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French Alps have so many destinations to choose from

Alan — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:26:06 +0000

The region around the French Alps is one of the most popular with British skiers, with many returning year after year to enjoy the scenery, amenities and excellent winter sports facilities.

Almost 300,000 travellers head from the UK for the French slopes each year – no doubt drawn by the short flights, but also by the unique attractions that the region has to offer. Whether you’re an experienced skier looking for the challenge of a black run, or a novice searching for the right nursery slopes to learn a new skill, there will be a resort in the French Alps that will suit your needs.

After all, there are over 200 resorts to choose from in the French Alps region, each with its own charms and its own particular winter sports speciality. Some are little more than villages while others feel more like large cities in the busy winter months; some are aimed at families taking youngsters away on their first skiing trip while others have a lively apres-ski scene for those more interested in nightlife than life on the slopes.

The Grand Massif is the largest of the resorts in the French Alps, actually made up of a series of smaller resorts linked by cable cars and chair lifts, and served by nearly 280 kilometres of ski slopes. In fact, many of the resorts that make up the Grand Massif are not resorts at all, but traditional Alpine villages that have adapted to provide accommodation and entertainment for visitors. The larger town of Flaine is the only part of the Grand Massif that was built recently,with skiing holidays in mind.

No matter what your skiing level, there will be slopes and activities in the Grand Massif to suit your experience. Add to this range of slopes the fact that you have so many packed into a relatively small area, most first-time visitors find themselves surprised by the lack of queues at the lifts, even at the busiest part of the day.

Travelling between the resorts that make up the Grand Massif couldn’t be easier, whether you make use of the chair lifts and cable cars strung between the villages or hop on the courtesy buses that run between the major tourist centres. Both options make exploring the different slopes, and the different villages, very easy.

As with most resorts in the French Alps, the Grand Massif is also home to an excellent ski school which has classes for adult beginners as well as children, run by the well-established and well-known ESF chain. Even if you have been skiing before, a quick refresher lesson with an instructor can be just the thing to restore your confidence before you head for the slopes.

Of course, a ski resort can have the best slopes and the best amenities in the world, but without a regular and reliable snowfall there is little point in visiting. Luckily, the French Alps are known for their perfect skiing conditions all winter long, and many resorts have been known to employ snow cannons on the lower slopes if Mother Nature hasn’t played her part.

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Ski Alps bargains

Alan — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:24:06 +0000

Very significant discounts are being offered to those who want to ski in the Alps this Christmas and New Year and many companies are offering discounts that are better than half price. One company is offering a week’s skiing which normally retails for £975 for an incredibly discounted rate of just £400.

The lower cost of skiing in Bulgaria has attracted people away from France where skiing is more expensive. A recent study has shown that a skiing holiday for four, for a week, costs just £800 in Bulgaria, the equivalent price in France would be twice this.

The research has been done by the Post Office and it also showed that the cost of a family going skiing has fallen by a fifth in the last two years alone. This is partly due to the increased popularity of cheap ski resort in places like Bulgaria. Sarah Munro is a representative from the Post Office and she has commented, “For families who are looking to save money on a skiing holiday then Bulgaria is a great option, you simply get much more for your money.”

France has typically been the country that dominated European skiing but competition from countries like Slovenia and Bulgaria have threatened their position. Currently France holds nearly 40% of the market for British skiers and while Bulgaria only holds 4%, the market share of France is at its lowest since 2005.

A lack of snow at the start of the season in France has meant that skiing in the area has been negatively affected. Some reports are saying this is the worst start to a season for nearly 150 years. There is also being a slump in consumer demand and this has meant that skiing holidays have been heavily discounted. Some companies are even offering free ski passes.

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Ski in France for £90 for 1 week with SnowTrex including lift pass

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:50:17 +0000

Ski for £90 in France with SnowTrex and get the lift pass thrown in!

Low-cost hits by SnowTrex are for instance Valfréjus and Super Dévoluy in the French Alps, both with approx. 100 km of piste. A comfortable apartment for one week’s stay, costs from GBP 90 per person always including the lift pass.

