Credit Crunch - Blah! I'm going skiing to Switzerland!
Considering a ski trip in these testing economic times is a difficult decision, but if you are like thousands of other winter holiday enthusiasts you won't be letting a little thing like a world recession get in the way of you hitting the slopes this winter. Having a ski holiday to look forward to is essential if you are to get through those dark and cold winter days in Britain and this year many skiers will be looking for the best value possible. You may also be a little surprised to hear that Switzerland and the Portes du Soleil region offers a great opportunity to ski on a more limited budget. Those who have not tried Switzerland for might be thinking this is an option only for lottery winners, MP's and movie stars but here are some tips on how to beat the credit-crunch and get out on the slopes for less.
1 Buy cheap pay twice
It's nearly always true that if you compromise on quality it will cost you more. Yes you could book a ski trip to Bulgaria or Andorra and yes it will feel great when you get the final invoice. But when you get there you will soon realise why you appeared to be saving so much money .Within days you will have skied all he runs and eaten in the limited number of mountain restaurants. Then you will probably turn to other activities to keep you occupied in an attempt to make good a bad decision. Budget skiing is cheap because it's really for beginners and people who have bought a cheap ski property in a very limited resort. Always book a holiday in a region that has a credible track record of great snow and extensive slopes such as the Swiss or French Alps. Morgins in the Portes du Soleil for example has an amazing snow record, plenty of snow cannons for early season bookers and miles and miles of great skiing.
2 Village chic with big mountain links
Find a mountain village that is a little off the beaten track but is still connected to some great piste skiing. They might not have the fastest lifts or the busiest night life but within minutes of getting off the first lift you can be skiing in some of the biggest circuits around. Morgins, Switzerland for example is perfectly located in the Portes du Soleil circuit yet is small and friendly enough to have a great mix of local Swiss skiers and British tourists. Prices in the bars, restaurants, ski shops and ski schools are considerably lower than those in the major ski resorts such as Courchevel, Meribel and Val D' Isere, yet there is 650km of linked skiing on your doorstep.
3 Location, location, location
Choose your resort carefully - with petrol prices rising you don't want to be driving for hours to get to your destination. If you are flying to Geneva for example then there are many excellent resorts within a short drive of the airport including Chatel, Morzine, Chamonix and Villars. Morgins is an easy 90 minute drive, mostly by motorway and once you arrive you can park the car as nearly all the chalets and apartments are an easy, often flat, walk to the lifts, meaning you will probably use less than half a tank of petrol the whole holiday. Shop around for your flights too there are over 12 regional airports that fly to Geneva in the winter so it's always worth driving a little further from home to get that great deal.
4 A chalet shared can be a chalet cost halved.
Why not consider taking your friends with you or another family and share the costs. Swiss chalets and apartments are on average 25% bigger than their French neighbours meaning for example a family of 10 can often fit comfortably into a three bed roomed apartment.
5. Deal or no deal
When you are in your resort you should always look out for deals and packages on your ski hire and ski lessons. Don't just fall into the nearest ski shop and pay the "tourist price" Your operator should always give you advice on where best to shop. There are also clever ways to cut the price of your lift pass. For example you can get up to 10% off on family packages or if you only want to ski for day every day - be first on the lift and ski till lunch time buying half day passes. Another way to cut your ski pass costs is to go later in the season - Portes du Soleil ski passes are 12% cheaper in April and there is often plenty of great skiing available and no one on the slopes.
6 Picnics welcome
You don't often see that sign in a ski resort but another advantage of skiing late in the season is it is warm enough to avoid those expensive lunches and take a picnic instead.
