It’s been a while. According to an old pal who still lives in Chamonix and posted on facebook this morning, it’s been 36 days. Some resorts might even claim a longer drought, but what we do know is that the worst is over and that there is fresh snowfall in most major resorts right now. The whole ski industry has been nervously checking weather forecasts, looking to the sky and I’ve seen a few videos of snow dances being performed in various resorts since the New Year. Happily, I’m glad to be able to say the Guardian’s article yesterday, predicting the possible end to the entire season in mid-February is nothing short of a scaremongering fabrication. Even if it didn’t snow again between now and Easter, all major resorts have excellent infrastructures in place to ensure that the vast majority of their pistes remain open all season long thanks to their numerous snow cannons and creative use of piste bashers.

Of course, having to rely on cannons to keep runs pisted for half of an entire season isn’t ideal and if you’ve gone out to somewhere like Chamonix looking for a week of awesome off piste then you are inevitably going to be disappointed if no fresh snow falls for 4 weeks. However, the majority of our clients and contacts in resort have reported that in spite of the lack of new snow, nearly 90% of pistes have remained open and perfectly ski able. You can’t deny though, that a foot of fresh snow is exactly what you would like to read about in the days leading up to your week in the mountains.

Most of the Tarentaise (The Three Valleys, La Plagne, Les Arcs, La Rosiere, Tignes and Val d’Isere) has seen between 20 and 30 centimetres falling this week, and further south there have been even heavier falls with more predicted for the southern French Alps, Italy and Southern Switzerland this weekend. Zermatt is expected to benefit from fresh snowfall which makes me think I might have found the deal of the season. As this post goes to press, we have one room left sleeping two in chalet Aeschhorn A, leaving on Saturday 19th February from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Belfast at just £499 per person. Considering that we’re talking about the most in demand date of the entire season, a top resort and a good quality chalet right in the middle of the village, this rates as one of the best deals I’ve come across. If you can only go away this week (teacher perhaps?) and can get to Scotland or Northern Ireland for Saturday, then this could be for you. I’d even consider getting the train up from London!

Even if there isn’t any new snow where you’re going then please don’t despair and please, whatever you do, don’t believe what you read from lazy, ill-informed journalists lacking in specialist industry knowledge.

If you’d like more information on the deal featured above then you’ll have to be quick, it’s the only room left! If you’d like more information about any of the resorts mentioned or to chat about anything ski-related, please drop us a line or give us a ring at our London sales office.

A phone call from a client earlier today got me thinking. As I reeled off chalet options in all of the above destinations for a possible Last Minute Ski Deal, the chap at the other end of the line simply wasn’t getting into it: “The thing is, David,” he said, “I want to go somewhere that few others have visited. I want to be able to talk with authority to any ski bore I meet about somewhere they almost certainly can’t claim to have ‘been there, done that’.” I racked my brains and searched our system. It didn’t take very long to come up with a list of destinations which offer all of the benefits of the big boys and also the chance to go somewhere that the majority of people taking package ski holidays won’t ever have heard of.

Saas Fee – Hidden Swiss Gem

Saas Fee in Switzerland - A truly beautiful destination

Not many Brits visit Saas Fee and that’s down to the lack of catered chalets in the resort. In fact we only feature 2 chalets and 2 chalet hotels here. Most of the accommodation in the resort is hotel-based but that’s no reason not to visit this wonderful Swiss destination. The resort is traffic free, the only way to get around is on foot or by electric taxis, which swish around the resort in emission-free silence. It’s also subject to stringent Swiss planning laws which over the years have ensured that no buildings are built above a certain height and the entire village retains a charm and aesthetic quality that you simply don’t get in the biggest resorts. Add to this the ski area, which is big enough to keep even the keenest skiers entertained for a week and the altitude of both the resort (1800m) and the highest ski lift (3600m) and you’re on to a winner. The nightlife is as quiet or boisterous as you want it to be and by Swiss standards (comparing with Verbier, Zermatt etc) it’s not too pricey.

