Doing a ski season
Ok, so you’re one of the lucky ones who has the luxury of being able to take a career break or head off on your gap year in search of skiing hard (and no doubt partying hard!), then here's our guide for that all important break...
Can anyone do it?You don’t have to be an expert skier or boarder to do a season by any means, and this can be great for beginners to experts as you can go at your own pace and take time discovering the best bits of your resort, either under instruction or by yourself.
So where shall I go? Of course different people want different things from their season, but generally the most popular resorts tend to be in the French Alps; Courchevel, Val d’Isere and Tignes to name a few. These tend to be the bigger resorts with big ski areas, lots going on, good transport links and of course some serious apres-ski.
How can I keep the pennies rolling in?Well all resorts usually have the typical bar staff/chalet host type jobs available so the choice is really yours, but these can go quickly in the popular resorts, and unless you have the luxury of a never-ending budget, you’ll need a job to keep you out on the slopes. Of course there are alternatives – childcare, tour operator, chalet rep and catering are among a few. A lot of these types of jobs will include accommodation and lift pass.
Good places to look for jobs include
www.gumtree.com (under the travel/overseas section) and
www.natives.co.uk. Of course if you’re qualified to instruct this can be a great way to make money and stay on the slopes all day. Or why not qualify as an instructor when you’re out there?
Don’t be put off if the best jobs aren’t available, as things can always pop up while you’re there. You may have to undertake training (for example a cookery course if you wish to be a chalet host) before you leave, but the tour operator or company you choose to go with can discuss this with you.
Can I do it by myself?Most definitely! The beauty of doing a season is that most people go out individually so you’ll have the chance to meet loads of friends, either through work or no doubt by becoming a regular at the local apres-ski haunts.
What else should I be thinking about?Doing a season can be one of the best things you’ll ever do, but you should be thinking about a few things before you leave:
- Insurance: you will need travel insurance (especially outside Europe) and you will also need to have to have winter sports cover.
- Transport: if you’re staying in a smaller resort you may have to think about transportation to the slopes or other resorts
- Accommodation: you can usually come by this pretty easily, but be prepared to slum it (if just a little bit) if you’re on a budget as you may not get much for your money
- Visas: check whether you need a visa for the country you are heading to
- Flights: there are some great budget airlines doing deals to airports close to resorts (Geneva, Lyon St. Expury, Chambery, Friedrichshafen for example).
- Train: Although they can actually be more expensive than flights, you can hop on the Eurostar from London or Ashford and travel all the way through to your resort. (See 'Travelling by train').
- Transfers: don’t forget to make sure you have transportation from your airport or train station to resort.
For more information look at the ‘Planning your trip’ section within individual resorts.
