Tom, ski instructor in Peisey-Vallandry

I was born in the Vosges, so I have known the mountain air since I was a child. I have been skiing since I was 2 years old. I immediately loved snow sports. In my youth, I left skiing for a while to concentrate on snowboarding. When I was 15, I entered a high school in Thônes, in the Alps, near Annecy, the training center for mountain professions. That's when I really started skiing again. It gave me a taste for discovering the high mountains. And little by little, I turned to teaching.

After high school, I went to Ucpa. I really got a taste for teaching, the contact with people. I really like the relational aspect. The job of ski instructor is really ideal for that. I love meeting new people and sharing my knowledge of skiing and the mountains with them. Seeing people progress and having a lot of fun is really satisfying for me.

In addition, the courses are very varied. The pedagogy is different when teaching children than when teaching adults. With children, we can tell them a story about the mountain while making them progress, while with adults the social relationship is created more easily. These are 2 different teachings. It is this variety that I also like in the job of instructor.

Generally, during my ski lessons, I like to make my students discover the mountain and the mountain environment. The objective is that they enjoy it, that they have fun. For the children, you have to make them feel that they are not at school. It's the vacations, they are there to enjoy. And for the adults, you have to put them at ease to remove any apprehension. And for the more experienced ones, you need to get them out of their comfort zones and into some cool spots. The work is never the same.

Today I am in Peisey-Vallandry and I know the Paradiski area very well because I taught for 5 years in Les Arcs and 2 years in La Plagne. I love teaching skiing here because there is an incredible off-piste area, varied slopes for all levels, and a good snowpark for freestyle lovers. All the conditions are there to have a great time and learn to ski.