Where to go? Choosing the right destination for you

What to do? Action packed or relaxing break

The right balance Mix it up and create the perfect holiday

Photo: switzerland tourism

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have a magical getaway

Explore the possibilities: From extreme sports to relaxing retreats, your

winter break can be anything you wish for

winter breaksNo. 1 / Sep ‘11

See the light Experience the world’s greatest light show

Winter sports Staying active and having fun on the slopes

switzerland tourismimage by andy Keen/aurora hunters.com

An indEpEndEnT SupplEMEnT diSTribuTEd in ThE guArdiAn on bEhAlf of MEdiAplAnET Who TAkE SolE rESponSibiliTy for iTS ConTEnT

Guideto plaNNiNg your

wiNtEr holiday 2011/12

a SpEcial

2 · September 2011 An independent inSert by mediAplAnet

Get planning for your winter escape

Deciding on a winter break can be confusing because of the vast range of destinations and packages now available. But help is at hand, says Heather Carswell of Lonely Planet

With the blink-and-you-miss-it summer a distant m e m o -ry, now’s

the time to start looking ahead to a winter escape. Europe makes a great destination for a festive getaway. As the home of some of the world’s top ski resorts, in-cluding the magnificent Alps, Brits are spoilt for choice with a range of action-packed holidays just a short flight from home.

With so many options, choos-ing the package to suit you can be incredibly confusing. First do some research into the resorts. Consider if you want a quiet vil-lage or a lively town. It also de-pends whether you have a cultur-al preference, such as a penchant for Italian food as this may influ-ence which country you opt for.

EnjoyableAccommodation varies greatly in price and quality. One of the most en-joyable options is renting a cabin for a week with a group of friends or fami-ly. Many cabins include breakfast and dinner — which is cooked for you in your cabin — and is included in the price. Being able to ski straight from your accommodation can bump up the price but will make life easier.

Booking early will ensure that you get the type of trip you want and is typically cheaper than holding out for a last-minute deal. Where possible, avoid school

holidays when prices rocket and the resorts are at their busiest.

OpportunityAway from the slopes, Europe has plenty of other fantastic winter trips up its sleeve. A pre-Christ-mas city break can be a great op-portunity to get into the festive spirit. Cologne, Prague, Bruges and Vienna are just a few of the spots with Christmas markets which are well worth exploring with a cup of mulled wine in hand.

Alternatively, embrace the cold and head to northern Europe. Nor-way, Sweden and Finland have some once-in-a-lifetime experienc-es that you can only have in winter such as seeing the Northern Lights, travelling by a husky-drawn sleigh and sleeping in an igloo.

Just because summer has gone doesn’t mean that getaways have to stop — or your options for a holiday have to narrow.

Heather Carswelllonely planet

the Ski and Snowboard Show at earls Court from 19th - 23rd October 2011. Go to the event to meet our snow sports experts Jenny Jones and James Woods - featuring on page 14

winter breaks 1st edition, september 2011Managing Director: willem de GeerEditorial Manager: Faye GodfreyBusiness Development manager: Hannah butlerresponsible for this issueProject Manager: anna papakyriacouPhone: 020 7665 4405E-mail: anna.papakyriacou@mediaplanet.comDistributed with: the GuardianPrint: the Guardian print centreMediaplanet contact information: Phone: 0207 665 4400Fax: 0207 665 4419E-mail: info.uk@mediaplanet.com

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4 · September 2011 An independent inSert by mediAplAnet

Question: What does Finland have to offer as a winter break destination? Answer: The Aurora Borealis for starters — the ultimate sight-seeing adventure that can be a life-changing experience, says Aurora hunter Andy Keen

Andy Keen says that the Aurora Borea-lis — the world’s greatest atmospher-ic light show — changed his life. In his early twenties, Andy had woken up one morning paralysed from the waist down and was eventually diagnosed with a con-dition called Periphal Neuropathy. After making a recovery, he is now Chief Execu-tive and Founder of the Neuropathy Trust — and an Aurora Borealis hunter.

