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Christmas and New Year 2021/22
Whatever you’re doing to mark Christmas 2021, we’re sending our best wishes for a safe & enjoyable festive period.
Our Festive Opening Hours 2021/22
- We will close at 12:30 on Friday 24th December.
- Wednesday 29th & Thursday 30th December: 09:00-17:30
- Friday 31st December: 09:00-12:30
- From Tuesday 4th January 2022: weekdays: 09:00 – 17:30 & Saturdays: 09:00-16:00
If you have an urgent query please email [email protected]. This inbox will be monitored periodically over the festive period.
The Best Early Season Conditions in 10 Years?
Huge Snowfalls in the French Alps
With snow depths of up to 190cm on the upper slopes already, many resorts open early and powder in abundance, could this be one of the best starts to the ski season in the Alps in a decade?
Feast your eyes on our selection of recent snowy images that we’ve gathered from social media…
The Three Valleys
What’s New in the French Alps this Winter
France’s excellent ski resorts have all kinds of new activities, gastronomy and accommodation to discover after the hiatus of the past 18 months. Here’s a taste of what’s new in the French Alps this winter:
Après-Ski with a difference
Ice Floating
Take your wellness routine to the next level! Float on the icy waters of Lac Ouillette (Val d’Isère) or Lac de Tignes in a specially designed waterproof wet-suit and experience a completely unique way to relax. Get even closer to nature by floating under the stars once the sun has gone down.
Tree Top Adventure
Opening for its first winter in 2021/22, Val Aventure is a tree top adventure course located in the heart of the Rogoney forest, with views over the slopes of Val d’Isère. You can navigate numerous zip wires and rope bridges across 4 different courses – either in daylight or enchantingly lit up when the skies go dark.
Le Pas de l’Aigle, Morzine
Can you handle looking directly down a 350m drop, after walking along a 10m-long sky bridge? Test your mettle at Morzine‘s latest adrenaline-filled attraction, Le Pas de l’Aigle. If you make it along the sky bridge you’ll get to experience breathtaking 360o views of the Portes du Soleil and Lake Geneva.
Les Arcs 2000 ‘Tyrolienne’ Zipline
If you’ve ever skied in Les Arcs 2000 you may be familiar with the old ‘Flying Kilometre’ piste that dominated the landscape above the resort. In winter 2021/22, there’s a new way to view this near vertical ski slope: by tandem, high speed zipline, at speeds of up to 130km/hr! One ride on the zipline is included with a Premium ski pass, or receive a 50% discount with an Essential pass.
Children’s Activities
Le Village Perdu, Val d’Isère
Children and teens can discover this brand new outdoor play area, accessible from the slopes of Val d’Isère. Suspended walkways lead to a series of wooden treehouses, all hidden in Les Etroits Forest at 2,000m altitude. Sustainability is at the heart of this project: France’s National Forestry Commission collaborated on the design and only locally sourced larch was used in the build.
Avrizou, Avoriaz
Avrizou is a brand new childcare facility located right in the heart of Avoriaz, perfect for dropping off and collecting the youngest members of the family on your way to and from the slopes. Available as childcare only or in combination with ESF tuition, Avrizou promises a wide range of activities both inside and out (from 6 months+).
Val d’Isère goes Italian
Italy comes to Val d’Isère this winter in the form of three new restaurants.
- Gigi, a cosy dining room in the style of a private Italian home, located inside the high altitude hotel Le Refuge de Solaise at 2551m altitude.
- LouLou at Hotel Les Airelles: serving traditional alpine favourites with a twist, including truffle pizza and pistachio linguine. Don’t miss the incredible dessert buffet with its famous profiteroles, Piedmont hazlenut ice cream or toasted panettone, dipped in a rich sabayon sauce.
- Finally discover La Cucucina at La Folie Douce, a unique dining space inspired by the artists of the Italian Renaissance. Savour a menu of locally sourced French and Italian produce whilst taking in the unbeatable views of Mont Blanc.
