Ski | Bargain Travel 4 U

Cheap Skiing Holidays

Here at Bargain Travel4u we like nothing better than hitting the slopes by day and enjoying a bit of apres ski by night – there’s nothing like a bit of downhill speed to clear the head! We have selected a few of our favourite skiing hotspots for you to browse of. For full details and to find all the latest deals, please visit our partner sites. Happy skiing!

Austria

Austria is among the top skiing and snow-boarding destinations in Europe. There’s an old adage that Austrians were born with skis on, and it actually appears this country was purpose-built for the game. The stunning Alps, which cover a huge proportion of the Austrian landscape, offer you miles of fresh piste and ski runs for each capability from emphatic amateur to …Austrian standard. If you are travelling with youngsters, some of the hottest ski locations are Bad Kleinkirchheim, Gerlitzen, Koralpe and Mallnitz. These offer a wide range of a decent range of a reasonable range of beginners’ programs and have wonderful ski college facilities. Skiers and snowboarders hunting for great slopes with great ‘aprs-ski’ nightlife may need to try Nassfeld, St Anton, Schladming, Slden, Kitzbhel, and Mayrhofen.The primary resorts in Austria are brilliantly maintained and entertain a large range of global guests. Nevertheless if you want getting a little taste of the ‘real Austria’, it may be worth moving off the well trodden route. Some of the smaller resorts offer similarly wonderful facilities, but are a bit more ‘Austrian’ in nature, and you are much more likely to get a little taste of normal Austrian cuisine and hospitality here. There’s a massive accommodation choice for your skiing and snow boarding vacation in Austria ; whether or not you are after a five * five star hotel, or an old fashioned self-catered chalet in the mountains, you’ll find a big choice open to you.

Geneva

Geneva is enclosed by mountains making it the key place folk fly into for a skiing or snow-boarding vacation.Ski resorts in the French Alps are only one hour away by automobile and there are a lot of places to board or snowboard including Chamonix, Flaine, Morzine, Avoriaz, Chatel, Champery, Les Crosets, Morillion, St Gervais, Megeve, Argentiere, Les Gets, Gstaad, Leysin and Chteau d’Oex. Transfers can be organized from Geneva airfield to resorts all across the Alps, so whether your ski location is in Chamonix or Verbier, Geneva is the starting point your skiing or snow boarding vacation.

Italy

Italy, Cortina has been rated one of the top 10 destination in the world for skiing this year. Maybe here’s where Alberto “La Bomba” Tomba got his start. Cortina’s ski locations match any others in the Alps and the town served as the host of the Olympics in 1956. Like Zermatt, Switzerland, life in Cortina revolves around a traffic-less street. One of the first ski destination towns, Cortina is also Italy’s most classy place to be for any skiing fan or beginner.

Poland

Each winter, thousands of Poles head for the snow capped mountains in the south and the nations’s main ski destination in Zakopane. The highest city in Poland, offer wonderful perspectives of 2,500 metre high peaks, and in spite of only having a population of about thirty thousand, welcomes over 2,000,000 visitors annually. There are a surplus of slopes in the area suited to each kind of skier, whether or not you are a noob or an advanced skier. As well as Zakopane there are countless resorts and smaller towns dotted along across the mountain ranges neighboring the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Optimum ski conditions are between December and March.

Switzerland

Switzerland was the birthplace of ski holidayss, when the English arrived and started to make skiing a sport of the top-notch. Switzerland is still home to several normal ski cities that have modified little over the years.Arosa, as an example, is an original resort at the end of a winding mountain road and has some of the most plush, grand old hostels in the Alps. Klosters in Switzerland shares the slopes with the busy Davos, however it is a quiet, chalet-style area with old eateries and hostels. In the Jungfrau area you can ski underneath the Jungfraujoch and its glacier, or in the shade of the Eiger. Many ski destinations in Switzerland are car-free, including the enormously popular Zermatt, which nestles underneath the Matterhorn.The skiing is dramatic, and visitors to Switzerland arrive by train and either walk or get to their hotel by horse-drawn sleigh. The views and weather in Switzerland are charming, with fresh powder-like snow excellent for snow boarding and never-ending backdrops of snow-laden evergreen trees surrounding the runs.There are lots of resorts across the Swiss Alps for the potential snowboarder to make a choice from. Resorts for snow boarding are generally in the South of Switzerland, and are about 2-3 hours away from Zurich by public transport.

