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Date 03 October 2015
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The 50 best ski breaks to book now
From the latest chic hotels to trips for all levels, Tom Chesshyre and Ben Clatworthy know where to go
Coolest new hotels
1 Le Totem Flaine, France
This is a big winter for French ski-hotel
openings and Le Totem, in high-altitude
Flaine, is the pick of them. Until now the
renowned Sibuet family’s hotels — of
which Les Fermes de Marie in Megève is
the best known — have been four or
five-star with prices to match, but hip
Le Totem is three-star and aimed at a
younger crowd. Expect avant-garde art
mixed with vintage furniture, “woollen
fabrics influenced by Native American
minimalism mixed with splashes of
colour, as well as two salons that are
likely to go down well with Courchevel
1850’s socialite ski set. White 1921 will
have a spa with a sauna, hammam and
hot tub. It’s in the centre of
the resort, close to lifts.
Details B&B doubles are from €290.
The hotel opens on December 19
(white1921.com/courchevel) W
culture” and a buzzy après-ski cocktail
bar. The Sibuets intend to open a series
of similar hotels in the Alps, with the
next planned for Avoriaz.
Details B&B doubles are from €150
(£110). The hotel opens on
December 18 (terminal-neige.com)
2 Hotel Pashmina
Val Thorens, France
Europe’s highest resort has attracted
huge investment from hoteliers.
Pashmina will become the fourth five-star
hotel in Val Thorens, which was once
known for its cheap student breaks in
simple apartments (try the Koh-I Nor
or Altapura). Pashmina has a slick
contemporary style, and a spa with
a pool, hot tubs and treatments
using L’Occitane products.
Details Half-board junior suites
are from €510. The hotel opens on
December 12 (hotelpashmina.com)
3 White 1921
Courchevel 1850, France
The French designer Jean-Michel
Wilmotte is the man behind the chic
interior of this new 28-room hotel, which
has a sister property in Saint-Tropez
(opened in 2012). It’s run by LVMH,
the group that heads up Louis
Vuitton and Moët & Chandon. Expect
Copyright NLA Media Access. For internal use only. Not for reproduction.
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Ski
special
Skiing in the Dolomites;
below, the Hotel
Pashmina (2)
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4 Le Taos Tignes, France
There seems to be an American Wild
West trend in the French Alps this
winter. This four-star hotel in Tignes will
have a “New Mexico-inspired ambiance”
— Taos is a village in the Rocky
Mountains, New Mexico, that caught the
eye of the owners. The interior will
feature ranch-style wooden panels,
sheepskin rugs, Mexican blankets on
beds and a steakhouse. The spa will have
a hammam and an indoor heated pool.
Details B&B doubles are from €183.
The hotel opens on December 4
(hotel-le-taos.com)
5 Le Yule Val d’Isère, France
Le Yule is a 41-room boutique property
with a vintage Scandinavian style.
Expect blond wood floors,
wood-panelled walls, furs and fireplaces.
It’s where the Hotel Grand Paradis
used to be, right on the slopes, so it’s
ski-in and ski-out. The inside has been
transformed. There’s a pool and spa
with treatment rooms, saunas and a
steam room. The restaurant will
serve local dishes.
Details Doubles with half-board are
from €350. The hotel opens on
December 9 (leyule.fr)
6 Peaks Place
Laax, Switzerland
This is a cool new apart-hotel of 74
self-catering apartments with one to
three rooms, perfect for friends looking
for a reasonably priced break in a lively
resort. There’s a spa with a pool, sauna,
hot tub and treatments, as well as a bar
and a restaurant.
Details Ski Safari has a seven-night stay
from £550pp (four sharing a two-bed
apartment) or £785pp (two sharing a
one-bed apartment). The hotel opens on
December 5 (01273 224060,
skisafari.com, peaks-place.com)
7 adeo Alpin Hotel
St Johann, Austria
The former Olympic skiing gold
medallist Hermann “the Herminator”
Maier, with his former team-mate
Rainer Schoenfelder, are opening a
three-star, budget hotel in the small
resort of St Johann. Rooms will be
simple but comfortable. Maier plans to
start a chain of properties to bring skiing
within the means of the less wealthy.
There’s to be a spa and a restaurant.
