71% of resorts would have ‘scarce snow’ if global warming hits 4C
A new study has shown that a quarter of European ski resorts will have scarce snow every other year with 2C of global heating. This takes into account man-made snow created by snow cannons. Without these the number of resorts with ‘scarce snow’ would go up to almost half. Greenbashing an issue Ski resorts have...
Eurostar launch train service to Alps for 2023/24
Boom! The news we’ve been waiting for: you’ll be able to buy train tickets to the French Alps from Eurostar, via Lille More info to come, but Eurostar’s ‘Ski Holidays’ page is now live, with tickets to go on sale from Thursday 31 August Full details of train services available for winter 2023/24 are now...
Inghams Ski to offer ski holidays by train
Huge kudos to Inghams Ski, who are launching their own ski packages by train. They will offer train travel to France (via Lille) and Austria, Switzerland and Italy (via Paris). Full details will be released next month and shared here and on www.skilflightfree.org Although nothing has been confirmed yet, possible timings have been mooted as...
Eurostar CEO confirms new ski train ‘via’ Brussels
Details of the new ski train to replace the previous direct service to France are still thin on the ground, but it does seem that a new service will definitely be coming in. In an recent interview with The Guardian, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave confirmed that: “British skiers will be able to book...
Case Study: Driving to Val d’Isère in an electric car
Simon McIntyre – MD at Iglu Ski – recently contacted us to share his experience of driving in an electric vehicle to Val d’Isère. He recently spoke to Iain in Episode 176 of The Ski Podcast and you can listen to that conversation at ~39 minutes: EV to Val d’Isère He drove to France in...
Travelski Express will not run direct from London to Alps in 2023/24
Sadly, one of the worst kept secrets in skiing has now been confirmed: the ‘Travelski Express‘ will not run this winter direct from London to the Alps. Travelski have been unable to persuade Eurostar to continue their rental of one of their trains to travel direct from London St Pancras to Bourg St Maurice each...
Case Study: London to Nice by Train
Ski Flight Free founder recently travelled to Nice by train. Admittedly it was to take part in a triathlon, rather than ski, but this case study should still be of interest, especially as he used the Paris overnight service. Let’s take a look at how it went… Eurostar to Paris The journey started with Eurostar...
Serre Chevalier installs second hydroelectric turbine
Serre Chevalier has added another element to its €3.6 million ‘Renewable Energy Programme’ by adding a second hydroelectric turbine. The programme has been underway in Serre Chevalier since 2016, and will mean that the ski resort will be able to meet its target of producing 30% of its own electricity consumption by the end of...
New study exposes FIS “greenwashing”
In the week of its Annual Congress, FIS is starting to show some signs of movement on sustainability, according to a new update from Protect Our Winters (POW). There are hints that the race calendar will be changed to reduce transatlantic travel and be delayed in its start by a week. The appointment of a...
Ski Flight Free featured in ‘Mountain Planet
We were delighted to see this mention for Ski Flight Free in the latest edition of Mountain Planet’s ‘Innovation Book’ on sustainability:
CM DUPON releases world’s first standard electric snow groomer
French snow groomer manufacturer CM Dupon has launched the world’s first fully electric snow groomer of standard size, designed at the request of Compagnie des Alpes (CDA). After testing in La Plagne last winter, the pre-production model of the Alpine B400 will go into operation this winter, with the company in discussion with several French...
‘Which?’ finds rail travel not as expensive for families as flying
According to research from the consumer website ‘Which?’ families can save money travelling by train, when compared to flying. The study looked specifically at the cost of air travel versus the cost of overnight train travel, which is currently enjoying a renaissance in continental Europe. Which? Notes that flights often seem cheaper in the first...