Start as you mean to go on

More skills. More confidence. More mountain. Get ahead of the season with dedicated time to develop your off-piste, ski touring and mountain safety skills.

Off-piste & ski touring course in Val d’Isère

Early season mountain skills

Early season is the perfect time to refresh existing skills, learn new ones and build confidence for the winter ahead. Val d’Isère’s high-altitude terrain gives us plenty of options at this time of year and, fingers crossed, we might even start the season with some powder. We’re offering a four-morning Mountain Skills Week, as well as a Mountain Skills Weekend timed to coincide with Val d’Isère’s opening weekend. All within a group of 3 - 6 people.

Mountain skills week

Monday 30 November – Thursday 3 December 2026
Four extended mornings | 9am – 1pm
€500 per person.

Over four long mornings, we will combine skiing with practical mountain skills, adapting each session to the conditions and the experience of the group.

Off-piste skiing and ski touring

Route planning

Avalanche safety and rescue skills

Understanding the avalanche forecast

Risk assessment and terrain choice

Skinning technique and efficient transitions

Basic mountain navigation

The aim is to give you practical skills you can use throughout the winter, while getting some quality early-season skiing in at the same time.

Enquire about mountain skills

Mountain skills weekend

Saturday 28 – Sunday 29 November 2026
€400 per person

Kick off the winter with two full days of skiing and mountain skills during Val d’Isère’s Premières Traces opening weekend.

Over the two days, we’ll combine off-piste skiing and ski touring with the same core mountain skills covered during our four-morning week, including route planning, avalanche safety and rescue, understanding the avalanche forecast, risk assessment and terrain choice, skinning technique, efficient transitions and basic mountain navigation.

Premières Traces brings an extra atmosphere to Val d’Isère’s opening weekend, with events and activities taking place around the resort. It’s a great opportunity to get back on skis, refresh your skills and start the season properly.

As always, the exact programme will depend on snow and mountain conditions, allowing us to make the most of what early season gives us.

Join us in November

  • “His local knowledge and wisdom has meant we’ve always found the best lines possible. He’s also happy to talk through his decision making process and explains future possible lines which is great as you also feel you’re upskilling yourself. If you need a guide in this area, he’s your man!"

    -- Alex A.

  • “Rich is a wonderful guide: relaxed, confident, and happy to tailor the day to his clients. We felt entirely safe in his hands thanks to his clear communication around the relative risks and decision making, while still being able to ski terrain that tested our skills and provided a real challenge."

    -- Amy C.