Travel

Three days of skiing for one day off work

February 17, 2010

Leave London at 5pm on a Thursday and return by 9am the following Monday. Adam Lee put the skiweekends.com adrenalin-fueled adventure
to the test – and loved it...

Skiweekends.com has found a niche in the market and well and truly nailed it.

If ever there was a case of doing what it says on the tin, then this firm deliver.

Because soon after arrival at their flagship three star Hotel Verseau at Bride Les Bains in the heart of the French Alps, you are whisked off to the stunning Meribel Valley for three intense days of fun in the snow, some 3,000m up in the mountains of the world famous Three Valleys ski resort.

Although Brides is traditionally a spa town, there was little relaxation on this short break with bucket loads of skiing and snowboarding crammed into the adrenalin-fuelled days.

With its 600km of pistes and 165 separate lifts, the Three Valleys is undoubtedly suited for the more experienced powder hound, but novices can also throw themselves in at the deep end and enjoy a baptism of fire.

Skiweekends.com are experts in providing bargain weekends and short breaks in some of the best-loved Alpine resorts.

They have specialised in offering affordable week or weekend fly-drive packages, but are now aiming to develop their already popular bargain coach weekends.

Although advertised as a long weekend on the slopes for just one day off work, those west of London will need to take at least an extra day’s holiday for the privilege.

Leaving Victoria Coach Station at 5pm on Thursday and arriving back at around 9am on Monday, it is not a break for the fain-hearted.

After the 15-hour road trip to France, you check in at around 9am local time, drop off your bags and grab some breakfast – a selection of pastries, cereals, fruit and yoghurts.

Then it’s on with the snow gear, hop on the gondola lift for the 25-minute journey to Meribel, and then you are free to amuse yourself under the stunning back drop of Mont Saulire.

For just a few more euros, however, a full Three Valleys lift pass opens up the entire resort, incorporating Meribel, Courcheval and Val Thorens – altogether the biggest ski area in the world.

The Three Valleys is certainly aimed at intermediate and advanced skiers, although beginners and snowboarders are well catered for.

There are a plethora of blue, red and black runs for the more experienced piste heads, although be warned, those who have spent more time skiing and snowboarding in North America may find the blue runs in Three Valleys more like the reds they have been used to, with the reds more like blacks.

For the less experienced, skiweekends.com have built up a great partnership with Parallel Lines ski school, a Brit-run company which offers discounted rates to skiweekends.com customers, meaning a few hours spent brushing up on skills is cheaper than lessons back home, as well as most other schools in Meribel.

Their outstanding instructors can not only help you to progress considerably in just a few hours, but their in-depth knowledge of the area will open up the mountain to skiers who are a little more wary of exploring on their lonesome.

The gondola lift from Brides to Meribel operates from 8am until 5pm, so once you have soaked those aching muscles in a nice warm bath, the pleasures of apres ski are yours to enjoy.

On Friday evening I was given an introduction to the hotel’s fantastic reps – always ready and willing to help in any way they can.

You are then free to relax in Hotel Verseau’s warm and cosy bar and lounge area, which includes plenty of comfortable seating, a roaring fire, Sky TV and a pool table.

And, as weekend breaks come half board, at 7.30pm the restaurant opens for dinner.

The meals, prepared by the hotel’s resident French chef, were a pleasant surprise considering the overall price of the holiday.

You are presented with a three-course set menu, with vegetarian options, which included some real treats, with my personal favourite a beautifully-cooked lamb shank.

There is also a fully-stocked bar with a selection of beers and wines, while tea and coffee are free for anyone returning from the slopes.

If the energy to party is still there, Brides has a nightclub and a handful of bars, as well as a casino, while the plentiful nightlife at Meribel is just a taxi ride back up the mountain.

On Sunday, having checked out, the day is spent on the slopes with the return bus journey leaving at 6pm that evening.

Granted, the lengthy journeys are no picnic, but with the on-board DVDs and a few hours sleep, it really isn’t as much of an ordeal as you would expect.

Just take plenty of food and drink for the journey (although the bus stops regularly once across the Channel), while for £25 extra you can upgrade to ‘club class’ seats for a little more leg room and reclining space.

Skiweekends.com really have managed to pack the sheer exhilaration and enjoyment of a skiing holiday into just three days.

They have, however, done it at a price that makes an unforgettable holiday accessible to everyone, without leaving a huge dent in the bank balance.