February half term is nearly here. For thousands of
But whether you’re heading to the slopes for your annual snow fix or living in resort, here are some time tested tips on how to not only get through one of the most chaotic weeks of the season – but enjoy it too.
For the family heading out to the hills
Firstly, choose Morzine, Avoriaz or Les Gets! Not only are they fantastic family resorts, with brilliant terrain, but they’re insanely close to Geneva airport. This means transfer times are well under the 2 hour mark. When you have kids in the party, this can make all the difference.
Organise as much as you can in advance
The great thing about school holidays is that you know when they are, way in advance. This means you can plan your annual trip with plenty of time to spare, and avoid the inevitable ‘fully booked’ email responses.
Transfers, ski and snowboard rental, ski passes. Your chalet company, or your tour operator will often be able to arrange these so they are ready for you when you arrive, saving time and hassle once you’re in resort.
Our friends at Doorstep Skis will deliver your kit to your door, and take it back from your accommodation at the end of the week – no more trudging through resort with heavy snowboards or skis, and no more smelly ski basements trying on boots.
Most importantly, book your snowboard lessons in advance. School holidays are always busy and lessons are in high demand. Make sure you get the lessons you want by booking them as early as possible.
Packing Essentials
Family packing can be chaos. Try our ‘toes-up’ method for each person you’re packing for to make sure you get to resort with everything you and your family need.
It’s simple: start with your feet, and work your way up until you’re fully dressed with the kit you plan to take.
- Snowboard socks – we can’t stress how important the right socks are
- Boots – of the snowboarding kind but don’t forget boots for walking around the resort
- Thermal base layers
- Salopettes
- Tee shirts to use as under-layers
- Hoodie or riding shirt as a mid-layer for cold days
- Snowboard jacket
- Gloves or mitts
- Neck warmer or face mask
- Goggles – check out the latest Dragon goggles available this season for the best eyewear on the hill
- Sunglasses for apres action – always protect your eyes, snow blindness is no fun
- Beanie
- Helmet
- High SPF suncream and lip balm
Get up early, head to the edge of resort, and bring your lunch
The closer the slopes are to the nearest resort lifts, the busier they’ll be. Our advice is to get up early and head to the outer reaches of the resort where the crowds venture least.
Consider taking an early lunch and enjoy slightly quieter half term pistes while everyone else is sat eating their €20 spag bol. If you have your own picnic, find an awesome view, and stop when you want! You can also look for the green ‘salle hors sac’ icons on the piste map. These are sheltered picnic spots dotted around the resort.
Take a break
Yes, you’re on holiday to go skiing but there’s plenty of other things to see and do around Morzine. Swimming pools, skating rinks and bowling alleys are great for indoor fun. There’s also sledging, paragliding and a whole host of events running throughout the winter. Have a look at the Tourist Information site to see what’s on while you’re here.
For the seasonnaires
The lifts are going to have queues like Disney Land, your favourite bars will be full to the brim, and you’re going to trip over kids in the street.
Our advice? Get some rest. Between extra busy work shifts, half term week is the perfect time to give your body a break, so you’re ready to shred when the crowds die down. Catch up on sleep and hustle for your guests to make a little extra money. Above all, enjoy the down time without feeling the FOMO on the hill.
Heading out over half term? Book your snowboarding lessons with REAL Snowboarding and learn to snowboard the REAL way. Get in touch hello@realsnowboarding.co.uk
Photo credit: @samuelmcahon
