Many well known ski resorts, particularly in France, Switzerland and Austria, are uncomfortably crowded in the peak season. Although the crowds flock to these resorts for good reasons, such as the quality and range of pistes, their popularity is sometimes counter productive. However, there are times in the ski season when lift queues are minimal, and the prices are lower too. If you don’t have to plan your holiday well in advance, you can usually enjoy crowd free slopes at the beginning of the season in December or at the end in March and April. You won’t know whether there is enough snow until the last minute, so advance booking for these times is risky. Alternatively, the mid-season weeks that don’t coincide with British or European school holidays are always less crowded.
If you don’t have flexibility around the timing of your ski holiday, then you should perhaps look at going to a less well known resort in order to get the most out of your ski pass. Many lesser resorts have improved their facilities in recent years and offer a great skiing experience and excellent value for money also. Some places to look at are in Italy, Andorra and Bulgaria. In Andorra, you’ll find challenging pistes and a range of snow activities in the resorts of Soldeu and Arinsal. In Italy, the inviting mountains of Sauze D’Oulx and Valtournenche make a refreshing change from ‘motorway skiing’. Bulgaria’s ski resorts are rapidly gaining in popularity, offering great value for money.