What an amazing season we've had!

It seems like only yesterday we were getting ready for our first guests to hit the slopes for another new season and what a truly incredible winter we've had - there has been some superb snow, fantastic ski conditions and it's not wuite finished yet!   Some of our clients lucky enough to get a end of season deal are forecast yet more snow.

We'd like to take this opportununity to thank everyone - new and old - who has got in touch with us this season and hope that everyone we sent away had a holiday to remember.

As most of you may propbably already know, next season is already on sale and peak weeks such as Christmas, New Year and the February Half Term are already booking up fast.

The Chaletline office will be open throughout the summer so if you're already thinking of next season get in touch and let us help.

Last chance for this season ...

We still have catered chalet availability for the coming weekend - 13th/14th April with flights & transfers included, not to mention a few properties making the most of the conditions and even offering Catered Accommodation only deals for the 20th!

Here we go it's Easter Snow!

The forecasters got this one right with snow falling across the Alps since the weekend and more to come! 

Temperatures are set to remain cool for the rest of the week and more snow showers are expected in the North followed by clearing skies and kinder temperatures. Perfect Spring conditions and we have perfect prices to match!

Check our late deals for the remaining weeks of the season with prices reduced by up to 50% or give our team a call and we will be happy to steer you to the best snow deals out there!

It's still not too late to get away this season!

Snow continues to fall and there's talk that winter is about to make a comeback.  Whether you’re in the Alps or back home by Monday we’ll could all have our woolly hats back on.  

With a cold front pushing in from the North and looking set to hang around for a few days, powdery snow fall is predicted again over the Alps - and in places it’ll be quite heavy. Early signals are suggesting Austria and the Italian Dolomites will see a proper dump.

Is this the end of ski hosting in France?

The majority of our tour operators have been in contact with us today to inform us that they are 'pulling' their ski hosting services.

The service of ski hosting has been declared to be in breach of a French law that forbids anyone from guiding groups of skiers around the slopes unless they are fully qualified ski and snowboard instructors this case was brought to light by the ESF however the decision is to be appealed and we will keep you posted with the progression of this case.

The law was originally introduced to try and stamp out illegal instruction. Although ski hosts do not give any form of instruction. Their role is to show guests around the ski area, introduce them to different pistes, and point out the best lunch spots and bars. They do not takes guests off-piste or down difficult runs. However, the law was recently revised to include anyone who is paid simply to lead groups of skiers around the mountain, on-piste as well as off.

Many of our guests appreciate being shown around the mountains as part of a friendly group and ski hosting will be sadly missed by many!

French Resort Snow Report

Good news for French resorts, after some snow on Tuesday (29/01/13) it has remained cold & sunny across most of the French Alps with plenty of good skiing to be had on well-groomed pistes as well as some powder opportunities. More snow is forecast for today (Thurs) & tomorrow (Fri) when a fresh front moves in!

Les Arcs has benefitted from clear skies and bright sunshine and nearly half a metre of fresh powder is forecast in the latter half of this week meaning the glorious conditions are set to continue.

Meribel's ski conditions yesterday were extremely powdery both on the slopes and off due to the snowfall we had on the 27/01. Therefore, off piste will be divine and carving on piste will be a delight. Skiing will be a treat in general this week for skiers of all abilities.

Courchevel, there is 180cm of snow at the top of the Courchevel ski area with 129cm of snow in resort. The last snowfall was yesterday and saw an amazing 20cm come down.

New 'Ski Show' launch

A brand new ski show in Birmingham is planned for next year, organised by the 'InTheSnow magazine' with a £50,000 cash prize on offer for visitors.

InTheSnow Live, from 25-27 October, will take the place of the British Ski and Board Show, which has run at Birmingham’s NEC for the past 24 years.

As well as the £50,000 giveaway, organisers are planning fashion shows and ski talks, a plasma wall featuring live broadcasts from the show and from the ski scene around the world —as well as hundreds of exhibitors.

Snow forecasts suggest as much as much as half a metre of snow will fall in a few parts of Switzerland, France and the Arlberg resorts of Austria. 

Pre-Season Snow Forecast!!

