With the ongoing Covid situation, many people are asking “Will I be able to ski in France this season?” and it’s certainly a tricky question to answer.
Even as we approach mid-November, and are just one month away from the expected opening dates of ski resorts in the French Alps – we just don’t know!
It’s going to be tricky for British people to travel to France and as well as the threat of continued or new government regulations (lockdowns, travel bans, quarantine) we are expecting airlines and flying schedules to be very changeable this winter.
Assuming that you can get out to the Alps, the next questions are “What are you going to find in resort?” and “What’s the impact on the skiing?”
Below we provide our Top Tips on How to Best Plan for Skiing in France This Season – and to try and get you the best experience possible in these challenging times.
1 – Choose a quieter resort
Avoid the big named resorts, and find great skiing with less people. We suggest you try “secret” resorts like Le Grand Bornand or Les Contamines
2 – Avoid peak dates if you can
Travel out of peak season, and avoid weekends wherever possible – fancy a midweek in mid-January!
3 – Check out what lifts there are near your accommodation
Try to avoid any telecabine queues and so look for quick fast 4 or 6-pack chairlifts to access the skiing
4 – Avoid lift queues
Look at piste maps, and ask around to find the quieter side of the resort… maybe it has lots of draglifts (perfect social distancing!)
5 – Think about your timings
Head out early (at first lifts, or go later after 10am) to avoid peak queues and bottlenecks.
6 – Recharge your lift pass online
Most ski resorts in France these days allow you to charge passes and pay online, to avoid any queueing.
7 – Buy a good buff…. (or 4)
They’re the easiest face mask for on/off manipulation, and work with helmets. Conventional face masks are tricky to operate with a ski helmet.
8 – Take a picnic and packed lunch
Be prepared…Allowing you to avoid the mountain restaurants which could be busy, and cause you lost ski time!
9 – Modify your Apres-ski experience
Replace beers in a crowded bar with some sledging, or a moonlit mountain walk after dinner!
10 – Take up Ski Touring
Or maybe at least snowshoeing or cross country, to get off the beaten track and in the fresh air!
You never know – adopting these simple tips may even end up making your ski holiday 2020/21 a healthier, cheaper and more authentic alpine winter experience!
And – lets hope for normal service to be resumed in 2021/22.
If you are interested in a short ski break, please check out the various options on our website, or contact us for further information. We can provide details on all aspects of your holiday, and are happy to discuss your requirements and offer suggestions.