Booking a last minute ski holiday: Dos and Don’ts!

You’ve seen the snow reports, booked time off work, and you’re frantically scrolling the internet to look for a last minute ski holiday…

STOP! Read this first:

Last minute skiing: what you should know before you start searching

Do:

• Prepare to be flexible: accommodation, travel, destinations – the more open you are, the more likely you are to find something.
• Think about airport transfers before you book flights, sometimes it’s advantageous to work backwards!
• Consider driving – it’s especially worthwhile if you have a car full to split costs and share the drive.
• Contact tour operators directly, they might have a different offer to what you originally saw, or be able to give you some flexibility compared to booking online.
• Keep an eye on resort webcams so you can check there’s plenty of snow.
• Check all airports in the region. You can go onto each airport’s website to find out which airlines are operating.
• Be vigilant about scams. Do your homework to check out a company’s credentials (look for a real address, check their social media presence, look for reviews, do a google image search, check google maps etc.)

Don’t:

• Overlook Easter skiing. It’s sunny, usually great value, and in a snow-sure resort, you can still expect great skiing.
• Expect to be able to book a chalet for a big group last minute, you need to book well in advance for larger properties!
• Be disappointed if you can’t find perfect accommodation, what a property lacks in one area, it often makes up for in another!
• Forget travel insurance!
• Get overexcited by an amazing deal. Always be vigilant and check out the company before booking.
• Be afraid to pick up the phone – often it’s much quicker to ask an expert than spend hours on research, plus you can get a better feel of a company over a call.
• Forget to ask your tour operator about ski lessons, ski passes, ski hire etc. which can often save you lots of research time. Talking of which….

Useful links for booking a ski trip to the Three Valleys

• Webcams for Courchevel, Meribel, Val Thorens
• Nearest airports for the Three Valleys: Lyon, Geneva, Chambery, Grenoble
• Airport transfers: Book a shared transfer as long as you have reasonable flight times, otherwise it may be best to book a private transfer or drive.
• Learn all about Driving to the Alps
• Find out the best Local Ski Schools
• See Lift Pass Prices
• Find out about Ski Magic’s ski hire service
• Take a peek at Ski Magic chalet offers or contact us to ask a question

Always fully research travel to the Alps – arriving by hot air balloon could be an option!

When are the best weeks to find a last minute ski holiday?

As a general rule, it is better to book in advance for a ski holiday (particularly if you’re looking for a specific accommodation requirement, travelling with a large group, or looking to ski during school holidays), however there are generally a few weeks during the ski season that are quieter than others.

If you’re on the look out for a late ski deal, then take a look at these dates which tend to be quiet in the European ski season as they are out of peak weeks:

• Pre-Christmas/”First Tracks” – usually early December in the first two weeks of the lifts opening
• Mid-January – whilst early January is still busy with antipodean visitors, mid January tends to be quieter
• Late February – post half term holidays is a good-to-know option for skiing
• Last two weeks of March – early March is often busy, but later in the month tends to be lovely and quiet
• Easter – don’t overlook this as a brilliant value school holiday option, or last minute break for a dose of winter sun! In a high altitude resort you don’t need to worry about lack of snow. Certainly here in the Three Valleys, the links are all open and the runs down to resort are maintained until late April.

Find yourself a last minute Ski Magic Chalet

1. Check our Availability page
2. Give us a call: UK 0844 9933 686 / FR + 33 (0)4 79 22 11 87
3. Email clare@skimagic.co.uk
4. Read more about Ski Magic here