Skiing may be one of the most exciting holiday activities, but it’s also one of the most expensive. Many people are still reluctant to plan a week’s skiing for fear of how much it might cost, but there are plenty of deals on offer to make it more affordable. We have a few tips that could help you save even more.
Plan an affordable week’s skiing by following this article’s money-saving suggestions.
Transport: how much should you expect to spend during a week skiing?
Transport is an unavoidable part of your holiday budget, whether it’s to and from your destination, or for the daily commute during your stay. However, there are ways to save money with a little flexibility and by choosing the right means of transport according to the size of your group.
By car: driving costs and ways to reduce them
The car is the most popular way of getting to the mountains. It offers you flexibility, allowing you to go wherever you like, whenever you like, throughout your stay.
The main costs of travelling by car are tolls and fuel. There are also additional considerations, such as parking at your destination, or the purchase of chains or snow socks for your car.
For example, a trip from Paris to Tignes by car costs about €150, including fuel and tolls. A night’s parking in the resort costs €19. A set of two chains or socks costs between €50 and €150 for standard cars.
But there are several ways to cut costs:
- if you’re not in a hurry, avoid the motorways and use the free trunk roads instead;
- car-share to spread the cost;
- drive to your destination, then take advantage of the free shuttle buses offered with your ski pass;
- park your car outside the local area, as the centre is often more expensive;
- choose accommodation with private parking.
Good to know: Charging points for electric vehicles are provided at some of our partner chalets, such as Chalet Les Noisettes, in Morzine.
By train: advantages and disadvantages
The train combines comfort and speed, allowing you to travel to most ski resorts from any town in France, for example Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (4 hours from Lyon), Combloux (6 hours from Paris), or Font-Romeu (2 hours 30 minutes from Toulouse).
On the other hand, the train is more expensive and less flexible than the car, and some routes may require several changes, which considerably extend the journey time. For less-frequented or more isolated resorts, access can be complex or even impossible.
A direct TGV from Paris to Annecy costs €70, while a regional ticket from Lyon to Chamonix costs less than €50. Discount cards can reduce the price, especially for children and students. You will then need to add the cost of the shuttle bus to the ski lifts.
Good to know: The SNCF has a very attractive OUIGO offer, which allows you to travel to the Alps for just €19 from Paris, or €10 from Lyon or Grenoble.
Every winter, train companies offer special deals for passengers heading for the slopes:
- TGVs serve the Alps from several major cities in France and abroad (Eurostar Snow from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels and Antwerp). They run mainly on Saturdays and during the winter holidays;
- the Train des Neiges, departing from Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Manosque, serves the 25 resorts in the Southern Alps;
- ZOU buses and trains offer a similar service to the Southern Alps;
- SNCF Occitanie’s Skirail Ax 3 Domaines offer includes return travel, shuttle, day pass and insurance.
By air: a cost-effective option?
Flying can be convenient and direct. The most complicated part, however, is getting from the airport to the resort. Taxis are the quickest way, but can be expensive. Buses and shuttles are good alternatives, if your ski resort is well served.
Calculating an average budget for a plane journey is complicated: it depends on the flight time, the airline, the period, etc. In addition to the price of the ticket, there’s also the cost of checked baggage and transport between the airport and the resort. Obviously, the earlier you book your ticket, the cheaper it is. This means that you need to plan your holiday well in advance and budget accordingly.
Accommodation: getting value for money
Accommodation is the biggest expense when it comes to mountain holidays, accounting on average for almost 29% of the total budget. There are different possible types of accommodation, depending on whether you’re travelling with friends, family, as a couple or on your own.
Booking accommodation in advance gives you the best choice for the right price. The bigger your group, the more important it is to get in early and choose accommodation that offers good value for money.
Good value for money does not mean cheap accommodation – instead, it means accommodation with a special appeal that will enhance your group holiday. This could be a prime location at the foot of the slopes, a spectacular view, or a spa facility to help you relax after skiing.
To give you a clearer idea, here are three examples of properties offering good value for money:
Chalet Alti, Le Grand-Bornand
With a fully-equipped ski room, spacious terraces and superb panoramic views, this luxury chalet for 14 people has a well-deserved 5-star rating. Its children’s facilities and delightful bunk room have also earned it the “Cool for Kids” label.
What makes this property even more spectacular is its wellness area, with a sauna and an outdoor hot tub for eight guests. You can return from the slopes of Le Grand-Bornand, just 1km away, and relax in the comfort of your own chalet.
Chalet Capieu–Le Barn, La Clusaz
The elegant Chalet Capieu-Le Barn, set in a traditional Alpine farmhouse, also has an outdoor hot tub, with breathtaking views of the Aravis peaks. A large flat garden, a wood-burning stove and a games room will add to your enjoyment.
