Childrens' Skiing & Ski Lessons in Chamonix
also see Ski Schools in Chamonix: Book a Ski Lesson

Ski School for Children

Most ski teachers wouldn’t recommend starting skiing before the age of three or four at the earliest. The right age will vary from child to child, and depends upon the child’s strength, co-ordination and attitude. Most of the local ski schools will offer childrens ski lessons, and snowboarding lessons usually start at around age of five. It is strongly recommended to pre-book ski school for the busy New Year and February school holiday period. Classes are often fully booked many weeks in advance.

These days, most ski schools have a good number of instructors that speak if not fluent English, certainly sufficient to teach the class and explain what is expected. Particularly during the UK school holidays it is normal to find several English speaking children in each group. The French Ski School (ESF) take children from 5 to 13 (For younger children see information under "What are the Crèche...services available in Chamonix).

Remember - children lose heat faster than adults so dress according to the weather conditions and make provision for it changing - hats, waterproofs, gloves, UV sunglasses/goggles, and SPF30 suncream are essential. Helmets are recommended too. It's a good idea to have a contact phone number and address in your child's pocket in case you become separated on the mountain.

Family Lift Pass Options

A family pass ski pass called the Forfait Famille is also available and offers a reduction on the cost of buying ski passes individually. For every two adults paying the public adult rate, the first child gets a 50% reduction and any subsequent children ski for FREE!! As with the normal lift passes, you can choose a Forfait Famille for the Chamonix Le Pass or Mont Blanc Unlimited areas and they are available from 1 - 15 days. (For all children’s passes it is advisable to bring proof of date of birth to the pass office). Please see our page on Chamonix ski pass prices for all lift pass prices.

The lift pass company offers free passes for children under 4, and a reduction on the adult price for children between 12-15.

Making the most of the valley lift system is also a popular activity, even for non-skiers. The views from the top are quite spectacular, especially from the Aiguille du Midi (not for infants) where you can watch skiers and mountaineers tackle the famous Vallée Blanche off-piste ski route and some of the high mountain climbing routes such as the Cosmique Arête and Mont Blanc itself. Make sure you wrap up very warm in winter and take extra layers even in summer - there's a reason the snow doesn't melt up there!

More Fun for Kids in the Snow!

The après ski fun isn’t just confined to the adults. The Tourist Office organises a wealth of activities to keep children amused off the slopes; including street entertainments, games and torch lit descents. Check out our What's On calendar to find out what is scheduled for your visit. 

Tobogganing is always a hit with the kids, and in Chamonix, there are several ski areas where luging (toboganning) is allowed, including Le Savoy (Chamonix town), Les Planards (Chamonix town), La Vormaine (Le Tour), La Poya (Vallorcine), and Le Tourchet (Les Houches). Most ski hire shops also rent toboggans for a minimal charge but make sure you keep off the main pistes!

Cross-country skiing is another excellent activity that is suitable for the whole family. There are two distinct skiing areas in the valley - Argentiere and Chamonix - which each have a number of picturesque circuits of varying levels of difficulty. The trails are regularly patrolled and you have to pay a small charge to use them. Adults cost €6.50 and children €4 for a full day (reduced rates are available with your Guest Card) and you can buy tickets at the cross-country ski lodges (at the beginning of the trails) in either Chamonix or Argentiere. Cross-country ski equipment can be hired from most ski hire shops. Or have a look at our Winter Activities page for more ideas.

ESF Childrens Ski School in Chamonix

Ecole du Ski Français (ESF) is the biggest and most well-known ski school in France; if you or your children have taken lessons in France before then it was most likely with them. Every ESF school offers special children’s’ lessons, aimed at kids aged from 3 years and up. The vast majority of ESF instructors speak good English (and most clubs offer instruction in a variety of international languages). Classes tend to be a mix of mostly French and English children, the ratio varying according to school holidays.

Club des Piou-Piou
Aimed at 3 to 6 year olds the Piou-Piou kids club gives little ones their first experience of skiing in the safety of the ‘Jardin de Neige’ snow garden. Here they will find magic carpets to take them gently up the slope and a number of obstacles to challenge them on their way back down. This is all carried out under the careful supervision of qualified and experienced ESF instructors. The half-day sessions are broken up with snack breaks and games to keep children entertained and make their first days on skis fun. Your child will be awarded one of 3 medals at the end of their stay.

Older Children’s Lessons
For children aged 7 years and over the lessons become more focussed; giving them greater challenges yet retaining the element of fun with games, races and competitions. At this stage the children will be split up according to age and ability and medals will be awarded according to what standard they have reached. When registering your child for lessons it is important to inform the ESF of any previous skiing experience your child has, so that they will be put into the most appropriate group.

The Medals
The first 3 medals are gained in the snow garden and demonstrate that your child has mastered the basics of skiing on a nursery slope; this includes slowing down, stopping, small turns and using the magic carpet and the drag lift. To gain the Ourson and Flocon badges your child should first have passed the previous stages.

Piou-Piou: This badge is the first one and is awarded to all children who complete a week of ski school.

Ourson (Teddy Bear): (If your child is over the age of 7 they can go straight to this badge without needing to complete the Piou-Piou). Your child must be able to:

Flocon (Snowflake): Your child must be able to:

1ère Etoile (1st Star):

2ème Etoile (2nd Star):

3ème Etoile (3rd Star):

Etoile de Bronze (Bronze Star):

Etoile d’Or (Gold Star):

To find your nearest ESF branch please see our Ski/Snowboard Schools listings page.