Skiers and snowboarders who love to visit Italy’s Alta Badia region during one of its food festivals, or just simply for great meals on the slopes, will be pleased to hear they are still on the menu this season with all the necessary measures needed to meet covid requirements.
Crystal Ski Holidays is aiming to give skiers and snowboarders added protection with a new covid cover to be used alongside normal travel insurance. The offer is available to all customers travelling on any its ski holidays between 12 December 2020 and 18 April 2021 and applies to all new and existing bookings.
Motoring expert STEVE LOADER takes us on a journey through the advantages of driving yourself to the Alps
They say it’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow somebody some good and ski drive holidays may gain from the chilly blast of Covid.
Japan has been growing in popularity with skiers and snowboarders over the last few seasons. If you are thinking of heading for the snow in the land of the rising sun as an alternative destination during the Covid-19 pandemic, here is some of the latest news from the Hokkaido region:
Ischgl is taking action to safeguard the health and safety of skiers, boarders, employees and locals in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the Tirolean ski resort gears up for the winter season – which starts on November 26 – the decision makers in the Paznaun-Ischgl valley have devised a comprehensive package of measures including C-19 testing for locals and visitors alike.
by Lulu Sheard
With climate change at the forefront of many people’s minds, resorts are reacting to calls for them to become more eco-friendly. The large La Plagne ski area in France, for example, is introducing more measures to protect its Alpine landscape and reduce its environmental impact.
by Lulu Sheard
Ben’s Bus, the airport transfer service to resorts throughout the French alps, has now opened bookings for this season’s services to and from Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon Airports. The company will continue to run all their routes for the coming winter season, with added safety measures such as restricted numbers travelling on each bus and regular cleaning of the interiors.
by Lulu Sheard
British Skiers’ and snowboarders’ will be hoping Covid travel restrictions to Japan will be eased by this winter so they are able to enjoy the country’s legendary powder snow, plus its interesting culture and cuisine.
by Lulu Sheard
Skiers and snowboarders have had some encouraging news from Chamonix for the coming season when the resort announced that several lifts in the French ski resort have opened again for the summer after being closed due to Covid.
by Lulu Sheard
The majority of skiers and snowboarders still intend to go skiing this season, despite the current number of confirmed bookings for 20/21 being relatively low so far, according to surveys carried out by various wintersports organisations.
by Lulu Sheard
Award winning French Alps specialist Peak Retreats has announced it is offering new accommodation and going to new resorts this season. The improved winter program includes additions in Les Sybelles, the fourth largest ski area in the Alps, Les Deux Alpes, La Rosière, and the Jura Mountains.
Eurostar will not run its iconic Ski Train this winter. A campaign, Save the Ski Train, has been launched in an attempt to persuade the cross channel railway service to reinstate this service.
Since 1997, the train has run twice weekly from London and Ashford to the Tarentaise region of the French Alps, dropping skiers at Moutiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice stations, a short hop by bus or taxi from 16 major ski resorts, including Méribel, Courchevel, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes and Val d’Isère.
Have we found the brainiest chalet owner in the French Alps? Austria loving ROB REES overcame his lifelong aversion to French skiing to make a long overdue return to The Three Valleys after 27 years away with a stay with the marvelous Ski Talini
Skiing in Japan has been on the radar of dedicated powder skiers and snowboarders for a number of years. Lisa Young went to sample Hakuba and Naeba
The snow that falls upon Japan’s resorts has to be some of the best in the world. It is light, dry and very often chest deep. With a season that lasts from December to May, snow addicts are going the extra distance to try out the near-perfect conditions.
Klagenfurt Airport, Easyjet and two of the leading ski resorts in southern Austria have joined and have come up with a money saving offer for skiers and snowboarders who want to make a low-cost fast trip to the Alps this winter.
Peak Retreats (peakretreats.co.uk; 023 9283 9310) was named Best Ski Company at the recent Telegraph Travel Awards. The annual accolades are decided by votes from Telegraph readers.
Peak Retreats’ PR, Social Media and Marketing Executive Hannah Jones accepts the Best Ski Company award from Head of Telegraph Travel Claire Irvin (right) and Environmentalist and Telegraph Columnist Benedict Allen (left).
Xavier Schouller, one of the two founders of Peak Retreats, said: “We are delighted to be named Best Ski Company. To receive recognition from Telegraph readers themselves in this way is particularly gratifying. We pride ourselves on finding traditional resorts away from the crowds yet with access to brilliant skiing and it’s fantastic to see that this resonates with Telegraph readers too. I’m extremely proud of our team at Peak Retreats, and their passion for sharing this love of discovering the real French Alps with our clients.’
Did you know you can save over 40% off a ski trip with Balkan this winter?
Choose from six UK airports, and three ski countries.
Late deals are available online now.
Prices include flight, transfer, accommodation and reps’ service. Balkan Holidays message is ‘We make skiing easy!’
Join the Scottish backcountry scene this winter. Put the 13-15 March in your diary and get yourself up to the Wild Ski weekend at Glenmore Lodge, Scotland’s Outdoor Centre.
From the Lodge’s base at the foot of the mighty Cairngorm plateau spend two days exploring the classic tours, descents and gullies of the Northern Cairngorms, into one of the biggest ski wildernesses in Scotland.
The charming village of Samoëns in the Grand Massif area in the French Alps is a picture-perfect destination to spend time with the family over Christmas. The resort has a tranquil family-friendly feel, with a pretty village centre.
I have just had the pleasure of meeting Abigail Tan, the CEO of U.K., Europe and North America for St Giles Hotels – writes Skier & Snowboarder editor Frank ‘Scoop’ Baldwin.
OFFICE CHAT: Abigail and Frank in front of her Whistler art
We met at St Giles Hotel in London to talk about her love for skiing (look out for a future My Perfect Day feature on Abigail) and as you can see from the photo here, she even has a special piece of art from Whistler in Canada on her office wall.