Ski Tours Europe

Come experience the big & wild mountains, fabulous food and the unique cultural identity of small ski towns

Ski Tours Europe

Come experience the big & wild mountains, fabulous food and the unique cultural identity of small ski towns

SKI THE MOUNTAINS OF EUROPE

Ready for a Val d'Isere or Dolomites adventure?

We offer custom alpine ski trips in some of Europe's most famous ski resorts. The last few years we've skied in Norway, France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

In the upcoming ski season the featured week-long alpine ski trips will be in March to Val d'Isere, France. Here, we'll be skiing the renowned L'Espace Killy area, or Val d'Isere - Tignes linked resorts. It is the hometown and ski playground of the 1968 Winter Olympics triple gold winner Jean Claude Killy and 2022 Winter Olympics slalom gold winner Clement Noel.

The standard trip is 7 days, Saturday-to-Saturday, or Sunday-to-Sunday. Lodging is offered in a luxury Chalet in the heart of the village with a 4-block walk to the lifts. Our own in-house Chef will prepare breakfast, afternoon tea & pastries, apres-ski beers and wine and three-course gourmet dinners complete with paired wines.

This coming season we will also have trips to the Dolomites, Italy. There, we will stay in the village of Corvara in the Badia valley from where we will be able to experience the famous Sella Ronda ski tour and ski the World Cup areas of Alta Badia, Val Gardena and Cortina d'Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Winter Olympics and soon to be site of the 2026 Olympic alpine ski events.

In the schedule below are also listed Cross-Country and Backcountry ski trips in Norway and Alpine ski trips to the Dolomites, Italy. Please contact us directly for detail information about these trips.

Early booking

The vacation booking season in Europe is much earlier than what is typical in the U.S. Normally, 60% of chalets in Val d’Isere are booked by September. Therefore, to get the preseason advantage price and desired week selection we require a 50% down payment ~6 months in advance by September 1. The payment balance deadline is December 15. The payments are non-refundable as we fully pre-pay the holiday and services at this time.

It is possible to book later, but lodging availability will be limited and the corresponding market pricing most likely higher.

Lodging

Depending on the size of each group in Val d'Isere we book a Chalet with 4 - 6 bedrooms with bathrooms and a Chef's kitchen. Other features may include a dining room, lounge, entry hall, library/TV, steam room, massage room, whirlpool, balcony and ski lockers with boot dryers.

In the Dolomites we stay in a Bed & Breakfast hotel instead of a chalet and dine in the local restaurants.

THE CHALET

Lounge

The typical lounge consists of soft cushioned sofas around a coffee table, reading chairs and/or futons. There is nothing better than allowing your body to sink into a relaxed state here after a long day of skiing. The lounge tends also to be the setting for late night conversation about that day's turns, or adventures experienced long ago.

Dining room

The dining room comfortably seats the group together for meals. Served breakfast provides you with energy and helps build anticipation for the ski day ahead. Afternoon tea with pastries and beverages are provided upon return from the slopes. Dinner is usually a three-course affair with paired wines.

Bedrooms & bathrooms

The Chalet's bedrooms are mostly equipped with movable beds that can be configured as a Queen bed, or single beds. Most bedrooms come with en suite bathrooms.

THE SKIING

The skiing in L'Espace Killy, or the Val d'Isere - Tignes linked resorts, is vast and you can ski for days without crossing your own tracks. Unlike in the U.S., most all of the skiing is in the alpine above the tree line. The village of Val d'Isere itself is at an elevation of 1,850m (6,070') and the ski day starts with a gondola or tram ride up and out of the village.

L'Espace Killy stretches over six valleys and two glaciers with 300 km of groomed trails spread over 25,000 acres. The Val d'Isere - Tignes resorts together have 75 lifts including 2 underground rail trains, 3 trams and 6 gondolas. The top of the area is at 3,456m (11,340') with over 1,600m (5,200') of vertical drop to ski.

Of the 159 official trails listed their classifications are 12 Green, 69 Blue, 44 Red and 25 Black. They importantly vary in aspect and altitude, which allows for a choice of snow conditions when the weather is not optimal.

The Dolomiti Ski Pass advertises access to 250 lifts across the region. This is a result of 40+ years of connecting many, many mountain villages, which originally all had their own small ski area. The result is a myriad of lifts that criss-cross the mountains and valleys with tentacles in many different directions. Here, it is beneficial to ski with someone with local knowledge.

The weather in the Alps can be fickle like in any other mountain range. The winter of 2018 was a record snow year, 2019 was average, 2020 above average, 2022 below average and 2023 & 2024 had average snowfall. In March, as we approach vernal equinox, the days get longer and the weather patterns often stabilize bringing less precipitation and more sunshine.

THE FOOD

Breakfast

Breakfast is served at 7:30am. A variety of cereals, pastries, fruits, egg dishes and more are served throughout the week. Diet restrictions can be accommodated.

Lunch

Breakfast

Lunch is typically eaten at one of the restaurants on the mountain. The selection varies between the locales, but is always delicious as only the French and Italians can make it.

