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what are the other housemates like?
can I come on my own/as a couple/with a
group?
what is the average age in the chalet?
is there a minimum age?
how much money will I need?
do housemates get any discounts locally?
do I need to speak French?
are there any rules?
do I need to be an expert skier/boarder?
do you give lessons?
what do I need to bring?
is there anything you can't buy in France
that I might need?
how supervised is planet subzero?
what if I need help with something?
what happens if I need to see a doctor
or a dentist?
do you organise transport to Les Arcs
or do I?
do I have to arrive on a specific date?
can I come out for less than a whole season?
do I get my money back if I break my leg
and have to go home?
what if I don't like it - Can I leave
and get my money back?
what's the time difference to France?
does my mobile work in France?
what type of insurance do I need?
what is a carte neige?
what is an E111 form?
what are the other housemates like?
Planet Subzero is open to anyone - as long as you're
into snow! Our aim is to bring a group of like minded
people together to have an amazing winter season. You
can see who you'll be sharing with by clicking on the
'housemates' link above.
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can I come on my own/as a couple/with
a group?
Of Course. We will do our best to accommodate everyone.
Whether you're on your own, with a partner or in a group
- this is a fantastic way to spend an extended period
in the mountains. Sharing accommodation is the most
cost-effective way to do a ski season, but we can also
provide private seasonaire accommodation too.
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what is the average age in the chalet?
Mostly Planet people are in their mid twenties through
to mid 30s - but that's not us that decides. Anyone's
welcome!
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is there a minimum age?
Yes. 18. Some of our properties are min 21 years.
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how much money will I need?
We have worked out an average spend for the whole season
- have a look in the 'prices+dates' section of the website
for a detailed breakdown of the costs involved to do
a whole season.
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do housemates get any discounts
locally?
Yes usually. As the season goes on, you will become
recognised in bars/restaurants etc and you will often
land discounts or free drinks. They are not to be expected
though! Some bars in bigger resorts do special seasonaire
rate drinks - ask around.
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do I need to speak French?
No. Learning a few words of French before the season
will help, and you will probably pick up quite a lot
during the winter. Most French people in ski-resorts
speak good English, and the Planet Subzero team are
on hand with fluent French to help if needed.
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are there any rules?
No, not really. We want you to have an amazing time,
and don't want to impose any particular 'rules'. Ultimately,
you're responsible for any damage to the chalet (beyond
normal wear and tear) and we expect you to treat your
fellow housemates, us and the local population with
general courtesy and respect. Basically, we reserve
the right to kick you out if you trash the place or
behave in an offensive way. Nuff said! Any rules (such
as no drugs in our properties) are outlined in our contract.
Click on the 'prices and dates' section, above.
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do I need to be an expert skier/boarder?
Not at all. Whether you're just beginning, or are a
sposored pro, Planet Subzero is open to anyone. You'll
certainly go home much better, even if you started out
a complete beginner or a bit rusty. A season is a perfect
opportunity to really improve your current skills as
well as learn new ones. And with a mixture of skiers
and boarders of different abilities in our properties,
you'll be able to pick up loads of new tricks from your
housemates.
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do you give lessons?
We can give you tips, but not proper lessons. From experience,
it's definitely worth investing in some tuition at the
start of the season as the instructor will be able to
give you things to work on on your own - and help stop
you getting into bad habits. If you're a beginner, then
lessons are pretty much a must. Although we can't teach,
our hosts are more than happy to show you round and/or
we can recommend good instructors / ski schools in each
resort.
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what do I need to bring?
Think carefully about what you bring as there's limited
storage space in the chalets. See the 'why do a season'
section for our top tips!
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is there anything you can't buy
in France that I might need?
Most missed food items are RedBull (you can't buy it
in France), Walker crisps, Marmite and Baked Beans.
There is however a supermarket section in most resorts
with a 'UK' area where you can get all of the above
(apart from the RedBull), but it's more expensive than
at home. English printed material (aside from main newspapers)
can be hard to find, so if you like reading, bring books
and magazines. But - don't worry too much. If there's
anything you really miss you can order pretty much anything
online!
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how supervised is planet subzero?
We normally have one host living in or near each of
our properties. We're around to help, but not get in
your way! We'll be available to offer trips out of resort,
show you round, drag you to the pub (or be dragged by
you) and give advice or translation as and when needed.
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what if I need help with something?
Just give us a shout. You will be provided with your
host's phone number, and a list of useful local numbers
too.
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what happens if I need to see
a doctor or a dentist?
There are doctors in resort, and dentists nearby each
of our resorts. Generally you can walk in off the street
and they will know what to do with your insurance policy.
This is the kind of thing we're here for - so if you
need someone to hold your hand or translate, then give
us a call.
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do you organise transport to resort
or do I?
You do. But if you need any help sorting it out, then
give us a call. There are some amazingly cheap deals
between the UK and the Alps, so shop around to work
out what is best. For Planet Subzero shared properties,
we'll pick you up in Bourg St Maurice (for Les Arcs),
or Moutiers (for Courchevel and Meribel long stays)
or meet you in resort when you arrive in Chamonix. For
private property bookings, you will need to make your
own way to your accommodation.
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do I have to arrive on a specific
date?
No. It's up to you whether you want to come out the
day the chalet opens or arrive a few days later. There
are no discounts for people who book a whole season
but arrive late. And if you arrive on a later date or
leave early, we will do our best to give you your free
pick up or drop off, but can't guarantee it.
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can I come out for less than a
whole season?
Priority is given to people who book a whole season.
However, there may be some opportunities for people
to do part seasons (normally 2-3 beds in each property
are allocated for this). Contact us for more information.
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do I get my money back if I break
my leg and have to go home?
In general, yes. You will be able to claim the lost
accommodation costs from your insurance company. It
is up to you to check your policy carefully before you
leave to make sure you're covered. We will help you
make sure you have all the right invoices, doctors'
letters, receipts etc and follow anything up in resort
after you've gone.
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what if I don't like it - can I
leave and get my money back?
In general, no. If you leave because you simply don't
like it you won't get your money back. You may be able
to recover some of the money if you find someone to
take your place in the chalet.
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what's the time difference to France?
France is one hour ahead of the UK.
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does my mobile work in France?
That depends on your mobile. Check with your service
provider. If you have an unlocked handset, you can buy
a French Pay as You Go simcard for about £20.
Don't forget in the Planet Subzero shared chalets, there
will be a phone in the chalets on which you can receive
calls and make local outgoing calls.
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what type of insurance do I need?
Planet Subzero recommend you take out as comprehensive
a policy as you can find, including dangerous sports
and off-piste skiing/boarding. Double check what you
can claim on the policy and if you are bringing separate
items of value (stereo, laptop, skis, boards etc) it
may be worth putting them on a house insurance policy
that covers items taken abroad. The Alps are pretty
safe, but stuff does wander and you can never be too
careful!
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what is a carte neige?
A Carte Neige is a local insurance card which guarantees
you will be taken off the mountain and taken to the
nearest doctor/hospital. It does not cover any medical
expenses, but does include off-piste rescue. It costs
about £35 for the season and is available locally.
You will need to check with your insurance company whether
they will still cover you for the medical expenses if
you are taken to the doctor following an off-piste accident.
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what is an E111 form?
An E111 form is available from the Post Office in
the UK and covers you for reciprocal public medical
treatment anywhere in Europe. This has been recently
upgraded to a European wide card, which you apply for
from the Post office, or online. It's a very good idea
to have one - although most resort doctors operate privately,
if you end up needing any hospital treatment, an E111
will be required. Some insurance policies require you
to have one.
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