Skiing cheaper than a decade ago

The cost of skiing holidays to many European resorts has fallen in real terms over the past 10 years, according to a new survey.

The biggest savings are in Switzerland, where the cost of a week in a three-star hotel plus a lift pass in the country’s top resorts during mid-season is around £850 per person – 20% cheaper in real terms than in 1995.

The survey was conducted by editors Chris Gill and Dave Watts, for their book ‘Where to Ski and Snowboard 2006’.

The editors studied the brochures of major tour operators and compared prices with those of a decade ago. In 1995, Courchevel 1850 in France was the runaway leader in the race to be crowned Europe’s most expensive resort, but now holidays in different areas are more evenly priced.

A week in a three-star hotel, including flights and transfers, in Courchevel 1850 is around £1,060, some £140 more expensive than a similar break in its nearest rival Val d’Isere and £300 steeper than Serre-Chevalier, also in France.

Italian destinations are all much cheaper than the least expensive of the popular French resorts, as was the case 10 years ago. A week in a three-star hotel with flights and transfers in Courmayer or Sauze D’Oulx is around £540.

Not surprisingly, eastern European destinations offer the best value. A week in a three-star hotel, with flights and transfers, in Poiana Brasov in Romania or Borovets in Bulgaria is around a third of the cost of a week in Courchevel 1850.

For breaks in a four-star hotel, with flights and transfers, the same pattern emerges, although a stay in Courchevel 1850 is around £1,700, 60% more expensive than its nearest rival Val d’Isere.

The cost of a six-day lift pass has also fallen in actual terms from ten years ago. In Zermatt, Switzerland the price is £151, compared with £162 in 1995, and in St Anton, Austria it is £131 compared with £140 a decade ago. 

As in Europe, the real cost of staying in a North American three-star hotel and buying a lift pass has also gone down Whistler in Canada leads the way, where a week’s package can cost around £650, 25% cheaper than 1995.

With lift passes, North America is in a league of its own. A week’s pass in Vail or Breckenridge, both Colorado, costs around £220 and that’s including the discount for buying the pass through a tour operator before travelling.

Prices in Whistler and Banff in Canada are cheaper, but at around £200 they are still 33% more expensive than Zermatt – the dearest European resort for passes.

Meanwhile, the number of British people buying properties in the Alps has at least doubled in the past five years. Prices vary enormously, according to Where to Ski and Snowboard.

Prospective purchasers can expect to pay well over £1 million for a decent chalet in top French resorts like Meribel and Megeve, but decent-sized apartments in other resorts in France and Switzerland are available for between £200,000 to £300,000. In Bulgaria, apartments are available for £90,000.

Report by Jeremy Skidmore