There’s no doubt about it, the 2015-16 season is officially winding down and it’s nearly your last chance to hit the slopes this winter. Hundreds of ski areas have already closed and most of the rest will be shutting up shop for the season after the next three weekends.
Quite a few British tour operators, including the largest, Crystal, have completed their operations for the ski season too, but others still have packages running from this coming weekend and some even weekends after and its some of those we’re listing on this blog.
Late April skiing typically means getting out early to enjoy the best of the snow conditions in the morning then taking a long lunch and either doing a bit more skiing or perhaps moving to another summer mountain sport or just relaxing in the afternoon. Resorts are quiet, prices are low and its actually a magical time to be in the mountains.
And after the poor start to the season over Christmas and New Year, the snow is actually better now, with more terrain open at some areas now than there was back at the start. There’s also been fresh snow in the last week in the Alps, Pyrenees, Scotland and North America. Here’s Stowe in Vermont yesterday, pictured above.
OK on to those deals…
Tignes
Tignes is so snow sure it used to be open year round, and still have the longest season in France, open in to May, then again in the summer and throughout the autumn. It currently has a 1870cm base and a foot of fresh snow is forecast in the coming week.
Ski Collection (02392 890 960) are offering 7 nights in self-catered Le Telemark from £327pp on the week commencing Saturday 23rd April. The residence is situated at the entrance of the resort in Le Lac area on the Bleuet ski slope and offers doorstep skiing.
In addition sister company Peak Retreats (02392 839 310) is offering 10% off as well as one free Sportignes activity card per person on summer skiing in Tignes when you book before 30th April 2016.
This means you get 7 nights in self-catered Le Nevada from £135pp (Was £150pp). It’s a new residence enjoying a unique location in the heart of Val Claret resort, 400m to the main outing and shopping areas and lift to glacier. Prices based on departures on the week of 25th July 2016
Deals based on five sharing and subject to availability.
Verbier
VIP SKI’s Chalet Tortin boasts breath-taking views from the wraparound balcony. It is a few minutes’ walk away from Verbier’s village centre and a mere three minute walk from the Medran lift, where VIP SKI has ski lockers so guests don’t even have to carry their skis to and from the chalet.
Priced from £939 per person for a week’s stay beginning 16th April. Price includes catered accommodation, return flights from London Gatwick, coach transfers and VIP SKI’s chalet service.
La Plagne
La Plagne is another resort with a glacier up top and it currently boasts a 245cm (8 foot) base on it and also has snow in the forecast.
Ski Amis is offering holidays from £249 per person departing this weekend on the 16th, as well as discounted lift passes in all its resorts.
Val Thorens
Guests staying at Club Med (currently 2.5m base, 50cm forecast and open in to May from April 24th will be able to trial the entire range of new Rossignol equipment, which Club Med replaces every season to ensure guests are only ever skiing on the latest kit.
The Sensation Glisse week, in partnership with Rossignol, will see hundreds of customers head to the slopes on brand new Club Med skis, alongside a host of esteemed Rossignol skiing champions and former Olympic champions Enak Gavaggio, Carole Montillet, Sébastien Amiez, and Marion Rolland.
The event will enable Brits to be the first to strap into brand new Rossignol equipment that will then be rolled out into resorts throughout the winter 2016/17 season. Prices start from £1,238 for a week.
Val d’Isère
The Les Balcons de Bellevarde residence from Pierre & Vacances is located in the Daille neighbourhood, at the entrance to Val d’Isère (open to May, 173cm base). It offers fully-equipped, extremely comfortable apartments that make the most of the resort’s long sunny hours. Its’ ideal location at the foot of the slopes and near to the ski lifts allows guests to rapidly access the ski area’s 300 kilometres of slopes.
Priced from £500 per apartment (down from £872 saving 42%) for a seven-night stay in a one bedroom apartment that sleeps up to five people arriving 16th April.