Details Three nights’ room-only in a
double room is from €174. The hotel
opens on January 15 (adeo-alpin.com)
8 Hôtel A Lârze
Le Châble, Switzerland
Le Châble, a village at 820m (2,690ft), is
connected to the gondola that travels up
to Les Ruinettes in Verbier, so there’s
excellent access to all the slopes of one
of the most popular Swiss resorts. Hôtel
A Lârze is a ten-room hotel built out of
larch, from which the hotel gets its name.
This is for those after a down-to-earth
hideaway, but with comfortable rooms,
wi-fi and a sauna for relaxing in after
hitting the slopes.
Details B&B doubles are from £107
during the ski season. The hotel opens
on December 10 (alarze.ch)
Best new hotspots
9 Grand Bornand
by rail France
A new direct Eurostar service to Lyons,
which launched this summer, opens up a
swathe of resorts previously inaccessible
by fast train. To reach the charming
village of Grand Bornand take a train
from Lyons to Annecy (£42 return), before
hopping on a bus up the hill (€8.20).
Details A week’s self-catering is from
£409pp, based on two sharing an
apartment at the Village De Lessy
(0844 5760170, peakretreats.co.uk).
Eurostar (eurostar.com) returns to Lyons
are from £89. For more, see
snowcarbon.co.uk
10 New ski area Austria
A €20 million gondola will link the
traditional village of Fieberbrunn to the
resorts of Saalbach-Hinterglemm for the
first time this winter. The new area has
220km of terrain, making it Austria’s
second-largest. Fieberbrunn will be
offered by Inghams.
Details A week’s half-board at the
four-star Sporthotel Fontana costs from
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£799pp, including flights and transfers
(01483 791114, inghams.co.uk)
(0161 492 1359, carrier.co.uk) for
Fairmont Chateau Whistler deals
11 Mega resort in
Utah America
14 Early-booking
deal Austria
The US has a new ski resort this year
thanks to a link between Park City and
Canyons. The two will be connected by
gondola to become one large resort
called Park City, covering 7,300 acres.
The new lift forms part of a $50 million
(£33 million) project, which will result in
the creation of new slopes, upgraded
chairlifts and renovated restaurants.
Details Ten nights’ B&B at the four-star
Silverado Lodge costs from £1,425pp,
based on four sharing a two-bedroom
lodge, including flights and transfers
(01273 224060, skisafari.com)
12 Pre-Olympics visit
South Korea
If you’re looking for a seriously quirky
ski experience, South Korea is hard to
rival. Yongpyong is the country’s biggest
resort and it will be home to the alpine
events at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter
Olympics. Games preparations have
barely started, so you can still experience
this resort at its most authentic.
Details An eight-night tour of
Yongpyong and Seoul costs from
£1,280pp, including flights and transfers
(01273 224060, skisafari.com). For more
information see gokorea.co.uk
Best on a budget
13 Half-price rooms
in Whistler Canada
With the most extensive ski area in
North America and lively après-ski,
Whistler has long been a favourite with
British skiers. This season one of its
iconic hotels, the Fairmont Chateau
Whistler, has some tempting offers.
Details Frontier Travel is offering ten
nights room-only in early December at
Fairmont Chateau Whistler from
£1,185pp with flights, ski carriage and
transfers; a 50 per cent discount with an
upgrade thrown in (020 8776 8709,
frontier-travel.co.uk). Also see Carrier
The laid-back village of Hinterglemm is
connected to Saalbach by extensive
slopes. The mountains suit intermediates,
with plenty of long red runs. The area is
less busy than the likes of Verbier and
St Anton, so rates are usually reasonable.
Details Inghams has a week’s chaletcatering at the four-star Chalet Hotel
Pinzgauerhof from £699pp departing on
December 19, with flights and transfers
included for bookings made by October
17 (01483 791114, inghams.co.uk)
15 A week from
£635pp France
There’s an outdoor hot tub at the
Neilson Hotel Escapade in Alpe d’Hue
There are also some good rates at the
hotel, which is new to Neilson’s stable
this winter. Alpe d’Huez’s slopes suit al
levels and are famous for the 10km
(6.2 miles) Sarenne run, which has som
challenging sections for experts.
