The best ski school and instructors, I arrived as a really nervous absolute beginner and Milan taught me the essentials along with building my confidence. He adapted the lessons as I was progressing and was extremely patient. I can’t rate highly enough. I even booked more lessons throughout the week and I enjoyed them so much. Thanks Milan.

We were lucky to have Elian Leonhart as our guide on the EGSW hosted groups . He was very flexible, helpful and attentive to all the skiers needs and requests and the best guide I have had in over 10 years. Merci bien .

Very grateful for the service by max and Jeremy. Bought a pair of boots here, was thoroughly impressed by the level of detail that was put into getting a pair that I felt were the right fit for me. After a few days of skiing I had to get the boots readjusted and everything was perfect. They helped me massively with tips to get the boots on properly and how to solve the problems I faced. Thank you very much - they were amazing.

Highly recommend using Prosneige for lessons. We had 6 snowboarding lessons with Charly and absolutely loved them! He provided really clear instructions, tips and demos for beginners and made lessons fun and varied, too. He kept the motivation up when I was struggling which was really important for me! Great instructor

It's a great Team and amazing experience. In particular for the boot fitting guys. You're talking to experts. Follow their lead as they take you through how it should feel and what to expect between comfort and performance. I love my boots . Best skiing ever following this. Thanks again!

Superb experience getting new boots fitted by Jeremy. Incredibly efficient initial fitting in the morning, followed by adjustments that afternoon. 2 Moore dsys skiing on them and no more adjustments required.

We had the best ski 🎿 instructor this week!! Mathaiu (Matt) made learning so much fun! Improved our technique. Mixed it up with some off piste and improved our confidence on the steeper slopes. Thanks Matt - great job!! See you next year 👍 Charlie & Lisa

Amazing ski destination – whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it here! From easy, chill slopes to wild, uneven runs. The views of the surrounding mountains are absolutely stunning, and the snow conditions are excellent. I did miss having more trees around, as the landscape is very open and a bit desolate – though some people might actually prefer that. If you’re into partying, the town has some great spots – especially if you’re Danish! Just head to Café Snesko – you’re going to love it.

A very good ski resort. From beginners to advanced skiers, you can find good trails that will suit you. Also a very nice apres ski. Lots of hotels offers ski-in ski-out. Val thorens offers ski options when other ski resorts are already closed for the season.

Val Thorens has a great vibe, there are lots of amazing hotels and bars/restaurants. Shopping is easy with lots of convenience stores and also lots of specialist winter sports stores for all your skiing and snowboarding needs; though be prepared to pay a small (5-10% in my experience) resort premium on purchases here versus high street prices. Internet shopping is clearly the best option before arriving to make sure you get the best prices on equipment. Aside from the great bars and eateries, Val Thorens also has one or two slopes that you can ski and board on. Being a part of 3 Valleys it's a part of the largest ski resort in the world with hundreds of kilometers of groomed slopes. I love the ease of navigating around the resort using the many many lifts. There are runs for all levels, though if you're a complete beginner you may lack variety as there are relatively few green runs compared to other resorts. That being said, there are plenty of blues that are very manageable for beginners. Being at altitude I've found the snow quality and quantity to be better than other resorts in the area, including the 3 Valleys resorts of Courchevel and Meribel. Being lower they can often suffer with either slushy or icy conditions much more so that Val Thorens seems to. Final observation is that Val Thorens is an all ages resort. It doesn't matter if you're a family, young, old, or anywhere in between, Val Thorens has something for everyone, and all coexist peacefully.

The Perfect Destination for Skiing and Relaxation I recently visited this mountain, and I can confidently say it’s a paradise for ski and nature lovers! The area boasts an impressive number of ski slopes, suitable for all levels – from beginners to advanced skiers. The slopes are wide, well-maintained, and offer a safe skiing experience, making every moment on the mountain truly enjoyable. They are impeccably groomed daily, and the snow quality is excellent, no matter the weather. Beyond the slopes, the resort features cozy relaxation areas. The comfortable cabins, cafés with breathtaking views, and heated terraces provide the perfect spot to unwind between ski sessions. Whether you’re passionate about winter sports or just looking for a peaceful retreat in nature, this destination offers the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation. I highly recommend it!

