Go for a Ski Weekend and Save Your Holiday Days for a Summer Vacation
This is a guest blog by Mark Barber from Ski Weekends.
I hate February! With Christmas decorations boxed up and packed away in my loft long ago and the New Year’s Day annual hangover being all but a distant and fading memory, the days are short, nights are long and it is cold! Not that I have ever been a morning person, but getting up from my warm, snug, duvet for work in the midst of winter requires more will-power than bending spoons.
It is always at this time of year that I want to get away from it all and being a keen snowboarder, I have a yearning (or is it a spiritual calling?) for the mountains. But, the problem is, and I am sure this is the same for the majority of people, my holiday days allowance from work are at a premium with spare ones rarer than magical Pixie gold dust, or silverware in the West Ham Trophy Room.
It goes without saying that the bulk of the allocation of days will be for the summer vacation with spare days needed for those unknown circumstances such as weddings, funerals and those excessively long stag/hen weekends in Las Vegas or Barcelona (what is wrong with a weekend in Bournemouth?). With all this in mind, quite often a week skiing or snowboarding can seem like a luxury that your holiday days allowance will not permit. Even the office king of taking ‘sickies’ could not hold off with pretending to have the flu all week, especially if calling from the airport with flight announcements being a complete giveaway.
But have you ever considered going skiing or snowboarding for a long weekend? Although we do not have the ease of passage to the Alps that our continental friends enjoy, where all they need to do is throw their skis, snowboard, cheese and salami sandwiches, and a bottle of Red in the back of a car and head to the mountains, it is a lot easier than you probably realise!
With Geneva Airport your gateway to a white snowy paradise, the majority of French Alpine resorts are easily reachable. For instance, the flight to Geneva from a London airport will only take about an hour and a half. From Geneva, it is possible to be sipping a glass of wine while sitting in a hotel bar at the ski resort of Morzine, in just over an hour (I have tried and tested this theory with success!).
Morzine has grown in popularity over the years and, with its neighbouring ski resorts of Avoriaz and Les Gets, makes an ideal location for a ski weekend. Quick and easy to get to, it is ideal for both skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Morzine also has a lively après ski scene that is not as expensive and damaging on the wallet as some of its French cousins such as Val d’Isère.
Also, a hop, skip and jump away from Geneva are the two heavyweights of the Alps, The magnificent Three Valleys and Paradiski ski areas. Paradiski is the joining of forces of Les Arcs and La Plagne by the giant Vanoise Express double-decker cable car. Paradiski is vast and is mainly built up of purpose built ski in - ski out resorts that are well designed for skiing and very convenient. For those in your group that would like to explore other activities, the new Mille 8 complex should keep them busy with toboggan runs, themed ski areas, cinema, restaurants and themed swimming areas.
One of the biggest ski areas in the world, the Three Valleys offers something for everyone of any ability. The endless terrain of slopes would keep you busy for months, let alone just for a weekend! An ideal base to explore the Three Valleys is the beautiful resort of Meribel.
If you do not fancy flying then a coach journey is an ideal budget friendly alternative as it will take you to the resort of Brides Les Bains, which is situated in a valley just under Meribel and only a chair lift away.
Not only is travelling by coach easy on the pockets and more environmentally friendly than flying, it will also give you more slope time because you travel and sleep through the night, picking up your ski lift pass when you arrive at the hotel early morning.
If you think coach journeys are like those old school trips with coaches that looked like they were designed by bored soviet engineers with dusty flowery patterned curtains across the windows, then think again. Luxury coaches are comfortable, have on-board toilets and tea/coffee making facilities, and are an ideal way to travel and take the usual stress out of the journey - just sit back and relax!
For those who do choose to fly, the trip starts on a Thursday, returning on the Monday. Ideally designed to save the amount of work days you need to take off while maximising slope time. Ski lift passes are pre-booked and handed out on arrival so you can catch that first ski lift in the morning, without the hassle of long queues to get your lift pass.
So here is the perfect scenario; don't worry about having to book a whole week off work to get your ‘ski’ or ‘snowboard’ fix out on the slopes. Book a long weekend which will give you plenty of time to shake off those winter time blues and relax, take the stress out on the mountain and enjoy a touch of après ski.
Leaving you with enough guilt-free holiday day allowance to enjoy that summer vacation that you spend all year looking forward to. Go soak up some sun and laze on a beach, go surfing, or go on an African Safari. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself, knowing that by going on a ski weekend, you really can have the best of both worlds.
Mark Barber
