{"id":17565,"date":"2023-11-17T14:06:23","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T13:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/?p=17565"},"modified":"2025-02-14T15:29:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T14:29:18","slug":"level-system-french-ski-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools","title":{"rendered":"The level system in French ski schools explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you look for children\u2019s ski lessons in France, chances are you\u2019ll come across terms like \u201cPiou Piou\u201d or \u201cPetit Yeti\u201d. But what does that mean? They ar<strong>e titles of medals<\/strong> given by French ski schools to children once they have successfully finished a ski lesson. We made an overview for you to find out which award children get for which lessons and what they represent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p>Before we start, here a list of the topics we will cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#overview\">Overview<\/a>: Why do ski schools award medals and what do they represent?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#first-timers\">Medals<\/a>: First Timers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#beginners\">Medals<\/a>: Beginner Levels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#intermediates\">Medals<\/a>: Intermediates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#advanced\">Medals<\/a>: Advanced Levels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, so let&#8217;s go and answer some questions you might have!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"overview\">Why do ski schools award medals and what do they represent?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-medals-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-medals-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Overview of all the levels of children's ski lessons in France.\" class=\"wp-image-17693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-medals-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-medals-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-medals-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-medals-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-medals-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 checkyeti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In France, the main ski schools (ESF, ESI, Evolution 2, Prosneige, Oxyg\u00e8ne) have a <strong>level system<\/strong> for<strong> children\u2019s ski lessons<\/strong>. Each level has its corresponding lessons and names. Once children have completed and passed a lesson, they obtain a medal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The duration of children\u2019s group lessons is always 5 to 6 days. While children in ESF and ESI lessons have to pass a test at the end of the week to get their medal, the Evolution 2 and Prosneige schools prefer the approach of checking and testing the children\u2019s skills throughout the week. The medal allows children to pass on to the next level and take part in a more difficult lesson. Although this makes sense at first, the fact that each ski school has different names for the courses makes all this a little bit overwhelming. But don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m here to shed some light on this topic!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before I dive into all this, you should know that your child doesn\u2019t need such a medal to access children\u2019s ski lessons in France. If children already have a certain level in skiing and <strong>don\u2019t have a French ski school medal<\/strong> because they\u2019ve learned to ski elsewhere, that\u2019s <strong>no problem<\/strong>! It\u2019s up to you, the parents, to evaluate your child\u2019s level and book the appropriate lesson. Don\u2019t worry if you don\u2019t know what level to book: <strong>most ski schools call you<\/strong> once you\u2019ve completed an online booking to talk about your child\u2019s skiing skills &#8211; what they can and cannot yet do. They then tell you which lesson they would recommend. If the instructors notice that the lesson is either too easy or too difficult for your child on the first day, they can always <strong>switch <\/strong>them to another one that\u2019s more <strong>skill-appropriate<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While most children\u2019s ski lessons have specific requirements of what a child should be able to do before starting the lesson, the following four factors are usually the most important indicators:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>A child\u2019s age<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a child\u2019s <strong>experience <\/strong>(how many days\/weeks of ski lessons in total)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>their <strong>technical skills<\/strong> (snowplough, parallel turns, etc.)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the <strong>terrain <\/strong>they can ski on (green, blue, red, black slopes)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"first-timers\">Medals for First-Timer Levels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"340\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-first-timer-1024x340.jpg\" alt=\"The first two levels of each ski school.\" class=\"wp-image-17691\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-first-timer-1024x340.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-first-timer-300x100.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-first-timer-768x255.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-first-timer-1536x510.