Three years ago, Andy saw Joanna Lum-ley’s TV documentary about the Aurora Borealis — aka the Northern Lights. He was so impressed that he started his own tour company, Aurora Hunters, based at Vasatokka, in Inari, northern Finland.

Facilities“It’s basically a nature resort slap bang in Aurora country,” says Andy. “There is no light pollution and it has all the fa-

cilities you could ever need. There’s al-so husky-sledging, snow-mobiling, and cross-country skiing. When I saw the place it fired my imagination.”

But that was nothing compared to the first time Andy saw the awesome Auro-ra Borealis, which is caused by highly charged electrons interacting with ele-ments in the Earth’s atmosphere. “The first night in Vasatokka I went out onto the frozen lake and the Aurora appeared right overhead. The whole place lit up. I just lay on my back in the snow and watched it.” Tourists have an 80 per cent chance of seeing the Aurora, says Andy — but you have to look for it. It won’t necessarily come to you.

CaptivatingNo description of the Aurora can possibly do it justice. “You have to experience it,” says Andy. “And when you first see it, you turn back into a child again. It’s a spiritual

experience. It’s so captivating; and the col-ours are different, depending on which gas-es are burning in the air at the time.”

Finland is a fascinating country, says Andy and he feels that it — and the Au-rora — helped his condition. “You can to-tally relax and re-charge your batteries there,” he says. “It helped me re-focus.” The Finns are very welcoming and loyal, have family values and English is widely spoken. Finnish food is fabulous and var-ied, too, says Andy – not just the stereo-typical reindeer and fish.

Then there are winter activities. “Around Inari there are places where you can snowboard,” says Andy, “but the focus is more on cross-country skiing. And lots of people like to go snow-shoe-ing. Don’t try it when you are Aurora-hunting, though. It’s exhausting!”

Fuel your imagination

tony greenway

info.uk@mediaplanet.com

change

‘the whole place lit up. i just lay on my back in the snow and watched it’Andy Keen Aurora hunter

Even Ibiza doesn´t have a disco ball five kilometres in diameter.

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS ARE SOMETHINGYOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF.

inspiration

September 2011 · 5An independent inSert by mediAplAnet

inspiration

Helsinki

1 The Finnish capital is compact (it’s home to

just 500,000 people) and easi-ly navigable by foot or tram. Plus it’s by the sea, surround-ed by an archipelago of tiny islands (around 330). In 2012, Helsinki will become the World Design Capital.

Turku

2 Currently the European capital of Culture, this is

Finland’s oldest city, located on the southwest coast on the shores of the archipelago.

Rauma

3 Founded in 1442, this sea-side location features the

UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma, the largest pre-served medieval wooden town area in the Nordic region.

Lapland

4 Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland — and the of-

ficial town of a certain Mr San-ta Claus. Activities include snowmobiling, ice fishing and husky sleigh rides.

visit finland: popular destinations

4

TAKe in THe beAuTy1. igloo camping in Finland2. be different. Go husky-sledging3. beautiful scenery in the winter4. The spectacular view of the aurora borealisPhotos: andy keen/coPyright httP://aurora-

hunters.com all rights reserved

3

2

1

4

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6 · september 2011 An independent insert by mediAplAnet

OCTOBER 2011Relentless Freeze Festival28-29 October, Battersea Power Sta-tion, Londonwww.relentlessfreeze.comA snow, ski and music festival in the UK, featuring the world’s best boarders and skiers, 500 tonnes of snow and a musical line-up includ-ing The Streets (pictured below), Groove Armada and Zane Lowe.

JANUARY 2012Winter X Games26-29 January, Aspen, Colorado, USAESPN’s annual winter games, fea-turing more than 200 athletes competing in snowboarding, snowmobiling and skiing events.