New Places to Stay
Hotel & Residence Alpen Lodge, La Rosière
Located in the Eucherts area of La Rosière, close to a variety of restaurants and shops and just 450m from the Eucherts Express chairlift, this brand new 4-star hotel & apartment development enjoys a superb location. Hotel Alpen Lodge offers gorgeous rooms & suites, together with luxuries including a cocktail bar, gastronomic restaurant, spa and dedicated children’s pool & play area. If you’re looking for flexibility when it comes to dining, the adjoining Residence Alpen Lodge offers excellent quality self-catering apartments and benefits from the same great facilities as the hotel.
Hotel Marielle, Val Thorens
Val Thorens’ hottest newest property Hotel Marielle boasts a relaxing wellness area and beautiful sunny terrace. Facilities include a wellness centre, bistro-style restaurant, cocktail bar, ski hire shop and children’s zone. The hotel is named after Marielle Goitschel, France’s most decorated alpine skier and one of the early pioneers in Val Thorens.
Ski Touring
Ski touring has boomed in recent years and French ski resorts are increasing their offering all the time. If you’ve ever fancied trying this latest trend in winter sports – and want to really earn those turns – several resorts now have dedicated ski touring ‘pistes’. This means you can have a go in a safe environment before venturing further afield.
- Val d’Isère is launching a dedicated ski touring area in La Daille.
- You’ll find a new touring zone in Val Thorens (Borgne sector), with one groomed ascent slope and two descent runs.
- Discover 3 touring routes of betwen 2km-6km in Avoriaz.
All the major ski hire shops now rent the specialist ski touring equipment, so grab yourself a guide and see the slopes from a whole new perspective!
So there you have it, our roundup of what’s new in the French Alps this coming winter. Where are you going this season, and what new activity will you try first?
Speak to a Ski Specialist on 0131 243 8097 or request a tailor-made quotation
Easter 2021 – Opening Hours
We’re taking a little break over the Easter period and hope that all of our valued clients have the opportunity to do the same. In a normal year many of us would be taking the chance to get some spring skiing in now, but it has been far from a normal year hasn’t it? With case numbers dropping and vaccination rates still soaring we’re all excited by the prospect of normal life restarting soon. We’re also itching to get the skis and snowboards on when the time is right.
After the Easter break please call us on 0131 243 8097 and we’ll get next winter’s plans in place for you -many of our best ski resorts are on sale now.
Easter Opening Hours
- We will close at 15:00 on Thursday 1st April 2021.
- We will open at 10:00 on Tuesday 6th April 2021.
- If you have an urgent query please email [email protected]. This inbox will be monitored periodically over the holiday period.
- We then revert to our revised opening hours 10:00 – 15:00, Monday – Friday | Saturday & Sunday: Closed
What’s New in the Three Valleys
Meribel, France. Credit: 3Vallees, David Andre
With over 600km of pistes, the Three Valleys (Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens) is the largest ski area in the world. This alone is reason enough to plan a trip there but there are also plenty of exciting developments in store this winter. Read the rest of this entry »
La Dolce Vita – skiing in true Italian style
San Cassiano, Italy
With a different pace of life and a rich and distinct culture, skiing in Italy is a truly unique experience. There are fantastic transport links, unrivalled hospitality, excellent food and truly spectacular ski areas Read the rest of this entry »
Our Tips for Driving to the Alps in Winter
Flaine, France. Credit: Kasya Shahovskaya on Unsplash
Not only is driving to the Alps cost effective, it gives you the freedom to travel at your own pace, stopping off en route at some lovely places. Read the rest of this entry »
Our Private Luxury Chalet Collection
Chalet Haapiti, Méribel
There’s something very special about an alpine chalet. Your very own beautiful home where you can totally relax and unwind in a cosy yet elegant setting Read the rest of this entry »
A Mammoth Adventure
If I’m going to sit on a plane for 10 hours I want to make it worth my while – and that usually means combining a ski trip with some kind of adventure. This years trip was no different – even if our original plans had to change somewhat due to covid. Read the rest of this entry »
25 Years with Ski Independence
This year, our Ski Product Manager Nick is celebrating his 25th work anniversary with Ski Independence. As the 2019-20 ski season is kicking off, Nick has given us an insight as to how things looked 25 years ago.
“Back in August 1994 when I started with Ski Independence the world was a very, very different place. Read the rest of this entry »
