Being flexible is great because you literally can choose when to go either in advance or at the drop of a hat.
Early Season Skiing
Early Season i.e November / December you can get some great deals and if you aim high you can get very lucky indeed with a great value ski holiday and great snow conditions and not too busy either. Of course that doesn’t mean the lower resorts are a no no either. Going early gets that fabulous Christmas spirit of fairy light, icy cold and snowy conditions, perfect to get you all the mood for Christmas. The same goes for getting a group chalet with a load of pals and having Christmas out there together. Yes in the lower resorts you do run the risk of slightly lesser conditions, but in general we find the media exaggerates poor conditions and in most resorts, there is still skiing to be had even in the lowest resorts.
Skiing over New Year
New Year is a great time to go, most resorts are well into action by then and the spirit of Christmas is still there.
Skiing in February
Avoiding the Feb half terms and the, what seems like endless French school breaks, means you can avoid flight and accommodation price hikes as well as the notorious lift queues. However February tends to be a great month for snow as the winter by then has really kicked in. Choose your means of travel right, book at the right time and be canny with your accommodation and you can very well find yourself with a fantastic peak season ski trip at a pretty reasonable price.
Skiing in March
Recent years have seen resorts getting more and more snow later into the season so March is a cracking bet all over the world, so if you do ahve the flexibility, this is a greta month to travel.
Skiing at Easter
Obviously Easter dates vary somewhat, however we have seen many great winters in late March / early April, prices tend not to be quite so inflated and you will likely find yourself with plentiful snow in most resorts
Booking Late Season Skiing – April – June
Later season obviously comes with similar warnings to early season skiing, yes you run the risk of slushy skiing and early finishes, but, there is little better than skiing in glorious sunshine, long lunches on the terraces and a cold beer at 3pm.
Booking a Last Minute Ski Holiday
Or become the ultimate snow chaser, either book your time off work and wait til a few days before and book where the snow is great. This obviously has its risks of availability of flights and accommodation, but generally it can work very well indeed! Booking late doesn’t mean you have to skimp on choice.
Taking Pre-school kids on a ski holiday
If you are taking pre school children then the world is your oyster you can choose when you go skiing and get them started as early as you can.
Taking babies on a ski holiday
It’s great for little ones to get used to the cold and the snow so use these years to get them used to the feel of snow and wrapping up warm
Skiing with 2-4 years old
This is an idea time to try them out on skis, that doesn’t mean bombing down a slope with them, try pulling them along on a level piece of slope, near your hotel or chalets so you can quickly get them in and get them warm if you need to. Don’t overdo it and don’t force it – if you put them off now, they may never come back!
Taking school children skiing
Taking children of school age is certainly not something to shy away from – I find it hard to consider a better family holiday than skiing…the exercise, the fresh air, the education of the mountains and the learning or perfecting a skill, its all just perfection.
Skiing at Christmas
Taking children over the Christmas break is really lovely, holding onto that magical time of year in a place where frankly Britain can rarely match, really does give your children a Christmas to remember. And right now prices are not astronomical and there are deals to be had over the Christmas period.
Yes snow depths can be risky, but if its that vital then aim high and you should be safe, or go with the attitude of, theres lots of activities including skiing, let’s have a great Christmas winter holiday and I’m confident you will never be disappointed.
Skiing over Half Term and Easter Holidays
We all know that the prices tend to race up during these peak travel times, so our advice is either book early, or be canny.
A group driving down rather than flying may take a little longer, but door to door the difference isn’t huge and means you can carry as much weight as you like and you save a small fortune.
Group booking chalets and large apartments means you can take food with you or shop when there and this also means your can make massive savings.
Or look at the slightly lesser names resorts, rather than the usual suspects, this can find you flying into smaller airports, with quicker transfer times and lower prices all round.
Whatever you decide, don’t shy away from taking your children skiing, skiing is a family is fantastic fun and at the end of the day when the children are tired, you can enjoy a drink in front of the fire – everyone is happy.
