15 October 09

Features

Ski Season Preview Special

Can't wait for your next snow fix? Sit back and get ready to plan your trip, as Skiing Europe author Matt Barr rounds up the best options for an action-packed season ahead

The mercury is falling, the days are shortening and becoming crisper, you’ve flung the flip-flops to the back of the cupboard for another year and dug out the scarf and gloves. It can only mean one thing – winter is on the way.

For the skier and snowboarder it’s the most exciting time of the year, as thoughts turn towards a prized two weeks in the mountains – and the powder turns and shots of toffee vodka that help warm things up a little during the bleaker months.

Still, with more choice than ever out there, how do you narrow it down? Which are the best destinations for families? Where should powder hounds go for their fix? What about boutique resorts? Extreme freaks? Hell, what should the smart mountain user be wearing? Just read on…

4 Best Early Season Powder Resorts

TIGNES, FRANCE
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Grenoble
TOWN: Sister resort to Val d’Isère, but with more of an emphasis on skiing than hard partying, Tignes is split between Val Claret, Le Lac and Le Lavachet.
MOUNTAIN: Tignes is a high-altitude resort, with the Grande Motte glacier open almost all-year round and the lift system topping out at a hefty 3,456m. As such, it gets some great early season powder but can be a little dangerous. Book a guide at www.dragonlodge.com if you’re not confident going solo.

WWW.TIGNES.NET
FLY TO GRENOBLE FROM BIRMINGHAM, DUBLIN, EDINBURGH, LIVERPOOL, LONDON (STANSTED) AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

ANDERMATT, SWITZERLAND
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Basel
TOWN: Tiny Andermatt is real Heidi country, a small village wedged high in the Swiss Alps. It has long been popular with expert skiers but relatively unknown to the mainstream market. A new development is set to change that, so head there now before the secret is truly out.
MOUNTAIN: As Skiing Europe co-author Gabriella Le Breton puts it: “Andermatt gets dumped on. Brilliant.” There are three mountains here: Gemsstock, Nätschen and Winterhorn. From the top of Gemsstock, take the famous Bernhard Russi-designed black run down two glaciers and into some great terrain. As ever in the high mountains, a guide is recommended.

WWW.ANDERMATT.CH
FLY TO BASEL FROM ALICANTE, CAGLIARI, LONDON (STANSTED), MARSEILLE PROVENCE MP2, PORTO AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

ZUGSPITZE, GERMANY
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Memmingen (Munich West)
TOWN: Stay in nearby GarmischPartenkirchen, a classic Bavarian spa town with an international flavour thanks to the proximity of a US military base. It’s completely beautiful and more of a Chamonix-style town than a purpose-built resort such as Tignes.
MOUNTAIN: Although there are five areas near Garmisch, head to Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany. A lack of trees and rocks make it perfect for early season skiing, and with it being the highest spot you can find brilliant snow in the middle of November.

WWW.ZUGSPITZE.DE
FLY TO MEMMINGEN (MUNICH WEST) FROM ALGHERO (SARDINIA), ALICANTE, BARCELONA (GIRONA AND REUS), BREMEN, DUBLIN, EDINBURGH, LONDON (STANSTED), PISA (FLORENCE) AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

LECH/ZURS, AUSTRIA
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Friedrichshafen
TOWN: Forget Lech and Zürs’ much-vaunted exclusivity and concentrate on the brilliant skiing. True, there are six five-star and 40 four-star hotels here, as well as more award-winning restaurants than any other Austrian village, but that mountain is a great leveller.
MOUNTAIN: This place gets some of the highest snowfalls in Europe, with nearby Warth-Schröcken netting the biggest average fall in the Alps. Yet, nobody has ever heard of it so the snow lasts for days. Experts may have just found their new favourite resort.

WWW.LECH-ZUERS.AT
FLY TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN FROM ALICANTE AND LONDON (STANSTED).

