Is this the End of Ski Hosting in France?
Ski hosting in France is no longer on offer: but it continues in many other countries. Photo: © Andy Lloyd.
Tens of thousands of British skiers staying in French resorts were left to find their own way around the mountain today after a French court in Albertville banned the practice of ski hosting by British tour operators.
The service was declared to be in breach of a French law that forbids anyone from guiding groups of skiers around the slopes unless they are fully qualified ski and snowboard instructors. The law was originally introduced to try and stamp out illegal instruction.
Ski hosts do not give any form of instruction. Their role is to show guests around the ski area, introduce them to different pistes, and point out the best lunch spots and bars. They do not takes guests off-piste or down difficult runs.
However, the law was recently revised to include anyone who is paid simply to lead groups of skiers around the mountain, on-piste as well as off.
Crystal Ski said that it was temporarily withdrawing its free “social skiing” service and most other companies were expected to follow their lead, rather than risk their staff being arrested by zealous police on the slopes at the height of the main half-term week.
British tour operator taken to court
The move to end the 50-year-old service follows the test-case prosecution of Nick Morgan, managing director of Huddersfield-based Le Ski. He was fined €15,000. His company operates in Courchevel, La Tania, and Val d’Isere. It has been offering free skiing guiding to guests for the past 30 years.
Last March a group of Le Ski guests and their host were stopped and questioned by police while skiing in the Meribel Valley.
Prosecution supported by the ESF
The prosecution was supported by the association of French ski schools, the ESF, despite the fact that ski hosts are specifically banned from giving any form of instruction. The damages awarded to the ESF are understood to be €9,000.
However, a spokesman for the ESF claimed: “ESF will not receive any re-numeration as a result of this judgment other than its legal fees being paid for representing them as a ‘Civil Party’ and importantly, ESF has never sought otherwise. Contrary to some opinion, there is no financial gain to ESF.
“The laws governing sport in France say that it is illegal to ‘teach, lead, guide, animate’ without an appropriate professional qualification. For professionals, and in particular for ESF, security on ski slopes is of paramount importance.”
Le Ski launches an appeal
Le Ski has already appealed against the decision and is supported by a group of other major and minor tour operators for whom ski hosting is an important and attractive component of their holidays. The case will now go to a higher court in Chambery.
Nick Morgan said: “The result is what we expected. We are not surprised that the local Albertville authorities supported the protectionist ESF stance. We are very disappointed that one of our commercial partners has supported this prosecution.”
Ski hosting is still available in many other countries
Anyone who enjoys ski-hosting will be pleased to know that it will continue in many other ski-holiday destinations. Crystal will, for example, be continuing its “social skiing” programme wherever it has reps in European resorts beyond France – as will Inghams, Total and Esprit. Chalet specialist VIP will also be continuing its ski hosting in Zermatt, Verbier and St Anton.
In North America, many ski resorts – such as Whistler and Vail – offer free mountain tours to orient their guests, and to help them get the most from their ski holiday.
Whistler, one of many North American mountains offering free mountain tours. Photo: © Randy Lincks/ whistler.com
RT @welove2ski: The French ban ski-hosting by British tour ops – and hand a competitive advantage to Austria, Italy & Co. http://t.co/aTlocqcf
I have mixed views on this issue as both an ex ski guide and a tour operator who has actively chosen not to offer guiding (because I was unconvinced I could do so legitimately even before this ruling).
The case was always going to be a hard fight when, to my knowledge, operators have never had a consistent approach re what guiding actually is, what qualifications and training guides have to have and how they evaluate the standards/needs of their clientele.
Some companies are very thorough (I know Le Ski has an excellent reputation in this respect) but others may not be. Without absolute clarity re the offering I can’t see that the court had much choice.
Surely now there is an opportunity to engage with the French Authorities and establish what is an “appropriate” qualification for on piste familiarisation tours – I don’t buy that it is necessary to be a fully fledged ski instructor.
The end result could be a great service offered by quality tour operators that helps promote both their interests and those of their host resorts.
Hi Chris,
I could not agree with your comments more. Unfortunately in the not too distant past, ski hosting (aka guiding) services have crossed the grey margin with unfortunate results. Safety has certainly been compromised and clients have been ‘mis-guided’. Until there is true clarity, this is an inevitable but necessary ruling. The action may have been brought by the ESF, but it is supported by many others in the industry in the interests of safety and professionalism.
It could have a very big implications for any group skiing trips to France, be it School trips or our armed forces.