Heavy snow is expected this week, especially on the higher slopes. Most of it will fall on the main Alpine ridge that doubles as the international border between Italy and the other Alpine nations. Some places, such as Saas-Fee and the upper slopes of Zermatt and Cervinia, could see well over a metre of snow. Another blast of wintry weather is forecast for December 6th 2012. 

Val d’Isere, St Anton and Les Deux Alpes are among some of  the resorts opening this weekend. The lifts are already running in Val Thorens, Ischgl, Obergurgl and nearly all the glacier ski areas – as well as a few other resorts which got lucky in the pre-season snow lottery. Below is a snowy picture of  Val D'Isere!

The season is upon us!

Chaletline shortlisted in the 2012 Snow Vole Awards

We are pleased to announce that Chaletline has been nominated in the 'Best Ski Travel Agent' category in the inaugural SnowVole 2012 Awards.

Voting is now open so, if you have a spare couple of minutes and would like to vote for us CLICK HERE.   

We would really appreciate your support!

New for St Anton in 2012/13

The stylish Hotel Montjola in St Anton is currently undergoing a total overhaul by a team of interior designers and will be a fantastic new to the Chaletline website.  

Following the transformation, the hotel will sleep a maximum of 80 guests in 33 spacious bedrooms with a mix of double, twin, triple and Austrian twin bedrooms.  

It will offer an enviable location, a mere five minute walk to the main Galzig lift, with magnificent views of St Anton, the mountains and the pistes from many of the terraces and balconies around the property.  The Montjola is close enough to the buzz of village life yet perfectly secluded from the action of the party capital of the Alps.

Your ski experience will be enhanced by the welcome drinks and mouth-watering canapés, seven days cooked breakfast, afternoon tea and evening meal with wine included, a bar serving drinks & coffee, a sauna, steam room and massage suite and a new wraparound outdoor hot tub.

Fresh Snow in the Alps

We've seen 10cm of fresh snow fall in Val d'isere in the last few nights and the latest forecast suggests there is more to come. 

Latest Snow Reports

With ongoing reports of more snow coming in on a regular basis, we thought we'd pass on the the latest news and forecasts for our top resorts ...

It's snowing!

Tweets are coming in thick and fast - just like the snow!

• It's been snowing all night :) Verbier {5th Dec - 06:08}
• 1ft of fresh and minus 2 in Lac, Tignes {5th Dec - 08:54}
• Snow expected on upper slopes Val Thorens {5th Dec - 08:58}
• Snow,Snow,Snow falling here. Snowline just above Peisey around 1500 {5th Dec - 09:12}
• Its snowing in Chatel at the moment :)  {5th Dec - 09:40}
• Neige neige neige!!! it's actually snowing in Morzine {5th Dec - 09:30}

New All Inclusive

More and more companies are realising the demand for All Inclusive holidays at the moment and adding value to many of their hotels by offering them on a new All Inclusive basis.

Take a look at these two new All Inclusive ski hotels in Kitzbuhel and Claviere:

Hotel Hofer, Kitzbuhel - 2 minutes from the resort centre - sauna - all rooms with ensuite facilities. READ MORE >

Hotel Grande Claviere, Claviere, Italy - Near the village centre and just 3 mins from the slopes - all rooms ensuite - inhouse childcare. READ MORE >

Included with both of these hotels are:

Breakfast (buffet on 1 of 7 nights)
Hearty breakfast  with hot and cold options

Lunch
Daily packed lunch including sadwiches, crisps, choclate bar and fruit juice.

Afternoon Tea (buffet on 1 of 7 nights)
Daily afternoon tea with cakes and buiscuits

Evening Meal (served 6 out of 7 nights)
A choice of menu is available with four course farewell speciality meal one night of the week.
Early two course evening meals are available for children.

Extras
Free unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks between 4.30pm and 10pm

Avoriaz Freestyle

An exciting new opportunity for teens and active adults to explore a new challenge in the mountains. Bass's new Freestyle and Freeride Camp will show you how to use terrain like a theme park and will introduce you safely to the many snowparks that Avoriaz is famed for. See the secrets of the Stash and express your current skills in a new and exciting way. Forget boring technical lectures - these fun orientated sessions are lead by experienced freestyle coaches who have a passion for play!

An 8 hour coaching clinic for skiers comfortable making parallel turns on all slopes. The alternate 2 day structure gives you the opportunity to practice your skills after the first session so you are ready for more by day two.

