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The Latest & Greatest – Christmas ski holidays, December offers and discounts.
The Latest and Greatest newsletter from Chalets Direct has just been released, containing a selection of the ski and snowboard promotions and offers that are currently available.
For this issue we have concentrated mainly on December and early January holidays – and there are some fabulously tempting offers out there such as free lift passes for the 4 Valleys, excellent pre-Xmas prices in Nassfeld, and up to 20% off self-catered accommodation in Val Thorens on selected weeks.There are offers from resorts from Meribel to Morzine, and Grindelwald to Tignes.
These ski promotions are taken from the Chalets Direct promotions page which right now has over 500 promotions. With so many to choose from, you can search the list either by dates or by area, or simply browse the whole lot.
So if you haven’t yet booked your winter ski break and want some inspiration, just take a look at the Promotions and Special Offers – there’s sure to be something there to whet your appetite!
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Les Deux Alpes – high altitude ski and snowboard holidays!
Situated on a sunny balcony at 1650m Les Deux Alpes is a purpose-built resort with snow sure, glacier skiing. In recent years the resort has developed a reputation as an upbeat and lively destination for ski and snowboard holidays, with events such as the Mondials du Snowboard and Freeski, two pre-season events where the public and professionals alike can test all brand new equipment for the forthcoming season. The glacier means that skiing goes on throughout much of the year, and in late October and November Les Deux Alpes is a popular venue for ski and snowboard training camps.
Located in the Southern French Alps, Les Deux Alpes is just an hour from Grenoble, in the area known as the Oisans, between Alpe d'Huez and Serre Chevalier. The Italian border is also a little over an hour's drive, which accounts for the large numbers of Italian visitors, particularly at weekends.
The skiing is located high above the village and it takes around 45 minutes to get to the top – going up to 3600m. At the top you will find the gentle blue slopes on the glacier, with the steeper, more challenging runs heading down from the glacier itself. So the ski area is, in effect, reversed. This means that from very early on beginners can appreciate the high mountain scenery and snow quality, rather than having to spend days on a shady, nursery slope in the resort.
For advanced skiers and snowboarders there is La Grave-La Meije, reached by a 20 minute hike, with legendary off piste and a favourite amongst professional freeriders.
Although purpose-built, you will not find the concrete blocks common in other French resorts developed around the same time. Instead this large village sprawls along a wide main road, with a massive choice of bars, restaurants and shops. Nightlife is lively but there is enough choice to avoid the crowds if you're looking for something more intimate. There are restaurants to suit all budgets and tastes, including Italian (of course), Mexican and local alpine specialities. -
What makes a great….Ski Short Break?
It's a gloomy Thursday afternoon in January, it's been cold and rainy for as long as you can remember, the Christmas and New Year festivities have already receded into distant memory. So what better way to relieve the British mid-winter blues than to grab a few days on the slopes
Short sharp ski and snowboarding breaks have become more and more popular. Budget airlines, good off peak prices and flexible accommodation have all contributed to the growth of the ski weekend, or the mid-week break. What better way to recharge the batteries and liven up those dull winter months?
So here are our top tips for a quick getaway:
1. Choose your resort: Less time spent getting there means more time being there, so a resort which is reasonably close to your arrival airport is a bonus. Remember too that transfer times on a busy Saturday in February will be different to a Thursday evening in January. Geneva to Meribel in a couple of hours is do-able when there is little or no traffic!
2. Book a transfer beforehand, so you can be out of the airport fast, ATS provide transfer services from most European airports, and many of our weekend/short break operators can also provide transfers.
3. Prebook passes and equipment: Getting these sorted before you arrive will save you time when you get there. Most companies will get this organised for you – some such as Huski, Alpine Chalet Weekends, and Mountainsun, will have equipment and passes waiting for you at the chalet so that you can be out on the slopes with the minimum hassle.
4. Catering: Do you really want to spend precious time in the local supermarket, especially when you know that you'll only get through a quarter of the stuff you buy? There are some excellent catered packages available, so you can relax and enjoy the skiing – after all that's why you're there. Twin Peaks in Morzine, offers breakfast and 4 course evening meals with wine, starting at just £45 per person per night, and Ski Villaroger, in the Les Arcs part of Paradiski, have fully catered, flexible packages from just £65pp per night in their lovely chalet with hot tub.