Val Thorens – Where the mountains are majestic and the buildings… aren’t Let’s be honest: Val Thorens is like dating someone with a stunning personality and a questionable wardrobe. The mountains? Absolutely breathtaking. Snow-draped peaks, endless ski runs, and views that make you forget your Wi-Fi password. Nature here is working overtime. And then… there’s the village. The buildings? Imagine 1970s concrete met a ski resort brochure and said, “Let’s do brutalism, but make it beige.” It’s like someone tried to stack shoeboxes in a snowstorm and called it urban planning. Charming? Not exactly. Functional? Sure. Photogenic? Only if you crop aggressively. But hey – you’re not here for the architecture. You’re here to ski, après-ski, and maybe pretend you’re in a Bond film while sipping overpriced vin chaud. And for that, Val Thorens delivers. Just don’t look too hard at the hotel façade on your way down the slope.

Great skiing area. Really enjoyed it. Not pretty in the villages but well makes up for that with the slopes.

At 2350m, snow is not yet an issue. The station is geared towards skiing and cater mainly to an international clientele. British and Dutch mainly. It has the trappings of a small French town with fresh breads, some cafes for drinks and meals but remains a very touristic area. Perfect for skiing. Going to the piste is relatively easy.

We enrolled our 6-year-old child in the Oxygen ski school for a week and were very pleased! Our main goal was for her to improve her skiing, and the progress was simply amazing. Compared to other schools we've tried, the results here were significantly better—she became much more confident and skilled on the slopes. Huge thanks to the instructors! A minor downside was the lunch arrangement. Meals were served in a different hotel, and for young kids, carrying their gear and getting there wasn’t the easiest. They were likely assisted, but it still felt a bit inconvenient. Also, the food selection could be a bit more varied. Despite this, if we visit again, we’ll most likely choose Oxygen again—the quality of instruction here is truly outstanding!

Extremely Disappointing Experience – Would Not Recommend This was our first season trying snowboarding, and we were really looking forward to a new and exciting experience. Unfortunately, our time with Oxygene ski and snowboarding school nearly ruined what should have been a special holiday. Despite spending a significant amount of money on lessons, the service we received was appalling. The instructor assigned to us, Daniel, was not only rude and condescending but also completely unprofessional. He was very impatient. Constantly mumble and utter something rude under his breath when me or my daughter fall over, when we didn't hear or understood his instructions. Understandably, we got nervous as it is our first time on the slopes. What’s most upsetting is that he used inappropriate and unacceptable language towards my 12-year-old daughter when I wasn’t present. This is beyond disappointing — it’s infuriating. We call it a quit after the second lessons. I had hoped this company would provide supportive, family-friendly instruction, especially for beginners, but that could not be further from our experience. I rarely leave negative reviews, but I feel strongly that others should be warned. There are many ski and snowboard schools out there — I strongly recommend looking elsewhere. We went with Prosneige Ski School to continue with our lessons. They are far more better than Oxygene. Their customer service is top notch and the instructor that assigned to us was superb.

Great ski school with fantastic instructors. Small groups guaranteed and of the numbers get slightly high, they add another instructor which is win win! Enzo, FX and Edison were all individually brilliant! They move you up midweek if you improve and the spontaneous hot chocolates were an unexpected bonus! Will be back next year, thanks Oxygene!

We used the Oxygene Ski School in Val Thorens for kids and adults group classes. The classes were brilliant and we improved over the week. The instructors were patient and Francesco was amazing on the first day helping us all settle in. Our kids loved the classes and are keen to return next year. The kids still talk about their sessions and their instructors Enzo and Oscar.

I just got back from a ski trip, and wow, what a turnaround! I've always thought skiing wasn't for me after a pretty rough experience a few years back. But when my friends planned this January getaway, I was hesitant but decided to give it another shot. As soon as I arrived at the hotel, the receptionist mentioned this company called Oxygène . She raved about how they're a small business that genuinely cares for their clients, and I figured, why not trust her? So, I booked a class with Enzo, my instructor for the entire week. On the first day, we tackled a blue slope, and I was amazed at how much my confidence grew. By the end of that first class, I was actually conquering my fears! The second day was even better; I was already navigating blue slopes and starting to feel like a skier. Enzo was incredible—his support and encouragement made skiing feel effortless. Fast forward to the last day, and I found myself zooming down blue and red slopes with my friend, feeling like a pro! It's all thanks to Enzo’s tips and tricks that helped me build my confidence. I can't recommend him enough! If you're on the fence about skiing, give it a try, especially with someone like Enzo guiding you. You might just surprise yourself!

