Spring may be upon us, but that’s no reason to wish away the rest of the ski season. Rather, if you haven’t made it to the slopes this season yet, this is your last chance, and if you have, then why not make the most of the great conditions so far and squeeze in a second sortie to the Alps? Or the Dolomites or Pyrenees for that matter? The latter is still enjoying its snowiest ever season, and coming into its own now with an hour more daylight than the Alps, as well as warmer temperatures.
But it’s getting lighter and warmer everywhere, which is thankfully not a problem at most locations this season thanks to the thick snowpack. And even more enticing is the fact that March and April is when resorts start offering serious lift pass discounts, and organise fun events in order to do their bit to encourage you to the slopes.
Along with events arranged by the resorts themselves, some of the biggest festivals are organised from the UK, and are easy to access with Monarch flights (monarch.co.uk/ski). They operate from various UK airports to the heart of the Alps and the Pyrenees and can include accommodation/lift pass, as well as (where there’s a cost – several are free) access to the festivals when you’re there.
Here’s our pick of five of the best:
John Bishop, Altitude Comedy Festival, Mayrhofen
Fly from London Gatwick or Manchester to Innsbruck (monarch.co.uk/ski).
Now in its sixth year, the Altitude Comedy Festival (altitudefestival.com) returns to Mayrhofen from 18–23 March, with John Bishop headlining a star-studded comedy line-up, which also includes Phill Jupitus, Marcus Brigstocke, and many others. Many more names are set to be added including, we’re promised, on 4 March a major international stadium-filling comedy superstar. They’ll join a long list of performers over the years that include most of the great, good and slightly dodgy in British comedy, with the bigger names including Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle, Ed Byrne, Tim Minchin, Kevin Bridges, Milton Jones, amongst others.
The Nextmen, The BRITS, Tignes
Fly from London Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester to Grenoble (monarch.co.uk/ski).
The BRITS, which run from 23–30 March this winter, is one of the longest established snow sports and music festivals there is, indeed it turns 24 this year, older than many of those in attendance. The festival combines gigs and parties (check out the signature fancy dress theme night – moving from 80s last year to 90s this year) with world-class competition on the slopes.
The week-long festival has been staged in Laax, Switzerland, for several years, but for 2013 is launching in Tignes, France, which is also host resort for the European edition of the Winter X Games. The Nextmen are headlining this year. Packages, starting from £279 based on four sharing in a self-catering apartment, include seven nights’ accommodation, 6-day lift pass, festival wristband, and an official BRITS Funi beanie.
Roses Gabor, Snowboxx, Arinsal, Vallnord
Fly from London Gatwick or Manchester to Barcelona (monarch.co.uk/ski).
Andorra has long been known as the party capital of the Pyrenees, if not the whole of the ski world, thanks to sunny slopes, duty-free prices, and a relaxed atmosphere. This year there’s especially abundant snow too, after some of the biggest falls for a decade in January and February. The Pyrenean principality has hosted a long list of fun music festivals, including the recent Big Snow Fest, which latterly moved east, but is now replaced by Snowboxx, aka ”Ibiza on Ice” (snowboxx.com). The festival will touch down in Arinsal (Vallnord) from 22–28 March. The event is being organised by independent travel firm Mainstage Travel, a young company formed by two Manchester graduates whose previous successes include the Magaluf Takeover. The aim is for festival-goers to ride all day and dance all night, and it was all but sold out as we went to press.
BB Brunes, Rock The Pistes, Portes du Soleil
Fly from London Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester to Grenoble (monarch.co.uk/ski).
With most ski music festivals the idea is that you go to gigs in the evening after a day of fun on the slopes, but Rock The Pistes (20–24 March, en.rockthepistes.com), which takes place in the vast Portes du Soleil region (en.portesdusoleil.com) straddling the French-Swiss border, with 650km of piste linking 12 resorts including Champéry, Châtel, Les Gets and Morzine, is a little different. At Rock The Pistes the main gigs are staged at lunchtimes in spectacular locations around the vast area and you ski to them each morning for the free show, then back to your base resort in the afternoon where the festivities should continue. There’s an eclectic mix of performers, and the free concerts take place at 1.30pm each day.
Deep Purple, Top Of The Mountain, Ischgl
Fly from London Gatwick to Friedrichshafen (monarch.co.uk/ski).
The Top of the Mountain concert is the biggest music event on snow each winter, with A-list stars performing in a spectacular venue located high on the slopes above the cult Austrian resort of Ischgl.
The gigs help highlight the fact that Ischgl (ischgl.com) is still buzzing right to the start of May, and is a good snow-sure choice if you’re planning a trip anytime in March or April.
The list of stars to have rocked at Top of the Mountain include: Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Pink, Kylie, Mel C, Katy Perry and Elton John (twice). This year it will be Deep Purple performing to at least 20,000 fans on 30 April. You need a lift pass to get up there, but the gig, part of a full weekend of season-ending celebrations, is free.
John Bishop, Mayrhofen, 18–23 March: altitudefestival.com
The Nextmen, Tignes, 23–30 March: the-brits.com
Roses Gabor, Arinsal, Vallnord, 22–28 March: snowboxx.com
BB Brunes, Rock The Pistes, Portes du Soleil, 20–24 March: en.rockthepistes.com
Deep Purple, Ischgl, 30 April: ischgl.com
