KENNETH MACALLISTER
MY TOP FIVE
Ski Club Rep Kenneth MacAllister reveals his favourite ski resorts to travel to by train
Taking the train to Europe for skiing is becoming a popular low carbon way to access some of the world’s best skiing. This can be done directly from London in some cases, and also via flight connection at some European airports. Here are my five favourite destinations you can reach by rail.
1 Zermatt, Switzerland
It is hands down my number one ski resort to travel to by train. Simply take the Eurostar from London to Paris, and then a connection to Geneva and beyond. Or you can fly to Geneva or Zurich and then walk few yards to the train station. With the precision of a Swiss watchmaker, the train service from here is spot on, and the sub-three-and-a-half-hour journey is a pleasure in itself with increasingly spectacular views. With a quick change in Visp to meet the Glacier Express, it all goes like clockwork.
Once in Zermatt you’ll find a lovely car-free town and a snow-sure ski area spread over three main sectors: Klein Matterhorn, Sunnegga and Gornergrat. I enjoy taking the Gornergrat funicular railway to the top station, where you are greeted with sweeping panoramic views; I never tire of the sight of the mighty Matterhorn. There are some great mountain restaurants, too – don’t miss Gandeghutte below Klein Matterhorn on a nice spring lunchtime. You’ll find fellow Ski Club members at the Pollux bar in town, where social hour (or two) is not to be missed.
The Glacier Express runs like clockwork... and the views aren't bad either PHOTO: MGB
Zermatt and its mighty Matterhorn PHOTO:Leander Wenger
2 Tignes/Val d'Isère, France
Wow! Probably the most extensive high-altitude ski area in Europe, if not the world. In addition to the vast piste network (300km in all), there is access to acres of high-altitude off-piste terrain and trees lower down for when the light is poor. A great way to optimise your time in this huge area, is for an instructor to take you to the best skiing on any particular day; try Ultimate Snowsports (ultimatesnowsports.com), all instructors are native English speakers and hold the highest possible level of qualification. My favourite spot on a powder day is the Chardonnay Bowl, which is accessible from the Grattalu chair. Best of all, Tignes/Val d'Isère are easy to reach by rail. The journey is approximately nine hours by train from London to Bourg Saint Maurice, and then it’s a 40-minute taxi ride to Tignes.
3 St Anton, Austria
Although it takes a bit longer to access from London than the resorts mentioned above, St Anton is a great resort to reach by rail. The journey requires a stopover in Paris, before you continue to Lyon, changing in Zurich for the RailJet to St Anton. An easy shortcut is to fly to Zurich and then catch the train to St Anton. Famed for its nightlight, après-ski kicks off daily at 3:30pm at the famous Krazy Kanguruh (owned by Olympic slalom gold medallist Mario Matt), ever popular for those who like to burn the candle at both ends. For those who prefer to focus on the skiing, there are 340km of pistes alongside extensive challenging off-piste areas. Don’t miss the top to bottom thigh burner test of Valluga to St Anton! Additionally, you can embark on a ski safari to Lech and Zurs, all linked by the lift system, to experience some of Austria's most impressive ski boutiques, such as Strolz in Lech. I suggest you leave your credit card at home that day!
St Anton boasts vast areas of off-piste and an impressive snow record to boot PHOTO:Sepp Mallaun
4 Saas-Fee, Switzerland
This must be the most underrated ski resort in Europe. The three ski areas – Saas-Fee, Saas-Grund, and Saas-Almagell – are quite different, and all have their own top days, depending on the weather and conditions. A great day out is to head to the Heidbodme restaurant at the top of the chair of the same name for a morning coffee, then after a few runs through the tree-lined pistes, take the 15-minute journey on the public bus to Saas-Grund to experience some great itineraries and beautiful scenery. The public bus returning to Saas-Fee runs frequently and takes about 20 minutes. You can start or end the day with a few runs in Saas-Fee, making it a true Saas Ronda.
The access to Saas-Fee is similar to that for Zermatt, but rather than transferring to a train at Visp, you join the 511 bus, which departs regularly from the bus terminal located outside the train station. Just 50 minutes later, you’ll be at Saas-Fee.
Kenneth has a pitstop at the Heidbodme restaurant in Saas-Fee
Great itineraries and beautiful scenery in Saas-Fee PHOTO: Keystone
5 Méribel, France
It is impossible not to have Les Trois Vallées in this list, particularly as it is now accessible by the Eurostar ski train from London. The nine-hour journey, via Paris and Chambery, terminates in Moutiers, where you can either take a half-hour taxi ride to Méribel or Courchevel, or a 10-minute taxi ride to Brides les Bains and take the gondola up to Méribel resort centre. Once settled in your chalet you have access to a huge lift served ski area, which tops out at over 2900m at Mont Vallon. My favourite spot is Col de la Loze. From here you can gain access to some fantastic terrain all the way down to Le Praz at Courchevel 1300. Le Praz also hosts arguably the best restaurant in Les Trois Valleys, Le Bistro du Praz. Méribel is great for families, nightlife, unlimited piste skiing and variety – though be prepared to hear more English accents during your trip than French!
