SWITZERLAND
Nendaz
This delightful old Valais village, with its timber houses, barns and grain stores, is part of the Quatre Vallées ski region, made up of Verbier, Veysonnaz, Nendaz and Thyon. There’s 412km of pistes, plus 12km of cross-country ski trails, 100km of winter hiking trails and 40km of snowshoe tracks. So even if you don’t do downhill skiing or snowboarding there’s plenty for you. Be sure to check out the glacier on Mont-Fort, from where the view encompasses peaks including the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. Experts skiers won’t be disappointed by the challenges, with seven marked freeride areas that include Eteygeon and Plan-du-Fou, and the deserted descent at the back of Mont-Fort.
By train: 9¾ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 06.18 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 11.56 TGV to Lausanne and then take the 15.50 InterRegio train to Sion, arriving at 16.57. From there it’s 25 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £165.
Stay
Hotel Mont Fort (doubles from €144 B&B) has a spacious bar and lounge.
Booking horizons
Prices quoted are lead-in fares for that particular journey. However, most fares increase as tickets sell out, so prices may be higher at the time of booking – particularly for peak dates or when tickets have been on sale for a while. Tickets for the Eurostar Ski Train, which runs from 20 December to 11 April 2020, are already on sale. Tickets for the Eurostar + onward journeys via Paris between 6 January and 8 March 2020 can be booked from Thursday 17 October. Booking dates have have yet to been announced for journeys from 9 March onwards.
Booking and useful resources
1. The new (second edition) Rail Map of Europe (£11.99 + p&p from europeanrailtimetable.eu) is both useful and inspiring when planning journeys.
2. Not every journey to the Alps can be booked easily online. Sometimes rail-booking websites fail to show journeys that do exist, and can be booked. Sites such as bahn.co.uk, rail.ch, seat61.com and snowcarbon.co.uk are useful for looking up schedules.
3. Expert rail-booking agents are a useful alternative way of booking journeys and can tailor-make itineraries. Treat multiple-leg journey schedules on rail websites as suggestions. You can tailor-make your journey if you wish, by looking up times and asking a rail-booking agent to book for you.
4. For London to Austria on Eurostar + Alpen Express (via Amsterdam and Cologne), the entire journey can be booked with Railtravelshop, a Netherlands-based travel agent that owns Alpen Express, up to 180 days in advance, covering the entire season.
5. If changing stations in Paris, consider using a pre-booked taxi to make the change smoother, such as City Airport Taxis or Paris Private Cab.
Rail-booking agents
Trainseurope
International Rail
Ffestiniog Travel
Myrailtrip.co.uk
Switzerland Travel Centre
Ticket sellers and rail companies
Loco2
Trainline
Eurostar
OUI.sncf
Deutsche Bahn
Adelboden
In the picturesque Bernese Oberland, this beautiful village has a loyal following of people who appreciate the blend of spectacular scenery, intermediate-friendly slopes and unfussy charm. There’s 86km of piste, straddling the peaks to the resort of Lenk, with outlying resorts (accessed by bus) notching the total terrain area up to 200km. Many hotels here take pride in their spa facilities, knowing that the laid-back vibe of the village lends itself to long soaks and pampering. Restaurant Aebi is in a spectacular 220-year-old farmhouse with a vast sun terrace, but in snowy weather, seek out the cosy Chuenisbargli at the top of the World Cup run, which serves traditional Swiss dishes – it’s renowned for its fondue.
By train 8½ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.55 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.23 TGV to Basel, the 15.31 InterCity to Berne and the 16.39 RegionalExpress to Frutigen, arriving at 17.24. From there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £206.
Stay
A 71-room design hotel in the village centre, the Cambrian has doubles from €196 B&B.
Engelberg
This resort in the Lake Lucerne region is a mecca for powder-crazy freeriders. The 3,020-metre Titlis glacier is served by a rotating gondola with a 360-degree view and 1980s classics on the speaker system. The unique topography allows for the possibility of an incredible powder descent, dropping a total of 2,000 vertical metres back to the village, best and most safely done with an instructor or mountain guide, of course. There’s also 66km of pistes, with plenty of decent terrain suitable for beginners and intermediates. There are also several sledging routes, including a 3.5km trail through the snowy Gerschniwald forest, a huge natural ice rink. The huge Benedictine Monastry, which towers above the village and dates from 1120, does guided tours.
