How to choose the right ski package?
Are you preparing for a winter sports holiday and would like to book your ski lift package right now? That's a good idea, because by anticipating and buying your package or reloading your card online, you can save money. But with the sometimes abundant offers, it's not always easy to know which formula to choose or how to find good deals to ski cheaper.
Here is a series of practical tips for buying your ski package, which will apply to any resort in France, whether you go skiing in the Northern Alps, the Pyrenees, the Jura, etc.
In summary
Choosing the right ski package can quickly become complicated between the different durations, ski areas, and options offered by the resorts. A wrong choice can make you pay more for services you don't need. Sport 2000 helps you compare types of packages, adapt your purchase to your level and ski program, and optimize your mountain budget. Discover in the rest of the article how to select the ski package most suited to your stay and ski at the best price.
Basic criteria for choosing your package
Are you going skiing for the first time? Are you lost among the multiple options available to you? Not sure which package to choose for the children? Sport 2000 gathers here the basic information to consider before purchasing your ski lift pass.
Skier's age
The first thing to know is that resorts offer packages at different prices depending on age and status (student, retiree, etc.). So make sure to choose the appropriate package category, as this could save you money.
For example, in the Sybelles area in the Alps, you have access to 4 main categories (adult, child from 5 to 11 inclusive, “Vermeil” from 65 to 74 years inclusive, and student), for which the daily package rate varies between 41.80 euros and 50.40 euros. But if you spend your stay in Super Besse, you will see that the age categories are different: child from 5 to 15 years, youth from 16 to 25 years, adult from 26 to 64 years and senior between 65 and 74 years, for a daily rate between 28.40 euros and 39.90 euros.
Dates and duration of stay
The other essential element concerns the dates on which you will be skiing or snowboarding. Unless otherwise stated for specific packages, ski passes are indeed dated and must therefore be used at specific times and days. If you are not yet sure of your mountain holiday dates, wait a little before buying your pass.
Also take the time to compare offers based on the number of hours and days, and whether they are consecutive or not.
If we take the example of Saint-François-Longchamp, it is more economical (as in most winter sports resorts) to take an adult 4-day package (€177.50) than 4 1-day packages (€49). But will you really ski 4 days in a row? And even if you ski every day, do you think it will be all day or only half a day? These questions arise when choosing the least expensive option that will meet your needs.
Accessible slopes and ski lifts
If you are going on holiday to a village whose domain is linked to other ski resorts, you will generally have a choice between several packages depending on the accessible ski area. This is the case, for example, in Méribel ( Méribel package with 150 km of slopes or 3 Vallées package with 600 km of slopes), in La Plagne (pass for the La Plagne domain with its 135 slopes or for Paradiski, a ski area linked to Les Arcs and Peisey-Vallandry), in Morzine (Morzine-Les Gets domain or Les Portes du Soleil domain with its 12 resorts), etc.
For beginner skiers or holidaymakers who only stay for a ski weekend, it is sometimes sufficient to opt for a package on a reduced-size domain, which is cheaper, but no less diversified.
Note also that some ski resorts offer packages specifically designed for beginners. This provides access to a few ski lifts and easy areas, to learn to ski at a low price. This type of package is generally sufficient for children (and adults!) who take lessons with a guide or who want to explore some affordable areas independently.
Our tips for finding the ideal package
You now have more information to help you choose your ski package. But other subtleties are still hidden in the ski package offers. Here are some additional tips for getting the best rates and a package with which you will be free to explore the slopes you want, when you want.
Stay package or season package?
If you go skiing once or twice during the season, the “classic” passes are the most suitable. However, for mountain regulars, season workers, and resort residents, “season” packages are more economical and practical. Undated, they are valid all season, with various formulas available: unlimited, limited number of ski lift passages per week, defined number of skiing days per week, etc.
As an indication to understand the benefit of season passes: in the 3 Vallées ski area, a 6-day adult pass costs 375 euros, while the unlimited season pass costs 1085 euros for those under 30. If you are under 30 and come skiing or snowboarding at least 3 weeks a year in Les 3 Vallées, then you win!
Individual pass or group package?
The vast majority of ski resorts also offer discounts via “family” or “tribe” rates. The resort of Cauterets in the Pyrenees, for example, allows you to benefit from discounts on adult packages from 3 2-to-5-day packages purchased (including at least one adult package and one child package). In Saint-Gervais-Mont-Blanc, in the Northern Alps, the family offer results in 1, 2 or 3 free youth packages for the purchase of a 2 adult + 2 youth pack. Consult the price list of the resort where you will be spending your holidays to find out which discounts apply!
