How to enjoy the world’s best ski areas at a fraction of the price
Skiing has a pricey reputation – and it’s no wonder with the cost of equipment and lift passes to add to expenses of accommodation, flights, trains and drinks and meals out.
Nowhere else is the pinch felt more than in the world’s largest ski areas. These vast playgrounds offer endless pistes and snow-sure skiing, but often charge top whack for the privilege.
But with careful research, you can ski the miles but circumvent the costs. The secret? Choosing to stay in a smaller “backdoor” resort, either farther down the valley or connected by ski bus. These bases can help slash accommodation costs, for just a little more effort on the ground.
Take Les Houches on the outskirts of Chamonix, says Marcus Blunt, the co-founder of ski holiday operator Heidi. “It allows you to experience the renowned prowess of Chamonix at a fraction of the cost – OK, you’ll need to take the bus to reach the slopes, but that’s half the fun of a ski holiday.
“Heading to a smaller or lesser-known resort that’s connected to a big ski area is one of our top tips for slashing costs on a ski holiday.”
Sometimes, a backdoor resort can also have a shorter transfer time than its big-name neighbour – such as La Thuile, which shares a ski area with La Rosière, or Orelle on the edge of the Trois Vallées – as well as quieter local slopes, fewer lift queues and lower prices for food and drink.
But the drawbacks must also be researched. The high prices charged by mega resorts fund investment, so the lift systems in smaller villages – for example, Stuben on the edge of the Arlberg ski area in Austria – could be slower and less reliable than bigger, slicker operations. Most of the options outlined here are connected by lift, but some require a bus ride or self-drivers might find it easier to use their own car to get around. Often (but not always) the range of aprés ski and off-slope activities might be smaller than in bigger resorts – but that’s not necessarily a drawback for all visitors.
That said, do your homework and there are plenty of options that might tick all of your boxes, and staying in a backdoor resort while skiing a big area could just be the solution for those on a tight budget this winter.
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Le Châble, Switzerland
Ski area: 4 Vallées; 410km
The largest ski area in Switzerland, 4 Vallées, has 410km (255 miles) of skiing and is renowned for its challenging off-piste. The problem is that Verbier, its most popular base, is an expensive place to stay, eat and drink. In recent years the smaller villages of Nendaz, Veysonnaz, La Tzoumaz and Le Châble have increased in popularity.
The latter makes a great low-cost backdoor route in as it’s linked to Verbier by a 13-minute gondola ride – and is on the train line from Geneva. In response to demand, a number of eateries and accommodation options have opened up in Le Châble recently, including hotels, self-catering apartments and even a hostel in the gondola station.
How to do it
Hotel A Larze (0041 27 776 1710) in Le Chable costs from CHF150 (£132) per room, B&B, excluding travel. EasyJet flies to Geneva from 16 airports in the UK, with prices starting from £15.99 one-way. A six-day 4 Vallées lift pass costs £366.
Brides-Les-Bain, France
Ski area: Les Trois Vallées; 600km
Linked by 25-minute gondola to Méribel and the world’s biggest ski area – Les Trois Vallées, with 600km (373 miles) of immaculately varied slopes – Brides-Les-Bains is an excellent choice for those on a budget.
Transfer times from Geneva are lower than the main resort, as you don’t have to snake your way up the mountain in heavy traffic – though at 600m don’t expect to walk through snowy streets at night. If you’ve driven or hired a car, Le Praz (Courchevel) is just a 15-minute drive away. There’s a good thermal spa for après ski, though there are plenty of bars, restaurants and even a nightclub here, too – it’s one of the livelier backdoor resorts to choose from.
How to do it
Ski Line (020 8313 3999) offers Hotel La Vanoise in Brides-Les-Bain from £775, half board. A six-day Trois Vallées lift pass costs £332.
Oz 3300, France
Ski area: Grand Domaine; 250km
Formerly known as Oz en Oisans, the small, traditionally styled but purpose built Oz 3300 in the Grand Domaine ski area is linked by two gondolas to Vaujany and Alpe d’Huez.
It’s a great place for families to stay: there is a choice of lower-cost lodgings and a high proportion of the local slopes in the Vaujany/Oz 3300 are green, blue and red. There is also a nursery slope from the village with a free magic carpet lift. Expert skiers have no need to travel too far – the famous 16km (10-mile) black Sarenne in Alpe d’Huez is more than a challenge.
How to do it
Moontain Hostel (0033 78707 0595) in Oz en Oisans has double rooms from €95 (£79) per night, excluding travel. Wizz flies from London Luton to Grenoble from £13 one way. A six-day Alpe Huez (Grand Domaine) lift pass costs £211.
Orelle, France
Ski area: Les Trois Vallées; 600km
Given its sheer size, it’s only natural that the world’s largest linked ski area has multiple backdoors. For years, Orelle was famed as the “fourth” and “secret” valley of the region, but since the 2021/22 season this village has experienced a meteoric rise.
The opening of a new, high-speed cable car to Cime Caron above Val Thorens gives Orelle skiers fast access to one of the highest points of Les Trois Vallées – Col de Thorens – at 3,000m. This winter marks the opening of the Evi Hob, Orelle’s first hotel. A huge, sunny bowl of local slopes offers skiing for intermediates, but with great off-piste options for the more confident – who can also drive up the valley to the Haute Maurienne for some excellent piste skiing. Orelle is just a 1hr 15min transfer from Chambery airport (compared with three hours from Geneva to Méribel), or take the TGV train from Paris to St-Michel-de-Maurienne and Orelle is a 10-minute taxi ride.
