As the Winter Olympics continue to inspire a new generation of snow enthusiasts, self catering ski accommodation specialist Pierre & Vacances has released its round-up of the best ski festivals and events a little closer to home. The French Alps are this year playing host to a variety of events – from six-day comedy festivals in Meribel to extreme sports competitions in Tignes – where snow fanatics can combine a day on the piste with top-class evening entertainment. Pierre & Vacances properties have limited availability during some of the festivals, so customers are advised to book now to avoid disappointment.

Below we have listed Pierre & Vacances’ top choices for ski festivals in the Alps this winter:

Winter X-Games Europe, Tignes
10th – 12th March 2010
Tignes plays host to one of the world’s biggest alternative and extreme sports events this March – Winter X Games Europe. The first Winter X Games to take place outside the United States, the world’s top sportsmen and women will be competing against each other on two wheels, in the air, on skis and on snowboards for both medals and prize money. There will be eight different competitions over three days, including Ski and Snowboard SuperPipe and Slopestyle for men and women as well as a Snowmobile demonstration.

Accommodation: Pierre & Vacances offers one weeks accommodation in Pierre & Vacances Premium Tignes L’Ecrin des Neiges from 6th – 13th March 2010 for £1,717 (previously £2,020) for a two bedroom apartment suitable for up to six people. All apartments boast a fully fitted kitchen and living area and a balcony with mountain views. http://bit.ly/99YvBe

Little World Festival, Meribel
13th-19th March 2010
Organised by top British act, The Feeling, Little World Festival combines five days of skiing and snowboarding in the largest ski area in the world with entertainment from Europe’s biggest bands and DJ’s. With over 40 live gigs during the week and free outdoor concerts on the piste, the festival is an ideal choice for music lovers. This year’s festival includes music by Sophie Ellis Bextor, Glenn Tilbrook and, of course, The Feeling.

Accommodation: A weeks accommodation at Hotel Latitudes Le Savoy in a twin room between 13th – 20th March 2010 costs £1,088 (previously £1,280). The Hotel is located in the centre of the old village, just 30m from the slopes.

Altitude Festival, Meribel
20th-26th March 2010
Featuring some of the biggest names in comedy, the annual Altitude Festival offers the ultimate in après-ski entertainment and is one of the best-loved winter festivals in the Alps. The festival boasts stand-up comedy from some of the UK’s most popular performers, screenings of comedy films and live music throughout the week. This year’s line-up includes performances from Newton Faulkner, comedy from Phil Jupitus and music from DJ Yoda.

Accommodation: A weeks accommodation in Pierre & Vacances Meribel Les Crets from 20th – 27th March 2010 starts at £829 (previously £975) for a one bedroom apartment sleeping up to four people. The property offers ski-in-ski-out access to all ski lifts and all apartments include a kitchen area, terrace or balcony. http://bit.ly/bbCU8E

Three Valleys X-Wing Rally Finals, Three Valleys
5th April 2010
The main resorts in the Three Valleys region, including Courchevel, Meribel, and Val Thorens join together for this one-day event in which the slopes are open to everyone, regardless of ability. Having fun is the order of the day, with the only requisite being that the Three Valleys region is explored and admired. Events and competitions are organised throughout the day with ski passes and holidays to be won.

Accommodation: A weeks accommodation in Pierre & Vacances Premium Les Chalets du Forum starts from 3rd -10th April 2010 starts from £1,473 (previously £1,733) for a one bedroom apartment sleeping up to five people. The property is located in the heart of Courchevel, just 100m away from the ski lifts. All apartments include a kitchen area and a balcony or terrace.

