The problem with most packaged ski holidays is that, from a skiing perspective, they’re not time-efficient. How many times have you got up before the crack of dawn, trudged to the airport, made your flight, waited for other flights to come in, finally got your transfer coach, visited half a dozen different properties in a few resorts en route then finally arrived at your destination late afternoon – just too late to get on the slopes in fact. Then at the other end of your holidays it’s no better – you still have to leave too early for it to be worth going out skiing...

If you want more from your ski holiday than just great slopes, the Italian Dolomites are hard to beat. There are the spectacular pink mountains, sometimes referred to as “rocky cathedrals”, towering above you, then there is the rich culture that still exists in the ancient towns and villages of the valleys. This, in ski holiday terms, translates into authentic food and drink to enjoy and very reasonable prices too. The good thing is that, these days, visiting an unspoilt ski destination no longer means putting up with aged ski lifts. On the contrary, resorts in the huge Dolomiti Superski region, with...

What do you look for in your perfect ski holiday destination?  You want value of course, but, whatever you’re paying, you want to be sure that there’ll be snow. Somewhere with fast, comfortable lifts would be nice, as well as nice slopeside accommodation so it’s only a few steps from your bed to the slopes in the morning, and vice versa. Lots of exciting terrain, bags of character, great views and a short airport transfer would be the icing on the cake for most of us. Trying to find a resort that ticks all the boxes is always a challenge though. You...

If you fancy a little sunshine alongside your deep snow this winter, it might be time to visit the largest ski area in the southern Alps, Serre Chevalier Briançon – which boasts 300 days of sun a year! Despite being one of the less well known of the giant French ski areas, in Britain at least, “Serre Che” – as it’s known to its friends – certainly has the stats that stack up alongside the biggest of the rest, with 3,901 hectares of skiable terrain (the largest in the region), divided into more than 80 runs for all tastes and ability levels and served by no fewer than...

The last few years have been pretty good to Marcel Hirscher. The 2018/19 season saw him claiming two Olympic gold medals and three FIS World Cup titles, meaning that he now holds a record seven consecutive World Cup titles and is renowned by many as the best alpine skier in history. The only way is up, it would seem. However, this summer rumours have been running rife about what the future holds for Austria’s slalom star. A recent marriage and the birth of his baby son have convinced many that Hirscher would not be returning to the international racing circuit,...

The fact is, for many snow lovers, it’s important to make the most of your time on the mountain. Skiing is demanding on your body and, let’s be honest, it’s not a cheap hobby. For those of us who don’t go out regularly (unlike youngsters in their 20s), a big night out can have serious consequences: waking up in a late morning haze, tired, weary, confused and slow … leading to lost time on the slopes and kicking yourself for going to that last bar. You could instead be enjoying the first lift and those fabled fresh tracks. Smaller ski resorts are...