SnowTrex is Germany’s largest winter sports holiday tour operator. The Cologne-based specialists sell their holidays to 90% via the Internet and were the first to offer low-cost ski holiday 9 years ago. The company is therefore following the trend: “Customers are looking to go skiing in winter, require a comfortable accommodation close to the piste, but are also looking to keep the budget low”, says Andreas Rühl, SnowTrex CEO. “With SnowTrex the lift pass is always already included”, he continues. Especially during the financial crisis this has been very well accepted. A week’s ski pass costs at least GBP 100 if you buy it in resort.

Destinations
The most popular low-cost destinations besides Valfréjus and SuperDévoluy are Val d’Allos and Valmeinier, where skiers will find up to 150 km of piste available for only a couple of euro more. “Many people are surprised that there are still real insider tips in the French Alps, which not only offer low prices and great ski areas, but also a lovely atmosphere in quaint mountain villages”, says the SnowTrex expert.

Check out the SnowTrex website here – www.snowtrex.co.uk

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Singlesport looking after single skiers for the last ten years

Alan — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 06:41:29 +0000

Single Skiers—-the solution!

Single skiers have been being looked after by Singlesport for over a decade. They started with a small group of just below 30 guests and now cater to hundreds of skiers every year. People who choose to ski with Singlesport tend to be a sociable bunch but apart from that they vary a great deal.

Most of the people who come on a skiing holiday with Singlesport are of an intermediate skill level, but there are also some experts and some beginners. Some people in the group choose to ski all day long and insist on being the first on, and the last off, the slopes every day. Others in the group might prefer to take a more relaxed attitude and focus on finding a good restaurant with a nice view to spend an evening after a hard day skiing.

In the evening the preferences of the different skiers also become apparent. Some might prefer to retire to their rooms early while others will spend all night partying. What is so good about Singlesport groups is that there are usually so many people that it is easy to find someone you can be buddies with. Some other tour groups run smaller groups but Singlesport have found large groups work better.

Of course in the peak season hotels are going to want to make as much money as possible, this can mean if you choose to come skiing by yourself it might be expensive to find a room. If you travel with Singlesport you have the option of pairing up with someone else in the group and saving some money, you can also have your own room. You might find that some companies will offer you a single room without having to pay a supplement, if you look at the prices more closely though you will find that the price of the whole holiday has been inflated to cover this additional cost. Either that or they have chosen low quality resorts.

Singlesport is not a dating agency

Many Singlesport guests have partners at home who do not ski, they are guaranteed good company during their holiday. Some couples have met during Singlesport holidays & some still travel with Singlesport because of the large number of friends they made there. (Singlesport is ideal for couples who ski differently, one can race round the mountain clocking up the miles whilst the other is more cautious & enjoys a few coffees, neither need feel guilty that they are spoiling the others skiing.) The vast majority of Singlesport guests are of course single and enjoy their holiday with likeminded skiers.

Singlesport chooses the tour operator

Singlesport is a ski club not a tour operator which means they can choose the best holidays. Ruth who runs Singlesport takes the bookings & helps you choose the holiday that’s right for you. Once your choice is made you pay your money to the tour operator so that you are protected by their terms and conditions. Some holidays include flights whereas others allow you to travel from your local airport & meet in Geneva or Salzburg. If you are not used to this Ruth will help & introduce you to other guests who will be on the same flight or might even want to share airport parking.

Support

Passionate skiers always want to help and at Singlesport this is guaranteed. Ruth offers those who need it a wealth of experience before leaving the UK and once you arrive in the chalet the other guests and staff will all be ready to help and advise should you need it.

5 holidays 2011/12
This season Singlesport are offering 3 very different types of holidays:

12 November—Kaprun—Austria—this holiday is perfect for intermediates wanting to improve their technique at the beginning of the season. It includes tuition all day long with Skivolution

23 December—Alpe D’huez—France—this is our Xmas holiday in a ski in/ski out hotel including flights from Gatwick & Manchester

30 December—Alpe D’huez —some of our guests will stay on after Xmas to make a 2 week break whilst others will join them for New Year

21 January- and 10 March —Courchevel France—these holidays include 2 hours tuition each day with skivo2 who offer the best start for beginners & a real challenge for the experts. Classes at every level from 1-7 ensure that you meet guests of your own ability to ski with after the class if you wish to. You stay in several chalets all walking distance from each other and the lifts

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Summer skiing France

Alan — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:33:04 +0000

If you aren’t one of the lucky ones who will be enjoying the winter in Chile, Australia or New Zealand, you may still get to enjoy some vertical joy in France at one of the summer ski resorts. There are at least a half a dozen glaciers that can be skied in France in the summer.

