New Solar Panels for Meribel
Méribel has joined the increasing number of ski resorts to deploy solar panels on their ski lifts. This winter look out for the unique PV panels on the roof of the mid-station of the Saulire Express gondola. In the summer of 2022, 182 solar panels, measuring one meter by two meters each, were installed covering an...
Case Study: UK to Méribel (Les 3 Vallées) by train
In January 2023, Iain Martin, presenter of The Ski Podcast and founder of Ski Flight Free, travelled from the UK to Méribel – in the heart of Les 3 Vallées – by train. London to Paris All train trips to the Alps from the UK depart from London St Pancras International. I booked the first Eurostar of the...
New EV chargers for ski resorts in Andorra
Wallbox has announced the installation of twenty EV charging points for electric vehicles at Grandvalira Resorts. Chargers will be installed in Grau Roig (18 chargers) and Costa Rodona (two chargers) parking areas. They will offer 7.4kW charging power and are capable of operating in bad weather and temperatures from -25C to 40C. Powered by renewable...
New Direct Train from Amsterdam to Austrian Alps (Updated Dec 2022)
December 2022 Update: The TUI Ski Express has started. ⛷ Big news: The very first #TUI Ski Express hit the rail. 🚆The special #train is a weekly direct service from The Netherlands 🇳🇱 to the Austrian alps 🇦🇹. In addition to its comfort and cosiness, the big bonus is a more #sustainable transport to winter...
Six more French ski resorts awarded the ‘Flocon Vert’
Last week at the International Festival of Mountain Professions in Chambéry, the environmental organisation Mountain Riders confirmed that six more ski resorts have been awarded the ‘Flocon Vert’ sustainability label. The new resorts to receive the accreditation are: Font-Romeu (Pyrenees-Orientales) Val d’Isère (Savoie) Tignes (Savoie) Valloire (Savoie) Saint-Gervais Mont-Blanc (Haute-Savoie) Cordon (Haute-Savoie) In addition, two...
Cauterets / Crans Montana / Eurostar / Les Arcs / Orelle / Serre Chevalier / Ski Flight Free / SNCF / Soll / Train Travel / Zermatt
‘The Best Ski Resorts to travel to by train’
Iain – founder of Ski Flight Free – was recently commissioned by ‘The Independent’ to put together a summary of the best ski resorts to travel to by train. The eight resorts that made the short list were: Les Arcs (Find out about the Travelski Express here) Crans Montana Serre Chevalier (Read about their night...
More Travelski services…from Paris
Lovers of train travel will no doubt already be aware of the Travelski Express direct service from London St Pancras to the French Tarentaise. You can find all the details of this service elsewhere on Ski Flight Free, including Iain’s review of the inaugural service in January 2022. However, it recently came to our attention...
Les Arcs plans to reduce energy use this winter by 10%
Les Arcs has always been ahead of the game as far as sustainability is concerned. Already awarded the ‘Flocon Vert’ accreditation and in the course of attaining B-Corps accreditation, the resort has also announced measures to reduce the resort’s energy usage this winter by 10%. Ski lifts (6.5% reduction in overall resort energy consumption) – ‘Eco-driving’...
Compagnie des Alpes converts all piste bashers to biofuel
If reducing the carbon footprint of your ski holiday is important to you, the obvious first step is to choose an alternative to flying, but you can also make a difference by choosing a resort that has high sustainability standards. The Compagnie des Alpes (CdA) has taken a huge step to reducing the emissions generated...
Serre Chevalier given energy efficiency award by EU
The French resort of Serre Chevalier has been recognised by the European Union for its outstanding use of renewable energy. The Energy Efficiency Prize was awarded by the EU to the lift company Serre Chevalier Vallee Domaine Skiable for its ‘EnR’ project. Consistent implementation of PV solar panels, wind turbines and use of hydroelectricity throughout...
New PV Solar Panels for Switzerland
A combination of new government measures and private investment initiatives will lead to significantly more solar power capacity in Switzerland. Earlier this month (October 2022), the upper house of the Swiss parliament voted in favour of legislation ruling that from 01 January 2024 all new buildings with an area of over 300m2 must be equipped...
Case Study: Driving To The Alps In An Electric Car
With the adoption of electric vehicles increasing fast, more and more British skiers will be driving to the Alps in an electric car. Iain Martin, founder of Ski Flight Free, drove to Zermatt at the end of August 2022 in a Tesla Model Y to see what it’s like on a long-distance journey in an...