How to do it
Peak Retreats (023 9283 9310) offers Residence Orelle 3 Vallees, self catering, from £233, based on five sharing, including a return LeShuttle crossing. A six-day 3 Vallées lift pass costs £332.
Stuben, Austria
Ski area: Arlberg; 260km
Sitting at 1,405m in the centre of snowy the Arlberg – Austria’s largest ski area – Stuben is a quiet, traditional village with far less going on than its neighbours, party-mad St Anton or glitzy Lech, but it offers access to the same incredible ski area at slightly better value.
Part of its charm is the peace – development has been kept to a minimum here. The village has its own, quieter slopes that are mainly red – so while there are beginner slopes here, too, Stuben is the perfect choice for keen, expert skiers who want to make the most of the off-piste and adventure that the Arlberg has to offer but don’t want to party (or pay inflated prices).
How to do it
Iglu Ski (020 3553 0604) offers Chalet Berg-Klause in Stuben from £665, chalet board, excluding travel. A six-day Arlberg lift pass costs £353.
Galtür, Austria
Ski area: Paznaun-Ischgl; 239km
A world away from its glitzy neighbour Ischgl, Galtür is a small, charming and cheaper village that shares the same lift pass. There are 43km (27 miles) of local slopes at Galtür, which sits slightly higher than Ischgl at 1,585m, and a free bus for the six-mile journey between the two.
This village is a haven for families, with a beginner zone at the base of the mountain and progressive slopes for kids to tackle longer runs, as well as an action park for teenagers to work on tricks. There are 6km of ski touring routes and Galtür has some of the best cross-country skiing in Tyrol – 50 miles of trails around the resort. Innsbruck is the closest airport; a 1hr 30min transfer away.
How to do it
Hotel Fluchthorn (0043 5443 8202) has double rooms from €127pp (£105) per night, half board, excluding travel. EasyJet flies to Innsbruck from Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, London Luton and Gatwick with fares from £14.99 one way. A six-day Silvretta lift pass costs £356.
Valtournenche, Italy
Ski area: Cervinia/Zermatt; 322km
At 1,524m (one mile) beneath the treeline, Valtournenche is 500m below Italy’s most snowsure resort Cervinia, with its own quieter slopes, while still enjoying the combined 322km of skiing with Zermatt in Switzerland.
The village is spread out along the road to the neighbouring resort, so check proximity to the lift or a bus station when booking accommodation. Valtournenche is not a party place, but there is a good sports centre to enjoy after skiing. An easy way of saving more is to buy a six-day Breuil-Cervinia pass and add on a day or two’s access to Zermatt when the weather is good. The lift link always used to depend on good weather, but this has improved following the opening of the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II in 2023.
How to do it
Sunweb (020 3170 8206) offers Maison Le Cler for £806, B&B, including flights and a Breuil-Cervinia Valtournenche lift pass – a Zermatt lift pass upgrade costs £100.
Pozza di Fassa, Italy
Ski area: Sella Ronda, Italy; 433km
Part of the cluster of towns and villages that make up Val di Fassa – in the giant 433km (269-mile) Sella Ronda circuit – Pozza is a small and traditional village on the valley floor that shares a quiet area of slopes with Alba called Ciampac-Buffaure.
It links to the vast Sella Ronda circuit and is covered by the Dolomiti Superski pass and its incredible 1,220km (758 miles) of skiing – the slopes are seemingly endless and ideal for intermediate skiers who enjoy cruising reds and blues. While the lifts and red runs over to Canazei can take some time for less-confident skiers, there is an efficient bus system around the villages making Pozza a cheaper and quieter place to stay than busy Canazei.
How to do it
Crystal Ski Holidays (020 8610 3123) offers Hotel Arnika in Pozza di Fassa from £642, half board. A six-day Val di Fassa ski pass costs £263.
La Thuile, Italy
Ski area: Espace San Bernardo; 154km
The French resort of La Rosière is extremely popular with families and can get busy – especially on the roads around weekend transfer day – but La Thuile, over the border in Italy, is not only cheaper but the slopes remain quieter, too.
The skiing is varied, with plenty to suit more confident intermediates, plus some worthwhile black runs and hike-to territory to explore. The link to La Rosière is, like many, weather-dependent and can close in high winds or snow. It’s an easy 90-minute transfer from Turin (compared with Geneva to La Rosière, which takes 2hr 30min).
How to do it
Heidi (0117 457 6000) offers a self-catering apartment in Planibel Residence in La Thuile for £499, based on four sharing. A six-day Espace San Bernardo lift pass costs £240.
Basalt, USA
Ski area: Aspen-Snowmass; 3,342 acres
Thanks to the opening of new terrain last winter, Aspen-Snowmass now boasts 366 runs over four distinct mountains with 3,342 acres of skiable terrain – there’s something to suit every type of skier. The problem, however, is that Aspen and Snowmass don’t always suit every type of budget.
Basalt, further down the Roaring Fork Valley, is not so much a backdoor resort as a town in its own right, with restaurants, bars, shops and supermarkets – all of which are cheaper than its world-famous neighbour. Public buses regularly link Basalt to Aspen but can take up to an hour – instead, hire a car to travel from Denver, and Basalt is just 12 miles from Aspen’s Intercept parking lot, which has a free park-and-ride (electric bus) service to all four mountains.
How to do it
Snow (020 7770 6888) offers The Hoffmann Hotel from £1,695, room only, including flights and car rental. A six-day ski pass for Aspen-Snowmass costs from £590.
Unless stated otherwise, prices are per person, based on two sharing, for seven nights, including flights and transfers.