Coffee

Breakfast

Coffee

A good lunch in the Alps is not complete without an espresso. The resulting balanced contents of your stomach aids the digesting process and the caffeine wakes you for afternoon turns.

A TYPICAL WEEK IN VAL d'ISERE

Sunday

Arrive Geneva Airport by 12 noon. Meet at 1pm for the transfer to resort by dedicated van service. The route is through Annecy, Albertville and Bourg St. Maurice before arriving Val d'Isere. We settle in to the Chalet and get acquainted - welcome!

Monday

Every morning a general guided tour plan will be presented and people may choose to join, or form their own group to ski with for the day.

For example, on Monday the plan would typically be:

We explore the Bellevarde and Toviere areas and visit La Daille for a ride on the Funival rail line to the top of Bellevarde. On our way back to the Chalet at the end of the day we ski the 1992 Albertville Olympics Men's Downhill course on the Face de Bellevarde.

Tuesday

Maybe we explore the Les Brevieres, Aiguille Percee, Le Palet, Val Claret and La Grande Motte areas and roam around the Olympic and World Cup freestyle course areas.

Wednesday

As everyone becomes familiar with the area input is encouraged and the general tour plan for the day reflect the group's preferences. If we haven't had time the first two days, we should explore the Solaise, Le Laisinant, Le Fornet and Glacier de Pisaillas areas of the ski area.

Thursday - Friday - Saturday

We ski our favorite trails together, or in smaller groups, as your heart desires. If we split into multiple groups, maybe we still meet for lunch, or maybe not.

Sunday

Departure from Val d'Isere is at 9:00am for expected arrival at Geneva Airport before 1pm. This allows afternoon flight departures, or sightseeing around Geneva for those who would like to see this most cosmopolitan city.

TRIP PRICE 2025

The preseason advantage price per person for a group of 10 people to Val d'Isere is $3,150 payable in two installments: A non-refundable deposit of $1,575 is due 6 months in advance by September 1 and the non-refundable balance is due 3 months in advance by December 15.

The price is inclusive of:

- round trip transfer Geneva - Val d'Isere - Geneva

- 7 nights Chalet lodging

- 7 breakfasts, afternoon tea w/pastries & beverages

- 6 in Chalet three-course dinners with paired wines

Costs not included

- flights to and from Geneva

- travel insurance

- lift tickets ~$70/day x 6 = $420

- lunches on the mountain

- one dinner (a variety of restaurants to choose from)

- gratuity for the Chalet staff

YOUR TRIP LEADER

Jon was born and raised in Norway and spent his childhood roaming the mountains summer and winter alike with his family. He continued the outdoor lifestyle throughout his youth and served as Scout Master and Eagle Scout Leader.

From the age of seven Nordic ski jumping at the local hill was a regular after-school activity during the winter. Later, cross-country, backcountry, telemark and alpine skiing became his passion taking him to the Alps in the 1980s.

Jon is a PSIA certified ski instructor (alpine, cross-country and telemark) and a USSF licensed soccer coach. He holds a BSc. in Physics & Electronic Engineering and an MBA and has 30+ years of business experience. Jon is married to Harriet and they have three adult children. He splits his time between Europe and his Seattle residence.

Ski Tours Europe

Ski Tours Europe

SKI THE MOUNTAINS OF EUROPE

Ready for a Val d'Isere or Dolomites adventure?

Early booking

Lodging

THE CHALET

Lounge

Dining room

Bedrooms & bathrooms

THE SKIING

Big mountains

Big mountains

Big mountains

Vast terrain

Big mountains

Big mountains

Gentle hills

Big mountains

Elusive powder

Elusive powder

Alpine to forest

Elusive powder

Alpine to forest

Alpine to forest

Alpine to forest

Endless trails

Alpine to forest

Alpine to forest

Lunchtime view

Lunchtime view

Lunchtime view

Outdoor tables

Lunchtime view

Lunchtime view

Sun seating

Lunchtime view

High speed quad chairs

High speed quad chairs

High speed quad chairs

High speed quad chairs

Happy faces

High speed quad chairs

Scenic trails

Scenic trails

High speed quad chairs

Scenic trails

THE FOOD

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

Lunch

Breakfast

Breakfast

Coffee

Breakfast

Coffee

Apres-ski

Apres-ski

Apres-ski

Dinner

Apres-ski

Apres-ski

Dessert

Apres-ski

Dessert

A TYPICAL WEEK IN VAL d'ISERE

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday - Friday - Saturday

Sunday

SCHEDULED TOURS WINTER 2025

Trip 1: February 20 - 27, 2025, Oslo/Lillehammer, Norway

Trip 2: March 1 - 8, 2025, Dolomites, Italy

Trip 3: March 8 - 15, 2025, Dolomites, Italy

Trip 4: March 15 - 22, 2025, Val d'Isere, France

Trip 5: March 22 - 29, 2025, Val d'Isere, France

Backcountry ski trip