The popularity of short ski break and ski weekend packages has increased dramatically in the past three to five years. No doubt driven by similarly increasing demands on leisure skiers time from: work, family, college, children and many other areas.
Whereas, two long winter sports holidays was the norm a decade or so ago, fewer skiers are now able to commit to nearly half of their annual holiday leave. But the lure of the mountains is a strong one; where there is a will there is a way, and the way is a short sharp blast to the Alps – step forward the Ski Weekend package holiday.
Concentrating on resorts close to airports with a plentiful supply of budget airline seats, tour operators have cast their short break net to cover resorts within a 1 to 3 hour transfer zone. For an airport such as Geneva, Chamonix creeps in at around 3.5 hours, as do the Portes du Soleil resorts of Les Gets and Morzine. The Trois Vallees are also bone fide ski weekend destinations, with companies like iGOSKi aiming to get their skiers from London to Meribel in around 4.5 hours.
Meribel is a brilliant option because it manages to cram so much alpine fun and games alongside epic ski terrain and conditions into a ski weekend package. However, the temptation to burn the candle at both ends is much harder to live with when on a short break than during a weeklong holiday. With breakfast at around 7.30 and lifts opening at 9 there is not much time for a lie-in to sleep of the Apres Ski from the night before! Of course no one wants to miss on-snow time, after all, that’s what you are there for.
Skiers with their own equipment are slightly better off than those without when it comes to the first morning. They can avoid time spent fitting skis & boots at the hire shop on the first morning, and handing them in at the end of the weekend. That gives them more time on the slopes – or in bed!
It is important to choose snow sure or high altitude resorts. The ski weekender doesn’t have the luxury of time to wait for good conditions. On a one or two week ski holiday it is tempting to miss a day if the conditions are not so good, but for the weekender every on-snow moment is precious.
The feeling of going back to work on Monday morning after having taken on the best of the Alps, and only taken a days holiday is hard to beat. This is only amplified by the looks on your colleagues faces as you recount steep descents, waist deep powder, and the effects of glühwein!