VIP SKI Blog

Our team sent us this sunny shot from just outside The Farmhouse chalet on Tuesday morning. Temperatures were around -7 and I think it’s safe to say the snow isn’t going anywhere for a while. 

With so much snow arriving in the Three Valleys, Courchevel hosted a very special early opening day on Wednesday. Those lucky enough to live nearby took advantage of the fantastic conditions and we received these great photos from the resort. 

The lifts in Meribel don’t open until early December but there’s been reports of locals hiking up the mountains to enjoy some of the fresh powder – I can’t say I blame them, the conditions sound simply unmissable. 

Our very own La Plagne webcam has been reporting blue skies and fresh snow all week. With exactly one month until it opens, we’re so excited for the start of another season in La Plagne. 

On their way back from Val d’Isere our team went via Morzine to visit our new Colibri chalets. They told us snow conditions were as good as Val d’Isere and couldn’t believe how cold it was. Our Sales Director even spotted someone out on the piste in Les Gets, clearly the locals are already taking advantage of the fresh snow.

Avoriaz has reported over 60cm of snow and we can’t wait to see what the next few weeks will bring. 

Living up to its reputation of the Island of the sun, conditions in Alpe d’Huez look ideal. There’s plenty of fresh snow, temperatures are remaining low, and the sun is still shining. Preparation is now well underway to get the resort ready for it’s opening on 2^nd December.

Looking at the St Anton webcams you would think it’s practically the middle of the winter – not the beginning! With just three weeks to go until the resort opens on 9^th December we’re certainly very excited by the photos we’re seeing from resort. 

The Lech tourist board have been counting down to the start of the season with daily updates on their Facebook page. We’re all incredibly jealous of those who have managed to sneak out of the office and up the mountain to enjoy some fresh powder. 

Check out their photo & video updates here

If all this snowfall is making you dream of skiing and you’ve not yet got your holiday booked, call the team today on 0208 875 1957 or email ski@vip-chalets.com

We’re offering all adults staying in Hotel Theodul €100 to spend behind our bar this Christmas.

Only 16 days left – Offer expires 10 November

Book a whole chalet in any of our resorts and get a FREE VIP SKI nanny or book rooms in a shared chalet and get a nanny for half price.

Only a few days left – limited nannies available

Stay in Bellevarde Lodge Merlot on any January date or 4 Feb and get your lift pass and ski hire completely FREE (not combinable with Saver Week discount)

Only 23 days left – Offer expires 17 November

Our La Plagne chalets couldn’t be in a better location. With ski in ski out access they’re the perfect place to enjoy the delights of the Paradiski area. Book any Jan date or 4 Feb and ave up to £260 , special offer price £999pp

Only 1 month to book – Offer expires 24 Nov

Stay in Chalet Davos on 4 Feb, 11 or 18 March and not only will you get a FREE gold ski hire, the team from Precision will also pop into your chalet and fit the skis for you.

Only 1 month to book – Offer expires 24 Nov

If you’re spending the weekend looking for your next ski holiday, then we’re here to help. We’ll be open 10am – 2pm on Saturday or you can browse any of the above offers on our website. Alternatively, call Gina, Lottie, Jonnie, Andy, Lou or Georgia from 8:30 – 7pm Monday to Friday to take advantage of any of our six great offers.

If you’ve already booked your stay, or you’re considering visiting, why not check out our list of 12 fun facts you might not know about its history, skiing in Lech and the Hotel Theodul. 

1. Lech has its own micro climate which means the snow record is one of the best in the Austrian alps. Bring on those powder days!

2. From Lech, you can access the whole Arlberg ski area made up of 305km of runs, making it the biggest ski region in Austria.

3. The first attempt to ski the Austrian Arlberg region was made by the parish priest of Lech in 1895.

4. Lech is just 1.5hrs from Friedrichshafen airport on our transfer coach. You'll be tucking into your afternoon tea cake in no time!

5. Since 2006, Lech has hosted “The White Ring Race”. The race covers the popular ski circuit between Lech and Zurs, consisting of 22km of pistes and 5550m of altitude. This year celebrates the 50^thAnniverasry of the ski circuit. 

6. Lech was featured in the film “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason”

7. Lech has several highly rated restaurants, many of which feature in the popular “Gault Millau” restaurant guide. Don't worry, you can ski off the calories

8. The resort is popular with royalty. Diana, The Princess of Wales brought William & Harry here to learn to ski. The King of Spain, Dutch royal family and King of Jordan are also regular visitors.

9. 2400 people per hour can be transported by the newly constructed Flexenbahn lift during peak operation

10. Our ski hire partner Strolz originated back in 1921 when Ambros Strolz opened his own boot making workshop. You'll feel more like you're in a luxury hotel than a ski shop. 

11. The Hotel Theodul dates back to 1968 when it was built by the Walch family

12. The hotel has plenty of family rooms and suites, making it great for families and groups.

Peak dates in Hotel Theodul are filling up fast and we wouldn’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to stay in this fatntastic resort. We’ve got some great offers including free kids places, £100pp savings and much more. 

A charmingly traditional resort, which retains a homely small village ambience despite its fame, Meribel nestles in the centre of the immense Trois Vallées ski area, one of the largest in the world.

Some 600 kilometres of trails provide a vast amount of choice whatever your ability ensuring that Meribel is as popular with families as it is for advanced skiers. This is a picture-perfect resort lined with superb amenities, but in our opinion what really sets Meribel apart is the sheer scale of the terrain available to you.