Details A week’s chalet-board is from
£635pp with flights, transfers, ski
guiding and a £25 bar credit, departing
on December 19 (0330 0143351,
neilson.co.uk)
16 Two-country holiday
Italy and France
The resort of La Rosière (top left) is
linked to La Thuile in Italy, so you can ski
in two countries; the village of La Rosièr
is high, at 1,850m. Good value compared
with nearby Les Arcs and Val d’Isère (but
with just 150km of piste), it is a great
choice for a quiet escape. Most of the
apartments and hotels are ski-in, ski-out.
Details Ski Collection has a seven-night
stay in Les Balcons de la Rosière selfcatering apartment from £1,835 for a
family of five, departing on December 19
or during January, with a Eurotunnel
crossing included (02392 890960,
skicollection.co.uk)
17 Short break in
Gressoney Italy
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Fancy a short break for less than £600,
staying half-board at a four-star hotel,
with flights, transfers and lift passes
included? That’s what Ski Solutions is
offering in the charming resort of
Gressoney in Italy’s Aosta Valley. The
resort is part of the Monterosa ski area
with 180km of well-connected pistes.
Details Ski Solutions has four nights’
half-board at Hotel Lo Scoiattolo from
£555pp with flights to Turin, transfers
(which take 90 minutes) and lift passes,
departing on December 10 (020 7471
7700, skisolutions.com)
18 Verbier on the
cheap Switzerland
The chic and popular resort of Verbier
can be incredibly pricey, but Inghams has
put together an enticing week-long break
in the comfortable, laid-back Xtra Chalet
de Verbier (book by October 15). The
chalet-hotel has a bar and is a
five-minute walk to the Medran gondolas.
Details Inghams has seven nights’
chalet-board from £664pp in January
with flights and transfers included;
week-long lift passes are from £180pp,
which is £75 less than usual
(01483 791114, inghams.co.uk)
19 Short break in
Trysil Norway
The best exchange rates in a decade will
make the 75km of pistes in Norway’s
biggest ski area a hit this season. Trysil’s
ski area is split into four linked resorts.
Turistsenter, with its intermediate
terrain, is considered to be the main
base. Fageråsen is great for beginners.
Details Four nights’ B&B at the
four-star Hotel Radisson Blu is from
£445pp, including flights and transfers
(020 8939 0864, flexiski.com)
Best for beginners
20 Europe’s longest
green run France
Newbies to Val Cenis often wonder why
they haven’t heard of it before. The 125km
ski area overlooks a lake, and is packed
with beginner and intermediate terrain.
Novices can tackle Europe’s longest green
run, the 10km, Escargot (or snail).
i
£340pp, based on two sharing an
apartment at Les Alpages de Val Cenis
(0844 5760170, peakretreats.co.uk).
Eurostar (eurostar.com) returns to
Lyons are from £89. Onward returns
to Modane are £25. A bus connects
with the resort
21 Winter sports in
Geilo Norway
Headwater’s new activity holiday offers
the perfect introduction to four winter
pastimes. You’ll start on Nordic
cross-country skis before switching to
husky sledding and snowshoeing. Only
then will you don your skis and head for
Geilo’s alpine beginner slopes.
Details Seven nights’ half-board at the
four-star Dr Holms Hotel is from
£1,499pp, including equipment rental, all
activities, flights and transfers
(01606 828261, headwater.com)
22 Gentle slopes in
Pyhä Finland
Another Scandinavian resort but with
more gentle terrain than the Alps, Pyhä
has mountains that are a beginners’ ideal
training ground. It has 14 well-prepared
slopes, eight lifts and a good ski school.
Details A week’s self-catering at the
Pyhä Suites is from £506pp, including
flights and transfers (020 8939 0726,
crystalski.co.uk)
23 Stunning setting in
Saas-Fee Switzerland
ew places offer such a stunning setting
for learning to ski. Expect neon onesies
and mullets in December as Saas-Fee
turns back the clock to the 1980s in
homage to Wham!, who filmed the video
or their 1984 hit Last Christmas there.
Details A week’s B&B at the three-star
Hotel Tenne, departing December 5, is
from £585pp, including ski passes (0041
279571212, hotel-tenne.ch). Flights to
Geneva with easyJet are from £65. For
more information: saas-fee.ch
Best for food and drink
24 Microbreweries in
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p
Savoie Mont Blanc France
Move over Heineken and Kronenbourg
1664: a microbrewery revolution has
been taking place in the Savoie Mont
Blanc region of the French Alps. More
than 20 breweries have opened,
including the Brasserie du Mont Blanc,
based in Chambéry, which has won
accolades for its white and amber beers
(brasserie-montblanc.com). Brasserie
Galibier in Valloire — France’s highest
microbrewery at 1,430m — is
renowned for the crisp taste coming
from the high-quality water it uses
from the glacier (biere-galibier.com).
