The plight of Simon Butler and his counterparts at Three Valleys tour operator Le Ski have been widely reported in the UK media for some time now. Today ski instructor Simon Butler appeared in court in Bonneville, accused of teaching illegally in France. He was found guilty and fined €30,000. If the fine is unpaid, he’ll face a 200 day jail sentence.
It’s a judgement that could have widespread implications for the winter sports industry as a whole, not just the British instructors out there. We’d love to hear from any local ski schools, French and English for their view on the situation.
We understand from the team at PlanetSki that Simon Butler has lodged an appeal as he believes he is in possession of the correct qualifications required to work as a ski instructor in France. By all accounts the judge actually told him to go and work in Switzerland instead.