Verbier Hotels

Verbier has built a reputation as one of the world’s ‘must ski’ resorts. Situated on a sunny, south west facing plateau, at 1500m it has all the attractions and atmosphere of an ancient Swiss village, although in fact most of it has been added since the 1950s, with the original village complete with 17th century chapel lying a little way beneath the modern resort.

The slopes continue on for 400km (250 miles) linking half a dozen ski areas together to make the 4 Valleys, the largest ski area in Switzerland.

Nursery slopes are located close to the resort at Les Moulins and Les Esserts. After initial classes with ski school you will be able to progress on to the wide, rolling and gently sloping Savoleyres runs. La Chaux, within easy reach by the new Chaux Express lift, offers easy sunny slopes.

The 1936 terrain park in La Chaux has three lines (beginners, advanced and pro) with many boxes and rails. There’s also a boarder cross course at Le Tailley. Adrenaline Verbier operates a ‘Learn to Ride’ centre with Burton equipment.

Verbier 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
Rain 15°/8°	Rain 15°/4°	Chance of Rain 10°/3°	Chance of Rain 16°/5°	Chance of Rain 13°/5°	Mostly Cloudy 18°/7°

Verbier has more than 50 bars and restaurants and a reputation for lively nightlife centred on the village square. There are four night clubs of which the Farm Club and ice Box are popular choices.

40 restaurants provide wide ranging dining options including Argentinian, Italian, Japanese and Mexican along side the traditional Swiss Alpine establishments.

Verbier Holidays

Verbier’s success is the result of its wonderful setting, with views out towards Mont Blanc, its well equipped village and its great skiing which begins with the sunny slopes of Savoleyres and Ruinettes and builds to the peaks of the Mont Fort glacier. The slopes continue on for 400km (250 miles) linking half a dozen ski areas together to make the 4 Valleys, the largest ski area in Switzerland.

Verbier 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
Rain 15°/8°	Rain 15°/4°	Chance of Rain 10°/3°	Chance of Rain 16°/5°	Chance of Rain 13°/5°	Mostly Cloudy 18°/7°

Verbier has more than 50 bars and restaurants and a reputation for lively nightlife centred on the village square. There are four night clubs of which the Farm Club and ice Box are popular choices.

40 restaurants provide wide ranging dining options including Argentinian, Italian, Japanese and Mexican along side the traditional Swiss Alpine establishments.

Meribel Ski Holidays

Meribel has had strong British roots right from its inception and this, combined with its location at the heart of the world’s largest ski area, has helped to keep it one of the most popular ski resorts in the world today for UK skiers and boarders.

The original village is largely made up of attractive chalet buildings of all sizes. A newer, higher apartment block complex, Mottaret, is available further up the valley, and the resort also encompasses other small hamlets, some of them linked by gondola.

As well as being sandwiched in the central valley of the Three Valleys, the world’s largest ski area with 600km (375 miles) of linked runs and lifts, Meribel operates more high speed gondolas (15) than any other resort in the world, giving fast access to Corchevel’s valley on one side and Val Thorens on the other.

Although not particularly promoted as a beginner’s destination (you may wish to work up to the world’s largest ski area rather than starting there, but then again…) there are plenty of beginner trails right next to the resort and the huge ski school has a special international section with English speaking teachers who will teach you on the gentle slopes of La Chaudanne. We can offer inclusive beginner packages which include tuition, rentals and lift ticket for a better price than buying them separately. If cost is an issue you will be able to find cheaper packages at smaller resorts.

