Weekend ski getaways

by Felix Milns

No need to book a week away. Enjoy a few affordable days on the slopes with our no-nonsense tips

Ski weekends are no longer just an expensive fad. One day off work means three days on the slopes and there's a great range of cheap flights this winter. Tour operators and hotels alike have warmed to the idea. And a clutch of weekend specialists can ensure speedy transfers, good deals on equipment hire and accommodation (particularly with hotels who do not normally offer weekend packages). They can even pre-organise your lift passes to save you precious time in the morning.

When to go
Low season is the cheapest time, with good deals available pre-Christmas, early January and late March. It is worth avoiding very popular resorts at peak times (and most of France in February) as accommodation is scarce and queues plentiful.

How to choose
When choosing a resort, bear in mind a short transfer time between airport/city and mountain is a double-edged sword, as it also means more local weekend skiers.

Weekend trips also give you the opportunity to try lower and smaller resorts you might not choose for a whole week, particularly if you book relatively last minute. Many weekend enthusiasts book cheap flights in advance then choose a resort nearer the time based on snow conditions. If you want to plan ahead, choose a relatively high resort but not one completely above the tree line as bad weather may close much of the mountain.

Organising your own ski weekend
If you are organising your trip yourself, maximise the time on the slopes by going for late flights both ways and hiring a car. Ironically, even though sorting your car in advance can be cheaper, that's not always best route, as it ties you to a specific hire company and the queues can be infuriating, particularly when the hire company has a tie-in with a budget airline. Expect to pay between £60 to £100 across Europe for a car for a long weekend - and don't forget to ask for snow chains.

Accommodation is best organised through the local tourist office as it tends to have better rates with the hotels. Another alternative is to contact tour operators last minute to see what accommodation they have. Finally, a third option is to try www.igluski.com, which has ski holiday deals.

Best weekend ski destinations
All selected resorts have good weekend availability and are within easy reach of the transfer airport.

Best for powder
Chamonix, France (1,035m-3,840m), Geneva, 1hr 10mins www.chamonix.com +33 450 530 024

Best for adrenalin rush
Andermatt, Switzerland (1,445m-2,965m), Zurich, 1hr 30 mins www.andermatt.ch +41 41 887 1454

Best for cruising
Courmayeur, Italy (1,225m-2,755m), Geneva/Turin 1hr 40 mins www.courmayeur.net 0165 842 060

Best for learning
Villars, Switzerland (1,300m-3,000m), Geneva 2hr, www.villars.ch +41 24 495 3232

Best for snowboarders
Avoriaz, France (1,800m-2,275m), Geneva 2hr, www.avoriaz.com +33 450 740 211

Best for aprés-ski
Sauze d'Oulx, Italy (1,510m-2,825m), Turin 1hr 30 mins, www.montagnedoc.it +39 0122 858 009

Best for pampering
Bad Gastein, Austria (1,080m-2,685m), Salzburg 1hr 30 mins, www.gastein.com +43 6432 3393

Best for romance
Kitzbuhel, Austria (760m-2,000m), Salzburg 1hr, Innsbruck 1hr www.kitzbuehel.com +43 5356 621 550

Best for non-skiers
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy (1,225m-2,930m), Venice, Treviso 2hr, www.cortina.dolomiti.org +39 0436 866 252

Best for style
Megéve, France (1,100m-2,355m), Geneva 1hr, www.megeve.com +33 450 212 728

Best for city/ski break
Innsbruck, Austria (575m-3,210m), Innsbruck 10 mins, www.ski-innsbruck.at +43 512 59850

Best for late season
Flims, Switzerland (1,100m-3,020m), Zurich, 2hr, www.alpenarena.ch +41 81 920-9200

Best for budget back-door access
Brides-les-Bains (accessing Méribel), France (valley floor-3,230m), Geneva, Lyon 1hr 40 mins. www.brides-les-bains.com +33 479 552 064

Best weekend ski operators

  • FlexiSki specialises in tailor-made chalet holidays in Europe's flashiest resorts; www.flexiski.com - 08709 090 754
  • Ski Weekend is a well-established weekend operator also offering specialist ski tuition and skiing for singles (where you are put into groups of similar ability) in resorts across Europe; www.skiweekend.com - 08700 600 615
  • Great value Courmayeur - resort specialist offering diverse and flexible packages; www.momentumski.com - 020 7371 9111
  • Budget weekend specialist offering coach travel and flights with bases in satellite resorts adjacent to big players; www.skiweekends.com - 0870 442 3400

Best Flights for Weekend Skiing
www.ba.com 0870 850 9850
www.easyjet.com 0871 750 0100
www.swiss.com 0845 601 0956
www.ryanair.com 0871 246 0000