5. Little extras: It's worth seeing what other services are available too, such as transport to the slopes and ski hosting, which again will save you time, especially if you don't know the resort. Independent chalet operators can often provide flexible and far more personalised services than the big tour operators, so the holiday can be tailored to suit you. Chalet des Cimes in Ste Foy, for example, as well as accompanied skiing, can design a whole ski safari for you – so that you can ski in different resorts on each day, inlcuding Tignes, Val d'Isere and La Rosiere.
So if you can't manage a whole week, or want to supplement your ski time with a few short trips, then take a look at Chalets Direct's ski weekends page for lots of ideas and very tempting packages!
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Les Carroz for ski holidays and summer breaks – the Haute Savoie at it’s best!
Just a little over an hour from Geneva Airport is the traditional village of Les Carroz, part of the Grand Massif ski area, with links to Flaine, Samoens and Morillon.
Up until recently the village has been less well known than it’s “ugly sister”, Flaine, around 12km further up the road and 500m higher in altitude, but Les Carroz has been flourishing in recent years, and is certainly a worthy destination in it’s own right.
In 2004 a new telecabine replaced the main bubble out of the village, at a cost of 12 million euros, and a further 15 million are being invested over the next 4 years to make the skiing more accessible, and the experience more enjoyable. Developments include replacing old chairlifts with new high-speed 6 packs, improving the snowmaking network, and enlarging and enhancing reception areas and parking.
The village itself stretches across a limestone shelf and has wonderful vantage points over the Arve Valley below and the Aravis mountain range opposite. The central area has pavement cafes, delightful shops with typical alpine souvenirs, and there is a weekly market selling local produce, including superb saucissons and cheeses from Haute Savoie producers.
There is a good choice of restaurants; the Michelin rated Les Servages d’Armelle for example is an excellent choice for a special night out, and the charming Aux Petits Oignons, just off the central square, has a varied menu and super friendly service – it’s often busy so it’s best to book. Whatever you’re looking for there’s something to suit most tastes and budgets.
The village has a year round life – in the summer traffic is diverted around the central area which becomes the focus for village entertainments, with live music, theatre events, even a travelling circus rolls into town. There are numerous festivals and sports events throughout the summer months, including the VTTticime – a punishing weekend for cycling enthusiasts and professionals alike – with both mountain biking and road racing on the agenda.
So Les Carroz has a little bit of everything – great skiing, village atmosphere, and certainly enough to entertain you. Plus it’s a short hop from Geneva Airport, and one of the closest ski resorts to Calais if you’re driving. There are ski chalets, hotels and apartments on offer for catered and self catered breaks throughout the year.
If you’ve been to Les Carroz, why not tell us what you think of it – or better still add a review about your stay in the resort.
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Ski holiday promotions – money saving offers, and great extras available!
The build up to the ski season is well and truly underway. The kids are back at school, there’s a real autumnal feel in the air, the first Christmas cards have been spotted in the shops – all the traditional signs that winter is on it’s way.
Take a look at the Promotions area on Chalets Direct and you will find well over 300 great offers for this ski season in resorts all over Europe. The promotions include offers such as specialised ski coaching in Tignes, aimed to get intermediate skiers to ski “confidently, easily and effortlessly.” More high quality coaching and instruction is available with the Warren Smith Ski academy in Verbier during January 2009.
Money saving offers include offers on flights, free group places, discounts for booking soon, free lift passes and free child places. Discounts are available from 10% off in Morzine, Les Menuires, St Gervais, and 15% off in Grindelwald.
If the idea of a white Christmas is tempting, then there are some attractive festive offers, with traditional turkey dinners and all the trimmings, Brown Bear Lodge for example has availability for their truly special White Christmas in the Portes du Soleil, or Chalet Algonquin in Les Arcs has a fully catered Xmas week, including a 5 course Christmas dinner and present from under the tree at just £550 per adult.
There are also some great short breaks and long weekends available. A long weekend catered ski break, Wednesday to Sunday, in the Grand Massif, just an hour from Geneva airport, for example will set you back just £230.
So if you’re wondering where to spend your ski holiday this winter the Promotions and Special Offers could help you make up your mind.
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Skiing in the Credit Crunch – part 2
Back in June we posted our first Skiing in the Credit Crunch article. Now that autumn's here and the annual ski holiday is much more in the forefront of people's minds, we thought we'd give you some more ideas on how to get out on the slopes for less.
Travel money: Prepaid currency cards are now big news for travellers. Over the last few months more and more of these have hit the market, from mainstream banks like Lloyds TSB to the Post Office and Tesco. The principle is simple, you get one of these cards, load it up with euros or dollars, and then use it like any other credit or debit card when you're away. Withdrawals from foreign cash machines are cheaper than using your normal debit card, if you lose it you can get a replacement without risking having any cash stolen, and quite often they can be topped up online – like a pay as you go mobile.