Meribel 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	23/05/2013	24/05/2013	25/05/2013	26/05/2013	27/05/2013
Chance of Rain 66°/45°	Chance of Rain 64°/37°	Mostly Cloudy 55°/39°	Chance of Rain 54°/41°	Mostly Cloudy 59°/39°	Partly Cloudy 64°/45°

An excellent destination for snowboarders with almost limitless terrain accessed by easy to ride gondolas. The Moonpark is a top notch terrain park which had a new beginners section added last winter (07-08) incorporating mini-tables, mini-box, mini-whoops and a mini boardercross just 200 metres long with a 50 metre vertical. The established park is designed for intermediate and advanced freestylers’ use and extends for 700m over a 200m vertical. The park has its own team of pro riders and even its own website (www.moonstuff.net). There is a second terrain park at Mottaret, the Plattieres snowpark.

Meribel is one of the liveliest French resorts by a good way, with a strong English accent to aprÃ¨s ski activities. These kick off at around 5pm, as the lifts close, at the Rond Point and continue in the 50 or so bars, which include some of the most famous in the Alps, such as Dick’s T Bar night club. Although many guests will be on full board chalet packages, there are still 80 or so restaurants to choose from ranging from affordable pizzerias to several gourmet choices. Chez Kiki and Le Refuge are amongst the more popular choices.

Meribel Hotels

Meribel 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	23/05/2013	24/05/2013	25/05/2013	26/05/2013	27/05/2013
Chance of Rain 66°/45°	Chance of Rain 64°/37°	Mostly Cloudy 55°/39°	Chance of Rain 54°/41°	Mostly Cloudy 59°/39°	Partly Cloudy 64°/45°

Courchevel Hotels

One of the world’s most famous resorts, Courchevel has built a reputation as the ‘St. Moritz of France’ attracting the rich and famous from around the world, most notably Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich who caused a stir by trying to ‘buy’ the resort (he is believed to have ended up with half a dozen properties after a public outcry) and a Hyundai boss who tried to get private use of a few ski runs on the mountain, again causing an uproar.

All the interest of the wealthy is on the original and highest resort of Courchevel 1850, established just after the war and taking the crown of top status from the original French luxury resort Megeve. However Courchevel has four other resort bases beneath 1850, linked together by a bus service.

These are Courchevel 1650, Courchevel 1550 (both purpose built), Courchevel 1300 – based on the original village of Le Praz, and the old village of Saint-Bon (at 1100m, though that’s not mentioned!). It’s important to realize when you book that if you are in one of these lower resorts, although each has a selection of shops and cafes, the bulk of resort facilities are up in 1850.

All of Courchevel’s bases except Saint-Bon have direct gondolas access to the vast Three Valleys ski area, the world’s largest, with 600km (375 miles) of linked runs and more than 2000 vertical metres of skiing. You have the option of buying a lift ticket for the local Courchevel Valley, or for the entire Three Valleys, or even, if that’s not enough, a pass which covers 1500km (933 miles) of runs including neighbouring ski areas. Most accommodation has ski-in, ski-out access.

There are eight free beginner lifts operating around Courchevel, and once you have mastered your turns you’ll find that 50% of the ski runs are graded beginner or intermediate, so there’s plenty to progress on to. A further attraction is the creation of the ZEN Beginners Progression Zone at Courchevel 1850 where beginners can progress in an area protected from the general through-flow of experienced skiers and equipped with its own magic carpet lift. The ZEN zone is free to use.

With 10,000 hectares of freeriding terrain and terrain parks across the Three Valleys this is boarding heaven. The local Plantrey snowpark at Courchevel 1850 is one of the world’s leading parks with two dedicated lifts for users and two dedicated staff looking after the park and organizing events all season long. The park contains quarter and half pipes, tables of all sizes, numerous rails – all you would expect and more in fact.

Courchevel 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
Chance of Rain 19°/7°	Chance of Rain 18°/3°	Mostly Cloudy 13°/4°	Chance of Rain 12°/5°	Mostly Cloudy 15°/4°	Partly Cloudy 18°/7°

There’s a wide selection of bars across the various resort bases, although most are concentrated in Courchevel 1850 where the atmosphere is one of refined sophistication in several establishments. There are ‘regular’ bars too.

