THIS IS WHY WE ALL DREAM OF A WHITE ONE
MYSELF and Bode Miller have something in common.
The legendary US ski champion has just retired from ski racing and will be an NBC ski analyst at the PyeongChang Winter Games.
I haven’t retired from recreational skiing yet (God forbid!) but just as Bode analyses the world’s top skiers in South Korea next February, I’ll be here analysing resorts, ski holiday trends, prices and activities throughout the 2017/18 season.
So join me every week as I blast the mountains to tell you what’s going on in the world of skiing.
I’m already looking forward to some festive skiing and wonderhy ing, why do so many of us love the romantic idea of a white Christmas?
For the last few seasons, winter
has started slowly in the Alps but that doesn’t stop us from dreaming of whizzing down snowy slopes on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve.
Which part of the scenario do we love the most? Sipping gluhwein at a Christmas market in Kitzbuhel? Taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride through snowy streets in Avoriaz? Snuggling up on the sofa in a cosy French chalet or gathering in St Johann’s main square at midnight on NYE just as it begins to snow? Personally, I love them all. The Alps are due to see heavy snow this weekend but with Christmas still seven weeks away, here are my tips for realising your dream of a white one.
For festive ambience, choose a legacy resort like Kitzbuhel or Cortina. St Johann in Austria and Livigno in Italy also score high on the charm scale – Directski.com has self-catering apartments in Livigno for €541 per person from December 23rd, based on four sharing.
For fairytale views of a frozen lake, it’s hard to beat Zell Am See. Crystal Ski has New Year packages to the resort from €985pp in a 3* hotel.
If skiing is way more important, go to high resorts like Tignes in France or Cervinia in Italy where good early snow is guaranteed. Crystal Ski offers a week’s self-catering in Tignes over Christmas from €549 pp based on four sharing.
For a family get-together, choose a catered chalet like Papillon 1 (Topflight Chalet Collection) in the French resort of La Rosiere (from €788pp from December 23), or the comfortable Terra Nova hotel in La Plagne which has a kids club and doorstep skiing (from €769pp half board with Crystal Ski plus a buy one lift pass get one free offer).
For these and other Christmas/NY offers visit topflight.ie, directski. com and crystalski.ie