Nendaz Skiing - Mixed Group Academy Performance Week
A Fun Ski Improvement Week in the 4 Vallèes Ski Resort Switzerland
If you are gregarious solo travellers looking for fun in the snow with like-minded individuals and also want to improve your ski technique & performance (& enjoyment!), this mixed group tour could be for you. Run by a bilingual (Italian & English) mum & daughter team with a bevy of ski instructor qualifications, their various ski weeks provide a wonderful environment for all that is good about skiing, the mountains, snow & fun. Set in the Swiss Alps mega-playground of the 4 Vallees are amongst the most beautiful mountains in the world. The WoW team & your own private instructors will guide you on a week’s ski tour of this incredible ski region, taking in all the best sights, experiences, and gastrogoodies possible, and all the while improving your ski performance along the way!
This is a guided-progression, mixed group tour for anyone that wants to experience the best on-piste skiing in a spectacular part of Switzerland, under the guidance of qualified ski instructors.
Highlights
The tour is loaded with highlights; here are but a few ….
• Stress-free guided on-piste skiing through one the world's best ski regions.
• Single occupancy double rooms in wonderful hotels with delicious breakfasts & dinners included.
• Delectable lunches in the best mountain huts & restaurants.
• Daily ski instruction over 5-days to help improve technique & more importantly, your enjoyment on the slopes.
• Relax in the wellness centre at the end of the day with sauna, pool access included.
• All transport included from the moment you land at the airport.
• Time for a little retail and aperitivo if you want it.
• Small groups with a maximum group size of 8 (plus your guide!).
• Laughter, lots of laughter.
• Memories & new friends that last a lifetime.
Make a Booking Enquiry ->
What is an Academy Performance Week?
Based in the Swiss village of Nendaz, an 'Academy Performance Week' comprises breaking down ski technique into it’s most basic component parts with the help of highly trained & experienced instructors from Sommet et Neige Ski Centre. Over the course of 5-days directed ski instruction, you will look at how skiing works, moving from the general to the specific. You’ll be asked to experiment in feeling the movements you make on your skis in order to balance correctly and respond effectively to the forces you have created. You’ll be asked to consider how each turn is made, and each section of it will be broken down into its constituent parts. Exercises and drills will be used to focus on these distinct parts and will comprise pressure, edging and rotation. You will look at when and how they are applied, in order to create rounded arcs in both short and long turns. You will also look at the separation of your lower and upper body such that you can divide what is happening from the snow up through your feet, whilst your upper body remains quiet and stable. Your skills will be tested on different gradients and snow conditions. Sounds like alot, but your instructors will ensure it all makes sense ...
There will be two different levels on each week-long tour, one 'Lower Intermediate' group who will potentially never have undertaken any ski instruction but wants to improve, whilst an 'Upper Intermediate' group caters for those with a more in-depth knowledge who wish to refine their technique further.
The Skiing
In addition to daily ski instruction, the tour aims to explore a new part of the 4 Vallèes each day, and only the groomed pistes. Of the six ski days, five are guided by local, qualified instructors, and one day is free for you to choose your own adventure.
Every ski day starts after breakfast at around 8.45am, and whilst based in Nendaz, the extensive 4 Vallees lift & trail network is utilised, plus local transport, to visit the many fabled ski resorts & ski circuits of the region.
In terms of skiing, there are over 400kms of linked pistes over the interlinked 4 Vallees ski areas, each with its own distinct character. Whilst based in Nendaz, you will get to experience the entire 4 Vallèes including the huge Printse sector (Nendaz-Veysonnaz-Thyon) & Verbier (incl La Tzoumaz, Savoleyres & Bruson).
Skiing on each day is aimed to finish at around 4.30pm so you have until dinner to take advantage of some ‘me’ time. There is one day off per week to either free ski, relax or go on a small adventure of your own (or with some of your new friends!).
For detailed information on the skiing & overall day to day program, see the Itinerary tab.
Lodging & Meals
A beautiful hotel with single-occupancy double rooms plus ensuite for each guest are a feature of the tour. The Hotel Mad Mount is the base for these tours. Hotel Mad Mount is located right across from the gondola base in the upper, central part of Nendaz village. The facilities are outstanding and include all breakfasts & six dinners, full bars & lounges, plus superbly equipped wellness centres complete with pool & sauna.
Lunches will be at one of the many mountain restaurants/rifugi that dot the region. Afterward an aperitivo (or two) will be had at a local bar before heading back to the hotel. One dinner (not included in the tariff) will be arranged for the group at a local restaurant.
For more info about the hotels & meals, see the Lodging tab.
Ski Ability, Fitness, Instruction & Gear
Ski (& snowboard) abilities need to be at least lower intermediate to upper intermediate. Of course more advanced skiers can attend also, but perhaps a better option (for female skiers anyway) would be the Yellow Itineraries Women-Only Week tour.
To enjoy the trip to the maximum, you need to be reasonably fit and active. You will be expected to ski roughly six hours a day, sometimes slightly less, sometimes slightly more. The days are punctuated by a morning coffee/loo stop and lunch.
The daily itineraries are meticulously planned and timed. Whilst the operator tries to accommodate everyone, once ON one of the day tours away from the hotel, they cannot always provide an early ‘get out’. Each day is a round trip with time and lift constraints and as such all the group’s skiers need to be able to complete the circuit. Any health/injury issues are to be disclosed at the time of booking.
Daily ski instruction with English speaking, fully qualified FISI ski instructors is undertaken for an hour on five mornings. The instructors will be on hand all day, every day, to advise you on your technique should you need it.
Ski & snowboard gear (including helmet) are not included in the tariff but can be rented from a shop near the hotel. Make a request with the tour operator when booking. Of course if you have your own gear, please bring it!
Getting There & Away
The tour is based in the Swiss 4 Vallees village of Nendaz. Participants can make their own way to the hotel or make use of the included private transfer from Geneva (GVA) airport. Any transfers outside the specified dates/times will not be covered by the tour tariff. At the end of the tour you will be dropped back at the airport in time for your flight home.
Tour Bookings & Alternatives
Make an enquiry for this tour via the specific tour date listings above, or via this link for a General Booking Enquiry ->
If a more relaxing 'Women Only Week' of skiing is more your style, check out the Dolomites Ski Holiday ->
For a fun 'Women Only Week' of Swiss on-piste skiing, check out the Nendaz Skiing - Women Only Tour ->
For an adventurous 'Women Only Week', see the 4 Vallèes Yellow Itineraries - Women Only Ski Tour ->