Ski holidays are a much safer way to enjoy skiing, rather than trying to make your own makeshift slope at home. Ski resorts have numerous safety measures in place to reduce the risk of accidents from beginners to pro’s, plus there are paramedics close at hand to offer aid if you do manage to injure yourself.

No matter what your level of experience is you should always invest in a few ski lessons as terrain varies from resort to resort, obviously the less experience you have had the more lessons you will need.  It also helps to have guidance from experts who have been into these sports for years so that you can improve your performance and safety on piste. If you have never skied before there are plenty of fully trained staff to help get started and teach you how to ski, lessons are fun and easy.

All ski resorts give you the option to hire equipment if you do not own your own as you need to make sure you the correct equipment, suitable for your needs and fitted to the right size for you. This will then give you more protection against serious injury.

You can easily find great ski deals at resorts all around the world, so there will be no need to attempt to ski down some snow covered stairs.

Many ski resorts around Europe are offering Fresher’s Ski Week, running from16-23 January and 20-27 March, resorts in such places as Andorra, Austria, Finland, France Norway and Switzerland will offer free ski lessons, equipment and lift passes for beginners.

There are also some ideal resorts to visit if you are a novice at skiing, ideal if you are new to skiing or are still unsure and want a safe skiing holiday.

Le Gets in France

Set around an 11th century logging village Le Gets has 500 miles of virginal snow surrounding it, the village is also very picturesque making it very popular around Christmas time. The beginner ski slopes finish their course in the village, so no hard ski home at the end of the day and for those who gain more confidence the slopes also connect to other resorts.

Villers in Switzerland

Villers has had a world class ski school since 1932 which feature high tech equipment as well as 300 registered instructors, the resort is also surrounded by alpine glades and logging huts giving it a classical relaxed feel. There are also no ski lifts to reach the slopes instead a mountain railway takes you up, and once up there you don’t just have to ski there is also sledging and snow shoe trekking available too for a change.

St Wolfgang in Austria

A lake around St Wolfgang freezes over in winter to form a natural ice rink an ideal escape if you have had enough of skiing and fancy a change, while you enjoy learning at your own leisurely pace on the gentle gradients you can also take in some breathtaking scenery around this traditional mountain village.

Jasper in Canada

84% of the slopes at this resort have been graded at beginner level idea for those novices who like space, the resort is nestle in the Canadian Rockies meaning there is plenty of awe inspiring scenery to be seen and national parks nearby to explore. The area is also host to the next winter Olympics.

The resort of La Rosiere sits in the Haute Tarentaise region of France, a beautiful scenic resort close to the Vanoise National Park, and is linked to the Italian ski slopes by six chair lifts., making it an ideal destination for a ski holiday.

This venue is ideal for ski holidays and is great for intermediate skiers as just over 50 percent of the slopes are blue; a third are green runs, and the remainder are black (single diamond). 39 lifts service the slopes and the longest run is slightly less than seven miles.

The resort is very family friendly; children are welcomed and the hotels offer a range of activities for them.  Several restaurants provide wonderful French and Italian food.

Five airports are within three hours drive to the area, with Chambery, Grenoble, Geneva and Lyon being the closest. People can also take the train to nearby Bourg St Maurice, and then rent a car or take a bus or taxi.

The alternative resort of La Tania has a real community feel to it with virtually no traffic, and great programmes for beginner skiers and the children. It’s great for ski holidays. Six bars and eight restaurants service the area, and there are bars and nightclubs for evening entertainment.

You can fly into the Geneva, Chambery or Lyon airports to get to the area. Nestled in France near the Italy-Swiss border, it is a great place for skiers of any level, and also snowboarders. The area has 27 green runs, 44 blue, 38 red, and 10 black. You can enjoy downhill skiing and also cross-country runs.  There are 67 ski lifts giving easy access to the slopes. Many of the slopes are above 2,500 metres so you can ski and snowboard for most of the season. In other areas, they use snow cannons to ensure that the slopes are covered.

La Rosiere - France

Picture courtesy of Konrad Andrews

Switzerland was the home of ski holidays and there are many that will tell you that it is still the place to go if you want to enjoy skiing and traditional Swiss hospitality for your ski holiday, with some great ski deals which can often include a free ski pass.

Saas Fee has lots of gentle blue runs to progress to up the mountain, including on the glacier, where the snow is usually excellent, the best time to ski is usually March or April as the lower slopes can be in the shade in the earlier part of the year, Geneva is 140 miles away.

Verbier is a great chalet style resort for the more advanced skier, with extensive but challenging slopes and plenty of off piste and long bump runs. This is one of the few Swiss resorts to boast a seriously lively après-ski scene, starting on the mountain, which includes a pay-as-you-soak hot tub at Chalet Carlsberg and ending next morning at places such as Pub Mont Fort and the Farm Club, 100 miles from Geneva airport.

Laax is a snowboarder’s paradise with a huge terrain park and pipe here, which are among Europe’s best and often stage high-profile competitions. Snow boarders enjoy great free riding too, with lively bars and a clubs for that important après ski, 93 miles from Zurich airport.