Find out more about Meribel and the chalets we have available

The most eastern resort of the vast Trois Vallées ski area, Courchevel offers upmarket skiing at its finest. Four distinct villages, of which Courchevel 1850 (named for its altitude) is the glitziest, attract a jet-set clientele with luxurious accommodations, Michelin starred restaurants and a village lined with upscale boutiques.

The skiing is no less impressive of course. Courchevel serves up a wide selection of runs with some particularly challenging blacks, and a superb lift network that sees amazingly low queues even during the busiest periods.

Find out more about Courchevel and the chalets we have available

Val d’Isere, along with Meribel, typically draws a strong British presence with its long, snow-sure season and world famous après ski. The resort is close to the border with Italy, and combines with neighbouring Tignes to create the L’Espace Killy ski area, which offers 300 kilometres of terrain, with 90 lifts, including two funiculars, a gondola and several six-person chairlifts.

Advanced skiers are especially well-served in Val d’Isere, which regularly hosts championship events and promises the thrilling Face de Bellevarde, which was used for the men’s downhill in the 1992 Winter Olympics.

Find out more about Val d’Isere and the chalets we have available

Centrepiece of the extensive Portes du Soleil ski area, which makes up some 280 slopes across French and Swiss territory, Morzine was the brainchild of Jean Vuarnet, a local boy who took downhill gold at the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Although its low altitude can make it a risky bet at the start and finish of the season, Morzine is always a popular option for families, with a raft of excellent winter activities on offer, from tobogganing and ice skating to lake diving.

Find out more about Morzine and the chalets we have available

A favourite among European royalty for generations, Lech ranks among the most prestigious ski resorts in Austria – think custom-made ski boots and heated seats on the chairlifts. That exclusive reputation tends to put off casual day-trippers, and consequently a relaxed atmosphere pervades the resort even during peak season.

Forming part of a huge interconnected ski area, which includes the famous White Ring tour, Lech is a wonderfully snowy resort that has produced its fair share of Olympic luminaries.

Find out more about Lech and the chalets we have available

St. Anton is among the most popular ski resorts in Austria, known for its spectacular scenery and tricky off-piste terrain. A state-of-the-art lift system and an ample snow record only make it more desirable.

For many visitors however, St. Anton’s appeal lies in what happens after the lifts close down for the day - the nightlife here is some of the wildest in Europe. Our tip? If you can resist the pull of the bars and clubs, then you can be fairly confident of nice clear slopes for your early morning runs.

Find out more about St Anton and the chalets we have available

Whistler Blackcomb is without question one of Canada’s largest and finest ski resorts. Just a two-hour drive north of trendy Vancouver, it boasts an exceptional snow record – the locals speak of “champagne powder” – averaging around 38 feet of snowfall every season. Ranked best in the world an astonishing four times in five years by SKI Magazine, Whistler is characterised by long tree-lined runs and rugged, wild scenery amplified by regular Pacific storms.

Getting around is a breeze. The incredible PEAK 2 PEAK gondola links Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, creating a network of over 200 pistes, while the lift system has an overall capacity of more than 60,000 people per hour.

Vertiginous Cervinia is less pricey than Zermatt over the border in Switzerland, but shares equal access to more than 300 kilometres of terrain, which is reliably snowy throughout a long season. It’s not surprising that many visitors will return year after year.

Overlooked by the imposing Matterhorn, it has to be said that some of the resort’s older architecture is not especially attractive. However, it is the slopes rather than the village that have cemented Cervinia’s reputation as one of the most sought-after ski resorts in Italy – lazily cruising along in the sunshine here is simply idyllic.

Ranked the number one resort in Japan, Niseko in Hokkaido is composed of four interlinked ski areas: Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and An’nupuri, which can all be skied on one pass.

Niseko’s reliable powder snow arrives on the winds from Siberia for an annual average of 15m. Given the variety of runs, off-piste terrain and night-skiing here, not to mention the renowned facilities, we think that whatever your ability, this is probably the best place to start if it’s your first time skiing Japan.

An enormously popular Colorado resort that has long been a retreat for reclusive celebrities and corporate executives, Aspen spans four ski areas that provide a rich variety of terrain across some 240 kilometres of pistes. Beginners and intermediates are best served in either Buttermilk or Aspen Highlands, while Aspen Mountain, or Ajax as it’s known to the locals, presents a challenging proposition even for more advanced skiers.

We recommend skiing Aspen towards the end of the season, when the crowds drawn by the high-octane Winter X Games have dispersed and the raw beauty of the Rockies is usually at its clearest.

One of the oldest and most snow-sure resorts in France, Les Deux Alpes is home to the largest skiable glacier in Europe, allowing for enviable summer skiing. A long season, coupled with a highly regarded snow park and fantastic après ski makes Les Deux Alpes a firm favourite with all grades of skier.

Such is the number of runs, you can comfortably ski here all week without covering the same ground twice, while unusually, the most challenging runs tend to be the lower ones closest to the resort. Once you’ve taken off your skis for the day, you can also choose from an appealing selection of winter activities include snowmobiling, horse-drawn sleigh rides and paragliding.

We hope this list has provided a bit more inspiration for your next ski holiday. We have over 70 properties across 10 resorts in France and Austria so if one of those listed above catches your eye, get in touch and speak to one of our Sales Team.