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-first-timer.jpg 1702w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 checkyeti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The lessons for first-timers are for children between 3 and 12 years, the upper row being for children aged <strong>3 to 6<\/strong> and the lower row for<strong> 5 to 12<\/strong>-year-olds. For the<strong> little ones<\/strong>, the lessons mostly take place in a secured area made especially for young kids, often known as <strong>Kinderland<\/strong>. Fun obstacles, games and magic carpets (to help the kids get to the top of the area) are often found here. While some schools have their lessons in a Kinderland, others have another approach and prefer to take kids to a <strong>beginners\u2019 area or easy slopes<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These lessons are for children who have never skied before. The instructors introduce them to the equipment in a playful way. They also always make sure the <strong>older kids<\/strong> can do basic balance exercises before teaching them how to carefully glide on their skis for the very first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ESF (Ecole du Ski Francais) <\/strong>has the so-called <strong>Piou-Piou Club<\/strong> for children between the ages of 3 and 5. Piou-Piou consists of 4 levels, each level having its own name (Piou Piou, Blanchot, Sifflote and Garolou). When kids make progress, they level up from one level to the next. Once they complete the last test of the Garolou lesson, they receive their Piou-Piou Club medal. If you\u2019re interested, check out the Piou-Piou Clubs in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/620\/3877?resortId=1372\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">La Plagne<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/1884\/14087?resortId=2365\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alpe d\u2019Huez<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/2238\/18080?resortId=1365\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Val Cenis<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kids who are first-time skiers and are between 6 and 12 years old are welcome in <strong>Ourson <\/strong>lessons. Here, most lessons take place on <strong>green slopes<\/strong>. The requirements to participate in the Ourson lesson are the following:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>have an understanding of the equipment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>put on and take off skis on your own<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>control your speed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>do basic snowplough turns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>be comfortable skiing on flat terrain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ski in schuss (straight downhill)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ESI (Ecole de Ski Internationale) <\/strong>offers lessons for young children, which take place in the Kinderland or directly on the slopes. Some of the most popular Kinderlands can be found in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/689\/4680\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Les Deux Alpes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/678\/4781\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Les Orres<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/1373\/10362\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Les Angles<\/a>. The lessons go by various names such as <strong>Snowman <\/strong>and <strong>Mouse <\/strong>(white, green and bronze). Don\u2019t worry if you can\u2019t find Snowman or Mouse lessons: some ski schools have other lessons for first-timers that have other names. During these lessons, kids learn how to walk with skis, to slide, to hold their balance and to snowplough. Children aged 6 and up start learning how to do turns using the snowplough, how to control their speed, and how to use a T-bar ski lift.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to <strong>Evolution 2<\/strong>, most of their ski schools have slight differences in their offers. For example, depending on where you are, the first level is called <strong>Panda or Cariboo Club. <\/strong>This level is for first-time skiers from the age of 3 and can be found in some resorts: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/1190\/8435\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chamonix<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/1259\/9308\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Les Arcs<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/628\/4794\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tignes<\/a>. Here, the skiing and learning are done in a Kinderland. <strong>Yetison <\/strong>is the equivalent of Panda but for older children. Sometimes though, kids from the age of 4 can participate if they meet the necessary requirements. During these lessons, children start to do straight downhill runs and snowplough turns. Depending on the school you choose, children will either complete this lesson in a Kinderland or on easy slopes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Prosneige <\/strong>ski schools welcome children as young as <strong>2 years old<\/strong> to their first-timer lesson <strong>Baby Ski<\/strong>. During this lesson, the goal is to simply get used to the equipment while learning to move on skis. The same lesson exists for 3- to 4-year-olds: <strong>Little Bear<\/strong>. Here, kids learn to be more autonomous in Kinderlands and to balance on skis. The most popular spots for this lesson include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/494\/13221?resortId=1288\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Val Thorens<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/2481\/19755\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tignes<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/d\/494\/13221?resortId=2383\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Les Menuires<\/a>. Prosneige\u2019s <strong>Brown Bear<\/strong> lesson is for kids between 5 and 13 years with no or only very little experience. The goal of this lesson is to be able to do snowploughs on green slopes. Depending on the chosen ski resort, these lessons can take place either in a Kinderland or on easy slopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class='checkyeti-cta-button-wrapper'>\r\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/winter\/france\/france\/certified-ski-schools-ski-instructors?fltrskillLevels=1-first-timer&amp;fltrproductTypes=skiing-kids\" class='checkyeti-cta-button' target=\"_blank\" title=\"First Timers Ski Lessons\"><strong>Find Kids Ski Lessons for First Timers in France!