By train: 10 hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.52 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.23 TGV to Basel, then the 16.17 InterRegional train to Luzern and then the 18.10 InterRegional train to Engelberg, arriving at 18.53. Return fares from £206.
Stay
Hotel Bellevue Terminus has quirky arthouse design and is centrally situated, with doubles from €142 B&B.
Villars
With a cog mountain railway all of its own, a variety of ski slopes and plenty going on outside of the skiing, Villars has the kind of rounded feel that makes it an attractive resort for families in particular. The town’s relaxed, old-school vibe means the emphasis is on eating as much as skiing. But there are some gems on the slopes here, one of the best runs being the Combe d’Audon, with a dramatic cliff face rising up on the right. On a linked ski pass are the neighbouring resorts of Les Diablerets, with its 3,000-metre glacier, and Leysin. Often overlooked here are great freeriding possibilities too. So if some of your party insist on a long lunch, others can break off and come back bragging about the untouched powder they found.
By train:9 hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.31 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 11.57 TGV to Geneva and then the 16.12 InterRegio train to Aigle, arriving at 17.22. From there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £164.
Stay
Alpe Fleurie (doubles from £130 room-only) is a friendly, old-school Swiss chalet.
FRANCE
La Plagne
The slope-side location of much of the accommodation in the 12 villages that make up the resort of La Plagne means you can clip on your skis and moments later be exploring the 425km of pistes of the huge Paradiski ski area. With 70% of the terrain above 2,000 metres, La Plagne is a good choice for early and late season trips. There’s also a 22-metre ice-climbing wall in Champagny, cheese fondue nights (€29pp) at the Igloo Village restaurant above Plagne Bellecôte, and a converted piste-bashing machine complete with jacuzzi that you can spend the night in (€320 B&B for two). The village of Belle Plagne has a Deep Nature spa, with outdoor pool and treatments from €49. In the second week of April, the Subli’Cimes festival, spread across five peaks, offers games and magic shows for children, concerts, silent discos and hot tubs.
By train: 8 hours
Depart London St Pancras on the Saturdays-only 09.45 Eurostar ski train to Aime la Plagne, arriving at 18.46. From there it’s 30-40 minutes by taxi or bus. Return fares from £160.
Stay
The seven-room Hotel Le Cocoon (doubles from €150 B&B) at Plagne 1800 has a boutique feel and views of Mont Blanc.
Les Gets
Les Gets is part of the vast Portes du Soleil ski area, with 600km of pistes, but the resort’s own mountain, Mont Chéry, has blissfully quiet slopes. The village itself is a charmer, dotted with Savoyarde chalet buildings. This season a new spa and wellness centre, Les Sources du Chéry, will open at the foot of the slopes, for a “ski-in/chill-out” experience. The resort is also introducing dog sledding for two- to 12-year-olds, following a trail though the Mont Caly area with musher Didier. In the evenings, a new speakeasy-style restaurant, Les Durs à Cuire, has menus in 1930s newspaper style, with tantalising items such as seven-hour lamb and forbidden cheesecake.
By train: 9¾ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.52 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon for the 12.45 TGV to Annecy, then the 17.32 TER train to Cluses, arriving at 18.36. From there it’s 30 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £145.
Stay
Hotel Alpina (doubles from €106 room-only) has a pool, jacuzzi, sauna and hammam.
Meribel
In 1936, a keen Scottish skier called Peter Lindsay founded a ski resort that has been a magnet for Brits ever since. Part of the appeal is the resort’s enviable position at the heart of the Three Valleys ski area, with 600km of pistes and 180 lifts. You can ski here all day every day for a week and still feel you’ve barely scratched the surface. One of the most charming villages to be based at is Les Allues, just 11km from Moutiers train station. The village is a pleasure to wander around, with its stone walls and Savoyard chalets, many of them run by small British operators. In Les Allues, the Tsaretta bar and restaurant hosts regular gigs and attracts a friendly mix of locals, seasonal workers and holidaymakers, while nearby in Meribel centre there are plenty of watering holes for those seeking a late night out.
By train: 7¾ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 09.45 direct Eurostar Ski Train to Moutiers, arriving at 18.27. From there it’s around 30 minutes by taxi or bus. Return fares from £160.
Stay
Ski Blanc has six cute catered chalets close to the gondola lift in Les Allues from £469pp a week for two.