3 Best European Freeriding Resorts

ST ANTON, AUSTRIA
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Friedrichshafen
THE RESORT: One of Europe’s best all-round resorts (pictured above) is also one of the most prized powder resorts in the world. The entire St Anton/ Arlberg area includes St Christoph, Stuben, Lech, Zurs, Nasserein, St Jakob, Pettneu, Oberdorf and Klösterle. And with almost 5,500ha of off-piste terrain it’d take an entire season to come close to exhausting the options on offer.
MUST DO: The North Face of the Valluga is one of the Alps’ prized scalps. Take a tiny lift from the top of Valluga I gondola (see Valluga II in Scariest Lifts), and look forward to a steep pitch before it opens out into broad powder fields down to Zurs.

FLY TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN FROM ALICANTE AND LONDON (STANSTED).

ENGELBERG, SWITZERLAND
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Basel
THE RESORT: This lovely old Victorian-era ski resort should count as a European must-do for any serious skier. The mellow atmosphere that pervades the entire town shouldn’t detract from the seriousness of the mountain. Head to the Titlis side of the ski area, where you quickly find yourself in a serious high-altitude environment. Essential runs include Laub – 1,120 vertical metres of sheer, unadulterated off-piste joy; Galtiberg, nearly 2,000m of more varied off-piste; the Steinberg glacier route from Klein Titlis to Trübsee; and the east face of Jochstock.
MUST DO: Take the Rotair cable car to 3,020m. It is apparently the world’s only rotating cable car, so best avoided with a hangover.

FLY TO BASEL FROM ALICANTE, CAGLIARI, LONDON (STANSTED), MARSEILLE PROVENCE MP2, PORTO AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

LA GRAVE, FRANCE
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Grenoble
THE RESORT: Only the French could come up with a resort like La Grave – one main lift, a million potentially deadly crevasses and limitless freeriding opportunities. This tiny village offers some of Europe’s most challenging high-altitude skiing, with a vertical drop of 2,200m. The ski area is unique in that 90% of it is unprepared and unpatrolled, with just 12km of designated pistes and three ski lifts. The “piste map” says it all – pick your own route, with care.
MUST DO: After quite technical entry points, the two primary descents – Vallons de Chancel and Vallons de la Meije – offer a mix of steeps, open powder fields and forest. Extreme cliff drops and couloirs await those with a guide, equipment, skill and guts.

FLY TO GRENOBLE FROM SIX DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING DUBLIN, EDINBURGH AND LIVERPOOL.

2 Super-Cool Retro Ski Destinations

Read much modern ski coverage and you would be forgiven for thinking that today’s European ski world is one long jamboree of boutique hotels, snowboard fun parks and heated chair lifts. But the reality is very different. There are huge swathes of the skiing continent that have never heard of snowboarding, see fur as a lifestyle choice and wear one-pieces for snow-repelling practicality rather than as some kind of ironic fashion statement. For many, it is skiing as it should be. So here’s where you should go for a taste of James Bond-style winter fun.

ALTA BADIA, ITALY
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Milan (Bergamo)
LOWDOWN: Why Brits continue to frequent hectic old Meribel and Val d’Isère when the unhurried time capsule that is Alta Badia is within easy reach is something of a conundrum. Alta Badia consists of five villages in the middle of the Dolomites: Colfosco, Corvara, La Villa, San Cassiano and Pedraces. They form the largest part of the Sella Ronda ski area, which in turn is part of the Dolomiti Superski area. Expect lively skiing and homely food.
MUST DO: Visit Jimmy’s Hutte, which overlooks the Sella Massif and serves plenty of grappa.

WWW.ALTABADIA.ORG
FLY TO MILAN (BERGAMO) FROM 52 DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING BERLIN (SCHONEFELD) AND VALENCIA.

CORTINA, ITALY
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Venice (Treviso)
LOWDOWN: When a resort’s former client list includes Peter Sellers and David Niven, you know you’re in good company. Cortina really is a window to another world, with antiquated cable cars, vertiginous slopes and some seriously regal old architecture. The skiing is divided into four areas – Faloria-CristalloMietres, Tofana-Socrepes, Cinque Torri and Lagazuoi – linked by hectic ski buses and all different in terrain, aspect and elevation.
MUST DO: Stroll the Corso Italia at dusk for some people watching and window shopping. You won’t be able to afford much, but it’s worth it just for the sheer number of fur coats on display.

