Gerry Mullins reports on some of this year's best destinations for skiing
BULGARIA The in-place for skiers this year is Bulgaria. Topflight, Crystal Holidays, Panorama and Directski.com have added the country to their brochures for the first time. It offers low prices, rapidly improving facilities and the sunniest ski resorts in Europe - and although it is better suited to beginners and intermediates, it does have some difficult slopes. With a beer costing as little as €1, and a meal with wine often costing less than €10, Bulgaria will be a worthy rival to Andorra as Europe's favourite destination for novice skiers. A one-week half-board holiday at the Bansko resort, beginning on December 31st, costs €869 per person sharing with Topflight - or €499 a week later, when schools reopen. Topflight: 01-2401700, www.topflight.ie; Directski.com: 1890-201205, www.directski.com; Panorama: 0818-202020, www.panoramaholidays.ie.
FRANCE France remains the most popular country for Irish skiers to visit, with Austria second, Italy third and Andorra fourth. France's famous Three Valleys (Les Trois Vallées) region is the most obvious attraction. Made up of Val Thorens (the highest resort in Europe), Courcheval (one of the most expensive) and Meribel (one of the most attractive), it is the world's largest ski area. Nearby are the resorts of Les Arcs and Val d'Isère. The latter hosts the World Cup downhill championship every December, an event that marks the beginning of the European skiing season. While the French slopes remain a favourite among advanced skiers, the cost of skiing in France deters those who don't require the higher and more difficult slopes. A Topflight holiday in Val d'Isère, half-board, starting the week of December 31st, costs €1,955 per person sharing. This drops to €1,199 the following week, when schools reopen, but it is still more than twice as expensive as a similar holiday in Bulgaria. All the major ski companies cover the Three Valleys, as does Gohop, a booking engine that searches other companies' websites for the cheapest prices (www.gohop.ie).
COLORADO The highest ski lift in the US is due to open this Christmas in Colorado. Located at Breckenridge snow park, the new lift will ascend to a height of 3,963 metres (12,998 ft), far above the levels at which mountaineers experience altitude sickness. Being so far from the sea, Colorado's snow has a very low water content, which makes it some of the fluffiest of any resort. Breckenridge, which has more than 2,000 acres of ski terrain, shares lift-pass facilities with the neighbouring resorts of Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek. Although it is more expensive to get there, the relative weakness of the dollar means skiers can expect a cheaper holiday once they land. Inghams and Topflight both offer Breckenridge this year for the first time; Crystal is longer-established in the region. Denver airport is 70 minutes' drive from Breckenridge, although flights from Ireland to Denver are indirect. Contact Inghams at 01-6611377 or see www.inghams.ie
LAKE TAHOE Although booking a skiing holiday through a tour operator is often easier and cheaper than arranging one yourself - and also ensures a back-up service when emergencies arise - self-arranged trips offer flexibility and a variety that group packages cannot provide. A holiday in the Lake Tahoe area, about five hours from San Francisco on the California-Nevada border, offers not only some of the best skiing in the US but also the possibility of taking in Californian beaches, the wine areas of Napa and Sonoma, and gambling in Nevada's casinos. Although there are no direct flights to San Francisco or Tahoe from Ireland, Aer Lingus flies to Los Angeles, a beautiful two-day drive away along Highway 1. Return flights after Christmas cost about €800 per person, including taxes (www.aerlingus.ie). Virgin Atlantic flights from London to San Francisco are worth investigation (www.virgin-atlantic.com).
ANDORRA Barcelona seems to be a favourite destimation these days, so why not enjoy a couple of days in this lively Mediterranean city before hiring a car and driving to the ski slopes of Andorra? It takes just three hours to get from Barcelona to Andorra, which lies along the border between France and Spain. Andorra is often associated with less challenging skiing, suitable for beginners, but the resort at Ordino-Arcalís has several demanding black diamond slopes. It offers a shared lift-pass service with the more rugged resorts at Arinsal and Pal. A gondola service connects the latter two areas. Andorra is also one of Europe's last duty-free areas, which means not only some of Europe's best apres-ski but also some of its best shopping. Check out www.skiandorra.ad or call 00-376-805200 for information on booking hotels.