l will be a chalet girl/host in Soldeu, Andorra. Can anyone give me advice/information about the country, the resort, the snow!!, the nightlife ect. ect.? Anyone who has worked a ski season, especially in Andorra, would be great! Thanks!

Being a Chalet Girl is hard work, so do not go out there thinking it is going to be a breeze. Fussy punters, long hours & occasionally less than brilliant resources r all in a day is work. However, a few tips from hardened ex-chalet girls will make ur life a little easier.

Most guests only stay for a week. It is therefore advisable to get a menu plan for the whole week (six days with one day off) & use it week in, week out. Doing this will usually ensure that it is easier to stick to ur budget. As weeks go by u will find the routine gives u more time to ski, & with the turnover of guests no one is going to know that u do not vary ur menus. NB saying that, always have a second week is menu just in case someone sticks around for another week.


You usually do a shop once a week, make sure u buy everything u need in one go. Plan ur list - it saves u time when u r at the supermarket & it will save u having to pay inflated prices back at the resort. 'Bits' you've forgotton can often blow ur budget.


Plan ur menu carefully. Do not cook a hot starter, maincourse & desert. Before u know it u will be spending twice the amount of time cooking & then run out of room in the (often tiny) kitchen anyway.


Often chalet girls r asked to offer guests dips & nibbles before dinner. Rather than having to make a different dip each night there r some great dry packs that contain things like black pepper & lemon which can be added to mayonnaise to make an instant dip. It is perfect with carrots & crisps & will save u time & give ur guests variety. And buy them before u go, they're a life saver!


On shopping day, ur fridge is usually overloaded. If there is not enough room for everything, window ledges make great alternatives - the snow outside stops food going off.


Banoffi pie is a surefire winner. Fact. The only real pain is watching the tins for hours to make sure u have enough water covering them (and be warned, if the water level drops too low you'ill redecorate ur kitchen in toffee!). Use the biggest saucepan u can find & make five or six tins at once. You only need one tin per pie & it means for the next six weeks u cut the prep time in half.


Unfortunately, u wo not earn much money out there (but you're not doing this to make ur millions, right?), & more often than not you're skint on ur day off - good tips the week before excepted. If u have a local take away pizza place, make an extra banoffi pie & deliver to the guys that work there. Chances r you'ill be guaranteed a free pizza on ur day off ( l worked in Meribel & it worked for me!).