GO at Club Med: Pass to mountain-life

Many Frenchmen that have ended up making their career in the American ski industry, came from an unsung school, Club Med.

Because of Alpine ostracism, would-be ski professionals like ski instructors were never warmly welcome by native mountain dwellers that saw them as parasites intent on stealing their livelihood. In addition, they didn't have the chance of having parents that owned precious and limited real estate, and instead had to find an expensive place to rent that would eat up into their earnings.

Finding a counter-seasonal job was also an extreme challenge few could easily muster, as carpenter, plumber or mason, like most of their local peers. As a result, the no-brainer solution was to get a ski-instructor job at Club Med, including free room and board, plus a chance to work during the off season as tennis or sailing instructor.

For some, after a short while, Club Med was no panacea as it implied moving all the time around resorts, not being able to take roots and lead a normal life.

Some of these ski instructors turned to America where European ski instructors were still in demand and since many could speak some English, it was a much easier way for them to get integrated into the American mountain culture.

Eventually, these individuals found better jobs, set up retail shops, or worked in the industry and pretty much made their home on this side of the pond. In sharp contrast, mountain-born folks like me were a meager exception of those French skiers who built their career in the USA.