Price:                           £139
Date:                            Tuesday 5th and Thursday 7th April
Start Time:                   9.15 am - 1.15 pm
No. of Hours:                8 hrs coaching
Location:                      Avoriaz - meeting point top of Prodains cable car

To see the range of properities that we have left available in Avoriaz for the week commencing 2nd & 3rd April Click HERE

To book your place on the Freeride Camp please contact BASS directly by clicking HERE

Chalets from £199

We have never had such amazing late deal prices and that's not just spin. Really, we are seeing prices starting at just £199 per person including flights, transfers and catered accomodation.

And it pays to talk, the bargains are definitely out there, we have been practicing our negotiating skills and getting unprecedented offers and reductions for our clients. The snow is forecast to fall in great bucket loads this week so get in quick and book your spring ski break now.

It's Snowing

The snow has been falling heavily over the weekend right across Europe and the powder is back! With many resorts receiveing around half a meter in just two days the slopes are looking good.

Follwing one of the busiest weeks of the season recently the slopes needed a little refresher and boy did they get that, the new snow means excellent skiing/snowboarding opportunities are to be found.

Avoriaz had a substantial amount of snow last week, with its last snow on Monday 28th February. 25cm of snow fell also in Méribel on Sunday 27th February.

Val Thorens and Tignes also saw 15cm of snow and Flaine had 20cm of snow on Sunday 27th February.

Italy has also seen some good snowfall. In Arabba the cold temperatures are keeping the snow in tip top condition with 20cm of snowfall on Monday 28th February.

Austria also received a top up of snow over the weekend. The conditions on the glaciers are particularly good and this is where the most snow has fallen. Sunny weather is forecast but temperatures will remain below freezing so the snow will stay in good shape.

Elsewhere, more snow has fallen in Canada and Andorra saw 20cm fall yesterday.

Holiday Bargains

School Holidays can be a pricey time for all holiday makers winter or summer. But our eagle eyed staff, always on the look out for bargains, have spotted a discounted week during the Christmas Holidays.

With Christmas falling at the weekend again this year the school holiday fall perfectly to mean the week beginning 16th December is a steal at prices from £318 per person.

Treat the family to a ski trip to remeber and get in the Christmas sprit with a holiday in the snow before the big day.

There are some great discounts to be had by booking early on all of the peak dates, like New Year and Half Term, especially for groups.

Feel free to give us a call and we'll check out everything on the market and let you know what suits you best.

The Early Bird...

It's never too early to be thinking about skiing next year, particularly if you want to travel on those busy peak dates. New Year and the February half term week are already booking up.

We are now showing prices on our website for many of the larger holiday operators and are adding more everyday. But don't forget that we are ready and waiting to do the work for you, if you can't find what you want or don't have the time to look, just give us a call and we'll find your perfect ski chalet for you.

If you want advice let us know, our staff are experienced skiers and have seen first hand many of the chalets featured on our website.

Never skied before? Nervous about taking the kids? Trying to organise a large group? We can help.

Get in early and take advantage of some fantastic offers - make sure you get the chalet that you want.

Festive Opening Hours

For advice on weather related travel disruptions please see below.

The Chaletline office will be open for the following hours over the festive period:

Latest Flight advice

It's Time to Fly...

It’s that time of year again. Yes, yes, we know it’s Christmas but more importantly it’s the first real week of open pistes for every major resort and we couldn’t be more excited.

Our staff have been, and still are, busy out exploring in the mountains, visiting more and more chalets so that between us we now have first hand experience of more than half the chalets on our website, that’s hundreds of properties we’ve seen.

Last week Mark spent the week out in Tignes, which he fell in love with by the way, and got the chance to take some time out to get his first real ski lessons, having previously been a dedicated boarder. Mark saw many of our best selling properties in Val d’Isere, La Plagne, Les Arcs 2000, Meribel and Courchevel 1650.

This week Jane has headed in a similar direction but taking a look at some of our newer chalets. This is great news as none of us have ever seen them first hand before so we will be quizzing her when she get home on Monday.

If you fancy following in Mark and Jane’s footsteps and want to get away from the snow in this country and into the snow at altitude then give us a call. There are some really great deals. If you can pack up and get away this weekend Christmas is selling from just £219 per person including flights, transfers and catered accommodation for one week. Or a week at New Year will cost you from just £459 per person.

