Don’t pass up the chance of cheap skiing and snap up a deal at the Village Club in France’s Montgenevre
THE lift ticket. Probably the most expensive piece of plastic in the world after a Nando’s black card.
It is the one thing that pushes the price of a ski holiday skywards.
You can try every trick in the book — driving down, borrowing gear, booking early, skipping lessons — but can never cheat the lift company.
Even for a moderate-size resort, a ski pass will easily add £200 per person to the price of a holiday. For somewhere bigger, think £300 or more. No wonder skiing is seen as a rich man’s game.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Sometimes you can find a deal with lift tickets included. If you do, snap it up. It will likely be one of the best value out there.
Take Villages Clubs du Soleil in France. Founded in 1960 as a year-round, cut-price alternative to Club Med, its no frills formula includes everything from equipment hire to breakfast, lunch and dinner (with wine) — and that all-important lift pass.
UK operator Inghams took a punt on it a few seasons ago. The Surrey-based company more often deals in posh hotels and “jolly hockey sticks” chalets, but added the Village Club in Montgenevre to broaden its appeal (sell more holidays).
Both the resort and the hotel deserve a look.
Montgenevre is one of the oldest ski resorts in France. Its mostly red and blue slopes will find favour with beginners and improvers as opposed to experts. On our Easter visit, it was clearly popular with British families and school groups.
It is not massive but the ace up its sleeve is a link with Italy’s “Milky Way” ski area, which was home to the 2006 Winter Olympics.
The two areas straddle the French-Italian border and a weekly lift pass bought in either allows one day’s skiing next door.
Alas, it turned out to be a bit of a joker for us. The day we arrived — in the first week of April — the Italians shut their slopes. And that was that.
Just imagine a cross-border European project not working out as well as expected!
Lesson learned (come earlier in the season for international adventures), we stuck to the local slopes, which are really all you need for a family break.
The beginner-friendly blues are joined by a few fast reds and a couple of ego-boosting black runs. Try Rhodos, off the Chalmettes chair lift, if you want to attempt a new land-speed record.
Confounded by those capricious Italians, we did the next best thing and booked a day trip to Serre Chevalier instead.
Only 30 minutes down the road, this is one of the best-kept secrets in the Alps: Lots of wide, flattering red pistes, decent mountain restaurants and fabulous views from the top of the Pic de Lyret.
Inghams runs the excursion for £20, including a day’s ski pass. This is a good-value way to add some variety to the week.
Barring ski school for the kids — and the odd coffee and crepe on the mountain — that really was the only extra money we had to spend.
The Village Club even has a daily barbecue on the slopes, so you do not have to return to the hotel or budget extra for lunchtime. Morning lessons with the Ecole du Ski Francais were worth the £155.
The ESF used to get a bad rap for its language skills but instructor Didier was charming and had more than one way of saying “bend ze knees”. And after a week at the Village Club, your language skills might come on a bit.
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While it is very good value, it is also very French. There are films (in French), a library (of French books), a weekly talent show (thank god for conjurors), French karaoke.
Do you know what they call a pub quiz in France? Le Quiz Night. Close your eyes at dinner and you could be in an EU debate.
It does take a bit of getting used to, but if you want a decent value week on the snow, it is just the ticket.
Go: Montgenevre
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Inghams has seven nights’ all-inclusive at the Village Club du Soleil in Montgenevre from £759pp.
Departing Gatwick on December 14, including flights, transfers, all meals and wine with dinner, equipment rental and six-day lift pass.
See inghams.co.uk or call 01483 938 047.
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