WWW.CORTINA.DOLOMITI.ORG
FLY TO VENICE (TREVISO) FROM 20 DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING BREMEN, DUBLIN AND PARIS (BEAUVAIS).

OBERGURGL, AUSTRIA
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Friedrichshafen
LOWDOWN: Obergurgl inspires a fierce loyalty, and everyone you meet seems to be on their third or fourth visit. This is skiing from a less jaded era, with gentle tree-lined routes the order of the day, and the mere sight of a snowboarder in baggy trousers is likely to have the locals calling the cops. Linked to nearby Hochgurgl, the skiing area is surprisingly vast, and bona fide intermediate heaven. At an altitude of 1,920m, expect lots of snow and temporary breathlessness while your body gets used to it.
MUST DO: Once it does, head to the 3,082m Top Mountain Star restaurant, serving killer hot chocolate amid incredible Alpine views.

WWW.OBERGURGL.COM
FLY TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN FROM ALICANTE AND LONDON (STANSTED).

3 Scariest Lifts

Modern European ski resorts offer some of the slickest, smoothest lift systems on the planet, with heated seats, removable weather hoods and magic carpet conveyor belts to ease you onwards and upwards. So how did these knee-knocking terrors slip through the net?

AIGUILLE DU MIDI, CHAMONIX, FRANCE
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Grenoble
THE LOWDOWN: Take a look at that top station, perched precariously at a height of 3,842m, and ask yourself just how the French put up this beast of a lift system (pictured above) back in the 1950s.

FLY TO GRENOBLE FROM BIRMINGHAM, DUBLIN, EDINBURGH, LIVERPOOL, LONDON (STANSTED) AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

VALLUGA II, ST ANTON, AUSTRIA
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Friedrichshafen
THE LOWDOWN: You must be accompanied by a guide before you’re even allowed on this lift. That’s how scary it is. Serious stuff.

FLY TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN FROM ALICANTE AND LONDON (STANSTED).

FALORIA, CORTINA, ITALY
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Venice (Treviso)
THE LOWDOWN: An impossibly sustained vertical rise in a rickety cabin built when fur was a legitimate fashion item? No thanks, this one’s pretty frightening!

FLY TO VENICE (TREVISO) FROM 20 DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING BRINDISI, LEEDS AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

4 Must-Do Runs

DUTY-FREE RUN, ISCHGL, AUSTRIA
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Friedrichshafen
DETAILS: Skiing between two countries is always exciting, and Ischgl sits on the Austro-Swiss border. Head down this 5km red run and enjoy some Swiss hot chocolate before heading back.

FLY TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN FROM ALICANTE AND LONDON (STANSTED).

WEISSFLUHJOCH TO KLOSTERS DORF VIA SCHIFER, DAVOS-KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Friedrichshafen
DETAILS: Sometimes the Davos-Klosters amalgamation (the two resorts recently became one super resort) feels a little superfluous. Then you take this run, and it all falls into place.

FLY TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN FROM ALICANTE AND LONDON (STANSTED).

LA SARENNE, ALPE D’HUEZ, FRANCE
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Grenoble
DETAILS: Get the knee brace out for this one, it’s going to be big! At 16km, this piste – reputedly the longest in the Alps – will test the leg strength of even the most experienced. Quite a journey.

FLY TO GRENOBLE FROM BIRMINGHAM, DUBLIN, EDINBURGH, LIVERPOOL, LONDON (STANSTED) AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

VALLEE BLANCHE, CHAMONIX, FRANCE
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Grenoble
DETAILS: An obvious choice, but still one of the most breathtaking runs in the world for the average skier. A dizzying arête to negotiate at the top, then flat, simple skiing down the Mer de Glace into another high-altitude world. Take a camera.

FLY TO GRENOBLE FROM SIX DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING DUBLIN.