What could be worse than realising that your well earned ski break to the Alps has been disrupted by the closure of roads and airports, due to adverse weather conditions? It’s arriving in your chosen resort finding that there is no or little snow. No snow I hear you cry, we’ve got bucket-loads here? This time last year saw one of the biggest dumps of snow in history and yet this year, some resorts have yet to see a significant sprinkle. To prevent disappointment on both counts, newly re-launched travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has access to a huge number of flights and airlines to airports all over the Alps and has also put together it’s top five high altitude ski resorts on the website. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/51-High-altitude-ski-resorts.aspx

Val Thorens, France
Okay, so the town lacks the charm of traditional Swiss or Austrian ski resorts, but charm counts for nothing when the key reason for being in Val Thorens is to ski on almost guaranteed snow from December onwards. So leave your lederhosen or curling gear behind and instead, wax down your board or carvers and head for one of the 268 runs.

For flights to Chambery, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chambery.aspx

Ischgl, Austria
Want good skiing, a mix of Austrian hospitality and some fantastic entertainment? Ischgl’s the place to head for. The skiing is high, with its highest lift sitting at 2872m, giving you a fairly safe bet snow-wise. Come to an Austrian resort and you’ll always receive that fantastic welcome, so again, a fairly safe bet on that front. Entertainment? Where else can you find a calendar of events that puts many major cities to shame?

For flights to Innsbruck, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Innsbruck.aspx

Chamonix, France
Chamonix boasts eleven separate ski areas that are all included within it’s lift pass, so even for the most demanding skier – you know, the one that goes to bed early and is annoyingly jolly at breakfast time, is also there to ski every minute of natural daylight – there’s so much skiing to be had here that you’re thankful for the maximum quota of kendal mint cake you brought to keep you going.

For flights to Geneva, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Zermatt, Switzerland
Okay, some vistors to Zermatt don’t look the youngest nor the poorest, but it doesn’t mean you have to don those very dark wrap around sunglasses that sit on top of your specs, or indeed wear that coat made from 100’s of fluffy somethings. Zermatt is simply a resort you have to ski and one that you’ll want to revisit time and time again. It’s not that the skiing is necessarily easy to ski from area to area, or that it takes an age to get there by train or car, it’s just the magic of the town.

For flights to Zermatt, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Zurich.aspx

Tignes, France
Lying 300m higher than Val d’Isère, Tignes is undoubtedly a safer bet. It doesn’t have the nightlife appeal that Val has, but frankly speaking, how many demi biere does it take to have a good time and what alpine ski resort have you come across that doesn’t indulge in slightly dodgy euro-pop ditties? Val or Tignes, you bound to find that bar that spins the wheels of the legendary stuff. It also not particularly pretty, but hey, you’re there to ski not gaze at the architecture.

For flights to Tignes, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Lyon.aspx

Sion Airport welcomed its first service direct from London Stansted this weekend when Snowjet commenced twice weekly flights to the Swiss Alps on Saturday. A total of 75 passengers boarded the Bae146-200 aircraft for the inaugural flight.

David Lacy, Snowjet’s Managing Director said: “Our Sion flights operated exactly to schedule, despite challenging weather conditions across the UK and Europe this weekend. Marcel Maurer, Mayor of Sion, greeted the first flight on Saturday and expressed his delight at having direct services from London, which will benefit Swiss travellers as well as British winter-sports enthusiasts.

“Flying direct to Sion, in the popular Swiss Valais Region, is the fastest route to some of Switzerland’s top ski resorts, including Zermatt, Verbier, Saas Fee, Crans Montana, Nendaz and Veysonnaz. Verbier, for example, is just 35 to 40 minutes away from Sion, compared with two and a half hours from Geneva.”

Snowjet’s Sion flights are the only scheduled services from the UK to this exclusive and efficient Alpine airport. As well as being the closest airport to some of Switzerland’s finest ski resorts, Sion has the added benefit of handling a low volume of passengers, meaning skiers don’t have a long wait at baggage reclaim or at check-in, enabling them to spend longer on the slopes. The airline also secured very civilised flight times, ensuring passengers can enjoy their winter break to the full.