Tempted? Call us on 0845 200 0375 or 01822 617761

These amazing deals are selling very fast!

Chemmy Allcot crashes in training

Chemmy was taken to a hospital in Banff by helicopter and underwent surgery Thursday.   She has announced on Twitter that it's "insane that something that brings you so much pleasure can also bring so much pain."

Organisers said that Alcott sustained an open fracture of her right leg after falling on a steep section of the Coaches Corner course at Lake Louise.

Snow

Snow (noun)

1. Frozen precipitation in the form of white or translucent hexagonal ice crystals that fall in soft, white flakes.

2. a layer of snowflakes on the ground

3. a fall of such precipitation

Snow usually falls from stratus and stratocumulus clouds, but it can also fall from cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds.

The White Stuff Has Arrived

Hurrah, it's snowing again, and it's not dainty little flurries, it's great big bucket loads of huge fluffy flakes!

Right across the Alps a snow storm has covered the mountains in more than 50cm of snow and the ground is once again just how we like it best...white.

Pictured is Tignes Le Lac yesterday.

Snow actually fell briefly back at the beginning of September this year and had been falling intermittently ever since, but this storm has brought in the first real dump  for Switzerland, France, Italy and Austria - it feels like the start of another great winter. We know it's too early to be shouting from the roof tops just yet but we can't help getting a little bit excited... okay, a lot excited.

Many of the Glacier resorts are open already and for those up and out skiing already there should definitely be some powder to be found. With less than 6 weeks until the slopes open across the board we will be keeping our fingers and toes crossed for more of this fantastic weather and the start of a great season on the slopes.

Discover Austria

Here at Chaletline we love Austria, whether its the lively town and apres ski at St Anton or the family friendly nursery slopes and huge ski ciruit at Ellmau, we can't get enough.

If you fancy a change from the French Alps this season take a look below at some of the reasons we love Austria.

Ischgl - something for everyone
There is skiing here to suit, stretch, flatter and challenge every ability level. Ischgl has the longest winter season in Austria, opening at the end of November with skiing right up until May!

Our director Tim has years of ski experience and is always impressed by the variety and options open to you when skiing here. He says 'The resort's motto of 'Relax if you can' is well deserved, I love that this is a traditional village but with excellent access to the skiing and a great nightlife'.

Read More About Ischgl...

St Anton - fun fun fun
St. Anton, at the centre of the Arlberg Ski-Circus, is firmly established as one of Europe's top ski resorts, drawing keen skiers from all over the world.

Our sales member Mark went to visit St Anton for the first time last season and loved it so much he might never have come home if it wasn't for the wife and kids! 'If you're looking for a party holiday you couldn't get much better than St Anton, the nightlife is just great. It's a big ski area and honestly probably better suited to someone with a little more experience than me but if its fun you're after, whether it's on or off the slopes, then look no further'.

We feature more than 50 properties in St Anton so take your pick!
Read More About St Anton...

Obergurgl - snowsure
Sitting in the Otz Valley, Obergurgl is possibly the most snow-sure resort in Europe.  The skiing and lifts start directly from the village with skiing directly back to much of the accomodation.

Our longest serving and most experienced skier, Jane, visited Obergurgl in 2009 and was seriously impressed 'It offered just what I want from a ski holiday, snow! The skiing is varied, offering long blues, interesting reds and some great challenging terrain for those who want it. The village has a relaxed feel about it, it's not the busiest apres ski I've experienced but it's got a really enjoyable atmosphere and if you ski hard you will be too tired to party all night anyway!'

Read More About Obergurgl...

If you've been inspired by any of the above or want to check out what other Austrian resorts we feature take a look at our Resort Search Page. We offer nearly 100 properties in Austria so there's bound to be something to suit you.

And don't forget...if you haven't got time to search just let us know. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff can find you your next perfect ski holiday.

New…All Inclusive!

We now feature the world renowned Club Med Experience, all-inclusive package holidays – everything is included!

This year Club Med begin their 60th year of trading and we though it about time that we added their amazing portfolio of package holidays to our website. We are proud to say that we can now offer the truly all-inclusive holiday package. As everything is included, you won’t need to worry about the purse strings, leaving you free to relax and enjoy every single minute.