Les Deux Alpes is the largest of all ski areas in Europe with over 750 meters of vertical and 200 hectares. The glaciers are still in good shape even thought there was some shrinkage in the 1990s. On August 10^th of last year they received 45 cm of snow. Back in the 1970s you could ski all the way to 2500 meters during July an additional 200 meters.

The other good area for skiing in the summer is Tignes with close to 500 meters of vertical. Pierre Schnebelen the Tignes promoter discovered the magical formula for summer skiing. By equipping Grande Motte, the glacier, for skiing, the skiing season became a year round adventure. Recently the glacier has suffered due to high temperatures and the station much close for certain months each year.

In la Plagne the Bellecote Glacier is closed for summer skiing this year to rebuild the cable car for Roche de Mio. The closing may be a blessing in disguise since the glacier suffered greatly last year from little snow and it is usually difficult to ski later than the first of August.

In the 1970s skiers could descend as far down as Val d’Isere and the St Charles Bridge for skiing in the summer on du Pissaillas. Today the condition of the glacier is poor with a summer season that is very restricted. Last year skiing ended in mid-July this summer the glacier will be closed due to uncommonly warm weather.

Schnedelen tried to convince Val Thorens with the idea of skiing in the summer but was met with great opposition from the environmentalists. The ski lifts that had remained have now been removed on Glacier de la Chaviere and have left a tiny piste on glacier de Peclet. This glacier as well will be closed during the summer since it is also in retreat.

L’Alpe d’Huez is equipping the Sarenne Glacier. What is most important for the resort is to guarantee their winter skiing since the resort is south facing but it also allowed the resort to have autumn skiing last year for the holidays at school and is France’s most challenging summer skiing.

A new lift is being built to help with access to the glacier de Sarenne from the lift system at the top of Marmottes. The system utilizes two cables making them much better in high winds. L’Alpe d’Huez was scheduled to open for the summer season on June 28^th.

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Fresh snow at the end of the ski season

Alan — Sat, 07 May 2011 07:54:05 +0000

Fortunately the Alps have recently been covered in snow even though the ski season is close to being over. The end of April is chosen by many to go skiing. The spring sunshine and lively parties that mark the end of the season are enticing to anyone.

You may think the ski season has gone by and maybe even quicker than others, but the specialists at SkiHorizons have ski holidays and advice for anyone that wants to get the most out of the slopes.

The high temperature and sun have caused some problems at some the ski resorts, but resorts in the northern Alps in France still have a great deal of snow and will not be closing before May and that includes Tignes and Val Thorens.

There is more than 2m of snow in both Switzerland and Austria at Solden and Engelberg and skiing is still available. SkiHorizons can help you make the right choice and let you know about some of their secrets. Winter is not quite finished.

Night skiing for example is a great way to get more out of your skiing holiday. Not only do you end up skiing longer but night skiing is wonderful experience that transports you to another world under storybook starry skies. There is an enchanting feeling as you glide down the starlit slopes and experience the peaceful quiet of the mountains. There is hardly another soul to share the slopes so you have unlimited space and unlimited skiing.

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French summer ski school

Alan — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 01:49:58 +0000

A summer ski school is being held in Tignes, France and should please many ski enthusiasts, in preparation for the next season, my want to brush up on a skill or two. From June 18 – August 28 there are lessons that also are open for beginners giving them the opportunity to learn moves before hitting the major ski resorts this winter, for the first time.

LA Grand Motte Glacier at an altitude of almost 3,500 metres will be available for students at the Tignes summer ski school to test their skills. Various ski lifts can access a number of top ski runs including the North Face which is not too steep and good for those still learning the sport.

The cost for private lessons is almost 40 euro an hour while the cost of a complete five day group workshop is 104 euro, with opening hours in the summer from 7:15am to 1:00pm between June 18 and August 28.

