This comes as a bit of a disappointment as Turin airport was well situated near the Italian / French Alps and was quite handy to get quickly to some of the major resorts. It’s proximinity to the France was also a bonus, resorts like Chamonix & Courchevel were about 2 hours transfer from the airport.

Skiing near Turin

The most famous area are the mountains of Piedmont, this was the location for the Winter Olymipics in 2006, so they must be doing something right. Piedmont features 53 ski resorts, the most famous resorts being Valle di Susa,Sestriere,Pragelato,Pragelato,Valsesia. In all there are 1,300 kilometres of runs available and well over 300 gondolas, chair-lifts and ski-lifts. Piedmont estimates that they can carry 400,000 people per hour. Piedmont is a top class skiing area, and it offers more than enough challenges for every level of skier. The prices on some of the smaller resorts are cheaper than skiing in France or Switzerland, so if you are looking for a cheap family ski holiday, then Piedmont might be the area you should look into.

9 resorts near Turin airport

If Turin isn’t an option, i.e. if you don’t plan on staying a whole week, from Sunday to Sunday, then Milan might be a viable alternative. Milan is marked in light blue on the map above. There are two airports in Milan, Bergamo (BGY) & Malpensa (MXP), and have significantly more flights in and out. Ryanair flies every day into Bergamo from Dublin & Aerlingus flies every other day (Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday) to Malpensa but this will add about another 1.5 hours on to your transfer time. If you are considering flying to Milan, it might be worth checking our resorts like Andermatt , Flims or Laax, these resorts are about 3 hours outside Milan airport.

Over on the other side of the mountains is Grenoble, France (St Geoirs) (GNB) , which is situated very close to some great skiing. Right now Ryanair fly there on Saturday afternoons, and also might be worth checking into.

Leave your tips

If you have any recommended skiing resorts in this part of the world, i.e. in and around Turin or Milan, please let us know in the comments !

Snow stops falling and the mountains are covered in deep snow. The sky becomes clearer and bluer. The sun begins to shower its rays on the mountain houses. This is the perfect time to gather your things and go on a ski trip.

Just so you know, skiing is dangerous. It is possible that you may hurt yourself. You will feel pain and aches, but you will also take pleasure in it. Although it is considered risky, it makes one hell of an experience. It’s no wonder that most people want to try it, and once they do they stick with it for years to come. Many people ask about whether you need to be particular coordinate or fit to do the sport, while it may be advantageous, it’s not a necessity. If you are a first timer, here are some tips on learning how to ski.

Gear up – borrow or rent some garments from your friends and families. It is not practical to buy the latest stuff if you are not certain you are going to like the experience. Rent some comfortable skis in available stores. It needs to be 20 to 30 centimeters shorter than your actual height. A shorter ski helps you move easily, think of the skis as a boat sailing through the snow. It’s easier to steer a smaller one. Boots are also important to keep your feet on your skis, don’t worry your ski rental shop will know exactly what you need. Now that you have what you need, get ready to be thrilled.

With the friendly help of your new best friend, gravity, you will travel down the slope with ease. It is also the same force that will send you sliding down the slope on your backside, so be careful.  Knowing how to stop and steer is important, in fact it’s all about control. There isn’t any point in being fast if you can’t stop. Another thing you must know is how to balance, knowing when to lean back, forward and to the left and right. It sounds easy, but sadly it isn’t. Position yourself in a comfortable stance to reach maximum equilibrium and control.. Once you have mastered this you can start learning the basics.

First, know that your skis are fastened on your feet. So whichever foot you will move the ski clamped on it will also follow.  If you want to go right, just turn your feet right, and vice versa. The way you stand on your skis is crucial. It reduces your tendency to fall. Position your feet a shoulder width away from each other. Bend your knees slightly and point your toes inward. This position will give you a stable stance even when you move. Hopefully you are now successfully ploughing down the slope.

Another tip on learning how to ski is to control your speed. If you do not know how to manage your pace, you will hurt yourself. You must know how to stop when this happens. To slow down turn your toes slightly inward, but remember to leave a small space to avoid your skis from smashing together. Also remember to keep an eye out for other skiers and snowboards who may be close to you. If you wish to stop, turn your skis to face across the hill. This will resist gravity which will enable you to halt.

One useful tip on learning how to ski that should keep in mind where you want to go, if you keep on gazing down at the snow that is where you will end up so, keep your chin up. Another important tip is to get a winter insurance. With adventure sports like skiing, having an insurance that has winter sports coverage is necessary. This is especially valid if you are a beginner or some advanced skier trying some more taxing things like tricks or off piste skiing.