Unfortunately it’s not just ski guiding/hosting that the French authorities are targetting.
Taxi drivers are at it at the major airports too, believing that transfer companies (even French registered ones) are taking away their business. We are not. No-one I know arrives at an airport, having booked a ski holiday but with no onward travel to their resort?
France quickly needs to realise that their alpine economy relies heavily on mainly British & other European countries’ spending habits and certainly not those of the French. Wake up & smell the coffee before it’s too late France. — in Val-d’Isère.
It is really disappointing to hear that a French court has ruled that it is not safe for UK tour operators to… http://t.co/jF4yaBnv
thoughts on this: http://t.co/xPCOXxYD @progressionski @LDMC1966
Is this the End of Ski Hosting in France? http://t.co/X0bPs7bb “tasty photo peter” @leskichalets!!
Will the Ski Club of GB have to withdraw reps from French resorts? Perhaps they should withdraw them any way, in protest!
From where I’m standing ( and skiing) in Meribel, and as an ex SCGB leader it seems like short sights protectionism.
It can only end up in lost business surely?
And what about mates showing their pals around the mountain as I do when friends visit? Is that against the law too now?
For people who value hosting this seems like an own goal for the French resorts. There are plenty of other resorts in Austria, Switzerland, Italy ,North America etc where hosting is allowed. We are about to go to Val d’Isere next weekend, a resort I haven’t visited for 30 years. I don’t need ski lessons but I was looking forward to a day or two’s ski hosting so I could work out where everything is.
Hopefully the Ski Club’s own guiding service won’t be effected. There are clearly safety issues to consider with unqualified hosting “guides”, but I have never had a problem with using any such services in the past. Are French resorts going to offer free familiarization guiding as they do in Whistler from now on? Somehow I think not!
Lots of good comments here!
@alastairmck @jamiefox1 spotted my name … I do have a view on the guiding; summed up here http://t.co/l3nJvOrT Not about tomorrow
The Ski Club’s guiding system won’t be affected – because the law doesn’t apply to volunteers, and the Ski Club’s reps aren’t paid. Though if the French authorities are as concerned about skier safety as they claim to be, why shouldn’t they regulate these volunteer services too? Why should it only concern them when money is changing hands?
I think you probably hit on exactly why it concerns them Sean. Because money is changing hands and those hands ain’t theirs…
Very interesting. I guess it could go one of two ways now – the French back down, or they muscle the EU into making this a pan-European rule (if Chris & Dave are right, then it’s all the other resorts that have it wrong). I’m often in two minds as to whether to go to France or elsewhere. This will materially affect my decision-making, as guiding is a very useful part of the package.
Anyone who remembers the targeted harassment by ESF from the late 80′s and 90′s will not be surprised by any of this.
The arrogance of the ESF and the authorities shows that the French are incapable of accepting the rigours of normal business practice and are not worthy of British/Foreign customers.
As much as I love the country, I am left with the feeling that I hope they suffer…
What will happen to British companies who provide ski instruction as part of there package like Simon Butler in Megeve Skivo 2 Dave Beatie in courcheval . Or Warren Smith because they have qualified basi instructors are they excused ?
They are not affected as they are qualified instructors, Chris.
So how does the Ski Club of Great Britain stand with their ski hosting service? Again they are not qualified ski instructors. If they are still allowed then it is plainly evident that this is not a safety issue but one of a perceived economic threat to their businesses.
Just heard that Simon Butler and/or his instructors were arrested this week, but got european court verdict to release them. Next day followed round the mountain by a policeman
Last week’s big #skiholiday news: http://t.co/rgaRdJAi4f – Is this the End of Ski Hosting in France?
So, if the SCGB can get round this issue as they have volunteers then the tour ops just need to get volunteers in also with a nudge and a wink to guests that they are to tip at the end of the day/week.
The big #skiing news from last week: http://t.co/rgaRdJAi4f – Is this the End of Ski Hosting in France?
“@welove2ski: People are still ranting and raving about this! http://t.co/jjBoMRkkfI – Is this the End of Ski Hosting in France?”#beinformed
Typical French Protectionism!! Is this the end of Ski Hosting in France? @groomie37 @Morealps @TheSkiClub @welove2ski http://t.co/j6sDtW5l06
5 years studies and high level training for french
come and have a look at the basi training and exam
you will see how low is the technical level …
would you like french people to teach you how to play criket or an eskimo how to play football??
It does indeed hand a competitive advantage to Austria and Italy & Co. http://t.co/aTlocqcf RT @welove2ski @colletts