There are more than 60 places to eat in Courchevel and the selection ranges from simple creperies up to the gourmet establishments expected by the jet set clientele. You can enjoy traditional French cuisine at Le Table de Mon Grand-pere or visit one of the two Michelin Guide accredited restaurants run by chefs Michel Rochedy at the Chabichou or Jean-Pierre Jacob at the Bateau Ivre.

Courchevel Holidays

Courchevel 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday
Chance of Rain 19°/7°	Chance of Rain 18°/3°	Mostly Cloudy 13°/4°	Chance of Rain 12°/5°	Mostly Cloudy 15°/4°	Partly Cloudy 18°/7°

Chamonix Hotels

One of the world’s most famous ski resorts, Chamonix is a lively resort in a spectacular location beneath Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s highest mountain. Although key in the development of the ski industry, the resort’s history stretches back far beyond winter sports.

It first attracted British travellers as long ago as 1740 with the first accommodation opening in 1770 and mountain sports really beginning in 1786 with the conquest of Mont Blanc.

The nineteenth century was one of high profile visits from the great and the good of that century and Chamonix’s importance continued in to the twentieth century, staging the first Winter Olympics in 1924.

Any visitor to Chamonix will be immediately overwhelmed by the spectacular scenery of high mountains and glaciers, with a massive wall of rock and snow rising from the1000m valley floor up to 4810m above. For skiers this means some of Europe’s highest lifts, serving some of the world’s biggest ski-able verticals, including arguably the longest ski run on the planet, the famous 25km (16 mile) Vallee Blanche off-piste descent. Every year millions of winter sports addicts arrive to pay homage to this great ski area, and although Chamonix is quite low compared to modern resort developments, 90% of the skiing is above 2000m, the highest lifts amongst the highest in the world, so good snow cover remains virtually guaranteed at the top.

Chamonix 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	23/05/2013	24/05/2013	25/05/2013	26/05/2013	27/05/2013
Rain 64°/43°	Chance of Rain 64°/34°	Partly Cloudy 59°/39°	Chance of Rain 50°/37°	Chance of Rain 57°/39°	Chance of Rain 61°/45°

There are probably more convenient and cheaper places to learn to ski than Chamonix, as, it is likely you will need to walk or take the ski bus to reach the nursery slopes (unless you have a particularly fortunately located accommodation). Areas the resort recommends for beginners are Vormaine in the neighbouring village of Le Tour, Les Chosalets at Argentiere up the valley, Le Savoy at the base of Chamonix’s local Brevent slope, served by two drag lifts and an easy to ride conveyor or Les Plenards, two minutes from the town centre, a large area for beginners with two greens, one blue and one red run. A beginner’s pass is available at a lower cost than the area pass.

Chamonix’s international clientele (two thirds arrive from outside France, almost half of them from the UK) give the resort a cosmopolitan feel . There are more than 100 bars and restaurants to choose from, catering for all tastes, and later on several night clubs and a casino. Popular venues include Escape and The Pub.

With a fragmented ski area and the most expensive lift tickets in Europe for children, Chamonix cannot be easily recommended for families. Children aged four and older pay around 80% of the full adult ticket price. There is a choice of non-ski nursery care with the Panda Nursery, or beginner classes at the ski school’s snow garden for children aged three and older. Chamonix does have good facilities for families too in the resort itself with the swimming pool (complete with water slides), ice rink, cinema and lots of good restaurants.

Chamonix Ski Holidays

It first attracted British travellers as long ago as 1740 with the first accommodation opening in 1770 and mountain sports really beginning in 1786 with the conquest of Mont Blanc. The nineteenth century was one of high profile visits from the great and the good of that century and Chamonix’s importance continued in to the twentieth century, staging the first Winter Olympics in 1924.

Chamonix 6 Day Weather Forecast

Today	23/05/2013	24/05/2013	25/05/2013	26/05/2013	27/05/2013
Rain 64°/43°	Chance of Rain 64°/34°	Partly Cloudy 59°/39°	Chance of Rain 50°/37°	Chance of Rain 57°/39°	Chance of Rain 61°/45°