Winter Youth Olympic Games13-22 January, Innsbruck, Austriawww.innsbruck2012.comThe very first 1st Winter Youth Olympic Games, with 1,058 ath-letes (aged 14 to 18) from over 70 countries competing in 63 sport-ing competitions.

FEBRUARY 2012World Snowboarding Championships10-19 February, Oslo, Norwaywww.wsc2012.comBen Kilner, Billy Morgan (pictured below), Laura Berry and Kate Fos-ter will be among the British rid-ers going for Gold.

MARCH 2012Crystal Ski Fest11-18 March, Sestriere, Italywww.crystalski.co.ukBack for its eight year, with events designed for skiers of all abilities.

Winter X Games Europe14-16 March, Tignes, FranceThe European version of the X Games, in Tignes, with 125 of the world’s best riders in competition.

Momentum Ski Festival15-18 March, Crans Montana, SwitzerlandCity types take part in the The City

Ski Championships which have moved from Italy to Switzerland and is now part of the broader Mo-mentum Ski Festival. Up to 350 ski-ers from over 50 City firms will sign up for the Championships. Music and comedy are promised too.

The BRITS Snow & Music Festival18-25 March, LAAX, SwitzerlandSeven nights of live music and DJ acts — and seven days of snowboard and ski action. UK freestyle ski-ers and snowboarders battle it out for the coveted British Champion-ship medals, including the Protest Slopestyle and Trespass Ski/Snow-boardcross titles.

The Big Snow Festival23-29 March, Kopaonik, Serbiawww.thebigsnowfestival.comThe third year of this big winter event, and it’s doubled in size: slopes by day (with 62km of runs for every level), music by night.

Altitude Comedy Festival26-31 March, Mayrhofen, Austriawww.altitudefestival.comJimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle, Ed Byrne and Al Murray are some of the comedy stars appearing over six nights in a “holiday/comedy festival fusion”, now celebrating its fifth birthday.

APRIL 2012Snowbombing9-14 April, Mayrhofenwww.snowbombing.comThe 2012 line-up had yet to be an-nounced at the time of writing, but previous artists included Fatboy Slim, Friendly Fires, The Prodigy and Mark Ronson (pictured below).

Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival13-22 April, Whistler, British Colum-bia, Canadawww.wssf.comThe 17th annual Telus event takes place in April, featuring major professional ski and snowboard-ing competitions, music and cul-tural events.

tony greenway

info.uk@mediaplanet.com

Festival Fever: What’s on - and where?

inspirationFor lovers of the white stuff, there are numerous snowsports championships and festivals across europe and beyond this winter

photo: www.the-brits.com

photo: dutourdumonde/shutterstock

photo: vojta herout/shutterstock

photo: noam wind/shutterstock

photo: vvk1/shutterstock

photo: noam wind/shutterstock

photo: switzerland tourism

For years ski and boot manufacturers have been trying to make skiingeasier and safer; as the design of skis and boots has improved over theyears, the number of ankle and lower leg injuries has dramatically reduced,but more and more stress and strain is now exerted on our knees. Also,improvements to lift systems mean we can now spend more time skiing thanever before and in our desire to make the most of our precious time on theslopes – our knees take quite a pounding. Figures vary, but all show the mostcommon ski injuries are now to the knees. It is also generally acknowledged thatone of the major contributory factors to skiing accidents is fatigue.