<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"beginners\">Medals for Beginner Levels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"367\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-beginner-1024x367.jpg\" alt=\"The 3rd and 4th levels of each ski school.\" class=\"wp-image-17690\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-beginner-1024x367.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-beginner-300x108.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-beginner-768x275.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-beginner.jpg 1497w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 checkyeti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In general, the beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons are for children between the ages of 5 to 13. Meaning that from here on, it\u2019s not so much about a child\u2019s age anymore but more about their <strong>experience and skills<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right after <strong>ESF<\/strong>\u2019s Ourson lesson comes <strong>Flocon<\/strong>. To participate, children have to either have the Ourson medal or master the following things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>control their own speed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>do turns using the snowplough<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ski in schuss<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>shift from one ski to another<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>get up from falls on their own<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>be comfortable skiing on green slopes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The next level is called <strong>First Star<\/strong>. To participate, children should either have their Flocon medal, or be able to do parallel turns, use T-bar ski lifts and be comfortable skiing on green slopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>ESI <\/strong>equivalent to ESF\u2019s Flocon is called <strong>Cristal<\/strong>. Children in this lesson should have 1 to 2 weeks of skiing experience and be able to do snowplough turns on green slopes and use ski and chair lifts. The <strong>Bronze Cristal<\/strong> is the perfect lesson for kids who have completed the ESI Cristal lesson or the equivalent thereof in a different school. Alternatively, children can participate without a medal, if they can control their speed, feel safe skiing on easy blue slopes and are starting to use ski sticks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Evolution 2<\/strong> has two lessons for beginners: <strong>Petit Yeti <\/strong>for beginners having no or only a little experience, and <strong>Yeti 1<\/strong> for slightly more experienced beginners. In general, Petit Yeti is aimed at beginners and first-timers <strong>over the age of 6<\/strong>. Here, kids learn how to sidestep, how to get up after a fall and how to keep their balance despite uneven terrain and obstacles. They also learn how to use lifts and how to shift from a snowplough turn into parallel skiing. The slightly more advanced lesson is called Yeti 1. During this lesson, children try out the step turn and the skating step, and learn to use ski sticks. They also learn how to come to a quick stop after a turn. Petit Yeti and Yeti 1 are both completed on green slopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>White Bear<\/strong> and <strong>1st Ski <\/strong>are the beginner\u2019s lessons at <strong>Prosneige<\/strong>. According to Prosneige, if your child knows how to do snowplough turns on green slopes, they\u2019re ready for the White Bear lesson. The goal of this lesson is to master basic techniques on blue slopes. 1st Ski is for children who have 1 to 3 weeks of experience and feel confident skiing on blue slopes. Here, the goal is to learn how to parallel ski on blue slopes and to side-slip.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class='checkyeti-cta-button-wrapper'>\r\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/winter\/france\/france\/ski-lessons-for-beginners\" class='checkyeti-cta-button' target=\"_blank\" title=\"Beginners Ski Lessons\"><strong>Find Ski Lessons for Beginners in France!<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"intermediates\">Medals for Intermediate Levels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"378\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-intermediate-1024x378.jpg\" alt=\"The 5th and 6th levels of each ski school.\" class=\"wp-image-17692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-intermediate-1024x378.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-intermediate-300x111.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-intermediate-768x284.