Could you tell us a bit about how you got the job and why choose PV?

In December 2021, I did my first season with Petit Verbier. I came across Petit Verbier in a facebook group and sent my application straight to Sarina. From there, everything was super straightforward. I had also received job offers from resorts in France, but after doing my research on the company, chatting with Sarina and gathering as much info about Verbier as I could, I had a really good feeling about everything.

 

What was it like when you first arrived?

At the start of December, I arrived in Verbier for the first time after flying from Ireland with my roommate. We arrived at night time during heavy snowfall which was no fun to pull suitcases through. Over the next few days, we started to find our bearings around Verbier. I could not get over how stunning the views of the mountains were and how pretty and picturesque Verbier was.

 

Did you have a lot of experience? What was training week like?

Training week followed soon after arriving. I had previous experience working with children from teaching in schools, being an Aupair and child-minding, but I had never worked as a full time nanny before. This is when I met Sarina, Claire and all the other nannies. Straight away everybody was so so lovely and we were given all the information and training we would need to get us through the season.

 

Did you start working straight away?

The bookings started rolling in soon after training week and we soon got into the swing of things. We received all the information about our families prior to the bookings which made me feel more comfortable about meeting new families.

 

What was it like being away for Christmas?

Christmas was the first of the busy periods. This was my first time spending Christmas away from home which I thought would be tougher but it was really fine as I was with friends.

 

What are the bookings like?

Often, there would be one or two other PV nannies working on the same booking which was always fun. All the other nannies were fab and it was nice to have the support and company there. When possible we would try to link up with each other and do activities together with the kids.

For the first few months, I mostly minded young babies. The majority of parents would have uploaded info about their children’s routines or sent messages prior to meeting. Each booking varied and different families had different wants. For the majority of bookings, parents would leave for the day so you would be on your own with the children. However, there were bookings where parents just wanted extra hands around the chalet and they would hang around. For these types of bookings, I would try to go out with the children and give the parents time to chill.

 

What kind of activities did you do with kids?

There was always something to do in Verbier with the kids with a fun selection of outdoor activities. The PV office was always an option too, where there were plenty of toys, books and crafts. This was always super handy for taking supplies to bookings. On most days, I would try and swing by the office with the kids as it was a nice change for them and you could chit chat with Sarina and Claire.

Here are some examples of a typical day during the winter 🙂

Young children who don’t ski:

9am- Meet family

10am- go to the park with the kids

11am- swing by the office

12pm- meet parents with kids for lunch up the mountain

2pm- take a trip in the gondola

3pm- back to the chalet to play

5pm- dinner

 

Children 3+ who go to ski school:

2pm- collect kids from ski school

3pm- hot chocolate stop

4pm- Visit the pond and feed the ducks

6pm- ice skating

8pm- bed time

 

Did you get a lot of skiing time?

I had never skied before coming to Verbier so it was definitely a fun place to start. My roommate Tessa was a ski instructor so I have to thank her for teaching me. At the start I remember thinking that the blues were even steep but by the end of my season I moved onto the blacks, still falling lots of course. A lot of our bookings were during the day which sometimes made finding time to ski tricky. During peak weeks, I didn’t spend much time skiing. When things quietened down again, this was the best time to head up the mountain and not have to wait in queues for lifts. I would say that I spent the most time skiing in March and April and had bookings which worked around being able to ski.

 

Is living in Switzerland super expensive?

It definitely took me a while to get use to Swiss prices. Although pretty much everything was more expensive, I found it was all relative as I was making good money. There was never a shortage of work which meant that I could live comfortably and afford to enjoy my time in Verbier. I had also paid the majority of my rent before moving which meant that I didn’t have to worry about that.

 

What’s working for PV like?

Sarina and Claire were so lovely to work for and were always super supportive. Each week we had a meeting where everyone could check in with each other. There was also other things organized like nanny ski days or nights out which involved lots of Prosecco. Everyone got on really well so the time spent together was always super fun.

 

Can you do a summer season?

I returned to Verbier during the summer to work for PV. It definitely wasn’t as busy as winter but there was still plenty of work. I had plenty of time to go hiking, swim in the lake and enjoy the good weather. It was also nice to be able to do different activities with the kids and not have to wrap them from head to toe in snow gear.

 

Did your first ski season live up to expectations?

My first season definitely exceeded my expectations and I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Working with PV gave me the chance to live in one of the most stunning places and meet amazing people. I’ve made lots of good friends who, had I never went to Verbier, I probably would have never crossed paths with. I am currently doing a masters in the UK but if I wasn’t doing this, I would definitely be spending another winter and summer in Verbier.