Tignes
Gaze out at the panorama from the 3,456-metre Grande Motte glacier, then throw yourself into the 1,350-metre vertical descent – and Tignes’s popularity with intermediate and advanced skiers will be abundantly clear. High-altitude, snowsure slopes make this an ideal playground for those who love to clock up the miles on exhilarating terrain. But it’s not all about the skiing here. You can try your hand as a husky dog-sled musher with three hounds pulling you along for an exhilarating, heartwarming – and somewhat unpredictable – ride. There’s also horse riding on snow, and snowtubing, where you descend on inflated tubes at up to 45km/h, and a “magic carpet” takes you effortlessly back to the top to do it again. In the evenings, new après-ski bar Cocorico has a terrace with live bands and DJs.
By train: 9½ hours Depart London St Pancras on the direct 19.45 Eurostar to Bourg-St-Maurice (Fridays only), arriving at 06.16. From there it’s 45 minutes by taxi or bus. Return fares from £160.
Stay Chardons’ catered Chalet Amelie in Tignes Les Brevières, has a hot tub and is 50 metres from the lifts from £525pp a week.
Vaujany
This small village has access to a sizeable amount of ski terrain: the 250km Alpe d’Huez domaine. Its position at the western end of the ski area means the local slopes stay remarkably quiet – so much so that you may find yourself exchanging a nod or wave with passing skiers, as if it would be rude not to. Rustic restaurants such as La Bergerie, off the side of the Villarais piste, is the perfect stop after a powder run, and Chalet du Lac Besson, towards Huez, does meat grilled on an open fire. Evenings in Vaujany are quiet but the Folie Douce après-ski bar, above Alpe d’Huez is a good stop before a home run. In the village, families will love the recently built leisure complex, with its pool, spa and waterslides.
By train: 6¼ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 10.24 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14.38 TGV to Grenoble, arriving at 17.45. From there it’s 50 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £108.
Stay
Meals at Ski Peak’s Chalet Saskia are by renowned resident chef Marcus Cull, from €899pp a week.
Val Cenis
Not far from Modane station on the TGV route between Paris and Turin/Milan, is the resort of Val Cenis, which has three village bases to choose from: Lanslebourg, Lanslevillard and Termignon. These all access a combined 125km of very scenic terrain, overlooking the Lac du Mont-Cenis. It’s a far cry from the hustle and bustle of big purpose-built resorts, and as such will suit young families and those who appreciate laid-back Savoyarde life. There’s plenty of terrain to keep intermediates entertained here, too, and the resort has an excellent snow record. The evening scene is restaurant focused, with places such as L’Arcelle, Le Terroir Savoyard and Ta Ta’tine serving hearty mountain dishes. And to discover more about the local Beaufort cheese, the Fromagerie Coopérative de Haute Maurienne Vanoise opens its doors to show visitors how it’s produced.
By train: 8¼ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 09.24 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14.41 TGV to Modane, arriving at 18.47. From there it’s 35 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £124.
Stay
The Les Chalets de Flambeau apartments, with indoor pool and spa, from £341pp in a one-bedroom apartment (sleeps up to four) for seven nights with Erna Low.
Les Arcs
It’s no wonder Les Arcs attracts a loyal following. The layout of the slopes allows learners to cruise easy smooth blue runs at high altitude, while the sheer variety of the slopes make it a compelling resort for mile-munching intermediate and experienced skiers. This year, the funicular that connects Bourg-St-Maurice station to the village of Arc 1600 in just seven minutes has been completely renovated. The new trains have panoramic windows front and back with views over the valley. The focus on rail access is part of a sustainability programme that includes solar panels on the Aiguille Rouge and Varet lift stations and the slowing of chairlifts to save energy during quiet periods. The new Folie Douce après-ski bar at Arc 1800 will use waste heat from refrigeration to heat the building.
By train: 8¼ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 09.45 Eurostar direct to Bourg-St-Maurice (Saturdays only, book well in advance), arriving at 19.03. From there it’s seven minutes by funicular to Arc 1600, with connecting buses to the other villages (15–30 minutes). Return fares from £160.
Stay
Ski Collection offers a week in the ski-in/ski-out Le Village apartments in Arc 1950, which have an outdoor pool and spa, from £472pp.
