Europe Ski Trips
The picture-perfect ski holiday doesn’t have to include
name-dropping in Davos, schussing St Moritz, or carving Klosters
with Royalty. Many skiers point their ski tips toward big name
resorts and miss out on snowy hideaways where you can have a scenic
trail to yourself, and shorter lift queues, and still ski your way
to gooey fondue in a candlelit chalet at the end of the day.
Here’s a sample of what’s on offer for top skiers to beginners in
the German, Austrian and French Alps besides the obvious ski spots
of Zermatt, Innsbruck and Val D’Isère.
Germany
Schliersee is a beautiful town tucked away in the upper Bavarian
Alps, ideally situated 54-kilometers south of Munich and
111-kilometers west of Salzburg, Austria. Schliersee shares its name
with the beautiful local Lake and the ski hill.
Ski Schliersee is a manageable ski spot with 25-kilometers of
downhill pistes that overlook the stunning emerald-colored Lake.
Avid skiers should purchase a “Skigau Oberland” card, which is
transferable to five different ski areas in the region: Wallberg,
Spintzingsee, Sudelfeld, Wendelstein and Sonnenbichl. Sudelfeld is
the oldest continuously operating ski resort in Germany, while
Wendelstein has a dramatic cable car ride up to the summit. Wallberg
is famous for its Panorama Restaurant at the summit with an
expansive sun terrace, plus a spine-tingling 6.5-kilometer sled run
from the apex down into the valley, the longest in Germany.
As proof that Schliersee lures ski legends, it is home to double
gold medalist Olympic skier (1994) Marcus Wasmeier, the German
equivalent of Austria’s Hermannator and Italy’s Tomba.
Winters in Schliersee are just as active and amusing as in
neighboring (and more famous) Tegernsee Valley. The surrounding
peaks of Kirchbichl and Schlierfbergalm entertain your eyes, while
your taste buds will be indulged in the town’s snowy roofed
restaurants offering bountiful Bavarian sausage, Emmenthal cheese
and hearty pretzels washed down with beer and schnapps served by
tradition-honoring barmaids and men in lederhosen.
If you prefer to click into cross country skis and glide along less
precipitous routes with gorgeous views by day, Schliersee Hausham
offers Nordic trails, these routes are also illuminated for
nocturnal skiers. Skating can be enjoyed at local rinks or on
natural waterways – in the heart of winter once the ice is stable
(hint: follow the natives). Sledding in Schliersee consists of
sliding down the surrounding snowy hills – an activity sure to get
your heart racing. Sleds can be rented, but you must bring your own
courage for the toboggan routes of Upper and Lower Firsthalm which
descend for 2-kilometers.
If you hanker for a bit of history, Neuschwanstein’s Castle is a
2-hour drive from Schliersee. This most-photographed “Swan King’s
Castle” built in 1869 by King Ludwig II is as fantastic as it is
famous – providing the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Castle.
You can also day trip (an hour’s drive) to Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
Germany’s largest and most popular ski resort featuring the highest
peak, Zugspitze at almost 3,000-meters (9,721-ft.). Garmisch hosted
the 1936 Olympics and today boasts almost 120-kilometres of skiing
trails.
Austria
Venture over the border for absolute Austrian charm, Maria Alm. This
storybook ski town is about 70-kilometers south of Salzburg, and one
of three mountain villages, along with Hintermoos and Hinterthal, in
the Salzburgerland region. Here you are engulfed by the mighty
limestone Steinernes Meer mountains to the north, and the gently
rolling Grasberge hills to the south. Above all the chalet rooftops
is the pinnacle 3,000-meter Hochkönig Mountain.
For skiers, Maria Alm is part of the vast Hochkönig´s Winter
Kingdom, a downhiller’s dream whether you ski or board, with
39-lifts and 150-kilometers of groomed runs. Maria Alm’s slopes are
a good mix of blue, red and black trail levels, with an
eight-passenger gondola that elevates you to the scenic summit in
four minutes (leaving plenty of time for photos and a leisure ski
back down). The ski resort recently installed cushy high-capacity
lifts including a six-pack chairlift that feels more like a flying
sette, and snowmaking cannons to assure quality conditions all
season long. Maria Alm is also part of the expansive Ski Amadé
territory that includes the resorts of Aberg, Hintermoos, Hinterthal,
Dienten and Mühlbach am Hochkönig, and totals over 860-kilometers of
pistes and 270 lifts – that should keep your skis humming and your
head spinning.