You can arrange to visit some of the
breweries and the beers are available
at most good bars.
Details Crystal has a week’s stay at the
four-star Les Chalets de la Vallee d’Or
in Valloire from £598pp, based on four
sharing and including flights, transfers
and lift passes in January
(020 8939 0726, crystalski.co.uk)
16
25 Michelin-starred
chefs in Alta Badia Italy
This year’s culinary delights in Italy’s
much-loved Alta Badia resort in the
Dolomites will include slope-side wine
tastings, a south Tyrolean gourmet day
and a festival celebrating local Ladin
cuisine. They are all part of the annual
“A Taste for Skiing” event, which starts
on December 13 and runs through the
season. This winter it is run in
association with Le Soste (lesoste.it), an
organisation that represents the best
Italian Michelin-starred chefs. Mountain
huts will serve tapas-style dishes that
they have prepared.
Details Iglu Ski has a week’s stay at
Chalet Hotel Al Pigher, La Villa, from
£828pp in January with flights and
transfers included (020 8544 6031,
igluski.com) W
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26 Angela Hartnett in
Courchevel France
The former head chef at the
Connaught in London, and current
head chef of London’s Murano and York
& Albany restaurants, is opening her
first overseas restaurant in Courcheval
Moriond, formerly Courcheval 1650. The
new venture, at the rustic chic Le
Portetta hotel (sister hotel to the
much-loved Lime Wood Hotel in the
New Forest), is to be called Cucina
Angelina and will serve Italianinfluenced mountain food.
Details Menu prices are yet to be set;
Scott Dunn has seven nights’ half-board
from £1,640pp with flights and transfers
(020 8682 5050, scottdunn.com)
27 Heston Blumenthal
in Courmayeur Italy
It’s the third year of Heston Blumenthal’s
collaboration with celebrity chefs
Marcus Wareing and Sat Bains in
Courmayeur in Italy’s Aosta Valley to
create a four-day weekend break for
skiers who are serious about their food
(and have serious cash). This year’s event
will have a few new culinary twists,
including Blumenthal’s “Alpine surprise”
dish and a gourmet-pizza tasting
lunch alongside meals by each of the
Michelin-starred chefs. One meal will
be served in a lodge only accessible by
snowmobile. Sixty places are available
for the weekend in Courmayeur
where, this winter, a new €110 million
cable car will link the resort to the
3,462m Punta Helbronner, on the
Italian side of Mont Blanc.
Details The three-night trip costs from
£3,500pp with flights, B&B at a
five-star hotel, a three-day ski pass
and equipment, all meals and wine
(020 7371 9111, momentumski.com)
Best for families
28 Easy run in Les
Deux Alpes France
Les Deux Alpes has long been popular
with families, but it has always suffered
f
h i
i
b k
from not having a convenient run back
into the village. As the Where to Ski &
Snowboard 2016 guidebook points out,
the choice has always been between a
narrow, congested green run or “icy
black mogul slopes”, so the introduction
of a blue run into the village this winter
will really open things up and give it a
new lease of life.
Details Neilson has seven nights’
chalet-board at Hotel Aalborg, which has
a kids’ club, from £3,313 for a family of
four departing on December 20 from
Gatwick (neilson.co.uk)
29 Ski touring in La
Plagne France
Most beginners and families feel a bit
daunted by the idea of ski touring —
skiing across mountains without lifts,
walking uphill with “skins” attached to
skis and then skiing downhill — but the
Oxygène ski school (oxygene-ski.com) in
La Plagne doesn’t think they should be.
It has created a series of new ski touring
itineraries to suit all levels, linking the
ten villages of La Plagne. One-off guided
trips are available at 7-8.30am or
5.30-7pm each day (for £26pp), or you
can opt for a five-day course from
£237pp (9am to midday). All courses are
available for both adults and kids, who
must be aged over 14. Equipment hire is
included.
