Planning any holiday or trip is always exciting and ski trips are no different, however, to organise your dream ski trip it can take a bit more forethought. You’ve not just got the flights and hotel to book, there’s lift passes, ski rental, airport transfers and ski lessons to think about as well.
With that in mind I’ve created this handy step-by-step guide to make sure you don’t forget anything in the run up to your holiday and to make sure you’re prepared for the best ski holiday ever!
Step One: Pick your dates and location
With a ski trip it’s important that you choose the right resort for the time of year you want to go to make sure you get the best snow and weather conditions. For example, if you want a good chance of sunny and warmish weather it’s best to book your trip for late March or early April, but at this time of year resorts situated at lower altitude will be losing their snow and what’s left could be very slushy so look for a resort where most of the skiing is above 1800m. If you’re restricted to school holidays when resorts are at the busiest then make sure you’re picking a resort with an extensive and modern lift system that minimises queueing time.
Here are my recommendations for resorts depending on time of year:
December: Pre-Christmas skiing hasn’t been very snow-sure for the last few seasons so pick somewhere with glacier skiing just in case the snow fairies are late. E.g., Saas Fee or Zermatt, Switzerland; Tignes or Les Deux Alpes, France; Hintertux or Kaprun, Austria.
January: Skiing in January is for the hardy ones who don’t mind the coldest weather in exchange for great snow conditions. January is also a fairly quiet time of the season with no school holidays so really the Alps are your oyster! Some of my favourites are: Verbier, Switzerland; St Martin de Belleville, France; St Anton, Austria.
February: Peak school holiday time! As the school holidays across Europe don’t all tend to fall in the same week, I’d avoid all but the very first week in February if you can, or risk the resort being busier and flights and accommodation being pricier than normal. However, if you are tied in to skiing during school holidays then here are my recommendations for resorts that have efficient lift systems, plenty of space and lots of child-friendly activities: Any of the resorts in the 3 Vallées, France. The lift system here is second to none with hundreds of well-groomed pistes and dedicated beginner and fun slopes in every valley. My top choice for beginners and intermediates is the Courchevel valley – you can’t beat the variety of gentle, pretty, green runs and wide, cruisy blues.
March: School holidays are over, the snow’s usually still good while the weather often isn’t so extreme. Similar to January, it tends to quiet down a bit in March, and there can often still be a big powder dump or two so a great time of year if you’re keen to explore a bit more off-piste or try some ski touring. My recommendations are: Verbier, Switzerland; St Anton, Austria; Val D’Isere, France.
April: Spring is one of my favourite times of year in a ski resort – the sun’s out, it’s warm and there’s an almost constant party atmosphere. The snow can massively vary though – often just in one day, with hard, icy pistes in the morning, a narrow golden window then wet slushy snow in the afternoon. At this time of year, if snow conditions are important to you then a resort with mostly north-facing slopes, or a lot of high skiing will be best. I’d recommend: Val Thorens, France; Hintertux, Austria; Les Diablerets, Switzerland.
You might have noticed a few repeating ski resorts in my recommendations which is simply because these are resorts that I have skied the most, know well and love!
Step Two: Book your accommodation
Once you’ve decided where and when you’re going the next thing to do is lock down your accommodation. Do this early to snap up the best deals whether you’re looking for a self-catered apartment, a hotel, or a catered chalet.
But which type of accommodation is right for you? Here are some pros and cons for each type to help you decide:
Accommodation Type | Pros | Cons |
Hotel |
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Self-Catered Apartment |
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Catered Chalet |
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As well as the type of accommodation you want, it’s also important to consider the location of it in resort – how far is it from the ski lifts, shops, bars, and restaurants? Is there a free shuttle service and bus stop nearby? Some resorts are bigger than others, so it is important to take a look at a resort map and consider how you will get to and from the slopes each day before you book.
Step Three: Book your transport
You know where your going, when you’re going and where you’re going to stay, now it’s time to work out how to get there. It’s likely your main options will be to fly, take the train or drive. Here’s a quick run-down of each option:
Plane: Probably most people’s first thought when going on a trip abroad, but as more of us are trying to cut down the number of flights we take each year to reduce our carbon footprint, if you’re planning a trip of a week or more then it could be worth looking at other options. Don’t forget that most airlines charge extra for you to travel with your skis as well. That said, if you’re planning a shorter trip, or going somewhere a bit further afield (eastern Austria or the Dolomites) then flying could well be your best option. You will also need to organise a transfer from the airport to your chosen resort – in Switzerland most resorts can be reached easily by train and in France, coach transfers are popular options.
