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Get the best ski instruction
As with all sports starting with the best instruction to lay strong building blocks is essential. It’s tempting if you are trying to save cash to think you can just follow your mates and try to copy them.
>> In the UK we have many good indoor slopes and starting there will give you your first taste of having planks on your feet and wearing ski boots which might save precious holiday time enabling you to start in class 2 instead of 1.
>> Get as much instruction as you can afford in resort because good habits created early will serve you well. If your body is correctly aligned on skis you will be in better control and put far less strain on your muscles when they struggle to save you from your mistakes
Make sure your class will be taught in English both so that you can understand the detail but also so that you can enjoy a laugh with the other members of the class. It’s no fun if your friends ski off for the day and leave you in a 2 hour class with no company to enjoy afterwards
Singlesport goes to Courchevel twice a year where all our guests have 10 hours ski tuition on 5 days included in the holiday price. We completely take over the excellent British ski school skivo2. Their instructors are all BASI qualified (British association of ski instructors) and the best I have experienced. They offer classes for complete beginners right through to experts and as everyone in the class is a Singlesport guest you will have good company to ski with afterwards
January https://www.singlesport.com/
March https://www.singlesport.com/
In November Singlesport goes to Kaprun where we have lessons all day to start the season. These courses are suitable for intermediate and advanced skiers but not beginners
https://www.singlesport.com/
Ski transfers
It’s easy nowadays to fly into most of the ski airports fairly cheaply but the onward journey to resort can easily cost more than the flight! Singlesport will always try to provide a transfer coach to make this much easier and cost effective. For our Courchevel holidays we have a fleet of minibuses transferring guests all day in January & march
January https://www.singlesport.com/
March https://www.singlesport.com/
Airport parking can cost as much as the flight!
We all like the convenience of driving to the door of the airport and maybe treating ourselves to meet and greet but for single travellers it’s not nearly such good value as when you fill the car. That’s why on every Singlesport trip we encourage as many guests as possible to use the same flight and share the guest list before we travel so that they can try to travel to the airport together to share the cost of airport parking
Luggage delay and compensation
It happens!
Unfortunately you are usually unaware what your rights are from the airline or from your travel insurance. I looked into a case recently where BA terms and conditions said you should buy whatever was essential. Does that meant a new ski jacket? You can easily hire skis and boots whilst you wait for yours to arrive but it’s harder to hire clothing. When I studied the ts and cs of one travel insurance it said you had to be delayed for 5hours before you could spend £10 and for 10 hours before you could spend £20 so they weren’t going to be of much use!
One thing is certain,every airline and every insurer will be different and so unless you can read the small print it’s better not to shop big time when your kit is delayed until you find out.It might be wise to travel in your ski jacket and carry essentials in your hand luggage. Be aware of the complete postal address & telephone number of your accommodation because the airline will need it if they are going to forward your luggage to you
Do I really need a ski helmet?
There are many of us who have skied without incident for years without a helmet but then again we used to ride our bikes without them too and we wouldn’t dream of doing so now!
Just because you have been safe for years doesn’t mean you won’t have an accident next week!
Helmets are as warm as any hat but can be ventilated to keep cool too. Hire one to get the feel of it before you buy. Remember you can be hit by another skier even if you ski very sedately! Sometimes I am glad of mine when I get hit on the head by the bar in a chair lift.
Currently most insurers do not insist on skiers & boarders wearing a helmet but the day might come when not wearing one might be considered as contributing to your level of injury.
Ski gear doesn’t have to be expensive
Ski gear can be eye wateringly expensive especially if you choose a designer brand but it doesn’t have to be. Lots of high street shops now sell ski gear much more reasonably even Lidl and Aldi have a special ski week now and again. Sadly many people start skiing and then don’t go again or grow out of their gear or whatever and it ends up in the charity shops. Sensible shops store it during the summer and then bring it all out in the autumn and make an event of it. Ask your local charity shop when they will be doing this.
Skis, boots and helmets can all be hired in resort until you know enough to decide to buy but there are some things that are important to buy in UK. Always make sure you have good gloves it’s very important to stay warm it doesn’t matter if they are borrowed or 2nd hand but they must be special ski gloves and very warm if you are going in the colder months
Singlesport guests are very welcome to discuss all these pros & cons before they travel
Society is changing but hotel rooms for skiers are not!
Many more people are living in single person households in the UK yet when we come to travel we find that hotel rooms are still geared to occupancy by two people. This is of course totally understandable, hotels are built that way and hoteliers would far prefer to have 2 guests eating in their restaurant or drinking in their bar than just one. Ski hotels have to make their money for the year from December to April and they must be cost effective
Singlesport recognises that many guests do not want to pay a single supplement for sole occupancy and so on all our holidays we offer to match people up so they can share. Some guests of course prefer to have a room to themselves and where possible we offer that at a supplement if the hotel or chalet will allow it
Why carry skis on the aircraft?
Over the years the airlines have changed their policies on ski carriage so that its often cheaper to hire top of the range skis than to carry your own old ones once you have factored in the servicing costs
Years ago many airlines carried ski equipment free of charge by which they meant skis and boots in 2 bags in addition to your suitcase. Now only Swiss offer this on their Geneva routes and occasionally Jet2 or Monarch will introduce it as a special offer for a limited time.
Many airlines no longer sell “ski carriage” as such, they sell you an extra bag which has a specific maximum weight. Sometimes this weight is high enough to get 2 pairs of skis in and so Singlesport will try to help on our holidays by introducing 2 guests on the same flight with skis. On charter flights they may still offer ski carriage but they usually mean one pair and will not compensate you if 2 pairs should get lost. It’s often hard to find out what weight charter ski bags can be until you get to check in and they charge you if you have tried putting 2 pairs in one bag!
If airlines such as BA and Easyjet continue to allow generous hand luggage you can still carry your skis for free by counting your ski bag as your first piece of luggage. You need to pack your skis and then add as much gear as you can including all your liquids. Then you pack your ski boots and lots more kit in your hand luggage making sure it’s exactly the right size.
It really all boils down to how much you love your skis and what effort or cost you are prepared to go to?
Singlesport always tries to find good ski hire deals and particularly in Courchevel and Kaprun the cost for good skis is always very reasonable
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Train versus plane for skiers and boarders?
Most of my guests who use Eurostar never go back to flying by choice but the comparison needs to be made on several levels .
First it must be convenient to reach St Pancras in London or Ashford in Kent to start your journey.
second you need to be skiing near to either Moutiers or Bourg St Maurice to gain the advantage at the other end.
Time wise there’s not much in it because although the train takes longer by the time you factor in the longer check in procedure for flights and the time it takes to retrieve your luggage they often work out about the same.
If you struggle to keep within the airlines weight allowance the train wins but don’t forget you have to lift your luggage yourself , stow it on board and keep an eye on it too if there is a stop before yours, I have known people pick up the wrong bag both in France and on the way home!
Cost wise the train will seem a bit more expensive but not if you were thinking of carrying skis or if your airport parking in UK or transfer in France is more expensive. Sometimes you can get a discount by being a member of various groups. The night train is cheaper than the day train and gives you the opportunity to ski 7 or 8 days instead of 6 if you are staying 7 nights but personally I don’t fancy skiing on limited sleep on day one.
If you are going to try the train the tickets go on sale at the very end of July and they get gradually more expensive so booking early is the key!
Singlesport guests in Courchevel often choose the train to Moutiers and so have a cheaper half hour transfer instead of the longer more expensive one from any of the airports.
January https://www.singlesport.com/winter-holidays/courchevel/
March https://www.singlesport.com/winter-holidays/courchevel2/
I would love to ski or board but can’t afford to get injured
No one wants to risk injury especially the self employed whose income depends on being fit but it’s important to get the risk in perspective. Most skiers have been skiing for years without injury and if you ask them how many injuries they see being loaded onto the aircraft the answer is usually none at all.
Of course it helps if you take proper care. Exercise a bit before you travel and make sure you go to a good ski school who will take things gently and always ski with friends,never alone.
Singlesport guests are great at looking out for each other but do make sure you know the contact details for your accommodation and carry your insurance details, then hope you never need them!
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