3 Best Independent and Boutique Stays

The rise of the DIY holiday has shaken up the ski industry in the past few years, and there has been a corresponding increase in the number of independent companies and one-off boutique hotels being set up. As a rule, these places are run by passionate ex-seasonaires or natives intensely familiar with local resorts and determined to offer a unique experience far removed from that of the main tour operators. The advantages for the customer are obvious. Not only are you likely to be in the hands of people who know their ski area well and have a direct link to the mainline of resort life, but you’re also likely to have more in common with your fellow guests.

DRAGON LODGE, TIGNES, FRANCE
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Grenoble DETAILS: This independently owned and run lodge in Tignes has a great reputation, and has been setting the pace for over a decade. The chalet is in the Les Almes area of Tignes Le Lac, so it is about a minute’s walk to the nearest piste and all amenities. Dragon Lodge tailors each guest’s ideal holiday by starting with a basic B&B or half-board service, then adding on required extras such as kit hire, off-piste guiding and transfers. The most laid-back snowboarding holiday in the Alps? We reckon so.
PRICE: From €28pp.

WWW.DRAGONLODGE.COM
FLY TO GRENOBLE FROM SIX DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING EDINBURGH, LIVERPOOL AND LONDON (STANSTED).

SKI LODGE, ENGELBERG, SWITZERLAND
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Basel
DETAILS: Throw together a bustling communal vibe, a unique Swiss restaurant and five Swedes with an enviable knowledge of their chosen resort and what have you got? One of the finest ski hotels in the Alps – the Ski Lodge (pictured above). The atmosphere at this hotel really is unique, and you’re based right in the centre of town. Comprising 34 rooms, it offers mod cons such as wi-fiand cable TV, and a bar you won’t be able to drag yourself away from.
PRICE: From 90CHFpp (€59), including breakfast.

WWW.SKILODGEENGELBERG.COM
FLY TO BASEL FROM SIX DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING ALICANTE, LONDON (STANSTED) AND PORTO.

HOTEL NIVES, VAL GARDENA, ITALY
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Milan (Bergamo)
DETAILS: Hotel Nives opened in January last year and strikes a nice balance between flash boutique number and family run secret. The stone, wood and glass materials give it a lovely feel, and there are 11 luxurious suites. One of South Tyrol’s finest hotels, it boasts a spa and gourmet restaurant, and the Sella Ronda and Dolomiti Superski areas are both close at hand.
PRICE: From €130pp, half-board.

WWW.HOTEL-NIVES.COM
FLY TO MILAN (BERGAMO) FROM 52 DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING BRATISLAVA (VIENNA), FIGARI AND LONDON (LUTON AND STANSTED)

3 Best Resorts For Families

ST JOHANN, AUSTRIA
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Salzburg
DETAILS: When a place has more mountain restaurants than black runs, you can expect a gentler type of skiing. The lifts, ski school and creche are all within 100m of the town centre, and only an hour from Salzburg.

WWW.FERIENREGION.AT
FLY TO SALZBURG FROM DUBLIN AND LONDON (STANSTED).

HEMSEDAL, NORWAY
CLOSEST AIRPORTS: Oslo (Rygge and Torp)
DETAILS: This lovely little resort is worth the trek from the airport. The pistes are mellow and there are special family rates – kids under six ski free. The northern latitude also creates a unique winter wonderland atmosphere.

WWW.HEMSEDAL.COM
FLY TO OLSO (RYGGE AND TORP) FROM 24 DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING ALICANTE, BREMEN AND LONDON (STANSTED).

BAQUEIRA-BERET, SPAIN
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Pau
DETAILS: Arguably the best resort cuisine in Europe, just the right blend of expert and beginner terrain, and some great deals for kids. The best resort you’ve never heard of ?

WWW.BAQUEIRA.ES
FLY TO PAU (PYRENEES) FROM BRISTOL, BRUSSELS (CHARLEROI) AND LONDON (STANSTED).

4 Shortest Transfer Times

Long, complicated transfers can be a fact of life on a skiing holiday, with most resorts an average of two or three hours’ drive from their nearest airport. Sure, if you’re there for a week or more it isn’t really a consideration. But what if you’ve got kids, or are only there for a long weekend to take advantage of a recent snowfall? That’s when a short transfer really comes into its own. So here are four resorts with extremely nifty transfer times, so you can be unpacked and ready to go a scant few hours after touchdown.