The Bae146-200 utilised on the route is configured with just 80-seats with a seat pitch of 32 inches, providing passengers with extra leg room and comfort. The flights (number ZT 6411/2) operate twice-weekly, every Saturday and Sunday, through to 18 April 2010, departing London Stansted at 1000, arriving Sion at 1300. From Sion, departures are at 1400, arriving London Stansted at 1500 (local times).

Flights to Sion airport complement Snowjet’s established routes with flights to Chambery from London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham. Snowjet’s flights to Chambery are popular with skiers travelling to Meribel, Val d’Isere, Tignes, Courchevel, Val Thorens, Les Arcs and La Plagne as they offer significant time savings on transfers to these resorts and others in the region, compared with flying to any other ski airport. Snowjet’s new Gatwick-Geneva service, which also commenced on Saturday, provides a gateway to further resorts including Chamonix, Morzine and Avoriaz.

All Snowjet flights are available to book online at www.snowjet.co.uk, with a lead in fare of just £29 one way, including all taxes and a free 20kg baggage allowance. Ski-carriage is just £14.99 one way.

December 2009 – What could be worse than realising that your well earned ski break to the Alps has been disrupted by the closure of roads and airports, due to adverse weather conditions? It’s arriving in your chosen resort finding that there is no or little snow. No snow I hear you cry, we’ve got bucket-loads here? This time last year saw one of the biggest dumps of snow in history and yet this year, some resorts have yet to see a significant sprinkle. To prevent disappointment on both counts, newly re-launched travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has access to a huge number of flights and airlines to airports all over the Alps and has also put together it’s top five high altitude ski resorts on the website. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/51-High-altitude-ski-resorts.aspx

Val Thorens, France

Okay, so the town lacks the charm of traditional Swiss or Austrian ski resorts, but charm counts for nothing when the key reason for being in Val Thorens is to ski on almost guaranteed snow from December onwards. So leave your lederhosen or curling gear behind and instead, wax down your board or carvers and head for one of the 268 runs.

For flights to Chambery, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chambery.aspx

Ischgl, Austria

Want good skiing, a mix of Austrian hospitality and some fantastic entertainment? Ischgl’s the place to head for. The skiing is high, with its highest lift sitting at 2872m, giving you a fairly safe bet snow-wise. Come to an Austrian resort and you’ll always receive that fantastic welcome, so again, a fairly safe bet on that front. Entertainment? Where else can you find a calendar of events that puts many major cities to shame?

For flights to Innsbruck, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Innsbruck.aspx

Chamonix, France

Chamonix boasts eleven separate ski areas that are all included within it’s lift pass, so even for the most demanding skier – you know, the one that goes to bed early and is annoyingly jolly at breakfast time, is also there to ski every minute of natural daylight – there’s so much skiing to be had here that you’re thankful for the maximum quota of kendal mint cake you brought to keep you going.

For flights to Geneva, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Zermatt, Switzerland

Okay, some vistors to Zermatt don’t look the youngest nor the poorest, but it doesn’t mean you have to don those very dark wrap around sunglasses that sit on top of your specs, or indeed wear that coat made from 100’s of fluffy somethings. Zermatt is simply a resort you have to ski and one that you’ll want to revisit time and time again. It’s not that the skiing is necessarily easy to ski from area to area, or that it takes an age to get there by train or car, it’s just the magic of the town.

For flights to Zermatt, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Zurich.aspx

Tignes, France

Lying 300m higher than Val d’Isère, Tignes is undoubtedly a safer bet. It doesn’t have the nightlife appeal that Val has, but frankly speaking, how many demi biere does it take to have a good time and what alpine ski resort have you come across that doesn’t indulge in slightly dodgy euro-pop ditties? Val or Tignes, you bound to find that bar that spins the wheels of the legendary stuff. It also not particularly pretty, but hey, you’re there to ski not gaze at the architecture.