The Club Med Package Includes:

• Flights
• Transfers
• Accommodation
• All meals including wine, beer and soft drinks
• Bar drinks and snacks
• Lift Pass
• Group Ski School
• Guided Snowshoe Walks
• Childcare
• Evening Entertainment, Kids Shows & Concerts
• Use of on-site facilities, swimming pool, sauna, Turkish Bath, Fitness room

With Club Med hotels offering something for everyone you couldn’t ask for more. From family holidays, with special teen programmes and kids clubs included, to adult only, with evening parties and peaceful relaxation, you’ll find a Club Med to suit you.

We feature 13 different hotels in 11 different resorts across France.

Take a look at our new product and see what it can offer you, just CLICK HERE or to search for a specific date just use the 'property type' section on the search table and select 'All Inclusive Hotel'.

Freeze!

If you want to get yourself in the mood before the ski lifts open for real this winter why not get yourself down to Battersea Power Station this October for the amazing Freeze Festival. The snow sports and music festival has been an annual event in London since 2008 and offers a unique festival experince for all those who love the white stuff - and indeed those who just love a bit of fun!

The event takes place over three days in late October (29th - 31st) and boasts a stellar sports and music line up.

Over the last two years we have seen Olympic medalists Danny Kass, Peetu Piiroinen, Scotty Lago battle it out. From the skiers Jon Olson, Tanner Hall, Russ Henshaw, Andreas Hatveit and Bobby Brown produced an intense and one of the highest scoring big air contests ever!

The last two years have seen huge international music acts like Cypress Hill, Orbital, Friendly Fires and Chase & Status perform phenomenal shows and expect more exciting acts this year. There is also a big retail village for you to explore, loads of specially decked out après ski bars, a cinema, food stalls and loads more stuff to check out.

To read more or to purchase your tickets check out the official website at http://www.thefreezefestival.com

Can't Wait? Ski Now!

Zermatt has the largest and highest summer ski area in Europe and the slopes are now open until November.

 Zermatt's summer snow area is sufficiently large to offer something for everyone. As is the way with Glacier skiing, there are well groomed very broad motorways, obstacle free snow and the majority of this summer area is quite suitable for beginners and intermediates. Good skiers can test themselves skiing a few uninterrupted kilometres at racing speeds. In one or two steeper places there also exist a line of (black & difficult) moguls.

This huge ski area offers twenty-five kilometres of pistes and eight ski lifts remain open all summer. The amazing Klein Matterhorn cable car whizzes you up the mountain to a dizzying 3820m.

Summer skiing in Zermatt is from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m, June 26 to Nov. 26. Try to get up the mountain as early as possible to avoid the crowds and slushy snow. Midsummer snow conditions are typically icy first thing in the morning. But by mid-morning conditions are wonderful with two hours of perfect 'spring' snow as the surface softens. Later in the day the snow can become very wet and heavy. Because of this the ski lifts close before 2pm in midsummer. After any bad weather it is normal to ski fresh powder snow - even in midsummer - thanks to the extreme altitudes. Just be up there early!

And don't forget, be safe - cover up! At these altitudes in midsummer you are guaranteed to need sunglasses and sunscreen!

Take a look at our Summer Website where you can view properties in Zermatt and other summer Glacier resorts.

New Chalets 2010 !

The white stuff may well have melted but we never stop thinking 'ski'. As the new brochures for the next ski season begin to drop onto our doormat we are full of excitement.  There are many new and interesting chalets appearing and we have been busy little bees adding the details to our website so that you can all take a look too.

A new resort for us this season is Ischgl, a fantastic village in Austria surrounded by beautiful scenery with a large ski area to suit, stretch, flatter and challenge every ability.  It boasts some of the wildest apres-ski in Europe and has the longest tobbogan run of over 7km.  Widely considered to be Austria's second most important resort (after St Anton) we are truly pleased to be able to offer a selection of catered chalets and half board hotels here this season.

We Love: Chalet Hotel Abendrot.  A brand new Chalet Hotel built in the heart of the Ischgl village and only 50m from the end of the No 1 piste.  A relaxing wellness area with sauna, hot-tub and steam room compliments the lovely bar and lounge area with log burning stove and WiFi access.

