The Talk Of The Season: Late snow in the Alps

Reports that there was "no snow" in Europe at Christmas were inaccurate in most cases, and may prove damaging to the industry in the longer term. Most resorts had enough coverage to open between a half and 95 per cent of their terrain, plenty to keep most of us happy. Only those looking for off-piste powder might have been disappointed until the big falls arrived in 2007.

Not everywhere has had adequate snow even now, though. Andorra and Bulgaria are relying on machine-made snow while some smaller resorts in Spain are yet to open. But in the Alps normality has largely returned with resorts such as Chamonix and Zermatt reporting snow depths of 1m to 1.5m. Global warming? Well, low areas faring badly, wide fluctuations in cover (British Columbia in Canada is having a record season, with Whistler reporting about eight metres of snow to date) and snow arriving later are supposed to be symptoms. But if Europe is dumped on with heavy snow in December 2007, those thoughts may be forgotten.

ALPINE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

The big ski event of the season is in Are, Sweden (www.are2007.com) from 3-18 February.

Neilson (0870 060 0114; www.neilson.co.uk) is the only major operator to the resort. Prices are lower for the first week with online rates from £229 for departures from Heathrow on 4 February to the Renen Apartments.

MORE WAYS TO REACH THE SLOPES

Leading European ski areas are getting smarter in marketing their accessibility through Europe's ever-growing low-cost flights network. Italy's Alta Badia resort is typical in setting up a coach transfer (00 39 06 45 44 13 45; www.lowcost coach.com) from the airports served by low-cost airlines. The service connects with flights operated by Ryanair and other airlines to Bergamo and Brescia.

Coaches run several times a day at weekends and bank holidays and daily during the week until 8 April. A return ticket costs €22 (£16).

A HECTIC HALF-TERM

Next month, the main schools' half-term weeks (10-25 February) comprise the second peak time of the season and it can be hard to find good deals. With French holidays also starting on 10 February, coupled with pent-up demand from those who delayed travel over Christmas and New Year, expect Europe's slopes - in particular the French Alps - to be very busy.

How to avoid the crowds? "Areas such as the Grand Massif - including the resorts of Flaine, Morillon and Samoens - where the ratio of beds per kilometre of slopes is much lower than other resorts don't get such bad queues," says Xavier Schouller of Peak Retreats (0870 770 0408; www.peakretreats.co.uk).

VISIT 46 SKI HUTS IN ONE DAY

The Starlight Children's Foundation (www.starlight.org.uk) is hosting the Starlight Stüblchase Ski Weekend Challenge from 3-7 February in Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria. The aim is to visit as many of the 46 mountain restaurants and huts in the ski domain as possible in a day, raising money for seriously ill children.

Registration per team of four costs £2,300 plus £200 per head sponsorship. Call Sarah Dawson on 020-7262 2881 or e-mail sarah@starlight.org.uk

Interesting? Click here to explore further