Not taking risks is what makes most people miserable. Skiing is definitely a risk, but being properly trained and prepared can help alleviate most of the risk. Learning how to ski gives you a taste of what they call life, and living on the edge. Most insurance agencies list it as an extreme sport. It lets you experience an unreachable kind of satisfaction that indoor sports will not be able to give. That is unless you are skiing indoors !

If you are a vegetarian, don’t worry you’re not totally out of luck, but you might have a limited choice. One famous dish, is Käse spaetzle mit zwiebeln, which is egg noodles covered with cheese and onions.

Food on the slopes does tend to have gratuitous ammonts of meat or cheese on them, here’s a pizza we had in Leogang Austria.

Pizza at Seidl-Alm

Our Favourite in Austria : Tiroler Gröstl

Tiroler Gröstl at Seidl-Alm

Here is a great Austrian dish, Tiroler Gröstl. It used to be a way to use up the leftovers in Austrian families. Kind of like an Irish stew in ways. It consists of potatoes, pieces of ham, and and egg, all fried into each-other. Sometimes you’ll find some onions, and traditionally its served on a skillet, like in the picture.
This one pictured above is from the Seidl-Alm in Leogang / Hinterglemm resort in Austria (and so it the pizza).

Austrian Snack : Schinken Käse Toast

Another handy snack is Schinken Käse Toast, it’s basically it’s a toasted ham and cheese, you’ll find it on offer in most of huts on the mountains. In Austria they serve it with tomato sauce and possibly mayonaise or tartar sauce.

Schinken Käse Toast

A drag lift in operation.

Skiology / Ski Talk Explained

• Aprés Ski : The all important party after a day on the slope.
• ATS : American Teaching System, one system of standardised levels of skiing.
• Avalanche : Potentially dangerous and life threatening snow land slides.
• Bunny Slope : A slope for beginners, it should be pretty much close to flat.
• Corduroy : A freshly groomed piste that has packed powder snow. This snow has a carpet- or corduroy-like a appearance and is great to ski on.
• Piste : Where you will begin skiing. Basically it’s the prepared slope.
• Groomer / Snow Plough : these rather large machines that
• Snowblower : a machine used for generation extra snow. Mostly used at the start of a season or in seasons with low levels of snow.
• Magic Carpet :  a moving footpath for the snow. More common on beginners slopes.
• Drag lift : a ski lift that basically drags you up the slope. (see picture above)
• T-Bar : a type of drag lift that can pull two people at a time, the anchor is in the shape of an inverted T.
• Button lift : A single person drag lift, the anchor is circular.
• Chair lift : A lift where you are sitting down and you travel above the slope. Generally these are exposed.
• Gondola : A multi-person lift which is enclosed. Typically these lifts are at a higher level above the ground. (see image below)
• off piste / back country : Anyway off the groomed pistes. These areas should only be tackled by experienced skiers.
• pow pow : powder snow , i.e. fresh snow.
• Powder : Freshly fallen snow.
• Mogul : compact mounds of snow. They can be either man-made or artificial (typically caused by snowboarders back edging down a slope too much.
• Heli-skiing : extreme off piste skiing that starts with a trip, and you jumping out of a helicopter. Used for reaching hard to get to locations.
• Counter-rotation : Moving or rotating your upper and lower body in opposite directions, at the same time, for maximum turning.
• Fall line : The straightest and steepest line down any slope, and generally the fastest.
• Milk Run : the first run of the day, when the snow conditions are generally the best.
• DIN settings - Deutsche Industrie Normen. A calculation scale, which is agreed internationally, which is a measure of under what force your bindings will release. More experienced skiers will generally have stiffer bindings.
• White Out : Poor visibility conditions when you can’t see.

A gondola in Austria

Obviously the down side to this is that it will drain your battery before you have a chance to finish your mornings skiing lesson. But for those of you who need some quick heat for your hands it might just do the trick. This app also gets bonus points for having a rather retro feel to it, with the old style heating element graphic.
You can buy this app here on the iTunes store.
We are always on the look out for some skiing iPhone apps so if you have any please let us know !

The one and only artificial dry ski slope in Ireland, is located at Kilternan, Co. Dublin. It is managed by the Ski Club of Ireland (www.skiclub.ie) and is open through out the year (hail, rain or shine). The Ski Club of Ireland is a non profit organisation which aims to develop the sport of skiing in Ireland. Now the Ski Club is in it’s 25th year, here is a little bit from their history page:

The Ski Club of Ireland was founded in 1963 and a few years later ran its first slope in Knockrabo in Mount Anville, Goatstown, south Co. Dublin.