Morzine
When it comes to that peculiarly wonderful invention the catered chalet, Morzine is king. There are handsome examples all over the village, many of them converted farmhouses with rustic quirks, the oldest dating from 1771. Many of the chalet operators are small, independent operators who attract return guests year after year to enjoy post-slope cake, canapés, bubbling hot tubs and a home-from-home feel. The resort is in a prime position to explore the thigh-burning 650km Portes du Soleil ski area, with its tree-lined slopes and huge variety of terrain. In the evenings the village is buzzing, and in recent years microbreweries such as Ibex have sprung up.
By train: 9¾ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.52 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the take the 12.45 TGV to Annecy, and then the 17.32 TER train to Cluses, arriving at 18.36. From there it’s 40 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £145.
Stay
Independent chalet company Alikats has stunning catered chalets with great catering from £600pp a week.
Montgenèvre
Few resorts do it better for beginners than this unpretentious village on the Italian border. Its gentle slopes fan out from the cafe-lined centre, making it easy for families to meet up after lessons. Intermediates will be in their element, too: the resort is part of the 400km Milky Way ski area. When the skiing is over, have a swim and soak in the impressive Durancia pool and spa complex. Restaurant menus are full of Italian influences; try the pizzas at Le Capitaine. Evenings in the resort are quiet, but cosy basement cocktail bar La Tourmente is popular with those who aren’t quite ready for an early night – and has live bands, too.
By train: 9 hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 09.24 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14.38 TGV to Oulx-Cesana-Clavière-Sestrières, arriving at 19.23. From there it’s 15 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £109.
Stay
The attractively designed, piste-side Hotel Anova has doubles from €140 room-only and a spa, too.
Le Grand-Bornand
Situated in the stunning Aravis mountain range above Lake Annecy, Le Grand-Bornand’s little village is steeped in old Savoyarde chalet-style buildings, the wood darkened from years in the sun. The slopes will get a five-star rating from families, because both beginners and more experienced skiers are amply catered for. There are 86km of pistes, or 211km if you include neighbouring Annecy resorts like La Clusaz. It feels like there’s something for everyone, but in a setting that could not feel more relaxed – a world away from purpose-built and big-name resorts. This is also the birthplace of Reblochon cheese, and each week a different farm opens its doors to the ‘“cheese curious” public for guided tours and tastings.
By train: 7¾ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.52 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12.45 TGV to Annecy, arriving at 16.29. From there it’s 35 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £170.
Stay
Lagrange offers the spacious Le Village de Lessy apartments, from £683 for seven nights for an apartment (sleeps up to four).
AUSTRIA
St Anton
With its own railway station, St Anton has a long tradition of welcoming skiers by train. Whether you travel through the day or arrive in the morning by sleeper, the approach through the stunning Arlberg valley is the equivalent of canapés before dinner, as Tirolean villages glide by and peaks rear up on either side. The vibe in St Anton is a smooth blend of tradition and frivolity. A must-visit is the History Museum, which traces the development of skiing, including period film footage. The restaurant in the museum’s cavernous atrium is good, too. Some of the Alps’ finest après-ski huts line the pistes, attracting skiers on their home runs like moths to glowing lamps. Oh, and the skiing? A mere 305km of pistes, 88 lifts and 200km of freeriding terrain.
By train: 10¼ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 07.52 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; take the 12.22 TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Zurich, and from there the 16.40 RailJet, arriving at St Anton at 19.01. Return fares from £208.
Stay
Family-run B&B the Alkira is 500 metres from the village centre, with doubles from €160 in January.
Alpbach
Arriving by sleeper train in this Tyrolean village is like waking up in a picture postcard. The village is one of the most beautiful in the Alps, with grand hotels and darkened wooden chalets lining quiet, winding streets. A gondola built two winters ago that links Alpbach with the Wildschönau valley has created the Ski Juwel area, comprising the resorts of Reith, Oberau and Niederau – 145km of pistes in total. For families with young children, the beginner slopes in the centre of the village are very convenient. And there’s plenty of good eating on the slopes, at restaurants like the Böglalm – famous for its Gulaschsuppe, Kasspazl (cheesy pasta) and Gröstl (bacon, potato and onion fry-up) – or with panoramic views at the 2,030-metre Wiedersbergerhorn Hutte.
By train: 16¾ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 15.04 Eurostar to Brussels, and then switch to the adjacent platform to take the 18.25 ICE to Cologne; then take the 22.36 Alpen Express to Jenbach, arriving 08.50. From there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £212.
Stay
Hotel Alphof has a traditional feel and impressive spa, with doubles from €154 B&B.
