I am an independent ski teacher working in Les Deux Alpes, France. I work with private lessons (1-4 people) and small groups (max 4 people). In this way, all my students receive personal attention and we also get lift priority.

What I do is coach, I do not take you round the mountain (unless you ask for that), but I will help you to learn/improve your ski-ing. I will not teach you "something" just to make you feel good - I will teach you to SKI.

This is a very intensive, personal approach, and is not particularly expensive. For the 2005/2006 winter season private lessons are €40 per HOUR for 1-2 people together and €50 per HOUR for 3 or 4. Group lessons are €160 per person for 6 x 2 hours - usually Sunday to Friday.

les Deux Alpes is one of France's largest Ski resorts with 220 kms of lift served pistes. We also have a verticle drop of 2,278 metres - yes metres! We are close to the resorts of Alpe d'Huez and Serre Chevalier, and have a link with the great off piste area of La Grave.

We, ourselves have the second largest off piste domain in France, with a huge variety of descents. Although our piste map suggests we are an intermediate resort, I feel that this is mainly marketing. We have great beginner slopes and a huge amount of black slopes, but many of our blue runs shuold really be classed as red.

I try to do afternoon trips to La Grave most weeks (ski-ing standard must be at least 7 weeks), and offer lessons at all levels in Alpine ski-ing, carving and snowblade (ski boards).

For serious Freeriders I work in co-operation with another trainer here Damian Albert, and for snowboard freeride and freestyle I work with Olivier Picone, an expert in these disciplines. Both of them speak decent English.

Les Deux Alpes is not so well known as some French resorts, and we do not have "snob value", but we do have a community feel to the town and friendly people who enjoy the tourist business.

I hope to meet you here in Les Deux Alpes before too long.