The latest stage in a court case between British tour operator Le Ski and the main French ski school, the Ecole du Ski Français (ESF), has been postponed to next spring at the request of both parties.
The court case surrounds the issue of ‘ski hosting’ or ‘social skiing’ where a representative from the holiday company takes guests on familiarisation tours of the slopes, show them good lunch spots and how to avoid queues.
The Ecole du Ski Français argues that this breaks French employment law on ski guiding which requires a ‘ski host’ to have a certain level of ski teaching qualification to lead such social groups.
Le Ski, supported by most British tour operators to France, argue that as their hosts do not instruct, teach or train the guests, go on steep runs or go off piste, they do not.
An initial local court case in the spring found in favour of the ESF, who were awarded damages from Le Ski in what is being seen in a test case in an issue that has flared up several times over the past 30 years.
Les ski have appealed the original decision and yesterday, 6 November 2013, the Court of Appeals in Chambery (France) agreed to defer the hearing about social skiing being illegal, to mid May 2014, at the joint request of the Ecole du Ski Français (ESF) and Le Ski.
Both parties concur in considering that the European legal issues raised by the case are complex and require careful examination. This highlights the importance of the decision which the Court will take and of the need to ensure the best possible preparation of such decision by all parties concerned.
Social skiing in various forms is offered in many ski resorts around the world, without involving ski schools. It does not appear to cause any difficulties except in France, the leading country for British ski tourism.
British tour operators supporting Le Ski are Alpine Elements, Crystal Ski, Inghams, Mark Warner, Neilson, Ski Esprit, Ski Olympic, Ski Total, Skiworld and Thomson.
All tour operators have suspended ski hosting while the court case is on going, although some like Crystal and Thomson have organised alternative options including having non-skiing staff provide advice at lifts, and working with other ski schools in some resorts top provide a similar service.