Details A week’s self-catering at
Plagne Centre is from £113pp,
based on four sharing
(la-plagne.com); easyJet
has flights to Geneva from
about £50
30 New familyfriendly chalet in
El Tarter Andorra
Andorra has some of the best
ski schools in Europe, with a
reputation for good English
speaking instructors. Plus, as the
Pyrenees are less fashionable than the
Alps, your pound goes further. The wellrun family-friendly tour operator Neilson
has opened up in Hotel del Clos in the
little village of El Tarter, which is close to
Soldeu, the gateway to the Grandvalira
ski area. It has twin, triple and four-
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bedded rooms. Childcare is available for
4-month-olds
to 16-year-olds.
Details A week’s “chalet board”
(breakfast, afternoon tea, four-course
evening meals) with Gatwick flights,
transfers and ski guiding is from
£435pp in January (0844 8798155,
neilson.co.uk); childcare for
4 to 23-month-olds is £250 a week,
for 2 to 4-year-olds it’s £220, and for
5 to 16-year-olds, £85
31 Learn to ski in
Myrkdalen Norway
With uncrowded slopes, patient
English-speaking guides, modern lifts,
good quality accommodation and
reasonable prices, Myrkdalen has a lot
going for it. Ski Safari has created a
“Learn to Ski” programme that focuses
on Scandinavia for this winter.
Myrkdalen is not far from the city of
Bergen, so it’s possible to combine a first
try on the slopes with a bit of sightseeing
— and a good seafood meal.
four-star Hotel Myrkdalen during
half-term in February is from £985pp,
based on two adults and two children,
with flights, transfers, six-day lift passes,
ski rental and five days at the ski school
for kids and adults (01273 224068,
skisafari.com)
32 Fun in Les Arcs
France
Mille 8 is an area at the bottom of the
slopes at Les Arcs 1800 that centres on
Aquafun, an indoor water park with
pools, hot tubs and water chutes. There
are also toboggan runs, freestyle courses
with obstacles, igloos and ice sculptures.
Les Arcs is great for families, with good
ski schools with English-speaking guides.
Snow conditions are usually reliable.
Details Esprit Ski has a week’s chaletboard staying at Chalet McKinley,
departing on December 20, for an adult
and a child from £1,639, or from £4,629
for a family of four departing on
December 27; flights and transfers are
included (01483 791900, espritski.com)
33 Long, easy runs in
Champoluc Italy
Champoluc is part of the Monterosa
ski area, which also includes the
family-friendly resorts of Gressoney and
Alagna. It’s within the Aosta Valley and
is particularly suited to intermediates,
with long runs and some challenging
sections. There are also decent nursery
slopes for beginners, so it’s ideal for
families with a range of abilities. Food at
on-slope restaurants is high quality and
not too expensive.
Details A week’s chalet-board for
a family of four, departing on December
19, is from £2,397 with flights and
transfers, staying at Chalet Hotel
Breithorn, which has a spa with a hot
tub, steam room and sauna (01483
791933, skitotal.com). For Monterosa Ski,
also try Ski 2 (01962 713330, ski-2.com)
34 Winter activities in
Mösern Austria
This picturesque old village has access to
the decent downhill ski runs at Seefeld
and is also connected to an extensive
selection of cross-country trails. The
skiing is a little limited, but other
activities include snow-shoeing,
ice-skating and tobogganing. This is a
place for a relaxing winter escape in the
heart of the Tyrol, and is well-suited to
young families.
Details A week’s full-board at the Hotel
Inntaler Hof is from £862 per adult,
£540 per child aged 9-12, and £338 for
children aged 2-5, with flights and
transfers included (01653 617000,
inntravel.co.uk); for stays between
January 2-16 and March 5-19 a
horse-drawn sleigh ride is included
Best for partying
35 Chic bars in
Engelberg Switzerland
Verbier’s party scene is great, but
eschew the mêlée — and the overpriced
Dom Pérignon — and head for
up-and-coming Engelberg, which offers
a more refined (and less pricey)
experience. You’ll find chic bars — the Ski
Lodge is a must — as well as more lively
places, such as the Chalet. There’s also an
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Igloo Village, high in the mountains, with
rooms and an ice bar that serves
mean shots.
three-star Hotel Terrace is from
£1,200pp, including six days’ mountain
guiding, lift pass, transceiver hire, flights
and rail transfers (020 8410 2022,
skiclub.co.uk, departures January 2, 23
and March 12)
36 Great après-ski in
Morzine France
Après-ski can be hit or miss in France,
but in Morzine it’s possible to find good
parties from mid-afternoon, with live
music at many of the bars around the
main thoroughfare. L’Opéra is a great
late-night haunt, but with the whole of
the Portes du Soleil area — with a
whopping 650km of pistes that span the
Franco-Swiss border — to ski, it’s best
not to stay out too late.
