This is a great innovation for winter 2024/25 from Hochfilzen in the PillerseeTal Valley, Austria. This winter marks a milestone for eco-friendly winter sports activities with the opening of the region’s first solar-powered, floodlit cross-country skiing trail. The trail is powered by 50 solar panels, combined with battery storage, which means the new photovoltaic floodlights...
In 2022, I looked at the carbon footprint of a ski holiday, based on some research by French ski resorts. The original research attempted to detail the carbon cost of a day’s skiing, and the differences your choices can make to the final figure. I’ve now updated these figures, to make it more specific to...
More than one hundred mayors of French ski resorts have called for the French state to support train travel. Earlier this month, following the annual meeting of the Association Nationale des Maires des Stations de Montagne (ANMSM) at La Clusaz, the organisation issued a statement for help in adapting to the rapidly changing mountain environment....
This new map is a fantastic way to work out the route by train to your favourite French ski resort. Click on the map to see the largest version. It was created by David Cooper and Daniel Elkan from the excellent Snowcarbon, on behalf of France Montagnes. Travelling by train instead of flying is the...
In September 2024, Iain from The Ski Podcast travelled by train from the UK to Crans Montana in Switzerland. This is one of the best ski resorts to travel to by train, as the funicular from Sierre means you can get off the train and be in resort little more than 15 minutes later. London-Paris...
I’ve been sitting on this one for a while as I think my time is better spent on positivity than negativity, but this ‘survey’ that landed in my inbox earlier this year is a classic example of greenwashing. I don’t feel inclined to name the tour operator concerned, but it’s another example of a brand...
The new European Sleeper train service will open up Austria and the Italian Dolomites for UK skiers and snowboarders who want to travel by train. The company has been operating a night train from Brussels to Prague via Amsterdam and Berlin since May 2023. Overnight from Brussels to Innsbruck and Bolzano This winter, they are...
So this is nothing to do with ‘skiing’ flight free (unless you are thinking about discovering one of Corsica’s ski resorts this winter), but regular readers will recall that I have taken the Flight Free Challenge for 2024…and that means summer family holidays as well. Brighton to Corsica by train and ferry That meant that...
Tour operator Travelski have released details of their train travel options for this winter, adding Chamonix and La Clusaz as new destinations. Travelski Express train-inclusive packages go on sale on 08 July, using the Eurostar Ski Train service to travel from London on Saturday mornings and returning the following Sunday. 8 nights’ accommodation and 7...
We are very pleased to confirm that the Eurostar Ski Train is back for the 2024/25 winter season. Eurostar Ski Train 2024/25 Tickets go on sale from Tuesday 09 July for travel between 21 December 2024 to 2 March 2025. You will be able to buy tickets on Eurostar’s ‘Ski Train page’ from 09 July...
The global rise in temperatures doesn’t just affect skiers in the mountains – French cheese producers are also feeling the heat. Unpredictable grass growth, problems with access to water and heat stress for the cows are increasingly common issues for Alpine herds. Hot days and summer droughts increasing The Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Fromage Abondance (SIFA)...
At Easter 2024, Iain Martin, presenter of The Ski Podcast and founder of Ski Flight Free, travelled from Brighton to Les 2 Alpes in a luxury splitter van. What is a splitter van? Firstly, let’s clarify what we are talking about here. A splitter van is like a minibus, but with much more storage and way more...