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Today Vadstena Klosterhotel is a modern weekend- and conference hotel. We have taken ultimate advantage of our unique medieval environ-ment, without compromising comfort or quality. The Hotel and the Monastery Restaurant are housed in some of Sweden’s oldest buildings, the St. Birgitta monastery from the 1300s and Birger Jarl’s palace from the 1200s. Vadstena benefits from an incredibly well preserved history and is surrounded by the idyllic landscape of Östergötland and the crystal-clear waters of lake Vättern. There are plenty of opportunities for guided tours, or alternatively you can explore the rich history and culture on your own. Read more about us at: www.klosterhotel.se

8 · september 2011 An independent insert by mediAplAnet

It’s the British that made ■■Switzerland the very first winter holiday destination, says Marcel-line Kuonen, Director of Switzer-land Tourism. “Switzerland and the UK have a long established relationship,” she says. “In sum-mer, around 100 years ago, the Brits came to Switzerland to climb the mountains. The Swiss began to think that tourism could be a business… but in winter no-one wanted to visit because of the snow. “Then, one sum-mer, a hotelier in St Moritz said to a rich English guest: ‘Come to Switzerland in winter and I guar-antee you’ll love it. If you don’t, I’ll pay for your stay.’ So his guest came, he DID love it… and that’s how it started.”

PicturesqueThe Brits are still coming, lured these days by snow sports, clean moun-tain air, wonderful views, pictur-esque villages, mouth-watering food and a transport system that runs like clockwork. Yet of all the winter holi-day destinations, Switzerland gets only a small percentage of the mar-ket share, which adds to its exclusive reputation. “Quality has always been very important to our hospitality and

hotels,” says Marcelline. “So you do pay a little bit more.” The fact is that the words ‘Swiss-made’ have always stood for excellence — and that can be reflected in the price-tag.

For winter sports enthusiasts, there’s a choice of around 250 resorts. The number one region for Brits is Bernese Oberland, with destinations such as Wengen, Mürren, Grinel-wald and Interlaken. Second favour-ite is the Valais region with resorts including Verbier and Zermatt; after that comes the swish Davos Klosters, Flims Laax and St Moritz.

PreciseStill, this is a country which can be visited on budget if needs be. “There are little resorts such as Graechen in the Matterhorn Valley, which is very

beautiful with small, family-run ho-tels where the lift passes are a bit cheaper compared to the high-end resorts,” says Marcelline. The more popular resorts can feature a range of accommodation possibilities.

Switzerland is clean, safe, well-run and family friendly. Away from win-ter sports activities there are cities to visit such as Geneva and Lucerne. And from Wengen or Interlaken, you can be in the capital, Berne, with its pretty old town that has been given UNESCO World Heritage Site status. “You can rely on our public trans-port,” says Marcelline. “It’s precise. Because Switzerland is small, it’s well-connected.”

tony greenway

info.uk@mediaplanet.com

Question: Switzerland has a reputation as an exclusive winter breaks destination. Does that mean it has to be expensive?Answer: No. It’s not all Gstaad, St Moritz and Klosters. If you look around, you can find some affordable holidays in spectacular surroundings

SwiSS efficiency? it runS like clockwork

Marcelline Kuonendirector of switzerland tourism

news

Eat, drink and relax. In other words: avant-ski.

Why not start your ski holiday before you arrive? We’ll greet you with the same hospitality that awaits you in our quaint ski villages. Now that’s a ski lift ticket. To pick from 32 daily ights to the Alps contact your travel agent or visit us online.

79return, ski equipment travels free

Fly to the Alps from £

SWISS.COM

Fare quoted as return correct at time of print, per person, includes all airport taxes and surcharges, credit card fees may apply, departing from Manchester. Ski equipment transportation: 1 pair of ski boots, 1 pair of ski sticks, 1 pair of skis OR 1 snowboard, 1 pair of snowboard boots are free of charge.

021_300_Landing_433x90_WinterBreaks 1 05.09.11 15:14

september 2011 · 9An independent insert by mediAplAnet

news

Eat, drink and relax. In other words: avant-ski.

Why not start your ski holiday before you arrive? We’ll greet you with the same hospitality that awaits you in our quaint ski villages. Now that’s a ski lift ticket. To pick from 32 daily ights to the Alps contact your travel agent or visit us online.

