Out Skiing (Ireland)

Out Skiing

Next ski trip

For the 2012 ski trip, I have decided to go to France for some more good skiing, good food and of course, good wine. This time the ski trip is to Alpe d’Huez in the French Alps, departing from Dublin on Saturday 14th January 2012 and returning to Dublin on Saturday 21st January 2012. The flight to Chambery takes 2 hours and the bus transfer to Alpe d’Huez takes 2 and a half hours.

Set high in the Grandes Rousses mountains, Alpe d’Huez has been nicknamed 'L'Ile au Soleil' - the Island in the sun - and boasts the fifth largest ski area in France, linking the villages of Vaujany, Oz, Villard-Reculas and Auris-en-Oisans to provide its visitors with well over 200km of piste to explore. Not just great for skiing, the resort offers a wealth of amenities including a superb sports centre and the use of a large outdoor pool and skating rink, both FREE with full area lift passes.

The group will be travelling with Crystal Holidays and returning to the 3-star L’Hermitage Crystal Club Hotel. This hotel enjoys an excellent location in one of the most convenient parts of the resort, with the village centre and ice rink just two minutes' walk away, you can also ski back to within a few minutes' walk of the hotel (in normal snow conditions). In the mornings it is a short walk to the nearby bucket lift, taking you to the ski school meeting point and ski lifts. The hotel will serve a Crystal Club breakfast every morning and afternoon tea when the ski lifts close. There are 3-course evening meals on 6 days with local wine and coffee included.

The hotel is located about 3km from the lifts. There is a ski bus stop outside hotel with a frequent bus service to the resort centre. The lifts are a 30-minute walk from the hotel or a 5-minute walk from ski bus drop off point.

The cost for the trip is €799 (after group discount). This price includes flights from/to Dublin, bus transfers to/from Alpe d’Huez , half-board accommodation sharing a twin room. The discounts depend on the group size at time of booking and will only be given to persons who booked at that time. The price excludes insurance, as most of the group purchase their own annual multi-trip insurance policy. A very limited number of single rooms (4, I think) will be available (supplement of €25 per night). These will be allocated in order of persons paying the holiday deposit. If you would like to come on the holiday, but you don’t want to snowboard or ski, you just have to pay the basic hotel and flights cost of €799.

The €799 price does not include the following ski pack items, which can be booked as extras (2011 prices given as guide):

- Lift pass – area €221
- Ski/sticks – 6 days €64
- Boots – 6 days €41
- Ski school – 6 days by 2hrs 45mins €150
- Insurance – up to 9 days €46

Snowboarding equipment and snowboard lessons may be booked at similar prices instead of skis if you wish.

For trip update, please check this webpage. If you have any questions about the holiday, please send me an e-mail (info@OutSkiing.org).

I have made a provisional booking with Crystal Holidays, which they will hold until the end of April. So if you are interested in going on the trip, you need to pay the booking deposit by Thursday 30 June 2011. If you are interested in joining this group holiday (and you can bring a friend or two if you wish), please send an e-mail. The booking deposit for this holiday is €200 (the balance of the holiday price is due to be paid by mid-November 2011). You can pay your €200 deposit by cheque or by credit card. The deposit is non-refundable.

Hopefully you will join me to help make a great skiing holiday in 2012,
Frank.