The Best of the Rest: what else is new across the Alps?

Newly renovated, the Chalets Philippe & Christian offer great flexible options for groups.  A perfect location in Alpe d'Huez these two chalets are well equipped with sauna, heated boot rooms and the Philippe has a hot-tub too.

A great option for a smaller party of 6 is the new Chalet Heidi in Arabba, Italy.  This attractive chalet has an intimate atmosphere and a homely feel.  Less than 2 minutes walk from the town centre and simple ski access, this is a tateful chalet with fantastic views of the surrounding scenery.

More new chalets now featured in Arabba, Selva, St Anton, Alpe d'Huez and more.

That's a Wrap

The sun is shining, the leaves are appearing on the trees and the lily white legs of the great British public are once again donning shorts...yes, it looks like spring has most definitely sprung.

Despite the economic situation and against all odds the ski industry has had a great season on the whole. Mother Nature has been kind and the snow has been absolutely fantastic for the second year running, right through the season.

The skiers at Christmas had a superb start to the season with a deep base having fallen in late November and the slopes opening earlier than ever. Now the last of our Easter skiers have returned with stories of fresh snowfall at night and blue skies in the days - who could ask for more?

While we send our best wishes to all those thousands of travellers stuck around the world right now under a cloud of ash, we are pleased to say that all our Easter skiers are now safely home, having been bussed back over the weekend. The huge bonus of a package holiday is that when one aspect of your holiday is causing trouble, such as the flights, the tour operators do their best to take great care of their passengers and this has been the case for all of our skiers.

We are now looking ahead to the summer with our Lakes and Mountains season starting in a few weeks and we are of course already thinking about the snow for next year. We have many Early Booking Offers on the website and if you are looking for something specific, particularly on a peak date then now is the time to get in touch. Half Term week is already selling out fast!

Egg-citing Easter Snow

We have been blessed with amazing snow all season this winter and the spring seems to bring no change. You can take to the slopes with confidence this Easter and enjoy the last of the skiing before the season draws to a close in a few weeks time.

The snow conditions are great and with more fresh snow this week across the Alps we couldn't ask for better. Freezing levels at around 1800m mean that only the lowest slopes are suffering with rain and nearly all ski areas benefitting from continuing snow fall, low night time temperatures and comforting afternoon sunshine.

There were some great snowfalls in France this weekend. The Espace Killy resort reported 35cm of fresh snow on Sunday, whilst neighbouring Tignes had 50cm on Saturday 27 March. Alpe d’Huez also benefitted from the weekend dump - France is definitely the place to be next week.

There are some great deals to be had and certainly some fabulous skiing to be had. If you have the opportunity to get away this month we say 'go for it'. Call us for up to the minute prices and availability.

It's Snow Funny

Who could ask for more than a spring ski holiday with fantastic snow conditions and glorious sunshine. Spring skiing is all about enjoying those amazing views in the late afternoon sunshine with an apres ski drink in great company.

You might come home with Panda eyes but surely there isn't a better way to beat the winter blues of home? Well this week you can make it even better with the 3rd anuual Altitude Fesitval in Meribel. Starting on 20th March the Altitude Festival, in its own words, is "a festival packed with hilarious comedy talent performing in a fantastic skiers paradise. They will be joined by the best DJ’s and musicians both home grown and internationally renowned. Altitude is the only bilingual comedy event in Europe."

The Snow conditions everywhere remain good on piste and the snow is due to start falling again next week ensuring that pistes are refreshed nicely. Though the days are wall to wall sunshine at the moment right across the Alps, the temperatures are dropping well below freezing at night. Next week is set to be a great week for everyone.

The X Factor

For the first time ever the exciting Winter X Games is coming to Europe. Based in the centre of Tignes Val Claret the games will host 8 events in total. For 3 days, from March 10th to 12th 2010, the best riders will gather from all around the world to compete against each other on Tignes’ snow for exceptional competitions.

In order to welcome this amazing event, Tignes has devoted extraordinary energy and resources to preparing competition venues that are free and accessible for everyone. To create the necessary infrastructures, the Tignes pistes service began work on an immense scale in July 2009.