Söll
This fun, friendly Tyrolean village is a short hop from Kufstein station, between Salzburg and Innsbruck. Travelling by overnight train gives you more time in the massive Skiwelt ski area and could save you accommodation costs for a night. The slopes are particularly suited to mile-hungry intermediates, with an efficient network of bubble and chairlifts. The most remarkable peak is the Hohe Salve, with its unparalleled vista over the Wilderkaiser mountain range. At this 1,829-metre summit you can have lunch on the revolving, sunny terrace of the Gipfelrestaurant, with views of more than 70 peaks over 3,000 metres high. Younger skiers will love popping in to see the resident skiing “witches” who, in keeping with a local legend, cast spells and brew potions in a hut, the Simonalm, on Hochsöll. Down in the village there’s a good supply of restaurants and bars, with the cavernous, beamed Moonlight Bar a popular spot.
By train: 19¼ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 11.04 Eurostar to Amsterdam arriving at 16.11, then take the 18.59 Alpen Express to Kufstein arriving 07.22; from there it’s 20 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £229.
Stay
Hotel Eggerwirt (eggerwirt.cc/en/) has a traditional Tirolean feel and double rooms from €122 B&B or €146 half-board.
Zell am See and Kaprun
Set above the magnificent Lake See, this handsome Austrian village has a pedestrianised centre, and a railway station. The distinctive altstadt (old town) has some buzzing bars, plenty of restaurants and a gothic church. The ski area is shared with the neighbouring village of Kaprun, close to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, which this year will be linked by a new gondola, the 3K K-onnection, to the ski area of Maiskogel, after an eye-watering outlay of more than €80m. The igloo village, with its impressive ice sculptures and ice bar, is well worth a visit after or between runs. And for real adrenalin junkies, the new Black Mamba run from the glacier has angles of 32 degrees.
By train: 22 hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 11.04 Eurostar to Amsterdam, arriving 16.11; then take the 18.59 Alpen Express to Zell am See, arriving 09.55. Return fares from £229.
Stay
The elegant Hotel Steinerwirt (doubles from €158) is a stone’s throw from the station.
ITALY
Sauze d’Oulx
If you love carving your way along tree-lined slopes and hunting down mountain restaurants, the slopes of Sauze d’Oulx won’t disappoint. Hidden in wooded enclaves are rustic huts such as Caio Paix, which serves delicious homemade cakes. The resort is part of the vast Milky Way ski area, with 400km of pistes shared with Sestriere, Sansicario and, further afield, Claviere and Montgenèvre. Beginners will enjoy the Sportinia area, with its gentle sweeping runs. The village has a cobbled centre and plentiful places to eat. A good place to begin is the sunlit terrace of the Assietta hotel. A number of restaurants compete to serve the best pizza, among them La Griglia, in the arches of an old townhouse. The resort has long shaken off its 1980s reputation as a magnet for boozy package holidays; now the atmosphere is friendly and vibrant rather than wild.
By train: 9 hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 09.24 Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord; change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14.41 TGV to Oulx, arriving at 19.23. From there it’s 15 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £109.
Stay
On the village square, the simple San Giorgio hotel has doubles from €150 half-board and an excellent restaurant.
Sëlva
Few resorts have a more spectacular backdrop than Sëlva, set against towering Dolomite rock faces. The village, one of three that make up Val Gardena, has Tirolean-style architecture and a family-friendly vibe. The Dolomiti Superskipass offers an incredible 1,220km of slopes across 12 ski areas and is the world’s largest ski “carousel”, including the famous Sella Ronda circuit. Eating choices reflect the region’s blend of Italian and German influences: Rifugio Emilio Comiciis the highest fish restaurant in the Dolomites, with fresh seafood from the Adriatic served daily and an inviting sun terrace. Anntal Hut is a great spot to enjoy the afternoon sun and has arguably the best apfelstrudel in the Dolomites. The slopeside Piz Seteur hotel, meanwhile, frequently has DJs and dancing.
By train: 22¾ hours
Depart London St Pancras on the 11.04 Eurostar to Amsterdam; then take the Fridays-only 18.59 Alpen Express to Innsbruck, arriving 08.43, and the 09.24 train to Bressanone, arriving 10.49. From there it’s 45 minutes by bus or taxi. Return fares from £259.
Stay Ski Solutions offers a week at the homely Hotel Pralong for £799pp half-board.
Daniel Elkan is the founder of snowcarbon.co.uk
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