Top tips for working a ski season in Courchevel
Courchevel – it’s a resort famous among both skiers and snowboarders planning their dream holiday in the snow. But it’s also hugely popular with those looking to embark upon a new career, or spend a few months in a new location.
Courchevel ski seasons are highly sought after for good reason. As one of the largest bases for ski instructors, with an unparalleled connection of ski areas, Courchevel is popular with ski seasonaires in the UK in particular for its convenient position in Europe, with plenty of British ski operators hiring employees. If you’re looking for the very best snow conditions, weather and a vibrant culture, Courchevel is the perfect place to do a ski season.
So here are our top tips for finding a ski job during the Courchevel ski season!
Applying for Courchevel ski season jobs
It’s no secret that ski season jobs are competitive. The key to getting yourself in contention for a position is getting your application in early. Tour operators begin recruiting in May or June for the following winter season, so start looking online as soon as possible. Interviews are often carried out throughout these summer months, but are often initially offered to those who get there first. See potential employers as early as you can. You may well be required to pay a ‘commitment fee’ of around £100 to secure your offer, as a safeguard to show that you will turn up at the start of season. This bond is usually fully refunded on the successful completion of the winter season.
When deciding what kind of ski season job you want to apply for, spend some time mapping out your transferable skills. Abilities such as languages, cooking, or childcare qualifications will make you highly employable in Courchevel. But besides these, qualities such as flexibility and team work are all essential to mention in any application. Courchevel is a fantastic choice for French-speaking individuals, as this will allow you to apply for jobs with international ski operators as well as locally run establishments such as bars.
Although forward planning is important, don’t be disheartened if you are looking late into the season. Ski resorts are dynamic places with people constantly turning up and leaving, some with injuries going home at short notice. In these situations, employers are looking for an immediate replacement, so get your name out there to show that you’re ready to fill in.
Find accommodation early
On a similar note, it is essential to have accommodation firmly organised before you arrive in the resort. Many operators offer their staff accommodation, but further down the line, you may decide that shared staff accommodation is not the best choice for you, so make sure you know what the options for accommodation in Courchevel are before you go.
Pack smart
It can be difficult to know what to bring to a ski season. Of course you’ll be needing good-quality ski gear and plenty of pairs of ski socks, but what else should you pack?
As most Courchevel workers will tell you, there is little point in bringing bags full of fashionable clothes – as these are simply not suitable for the climate or the lifestyle. However, you will need to bring lots of underwear and socks, because, being so busy, you may occasionally fall behind on laundry. As Cooler Lifestyle reports, extension leads are a must in shared accommodation, and be sure to pack some paracetamol – which costs a lot more in the mountains!
Get ski-ready
Almost every ski operator offers Courchevel ski passes to employees, and combined with flexible working hours that means you’ll have plenty of free time for skiing or snowboarding. Of course, by the end of your ski season you’ll be a small-scale pro on the slopes, but it’s important to prepare yourself for skiing before you start. Get fit and in good physical condition before you head to Courchevel, as skiing and snowboarding and hospitality work alike can be very physically demanding. And, after all, you want to be able to keep up with everyone else on the pistes!
Plan your finances
As a seasonaire, many of your outgoings will be covered by employers, such as lift passes, equipment hire, accommodation and food. This means that your outgoings should be significantly lower than they are at home. However, Courchevel is an exclusive resort, so be careful with how you spend your cash. It’s always a good idea to tell customer service staff that you’re a seasonaire, and to learn where to find the best deals. It’s also essential to get insurance before you leave – no one wants to be faced with a huge bill while they’re having the time of their life!
Chat to everyone!
When you first arrive at Courchevel for your ski season, you may feel a little overwhelmed. Not knowing anyone can seem daunting, but in reality, this is an exciting opportunity. Say ‘hi’ to everyone you meet and just get chatting, it will soon feel much easier.
The resort is perfect for music lovers, with many live bands playing regularly, so there will be plenty of opportunities to meet new like-minded people. From ski shop employees to chalet hosts and your fellow employees, having good friends in the resort is beneficial in many ways – from free ski servicing to free storage. But make sure you can return the favour! Different parts of Courchevel may be more suited to you than others. As Natives explain in their article on working in Courchevel:
“Where you live can have an impact on your season. For example, if you live in Le Praz, you’ll probably end the season knowing most other workers in the village plus a number of the locals. If you live in 1850, most bars you go to will be full of other season workers, many of whom you will never even meet, let alone know their name.”
However, they continue, 1850 has the very best connections to the slopes and a famous nightlife. So it’s important to consider what you want out of your social time in Courchevel, and try to pick an area that best suits your personality.
Prepare to work hard
Working a ski season can mean long hours and often being on call for shifts. It can certainly be tiring. However, if you are willing to put in the effort, working a ski season can be immensely rewarding. As SeasonWorkers explain:
“The early ski season is tough for the vast majority of new ski resort workers. Resorts need to be prepared and that means everybody has to pitch in with snow clearing (hopefully!) and cleaning - no matter what they are going to be doing for the rest of the season. This period is usually the making of the rest of the ski season in terms of team morale and the relationships that will shape your experience. Setting up is quite often the first real work that younger staff have ever done and it may well be the first time your immediate boss has done his or her job as well; so give them a chance, it works both ways!
“Whatever you are doing, we cannot stress enough the importance of working hard and showing a bit of grit at this stage. It always gets easier and you will be glad that you fought through it and did yourself proud.”
Look after yourself
Much of the work of a ski seasonaire is about looking after others – be that instructing them to ski, cooking for them, cleaning their chalet or looking after their children. However, you must also look after your own wellbeing during your ski season.
Safety is key – never ski off-piste without full safety gear (bleeper, probe, shovel…) and go on a course so you know what you’re doing, and invest in an ABS backpack and a tracker. Use hand cream often because work involving cooking, cleaning, washing up or shovelling snow can become painful otherwise. Don’t forget to wear a high factor sun cream all season.
Other things to bear in mind are your mental health – keep in touch with family and friends at home to prevent homesickness, and nurture bonds with friends – from maintaining a diplomatic bathroom cleaning rota to supporting each other through tough days.
Explore Courchevel
Finally, make sure that, among all of the excitement of working a ski season, you take time out to appreciate the beauty of Courchevel. As a north-facing resort, the sun has minimal impact on the snow, creating incredible snow conditions. So make sure you get your skis on regularly! A working ski holiday in France will require a lot of application, but also a lot of fun. Also try to venture further afield – whether that’s taking a hike around the rest of the 3 valleys, trying out a new sport like ice climbing, or visiting a neighbouring town. With an endless array of mountains, lakes and vibrant locations to visit, as a seasonaire you will make memories to last a lifetime.