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Last chance to ski with SkiHorizons

Alan — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:28:03 +0000

The time to grab cheap ski holiday deals is now since the February half term just passed and the Easter holidays are around the corner. Weather for the most part this winter has been mixed for skiers and the arrival of spring is here but predictions are that the season will end with some of the best skiing in years. So take advantage of deals through SkiHorizons as they share secrets on where to enjoy the snow the most on a budget in the latest Ski Holiday Guide update.

The countries of Italy, Austria, France and Switzerland all have resorts with excellent skiing conditions in late April and as far as early May. A long weekend of skiing or snowboarding in the Austrian glaciers is a great example with the resort of Kaprun being open year round and a visit there is recommended by SkiHorizons for May.

You can visit the official website of SkiHorizons at www.skihorizons.co.uk to see the unbeatable prices that are offered by clicking on the “Easter” SkiHorizons easily ensures ski holidays for everyone with their discounts of 40% to 60%.

Ski holidays being expensive is a common thought but that image is trying to be changed by SkiHorizons with all the discounts that are being offered so visit the website to read the articles are where to go to help you decide.

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Snowjet offering discounts on next years ski trip

Alan — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:46:24 +0000

Snowjet is now making a money-saving offer on next winter’s schedule, so you can book your 2011-2012 ski trip early and lock in your rate. Bookings can be made two months earlier than usual and you can book online now for as little as £49 one way to Chambery and £79 one way to Sion. Those rates include taxes and fees, and the airline is guaranteeing that there will be no fuel surcharges added next year.

The airport at Sion is ideally situated for easy access to Switzerland’s largest ski area, the Four Valleys. It is only about 20 minutes from Nendaz and Veysonnaz, 30 minutes from Thyon, and 45 minutes from Verbier and Villars. Additional resorts served by Sion airport range from Crans Montana to Vermatt, none more than an hour and 40 minutes away. Sion is also low-traffic, so there’s less airport waiting time and more time on the slopes.

Snowjet’s Managing Director, David Lacy, said that the extra flights beginning this year were such a success that they are doing the same thing next year, and he encourages early booking to take advantage of the rates.

There will be three flights weekly to Sion, from London’s Gatwick and Stansted airports as well as from Bristol. Three other weekly flights from both Gatwick and Stansted will take passengers direct to Chambery in the French Alps. From Chambery, skiers can save considerable time on transfers to a whole range of top resorts including Val d’Isere, Meribel, Val Thorens, La Plagne, Courchevel, Les Arcs and Tignes.

Snowjet also says that flights to Sion will be carrying only 80 passengers; those to Chambery will carry either 130 or 198. Either way, there will be more room for the passengers and less time at baggage claim or check-in, making the entire experience even more pleasurable.

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Enjoy more time on the snow for less at The Snow Centre

Alan — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 11:19:01 +0000

Following the brilliant take-up of the January All Day Lift Passes at the Snow Centre, the ski resort has decided to continue to offer the All Day Lift Pass throughout the rest of February allowing both snowboarders and skiers to hit the slopes along the Hemel Hempstead for an entire day for a low £29 and for juniors only £23 during non-peak hours.

Those who want to spend the day out on the slopes without worrying about a time limit will love the All Day Lift Pass and will want to take advantage up until it expires on February 28^th, 2011. Given that half term is the peak time of the year at the Centre the offer will not be up for grabs until next week so hurry up and book if you want to make use of the last few days of unlimited skiing.
If you prefer to practice your skiing or snowboarding during the weekend, the 3 hour weekend evening pass might be something for you. You can take full advantage of a 3 hour Recreational Lift Pass for just £30 if you book a session any time after 5pm on a Saturday using the promotional code ‘SAT30′ or a Sunday using the promotional code ‘SUN30′.

Visit www.thesnowcentre.com or call 0845 258 9000 for further details or to start your booking.

Terms and Conditions
Passes must be booked and taken by 28th February 2011, please note that they are subject to availability and are non-transferable. Guests purchasing a Recreational Lift Pass must be of a recreational standard, so they must be able to perform linked turns, control their speed, stop, and be able to use a button lift. Anyone who cannot meet these standards will not be allowed a lift pass. Waterproof clothing can be hired for £5.50. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Socks and gloves are compulsory.

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