The other captivating aspect of the alpine enclave of Maria Alm, it
that it lacks swarms of skiers. Its quiet, with just enough
authentic Austrian après ski bars and cafes (plus a disco if you
haven’t skied your legs out) for a wonderful winter week. In the
evening, splash in the warm indoor pool, or sled on illuminated
tracks. Better yet, take your sweetie to a 5-course candlelight
dinner by romantic horse-drawn sleigh, or just wander the snowy
footpaths till you hear ski-boot thumping Austrian music and dancing
emanating from a classic snowcapped chalet.
Skip a day of carving the ski slopes to go count castles and caves,
Werfen (43-kilometers from Maria Alm) is home to the beautiful Burg
Hohenwerfen Castle. Then go underground for a guided tour of the
network of natural Ice Caves - chilling and thrilling all at once.
Maria Alm is also a train ride away from Munich, Vienna and Milan if
you aren’t gob smacked by all this Austrian alpine abundance.
France
France is famous for gorgeous glaciers of snow, and genuine
slopeside villages. The French basically invented “après ski” so you
know there will be worthy wine and cheese at the end of your turns.
Villard De Lans in the western foothills of the French Alps has just
the right combination of panoramic peaks and a sublime ski setting
with clusters of cute, colorful chalets. Southwest of Grenoble
(32-kilometers), this beautiful French hamlet in the heart of the
Vercors Nature Park Region is an alpiner’s amusement park.
Skiers can connect from Villard de Lans to Correncon and Vercors –
all tolled 125-kilometers of skiing and 27 lifts including a
six-passenger cable car from Villard. The summit elevation is
2,050-meters with just over 1,000-meters of vertical, not quite Mont
Blanc at 4,810-meters – the highest in France, but the average
amateur skier will find plenty of terrain in the Vercors massifs.
All this skiing is on one convenient pass, with assured snow thanks
to 251 cannons blasting out artificial flakes (just in case Mother
Nature needs a boost), and there’s a ski school if you’re not yet
ace. There are no insanely steep descents like the nail-biting
Aiguille du Midi, however fantastic scenery will keep you out and
about burning calories for the fine French cuisine at the conclusion
– tell you mates you’ll race to the base for raclette (potent melted
cheese).
Villard de Lans may not roll off your French-speaking tongue like
Les 3 Vallées, Espace Killy or Chamonix, but it is one of the top
ten French resort destinations with over 20,000 tourist beds. Many a
top ski racer has originated from Villard, and its spectacular hilly
landscape has made the map of the Tour de France.
If you haven’t had your fill of fresh air, or succumbed to a French
cuisine coma at one of the wonderful French bistros, you can mush
huskies on a dog sleigh ride or skate on the public ice rink – where
you might slide into a bunch of bears (the local hockey team
“Ours”). Ludi Gard, the host site of the 1968 Olympic Luge, is
located in Villard de Lans. Villard also has a big cross country ski
center if Nordic is more your speed than schussing downhill. Parents
traveling with wee ones in tow should go to Ribambel Village for an
entertaining family snowshoe adventure, as you tromp through the
forest you will learn the legend of Ribambel and the little people.
Villard de Lans has French charm and frequent snowfall. While you
may encounter wildlife with four legs, especially at La Tanière
Enchantée where live bears are on display in their habitat, don’t
come for wild nightlife as there’s just one discothèque and most of
the play happens by day.
These alpine retreats in Bavarian Germany, Austria, and France have
all sorts of rousing recreation - scenic ski slopes, efficient lifts
and charming chalets. Best of all is the reward after all this
downhill diversion when the sun sets into a breathtaking alpenglow
over the mountain tops – steamy saunas and spa tubs followed by
lively après ski grog and gourmet grub.
All Stories by Heather Burke
All Photography by Greg Burke
