BECOMING A SKI INSTRUCTOR: INTERVIEW WITH JÉRÔME, ESF INSTRUCTOR
Jérôme has been an ESF instructor at the Isola 2000 ski resort for 30 years. Jérôme had the opportunity to test our v2 outdoor socks and LIMIT-30 mittens! Here we retrace his journey and his experience with our garments.
WHY DID YOU BECOME A SKI INSTRUCTOR?
I started skiing and snowboarding in Isola 2000, where my parents had bought a restaurant. I then joined a sports-study school in Saint-Étienne de Tinée and began training to become a ski instructor. For the past 30 years, I've been teaching skiing and snowboarding at all levels, from beginners to experts, as well as occasional snowshoeing. Teaching these disciplines is very enjoyable and attractive, provided you love your job and want your pupils to progress. Patience and the desire to help your pupils progress are essential to their success.
WHAT ARE YOUR BEST MEMORIES AS A SKI INSTRUCTOR?
My best memories are when I see the progress of the children I have with me all season long, and they manage to obtain golden arrows or Vermeil chamois. You can see the joy in their smiles at having achieved that level.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS?
I advise all beginners to come to Isola 2000 for a lesson with a qualified instructor, and perhaps avoid the madness of weekends so you can come during the week when the slopes are much more accessible.
WHAT ARE YOUR SUMMER HOBBIES?
In summer, I come back for the summer season with my wife here at Isola 2000, where I do a lot of VTTAE (electrically assisted mountain biking) and hiking. The Isola 2000 resort, at the gateway to the Mercantours, 1500 meters from the Italian border, is an extraordinary place for summer activities.
The local fauna of chamois, mouflons and marmots is omnipresent. What I love most is the chance to admire them up close, as well as the opportunity to harvest mountain produce such as genepi, wild strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and, above all, mushrooms.
The walks, whether by bike or on foot, are extraordinary, with crystal-clear lakes all around Isola 2000. Ideal when you need to cool off during a walk.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE DIFFICULT WEATHER CONDITIONS?
No matter what the weather, we have to teach the lessons. I remember one very cold day (-20°C) on the Lombarde chairlift when the climb seemed interminable. Fortunately, in the meantime, I'd been able to try out the heated mittens, heated gloves and heated socks G-Heat. The gloves are very practical for answering the phone, and the socks are of excellent quality.
I have a constant supply of warmth inside my mittens, regardless of the weather conditions outside. It's a real pleasure to put your gloves or mittens back on and immediately feel warm inside. You don't have to shake your hands to keep warm, the quality of the product is spot on! I also have to say that I use them even when the temperatures aren't so cold, just to appreciate the comfort of putting my hand back in the warmth.
THE MOUNTAINS: SUMMER OR WINTER?
For me, the mountains are just as enjoyable in summer as they are in winter, because there are endless possibilities for leisure activities in every season, far from the hustle and bustle of the city and close to nature!
