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Advice for those who are new to the snow
Our Service and Prices Our Chalets La Plagne Les Arcs Activities Climbing Fishing Golf Horse Riding Motorbike Touring Mountain Biking Parapenting Rafting and Canoeing Road Cycling Skiing and Snowboarding Swimming Tennis Walking Calendar of Events Contact Us Travel to Paradiski Weather / Webcams Guests Comments Chillchalet Online	Home > Skiing and Snowboarding > Advice for novice skiers and snowboarders Advice on equipment for beginners The mistake some people make is buying the top of the range gear when they are starting out. It won't necessarily last longer just because it costs more, because most kit is only made to last for one or two seasons, and the chances are you are not going to be heading up Mt Blanc, so you don't really need top of the range, technical kit. Whether you are going to rent your skis or snowboard or buy your own, make the effort to go to a reputable shop. They will have staff who know what they are talking about, and a wide range of brands, so you can pick and choose the kit that suits your size and weight best. Go on your own, and be prepared to listen to the shop staff. They want you to get the right equipment so you'll have fun, get hooked and go back to their shop. You'll need goggles and water-resistant gloves, and as long as you have a jacket and trousers that are water-resistant, don't worry about all the other extra fiddly bits they may or may not have. Buy the one that you can afford, and of course you have to like the way it looks because you are going to be wearing it everyday. Make sure you get some proper socks because they are specially shaped not to rub in your boots, and a beanie hat to keep your ears warm is obligatory. (Don't get a woolly one, because if it gets wet it will itch and eventually start to smell!) As for boots they are THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR KIT, and should be snug and stiff. Try on as many pairs as possible and don't be tight. Chose for comfort rather than price and your feet will thank you for it. When I arrived for my first week on the slopes, I expected deep snow in the town and arctic conditions on the mountain and bought stacks of jumpers and woolly things, but I didn't wear any of it. While it might be nice to have 3 jumpers on when you get on the first chairlift, you will be sweating like a trooper on the way down, so cotton layers are best. If you are coming early season you will need thermals for your legs and a few breathable layers for under your jacket, but by the end of March it is warm enough for a just a t-shirt with your trousers and jacket. Similarly it isn't that cold off the mountain, and chances you will be in a nice snug bar or your house, so you don't need lots of heavy clothes. If you are planning to head to Tignes for some summer snow action you will still need waterproof trousers and jackets because although it is hot, you will soon get chilly if you are soaking wet. Advice on lessons for beginners Lessons with a qualified teacher are a good investment. Don't think you can just throw yourself around and pick it up as you go along - It will take much longer to feel confident and you will pick up loads of bad habits that are hard to break. It is the same with learning from friends. While it can be fun, just because they can get around doesn't mean they'll make a good teacher. Even just one hour with someone who knows how to teach will make weeks worth of difference in the long run. We can introduce you some reputable teachers who can give you the theory, so you will feel in control from the beginning. Then when you spend time by yourself falling over, at least you will know what you are doing wrong, and at the very least will learn how to fall over without hurting yourself. Also, don't bother trying to learn on a dry slope before you come because it is completely different to snow. Some people hurt themselves before they go away trying to get a head start, and it is not worth the risk. Once the method has been broken down for you, you can conquer each stage at a time and it doesn't seem so daunting. Tricks and all the flashy stuff will become just another stage in the process, which you can attempt when you are ready. You will never stop learning. Information about the mountain for novice skiers and snowboarders Pistes or ‘runs’ are areas of the mountain which have been tidied and groomed to make them safe. They are accessed by chair lifts or ‘bubbles’ which are mini cable cars which hold about six people. You can travel across the mountain using these linked runs which are all signposted and marked on piste maps. They are colour coded to give an idea of how steep they are. Blue are the flattest, then red, then black. If you are learning to snowboard forget what you may have heard about black runs being the hardest. This only applies to skiers. For snowboarders it is the other way around. While a skier can easily potter along on a gentle gradient, on a snowboard you need to have some speed behind you in order to move at all, and it is very frustrating to grind to a halt on the flat and to have to un-strap your feet from your bindings and walk. What you really need as a beginner on a snowboard is to make friends with a skier. They are very handy for towing you along when it is flat. New skiers should stick to the blue runs to start with, and try to avoid moguls. These are large bumps which are created as skiers turn and can be hell to navigate when you are new. There are areas called ‘nursery slopes’ which are the best place to head to at first. They are a perfect gradient for beginners and are populated by other people learning so you will feel at home. Don’t feel nervous. Everyone else on the mountain remembers what it was like to be useless, and will often give you a helping tow on their way past on a path, or help you up if you fall over. On my second day of learning I was lying, in the position I had fallen, half way down a nursery slope thinking I was never going to make it to the bottom, and a couple of people started shouting "come on you can do it" type encouragement from the nearest lift, which really cheered me up. Once you can get down a nursery slope, and feel ready to head to a longer run it is good to find and nice wide one so you have space to practice your turning without getting in other peoples way. The rules of the mountain state that if you are further down the mountain it is your right of way. However if you end up completely blocking the way for those behind you to overtake, you will find yourself getting some dirty looks. It is also safer for you, because someone whizzing close by you at speed is very off putting and can throw you off balance. Another tip to start with is to stick to runs which are flanked by trees, so if the light goes flat you can still see where the edge of the piste is. "Flat light" if you have never heard the expression, is when there is thick cloud or it is snowing and it becomes impossible to tell the ground from the sky. It can be really disorientating because you lose the ability to judge both your speed and the gradient of the slope. However if you are in trees you can use them as a reference. If it happens on a run where there are no trees, just take it slowly and follow the line of the poles that mark the edge of the piste. You will be at the edge where it is usually less moguled or icy, and you will always come to a lift if you follow piste poles. Information about going off piste Off piste just means the areas outside the piste which are not groomed and flattened by the resort so retain deep soft snow. If you are just starting out you must be very careful of heading too far into this kind of snow because deep, fresh snow can be really hard work when you are not used to it. You have to lean a different technique to keep the nose of your snowboard or skis above the snow, and if you fall it can take ages to heave yourself to your feet again. On a 'powder day', when there has been loads of snow the night before, you could try riding just outside the piste poles, where the snow won't have been flattened by the 'piste-bashers', to get used to the different technique. If you are going to try a longer run, make sure that the people you are with are experienced and will wait for you if you fall. They also need to be prepared to dig you out of the snow, if you just cannot get up. This only applies to the areas that you can see from the piste, if you are a beginner you shouldn't even contemplate doing runs that are outside the controlled ski area. Even experienced riders can get caught out, and it's not worth getting into trouble. These are just some things we thought you might like to know. If you have any questions then please get in touch. Back to Skiing and Snowboarding menu...

