Emma Cullinan has news and advice for anyone thinking of hitting the slopes this season
Skiing is the perfect antidote to sitting in front of a computer all day: it's those spectacular peaks, that sharp air and the sliding at speed, powered by gravity and adrenalin. There's that ahh - and a touch of argh - moment when you reach the top of the slope for the first time in the season and head on down. Bliss.
Package tours offered to Irish skiers have been fairy limited until recently, catering mainly for beginners in the smaller resorts of Austria and Italy, but that's changing in recognition that there are more advanced skiers in Ireland now. Inevitably, the international operators have moved in and are offering more varied holidays - although we still don't have the choice enjoyed by our Continental counterparts.
Unless, that is, you're prepared to book your own flights and accommodation. This is a great option for families with children, as package deals can be very expensive when you're multiplying the cost of each package holiday by, say, four (especially at peak times such as Christmas, New Year and half-terms). There are some discounts for children but in peak season you're still looking at €4,000 for a week plus the cost of ski hire, lift pass and perhaps lessons.
FRANCE
Most French resorts are ugly, purpose-built concrete towns. A strange exception is Avoriaz in the extensive Portes du Soleil ski area, which straddles the Swiss-French border. Avoriaz is a 1960s architectural phenomenon that looks like a space station (the buildings are now protected by the French government). The resort's charm lies in the fact that it is car-free and the streets jingle with horse-drawn sleighs.
Avoriaz is good for families as it has such a range of slopes, from gentle reds to the famous "wall" (locally known as La Chavanette), a steep run with super-high moguls. There's a tremendous feeling of achievement in getting down it, although in many cases the manner of the descent might not be graceful. The resort has three terrain parks for snow borders. You can ski for miles here and complete the Portes du Soleil circuit across Switzerland and France (although it does involve a trek through the village of Morgins and a bus through Chatel: a town that is a good source of cheap ski equipment). Snow cover can be patchy in low season.
For families, the resort of Flaine is good because it sits in a bowl of runs that return to the centre of town, and access to lifts is easy. Good for intermediates (www.flaine.com).
Tourist office 00-33-450-74-0211; www.avoriaz.com or www.portesdusoleil.com. Airport Geneva, 2 hours. Lift passes Portes du Soleil (covers 14 resorts) €176 for six days; 60yrs and over €150 for six days, children (5-15) €120 for six days
SWITZERLAND
Crans Montana amalgamates the villages of Crans (quieter, and pronounced "Crong") and Montana. They have aspirations here, with their designer shops, but in reality smart high streets don't sit well up an Alp. The mountain scenery is beautiful, with a panoramic view across the Rhône Valley. The south-facing slopes into town can get crowded but head to the pistes on the other side of the mountain and things are quieter. There's a wonderful, wide red run down from the Cry d'Err as well as a great, easy enough piste down from the Plaine-Morte glacier, reached by a dangling gondola straight out of Where Eagles Dare. Intermediates can really get moving in this resort, and its wide slopes make it good for skiing en famille. There is a terrain park and half-pipe for borders.
Tourist office 00-41-27-485-0404; www.crans-montana.ch. Airport Geneva, 2.5 hrs. Lift passes €175 for 6 days; women 63yrs and over, men 65yrs and over, €149 for 6 days; children 6-15yrs, €105, 16-19yrs, €149, both for 6 days.
AUSTRIA
St Anton was one of the first Alpine ski resorts and attracts a huge crowd from across Europe, so is best avoided in peak times. Having said that, it has installed the lifts to cope with the numbers, whisking you up out of the classic Austrian town, which is now beginning to sprawl.
St Anton's appeal is in its long, challenging runs, making it a pleasure for advanced skiers. It's wonderful skiing right from the top of the Kapall run all the way to the base. It's a bit limited for beginners, although there is a number of nursery slopes near the town. There's a board park across the valley in Rendle and this area is also known for its free-riding snowboard terrain.
