The perfect ski holiday – according to Telegraph readers
This week, travel writer Peter Hardy, who has skied in over 500 resorts in 20 countries, answered the ultimate question facing British skiers and snowboarders each winter – which country does skiing best?
Focusing on Europe, where most Britons choose to spend their time on the slopes, it was a fierce competition between the continent’s Big Four – France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.
Each nation was ranked and rated according to a list of criteria. Austria emerged at the top of the podium – but was it the right decision?
Readers exchanged their views in the comments section to reveal their favourite place to go skiing each season.
Read on to enjoy the best of the discussion.
Austria is a worthy winner
Emma Dixon: “Glad to see Austria as the rightful winner here! Beautiful scenery, extremely high quality of hotels and food, hardly any queues, and fun, unpretentious aprés ski, all at a reasonable price. What’s not to love?”
William Humes: “To my dying day, I will still remember March 1989. Booked a skiing holiday on my own, ended up in Soll, Austria, found 10 instant drinking mates in ski school, the Whisky Muhle nightclub every night, while I experienced the most stunning and beautiful scenery in the world. And learned how to ski. The knees and cojones no longer do ‘blacks’ but I am off to Mayrhofen again in March with my family who I have been skiing with since age five. Nothing touches it.”
Roger Armstrong: “Austria has it all, including wines to challenge France and Italy. For older farts like me, I need post-ski spas also rather than nightlife, so Oberlech is a repeat choice.”
John Cooper: “I think St Anton is great, some really challenging runs but with one big problem. The home run down ‘happy valley’ at the end of the day is downright dangerous with no one making any attempt to control young Austrians who think they are pro racers. Saw collisions most days and loads of people being stretchered off.”
Harold Evans: “Of course, if money was no object then everyone would go to Switzerland. Most people just travel to wherever they can afford, and for many that means smaller resorts in Italy or Austria (Andorra used to be a good option, but now it’s impossible to know if there will be any snow). The food in Italian resorts is of course a highlight and a bit more reasonable.
“But I have to agree with the number one here, Austria has a wonderful charm to it, without the commercial feel of France and Switzerland, and – with lower altitudes – feels less bitterly cold than those two.”
North America merits further praise
David King: “After several years in Europe, we switched to Colorado. Better snow. Better accommodation. Perfect discipline in the lift queues – no Italians skiing across the back of your skis.”
Jim Struts: “As a young bachelor, I used to fly off most years for a two-week long haul. Canada, Japan and the States were the main haunts. It was never more expensive than if we had gone to Europe for two weeks. You don’t do it in the same way as you do in Europe. Road trip around and stay at cheap motels down the hill driving in for the morning. We would often visit five different ski areas. Those were the days. Now that I have a family, it would be much more hassle and expensive.”
D Hargrave: “Canada. No doubt it tops all others, especially the interior like Silverstar, or Revelstoke, or a ski safari taking in Sun Peaks, Silverstar, Big White, Revelstoke, Kicking Horse, Lake Louise.”
Michael D Galvin: “I was a 19-year-old American on winter holiday from university in 1973 when we took advantage of cheap Icelandic Airlines flights and went to Austria. We’d been warned Switzerland was too pricey. Youth fares were great, skiing fine and we didn’t mind youth hostels.
“On prices generally, back home in Colorado, we favoured Vail as our friend Betsy’s family had a chalet we could use if they weren’t there and we cleaned up. The downside was Vail’s outrageously high Austin Powersy $6 a day lift price – and you only got $1 off with student ID!”
The runners up
LP: “In the last three seasons, we – a married couple – have spent one month in Austria, one month in Switzerland, two weeks in France and two weeks in Italy.
“I can categorically say that Switzerland’s top resorts are exactly the same price as Austria’s and France’s top resorts. Italy’s top resorts are notably cheaper than the rest, in our view.
“When it comes to the evaluation of the quality of service, I have to say that Austria and Switzerland easily top the rankings.
“Overall, Switzerland is our winner with Austria being a very close second – but we do love skiing in any snow-sure resort with plenty of après and restaurants.”
Juliet Platt: “Italy wins hands down for me. Epic skiing without the cost or queues plus great food and drink.”
Sophia Oppenheimer: “You can’t beat the Three Valleys in France: Meribel sandwiched in the middle, such a vast area and so well linked, skiing for everyone’s ability. Why not try an owner-run chalet that’s run by the chef-owner – amazing food, great service and not too expensive. We loved it.”
The secrets of lesser-known Europe
Joey Deacon: “I’ve been to a few budget places over the years. For beginners, Andorra is brilliant. Most of the ski instructors were from English-speaking countries, so there was none of this bend-ze-knees comments. Also, it’s tax-free, so good for buying kit.
“I’ve done La Plagne in France a couple of times, with a huge ski area, decent nightlife and you can go down the Olympic bob run which is fun. I’ve also done a week in Sauze d’Oulx in Italy. Also a big ski area, wild nightlife and lots of Italian girls from Turin just down the road. What’s not to like?
“Did a weekend on Nevis range in Scotland trying to navigate the rocks, but by far the best ever was the two days I did at Heavenly in Lake Tahoe when I did a tour of California 20 years ago. The best snow I ever skied on, perfect powder and, being a mid-week in the school term, had the runs to myself. You could stop and the absolute silence was deafening. So, if you can afford it, go to the States.”
Rollo Thompson: “La Tzoumaz is a hidden gem – a bit quiet. Verbier benefits [are] one lift away – great pistes, superbly groomed, constant investment in infrastructure, amazing off piste and rarely any queues, so while lift passes cost more, you get more skiing in.”
Richard Packer: “Norway, for cross-country skiing. No crowds, no queues, stunning scenery.”
Nostalgic tales
Catherine Colquhoun: “Nice to see Hannes Schneider mentioned. My father learned from Schneider (in America) when my dad was a teen, as he taught at the local schools. When the author mentioned – ‘In the 1950s and early 1960s, an instructor called Stephan Kruckenhauser made us all ski in Austria with our legs locked together, our shoulders parallel to the mountain rather than the fall line’ – I was taken back to my childhood and my father critiqued my technique. Even then I would not have skied the ‘Arlberg’ technique properly! But, the dads at the mountain I always skied at had lovely form!”
S McDowell: “Liked the article; I’ve been skiing for 40 years, mostly in France – off to Deux Alpes this year with one of my sons, who will be watching me to make sure I’m OK, rather than the other way around. Old knees don’t love skiing as much as the head and the heart do!”
