Christmas skiing

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Well, what’s not to love about spending it in the mountains, and it’s certainly guaranteed to be a white one! Here we outline some of the benefits of going skiing at this time of year, as well as what you can expect to find in our resorts over the festive period.

Frosted evergreen trees and snow-capped peaks, twinkly lights and decorations in the mountain villages, log fires and festive cheer – These are just a few of the pleasures you can expect to enjoy when you spend Christmas in one of our ski resorts.

Black Friday offer book any Pre-Xmas or Xmas holiday before we close on the 27th Nov and get £100 off with code Black Friday

The mountains are certainly a magical place to be at this very special time of year, and you can experience the magic yourself with one of our great-value inclusive package ski holidays.

Bad Gastein - £869pp
- Pre-xmas week £599
Baqueira - £867pp
Lauterbrunnen - £862pp
Montgenèvre - £886pp
- Pre-Xmas week £597
Saalbach - £976pp
Serre Chevalier - £871pp

Our holidays include flights, transfers, accommodation, continental buffet breakfast, afternoon tea, 3-course evening meal with canapés beforehand and a cheese course afterwards, plus complimentary house wine served during dinner. We also offer ski hosting on five mornings during the week, so if you’re unsure how to find your way around the resort then let our hosts show you!

Our resort staff have a day off during the week, which means you will be offered a buffet breakfast on that day but no afternoon tea or evening meal, so it’s a great opportunity to enjoy the quality fare at one of the local restaurants in the village.

Staying in one of our catered chalet-hotels means you don’t have to worry about any of the shopping or cooking for one of the biggest meals of the year, as it’s all done for you! After a great day’s skiing, and perhaps a brandy with your hot chocolate and/or a vin chaud with your lunch, you can return to our chalet-hotel safe in the knowledge that you can relax whilst dinner is being prepared for you.

Perhaps you might have a wander around the village so you can soak up the festive atmosphere. Canapés and fizz will be served in the bar before dinner – Will you be wearing your Christmas jumper?! The conversation will flow and the atmosphere will be filled with the anticipation of knowing that your Christmas dinner will be served shortly – All you need to do is sit down and enjoy it, and you don't need to worry about doing any of the washing up either!

The Tannenburg is our own chalet-hotel and we believe it's the only one in the Gastein valley offering inclusive holidays, making it a good-value find. It is centrally located in the heart of Bad Gastein, in a quiet spot just below the top level of the village, so it's convenient for the ski slopes, the local shops and the thermal spa baths.

The Salana was purpose-built for Ski Miquel in a quiet location close to the village centre in Baqueira. To our knowledge it's the only chalet-hotel in the valley offering inclusive ski holidays, which makes it a great-value choice.

In keeping with its stunning surroundings, the Rosa is a traditionally-built Swiss chalet-hotel, which is owned by Ski Miquel and located right in the heart of Lauterbrunnen village. Originally built in 1658, it was renovated for us in 2006, and to typically high Swiss standards.

Located in an excellent position in the heart of Montgenèvre, less than a minute's walk from the main front and only 175m from the Parial chairlift, the Elise has a spacious lounge with a bar and a large separate dining room. It offers a selection of twin, triple and family rooms, and is ideal for large groups or smaller parties.

Exterior shot of the Chalet-Hotel Lucille

Brilliantly located, in a quiet position in the heart of Montgenèvre and only a few minutes’ walk from the lifts and main village centre, the Lucille boasts a spacious lounge with a bar and a large separate dining room. The bar is always well-stocked, and the prices are cheaper than elsewhere in the resort.

The Christina is our own chalet-hotel in Saalbach village. It has a great central location, a light and airy feel and has recently been renovated to the usual Ski Miquel standard. It has a large, open lounge with comfy sofas, a separate dining room, and the cheapest bar in town!

The Charlotte is owned by Ski Miquel and has a charming picture-postcard feel. A one-time monastery and then a family home, it has since been converted to a chalet-hotel, and it is owned by Ski Miquel. Our guests love its historic character and cosy ambience, with its original stonework ceilings and timber beams, whilst the bedrooms are light and airy.

So for a Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weihnachten, or Feliz Navidad (depending on your destination country), what else can you expect to find at this time of year in our resorts?

In Austria, Saalbach has a ‘Flying Advent Market’, which begins on the third advent Sunday – Here you can see and purchase local arts and crafts, agricultural produce, and other fine Christmas gifts. Children will be able to occupy their time with face painting and handicrafts, whilst the adults can indulge in tasty Christmas treats and sip mulled wine around an open fire.

Bad Gastein also has a Christmas market, where you can find festive stalls, enjoy mulled wine and hot chestnuts, and you can also see local Gastein valley craftsmen at work. Here you will be able to buy regional products and treats, whilst children can participate in the ‘Christkindl workshop’ and even make their own Christmas presents.

In Baqueira you are likely to see a spectacular torchlit decent into the village and Santa Claus arriving by dog sled to hand out sweets to all the children, and if you head into the nearby town of Vielha for the Christmas market you will no doubt see many examples of the Catalan tradition ‘Tió de Nadal’, a Christmas log, which is very popular with children in the lead-up to Christmas.

In France, Serre Chevalier has a variety of activities for the opening of the resort in mid-December, and during the festive holiday period you are likely to see marching bands, fairy walks, street shows, fireworks and the arrival of Santa Claus. Nearby Briançon is home to a great Christmas market, which you will find nestled within the high walls of France’s highest city.

In Montgenèvre, Santa usually takes to the slopes to lead the local ski school in a torchlit procession down the mountain and into the village to greet everyone, and later in the evening you can expect to see a superb fireworks display lighting up the peaks of the snowy mountains in bursts of colour. Other highlights include the ice rink in the village and the high-speed twists and turns of the ‘Monty Luge’ run down the mountain into the resort.

As well as offering the Christmas week in all our resorts, please note we are also running the pre-Christmas week in France, Austria and Spain, which can be a very cost-effective week to go skiing, as our resorts often benefit from good snow in the early part of the season. Please contact us if you are interested in making a reservation, and you can also view our prices and availability on our website.