Les Gets – Charming French village

OK, so the Portes du Soleil (PdS) might not be right off the beaten track, with Morzine and Avoriaz looking more and more like mainstream resorts these days, but Les Gets is still relatively unknown despite being in the biggest ski area in Europe. Nestled on the western edge of the PdS, Les Gets is a charming French village which is the antithesis of the purpose built behemoths like Val d’Isere and Courchevel. It is a fully functioning settlement which doesn’t shut in the off-season and is all the more authentic for it. Not the most lively nightlife I’ve ever experienced, but there are a handful of good bars and a couple of places which stay open into the wee small hours. The resort is very linear, with two main roads running parallel through the centre and most of the accommodation and main lifts are on or near these thoroughfares. There’s the usual choice of ski shops, fondue focused restaurants and also a genuine weekly street market with local produce. If you want a genuine French village experience, plus a huge international ski area then Les Gets should be on your list.

Serre Chevalier – The Highest City in Europe

Most UK skiers will have heard of Serre Chevalier but precious few will have actually skied it because the majority of UK tour operators don’t have large programmes here, but if you know where to look, you can have a great time in this superb resort. Serre Chevalier itself consists of several smaller resorts, each of which has its own unique character:

• Monetier – A very traditional French alpine settlement with buildings dating back centuries. Don’t expect much nightlife.
• Villeneuve – The main hub of the resort and where the majority of the accommodation is based. There is a small “old town” hidden in the centre of the resort. Full of quaint little bars and restaurants. Two of the main ski lifts stem from Villeneuve too.
• Chantemerle – Most of the UK based skiers end up staying or at least drinking here thanks to a strong nightlife scene and good access to skiing. It’s no oil painting but it does offer affordable accommodation and great ski access.
• Briançon – The highest city in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  There are ski lifts from Briançon and it has its own ski area but what Briancon offers is a whole world of extra activities aside from skiing. The old fort at the top of the town is a must-do.

Now, onto the skiing. Serre Che has something for everyone and every ability. The area is larger than most UK skiers realise and has more than enough for a week’s skiing. Highlights include the incredible larch lined tree skiing and the famous Montagnole off piste run. If you are partial to a few on-mountain après drinks then check out the Cafe du Soleil which offers some of the best value drinking in the Alps.

Les Gets by Night

Nendaz – Convenience and Value

The beauty of Nendaz does not lie in its size, as it is thought to contain as many, if not slightly more beds than its near neighbour Verbier. Nor does it lie in its beauty, as it’s not a particularly pretty town. Nendaz is a winner for convenience and most of all for giving instant access to the huge Four Valleys ski area. Nendaz might not have the fantastic nightlife of its more illustrious neighbour but it is large and lively and it offers a great place to base yourself if Verbier’s prices leave you weak at the knees. Another key to Nendaz is Sion. You can fly directly into Sion and the transfer to resort is simply 20 minutes (that’s right, twenty!). On a clear day, you can see the runway of Sion airport from the pistes above Nendaz and when you compare that to Val d’Isere’s 4 hour trek from Geneva, a 20 minute transfer feels like a little miracle!

Sainte Foy – Off Piste Heaven

Anyone who’s ever been to Val d’Isere or Tignes will by default have passed through Sainte Foy on their way up the mountain. Very few tour operators bother with Ste Foy though as it only has a handful of lifts and less than 40km of pistes. Based on those stats, most people wouldn’t give it a second thought, preferring to continue up to the Espace Killy with its far more impressive looking piste map. Those who ignore Ste Foy are missing out though. Yes, the pisted runs are limited and the village is small but for lift-served off piste there aren’t many better destinations in the Tarentaise Valley. With so many people ignoring Ste Foy, you can find fresh powder for days after a heavy snowfall, whilst in neigbouring Les Arcs, for example, everything is tracked out by lunchtime the day after a big dump. Even if this isn’t enough for you, it’s just 15 minutes by road to Tignes, Val d’Isere, La Rosiere or Les Arcs, so you can stay in Ste Foy and take your pick of which area to ski on any given day.