Details A week’s B&B at the Rude Lodge
is from £245pp (0870 068 7030,
rudechalets.com). EasyJet return flights
to Geneva are from £65
37 Saké and spa in
Niseko Japan
If you think ski resorts in Europe are
party towns, wait until you’ve
experienced a night in Japan’s biggest ski
area. Don’t be fooled into thinking that
après-ski here is merely a time spent
relaxing at a traditional hot spring. Once
night falls, the beer and saké start to
flow. The Hirafu area has the best party
vibes and bars that stay open well into
the wee hours. The powder at Niseko is
some of the best in the world, and night
skiing under floodlights is avaialable
until 8.30pm.
Details Seven nights’ B&B at the
four-star Ki Niseko is from £1,695pp,
including flights and transfers
(01273 224060, skisafari.com)
38 Festivals in
Mayrhofen Austria
Arguably the party capital of the Alps,
Mayrhofen is home to skiing’s biggest
music festival, Snowbombing (April 4-9).
But, if you’re after something a little
more low-key, the Altitude Comedy
Festival also has its home here, and this
year moves from the spring to new
mid-season dates (January 11-15),
ensuring the best snow on its extensive
network of mainly intermediate slopes.
Marcus Brigstocke is headlining, with
further acts to be announced.
Details For single skiers, the resort is a
new addition to Solos Holidays
(0844 3718860, solosholidays.co.uk)
with a week’s half-board from £1,065pp,
Best for experts
39 Sella Ronda circuit
from Arabba Italy
In the middle of the extensive Sella
Ronda circuit, Arabba is home to the
area’s steepest pistes and offers plenty
of challenges for advanced skiers. The
best slopes are the north-facing reds and
blacks that descend from Porta Vescovo,
while those looking for high-mileage
skiing should tackle the entire circuit,
which is easily doable in a day.
Details A week’s half-board at the
four-star Sporthotel Arabba costs from
£839pp, based on two sharing, including
crystalski.co.uk)
40 Ski touring
Switzerland
Winter sports pioneers used to ski tour
as a mode of transport to reach remote
villages, but in recent years the sport has
seen a huge resurgence, with skiers keen
to bypass the lifts and explore the
wilderness. It’s tough going on the
steepest mountains at first but once you
have mastered it you’ll be whizzing up
the mountains and taking on brilliant
slopes that cannot be reached by lifts.
Exodus is launching an introductory
touring holiday this winter. You’ll be
taught the basics and stay at the fabled
Saint Bernard Monastery, at 2,500m,
which is still owned and run by monks.
Details A four-day trip with Exodus
(0845 2873787, exodus.co.uk) costs
from £1,499pp, including three days’
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ski guiding, equipment, all meals,
accommodation, flights and transfers W
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41 Heli-skiing in the
Pyrenees Spain
While the pistes of Baqueira, in the
Spanish Pyrenees, are mainly suited to
intermediate skiers, it’s the extensive and
varied off-piste that makes it fun for
pros. Spain is one of the few European
countries where heli-skiing is permitted.
It doesn’t come cheap, but offers
unrivalled access to some of the best
slopes and an adrenaline rush, too.
Details Ski Club Freshtracks
has a week’s half-board at the four-star
Hotel Val de Ruda from £1,599pp,
including six days mountain guiding,
two heli-drops, flights and transfers
(020 8410 2022, skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks)
42 Off-piste exploration
Turkey
For a serious adventure, Snoworks is
launching a multi-resort Turkish
exploration this winter. After a night
in Istanbul you’ll ski Uludag, which at
2,543m is the highest mountain in the
region. Then, after a short internal flight,
it’s on to Sarıkamıs, followed by
Palandöken & Konaklı. With 90 per cent
off-piste skiing, however, including some
ski touring, it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Details Departing February 15, 11 nights’
half-board costs £2,500pp, including
internal flights, Snoworks instructor and
lift passes (0844 543 0503,
snoworks.co.uk). BA return flights to
Istanbul are from £130
Best for skiing
with extras
43 Fat biking in
Gstaad Switzerland
Bikes able to handle snow were first
developed in the late 1940s, but it’s only
in recent years that they have taken the
Alps by storm. Under-inflated tyres help
grip the snow, while disc brakes make
sure you don’t go flying. This season
Gstaad will allow bikes on five
hiking trails in the resort.
