Countdown to winter

As usual as soon as the temperature rises in the Southern hemisphere we start thinking about winter in the Alps. In some parts of Australia the clocks have changed and days are getting longer while in Europe the days are getting shorter and eyes start to look upwards for signs of that magic white stuff.

One of the expenses of a ski holiday is buying a lift pass to whisk you up to the peaks to enable you to swoop down again. Lift passes will never be cheap and if you think about the infrastructure required and the challenges of building lifts it really is no surprise. Here in Australia we have the not very coveted title of one of the most expensive lift passes in the world, lots of money for a handful of lifts. You could never call the lift pass prices in the Three Valleys cheap but do your research and you will find them good value for money. You can buy your lift pass on line to allow you to get straight onto the lifts and up to the top as soon as you arrive in the resort. So, before you go shopping on line what do you need to think about?

Firstly how many days will you be skiing? There are lift pass options varying from half day to full season and almost everything in between. Once you know how many days have a think about where you will be skiing. For beginners there are Mini Pass options and the option of only skiing the Meribel Valley. For the more relaxed or "social" skier one valley - especially when so varied as Meribel will probably be enough for a one week stay. Got more than a week under your ski belt and you will be wanting to venture all over this amazing area so you will need a Three Valleys Lift Pass. A bit undecided - don't worry we have that covered as you can "upgrade" a Meribel Valley Pass to the Three Valleys as soon as you find your ski legs.

It doesn't end there - lucky enough to be coming out for more than a week there are longer duration options available and the very flexible Liberte Pass which registers where you have skied and charges you accordingly - perfect for those enjoying a long ski holiday who don't feel the need to hit the slopes every day.

But wait, there is more. If you buy your lift pass with a friend (or two) using only one transaction there are price reductions on offer.

Phew! It's a lot to take in so make a cup of tea and take a look at these two links:

Meribel Tourism web site

Lift Company web site - yet to open for online sales but lots of useful information to keep you going

In between surfing keep your eye on the Alpine weather, winter is not far away now.