Booked a 4hr off piste guided lesson, our instructor was Daniele, and I can't rate this experience highly enough, everything was covered from general improvement of our techniques, off piste runs and equipment, plus some freestyle tips and lessons. So much time was taken to explain everything, and how it all effects the way you move the board. A lot of emphasis was put on the fact that this is a bidirectional sport and the improvements that can be made by being bidirectional, which really opened the idea up for more us. 11/10 top class day!

Amazing experience. Super approachable, professional, flexible and professional instructor. Really accommodating office staff. Both myself and my 12 year old son took private lessons. He was encouraged and pushed to grow in confidence, being able to go up and down the nursery slops and use the ‘magic carpets’ fully independently by then of the second lesson. Thank you Luca. Can’t wait to keep on learning next year!

Absolutely wonderful, unforgettable experience… everyone at ski cool was so lovely and friendly….Me and my son had lessons with Adrian. He was so much fun, and we did laugh a lot…yet very professional, and so very patient has I asked sooo many questions. It was my second time skiing and I was extremely nervous…. Adrian taught me so much and he gave me the confidence that I needed, and pushed me gently to my capabilities. I will never forget what you taught me. Thank you for everything, your kindness, fun, laughter, patience and your professionalism in teaching… extremely grateful….and so so happy with how far I came on from last year… Vicky and Elijah 🥰

This is our third time with Ski Cool. My girls learned snowboarding and they became very good now. Thanks Julian for taking care of my girls. He is patient and encouraging. The staff are pleasant and helpful, too. 👍Well done!

Great ski school. I took the beginner’s class and I highly recommend it. Laurence, the ski instructor, has been amazing and made me feel comfortable the whole time. Don’t hesitate to take the classes, 100% worth it.

It was great time skiing with Skischool. I was with Florian three times and I would say thank you. He was friendly and very professional which made me feel at ease. I was a bit annoying down the slopes because I was afraid but he was so patient and kept skiing backwards just to reassure that he is keeping an eye on me. The third time I had my lessons, I was with my 8-year old son and Florian was so adaptable. Teaching different levels and of different ages at the same time especially when the weather is not that good could be complicated but he handled it very well. Two thumbs up!

I couldn’t have been happier with my choice to do private snowboard classes with Ski Cool! Not only they were super flexible and helpful to accommodate to my schedule and last minutes requests, but Cyril my instructor was the BEST! I’ve learn so much in just few days ( and i am not a fast learner) the instructions were clear, he challenged me, we snowboarded on pistes i thought i ll never be able to, he gave me confidence and made the lessons fun! Highly recommended both the instructor and the school! 🥰🤗

We were a group of 11, and booked for various ski levels, including a group of 3 young kids, over the 4 days we were at Val Thorens. First of all, the team went above and beyond to accommodate times and keep the same instructors for the children - Chloe is patient and dedicated to finding the optimal solution for the group. Really can’t say enough good words about her ability to accommodate a large slightly complex group of varied levels, ages and requirements. Our instructor for the 3 youngest kids was beyond amazing, not only with patience of a saint to spend 5 hours with them on the slopes each day, all of them improved significantly in a short amount of time with his guidance. They adored him, and he was sensitive to each of their needs, listening to their requests and building it into the lessons. He was also so sweet and excited to give them their badges at the end of our days, doing a mini ceremony for them. We had 6 other instructors over the days, and each one was fabulous, excited to spend time with our group and provided each level of skier amongst us fabulous tips. On our last day we planned to spend the morning our whole group together with 3 instructors. It was the start of a snow storm, but they knew how important it was for the kids to show off their skills to us from the last days, and kept a positive attitude to keep our spirits high. We ended up going up one run, and they guided us and helped all the kids through the less than ideal conditions. They then made sure to stay on the carpet with the kids so they could show us their tricks. What we thought would be a disaster and write off of a morning became a wonderful and special experience thanks to the team! We already know that on our next visit we will be using Ski Cool again, and are so looking forward to it! Thank you for such a fabulous and dedicated team to make sure our group improved and had fun!

