Do you think Cara, 19, regrets leaving her Customer Services Assistant job in Gloucestershire for the slopes of Courchevel, France? Let’s see…French Alps or Stroud? Read on to find out how she liked her winter season job abroad.
Winter Season Jobs - Ski the French Alps
Why did you decide to work in a ski resort?
I met some boys the previous year that had worked in a ski resort, and it looked like fun!
What job did you do?
Chalet Host
How exactly did you find the job?
I did a Google search of ski resort jobs and found it there. It took about a month from the time I applied to being offered the job?
What was your day to day routine?
Wake up at 7, in chalet by half 7, lay out breakfast, make afternoon cake, do any food prep for evening meal, clear away breakfast, set out afternoon tea, clean up kitchen, hoover everywhere, make beds, clean bathrooms…Out of chalet by 11ish…up on the mountain with everyone by 12, ski till 4.30, back in chalet by 5, children’s high tea made and served at 5.30. Then prepare adults’ evening meal – canapés, starters, mains and dessert, clean up kitchen, out of chalet by 9. Then out for the evening!
What was the salary like?
I earned about 100 quid a week. Not much considering the amount of hard work we did, but we did get our accommodation, food, ski hire and lift pass paid for!
Would you recommend this type of job?
Absolutely, it’s the best job if you want to get a lot of time on the mountain.
Do you need to be qualified?
A cookery course is ideal, but not essential, I didn’t do one.
Did you find accommodation easily and was it expensive?
The company found it for us, I worked for Esprit and we were really lucky, we got a nice house!
What’s the night life like in a ski resort?
Quite different to English night life, but we loved it because everyone knew each other, plus as a worker you get seasonnaire’s discounts, etc.
Are there other things to do like sports/tourist attractions? Loads, my favourite was an outdoor ice skating rink, you get to play ice hockey matches with your mates.
Are there any negatives about Courchevel?
Not that I can think of!
Did you make some new Friends?
YES, made some of the best friends I’ve ever had!
Tell us the 3 best and worst things about the experience.
Best:
1. I met my boyfriend!
2. I’ve never laughed so much!
3. It was the best thing I’ve ever done!
Worst:
1. The early starts – having to get up having had 3 hours sleep is not fun!
2. Having to go back to work after a day off!
3. It didn’t last longer!
Do you feel this experience will help you in your future career?
Yes, it taught me a lot about myself, I have matured and changed a lot. I have gained valuable experience dealing with people.
Any tips for our readers?
Just go for it, don’t hold back, you only have five months and will regret not doing certain things when you come home!
Useful Ski Job Websites
www.seasonworkers.com/
www.yseski.co.uk
www.inghams.co.uk
www.skifamille.co.uk
Alpine Cookery Course