The main advantage of this accommodation for 13 guests is its location, directly at the foot of the slopes in La Clusaz. And with the shuttle bus stopping 500m away, you’ll be able to explore the other resorts in the area without wasting valuable snow time.
Chalet Vivaldaim, Morillon
The spacious Chalet Vivaldaim is particularly popular with families, not only because of its location close to two family-friendly resorts (Morillon and Samoëns), but also because of the children’s facilities that have earned it the “Cool for Kids” label.
A Nordic bath, outdoor sauna, games room, fireplace, ski room… there’s everything you need to guarantee a dream stay for 15 guests. What’s more, you’ll be staying in the heart of nature, with a babbling brook on the edge of the forest…
Good to know: When you enter your travel dates on the page for the chalet of your choice, you’ll see the prices for that period. This gives you a good idea of the budget you’ll need for your week’s skiing.
Ski equipment: hire or buy?
Equipment for a week’s skiing
As you’ll be hitting the slopes, you’ll need a pair of skis or a snowboard as well as ski boots. Ski poles are also recommended, although beginners sometimes learn without them.
Good to know: If you hire your ski boots at the resort, it’s a good idea to wear ski socks when you try them on, to make sure you choose the right size.
You’ll also need warm, waterproof clothing: gloves, a hat, thick socks, trousers or salopettes and several layers of thermal clothing. You can get them second-hand or buy them new.
You can either hire your equipment at your destination or buy it. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. Consider how often you’ll be using the equipment, your budget and what you are able to carry.
Cost of hiring equipment
The price of hire varies according to the quality of the equipment, the skill level, the size of the shop, and the time of year and the resort.
On average, it costs between €300 and €500 per adult per week to hire skis, poles and boots at the resort. That said, you can save up to 50% of the total price if you plan ahead and hire online.
Good to know: Our partner Skiset, a specialist in ski equipment hire, is offering up to 55% discount to all OVO Network guests.
Ski passes: prices and special offers
Ski passes in French resorts are among the cheapest in Europe. Even so, they still account for 16% of the total budget for a week’s skiing on average.
Ski pass prices depend not only on the resort and duration of your stay (half-day, day, week or all season), but also on your age, the size of your group and the extent of the ski area you wish to explore.
For example, the ski passes available in Combloux cover either the village slopes (€16.50/day), the reduced Portes du Mont-Blanc area (€47/day), or the entire Évasion Mont-Blanc area (€61.50/day).
Other examples of daily rates for the 2024-25 season: Alpe d’Huez (€64), Châtel (€51), Font-Romeu (€47.50), Grand Tourmalet (€52), Le Lioran (€39.30), Les Carroz (€51.80).
If you want to save money on the price of your ski pass, it is important to consider your needs and all the available options:
- every resort has special offers on its website;
- many resorts also offer exceptional reductions on their ski passes if you book them in September and October;
- ski passes are generally cheaper at the beginning and the end of the season;
- if you plan to go skiing several times during the season, a season pass will offer the best value for money;
- the rechargeable Skipass card offers up to 30% discount in the Alps, Pyrenees and Jura;
- the Ski à la carte scheme allows you to ski in the biggest resorts in the Alps with discounts ranging from 10% to 40%.
Food: managing your budget at the resort
Food accounts for around 15% of the budget for a week’s skiing, including shopping and restaurants.
Restaurant prices are similar to those in a big city like Paris, although restaurants on the slopes are often more expensive. You can also expect prices to be 10% to 30% higher in the resorts’ mini-markets.
Here are a few ideas for reducing your food budget:
- For lunch, opt for a picnic, to save money and make the most of the view;
- Take non-perishable goods with you so that you don’t have to buy them at the resort, or do your main shop away from the resort centre;
- when it comes to eating out, specialist websites such as TheFork can help you make your choice and offer attractive discounts;
- by choosing self-catered accommodation rather than a hotel room, you’ll have access to a fully-equipped kitchen, which will save you money on restaurants.
Good to know: Some of our partner chalets offer equipment (fondue sets, raclette machines) so you can prepare delicious mountain specialities yourself!
Non-skiing activities: how much should you budget?
There’s more to life than skiing! Perhaps you’d like to try one of the many other activities on offer in the mountains, such as ice-skating, glacier climbing, paragliding or dog sledding.
Each of these activities obviously has a cost, which depends on the resort, the period and the size of your group. Find out about the activities on offer, the service providers and the various prices at your resort tourist office or on their official website.
The key to budgeting for your week’s skiing is to plan ahead. Getting in early means you can take advantage of reduced rates on everything from accommodation and transport to equipment hire and ski passes. We hope our tips help you save money on your holiday!
Your week in the Alps…
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