For flights to Tignes, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Lyon.aspx

What could be worse than realising that your well earned ski break to the Alps has been disrupted by the closure of roads and airports, due to adverse weather conditions?  It’s arriving in your chosen resort finding that there is no or little snow.  No snow I hear you cry, we’ve got bucket-loads here?  This time last year saw one of the biggest dumps of snow in history and yet this year, some resorts have yet to see a significant sprinkle.  To prevent disappointment on both counts, newly re-launched travel search engine www.nowfly.co.uk has access to a huge number of flights and airlines to airports all over the Alps and has also put together it’s top five high altitude ski resorts on the website. The below are edited versions, but for full details click here:

www.nowfly.co.uk/ZipIt/51-High-altitude-ski-resorts.aspx

Val Thorens, France
Okay, so the town lacks the charm of traditional Swiss or Austrian ski resorts, but charm counts for nothing when the key reason for being in Val Thorens is to ski on almost guaranteed snow from December onwards. So leave your lederhosen or curling gear behind and instead, wax down your board or carvers and head for one of the 268 runs.

For flights to Chambery, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Chambery.aspx

Ischgl, Austria
Want good skiing, a mix of Austrian hospitality and some fantastic entertainment?  Ischgl’s the place to head for.  The skiing is high, with its highest lift sitting at 2872m, giving you a fairly safe bet snow-wise.  Come to an Austrian resort and you’ll always receive that fantastic welcome, so again, a fairly safe bet on that front.  Entertainment?  Where else can you find a calendar of events that puts many major cities to shame?

For flights to Innsbruck, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Innsbruck.aspx

Chamonix, France
Chamonix boasts eleven separate ski areas that are all included within it’s lift pass, so even for the most demanding skier – you know, the one that goes to bed early and is annoyingly jolly at breakfast time, is also there to ski every minute of natural daylight – there’s so much skiing to be had here that you’re thankful for the maximum quota of kendal mint cake you brought to keep you going.

For flights to Geneva, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Zermatt, Switzerland
Okay, some vistors to Zermatt don’t look the youngest nor the poorest, but it doesn’t mean you have to don those very dark wrap around sunglasses that sit on top of your specs, or indeed wear that coat made from 100’s of fluffy somethings.  Zermatt is simply a resort you have to ski and one that you’ll want to revisit time and time again.  It’s not that the skiing is necessarily easy to ski from area to area, or that it takes an age to get there by train or car, it’s just the magic of the town.

For flights to Zermatt, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Zurich.aspx

Tignes, France
Lying 300m higher than Val d’Isère, Tignes is undoubtedly a safer bet.  It doesn’t have the nightlife appeal that Val has, but frankly speaking, how many demi biere does it take to have a good time and what alpine ski resort have you come across that doesn’t indulge in slightly dodgy euro-pop ditties?  Val or Tignes, you bound to find that bar that spins the wheels of the legendary stuff.  It also not particularly pretty, but hey, you’re there to ski not gaze at the architecture.

For flights to Tignes, follow this link; www.nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Lyon.aspx

If you don’t have young children, and have no desire to be surrounded by other people’s children on your skiing holiday, Boutique chalet specialists The Alpine Club have ear marked a number of Adult Only weeks exclusively for fine dining & good company.

The Adult Only weeks have been introduced this year in response to guest requests. “A number of our guests don’t want to share a chalet with children’, says Helen Raemers Company Owner, “it’s not that they are against children, indeed many have children, it’s just that they welcome a respite from time to time”. After a day skiing the endless terrain of the 3 vallees, guests can simply relax by the fire & share the highlights of the day with like minded guests whilst their personal chef prepares food to die for in guaranteed peace & quiet!

The Alpine Clubs boutique chalets are situated exclusively in the chocolate box resort of St Martin de Belleville, offering direct & easy access to the 600km of piste of the Three Valleys network without the crowds that cluster around Meribel, Val Thorens and Courchevel.

