July 30th, 2008 - Posted by: Powder Monkey

Skiing on a Budget

It hasn’t escaped my notice that in the UK everyone is harping on about something called the credit crunch. In an effort to save money, the good British public have sacrificed their summer holidays in 2008. It is my esteemed view that in doing so they are protecting their winter ski holiday because snow is way more appealing than sand.

Skiing Holidays on the Cheap

And as Snowjet early sales of flights to Chambéry suggest, the Brits will again descend on the slopes in force in 2008/2009. But perhaps this winter we will see a slight decline in popularity of ‘designer’ resorts like Val d’Isere and Courchevel in favour of cheaper alternatives. And choosing a less illustrious resort doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same snow.

La Tania – 1¼ hours from Chambery

Courchevel conjures the image of swanky hotels and top end chalets; gourmet restaurants and designer boutiques; fur coats and designer frocks; football club owners and film stars. But it’s really only Courchevel 1850 that is frequented by the international jet set. 1850, the single most expensive village in France, is also the pinnacle in terms of altitude of several distinct resorts in the valley. In ski resorts, cost is often related to altitude, so it follows that lowly La Tania, at 1300m, comes at a fraction of the price of its ritzy high-altitude neighbour. But despite its relatively modest height, La Tania offers ski-in ski-out convenience, with homeruns maintained by super-efficient snow making equipment when necessary. And it’s fully integrated into The Three Valleys, the largest ski area in the world, which bridges ski giants Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens. La Tania is small and friendly, but very lively by night; several of its bars have a real cult following even among those who live the high life up above.

Sainte Foy – 1½ hours from Chambéry Airport

Val d’Isère is up there with Courchevel in terms of cost and draws a wealthy clientele with its decadent 4 star hotels and luxury chalets. If you like luxury but don’t want to break the bank, try staying instead in up-and-coming Sainte Foy. This secret gem is just down the road from its famous neighbour and boasts some fabulous top-end chalets and luxury self-catered accommodation of its own. The ski area is compact but great for families and the area has a well deserved reputation as a back country paradise. And at the epicentre of Val, Tignes, Les Arcs, La Plagne and La Rosière, the resort is also ideally located to ski a different area every day of your holiday.

Bourg Saint Maurice – 1½ hours from Chambéry Airport

Valley town Bourg Saint Maurice is a great place for skiers on a budget to access Paradiski, the vast ski area spanning Les Arcs and La Plagne. Working on the altitude to expense theory you’ll have figured out that Bourg is considerably cheaper than its high-altitude neighbours. Although there is no skiing in Bourg itself, a funicular whisks skiers up from the valley to Arc 1600 in just 7 minutes. From Les Arcs some 400km of piste are accessible thanks to the remarkable 200-man Vanoise Express cable car which links the resort to La Plagne. However, staying in either of the twin resorts means a trade-off of looks and personality in favour of ultimate skiing convenience. Staying in Bourg, on the other hand, involves no such compromise. It is a lively, authentic and not unattractive mountain town and you can be on the slopes in minutes.

And my final words of wisdom are to book early for the best flight deals.

Tags: Bourg Saint Maurice, budget ski holidays, La Tania, Resorts, Sainte Foy, ski holidays, Snowjet
Posted in Skiing in France, Skiing on the Cheap, Snowjet | 1 Comment »