There are now quite a lot to choose from. Some have set-up fees, or monthly fees, some will charge more than others for withdrawals, so it pays to shop around. They will usually take at least a week to 10 days to organise so don't leave it till the last minute.
Dynamic Currency Conversion: Nowadays it is not unusual to be given the option to pay in local currency or sterling when paying by credit card abroad. Always choose the local currency. This new process is called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC). The retailer or ATM invites you to pay in sterling and then does the exchange rate at an unfavourable rate, which costs you money. Research by Caxton FX, a foreign currency dealer and supplier of the very competitive Caxton fx Prepaid card, has shown that during last ski season "around £30,000 was wasted at just five of the most popular ski resorts in Europe through DCC."
Buy Equipment in the UK: With the strength of the euro against the pound you're unlikely to find good equipment deals in your ski resort. If you're looking to get your own kit then buying at home before you go will usually be cheaper. If you know exactly the make and model of ski/board you want you can always check out prices at home or away, Snow and Rock for example will give you a good idea of the UK price. And if you really know what you're looking for Ebay is also a useful place to look.
Rent in Advance: If you're renting your equipment it really pays to shop around, and booking in advance can give you some good discounts. Intersport, who operate in France, Switzerland and Austria, are offering good incentives for advance booking, Ski Set (France only) give at least 20% off for online bookings. It's also worth looking at the websites of the resort shops – many will also be offering good deals if you book direct with them.
Off Season Holidays: If you don't have to go in February (when half terms for the whole of Europe fall in the same 2 weeks), then look at prices outside peak times. January is often overlooked but can quite often have the best conditions, quiet pistes and cheaper deals on flights and ferries. The week before Christmas is also a good time for bargains. With a late Easter next year there could also be some good offers for March.
Go Mid-Week: If you're not tied to a Saturday to Saturday holiday, look at bucking the trend and taking advantage of quieter roads, and cheaper flights and ferry prices during the week. Many Chalets Direct holiday providers can offer flexible stays with arrivals and departures on different days of the week. It also means that you can ski on the Saturday when everyone is packing up and going, and you've got the pistes to yourself.
With planning and some forethought, you can make savings on your ski holidays.
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Skiing in the Credit Crunch
Anyone who watches the news, reads the papers or scans the internet will be aware that economic predictions for most European countries are not optimistic.
We will be tightening our belts as the cost of just about everything to do with living rises – petrol, food, energy, mortgages – you name it, it’s on the up. The years of cheap flights, cheap food, cheap loans, are over it would seem, as a set of global circumstances come together to make us rethink and cut back.
Travel could be one of the casualties; the cost of fuel obviously making it more expensive to get anywhere, and the higher of cost of everything else meaning we have less disposable income to spend on getting away from it all.
Ski industry sources predict that people will still be taking their annual ski holidays – but certainly will be watching pennies.
For ski holidays of course, there are some important criteria. Mountains and snow records play an enormous part in the decision making process. Experienced skiers will still look at going to their favourite resorts – but the experience they have when they get there could be different. They still need to buy their lift pass but it is likely that the peripheral spending could be cut back – fewer lunches on the mountain and more packed lunches, one less après ski beer, buying new equipment or clothing may be postponed.
There are certainly ways to have cheaper ski holidays, so here’s some ideas which may help you out:
- Short haul flights, if booked early enough, can still offer good bargains. So if you’re not looking at a last minute holiday getting your flights organised early will save money. It’s also worth investigating train travel if that’s convenient for your resort.
- Transfers – it’s worth investigating what transfer services are available from airports – and again booking in advance. Many transfer operators will offer a semi-scheduled service with cheaper seat prices. Look at ATS for some ideas.
- Driving – clearly a reasonable option when the cost can be split amongst 4 in a car.
- Lift passes – if you’re planning to make several visits to one resort it may be worth checking out the cost of a season pass and seeing what lift pass offers are available on the resort website. Some resorts will give good discounts if passes are booked in advance.
- Booking early – many chalet operators and owners offer early booking discounts – just take a look at the Chalets Direct Promotions for example.
For many people the ski holiday is more important than any other annual break they may take – an essential rather than a luxury. Once they arrive in their resort they have to get the lift pass, they’ll need equipment and of course accommodation – these are the items they can’t cut back on. So for all of us it’s a challenge to find bargains on the things we can cut back on!
