I was so fortunate to discover that the sought after sports photographer, Christian Arnal (Christian Arnal Photographie), whom I had accompany me in Courchevel to document the trip for Gypsetgirl, is one of the world-class Courchevel ski instructors. The ski instructors at Courchevel are truly some of the finest in the world. It is notoriously hard to become a ski instructor at Courchevel–probably due to the unparalleled and rigorous training necessary to enter their ranks. In fact, French ski instructor programs have some of the highest standards in the world for their training.
Ski Instructor Noé Arnal
Myself, Photographer/Ski Instructor Christian Arnal and Sonya
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be French to be a ski instructor at Courchevel. They actively recruit ski instructors from all over the world. The ski instructor training in France focuses more on advanced techniques and performance skiing than other comparable programs.
The French ski instructor training program can be broken down into four steps:
- Step 1— Slalom speed and technique test.
- Step 2— Two week session that includes instructor training and exam.
- Step 3— Giant slalom speed test (very high level of expertise). This step must be completed within four years of completing Preformation (Step 2).
- Step 4 (E.N.S.A.)— This is the national ski school, which is overseen by national ski instructors. It consists of a 15-week period of training and exams that can be taken over a 4 to 5 year period.
After Steps 1 and 2, an instructor is qualified to work at a slope for up to 2 years, while they complete the rest of their training. After completion of all four steps, an instructor is considered to be fully qualified and possesses a B.E.E.S. degree. Being fully qualified allows the instructor to teach at the highest levels and draw a comfortable salary.
Leading some adventurers off-piste
As with Arnal, many ski instructors lead a gypset lifestyle. In the off-season they move to different parts of the world to play or pursue other ambitions, like legendary 83-year-old ski/swim instructor, author and National Monitor (since 1950) of the Courchevel ski school, Pierre Gruneberg (below). He was married to famed French stage actress Silvia Monfort until her death in 1991. Gruneberg splits his time between Courchevel in the winter and in the south of France in the summer. In the south, during the warmer months, Gruneburg teaches his unmatched swimming techniques, The Gruneberg Method, to people of all ages and walks of life, including movie stars, royalty, and rock stars.
Me and the legendary Pierre Gruneberg
While skiing in Courchevel, I had a fantastic ski instructor, Christian, who could easily communicate to me the corrections I needed to make; so I understood how to make the changes in my skiing immediately. Not only do all of the instructors teach at the highest level, they are also great ambassadors for the Courchevel villages. They know just about everyone and can get you into anywhere you want to go when you are visiting– a last-minute reservation at La Folie Douce or Le Cap Horn…no problem! I would highly recommend taking some lessons when you visit!
Taking my chances off-piste
