Ski lessons directly on your phone, a first in France!

On the slopes, ski instructors accompanied by a cluster of students are unmissable in the landscape. For anyone who has learned to ski, the group lesson is almost an obligatory step. But another path is now offered by Mathys Fornasier, a young 24-year-old instructor based in Bozel, near Courchevel (Savoie): that of learning directly from his phone, on an application that he developed himself, called “Winter Mate”.

If the concept already exists in the United States, “it is the first application of this type in France”, affirms this ski enthusiast licensed in Chamrousse (Isère), also known for his freeride performances at the highest level (15th in the Freeride World Tour 2025).

A subscription at 14.90 euros per month

For a subscription of 14.90 euros per month, Winter Mate offers a series of videos which detail all the techniques of alpine skiing, from beginner to expert level, including freestyle figures or off-piste skiing for the more daring.

“I put into images the principles of “Memento”, the ski instructors’ bible. I also provide concrete exercises to improve your technique,” ​​explains Mathys Fornasier. A premium package at 29 euros/month also allows you to film yourself skiing and have a personalized analysis, the same evening, in order to refine your style the next day on the slopes.

Are other fellow instructors annoyed by this? “I don’t think so. The offer is completely different from a face-to-face ski lesson, believes Mathys. It’s rather complementary. We are targeting a very distinct market, that is to say adolescents aged 16 and over, students and young adults. This is an audience that traditional ski schools have difficulty capturing. When children have finished their stars, they will no longer necessarily take group lessons which may seem “out of date” to them. And individual lessons are often too expensive when parents no longer pay. »

A “BlaBlaCar” of skiing

Beyond the purely educational aspect, Winter Mate also wants to become a community platform. A tab has been designed to share your video of the best jump or turn of the week. And for those who are self-deprecating, that of the most artistic fall. The application is also intended to be a “BlaBlaCar” for skiing.

“If you are preparing to ski alone in a resort that you do not know, you can suggest a group outing by specifying the level and the theme of the day. We already have 200 releases made using the app,” rejoices Mathys Fornasier, who uses his web development skills to constantly improve his product.

“When you don’t know anything about learning to ski, it’s a real plus! »

“I’m all alone coding and I have a colleague who takes care of marketing. For the moment we have recorded 200 subscriptions since the start of winter, and we could ask for reinforcements if personalized video analysis gains momentum,” projects the monitor, who hopes to add a functionality to collect his speed, his kilometers…

On the slopes, no skier we meet yet knows the new application. “It could be interesting to see if I can’t erase some technical faults, given that my last lesson was around ten years ago,” considers Alban, a student, more ready to pay the price of the subscription rather than a private session with an instructor at 60 euros per hour, “even if the ideal is to have a professional with you,” he nuances. In a beginners’ area, a parent is excited about exercise tips for kids. “When you don’t know anything about learning to ski, it’s a real plus! “.