Cheap Ski Holidays in the French Alps

HOW TO FIND A CHEAP SKI HOLIDAY IN THE FRENCH ALPS

Finding cheap ski holidays has become far easier in recent years. Low-cost airlines and shared ski transfer companies such as Ben’s Bus have made holidaying in the French Alps easier and more affordable than ever.

Accommodation providers have also played their part and as a result, you now have far more flexibility and freedom in organising your own ski break.

Booking the different parts of your holiday yourself means you can tailor it to your needs, priorities and budget. Many seasoned skiers choose this independent method as they know what they want and what they need to look out for. Less experienced skiers may wish to consider a Tour Operator who can put a package together for them.

BOOKING A PACKAGE THROUGH A TOUR OPERATOR

For many people, especially first time skiers, booking a package holiday through a Tour Operator or Travel Agent still represents the most convenient way to book a ski holiday.

If you don’t have the time to research all the different parts – flights, accommodation, transfers, ski lessons, ski hire etc – then this is probably the simplest method for you.

There are many specialist ski companies out there and a lot of them will happily offer you advice on which ski resort best suits your needs.

All holidays are expensive and skiing holidays are no exception, especially so due to the cost of the lift pass, so it’s important to choose the right resort and the right package for you.

SKI – DRIVE HOLIDAY SPECIALISTS

Erna Low specialise in ski holidays to the French Alps and have been organising alpine holidays since 1932. Their ethos is the same now as it has always been – provide great skiing holidays with fantastic customer service. They offer accommodation for all budgets, but specialise in premium ski apartments in France’s top resorts. They are long standing specialists in self-drive packages which include a flexiplus Eurotunnel crossing, giving you great flexibility when travelling to the Alps. You can tailor bespoke packages on their new website, ranging from accommodation only or the full works with travel, ski hire, ski passes and ski school if required.

HOW TO FIND CHEAP SKI HOLIDAYS – OUR TOP TIPS

**1. CHOOSE YOUR DATES WISELY**

This is probably the biggest driver in terms of how much you’ll pay for your ski break. It’s the old supply-and-demand thing. There are some periods during the season when most of Europe’s schools are on holiday and prices are at a premium. Here are some dates to avoid:

Christmas and New Year weeks:

Budget holidays are hard to find at this time of year. This is especially true for the Christmas week in snow-sure resorts, as snow coverage can be risky in lower altitude resorts.

UK February Half Term Holidays

These dates will depend on where you are in the UK you are. Flights of course, will be super-expensive. The UK holidays nearly always fall at the same time as the French so accommodation costs are huge.

French School Holidays

France is on holiday for pretty much the whole of February. If you go a week before / after those dates, you’ll make big savings. Visit our this blog post to see what dates the Frenchies are on holiday.

**2. CHOOSE YOUR RESORT WISELY**

You don’t need to go to a famous ski resort to have the best holiday. France has a huge selection and each one offers something different. You need to decide what your priorities are and match that with your budget. Consider these factors when deciding where to go:

Skiing ability

Ski passes in less-famous resorts like Les Carroz are loads cheaper than in the big ones like Tignes or Val Thorens. If your group are beginners, you’ll waste a lot of money having access to pistes you’ll never ski

Family or Friends?

Do you want to party? Or is childcare and good food more important? Choose a specialist resort to cater for your group. For instance, Flaine is a fantastic destination for families

Apres Ski

If bars and nightlife are important to you, then pick a resort like Les Deux Alpes, Val Thorens, Val d’Isère or Tignes. If you’re not interested in partying, then avoid these bigger, more expensive resorts.

**3. REDUCE YOUR TRAVEL COSTS**

Flights and transfers will be your biggest travel costs. Try to plan your whole journey from home to resort before booking anything. You can probably be more flexible than you think as there will likely be many different routes you could take. Follow these tips to bring the costs down:

Research before booking anything

Don’t book anything until you have calculated the total cost of flights & transfers together.

Compare Flights Prices

Use a flight comparison website like Skyscanner to get the best deal.

Be Flexible with your Airport in the UK

It’s cheaper to travel further from your home to your UK Airport than from your French Airport to your Ski Resort.

Used a Shared Transfer Service

Ben’s Bus has shared transfers from Geneva Airport, Grenoble Airport and Lyon Airport.

Travel on a Sunday?

Flights are definitely cheaper but make sure you you don’t arrive too late as public transport is limited on a Sunday!