St Martin de Belleville – The Three Valleys’ Best Kept Secret

This resort is part of the biggest linked ski area in Europe, but it makes it into this list regardless. The main reason is that lots of people never make it down to this little gem of a village during their week’s holiday in the Three Valleys. Are they put off by the altitude (it is one of the lowest points on a Three Valleys piste map)? Is it too far from the traditional routes through the Three Valleys? Do people simply not know about it? Whatever the reason for it, you should make a point of getting to St Martin the next time you head to any Three Valleys resort. The run into St Martin has been voted the best in the whole ski area over and over again and anyone who has skied it will testify that shooting down over the wide open rollers of Jersualem on the way to a lunch appointment in the village is one the best ways to spend your time in the Three Valleys. Staying here is another matter, as just like Ste Foy it’s a resort that so many mainstream tour operators bus clients through on their way up the valley to the purpose built, bums-in-beds chalet apartments of Val Thorens. Everyone seems to forget that a week in a traditional French village, being entertained to the highest standards in an old farmhouse, for example, is an absolute treat and this destination should be on the to-do list for any serious skier.

Geilo in Norway

Probably as far from the beaten track as any resort we feature, Geilo is hidden far into the hills of central Norway and you won’t find many people who’ve done anything as different as this. Ski resorts in Norway are invariably small but Geilo is one of the biggest with nearly 40km of pistes, a huge variety of cross-country options and a fully functioning town in the middle. Skiing is a way of life in Norway (the sport is named after the area in Norway from which it is claimed to originate) and there is no such thing as a ski resort in this country.  Anyone visiting Geilo might not be blown away by an enormous ski area or acres of off-piste, but it’s a brilliant destination for families or beginners as it offers gentle rolling pistes, an efficient and usually queue-free lift system and guaranteed snow.

Obviously there are loads more resorts that didn’t make the cut but that merit a mention when discussing the best lesser-know ski destinations. Vemdalen in Sweden was visited recently by a couple of our staff and rated highly. The same goes for Ischgl in Austria, Champery in Switzerland (another PdS beauty), Grimentz, Kappl and several others. There really are so many excellent resorts sitting on the periphery of most people’s ski radar that are well worth paying a visit. Perhaps next time you look into booking your dream ski trip, give some thought to these not only for the quality of the destinations themselves, but also to expand your own horizons and give you bragging rights at the dinner table.

If you’ve been inspired by any of the destinations above or if you’d like more information on any of our resorts, please give our knowledgable sales team a call in our London office or drop us an email.

St Anton – not the highest resort in the Alps and thus not the natural choice for a pre-season ski weekend away, right? Wrong. I had the pleasure of visiting St Anton on 26^th November this winter for a 3 day weekend and was greeted with fresh powder and an opening weekend of skiing to rival the highest French resorts like Tignes and Val Thorens! Although the legendary Krazy Kangaruh and Mooserwirt bars weren’t in full flow yet, there were plenty of opening weekend parties going on in town to keep us well stocked up on Gluhwein for the weekend!

It was an early start, flying first thing from London Gatwick to Zurich. However, with such a short transfer time (2½ hours from Zurich, 1½ from Innsbruck), we were at our base for the weekend in time for lunch. In hindsight, it may have been an idea to take the Arlberg Tunnel rather than the Arlberg Pass (that passes through Stüben, and skirts around Lech and Zurs) – the snow was coming down thick and fast, visibility was minimal, we were driving on the right (wrong) side of the road and the 2 door Renault Clio we had hired was slightly out of its comfort zone!

St Anton Luxury Chalets

The spectacular lounge area in Chalet Maria Schnee

Laura and I made it and had the pleasure of staying 2 nights in the stunning Chalet Maria Schnee. This chalet, sleeping 8-15, is a free-standing luxury chalet in the Nasserein area of St Anton.  Under 5 minutes from the Nasserein gondola, the location is just one of the selling points of this chalet. Combine this with the professional chef and host, personal driver service, outdoor hot tub, indoor sauna, cinema room, spacious bedrooms, sleek bathrooms and sumptuous sofas, the chalet really is unbeatable! It is set up perfectly for families, with a lovely girls’ room sleeping 3, as well as a boys’ room which sleeps 4, along with the 4 other double/twin rooms.