Tourist office 00-43-5446-22690; www.stantonamarlberg.com. Airports Innsbruck, one hour, Friedrichshafen, 1.5 hours, Munich 3.5 hours. Lift passes Arlberg Ski Pass €170-€187 for 6 days; women 60yrs and over, and men 65yrs and over, €147-€160, both for six days. 75yrs and over, €10 for whole season; children, €99-€114 for six days.
Just over the mountain from St Anton is Ischgl, which is a good bet for skiing in both early and late season as it is so high (it stays open until the beginning of May, as does St Anton). There's some gentle off-pisting and fresh powder isn't skied out too quickly. Beginners will find the final slope back into town tricky and will probably need to take a lift down (www.ischgl.com).
Schladming is a lovely resort for families and intermediate skiers and is based above a real town rather than a purpose-built resort. Lift queues are rare and it's just a couple of hours' drive from Salzburg (www.schladming-rohrmoos.com).
ANDORRA
Andorra has generally smaller ski areas than other European resorts and is duty free. It used to be cheap, so proved a good place to try out skiing without breaking the bank (although it's getting more expensive now). While other European resorts give you the Continental experience, Andorra is packed with English-speaking skiers. The resort of Soldeu has expanded recently and improved its lift system. It's a good place to start skiing because there are no big ski egos here, and few brilliant skiers, so the pressure's off.
The slopes are well-groomed and there's little challenge in terms of bumps, although local experts can take you down a forested valley, with an opportunity to see real bears!
Tourist information 00-376-89-0500; www.grandvalira.com. Airport Toulouse, 3.5 hours; Barcelona, hours. Lift passes €163-€168 for six days; 65yrs and over €123-€129 for six days, free for 70yrs and over; children €123-€129 for six days.
THE US
With air travel the way it is, more people are heading Stateside to ski. The reasons for going are well-groomed pistes, friendly people and the often good-quality snow that falls on the Rockies, whose resorts include Aspen (an old mining town and home to some Hollywood stars) and Steamboat Springs (cowboy country).
The Aspen trees that grow in these parts are fantastic to ski through, because they have slender twigless trunks at their base. Make the most of the long journey and spend one week skiing and another week being a tourist: the Rocky ski resorts are near to Denver and the eastern resorts such as Belleayre Mountain resort in the Catskills or Stone Mountain in Vermont are close to New York and Boston.
Tourist office Steamboat 00-1-970-879-6111; www.steamboat.com. Tourist office Aspen 00-1-970-925-1220; info@aspensnowmass.com; www.aspensnowmass.com. Airport Denver airport is 3.5 hours from both Aspen and Steamboat. Lift passes are expensive in the Colorado resorts, and are typically above the $300 mark for six days. In Steamboat kids skiing with an adult don't pay for the lifts.
ITALY
The jaunty resort of Sauze D'Oulx is good for beginners and intermediates and doesn't have too many pretensions. The pizza and pub brigade is well catered for. There are some lovely long runs for intermediates, and a couple of challenging black runs. Over the mountain in Sestriere is the Kandahar slalom run, which is fun to race down. When it's icy you just marvel at how those racers plunge down it without descending in an undignified skid. This ski area - attached to the Milky Way (Via Lattea in local parlance) ski circuit - will host the 2006 Winter Olympics, so there should be considerable investment in these resorts and you'll see world-class skiing if you book your holiday during the races.
Tourist office 00-39-0122-858009; www.montagnedoc.it. Airport Turin, one hour Lift passes €145-€163 for six days; 60-75yrs €127-€143 for six days; children €72.50-€81.50 for six days.
TOUR OPERATORS
Crystal Holidays 01-4331080, www.crystalholidays.ie Topflight 01-2401700, www.topflight.ie. Panorama 0818-202020, www.panoramaholidays.ie Inghams 01-6611377, www.inghams.ie
AIRLINES
www.ryanair.com, www.easyjet.com, www.aerlingus.com, www.britishairways.com, www.flybe.com, www.eujet.com, www.directski.com, www.gohop.ie