The Alpine Club’s chalets are available on selected dates as ‘Adult Only’ and along with charming chalets with en-suite as standard you will find outstanding service, attention to detail, & sumptuous food prepared by dedicated professional chefs.

Adult only weeks – 17th, 24th, 31st January, 7th February & 14th March 2010.

Subject to availability & terms & conditions. Prices from £750pp. (includes seven nights luxury accommodation and cooked breakfast, afternoon tea, canapés and sumptuous five-course dinners on six days; medal winning house wines, fluffy towels, bath robes and toiletries, DVD, film library, wifi, chauffeured mini bus and local taxes. Excludes all travel).

Ski Republic (www.ski-republic.com) reports a massive 60% increase in online ski hire bookings from UK skiers compared with this time 12 months ago. The company attributes the soar in figures to early snowfall across Europe and skiers’ keenness to find the best value this winter.

Ski Republic, which operates from 35 ski hire shops in the heart of the French Alps has a permanent `two for one’ ski equipment hire offer, bookable online, which saves skiers up to 120 euros per week compared to rental prices of a conventional resort ski shop.

Ski Republic’s MD Mark Warnes said “With people shopping around for the best ski holiday bargains this winter, it’s pointless if they’re then stung in resort with high hire prices, or if they buy through a tour operator who will be inevitably on commission. The Ski Republic business model means that skiers can book their hire online (www.ski-republic.com) or in resort, and of course all equipment is fitted and changeable on arrival, so if you specify the wrong sized boot online, it’s not a problem to get the right size fitted of course”.

The company has revolutionized ski hire since launching in the Alps at the start of the 2007 season, by driving down the cost per person and improving service levels in the brightly coloured pink and yellow Ski Republic stores. Ski Republic also includes free ski equipment damage insurance, a free helmet and free anti-stink boot liners with every rental.

Ski Republic’s success has been so phenomenal that that they are opening 8 new stores for winter 2009/10 in Val Thorens, Les Arcs 2000, Chamonix, Saint Jean D’Arves, Chatel, Avoriaz, Les Coches and Serre Chevalier

TWO for ONE SKI HIRE PRICE COMPARISON
Ski Republic:
Skis, sticks & boots €67.50 per person, €47 without boots*
Snowboard & boots €67.50 per person, €47 without boots*
* Based on 2 for 1 offer
Skiset prices, based on the hire shop in Val D’Isere
Skis, sticks & boots €185 per person, €123 without boots*
Snowboard & boots €185 per person, €123 without boots*
* less 20% if pre-booked online
SKI REPUBLIC SHOP LOCATIONS
Val Thorens
Meribel
Meribel Mottaret
Pralognan En Vanoise
Vallandry
Les Arcs 1800 Villards
Les Arcs 1800 Charvet
Les Arcs 2000
La Plagne Centre
La Plagne Bellecot
Sainte Foy
Tignes Val Claret
Tignes Le Lac
Tignes Lavachet
Tignes Borsat
Tignes Les Brevieres
Val d’Isere
Les Menuires
Courcheval 1850
Courcheval 1650
Les 2 Alpes
Valmorel
La Rosiere
Chamonix
Saint Jean D’Arves
Chatel
Avoriaz
Les Coches
Serre Chevalier

For bookings taken from 1 November to 30 November we are offering £75 off per booking on ALL* Ski Holidays departing in February, March and April 2010.

*£75 per booking (£37.50 per person) is available on all ski holidays taken by air with a minimum of seven nights duration. Excludes departures 13 and 14 February 2010.