Slopestyle Competions: Snowboard Slopestyle tests a rider’s ability to handle a variety of terrain by executing freestyle maneuvers down a course filled with a variety of features. The course will contain rails, hips, tabletops and a variety of jumps, allowing riders to combine big air and technical tricks into one run. Using the same course as snowboarders, skiers will showcase their freestyle skills on a variety of obstacles including rails, kickers, jumps and gaps.

SuperPipe Competition: The Snowboard SuperPipe competition is arguably one the most exciting competitions in the world. The 500-foot long, 22-foot deep “U-shaped” SuperPipe is 60  feet from lip-to-lip with a pitch of 18 degrees. This world-class pipe allows for maximum amplitude and speed, giving the riders space to perfect progressive tricks, like the double cork. The competition brings together the talents of Winter Olympians, world champions and hot new riders, all pushing the boundaries of snowboarding with their aerial antics and prowess in the pipe. For skiers the 540-foot long, 22-foot deep SuperPipe is 75 feet from lip-to-lip with a pitch of 18 degrees. This translates into maximum amplitude and speed for the athletes to perform their tricks.

Clean crisp air, fresh powder, sunshine and one of the biggest freestyle events of the year - if you're in Tignes this week you couldn't ask for better.

If like us you are not lucky enough to be there in person then you can visit the official X Games website where you can see videos and find links to live TV broadcasts - CLICK HERE

A New Little Skier

A huge congratulations to our very own team member Mark, and his wife Vicki who gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this morning. This is Mark's 3rd little girl, perhaps he is planning on building up a potential GB ski team for the future.

There's No Business Like Snow Business

Half Term is always guaranteed to sell out fast and the slopes will be at their busiest for the coming week. As our admin team hurry to get the last of the tickets out we take a look at the forecasts and the snow reports for some of our favourite resorts.

Austria is due a snowstorm later in the week on Thursday with up to 50cm of snow due to fall in one day. The slopes have generally been on the chilly side over the past week but some regular snow fall interspersed with sunshine has provided some fantastic conditions.

We love: St Anton  - the piste conditions are excellent in this lively resort, all 84 of the lifts are open and there is an amazing base of more than 2 meters of snow on the upper slopes. Not only a great resort, particularly for those with experience, but St Anton is at the centre of the vast and exciting Alberg ski area - if you've not skied Austria before this is a great place to give a go - you'll love it.

France too has been on the cold side, -25 c in Tignes, but the cold and the snowy weather are leaving the pistes in great condition and knee-deep powder off piste. France has some of the best and most consistent bases with examples like Chamonix at 410cm on the upper slopes!

We love: Les Arcs - 15cm of fresh snow has fallen over the weekend and a further 11cm due this week. The choice for many boarders and every time of run for every level of skiing ability these modern villages are perfect for all. With a base of 115cm on the lower slopes and a deep 247cm on the upper slopes the conditions are fab.

The cold weather has subsided in Switzerland leaving milder more comfortable conditions. A positively mild -6 c in Zermatt has softened hard slopes and left some excellent skiing for all.

We love: Verbier - the resort has 14cm due to fall this week and having recently had dump of 20cm this is a resort with great opportunities in one of the most outstanding ski areas in Europe. All lifts are open and the base is 190cm. Alpine charm, great shops and a lively nightlife compliment the tree lined slopes and endless off piste options.

Late Deals

As many of us are breathing a sigh of relief to look out of the window to see the snow has melted from our gardens here in the UK, there are certain places where the snowfall is greeted with cheers and celebration!

The snow conditions on the slopes, right across Europe, are great and the ski market has been busier than ever this month. But beware, ski operators cut bed capacity and regional flight options at the beginning of the season and now this surge in sales is leaving many disappointed. Don't miss out.

To grab a bargain you have got to be quick, the real deals are flying off the shelves. There are certainly bargains to be had but they are selling fast - the perfect reason to use an agency like us! We have up to date information on our desks and access to live availability data. Let us do the searching for you and find you the holiday to suit you best. The best way to do this is to CALL US - we can find out what you are after and get back to you faster if we've spoken to you first hand.

Don't forget - many of the best deals are those booked well in advance. The 2010/2011 season brochures are now arriving with us and contain some great offers, particularly for groups. Send in an enquiry or give us a call 0845 200 0375 to find out more. Our experienced sales team are waiting.