Take a step back in time to find the soul of skiing at little local resorts with big powder runs.
The Alps have historically been the birthplace of skiing, mountain tourism, and 5-star alpine hospitality. As skiing and adventure sports’ popularity grew, lift systems expanded, creating incredible access for the crowds, and modern, mega-resorts became what the Alps were known for. But where the real magic lies is at the tiny mom-and-pop resorts, which still exist on the periphery of these grand ski stations. These “little areas that rock” deliver deserted powder days and big, off-the-backside freeride descents. A step back in time, and a return to the roots of skiing, where everything but your fat skis and weatherproof gear feels like you’re in a bygone era; where untracked powder, non-existent lift-lines, and the true European ski experience still prevails.
Resorts where the only mountain restaurant is family-run, and feels like their private home. You almost don’t want to stop for lunch, because you’re worried that the falling snow will bury your skis outside, and the skiing is too good. But the lure of a hot bowl of soup and a glass of wine is equally as strong, and you look around the dining room at impossibly wide grins. Now you’re in on the secret.
Skiing through deserted summer chalets and remote isolated villages, magical tree runs through perfectly spaced larch forests, winding up a valley away from where you began, and warm up with a coffee or chocolat chaud at a cozy café.
This week-long adventure is perfect for a first-time ski trip to the Alps, or if you’ve skied the big resorts before, and are looking to get a bit more off the beaten track. With a half-dozen of these hidden gems in our backyard, the Pays du St.-Bernard, as well as just across the borders in France and Italy, we can always find the epitome of the Soul of the Alps. Resorts so simple and uncrowded, you’ll feel like a local yourself as you share an après-ski beer with the lifties and ski patrollers.
It’s about the true nature of unchanged life in the Alps, not the glitzy resort life. But we won’t keep you from experiencing the best of both worlds, you’ll have plenty of options for dinners or drinks on the town. Just don’t tell anyone else where you skied that day!
CONTACT US to start planning your custom Soul of the Alps Ski itinerary this winter.