For novices, the Grand
Bellevue hotel is
launching bike
l d
d d
rental and guided
tours for guests.
Details Three
nights’ half-board
costs from
£1,240pp (00 41
33 748 0000,
bellevuegstaad.ch). Swiss
(swiss.com) has
return flights to
Geneva from £56
44 Ice driving in La
Clusaz France
Belt up and watch the rev counter rise as
you hurtle around La Clusaz’s ice-driving
track. For petrolheads it’s an unmissable
activity, except . . . they use electric cars.
But fear not, the Renault Twizys have a
top speed of 50mph, so you can still
expect hair-raising moments as you
tackle the hairpin bends. Ten minutes’
driving is €30 (laclusaz.com).
Details Four nights’ half-board at the
two-star Hotel Beaulieu is from £525pp,
including flights and transfers (02380
206971, skiweekends.com)
45 Easy ice climbing in
Orcières-Merlette 1850
If you fancy yourself as an extreme ice
climber, but are — unsurprisingly —
put off by the frozen walls, opt instead to
try “ruisseling”: equipped with crampons
and ice axes, you hike frozen rivers and
mini-waterfalls as opposed to towering
cliffs. Guides Champsaur Valgaudemar
(guides-champsaur-valgaudemar.com)
has a three-day course with ruisseling
and some ice climbing, if you want, from
€930 with all equipment, and
accommodation in a gîte included.
Details B&B doubles are from €70 at
the Hotel Gardettes (00 33 49 255 7111,
gardettes.com)
46 Horse riding in
Colorado America
High in the Rocky Mountains, the
former mining town of Telluride —now
a top ski-resort — is as Wild
West as they come, and will
form the dramatic
backdrop for Quentin
T
’
Page 23,24,25,26,27,29
Tarantino’s
forthcoming film
The Hateful Eight.
To get into
character,
wannabe
cowboys should
saddle up and
head out to
explore the
wilderness on
horseback. Circle K
Ranch (ckranch.com),
40 miles south of the
resort, offers one hour’s riding
from $45 (£30). A half-day tour is $120.
Details Rooms at the Lumière Telluride
are from about $600 (£380) per night
(lumieretelluride.com)
Best for snowsure
skiing
47 High altitude at Val
Thorens France
Last season started badly in the Alps, but
in Europe’s highest ski resort the lifts
were turning from late November.
The resort lies at 2,300m in a lunar
landscape, with slopes reaching to
3,100m. It’s virtually guaranteed to have
snow but, with no trees, inclement days
are best spent nursing a hot chocolate.
Val Thorens opens on November 21.
at Ischgl Austria
It’s easy to see why Ischgl, with slopes
rising to 2,870m, remains a favourite. The
slopes are snow-sure, the après-ski wild,
and the hotels welcoming. To kick winter
off with a serious bang, head to the resort
for its opening concert. This year,
American band the Beach Boys take to
the high-altitude stage, on November 28.
Access is free with a lift pass.
Details A week’s B&B at the three-star
Hotel Val Sinestra is from £679pp,
(01483 791114, inghams.co.uk)
50 High peaks at
Obergurgl Austria
Another favourite with British skiers,
Obergurgl, and lift-linked Hochgurgl,
have arguably Europe’s most snow-sure
non-glacier pistes, with their summit at
3,080m. Add to that snowmaking on
99 per cent of slopes and it’s fail-safe.
Details A week’s chalet-board at
Chalet Angela is from £514pp,
(01483 791 933, skitotal.com)
41
£367pp, based on four sharing a
one-bedroom apartment at the
Olympiades Apartments, including
igluski.com)
48 Early snow at Lake
Louise Canada
Being the first resort to open is a hotly
contested race in Canada. Lake Louise
often wins and is home to the first men’s
World Cup downhill race of the season
— chosen as the snow is reliable. This
year’s competition is on November 28.
Details A week’s stay at the three-star
Deer Lodge costs from £989pp, based
on four sharing, including flights and
transfers (020 8544 6413, igluski.com)
49 November opening
Page 23,24,25,26,27,29
47
43

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