To turn winter from a slog to a slay, or indeed a sleigh, check out the possibilities of a crisp Alpine break. Of course it’s all about the snow, but it’s not necessarily all about the winter sports.
“I have clients who just want to experience that winterscape, and there are parts of Europe you can do it, such as Finnish or Swedish Lapland, where you enjoy that lovely snowy experience, with snow mobiles, husky dogs and reindeer,” explains ski specialist Conor Magee from luxury travel company Oroko.
“But the vast majority of people who go to the mountains in the winter are looking to go skiing or snowboarding and for that, it’s all about the Alps, whether French, Swiss, Italian or Austrian.”
Here too there are horses for courses, he points out, with different resorts ticking different boxes for holidaymakers.
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Some opt for high-altitude resorts such as Courchevel 1850 in the French Alps and Zermatt in Switzerland, as much for the locale as for the snow-sure skiing, he points out. “They want to soak up the atmosphere and go for long lazy lunches and do a bit of shopping in the high-end boutiques too,” he says.
For those focused solely on skiing, his first question is, what time during the season are they looking to travel?
“If it’s early in the season, like Christmas or new year, or late in the season, like Easter, then obviously, with the current world climate, we need to ensure we get our customers to as high an altitude as possible to ensure good quality snow cover and good quality snow,” says Magee.
“From a beginner’s perspective in particular, learning to ski in light, fluffy snow is so much easier than trying to ski in heavy, slushy snow, and altitude plays an important role in that.”
For experienced skiers, it’s all about the expansive ski terrain offered by locations such as the Three Valleys ski area in the French Alps, the largest interconnected ski area in the world with 600km of ski slopes and resorts such as Courchevel, Méribel, and Val Thorens.
Alternatively, there is Espace Killy, which connects the French Alpine resorts of Tignes and Val d’Isère, an hour’s drive away. Zermatt, another favourite, has 200km of ski runs on the Swiss side, and almost double that when combined with the Cervino Ski Paradise resort across the border in Italy.
Regardless of proficiency, the higher you go the more snow sure you can be but if you go in February, the height of the season, “wherever you go across the Alps you are going to get snow,” he says. That opens up a range of picturesque options such as Kitzbühel in Austria, Sölden in Austria, and Les Gets in the lower French Alps.
That matters because, when it comes to atmosphere, not all ski resorts are equal. While some can be quite utilitarian in appearance, others are straight off a Christmas card.
For sheer simplicity and ease, the ability to find a “ski in, ski out” property can’t be beaten, says Magee, particularly when travelling with kids.
For those travelling without children, the après ski scene is more of a factor. “It’s all about matching the criteria that each customer has, and no two requests are the same,” he says.
Ski specialist Topflight has a range of offerings designed to suit all manner of skiers, and budgets. This year it has expanded its ski programme in La Rosière in the French Alps.
“It’s a really gorgeous resort, close to the Italian border, so you can ski between France and Italy, which is really appealing. It also has loads of really good activities for kids and is really popular with families, with plenty of self-catering options to accommodate families staying together,” says Liane Coleman from Topflight.
As well as new resorts in Tignes this season, Topflight has also introduced a Cork to France route, in addition to its popular Cork to Austria route. “This is proving very popular so far for the season ahead,” says Coleman.
Topflight has always offered an extensive range of holidays in Livigno, one of Italy’s best ski resorts, known for an unusually long season from November to May, thanks to its high altitude.
This year the company has expanded its Italian offering with a new collection of resorts in the Dolomites, including Madonna di Campiglio, Val di Fassa, Val Gardena and Pinzolo.
“There’s been a lot of attention on the region following the Winter Olympics and we’re seeing that translate into real interest from Irish skiers. It offers fantastic skiing, but there’s also the scenery, food and Italian hospitality, so the appeal goes well beyond the slopes,” says Coleman.
Austria continues to perform incredibly well with the Irish market. “There’s a real affection for Austrian ski resorts and Zell am See remains particularly popular for us,” she says.
“I think part of that is because people are looking for the complete Alpine holiday – they want great skiing, but they also want atmosphere, good food, lovely hotels and a resort they can enjoy off the slopes too.”
Indeed, one of the biggest trends Coleman has seen in relation to travel has been the rise of multigenerational holidays, including winter breaks in which not everyone wants to hit the slopes.
That has helped drive demand for Zell am See, because it’s wonderful place to be even if you don’t ski. “It’s a great little town, really beautiful, right beside Lake Zell, with great shops and great restaurants,” she explains.
If the mere thought of snow makes you yearn for heat, that’s okay, there are plenty of great winter sun options out there too. Top of the pops for Irish winter holidaymakers, both for value and for weather, are the Canary Islands.
If you fancy a luxury Canaries option, check out the Ritz Carlton Abama, a luxury five-star cliffside resort located in Guía de Isora on the southwest coast of Tenerife, with a Michelin starred restaurant.
But even if the budget doesn’t stretch that far, and you feel you already know the Canaries inside out, the advice of a travel agent can be invaluable.
“Tenerife alone has 26 different micro climates and we know what those are,” says Mary Masterson, sun holiday specialist with Oroko. “When people have limits in terms of the times they can go, it’s really important to get it right.”
If you’re willing to travel further afield, the Caribbean should be top of your winter sun list. As befits a luxury travel operator, Oroko partners with luxury hotelier Belmond, paving the way to some seriously sumptuous breaks in the region.
That includes the elegant beachfront resorts of La Samanna on St Martin and Cap Juluca on Anguilla. “Both are fabulous hotels on beautiful beaches with outstanding food, and you can stay in one and then take a short hop by boat or plane to the other,” says Masterson.
For value, a Caribbean cruise can be a surprisingly good option for winter sun, she points out, particularly over the Christmas period. “It’s a time of year that is peak season for hotels, but cruises typically don’t put their prices up for those couple of weeks,” she says.