79return, ski equipment travels free

Fly to the Alps from £

SWISS.COM

Fare quoted as return correct at time of print, per person, includes all airport taxes and surcharges, credit card fees may apply, departing from Manchester. Ski equipment transportation: 1 pair of ski boots, 1 pair of ski sticks, 1 pair of skis OR 1 snowboard, 1 pair of snowboard boots are free of charge.

021_300_Landing_433x90_WinterBreaks 1 05.09.11 15:14

sPectAculAr sceneryswitzerland is not only a great winter sports destination. take the time to appreciate the viewsPhoto: switzerland tourism

mArcelline’s best tips

3

check your altitude

1 Average altitude of Swiss ski areas and resorts is the

highest of any country in Eu-rope. In some resorts such as Zermatt and Saas Fee, you can even ski in summer.

Be 007 for a day

2 Piz Gloria, on the Schilthorn, was the setting for the 1969

Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. In the movie, Piz Gloria is the villain’s alpine lair — now it’s a revolving restaurant. Afterwards, don’t ski down the mountain with SPECTRE gunmen after you. It’s much more relaxing to take the cable car.

Go off the beaten track

3 Affordable resorts include Graechen in the Matterhorn

Valley; Riederalp (which is car-free and has the highest 9-hole golf course in Europe); and Leuk-erbad for spa treatments.

Photo: switzerland tourism

10 · september 2011 An independent insert by mediAplAnet

Northern Exposure

Stunning SettingSexperience the breathtaking scenery in norway1. go husky sledging2. See the fishermen at work3. get off the beaten trackPhotos: dog sledging tromso/fishing terje

rakke nordic life/ lyngen lodge

Viewers of the reality show 71 De-grees North will know all about Nor-way’s North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe. Right now, various celebrities are there, busy testing out their survival techniques in one of the most spectacular (if unforgiv-ing) landscapes in the world.

“This is a popular destination for tourists visiting northern Nor-way,” says Hanne Knudsen of Vis-it Norway. “And with the show on right now, I’m sure more Brits will want to visit.”

If you’re planning to do the same, go prepared: think ‘layers’ (Nor-wegians live in thermals and wear merino wool layers); bring a sol-id pair of winter boots with rubber soles, a down jacket and a woollen hat. More than a third of Norway is north of the Arctic Circle and its lat-itude makes it one of the best spots in the world to witness the North-

ern Lights. Norway is also relatively snow-sure: certain areas see snow from November to May.

Beauty “Norway may not be at the forefront of most people’s mind for skiing,” says Hanne. “But we have a saying that Norwegians ‘were born with skis on’ and it’s one of the most pop-ular pastimes in the country.”

Popular ski destinations include

Hemsedal, which has been nick-named ‘the Scandinavian Alps’ for its raw and wild beauty, with some of the most challenging skiing in Northern Europe; and Beitostølen, a family resort with gentle, uncrowd-ed slopes in a stunning setting that are safe and fun for beginners. If you want something a bit quirkier, Voss and Myrkdalen resorts, just outside Bergen, give visitors the chance to ski with fjords as a backdrop.

experienceTromsø makes a great starting point for a sightseers. From here you can travel to the peninsula of Lofoten, the island of Senja or on-wards to Finnmark to enjoy the traditional Sami culture.

Winter breaks in Norway don’t have to be too expensive as rea-sonably priced hotel rooms are available. “What you get is an ex-perience for your money as well as good quality. And in summer, our ‘right of access’ means you can set up your tent almost everywhere for free.” Hanne explains.

tony greenway

info.uk@mediaplanet.com

get around■■ by using cheap trains or local buses: tickets for long journeys on the train cost NOK199 (around £23) if booked in advance

Book into■■ a romantic snow or ig-loo hotel in the north of the country

eating in■■ restaurants can be ex-pensive — but some places offer set menus with UK prices

source: visit norwAy

Facts

Hanne Knudsenvisit norway

NEws

Question:■■ is norway a viable option for a winter break?