The club is located 10 minutes off the M50, in the grounds of the Kilternan Golf and Country Club, which is also reachable by bus. The club offers instructions for skiers and snowboarders of every level. Courses are offered through the year, and they even provide equipment for free. Also equipment is provided for free in the practise sessions.

Kilternan Facilities & Prices

In total there are 4 individual slopes at Kilternan. These range from the 180m long main slope to the 150m intermediary slope and they also have two nursery slopes which are 50m long. These slopes are obviously not covered in snow, rather a substance called Dendix. Dendix is a bristle surface which is lubricated with a misting spray.

Current membership fees cost €370 to be a full member of the club and this entitles you to unlimited use of their slopes as well as significant discounts on classes (around 50%). You can also become just a regular member for €80, which would be a good idea if you wanted to take part in some of the classes. A set of four classes costs €150 for adults and €100 for under 18′s. A practise session costs €33 for a 3 hour session (€28 for members). Again practise sessions and skiing lesson prices include the use of skiing equipment (skies,boots,poles & snowboards).

Kilternan Opening Times

Ski Slopes for Skiers & Snowboarders

• Monday – Friday from 19.30 – 22.30
• Saturday & Sunday from 10.30 – 13.30 & 14.30 – 17.30.

Snowboarders only

• Sunday evenings from 18.00 – 20.30.

While the ski club is open year round, they only offer classes between September and March. People who buy a season ticket can avail of practice sessions on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings until mid May, after that there won’t be anything happening until they reopen in September.

The Ski Club also has an office which is open from Monday – Friday from 09.00 – 17.00 and also during normal slope opening hours. If using their facilities you will need to bring a good set of gloves as well as a pair of long socks. Scarves, interestingly enough are banned from the slopes at Kilternan. We’re guessing this could due to the chocking risk, but it does sound a little strange !

Photo by Ski Club Ireland

Photo by Paraic Woods

Kilternan Skiing Video

Here is a video from YouTube which has some people skiing around the Kilternan slopes, so sit back and enjoy. If you do go to Kilternan, let us know what you think. We are just to far away to get there !

If you have any questions for the Irish Ski Club, you can ask these in their forum on skiing.ie where one of their staff will answer your questions.

Lots of people wonder what to wear skiing, while for some it can be a fashion contest,what you wear on the slopes also has a function. Skiing equipment can sometimes be expensive, but do remember that you don’t need to buy it all at once, and it can (and should) last for years. At many of the ski resorts you can rent jackets and pants, which can be the most expensive parts of the skiing attire, and there are even some sports shops in Ireland who also offer this service. Having proper clothing will ensure that your day on the slopes is that little bit more comfortable and will allow you to concentrate on enjoying the experience. So starting from the top down, let’s see what you should remember when heading to the snow capped mountains:

• Hat / Helmet : You loose a lot of heat through your head, so having something to cover it is a must. Remember to pick something that will cover your ears, they tend to get cold too ! A helmet is something that is recommended for small children and for those of you who want to hit those off piste runs.
• Sun Glasses / Goggles : As the day goes on you will notice that your eyes will start to get effected by the glare. A pair of sunglasses will make sure that your eyes won’t be strained. Goggles can give you that little bit more protection from the elements, and in the low light of the afternoon skiing you will be able to see the bumps on the piste that little bit easier.
• Jacket: This needs to be waterproof and wind proof. If it has a snow skirt (a band that stops the snow going up into your jacket) it is a definite plus.
• Thermal top : Dressing for skiing is all about layer. Layering your clothes allows you to easily adjust how much you are wearing and to insure that you will always be the right temperature. When you are a beginner, and starting to learn how to ski, you will probably need less layers, because you will putting in more effort to stay on your feet and to get where you want to.
• Gloves: Good gloves are recommended. Gloves that are not water proof are simply not worth bringing with you. Temperatures on the mountain can reach -10°C once the wind starts blowing, and having gloves that will protect you will be more than welcomed. Skiing down off the mountain with cold & wet hands isn’t a lot of fun.
  
• Pants: Again these need to be waterproof and windproof. Special skiing pants are wide enough at the bottom to go over your boots,
• Thermal underwear: These are a something that you should bring with you. Most pants are not lined and you will need something to keep your legs warm.
• Socks: Sadly this has to be said, GAA socks just won’t cut it. Make sure you have some big comfortable socks or a pair special ski socks when you are going on your skiing holiday. These socks have extra padding around the toes to keep you warm and around the ankles to pad them from your ski boots. Proper socks is something that will really make your day on the slope a lot more comfortable.
  
• Boots: Most important in buying or renting ski boots is that they are the right size. Boots should have a ‘snug’ fit, and have the possibility to be tightened. If you find that you are already tight in the boots, then you need to get the next size up. Try to stand on your toes and on your heals, if you find that there is some movement, then you try and tighten the boots a little more. Ski boots really need to be an extension of your feet, so do spend the time to find the right pair.

Ski Wear Online

Irish Ski Gear Supplier

A lot of these things can be bought online, and because they are small, they can be posted to you. We recommend Irish suppliers like MacSki.com, a Belfast based operator with 25 years of experience in the ski equipment market.

Skiing Accessories

Other handy things to bring with you skiing : sun cream , lip balm with UV protection and a good pair of walkie talkies.

So there you have it, I hope that you will be a little bit more knowledgeable about ski clothing and now you will know what to pack before you head on your snow holiday. Maybe you can use this as a check list before you start to pack your bag. Alot of these

If you think I am missing anything from the list, please leave a comment below !

French skiing resorts are very popular with Irish skiers and snowboarders. One of the main advantages of France as a ski destination is it’s short flight time from Dublin & Cork. The French Alps is the number one destination for Irish heading on skiing holidays.

Top French Resorts

France boasts some of the best ski areas in the world, such as Tignes and Val d’Isere are both popular French skiing holiday destinations, they are connected together by the Espace Killy ski area. If you are looking for an even bigger challenge the the massive Three Valley ski area is for you. This connects the French ski holiday resorts of Val Thorens, Courchevel and Meribel. This is the largest connected ski area in the world, sporting over 600km of slopes and over 200 individual lifts.

Top 10 French Resorts

Polling our readers in previous years, these are the following top resorts in France

1. Chamonix
2. Meribel
3. Val D’Isere
4. Courchevel
5. Val Thorens
6. La Plagne
7. Tignes
8. Alpe D’Huez
9. Les Deux Alpes
10. Les Arcs

French Airports for Skiing

If you are going to ski in France, you should be looking into flying into the following airports. These French airports are the closest to the resorts.

• Chambery
• Geneva
• Girona
• Grenoble
• Lyon Bron
• Lyon St-Exupéry
• Nice
• Toulouse (for skiing in Andorra)

Skiing is great fun, and if you have never tried it before you should read out tips for beginners. If you are thinking about going on a skiing holiday in 2008, but you are still undecided, here are a run down of some of the major plus points for taking a skiing holiday. Skiing holidays are great fun and we are sure that once you go on one, you will want to go back to the slopes year after year. Skiing is is more fun when done in a group, whether this is as a family or as a large group of friends. These points may just give you that little bit extra encouragement to give skiing a go !

Why go Skiing

These are some of the top reasons why you should give a skiing holiday a whirl:

• Health Benefits : Clearly there are healthy benefits with any sports holiday. Spending time in the fresh air and doing exercise are always good. The mountain air, which tends to be cleaner, can help people with some types of repository problems. One other great things about skiing, is that it allows you to exercise as hard or as easy as you like. You don’t need to be able to run mile in under 5 minutes or be able to be super fit. With skiing you let gravity do the hard work.
• A nice break after Christmas : So you’ve done your beach holiday, but that was 7 months ago. Now it is time for a break again, then skiing can be a great way to get away from work. Skiing offers an alternative to sitting on a beach in the sunshine. If you are into spending time outdoors, then skiing is for you. Because of the lack of snow in Ireland, it also means that you will be travelling abroad to experience snow. This gives you the opportunity to see a new country and experience foreign cultures.
• Night Life : One of the great parts of the skiing lifestyle is the aprés ski. Once you have done the healthy aspect of your holiday, you are free to party for a few hours and enjoy the night life. Most resorts offer music and discos. These kick off early in the late afternoon and they run late into the night. Also this is a great way to meet other skiers from all around the world.
• Learn a new skill : Learning to ski is like learning to ride a bike, sure you are going to fall on your ass ever now and again, but once you get the hang of it it is great fun. Skiing is about being coordinated, and it just takes a few practise lessons before you will be zooming down the slopes and enjoying the great out doors. When learning skiing or snowboarding you can be going down those green slopes with a couple of hours of lessons, and doing turns properly.

I hope that these tips will help you with your decision in deciding to go on a skiing holiday or not. If you have any questions, you can leave them in the comments section below. Remember “Skiing is for everyone” !