The Birth of the School
In 1990 the commune of Sainte Foy Tarentaise installed 3 chairlifts in the hamlet of Bonconseil, opening up over 1000m vertical drop to skiing and giving birth to the resort of Sainte Foy. At the outset, Yves Empereur, a local man, offered his services as instructor and guide to take Sainte Foy’s first clients.  In the following years, during their school holidays, young locals like Vincent Charriere, Olivier Empereur and Nicolas Borrel joined him. Activity increased to the point where organisation was necessary so, at Yves Empereur’s instigation the French Ski School (‘ESF’) of Sainte Foy was established in 1993.  Yves, fittingly, became the first Director of the School.
Evolution
ESF Sainte Foy developed and diversified in conjunction with the evolution of the resort.  Its capacity increased with the influx of young people from Sainte Foy and around; from the original 4 instructors in 1993, by 1999 we were 12 and in 2004 we were 20. It was in 2004 that Yves Empereur passed the reigns of direction to Laurent Ottobon, current Director of ESF Sainte Foy.

The Present
Today ESF Sainte Foy has around 40 instructors of whom half are from the Tarentaise valley.  Between us we boast 4 spoken languages and decades of expertise in skiing, jumping and free-riding, telemark, snowboard and other alpine sports.  Our offices are in the centre of the resort, at the foot of the pistes, and comprise a reception area, offices, equipment stores and space for the instructors as well as the children’s break-time. We offer numerous ways in which to enjoy our ski and snowboard courses
plus telemark, off-piste, heli-ski, ski-hiking and snowshoeing.  We organise weekly races and, in the holidays,
jumping competitions for the more intrepid. ESF Sainte Foy is involved in the local community offering
ski courses at a discount to the village schoolchildren during term-time, organising and participating
in winter events and festive and sporting activities in the resort. We can provide immediate assistance
by professionals trained in mountain rescue in the event of an emergency. We offer financial
support on a partnership basis to the Ski Club of Sainte Foy and active assistance in talent-spotting
and vocational training for young people. By reason of its existence since the creation of
Sainte Foy station, the numbers of people it represents and its numerous activities,
the French Ski School is a major player in the life of the ski resort and the
community of Sainte Foy.