PRATO NEVOSO, ITALY
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Cuneo
DETAILS: Little-known Prato Nevoso may not have the same flair of traditional Italian resorts, but plays to its strengths with excellent beginners’ facilities and a great fun park aimed at freestyle daredevils. Only an hour from Cuneo, it’s purpose-built, so slope access is easy, and there’s a good nightlife, too.

WWW.PRATONEVOSO.COM
FLY TO CUNEO FROM CAGLIARI AND LONDON (STANSTED).

SIERRA NEVADA, SPAIN
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Granada
DETAILS: Yes, you can ski within sight of the Mediterranean and, on a good day, the African coast. The Sierra Nevada in southern Spain is another under-the-radar gem with great skiing and a versatile location. Get some sightseeing under your belt by staying in the beautiful city of Granada, from where you can check out the Alhambra Palace and have your fill of incredible tapas. The resort is then just a short drive away each day.

WWW.SIERRANEVADA.CO.UK
FLY TO GRANADA FROM BARCELONA (GIRONA), BOLOGNA, EAST MIDLANDS, LIVERPOOL, LONDON (STANSTED), MADRID AND MILAN (BERGAMO).

KRVAVEC, SLOVENIA
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Klagenfurt
DETAILS: Only an hour from the airport and 15 minutes from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, Krvavec resort is best enjoyed by staying in the city and commuting each day. That way, you get to enjoy the views and moderate thrills of Slovenia’s steepest resort, as well as Ljubljana’s attractions and cosmopolitan nightlife.

WWW.RTC-KRVAVEC.SI
FLY TO KLAGENFURT FROM FRANKFURT (HAHN), GOTHENBURG CITY, LONDON (STANSTED) AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

VILLARD DE LANS-CORRENCON, FRANCE
CLOSEST AIRPORT: Grenoble
DETAILS: The phrase “best-kept secret” could have been invented for the little-known Vercors region – within spitting distance of Grenoble. Villard de Lans is the main village, with implausibly picturesque Corrençon en Vercors also close by. The Espace Villard-Corrençon ski area is also surprisingly challenging, with 125km of slopes and 34 pistes to explore.

WWW.VILLARDDELANS.COM
FLY TO GRENOBLE FROM SIX DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING DUBLIN, LONDON (STANSTED) AND STOCKHOLM (SKAVSTA).

MUST-HAVE ITEM #1
BURTON HERO SNOWBOARD
Equally adept in the fun park or on the piste, the Hero makes a perfect all-rounder for the two-weeks-a-year snowboarder.
PRICE: €430
WWW.SNOWBOARDASYLUM.COM

MUST-HAVE ITEM #2
BURTON VEIL ONE-PIECE
It may be difficult to believe, but one-pieces are back with a vengeance. This ladies’ all-in-one number from Burton is a typical example. Snug, stylish – wallflowers need not apply.
PRICE: €315
WWW.BURTON.COM

MUST-HAVE ITEM #3
OAKLEY SPLICE GOGGLES
Oakley’s new Splice goggles reduce glare, keep down fogging thanks to vented lenses and, like most Oakley eyewear, help you look like the most technical, stylish skier on the mountain.
PRICE: €136
WWW.OAKLEY.COM

MUST-HAVE ITEM #4
RED AVID HELMET
Helmets should be de rigueur for all, and this lid warms your ears, as well as saving your cranium. It’s also compatible with the brand’s REDphones, so you can listen to music while you’re out and about.
PRICE: €78
WWW.REDPROTECTION.COM

MUST-HAVE ITEM #5
SKIING EUROPE GUIDEBOOK
BY MATT BARR AND GABRIELLA LE BRETON
Covering 120 European resorts in eye-watering detail, Footprint’s Skiing Europe has been adopted by the Ski Club of Great Britain as its official guide. Ski Sunday presenter Ed Leigh described it as “the best in the business. It’s the first thing in the rucksack before every trip.”
PRICE: €12
WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK