Ok, so we can finally start talking about the ski season – a notion that is causing a lot of excitement here at The Gentleman’s Journal. The grimes and grumbles of autumn are long gone, and instead of cowering inside by the fire and refusing to go out (which is ok occasionally) we should all be getting throughly excited about the imminent ski season, the wonderfully wintery scenery and the opportunity to hit the mountains with full force. So, before everyone madly books the easiest holiday, take a look at a few of the best resorts in Europe, all offering wholly different experiences.
Best off-piste – La Grave, France
For the skiing savvy gentleman, the days of piste-bashing are long gone. The pursuit is now fully engrained in off-piste, deep powder and stomach-twisting alpine adventures, and La Grave is the place for you. A resort aimed exclusively at the advanced and expert skier, La Grave has the most amount of big mountain wilderness skiing available in Europe, and is a must for all intrepid adventurers.
Best for partying – St Anton, Austria
Skiing is not always about, well, skiing. Many gentlemen will be looking for resorts that boast a plethora of aprés-ski bars and larger night-clubs. For those who prefer to party, St Anton is the resort for you. With two of the largest, most famous bars in the world – The Krazy Kanguruh and Mooserwit – there is simply nowhere better.
Best for relaxing – St Mortiz, Switzerland
Although skiing holidays are, more often than not, about skiing, many choose this time of year for a relaxed holiday, where the option of skiing is delightful but secondary to luxurious relaxation – restaurants, shopping, spas – and nowhere does this better than St Mortiz. The famed Badrutt’s Palace and Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains offer world-class services for a perfectly relaxed weekend break.
Best for luxury – Klosters, Switzerland
Nowhere could possibly be more luxurious than the Royal Family’s favourite ski resort, Klosters. This reasonably small resort has become the trawling ground for the world’s elite, where the word luxury is a fleeting term compared to Klosters’ magnitude. If you want the best that money can buy, try a suite at the Walserhof Hotel (it’s where Prince Charles chooses to stay).
Best all-rounder – Val d’Isere
And finally, for the gentleman who wants a taste of everything from beautiful pistes and sensational big mountains to wild aprés and luxurious accommodation, nothing compares to Val d’Isere. As one of the most famous resorts in the world (and impressively large too) Val d’Isere is the resort to visit. For aprés, La Folie Douche is a must, and you can’t leave without trying one of the most famous runs in the word – La Face.
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