Without a doubt the best choice I could have made! I hired SkiCool for ski lessons adapted for wheelchair users and they listened to me with full attention from the beginning! Before I even got to Val Thorens, they worried about all the details of my classes. What was my disability, my height, weight, which equipment I would need, etc. About the lessons, they could not have been better! My teacher, Florian, was not only my teacher, but a friend! Very professional and patient, we had wonderful days! Today I can say that I have a great friend in France! Another pleasure was to have met Annie, a wonderful and happy person! Super indicated this school! I only have reason to thank them! Strong hug to everyone, especially to my friends Florian and Annie!

It seems like a busy week, but allowing to have 14 kids per instructor doesn’t leave a lot of time per student. So value for money (it is not cheap) is definitely mostly benefiting ESF. No doubt the instructor has a high technical knowledge and training themselves, however in terms of making a student feel welcome, in the case my daughter, that is completely absent. That doesn’t create a good environment for learning and enjoying the experience. It is most like a result of her not speaking French, as it was clear that other kids got all the attention from the teacher. it takes very little to make a kid feel welcomed. I will not recommend nor use the school again for my non-French speaking kids.

Our both sons from 3 and 4 olds joined a group lesson last week. Very patience and kind instuctors. The boys makes also good progression. Would really recommend them.

Wow! Worth every penny! So we had both snowboarding and skiing instruction from Agathe. Firstly, I’m incredibly impressed at the skill; training and professionalism required to become an ESF instructor and so I have the utmost respect for all ESF personnel. Agathe very quickly gauged our experience and how we learnt; our strengths and our weaknesses, and tailored her tutoring so that by the end of our holiday we were cruising down red routes from Pointe du Masse quite happily. What’s more, we learnt so much about general safety on the mountains; the best places for hot chocolate and how to look after our kit too. Agathe is exceptionally talented and we are very grateful to have had the privilege of her tuition. We learnt so much from Agathe!

I got Laurent J or Jay or (G in French) im not so sure But he was the best instructor I have ever had. I can hit blue slope on day 3 He really knows how to communicate! I was super insecure about my ski and the hight! And i was panic the whole time .. once I did a course with Laurent it was soooooo much better. Even the staff at reception was super nice. I recommend this school

Great experience in beginner class with Jocelyne, one of the best ski teachers that I’ve ever meet. Her pedagogical skills are impressive, she was very patient with us and at the end of the week we all managed to be autonomous and to gain our self confidence on the slopes of Les 3 Vallées!

We have just returned from a week in Les Menuires where our children (6 and 4) were booked into ski school with ESF for the week. My daughter was very upset on the first day as she had been assessed by ESF and put into a class too advanced for her. She had also been pushed by another child and when clearly upset she was shouted at, told she was not a good skier and was holding up the class. When I booked my son into Pioupiou I was advised that there were only afternoon lessons available. I was asked if I wanted to book him in for 5 or 6 afternoons (as we had arrived on a Sunday). I booked and paid for 6 afternoon lessons. My son got on well in the classes during the week however when we arrived for his class on Saturday I was told that he had missed it as Saturdays there were only morning lessons. We were not told this when we booked the lessons or by the instructors that week. When I asked for a refund for Saturday's lesson, I was told I should have had an email confirming the times but I had not received this. ESF admitted it was their error but refused to refund me for the day he missed. I will not be using ESF again.

This is our experience with ESF Les Menuires group snowboard lessons for newbies: - The website asks which language your child speaks, and google labels www.esf-uk.co.uk as "English Speaking Ski Schools in France", yet all group instructions are only given in French, "because this is a French school". I'm ok with it being a French school, but adverts are very obviously misleading. - ESF website tells you snowboard lessons are for kids from 6 years old, yet you can't register anyone who's younger than 8. - The instructors 90% of time focus on the average student - for us it was around 12 year old French speaker. The ages of kids in the group were from 8 to approx 15 years, quite a difference. At least half of instructors are decent and kind when they finally decide to pay attention to a child struggling e.g. to get up after falling. But it may take 5 minutes for the instructors to finally pay attention to a struggling kid. - The instructors speak good English, still UK kids may struggle to parse the accent - The group was around 20 kids (and 4 instructors). At least first few lessons kids most stand/sit, waiting for everyone to do an exercise in turn (but those who fail still wouldn't get help soon enough) - The school is designed for die hard French-speaking kids who wouldn't mind being neglected and left on their own, and ideally are at the top 25% ranked by fitness, learning ability and age within the group. Others may have psychological and physical traumas. Good stuff: - when we dropped out from the group, it was possible to transfer the remaining credit to 1 private lesson, which was much more useful and nice