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Home > Skiing and Snowboarding > Advice for novice skiers and snowboarders

Advice on equipment for beginners

The mistake some people make is buying the top of the range gear when they are starting out. It won't necessarily last longer just because it costs more, because most kit is only made to last for one or two seasons, and the chances are you are not going to be heading up Mt Blanc, so you don't really need top of the range, technical kit.

Whether you are going to rent your skis or snowboard or buy your own, make the effort to go to a reputable shop. They will have staff who know what they are talking about, and a wide range of brands, so you can pick and choose the kit that suits your size and weight best. Go on your own, and be prepared to listen to the shop staff. They want you to get the right equipment so you'll have fun, get hooked and go back to their shop.

You'll need goggles and water-resistant gloves, and as long as you have a jacket and trousers that are water-resistant, don't worry about all the other extra fiddly bits they may or may not have. Buy the one that you can afford, and of course you have to like the way it looks because you are going to be wearing it everyday.

Make sure you get some proper socks because they are specially shaped not to rub in your boots, and a beanie hat to keep your ears warm is obligatory. (Don't get a woolly one, because if it gets wet it will itch and eventually start to smell!) As for boots they are THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR KIT, and should be snug and stiff. Try on as many pairs as possible and don't be tight. Chose for comfort rather than price and your feet will thank you for it.

When I arrived for my first week on the slopes, I expected deep snow in the town and arctic conditions on the mountain and bought stacks of jumpers and woolly things, but I didn't wear any of it. While it might be nice to have 3 jumpers on when you get on the first chairlift, you will be sweating like a trooper on the way down, so cotton layers are best. If you are coming early season you will need thermals for your legs and a few breathable layers for under your jacket, but by the end of March it is warm enough for a just a t-shirt with your trousers and jacket. Similarly it isn't that cold off the mountain, and chances you will be in a nice snug bar or your house, so you don't need lots of heavy clothes. If you are planning to head to Tignes for some summer snow action you will still need waterproof trousers and jackets because although it is hot, you will soon get chilly if you are soaking wet.