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-intermediate.jpg 1494w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 checkyeti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At <strong>ESF <\/strong>schools, the<strong> 2nd Star<\/strong> is a lesson for kids who either have their First Star medal (or an equivalent medal) or know how to do multiple basic turns one after the other, how to traverse a slope and how to master uneven terrain. In this lesson, children learn to do sharp turns, to side-slip and to use the skating technique. They also start to bring their skis in a parallel position on mostly blue and even some red slopes. After this, the next level is the<strong> 3rd Star<\/strong>. Here, children learn to do parallel turns, to ski in schuss and to go in and out of side-slips on mostly red slopes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ESI<\/strong>\u2019s<strong> Silver Cristal<\/strong> lesson is ideal for children who can already do parallel turns and side-slips on smooth slopes, and don\u2019t resort to snowploughing anymore. After this lesson comes the <strong>Vermillon Cristal<\/strong> level. On this level, children learn to confidently ski on red slopes. Instructors mostly work on basic carving and turn techniques with the children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yeti 2<\/strong> is the level in which children learn side-slip variations. In this <strong>Evolution 2 <\/strong>level, they also learn how to ski in schuss over moguls and holes and how to perfect their posture. Most of the skiing here is still done on blue slopes. The red slopes are explored on the next level, <strong>Yeti 3<\/strong>. Here, children learn to ski in schuss and do so-called hockey stops (also known as parallel stop). They also attempt to do various turns on red slopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Prosneige <\/strong>follows with its intermediate levels called <strong>2nd Ski<\/strong> and <strong>3rd Ski<\/strong>. For the 2nd Ski level, children should have between 2 to 4 weeks of skiing experience. The goal in these lessons is to parallel ski on blue slopes and try out side-slips on red slopes. The 3rd Ski level is for kids who have 5 to 7 weeks of experience. At the end of the lesson, they should be able to parallel ski on red slopes, do various kinds of turns (both short and long) and do hockey stops.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class='checkyeti-cta-button-wrapper'>\r\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/winter\/france\/france\/certified-ski-schools-ski-instructors?fltrproductTypes=skiing-kids&amp;fltrskillLevels=3-intermediate\" class='checkyeti-cta-button' target=\"_blank\" title=\"Intermediates Ski Lessons\"><strong>Find Kids Ski Lessons for Intermediates in France!<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"advanced\">Medals for Advanced Levels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"337\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-advanced-1024x337.jpg\" alt=\"The last two levels of each ski school.\" class=\"wp-image-17689\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-advanced-1024x337.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-advanced-300x99.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-advanced-768x252.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-advanced.jpg 1503w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 checkyeti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If your child is starting to avoid side-slips by doing parallel turns and knows how to adapt the length and type of turns depending on the terrain they ski on, it might be a good sign that they are ready for <strong>ESF<\/strong>\u2019s <strong>Bronze Star <\/strong>advanced level. Generally speaking, kids at this level should be able to jump over small moguls and feel confident skiing on red slopes. The next level is the <strong>Silver Star<\/strong>, where additional skills are honed before progressing to the Gold Star. Requirements for the Silver Star level include \u25b7 mastering advanced carving techniques \u25b7 demonstrating proficiency in controlled jumps \u25b7 confidently navigating through various snow conditions. After successfully completing the Silver Star, the pinnacle is the <strong>Gold Star<\/strong> level. The requirements for this advanced lesson are the following: \u25b7 be able to ski on all types of slopes \u25b7 be able to ski down steep slopes in schuss \u25b7 feel safe on challenging terrains such as ski-cross areas and half-pipes. <strong>Fun fact<\/strong>: the final test of the Gold Star lesson includes a timed slalom race!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The two advanced lessons of <strong>ESI <\/strong>schools are called <strong>Gold Cristal <\/strong>and <strong>Diamond Cristal<\/strong>. The Gold Cristal level is a great fit for kids who can ski over small moguls and feel safe skiing on red slopes. Children who participate in this lesson should also be able to perform basic carved turns (a technique where you only ski on the sharp edges of the skis). Children who have mastered all kinds of terrains (including moguls and icy slopes) and are experts at turns and controlling their speed, can perfect their skills in ESI\u2019s Diamond Cristal lesson. During this lesson, children even get introduced to the art of freestyle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On <strong>Evolution 2<\/strong>\u2019s <strong>Super Yeti<\/strong> level, children learn to perfect their turn techniques on black slopes. They are introduced to carving techniques and can even try to freestyle in a snowpark! Once children have completed Super Yeti, the next level is the <strong>Junior Academy<\/strong>. Here, the goal is to do turns on red and black slopes and to perfect techniques on black slopes. This level is also where children try off-piste skiing! Note that to participate in this lesson, children have to be over the age of 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Prosneige <\/strong>schools differentiate between their <strong>Bronze <\/strong>and <strong>Diamond Ski <\/strong>lessons. Usually, children who are over the age of 8 and have between 7 to 10 weeks of skiing experience are put into the Bronze Ski lesson. The goal of this lesson is to ski on red slopes and start to explore black slopes. If the children feel ready, they may even give freestyling a try in a snowpark. The Diamond Ski lesson caters best to the needs of skiers over the age of 10 who have 10 to 14 weeks of experience. To have this much experience means that one should feel confident skiing on every type of slope &#8211; even black ones! After this lesson, children will have perfected their techniques on all kinds of terrain.