Short Breaks
Short Breaks: Our Recommendations
Looking for a short ski break or weekend away in Europe? Read on for expert advice on short ski holidays in Europe.
Short transfer times
Our featured resorts for short breaks all have minimal transfer times. Less time travelling means more time on the mountain!
Choice of flights
All our holidays are tailor-made. Whether you’re after a weekend ski break from Belfast or a midweek ski holiday from Birmingham, we can create the perfect itinerary to suit your needs.
Private Transfers
We include private transfers as standard. No hanging around at the airport for other passengers means you can maximise your skiing time.
Huge Selection of accommodation
From cosy family-run hotels to luxury 5-star palaces, we have a great choice of accommodation to cater for your requirements.
Ski Extras
Pre-book your lift pass and ski hire with us before you travel, saving you time and hassle in resort.
Main image: La Clusaz by Clément Hudry
Chamonix, France
Chamonix is packed with great shops, restaurants and bars, and is only 1hr 10mins from Geneva airport.
The resort is home to Europe’s highest mountain, Mont Blanc. The scenic ski area is renowned for its high-altitude skiing, ranging from gentle greens to extreme off-piste.
When staying in Chamonix, we recommend staying at Hotel Heliopic, Hotel Le Morgane, Hotel Le Refuge des Aiglons, or Hotel Mont Blanc. Dining options range from casual dining to the two Michelin-starred Albert 1er. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s something to suit your taste.
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La Clusaz, France
La Clusaz is the perfect destination for your short ski break. Approximately one hour away from Geneva airport, the traditional French alpine village boasts stunning mountain views.
There’s a huge range of skiing available in the La Clusaz area. Beginners and families can take advantage of the three snow gardens, whilst intermediate skiers can enjoy a good selection of blue and red runs.
Whilst visiting La Clusaz, we recommend a staying at Hotel Au Coeur du Village, Hotel Beauregard, or the St Alban Hotel & Spa. You’ll find a great selection of family-run restaurants in the village, proud of their home cooked food using fresh produce from local farms.
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Megève, France
Megève is a great choice for a short ski break. The French town offers elegance and charm to rival the most upmarket ski resorts in the world, and is just over an hour away from Geneva airport.
Part of the extensive Evasion Mont Blanc ski area, Megève delivers gorgeous pistes, from gentle tree-lined slopes to wide, open snow bowls.
For short breaks, we recommend staying at Hotel Mont Blanc or Hotel Le M de Megève. Don’t miss out on world-class mountain restaurants when visiting, including L'Idéal 1850 and La Raviere.
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Andermatt, Switzerland
Spectacular mountain scenery, high snow sure ski slopes, an authentic traditional resort, and a great collection of historic bars & restaurants, Andermatt has it all. Only 1hr 40mins from Zurich airport, Andermatt is a great choice for a short ski holiday.
Andermatt is surrounded by two main mountains and has a range of slopes suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers, stretching all the way to Disentis. The mountains are particularly idyllic mid-week when the slopes are normally very quiet.
The Chedi in Andermatt isn’t to be missed. The hotel offers modern hotel rooms, other highlights include a wine cellar, cheese room, two restaurants and luxury spa. The Radisson Blu also works really well and has a spectacular swimming pool.
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Flaine, France
Flaine is one of the most popular ski areas in the Alps and it’s easy to see why. It’s one of the closest resorts to Geneva airport with a 1hr 40min transfer. Particularly popular with families, Flaine has a safe, relaxed feel to its predominantly traffic-free streets and the majority of accommodation here is ski-in/ski-out.
The Flaine Bowl has dozens of long, cruising easy and intermediate runs. There are also good nursery slopes by the resort. Not forgetting a selection of more challenging terrain, Flaine is suitable for skiers of all levels.
We recommend staying at Hotel Totem for a short break in Flaine. Ideally located in a ski-in/ski-out location in Flaine Forum, this modern hotel incorporates the resort’s quirky, urban style into its décor. The Hotel Rocky Pop is also a brilliant choice.
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Villars, Switzerland
A picturesque haven for families, elegant Villars is only 1hr 30mins from Geneva and sits on a sunny plateau in the Vaud Alps with views stretching from Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc. While Villars is full of refined luxury, you’ll also find it a low-key alternative to some of the glitzier Swiss resorts.
Although the pistes of Villars are perhaps best suited to novices and intermediates with a good choice of sunny beginners areas and plenty of lovely wide cruising runs, experts can enjoy a handful of black runs and off-piste terrain.
Whist visiting Villars, stay at the stunning Chalet Royalp Hotel & Spa. This hotel sits in a quiet location above the village and has excellent facilities. The beautiful 5-star Villars Palace is also an excellent choice with a central location and superb facilities.
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Samoëns, France
With an authentic village feel, picture-perfect Samoëns offers an irresistible taste of Savoyard life. Only 1hr 10mins from Geneva, it’s the perfect choice for a short ski break.
Samoëns boasts the biggest beginner area in the Haute Savoie, whilst for intermediate and advanced skiers there are some incredible cruising and challenging runs in the Flaine bowl.
The Hotel Alexane is the perfect choice for short breaks. Located in the heart of Samoëns, it offers spacious rooms and suites with a private shuttle service to the Grand Massif gondola.
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Avoriaz, France
There are few places that boast more spectacular vistas than those you’ll find from your Avoriaz balcony. Watching the sun set behind the dramatic silhouette of the Alps is the stuff ski holiday dreams are made of.
With a sensational clifftop location, Avoriaz offers convenient doorstop skiing and acts as the gateway to the Portes du Soleil ski area. Explore extensive and varied terrain with fantastic snow thanks to its high altitude.
We recommend staying at Hotel des Dromonts or Hotel Mil8 when visiting Avoriaz. The ski-in/ski-out properties are only 1hr 40mins from Geneva airport, and offer the perfect base for any short break.
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Engelberg, Switzerland
The picture postcard village of Engelberg works wonderfully for a short break. A scenic train journey from Zurich Airport will have you there in 2 hours and you’ll be blown away by what awaits. Quaint chalets, stunning panoramas and a warm welcome are all part of Engelberg’s charm but the biggest draw is the high altitude skiing. Boasting the longest ski season in Switzerland the slopes reach heights of 3020m and are ideally suited for an early or late season getaway.
The Kempinski Palace Engelberg is a beautiful 5-star property for a luxury stay and the Hotel Bellevue Terminus has an unbeatable location in the village centre.
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Verbier, Switzerland
Part of the superb 4 Valleys ski area, Verbier offers some of the finest skiing in the world. With more than 400km of snow sure pistes to explore, there’s something here to suit skiers of all abilities. A transfer from Geneva Airport takes less than 2 hours and there’s an excellent choice of hotels in the glamorous party town.
The Experimental Chalet offers contemporary rooms and suites and is home to one of the most famous nightclubs in the Alps. The Hotel W Verbier is a spectacular 5-star hotel with an amazing slopeside location. Wherever you go, you’re sure to have an amazing time!
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Call one of our Ski Specialists on 0131 243 8097 or submit an enquiry online for further information & advice on booking your ski holiday