Call Inghams Reservations on 020 8780 4447 or visit www.inghams.co.uk <http://www.inghams.co.uk/>

Levi, Finnish Lapland

Seven nights for less than £251 per person

Levi is Finland’s most extensive ski resort, providing visitors with over 160 miles of skiable terrain and over 180 miles of stunning snowy landscapes to discover by snowmobile. Inghams is offering seven nights self-catering accommodation at the 3* Levilehto Chalets

from just £250.50 per person, based on six people sharing, departing 17 January 2010. Price includes resort transfers and return flights to Kittila from London Gatwick and return resort transfers. Flights also available from Bristol (+£25), Birmingham (£28) and Manchester (+19). Call Inghams Reservations on 020 8780 4447 or visit www.inghams.co.uk <http://www.inghams.co.uk/>

Val Thorens, France

Seven nights for less than £371 per person

At 2,300m, Val Thorens is Europe’s highest ski resort and part of the immense Three Valleys ski area. Inghams is offering seven nights self-catering accommodation at the 3* Belambra Les Olympiades

, from just £370.50 per person, based on two people sharing, departing 2 January 2010. Price includes resort transfers and return flights to Geneva from London Gatwick and return transfers. Flights are also available from Stansted (Nil), Birmingham (+£22), Norwich (+25), Exeter (+£27), Bristol (+£27), Manchester (+£29), Southampton (+£30), Jersey (+£30), Leeds-Bradford (£35), Newcastle (+£37), Glasgow (+£44), Edinburgh (+£48) Isle of Man (+£49) and Belfast City (+£49). Call Inghams Reservations on 020 8780 4447 or visit www.inghams.co.uk <http://www.inghams.co.uk/>

Les Arcs 2000, France

Seven nights for less than £401 per person

Boasting an excellent snow record and over 100 runs, Les Arcs is a great ski resort for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. Inghams is offering seven nights half-board accommodation at the 3* Club Aiguille Rouge Hotel

Ski Republic, the cut price ski equipment hire specialist, is opening two new stores in time for the 2009/10 ski season, expanding their `two-for-one’ ski hire further throughout the French Alps. As with all of the company’s 27 existing shops, 2-4-1 ski hire can be both booked online at www.ski-republic.com for collection at the stores, or booked in-store.

The first new shop is in Val Thorens, Europe’s highest ski resort, and is the second store the company now operates in the resort. The second new shop is in Les Arcs 2000 in a central location in the resort.

Managing Director, Mark Warnes, said «Demand in Val Thorens was so high last season that we had to look at opening a second shop. It’s a very popular resort, particularly with British skiers, and our internet bookings were phenomenal last season, which made us realise that with further growth for 2009/10 the one shop just wasn’t going to cope with demand.

Customer demand also drove our decision to open a store in Les Arcs 2000. We already have two shops in Arcs 1800 but so many people staying in Arcs 2000 wanted a Ski Republic rental outlet close to their accommodation that we’ve opened there too.

This is Ski Republic’s third season since launching in December 2007. The company’s 2-4-1’ ski equipment hire policy literally halves the cost of hiring skis, sticks, poles, boards and boots when two skiers book equipment hire at the same time and saves around €120 euros per person compared with typical resort ski hire shops.*

TWO for ONE SKI HIRE PRICE COMPARISON
Ski Republic:
Skis, sticks & boots €64.50 per person, €45 without boots*
Snowboard & boots €64.50 per person, €45 without boots*
* Based on 2 for 1 offer
Skiset prices, based on the hire shop in Val D’Isere
Skis, sticks & boots €185 per person, €123 without boots*
Snowboard & boots €185 per person, €123 without boots*
* less 20% if pre-booked online
SKI REPUBLIC SHOP LOCATIONS
Val Thorens
Meribel
Meribel Mottaret
Pralognan En Vanoise
Vallandry
Les Arcs 1800 Villards
Les Arcs 2000
Les Arcs 1800 Charvet
La Plagne Centre
La Plagne Bellecot
Sainte Foy
Tignes Val Claret
Tignes Le Lac
Tignes Lavachet
Tignes Borsat
Tignes Les Brevieres
Val d’Isere
Les Menuires
Courcheval 1850
Courcheval 1650
Les 2 Alpes
Valmorel
La Rosiere