About us > Key dates

 From 1895 to 2006

The first ski lessons are given in the Vosges, at the time annexed by Germany, as training for the Kaiser's army. Paulcke teaches the method using two ski poles. The following year the Ski Club Vosgien is founded in Strasbourg.

 

1927 : Charles Diebold from Strasbourg is the first person to establish a proper ski school. The Cours de Ski Vosgiens organises ski tests later copied by the ESF. In the same year, the first alpine ski school opens in Megève.

 

1933 : The French Ski Federation organises the first instructor training course, leading to a diploma.

 

1935 : The ski schools run by the Alsatian Diebold and the German Hermann merge to become the Ecole Française de Ski, teaching the Austrian Arlberg method in resorts that include Courchevel, Moriond and Peisey-Nancroix

 

1936 :Léo Lagrange, the first minister for sport, nationalises the Ecole Française de Ski. World champion Emile Allais is appointed technical director and introduces his own teaching method.

 

1943 : The Ecole Nationale de Ski is founded in Alpe d'Huez.

 

1945 : The Ecole Nationale de Ski moves to Val d'Isère. After two years it is transferred to Chamonix and becomes the Ecole Nationale du Ski et de l'Apinisme (ENSA)

 

In addition, on 13 November 1945 the National Union of French Ski Instructors is founded. Its function is to safeguard the interests and development of the profession and the ESF schools

It has many roles, developed over the years
• - promoting and developing the practice of skiing
• - developing mutual assistance and solidarity
• - organising the profession
• - advising, training and retraining ESF instructors
• - representing and defending them before the various social and legal bodies and French and European public authorities.

For the public it guarantees
• - a national teaching method (la méthode du ski français)
• - quality instruction and technical tests in France's 250 ski resorts

 

1969 : Chairman Gaston Cathiard, the Union's founder, hands over to Germain Cocco. Over the next 20 years the Union develops a network of 150 schools, a centralised buying department and a reserve fund.

 

Since 1994 : Gilles Chabert is the chairman of the Union of French Ski Instructors. He is the fifth chairman since it was founded.