Advice on lessons for beginners

Lessons with a qualified teacher are a good investment. Don't think you can just throw yourself around and pick it up as you go along - It will take much longer to feel confident and you will pick up loads of bad habits that are hard to break. It is the same with learning from friends. While it can be fun, just because they can get around doesn't mean they'll make a good teacher. Even just one hour with someone who knows how to teach will make weeks worth of difference in the long run.

We can introduce you some reputable teachers who can give you the theory, so you will feel in control from the beginning. Then when you spend time by yourself falling over, at least you will know what you are doing wrong, and at the very least will learn how to fall over without hurting yourself.

Also, don't bother trying to learn on a dry slope before you come because it is completely different to snow. Some people hurt themselves before they go away trying to get a head start, and it is not worth the risk. Once the method has been broken down for you, you can conquer each stage at a time and it doesn't seem so daunting. Tricks and all the flashy stuff will become just another stage in the process, which you can attempt when you are ready. You will never stop learning.

Information about the mountain for novice skiers and snowboarders

Pistes or ‘runs’ are areas of the mountain which have been tidied and groomed to make them safe. They are accessed by chair lifts or ‘bubbles’ which are mini cable cars which hold about six people. You can travel across the mountain using these linked runs which are all signposted and marked on piste maps. They are colour coded to give an idea of how steep they are. Blue are the flattest, then red, then black.

If you are learning to snowboard forget what you may have heard about black runs being the hardest. This only applies to skiers. For snowboarders it is the other way around. While a skier can easily potter along on a gentle gradient, on a snowboard you need to have some speed behind you in order to move at all, and it is very frustrating to grind to a halt on the flat and to have to un-strap your feet from your bindings and walk. What you really need as a beginner on a snowboard is to make friends with a skier. They are very handy for towing you along when it is flat.

New skiers should stick to the blue runs to start with, and try to avoid moguls. These are large bumps which are created as skiers turn and can be hell to navigate when you are new. There are areas called ‘nursery slopes’ which are the best place to head to at first. They are a perfect gradient for beginners and are populated by other people learning so you will feel at home.

Don’t feel nervous. Everyone else on the mountain remembers what it was like to be useless, and will often give you a helping tow on their way past on a path, or help you up if you fall over. On my second day of learning I was lying, in the position I had fallen, half way down a nursery slope thinking I was never going to make it to the bottom, and a couple of people started shouting "come on you can do it" type encouragement from the nearest lift, which really cheered me up.

Once you can get down a nursery slope, and feel ready to head to a longer run it is good to find and nice wide one so you have space to practice your turning without getting in other peoples way. The rules of the mountain state that if you are further down the mountain it is your right of way. However if you end up completely blocking the way for those behind you to overtake, you will find yourself getting some dirty looks. It is also safer for you, because someone whizzing close by you at speed is very off putting and can throw you off balance.

Another tip to start with is to stick to runs which are flanked by trees, so if the light goes flat you can still see where the edge of the piste is. "Flat light" if you have never heard the expression, is when there is thick cloud or it is snowing and it becomes impossible to tell the ground from the sky. It can be really disorientating because you lose the ability to judge both your speed and the gradient of the slope. However if you are in trees you can use them as a reference. If it happens on a run where there are no trees, just take it slowly and follow the line of the poles that mark the edge of the piste. You will be at the edge where it is usually less moguled or icy, and you will always come to a lift if you follow piste poles.

Information about going off piste

Off piste just means the areas outside the piste which are not groomed and flattened by the resort so retain deep soft snow. If you are just starting out you must be very careful of heading too far into this kind of snow because deep, fresh snow can be really hard work when you are not used to it. You have to lean a different technique to keep the nose of your snowboard or skis above the snow, and if you fall it can take ages to heave yourself to your feet again. On a 'powder day', when there has been loads of snow the night before, you could try riding just outside the piste poles, where the snow won't have been flattened by the 'piste-bashers', to get used to the different technique.

If you are going to try a longer run, make sure that the people you are with are experienced and will wait for you if you fall. They also need to be prepared to dig you out of the snow, if you just cannot get up. This only applies to the areas that you can see from the piste, if you are a beginner you shouldn't even contemplate doing runs that are outside the controlled ski area. Even experienced riders can get caught out, and it's not worth getting into trouble. These are just some things we thought you might like to know. If you have any questions then please get in touch.

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