequent reference to this breadth. Instead of treating lessons as repetitive laps on the same piste, instructors were presented as guides capable of revealing the entire massif as skills improved. Mid-week tours, discovery days, and technique clinics were common features.

A Member of the ESI Network

The school identified with the national ESI (École de Ski Internationale) movement, a federation that emerged as an alternative to the larger, more centralized French instruction system. ESI schools often highlight smaller groups and a more personal atmosphere. Within this framework, the Flaine operation cooperated closely with its sister establishment in Les Carroz, and over time branding converged toward what visitors now recognize as ESI Grand Massif.

Historically, the Flaine website served as the English-friendly gateway. Guests who discovered the legacy domain later were redirected toward the broader Grand Massif structure, reflecting consolidation common in alpine tourism, where shared marketing budgets, centralized reservations, and unified instructor pools improve resilience.

Teaching Philosophy and Group Structure

A repeated promise across archived pages was the cap of nine participants per group. In an industry where peak-season classes can easily swell beyond a dozen, this became a signature selling point. Small numbers allow instructors to adapt terrain choice, pacing, and feedback. Parents appreciated the visibility of their children; adult learners valued the sense of progression.

Another notable commitment was instructor continuity. Rather than rotating staff daily, the same teacher would remain with the group throughout the week whenever possible. This fosters trust, especially for nervous beginners, and allows technical work to build sequentially.

Range of Instruction

The digital brochures outlined a surprisingly broad menu. Alpine skiing formed the backbone, but visitors could branch into snowboarding, telemark, carving workshops, race training, and supervised off-piste introductions with avalanche-safety equipment. Private tuition ranged from short refreshers to full-day guiding, often marketed to families wanting to explore together.

Afternoon specialty blocks supplemented morning core lessons. These might include technique refinement, mileage days across the domain, or playful challenges designed to prevent fatigue and keep motivation high.

Children at the Center

Family travel has long been Flaine’s lifeblood, and the ski school mirrored that priority. Programs were segmented carefully by age and ability, from very young first-timers to pre-teens pursuing competition skills. The language used online balanced reassurance with excitement: safe learning zones, game-based pedagogy, but also gateways toward carving, bumps, and gates.

Helmets were mandatory, and instructors were described as specifically trained in modern child-coaching techniques. Snack breaks, end-of-week tests, and medal ceremonies created ritual moments that children would remember long after returning home.

The Snow Garden and Early Learning

A distinctive feature was the dedicated beginner enclosure—often referred to as a snow garden—where magic carpets, miniature obstacles, and bright visual markers transformed intimidating mountain environments into friendly playgrounds. For many British families encountering continental scale for the first time, this reassurance helped overcome fear.

From a marketing perspective, photographs of these areas were powerful. They demonstrated infrastructure investment and suggested a controlled pathway from first slide to independent skiing.

Snowboarding Culture

During the 2000s snowboard instruction matured from fringe novelty to mainstream demand. The Flaine school leaned into this shift by highlighting instructors with competition credentials and by promoting exposure to freeride sectors and terrain features. Meeting points in different parts of the resort allowed riders to access varied snow without unnecessary traverses.

The annual Snake Run event—co-hosted in April—became a recurring highlight, blending sport, spectacle, and community gathering.

Beyond Downhill: Diversification of Mountain Experiences

As climate variability and changing traveler expectations encouraged resorts to broaden appeal, the school expanded into guided snowshoeing. Daytime rambles and evening excursions combined exercise with culinary reward in alpine chalets. Regional media coverage described torch-lit paths, panoramic viewpoints, and hearty Savoyard dishes at the end of the climb.

This diversification served two purposes: it attracted non-skiing partners within mixed-interest families and it filled instructor schedules during quieter slope hours.

Partnerships with the Tourist Office

Collaboration with the local tourist authority amplified visibility. During holiday periods instructors participated in public events such as torchlight descents, reinforcing the idea that the ski school was woven into the resort’s identity rather than operating as an isolated vendor.

Such appearances doubled as live advertising; spectators watching synchronized lines of professionals were naturally inclined to book lessons.

Physical Location and Accessibility

The office at the Forum level placed staff near lift departures, retail outlets, and accommodation hubs. Walk-in traffic mattered, particularly before mobile booking dominated. Multilingual receptionists handled last-minute adjustments, ability reassessments, and weather-driven schedule tweaks.

Pricing Transparency

One of the website’s most appreciated traits was straightforward pricing. Tables specified durations, participant limits, and age brackets without hidden supplements. For international visitors juggling currency conversions, this clarity built trust.

Audience Profile

The clientele skewed heavily toward families from the UK, Ireland, and northern Europe, alongside French domestic tourists. English-language explanations, familiar teaching terminology, and sensitivity to school-holiday calendars reinforced that orientation.

Reputation and Reviews

While early online review ecosystems were less centralized than today, travel forums and later aggregator platforms frequently mentioned friendliness, small groups, and patient instruction. Repeat bookings across seasons suggest durable satisfaction.

Media Mentions

Regional and specialist ski press occasionally highlighted the school’s snowshoe evenings and freeride opportunities, particularly when discussing innovative ways resorts enriched visitor experiences beyond lift passes.

Digital Evolution and Redirection

By the late 2010s many smaller domains across the Alps either merged or redirected to umbrella brands. Flaine-InternationalSkiSchool.com followed this pattern, steering traffic toward the Grand Massif entity to streamline marketing and present unified offerings.

Cultural Significance

Ski schools are often the first human connection travelers make on arrival. They translate foreign landscapes into navigable experiences. In Flaine’s modernist setting—sometimes perceived as architecturally austere—the warmth of instructors softened edges and created loyalty that extended beyond individual holidays.

Example Holiday Pathway

A typical week might begin with nervous introductions on Sunday, visible breakthroughs by Tuesday, exploratory touring mid-week, and celebratory tests by Friday. Private sessions could then consolidate gains or open new ambitions such as trying powder under supervision.

Safety Emphasis

References to avalanche transceivers, guided itineraries, and structured progressions underscored a responsible approach at a time when freeride imagery elsewhere sometimes glamorized risk without context.

Integration with Accommodation Providers

Chalets and apartment agencies frequently recommended the school, appreciating reliable logistics and the reduced likelihood of complaints from overwhelmed guests.

Instructor Community

Seasonal staff often returned year after year, building relationships with repeat families. That continuity is difficult to quantify but invaluable in hospitality.

Educational Value

Beyond sport, children absorbed independence, mountain awareness, and cross-cultural interaction—lessons parents valued as highly as parallel turns.

The Website as Archive

Today, archived versions provide a window into how alpine tourism communicated before social media dominance. They capture pricing, pedagogy, and optimism from an era of steady growth.

Transition to the Future

Though branding evolved, the core promise remains recognizable: attentive teaching, manageable groups, and access to one of France’s great ski playgrounds.

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