Ash from trailAddiction has fired us over news of a vacancy for The Best Job In The World a Trail-Guiding job vacancy in Les Arcs, starting from this summer. We can tell you now that it’s going to be an extremely hard job but if you’re up for it, love your riding and don’t mind spending days and day riding down Alpine descents (oh, the horror) then it’s one of the best things you can do. Here’s the rest of the info:
“MTB tour operator trailAddiction is looking to add a further long-term employee to its already large and established team of trail guides.
Based in the Peisey Valley, slap-bang in the middle of the huge lift-accessible Les Arcs / La Plagne massif, trailAddiction provide fully-catered, fully-guided mountain biking holidays to 300 people per 3-month Summer season. The focus of the trailAddiction experience is giving clients an unforgettable gravity-assisted singletrack experience using the area’s huge trail network as a playground. Most of trailAddiction’s trails are either not marked on maps or simply hard to access without familiarity with the terrain and lift-system, and hence the knowledge and judgement of good trail guides is the fundamental underpinning of the trailAddiction operation.
In order to meet with increasing demand (not just more customer capacity, but new resorts) and keep guiding quality high (small guide groups, knowledgeable staff) the company recruits and trains at least one new guide each Summer season in preparation for paid employment the following Summer. This is a trainee role with a view to full employment for at least two Summers after 2011. The trainee’s main task this Summer will be to gain a working knowledge of the Les Arcs / La Plagne trail network under instruction/guidance of trailAddiction staff. This will be followed by a short practical phase at the end of the Summer where the trainee will be asked put his/her knowledge into practice and guide a real group – supported by an experienced trailAddiction guide.
As well as being friendly, enthusiastic, loyal and hard-working and a good communicator, applicants must possess the following…
- a valid driving license
- a mountain bike guiding qualification (or at least pending). SMBLA or MIAS preferred.
- a good sense of direction and ability to use a 1:25000 topographical map
- a fair amount of Alpine mountain biking experience (prior guiding experience welcome but not crucial)
- a comprehensive set of mountain bike maintenance skills
- a high level of technical competence on a bike
- a good level of general mountain awareness (non-biking mountain sport experience or qualifications is a bonus)
- a desire to live in the Alps for the lifestyle and outdoor opportunities on offer, not necessarily with a view to becoming rich from it 😉
In addition to an extremely competitive pay and benefits package, you will be shown one of the best and most closely guarded secrets in the Alps – that the Les Arcs / La Plagne natural trail network that has been uncovered over a 10 year period of exploration. You’ll get to ride your bike every day, all Summer if you want to, and will not be expected to perform an excessive amount of non-biking menial support tasks such as cleaning, driving and cooking.
The training phase will take place for ~5-6 weeks in Les Arcs during August / September 2011 where all expenses will be covered (lift-pass, comfortable accommodation, full board). The 2012 and 2013 seasons run June – September when you will be contracted to be available to work as a paid guide for a minimum of 8 weeks during this period.
Only highly competent and committed individuals should apply. If you feel that could be the the job for you, please send a covering email and CV to Ash (info@trailaddiction.com).
Comments (12)
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If only I knew where and how to get one of these!
“a mountain bike guiding qualification (or at least pending). SMBLA or MIAS preferred”
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=smbla
Got offered a job with them a couple of years ago while riding up a climb with Ali, wish I had had the balls to take it 🙁 I had just started my current ‘rat race’ job and couldnt stomach jacking in a good salary and secure job in these times. I think i will remember that for ever and dream….
(and have an Ibis SL and didnt really trust that would last an alps season!)
Must be tone deaf or have custom ear plugs to put up with Ash’s singing 😉
I thought you now needed a french qualification to guide in France, is that not the case?
To get around the French not always accepting guiding qualifications from other European countries I gather that some companies are officially charging guests for bed and board, not guiding, and that the rides they put on are not technically guided, even if there is someone who comes along on the rides and shows you where to go…
The situation for guiding varies from place to place… “The French” ≠ “The French”, but it’s an often extrapolated discussion that I don’t really think is suitable for here. If anyone applying for this position would like the full story on what the situation is for Brits guiding MTB in the Les Arcs area, please mention it in your covering email and I’ll respond accordingly. Thanks, Ash
Out of idle curiosity, anyone know what sort of wage is consider “competitive” for this type of role?
Two innertubes a day, gruel for supper and only the odd light beating.
I seem to remember that Jon was not too shonky at this sort of thing when he was with Phil and Lucy !
ddmonkey said:”I thought you now needed a french qualification to guide in France, is that not the case?”
Since the 80’s it has been a requirement in France for anyone receiving payment for leading or guiding in the mountains to be registered with the local DDJS (Department of Sport), for them to accept the registration they’ll have to accept your qualification. That’s where the can of worms starts. Ash – I’m not applying for work! But I would be interested to hear your story.
3 letters that make you legal to guide in france,
I M L
(along with a ctc tech or smbla)