UKC

After being told I am being given a week of forced leave I thought I may try get away the week of the 15th December. But due to the notice and time of year no one I normally holiday with is available so I am after some advice and wisdom.

Can anyone recommend any resorts which they think are good when alone?
Currently I am thinking of going Cham or Val Thorens due to snow fall and maybe getting lessons and guide.

Anyone recommend places to stay or companies which don't double the price.

Thanks in advance
IMA

In reply to IMA:

If I'm going alone I book at the very last min (eg Thursday to fly Sat)to secure a decent price and use Chalets as you can normally find new friends to ski with

In reply to IMA:

I went to Cham last year for a few days on my own.

To be honest it was a fairly miserable experience and I would avoid doing it again.

I found that the vast majority of people were with friends/family and weren't that keen to extend that to a solo traveller which, to be honest, is fair enough. Would you want someone you've only just met tagging along when you're skiing with your girlfriend? Those that were alone lived locally and were quite content to get out for a couple of hours and then go home to their own friends and family.

I also found piste skiing alone a fairly miserable experience - you get loads done but there is no-one to share it with so it becomes a bit repetitive - lift up, ski down. Repeat. There is no waiting for people halfway down, stopping for a brew, laughing at wipe outs, trying ridiculous drop offs with mates etc etc.

I suspect a course or lessons would help as you would get to know people during the day and I would do it this way if I went solo again.

In reply to Fickalli:

I had the opposite experience in Cham but I do travel on my own a lot.

In reply to IMA:

Austria is great for the single skier. Much more friendly than France when it comes to the evening and meeting up with people. Bear in mind the evenings are long and you don't want to be sitting on your own in some appartment or hotel.

The skiing is gewnerally good with lots of mountain restaurants

St Anton, Kitzbuhl, Soll, Salbach, Hinterglem are all great resorts for the solo traveller, and all have excellent skiing.

In reply to IMA:

I quite like the aosta valley resorts. La Thuile is quite pleasant.

In reply to IMA:

Try booking last minute with Mark warner & get a cheaper deal. But the real advantage is the ski hosting so it will mean you will always have someone to ski with. The only down side is the host is not allowed to ski off piste.
Also because you are in a chalet, you can meet other people.

Worth a try.

In reply to Anonymous:


Or Silver Ski, who do offer flights from Manchester. Again, chalet accommodation and ski hosts. Their chalet staff are usually a bit more mature than the Crystal et al straight-from-school types, as well.

(Diverting slightly from the OP's question, the mention of chalets reminds me of this article in the Guardian recently: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/oct/26/how-to-be-chalet-host-ski-reso... - yes, if you're gullible enough you can now pay someone to give you the training which any chalet operator provides for free at the start of each season.)

In reply to Martin W: I think the point of the training is more for the cooking aspect - and having certification for it (including hygiene). Most places are now looking for those certificates, just to get to the interview - let alone the pre-season training.

In reply to IMA:

I would go to Argentiere, join the Ski Club of Great Britain and put your name down for the leader service

http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/skiresorts/skiclubleaders.aspx/Argentiere

Each day of the week is based around a different ability level and on piste or off piste. Places can be rationed at busy times (unlikely 16 Dec) and even if you dont go with them every day it's a great way to meet up with other solo skiers. I've had some brilliant solo ski trips this way.

There is a choice of low cost bunkhouse type accommodation available in Argentiere

check out the snowheads forum

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewforum.php?f=19

lots of people looking for partners on solo trips/ join groups

In reply to adamki:

That too (posted from a Snowheads Bash - holiday)

In reply to IMA: Cheers everyone I shall take a look at it all tonight, I doubt I will book anything until next week when it really does become last minute

In reply to IMA: Mix it up a bit, repost asking for people to climb or ski.

If just sticking to sking, then maybe tour around, base yourself in cham, do a day or two in Cham, morzine, courmayeur , verbier, smash them all.

I'm quite happy solo boarding, just make sure your iPod is fully charged.

Enjoy!

In reply to existing debt: Or treat yourself to days guiding

http://www.mcnabsnowboarding.com/

In reply to kevin stephens:

I've been on several trips to Chamonix on my own. The ski club of Great Britain are excellent and I've had some great days skiing with them, although my best days have been with people I have met in bunkhouses. It is also possible to meet skiing partners through having lessons with Bass Chamonix or Off Piste Performance.

In reply to IMA:

So long as you don't mind fairly basic accommodation, go with the UCPA and there'll be loads of other solo vacationers as well as groups - I've done four trips on my tod with them over the years and enjoyed every one of them immensely.

http://www.ucpa-vacances.com/