How piste patrollers teach young skiers mountain safety rules

A response to poorly judged advice from adults

The initiative grew out of an observation made by Christelle, director of Piou-Piou at Les Menuires: instructions given to children by adults on the pistes are often vague or ill-suited to their age. In response, the resort decided to introduce direct teaching from an early age, so that children start learning about the mountain at the children's ski club rather than relying solely on informal advice.

A visit from piste patrollers and their avalanche dog

Once a week during the school holidays, piste patrollers visit Piou-Piou groups with an avalanche dog. Their arrival delights the children straightaway, giving them a playful, close-up introduction to mountain safety professionals.

Safety rules taught through play

Piste patrollers cover several concrete topics with the children: piste marking, what determines a piste's colour, how snow guns work, and how to spot danger zones flagged with warning tape, even for children who cannot yet read. They also explain rules of behaviour on skis, such as not letting an adult carry them or not skiing between an adult's legs. To make these ideas accessible, the patrollers use simple words and age-appropriate comparisons, likening the danger posed by black-and-yellow piste marker poles to "the bee that stings".

A two-way exchange

Beyond passing on instructions, these sessions turn into genuine dialogue between piste patrollers and children. According to the organisers, the youngest participants bring their own view of the mountain and their own thinking to the conversation, making this teaching a moment of mutual learning rather than a one-way transfer of information.

Key points

1. "Pisteurs chez les Piou-Piou", launched in 2026, is aimed at children aged three to five enrolled at the Piou-Piou children's ski club at Les Menuires.
2. It runs once a week during the school holidays.
3. Piste patrollers, accompanied by an avalanche dog, work directly with the children.
4. Topics covered include piste marking, piste colours, how snow guns work and spotting danger zones.
5. The teaching method relies on vivid comparisons, such as "the bee that stings" for the black-and-yellow piste marker poles that signal danger.