A couple of minutes down the road is Chalet Austria, split into three smaller chalet apartments: Chalet Alexandra (6), Chalet Soline (11 + 2) and the penthouse Chalet Antoinette (10). These are perfectly located for ski access; straight out of the heated ski and boot room, to the end of the path in front of the chalet which joins the Nasserein nursery slopes! All three chalets benefit from 6* service with chef, host, driver service and a lovely wellness area and gym downstairs. The complex is brand new this season, though it still has a rustic Tyrolean charm. Chalet Antoinette in particular has impressive, high ceilings and a spacious living area for 10 adults. The three apartments can be combined to make one big chalet for a group of up to 27.

Next on our tour was Chalet Illimani, a stunning 12 person chalet set outside St Anton, in the charming satellite village of Pettneu. There is a dedicated driver service with this chalet, so getting into town is perfectly do-able. This enormous chalet is charming, with a really homely feel to the living and dining area whilst retaining its luxurious grandeur. The bedrooms are spacious, most have balcony access and there is a lovely children’s room too with games and toys galore! The sauna, wellness area, study and ping pong table really finished off this exceptional chalet; the perfect spot for a luxury family trip away.

Skiing in St Anton

In between touring these 6* luxury chalets, we were also able to slot in a couple of days’ November skiing! Riding up the high-speed Galzigbahn on Saturday morning, we were greeted with blue skies and powder at the top. Being the first day of the season, not everything was open of course. There were still plenty of well-groomed pistes to choose from though, some fresh tracks were formed and a number of high speed chairs were running. The skiing in St Anton is reputably not for the faint-hearted, however all the group were able to find the perfect piste to suit their ability, proving that the resort really does cater for all. We found some empty pistes over towards the quaint neighbouring resort of Stüben, and some more testing mogul runs back near the Nasserein region – by day 2 the ski legs had been rediscovered as we reluctantly left the mountain!

The superb Chalet Getrud Gabl in St Anton

We spent our final evening (when we could drag ourselves away from the après ski bars and Pizza Pomodoro which we discovered whilst down in the town centre…) in Chalet Getrud Gabl, a modern 5* chalet at the other end of town, in Oberdorf.  We were greeted by the wonderful chalet staff who, like at Maria Schnee, will go out of their way to make you feel at home, even when they were still preparing the chalet for the coming season! The living area was vast, with enough DVDs to keep even the keenest film buff entertained for weeks, and the outdoor hot tub overlooking the valley was virtually impossible to leave.

Managing to cram in 2 days’ skiing before Advent has even kicked in is no mean feat, but with the early snow conditions as good as they are this season, and a vast array of welcoming chalets, a memorable weekend was had by all.

If Isabel and Laura’s early season St Anton trip has got you excited, then give our London sales team a call or visit www.stantonchalets.co.uk or check out our new hotels website www.stantonhotels.co.uk for more information about the resort and accommodation.

Interactive Resorts is now established as the UK’s biggest ski specialist travel agent. Unlike some other agencies, we deal only in Ski and Snowboard holidays which means our specialist knowledge of ski resorts is unrivalled in the industry. Not only that, but we’re completely independent, which means that when you deal with us for your Skiing or Snowboarding holiday, you’ll receive completely impartial, objective advice and help with choosing your holiday. In order to provide such a service, we dedicate a lot of time to picking only the very best people to work in our sales team. Everyone in our sales department has done at least one season in resort, with some having done upwards of 5 seasons abroad. This is the first in a series of “meet the team” articles which will profile some of our staff members old and new and give you the chance to find out about the people who make your holidays happen.

