News & blogs

Nature is beautiful. It is especially beautiful in the winter. When the snow falls it's like soundproof insulation, everything seems to become so quiet. The great thing about living in a ski town is most people share the same love of winter. No listening to people complain about icy roads, cold weather and not seeing the sun. Instead we thrive in conditions most people hate. That's kind of cool. Winter has now just arrived in Whistler. It snowed a good 30cm in Whistler village in the two days before opening and just in time. The mountain opened on the 18th with snow to the base of the mountain. It's snowed over a hundred cm since then.

The Paradiski area in the French Alps will be opening a new Nature Spa this season.  It will be in Arc 1950 in the Residence Les Sources de Marie and is to be 1000m2 deep, with views over to Mont Blanc.

The Tirol region of Austria has put together this handy list of tips for skiing families, complete with suggestions of resorts and holiday deals

Choose your resort carefully

If the kids are just starting out there is no need to choose a huge ski area, it pays to pick a smaller resort where ski school and lift passes will be cheaper.
 

It’s mid-November here in Chatel and there is still no sign of the long awaited snow.  A lot of people here are getting quite edgy about this but as I keep pointing out to them, I arrived about this time last year and it didn’t snow meaningfully until the start of December.

If you are looking for a deal on your ski holiday for 2013 then here is a selection from Erna Low. They specialise in skiing holidays which include Eurotunnel crossings with your car, no flights.

All of the ski holiday companies are talking about adding value to their holidays this season, and many of them are doing it in unusual ways. We just heard that the tour operator Ski Total are offering every couple bar credit to the tune of 150 Swiss Francs or €150 in three of its chalet hotels -  the Montpelier in Verbier, the Ambassador in Saas Fee and the Champs Avalins in Val d'Isère for bookings made before the 19th October.

If you are one of those people who have heard your mates rave about their skiing trip but worried about the cost of going yourself then Crystal have come up with some great deals to tempt you. They have 'free learn to ski packages' - numbers are limited to be quick. Check out this information they sent us and give it a go... once you start you are sure to be hooked and going back for more. See more deals.

The glaciers are opening, and skiing is back on the menu! Plus, with all the sunshine up there you don't need to forego a summer tan either - glacier skiing is distinctly more summery than wintery, and a whole lot more summery than the UK so far. It's also perfect for beginners and families, for all of these good reasons. So, where's open right now? Read on...