School’s out, but ski school’s in at half term

If you haven’t yet booked your half-term ski holiday, don’t despair. If you have children under 12, you can ski anywhere you choose – including the US and Canada – provided you are double-vaccinated, or have had a booster if your second jab was more than 270 days ago. If you have unvaccinated teenagers (16 and under), or teens who have had only one jab, you can still ski in Switzerland, Norway, Bulgaria and the US without any hassle in resorts. Things get a little more complicated in France and Austria, with regular testing required, and all teens must be vaccinated to go on the slopes in Italy. If your child is due for a second jab, and you can squeeze this in before half term, your options are far wider.

Prices are per person based on a seven-night stay, with half board, flights and transfers, based on two sharing, unless stated otherwise

St Moritz, Switzerland

Ski Solutions (020 3627 1605; skisolutions.com) offers the Hotel Schweizerhof, centrally located and with a rooftop spa, from £2,200, departing on Feb 12. Any skiers aged 17 and over who are fully vaccinated or fully recovered (in the past 180 days) can travel. There are no rules for those aged 16 and under.

Borovets, Bulgaria

Crystal Ski Holidays (020 8610 3123; crystalski.co.uk) offers Hotel Samokov, which has a pool and is an easy stroll to the gondola, from £1,142, departing on Feb 12.

Fully vaccinated or recovered (past 180 days) adults can travel; children aged 17 and under don’t need to be vaccinated.

St Anton, Austria

Ski Line (020 8313 3999; skiline.co.uk) offers the four-star Chalet Cristal, a five-minute walk from the main lifts, from £1,949, departing on Feb 12. To ski in Austria, anyone over 16 must be triple-jabbed if their second dose is more than 270 days old. There are no rules for the under-12s, but unjabbed or singlevaccinated children aged 12-15 must take two antigen tests and one PCR during a week’s holiday.

British Airways (0344 493 0787; britishairways.com) offers a B&B stay in the ski-in/ski-out Norefjell Ski & Spa from £499, departing on Feb 11, excluding transfers, based on four sharing.

There are no vaccination requirements for children aged 17 and under. Adults must be fully vaccinated or have recovered in the past six months.

Les Deux Alpes, France

Peak Retreats (023 9283 9310; peakretreats.co.uk) offers a two-bedroom, self-catered apartment at Les Clarines residence, close to the slopes and with an indoor/outdoor pool, from £748, departing on Feb 12, including return Flexiplus Eurotunnel crossing, based on five sharing. Double-jabbed adults (or triple-jabbed if the second dose is more than 270 days old) and under-12s are able to ski in France. Currently, unvaccinated 12- to 16-year-olds can provide proof of recovery, or a negative antigen test every 24 hours to obtain a ski pass and entry to hospitality venues – but these rules could tighten.

Breckenridge, US

Ski Independence (0131

243 8097; ski-i.com) offers a two-bedroom, selfcatered suite at the ski-in/ ski-out Beaver Run Resort, next door to the ski school, from £1,722, departing on Feb 12, based on four sharing. Children aged 17 and under are exempt from the requirement to be fully vaccinated to travel – unvaccinated under-17s must have a test on arrival.

Abigail Butcher

i The kids are all white: children can join a different kind of class this half term