Answer:■■ it’s more than viable – it’s popular with lovers of snowsports and with sightseers who want to experience a holiday with a fascinating difference

enjoy good valueFor example, the Alpbach val-■■

ley, Ellmau, Hintertux, Mayrhofen, Schladming or Bregenzerwald, According to the WTSS (resort-price-index) many Austrian re-sorts offer holidays with great value for money packages.

try some après-skiTypical après-ski takes place ■■

on the slopes or in huts. The many ski huts and bars imme-diately adjoining the pistes are simply too enticing to pass up on the way down. And, as is often the case, the intended short swing into one of these establishments turns into an extended relaxing evening stay.

take a spaAustria is well-known for its ■■

long-standing spa tradition, with historical records noting patron-age even by Austrian emper-ors and other nobility at its spa towns and resorts throughout the last century. Although times have changed — with modern ac-commodation and world-class spa facilities meeting the highest of international standards — the mentality of “spa-ing” in Austria has remained largely unchanged.

go sight-seeingTowns which people should ■■

visit are, for example, Innsbruck, which is a great place to com-bine sports and culture/shop-ping. Innsbruck is also the on-ly city where the Olympic Win-ter Games will take place for the third time. Other cities would be Graz and Salzburg, especially dur-ing the weeks before Christmas.

Herwig KolzerAustrian national tourist office

visitiNg aUstria - tips

1

2

3

Earn miles with Miles & More. Earn miles with Miles & More. Information & booking at www.austrian.com

Best of Winter.Now in Austria.Enjoy Austrian hospitality, delicious food and great comfort on your way to Vienna and onwards to over 130 destinations worldwide with Austrian Airlines. Flights from London to or via Vienna – Europe’s fastest transfer airport.

330105_aua_Winterhuette_Guardian_201x289_iWC.indd 1 13.09.11 11:48

12 · September 2011 An independent inSert by mediAplAnet

Question:■■ Why are the French Alps one of the most popular places for snowsports?

Answer:■■ it’s the largest ski domain in the world and caters for everyone from singles to families. you don’t have to be a snowsports fan to enjoy it

France is a magnet for snowsports tourists. The number of boarders and skiers who visit the country every year is staggering.

“France has 357 resorts — not just in the Alps but also in the Pyrenees, the Jura and Les Vos-ges,” says Jacqueline Mirtelli, Head of PR at tourism develop-ment agency Atout France. “We estimate that 10million people come skiing in France every year, be it for classic downhill skiing, snow-shoeing or cross-country.”

The French Alps is the big-gest draw, however, and the larg-est ski domain in the world. For young snowsports enthusiasts, resorts such as Tignes are pop-ular places to ski hard and par-ty hard. This features the largest snowpark in the world and has become a regular haunt for free-style-lovers.

Off-pistePurpose-built La Plagne, mean-while, boasts a big snow park and a range of bars, pubs and night-clubs; and Alpes d’Huez, in central French Alps, is one of the oldest French resorts (founded in 1936).

Families should check out re-sorts such as Les 2 Alpes and Les Menuires, which have been awarded the Family Plus label. This guarantees excellent servic-es for children, includes activities for all ages and offers professional

child-care. If you’re on a budget, go a little off-piste: Maurienne Valley is a hidden gem with 24 villages and resorts such as Les Sybelles, which offer free accom-modation when you buy a ski pass in March.

PanoramicIf you’ve never been on skis or a snowboard in your life — and don’t intend to start — the French side of the Alps still has much to offer. “There’s lots of wildlife to be dis-covered from hiking and snow-shoeing in the French mountains,” says Jacqueline, “and resorts will be able to suggest routes and guides.

“If you want to avoid con-tact with the snow, resorts such as Chamonix offer panoramic train rides along gorges in Swit-zerland or up the Mont Blanc. Shuttle busses also run to out-lying villages and hamlets with 17th and 18th century baroque churches, museums, farm vis-its and cheese-makers. And in Val d’Isère, the tourist office or-ganises guided tours to nearby baroque churches as well as day trips over the Iseran to Italy.”