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class='checkyeti-cta-button-wrapper'>\r\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/winter\/france\/france\/certified-ski-schools-ski-instructors?fltrproductTypes=skiing-kids&amp;fltrskillLevels=4-advanced\" class='checkyeti-cta-button' target=\"_blank\" title=\"Advanced Ski Lessons\"><strong>Find Kids Ski Lessons for Advanced Skiers in France!<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>I hope this guide helped you understand the French medal system better! Make sure to check out our website for more ski lessons in France!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class='checkyeti-cta-button-wrapper'>\r\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/en\/winter\/france\/france\/ski-lessons-for-beginners\" class='checkyeti-cta-button' target=\"_blank\" title=\"Ski Lessons France\"><strong>Find Ski Lessons in France with checkyeti!<\/strong><\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you look for children\u2019s ski lessons in France, chances are you\u2019ll come across terms like \u201cPiou Piou\u201d or \u201cPetit Yeti\u201d. But what does that mean? They are titles of medals given by French ski schools to children once they have successfully finished a ski lesson. We made an overview for you to find out &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;The level system in French ski schools explained&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_generate-full-width-content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[563,142],"coauthors":[266],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.6.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Kids Ski Lessons in France: A Guide to Kids&#039; Ski Medals - CheckYeti Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore our guide to children&#039;s ski lessons in France! \u25b7 Find out about the different levels for children, the medals&#039; meanings and requirements!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kids Ski Lessons in France: A Guide to Kids&#039; Ski Medals - CheckYeti Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore our guide to children&#039;s ski lessons in France! \u25b7 Find out about the different levels for children, the medals&#039; meanings and requirements!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"checkyeti Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-11-17T13:06:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-02-14T14:29:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-2-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1375\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"checkyeti Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-2-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog-cdn.checkyeti.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/level-system-french-ski-schools-2-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1375},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools\",\"name\":\"Kids Ski Lessons in France: A Guide to Kids' Ski Medals - CheckYeti Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-11-17T13:06:23+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-14T14:29:18+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8f6a9ad34e6ea66bf96bde4b5b763ab8\"},\"description\":\"Explore our guide to children's ski lessons in France! \\u25b7 Find out about the different levels for children, the medals' meanings and requirements!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/en\/level-system-french-ski-schools#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Accueil\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/it\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The level system in French ski schools explained\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8f6a9ad34e6ea66bf96bde4b5b763ab8\",\"name\":\"Laetitia\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/#personlogo\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f8349719152e7d2695f7a878173b1589?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f8349719152e7d2695f7a878173b1589?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Laetitia\"},\"description\":\"Als jemand, der es liebt, auf neue Abenteuer zu gehen, teile ich gerne mein Know-how und Wissen \\u00fcber unsere Outdoor-Sportangebote und erz\\u00e4hle Euch alles \\u00fcber all diese sch\\u00f6nen Orte und spannenden Aktivit\\u00e4ten. Egal, ob Ihr Tipps zum Rafting, Canyoning, Paragliding oder einer anderen Aktivit\\u00e4t sucht: in meinen Artikeln werdet Ihr immer f\\u00fcndig!\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/author\/laetitia\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","lang":"en","translations":{"en":17565},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17565"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17565"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20765,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17565\/revisions\/20765"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17565"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.checkyeti.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=17565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}