Matt Simpson – Sales Manager

Matt is one of the longest serving members of the team here at Interactive, with over 5 years service. He’s done five seasons in total, one each in La Plagne, Courchevel and La Tania plus two in Serre Chevalier. He’s a snowboarder and  Serre Che is his favourite resort thanks to “the best lift served off-piste I have ever come across”. Aspen is his dream destination and his hobbies in the UK include ballroom dancing and embroidery. Marred by a lifelong love of Tottenham Hotspur, Matt is sports mad and has been known to place bets on Mexican amateur wrestling on Tuesday nights.

Andy Crisp – Senior Sales

Andy has been with interactive for over 3 years and is part of the furniture now. He served his time abroad in Alpe d’Huez, Val d’Isere, St Anton and Saalbach. His favourite destination is St Anton, which Andy says is almost like somebody designed  a resort with his personality traits in mind. We’re not sure whether this is a reference to the superb skiing or extensive drinking but it could well be both! Andy dreams of visiting Chamonix and when he’s not on the slopes, his favourite sport is Badminton and he can often be found in the gym. London Wasps RFC take up a lot of his spare weekends.

Nick Barlow – Sales

Nick has been with Interactive Resorts for just over a year, having done seasons in Meribel and Fernie in Canada. His favourite European resort is Chamonix. Nick struggles to name a single dream ski destination as he has so many but Japan, Verbier and New Zealand are all up there on his list. Nick is a keen cyclist and is fluent in Polish. He’s a very sociable chap who can very often be found in the various watering holes of South West London, all too aften alone. Another Rugby nut, Nick’s Leicester Tigers have a habit of giving him bragging rights over Andy!

Anna Defreitas – Admin

Anna doesn’t sell our holidays but works tirelessly behind the scenes in the admin department to ensure that everything goes smoothly for clients both before and during their holidays. She’d never skied before joining Interactive but has since been converted and loves the sport! Her favourite resort is La Rosiere thanks to its wide open runs which give her plenty of space to work on her technique. Anna is an arty sort who enjoys museums, art galleries and walks along the South Bank. Rumour has it that Anna has completed marathons on every continent of the Earth, but she refuses to confirm this!

Badly cooked sausages, Euro Pop, lederhosen and dodgy dancing. Until early January this year, that was about the extent of my knowledge of Austria. I joined a few friends to hit the outstanding resort of St Anton, and my eyes were opened! Verbier last season was the first time I’d ever ridden outside France and I came back with mixed feelings on the place…St Anton is a different story.

The Arlberg ski area is outstanding, with enough terrain to cater for any level of skier or boarder. The slopes around St Anton are superb, with 3 major lifts leaving resort centre in various directions. Heading out into the valleys you can ski through resorts like Lech, Zurs and Sonnenkopf, which, without exception, offer an excellent selection of pistes. Never before have I seen such an impressive selection of off-piste potential as well, and there are chairlifts in the Arlberg ski area where you can sit and look 360 degrees and see powder fields on every side. Unfortunately we had no fresh snow on our week so we were more piste-oriented, but I did manage to put a few fresh tracks down some off piste on the slightly quieter Rendl side.

Apres Ski in St Anton - Andy, Alex and I at the legendary Mooserwirt!

I was very impressed with the ski area, but there are 2 drawbacks. The first is that unlike ski areas such as the 3 Valleys you have to catch a bus to get from the St Anton sector through to the really juicy stuff around Lech and Zurs. It doesn’t take long, but it does mean getting around the ski area is a touch more time consuming. The second is that for a boarder there are simply too many flat sections. A few flat walks carrying your board are a price worth paying for the insane amount of off-piste, but they do get a little tiresome.

As for the resort itself, St Anton is one of the liveliest in Europe…Lech and Zurs offer superb runs but if you want a mix of great pistes and nightlife, you need to be in St Anton. For après-ski the Mooserwirt has to be seen to be believed, frankly. On any single day of the season at all, what starts as a warming mug of hot wine at 3pm can all too easily turn into a frantic Euro party. DJ Gerhaard spins the Austro classics from his lofty balcony inside the bar, whilst down below skiers and boarders of all ages and nationalities rip up the dance floor like no-one’s watching. The Mooserwirt kicks even Val d’Isere’s Folie Douce and Meribel’s beloved Rondpoint into touch…there really is no place quite like it anywhere else!