Discover the French Alps

HAve fun On tHe slOPes the french Alps can cater for all - families, couples and groups. Check out which resort suits you best Photo: atout france

tony greenway

info.uk@mediaplanet.com

Chamonix Mont Blanc is popular ■■

with off-piste thrill-seekers.Mont Blanc is the highest moun-■■

tain in Europe and accessible by lifts and cog railway.

You can go hiking in Chamonix ■■

with huskies – and donkeys.Activities at Alpes d’Huez include ■■

snow-mobiling, winter trail walking — and even paragliding.

Low cost flights are available to ■■

the French Alps from across the UK.Eurostar runs a “Ski Train” from Lon-■■

don to the heart of the French Alps.

Source: Atout FrAnce

FACTS

news

SKI

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14 · september 2011 An independent insert by mediAplAnet

Definitely. Good instruction will stop any bad ‘style’ habits forming before they start. It will also reduce the amount of pain incurred in your tail bone by the end of the week. Plus, getting a head start before you go means that you’ll be able to take in more of the surroundings — not just the beginners’ slopes.

Innsbruck, in the Austrian Tyrol, is very picturesque and makes a good day trip away from surrounding resorts. The famous Goldenes Dachl — or Golden Roof — in the old town is worth a photo stop. St Anton, also in Austria, has a lively atmosphere. Morzine, in the French Alps, is a great place for strong Mutzig beer and friendly folks.

Altitude! You need to look at how high your resort is in rela-tion to the month you are going. There have been years where the snow has taken a while to fall. The same applies to end of sea-son. Always check out what runs are on offer, too. Will they suit your abilities? And how good are the bus systems? Will you get free transfer to the mountains?

I think most people look for good mountain facilities with a range of different pistes, from beginner to advanced. You want somewhere that caters for all needs. And the après-ski and the town surroundings are vital, too. There should be a lot to do in the resort because you’re going to spend half your time there, and half on the mountain.

I’d recommend looking for the place in which you’d feel most comfortable. Some resorts are more modern and cater for a younger crowd; some are more traditional with fewer visitors and more locals; and some are just all round great family resorts. The type of activities you enjoy should play big role in your decision too.

France is very good for après-ski – but Austria leads the com-petition. They LOVE their après-ski - it’s the culture. In Europe, for sightseeing or exploring, you’re never far from a remarkable his-torical town or city. When board-ing in the USA I love LA – that’s an escape into summer from the mountains; and, in New Zealand, Queenstown is great.

For après-ski, if you are after mellow days on the mountain and slightly more enthusiasm in the bars later on, I would definite-ly recommend Europe. France and Austria tend to send it the hardest in my opinion: Mayrhofen, Les Deux Alpes and Morzine are a few bangers. As for sight-seeing, it’s Switzerland for me: the moun-tains are just beautiful.

Yes! Before I hit the snow an-ywhere, I think I’d had about two years’ worth of lessons! So I’d say it’s vital: although it is easier to learn abroad because the condi-tions are better there. That said, we have snow domes all over the UK now and they’re not too steep so you can learn quickly, and they have good services and facilities.

100 per cent ‘yes’. Of course, you can have lessons when you are on your holiday; and I do recom-mend doing that, even if you can ski well — there are instructors and coaches through all levels. If you spend your whole holiday in a heap on the nursery slopes, I don’t think you’ll en-joy it quite as much.

Question 1:Should ski/snowboard novices have lessons before a winter sports holiday?

Question 2:What should people look for in a winter sports destination?

Question 3:Where are the best places you’ve been for après-ski and sight-seeing?

Jenny JonesSnowboarder and X Games and Euro X games slopestyle gold medalist

Ben Kilner Seven times British Snowboarding Champion

James Woods Slopestyle skiing Bronze medalist, Euro Winter X Games

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