Zermatt started life as a simple farming village, but developed from a mountaineering centre to the top class ski resort that we know today. A car free village, unless you are resident, with electric buggies operating from the hotels to collect you from the transfer transport. There are excellent terrains beneath the shadow of the Matterhorn better suited to good skiers and accessed from Sion 50 miles, or 150 miles from Geneva airport.

St Moritz home to the famous Cresta Run toboggan course and is full of upmarket shops, gourmet chefs, and other after ski activity. There are lots of long, wide, well-groomed runs with varied terrain with 350 Km of pistes in three separate areas, most are on open slopes above the trees, 137 miles from Zurich airport.

The Swiss village of Les Cerniers has set the bar for sustainable style and ethical adventure holidays in the Alps, here you can stay in futuristic pods in the resort of Whitepod which is made up of low-impact structures. This resort offers comfort and relaxation but with minimal impact on the environment. You can stay in either one of the 15 domes or go higher up to the dorms-based refuge, and enjoy a base camp” chalet with a restaurant and amenities including 7km of ski runs and lifts for guests’ exclusive use. There are also other activates available like dog-sledding, snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing that can minimise your carbon foot print.

Aspen, Colorado won one of the 2006 Responsible Tourism Awards thanks to the efforts of the Aspen Skiing Company, it is pioneering in environmentally friendly skiing as well as, investing in local farmland. Aspen is normally considered a play ground for the rich and famous which pushes everything to the extreme and most people probably don’t recognise the resorts green credentials and sustainability. It’s also pocket friendly as well with many chalets at reasonable prices meaning you don’t have to break bank to enjoy this eco friendly resort.

Europe, especially Switzerland seem to be steaming ahead with eco friendly resorts with Saas Fee in Switzerland been ranked as one of the best in the world. Saas Fee is a typical picture perfect village with hotels and shops that blend in ideally with the more traditional wooden chalets and farmhouses. There are many places in Switzerland that are now car free and this has also been introduced into ski resorts like Saas Fee, there accommodation here is also eco friendly like their bio chalets that were renovated according to environmental standards and using sustainable materials and the apartments and hotels which were built to high environmental standards.

Saas Fee

Picture courtesy of unovar

If you are planning a skiing holiday this is the time to spare a thought for how dangerous the mountains can be whether you are a first timer or a veteran at skiing and snowboarding, you need to know how to prepare yourself to be safe before you go. Over 100,000 people are injured needlessly in skiing and snowboarding accidents, so making sure your protected before you start is imperative.

Firstly if your either taking your own equipment or renting while you’re on holiday you need to make sure you have the correct equipment, suitable for your needs and fitted to the right size for you. Among some of the essentials needed are boots, bindings, protective clothing, goggles and helmets, if you have the right equipment it will drastically improve your performance and lessen the chances of you having an accident.

It’s advisable to take skiing and snowboarding lessons no matter what your level of experience as terrain varies from resort to resort, obviously the less experience you have had the more lessons you will need.  It also helps to have guidance from experts who have been into these sports for years so that you can improve your performance and safety on piste.

Many skiers and snowboarders now venture off-piste however it is essential you have specific safety equipment and knowledge of mountain safety before embarking on this cool’ free-ride movement, you can anything from steep, narrow chutes to wide open, moderate gradient bowls offering a mix of ice, crud or powder, one thing to be aware of is that when venturing off piste is that you are putting yourself at risk. If you are intent on venturing off-piste a way to ensure safety to hire a qualified mountain guide, who in most cases will provide the equipment necessary and you do need to gain as much experience as possible with the equipment beforehand.

boards

Picture Courtesy of iwona kellie

Skiing holidays was once considered to be the exclusive past time only for the wealthier sector of society, but over the past 20 years or so, as more and more resorts have been established, a new budget skiing market has grown and in turn ski holidays have become accessible for the whole of society. Some long established resorts as well as newer ones to the British ski market have become established and can offer really good ski deals.

Andorra is a family friendly region and you can make good savings there, but not the huge amounts of money that some people purport to save. Some resorts in Andorra have really taken off price wise, but one that remains very good value is Arinsal. This resort has an excellent selection of confidence-building slopes and is ideal for first time skiers looking to avoid broken bones as well as a serious dent in their bank balance. It has a relaxed village atmosphere but there are also a number of restaurants and bars which give it a livelier edge. Arinsal provides pound for pound just about the best value for money skiing holiday in Europe.

Bulgaria has two ski holiday resorts which can offer you a cheap ski holiday; Bulgaria is a beautiful country and is establishing itself as a serious option for all types of skier. It has two main resorts, Pamporovo and the better known Borovets. They are undoubtedly amongst the best value resorts in Europe, both in terms of the cost of your travel and accommodation and spending money while you are there.