We stayed in the 39-bed Chalet Pia, and were very impressed. The chalet is on the basic side for sure, but the price and location are superb and we were well looked after. There’s a good selection of en suite rooms, and the size of the chalet means you’ll always make new friends on the holiday. Probably a good idea to swing by the Spar shop for your wine though. The chalet plonk was a touch harsh on the palate. If you’re after something a little more luxurious then swing by our St Anton Hotels website and check out the selection there.

So in a nutshell, if you want a beautiful resort with a range of chalets for any budget, big nightlife, superb ski area, make St Anton your next trip!

Working at the sales end of the ski industry, you always come across chalets that make you think “I wish I could stay there”, so when the opportunity arose for several friends and I to stay in one such chalet, we naturally grabbed it with both hands. Chalet Seeberger has long been on my hit list for several reasons:

1. The chalet is as central as you could possibly want.
2. The catering is of a very high standard.
3. The wines served would be good enough to grace a quality restaurant.

The chalet does not come with flights and transfers included in the price so we pounced on some very good value Easyjet Gatwick to Innsbruck flights and hopped on the train up to resort. Whilst the traditional package holidays give you the ultimate convenience, I do think that making your own way to resort is a great adventure and part of the holiday itself. For those of you that haven’t done this journey, once you arrive at Innsbruck Airport and proceed into the main hall, directly outside the terminal is a bus-stop. Hop onto bus route F which is clearly marked with Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) and after a short 15 minute drive through Innsbruck you arrive at the station. The trains run about twice an hour and take an hour and a half. The route itself is spectacular, starting off in the valley before winding its way through the mountains before reaching St Anton Am Arlberg itself. This is another great thing about the resort, the train station is right in the town centre so after a brief but chilly walk of approximately 300m, we were warmly welcomed into Chalet Seeberger.

Matt, Interactive Resorts' sales manager, at the high point of his snowboarding career

The rooms in the chalet are all very spacious and all have their own cavernous en suite bathrooms. I know this may sound a little vulgar, but ours even had a urinal! Once settled in, we headed out to sort ski hire and get the week’s first Flugel down us before settling back down in the chalet for a delicious meal. I cannot praise the chalet staff enough; on the third night in the chalet we were served with one of the best chalet meals I have ever eaten (and I have eaten quite a few…) The fillet steak with pepper sauce was cooked perfectly and this was followed by a delicious Crème Brulee. The wines served with the meal were a Cotes-du-Beaune and a Sancerre, both went down very smoothly.

The next morning we awoke to a blizzard, but having a St. Anton skiing veteran in our group we decided to head out and brave the conditions. We spent the day in and around the trees just above the resort, sticking to the Galzig gondola and the Gampen chair and enjoyed powder run after powder run before falling into Bar Cuba for some much needed refreshment. That’s about the last I remember of that day…

The next day we awoke to bright blue skies and deep powder. During our sumptuous breakfast we decided to head over to Lech. The bus to Lech leaves from the bus stop right outside and takes about 25 minutes. It’s not free but good value at roughly €3. Lech is an absolutely stunning resort and picture perfect in a way that only the Tiroleans manage to achieve. The Lech ski area is very different to St Anton - it is made of long sweeping blues and reds but also offers a first rate snow park as well as the most lift-served off piste that I think I have ever seen. Despite it being so accessible, we were finding plenty of fresh snow throughout the day! We found the “Ski Tour” runs to be of great help as they are unpisted runs but marked on the map, making it very easy to find first rate off piste terrain.