Train: If you’re based in or around London, or in Europe then why not take advantage of the train network or Eurostar? You can go direct from London to the French alps in just a little over 8 hours (not that much longer than a flight + airport transfer when you include all the waiting around in the airport!). If you’re already based in Europe, then it should be easy to train it to your nearest ski resort, and avoids the problem of parking when you arrive, which can be tricky in small but busy resorts.
Car: If you’re planning a trip lasting a week or more it could be worth considering driving. If you’re a family or group and you have roof box, or large enough car to fit everyone plus luggage in then this could end up being the most cost-effective option, particularly if you’re taking your own skis. While it will take longer than the train, the journey to most resorts can be completed in one day – Calais to the 3 Vallées or Val D’Isere takes about 10 hours while Calais-St Anton is more like 11 hours.
Step Four: Pre-book your lift passes and ski hire
Best to get this sorted sooner rather than later, as often there will be deals for booking online and early. If you’re going at a busy period having a pre-booked lift pass and ski hire will often mean you can collect faster as well.
It’s also good to remember that as well as renting your ski equipment in resort, it is now possible in a lot of places to also rent a ski jacket and ski pants for your trip. This is great to save on space when you’re packing and to have good quality gear without spending hundreds on it. Cirkel Supply offer rental in several resorts in Switzerland (https://cirkelsupply.com), and it’s worth checking with whoever you’re renting your equipment from to see if they also do clothing hire.
Step Five: Book Ski Lessons
While, as a ski instructor, I might be a little biased, I do genuinely think that for most people it’s a good idea to have a ski lesson at least once a year. If you’re an experienced skier this can act as a refresher to iron out bad habits and give you a couple of tips to think about for the week. If you’re somewhere new it can be about getting to know a new resort and where to find the best slopes for your level.
For beginners and children, a lesson every day is best to make the most of the trip, group lessons are the most cost-effective way to do this, and it’s a fun environment for children to learn in. Groups can be great for adults too if you enjoy a sociable learning experience, but you’re likely to learn faster in private lessons.
If you’re planning a trip to Verbier this winter, then do get in touch either directly with me or with Element Ski School (https://www.elementconcept.com/) to book a lesson with the best team on the mountain! (I'm only a little bit biased!)
Step Six: Get fit!
A ski trip is a very active holiday! Skiing is of course a sport, and one that we do at high altitudes, so it is essential that you prepare your body for it if you want to enjoy you time in the mountains as much as possible.
Making sure you’re fit, strong and flexible before you go skiing will help you ski for longer, ski more difficult runs, reduce your chances of injury and make it easier to get up when you fall.
I have three online fitness programmes specifically designed to prepare you for your ski trip:
6 Weeks Ski Ready – Ideal if you’ve found your exercise regime has been lacking recently. This 6-week programme builds gradually focussing on building general fitness and endurance.
8 Week Fitness Boost – Perfect if you’re short on time, workouts will take a maximum of 40 minutes with most being 30 minutes or less. You’ll build your strength, mobility and general fitness through this 8-week programme.
12 Weeks Ski Fit – This is the ultimate pre-ski trip programme, aimed at those looking to ski hard this season. You will progress through 3 phases to build stability, strength, and endurance over 12 weeks.
If none of those options are quite right for you, I also offer online personal training – a fitness programme built specifically for you to help you achieve your goals and to work around your lifestyle.
Step Seven: Pack!
It’s almost time to go skiing! All there’s left to do is pack. Here’s a handy checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything important:
□ Underwear, including ski socks, thermal leggings, thermal tops, and sports bras.
□ Salopettes or ski trousers (if not renting in resort).
□ Ski jacket – either an insulated one or a shell jacket plus a puffer jacket (if not renting in resort).
□ Mid-layers – a fleece to go under your jacket for really cold days.
□ Gloves – waterproof outer gloves plus thinner glove liners if you get cold hands.
□ Neck-warmer/buff.
□ Ski goggles and sunglasses.
□ Helmet (if you’re not renting one in resort).
□ Snow boots/grippy, waterproof walking boots.
□ After-ski wear (sweatpants, jeans, jumpers etc).
□ Beanie and scarf.
□ High factor face suncream and lip balm with SPF.
□ Swimwear (if you’re staying somewhere with a pool or hot tub).
□ Toiletries.
□ Paracetamol & ibuprofen (for sore heads post-après and sore muscles post skiing!).
□ Blister plasters, in case of uncomfortable boots.
□ Ski/snowboard boots, skis/snowboard, and poles (if not renting in resort).
□ Pack of cards/other small portable games.
□ Essentials: Phone charger, passport, wallet, driving licence (if hiring a car)
Tip: If you're taking your skis in a ski bag, pad it out all your clothes - you'll protect your skis and you might not even need to bring a suitcase!
Step Eight: Go Skiing!
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