Slovenia, which in case you did not know, sits on the Alps and borders Austria and Italy and those that had been there will tell you, rightly, that it is a really beautiful country. If you are concerned about venturing into the unknown, you should not be. Kranjska Gora is the resort you should aim for, this is not because there is anything bad about other resorts in Slovenia, but because Kranjska Gora is a fantastic ski holiday resort.

If you choose from those resorts, we are confident that you can enjoy a great value ski holiday without losing anything in terms of quality of pistes or après ski.

Skiing holidays

During the winter months the rich and famous descend upon some of the best slopes for their annual skiing holiday, below are some of the top 3 European destinations to spot a celeb.

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

In the Veneto region of Italy set among the Dolomite Mountains Cortina is Italy’s ski resort for the elite, famous for hosting the Winter Olympics in 1956, remnants of this still exist in the form of the Stadio del Ghiaccio (Ice Stadium), built for the Olympics which is now a public skating rink. Although skiing is now not the main focal point it does have some good runs especially for beginners with good lift access. If skiing is not your forte there are numerous high end designer shops such as Gucci, Prada, and Armani, hence the attraction for the rich and famous, like George Clooney.

Klosters, Switzerland

The renowned mountain resort of Klosters offers a unique combination of a romantic village-like atmosphere and the contrast of the metropolis of Davos which makes it a must for frequent visitors such as the British royalty, including Wills and Harry, their girlfriends and their father. In the tranquil setting of dark-wood chalets Klosters is also a family friendly resort with top notch ski trails, the Davos-Klosters region covers the famous Parsenn ski slopes and has over 300km of trails. For non skiers there are also plenty of activities including winter walking paths, horse-drawn sled rides and toboggan runs and there are also plenty of après-ski activities and nightlife venues in Klosters, and in nearby Davos.

Val d’Isère, France

Originally a small alpine farming village, Val d’Isere has kept many of its rustic features as well as become a modern alpine ski resort, with the quaint ‘Old Town’ that is steeped in tradition looking picturesque when lined in snow. A favorite for the privileged British and French, offering over 300km of marked pisted runs and unlimited off piste skiing making it ideal for skiers and boarders alike. There is also a wide range of restaurants and cafes serving local cuisine, and plenty of places to go out at night. Val d’Isere is also best known for its sports playground with a wide range of activities in both winter and summer.

Klosters

Picture Courtesy of andreaspopp

Chalet skiing holidays have grown over the years and now are as big as or probably bigger than the traditional hotel skiing holiday and there is good reason for it. A quality catered chalet skiing holiday in either Europe or North America can be seen as a home from home experience. You will find a genuine warm welcome from your hosts in all chalets.  Your skiing holiday specialist can arrange to take care of everything on a chalet ski holiday and you can be assured that you will find a friendly and comfortable environment taking care and attention to detail but still understanding that your relaxation and privacy are essential to a stress free holiday.

However, when embarking on the search for that winter skiing holiday at a catered chalet, why not get a group of like minded people together and ask your skiing holiday specialist to find you a chalet that you can take as a group? Think of the advantages of having all your friends together at a chalet and taking advantage of all that it can offer the fun, the quiz nights and party time all the time!

If you are thinking on these lines do not be afraid to haggle about the price if the leader of the group is prepared to do the negotiations, brochure prices can be used as a guide, you may get nowhere but then you often think this when you are in a Moroccan Souk! Let’s face it it does no harm to try and you never know you could either get a lower price as a group or maybe some discount on lift passes or even free lift passes, you never know! Call your ski holiday specialist and get the ball rolling.

Chalet Bel Alp, Arèches, Savoie, Rhône-Alpes

There are certain times of the year when it is more advantageous from a financial point of view to take a holiday and that includes a ski holiday. When considering your ski holiday there are times that you should avoid if you want to save money. The peak season for skiing holidays are Christmas, New Year and February half term, it is these dates in the calendar that you should avoid as the demand completely outstrips the supply and naturally the prices are at their highest.

The school half term places the greatest demand on ski resorts and this season all schools in England and Wales have chosen the same half term week, February 13th.  Naturally taking children on a ski holiday is one of the best adventures that they can have and getting them into skiing when they are young is the best thing that you can do for them, they will thank you forever! So if you want to take the kids on a ski holiday and feel that paying the price for half term is just too much to bear, Easter is a much better bet and Easter Sunday falls on April the 4th next year. Do not worry too much about the snow conditions, there is usually plenty about and if you choose a higher resort, you can be almost guaranteed snow, the place to find out is at your ski holiday specialist.

There are many ski enthusiasts and lots of first timers that will not have this problem, the children may be off your hands, or you have a willing grand parent who will entertain them when you are on your skiing holiday! For these lucky folk mid January is the time when you should be planning your ski holiday. At this time the snow cover is almost always good even in the lower resorts and the prices are at their best. March is also a good time too, offering longer days and lots of warmer sunshine, again talk to your ski holiday specialist he can find you  a low cost, high  glacial resort, pre Christmas that may mean you can go on two ski holidays, now there’s a thought.

Skiing Holiday