The next day was another bluebird sky affair, and seeing as this was our last day on the slopes we decided to get some serious kilometres under our belt. We started very early and managed to get to St Christoph, Stuben, Zürs and Zug before heading back to the (in)famous Mooserwirt for some Euro-Party and Jaeger-bombs. For the uninitiated, the Mooserwirt is a reason it itself to visit St Anton. Picture the scene, you have just finished an epic day enjoying some of the best powder you’ve ever seen, you come across a seemingly innocuous looking mountain restaurant and settle down for some well earned drinks when suddenly the windows are blacked out, the disco ball descends and the Final Countdown from the aptly named 80’s band Europe blasts out of every speaker in the place. This sends locals and tourists alike crazy and before you know it it’s 8pm and you’re tackling the short but precarious ski home to try and make it back to the chalet in time for dinner.

I originally organised the trip with my mum to go to the Chalet Katharina, however what you will find with St Anton is that you find yourself making more friends as the week goes on. This might explain why, on the 2nd day, my sister (Jenni) and her boyfriend (Jim,) my mum (Anne) and I were kitted out in Leprechaun outfits dancing on the tables in the Mooserwirt with a 20+ strong group of Irish.

A few years ago I worked a season in St Anton. Recently my sister Jenni and her boyfriend Jim decided to travel to St Anton to do the same. They managed a 16 person chalet all season and though times were tough I am certain they left with fond memories of what I believe is the most exciting resort in Europe.

We started off early on the first morning (as you do,) I collected Jenni and Jim to see if their skiing had improved. As I expected it had and we set off up the Galzig lift with the intention of covering as much ground as possible. The weather was glorious and the snow looked as inviting as it always had. Suddenly I felt a large smile appear on my face, I was back and this week was going to be fun. My first day was one of the best, we managed to get fresh tracks in certain areas and didn’t see a cloud all day. We covered Stuben, St Christoph and Rendl, the skiing honestly got better as the day went on and the more we skied the more fresh snow we discovered. That’s the great thing about St Anton – you can practically ski everywhere (on piste and off piste) if you know where you are going. At 15:00 cow bells were ringing, it was Mooserwirt time! We cruised down the Rendl home run, obviously still trying to match each others’ pace and skill. As we whistled down I could feel my eyes weeping from the cool fresh air and all I could think about was that I was still in awe of St Anton. What a great ski area, what a town and the best was yet to come!!!

As we came closer to the Mooserwirt, my heart started to race, the music became louder and louder with every turn. Suddenly… the penultimate turn, there it was… the après ski palace, the theatre of Austrian pop…the Mooserwirt!

“Drei beers mit drei Jagermeister bitte!”

The music was pumping and the crowd were clearly enjoying themselves, there were dancers on the tables, skiers in super hero costumes and some impressive Leiderhousin suits, all in sync to the sound of the Eisbaren song….

“Hey ven ze Eaisbaren say… Whoe Whoe Whoe Whoe Whoe!”

It wasn’t long before we too were dancing on the tables with our hands up as far as we could reach, pumping to the beat of some of the most unique music that Europe has ever produced. I remember thinking to myself that maybe if we in England followed this genre of music more, we might stand a chance of doing better in the Eurovision song contest. But one thing I have learnt in working seasons is that some things are best left for holidays!

As we attempted to ski down from the Mooserwirt to the Galzig lift it had clearly become darker and less safe than before, however with many Mooserwirt compatriots skiing down with you, you feel a strong sense of belonging and an overwhelming sense of security which leads you to believe that everything is going to be alright… Surely I can’t be as drunk as those people over there I remember thinking, oddly enough in all my times skiing that run, the drunkest people are never the English…sometimes maybe the Irish but never the English!

This could be a typical day in St Anton if you choose, this review may also lead you to believe that the only reason people go to St Anton is for the après ski. Okay this is one of the main reasons, however if you are a keen skier I strongly suggest getting a guide, if you are looking to challenge yourself the possibilities are endless. With a guide you will find some of the toughest ski routes and some of the best off-piste areas in Europe… However if you ask me nicely I may tell you where.

Find out more about St Anton

I hope you enjoyed reading of my tales of St Anton, if you ever have any questions please post them on this site and I will get back to you or call me on +44 (0) 20 3080 0202.

Find out more information on Chalet Katharina, or view our St Anton Ski Holidays