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What to do on a ski holiday if you are not skiing? Not everyone in a ski party skis, and that should never mean a lesser holiday. After twenty years of dressing women for the mountains, we know a mountain holiday can reward the non-skier just as generously as the black-run devotee. Here are five ways to make a winter holiday extraordinary, whether or not you ever click into a binding, or if you simply prefer an afternoon off.
1. Spend a Morning at an Alpine Spa
The great Alpine resorts take wellness as seriously as their pistes. Think outdoor thermal pools with mountain views, saunas, steam rooms and treatments designed for tired legs, skiers' or otherwise. There is nothing quite like sitting in warm water while snow falls around you and Mont Blanc looks on.
Our tip: arrive as the lifts open. You will have the pools almost to yourself while the rest of the resort is on the mountain, and you can be wrapped in a robe with a coffee by the time the first skiers are queuing for the gondola. This definitely comes top of our list on what to do on a ski holiday if you are not skiing.
2. Take the Gondola, Just for the Views
A lift pass is not only for skiers. Most resorts sell pedestrian passes, opening up sun terraces, viewpoints and mountaintop restaurants to everyone. Ride up mid-morning with a book and a camera, find a deckchair on a terrace at 2,500 metres, and you'll understand why people fall in love with the mountains before they fall in love with skiing.
Many resorts also run scenic walking paths from the top stations, groomed and gentle, so you can stroll at altitude in ordinary winter boots. This is the way you gt the perfect answer to what to do on a ski holiday if you are not skiing.
3. Discover Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is winter walking at its most beautiful: no lessons, no lift queues, no learning curve. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Many resorts offer guided routes through pine forests and across open snowfields, taking in views the ski runs never reach, and the silence away from the pistes is something skiers rarely experience.
Lech, Verbier and Méribel all have excellent trails. Pair a morning's snowshoeing with a long mountain lunch and you have the perfect day.
4. Master the Long Mountain Lunch
What to do on a ski holiday if you are not skiing has to include the Alpine long lunch. It's a ritual offering total enjoyment, and one of the few occasions on a ski holiday when skiers and non-skiers naturally come together. Whether it is a sun-drenched terrace above Megève, a cosy wood-panelled refuge in Val d'Isère or a white-tablecloth restaurant in St. Moritz, unhurried hours at altitude, well-fed and well-accompanied, is the heart of the ski holiday.
Non-skiers can take the gondola up to meet the group and descend in time for an afternoon of their choosing. One rule applies to everyone: reserve well in advance. The best terraces book out days ahead in peak weeks.
Worried about not burning off the calories if you aren't skiing? Most mountain restaurants offer excellent soups to savour on in cold temperatures and lovely salads to suit warm, sunny days.
5. Choose a Chalet the Whole Group Will Love
For mixed groups, the chalet becomes the heart of the holiday. Look for generous living spaces, exceptional mountain views, a hot tub, a cinema room and attentive catered service, so that guests who choose a day indoors are as well looked after as those on the mountain.
When the chalet is somewhere everyone genuinely wants to be, the whole group is happier, skiers and non-skiers alike. It is worth spending as much time choosing the chalet as choosing the resort. Some chalets have gyms and others have access to hotel and resort gyms. We've stayed a a few chalets where a pilates or yoga instructor comes directly to the chalet to offer personalised classes.
Winter activities beyond skiing
If you need further persuading, consider everything else a winter resort offers: tobogganing, ice skating, alpine spas, snowshoeing, scenic gondola rides, mountain dining, stargazing in some of the clearest skies in Europe, horse-drawn sleigh rides and spectacular scenic rail journeys. The mountain in winter is a playground for everyone, not only those on two planks.
"The mountains in winter are extraordinary whether you ski or not. The light, the air, the stillness of the snow. These are things no one forgets, treasured memories and time to live in the moment. Stunning winter boots can take you from airport to slopeside to strolls in the village and hikes in powder.
Inuikii Curly Winter Boot
£166.00
£225.00
Inuikii curly surface leather winter boot for women. This sand coloured snow boot features curled wool over the top and up the shaft. The lining is lambskin which is warm, comfortable and breathable. Well insulated, with a non-slip sole and… read more
OLANG Bambola Winter Boots in Beige
£188.00
£249.00
OLANG ladies Bambola are very warm luxury winter boots for women. They're made from waterproof suede, have a shearling lining and a non-slip sole for protection and stability in winter weather. The insulation of these luxury snow boots provides protection… read more
Non-slip soles make all the different Our quality winter boots are stylish enough to out perform powder and apres ski!"
Tamsin, Winternational
The Address Book: a few names we trust
QC Terme, Chamonix
Thermal pools, saunas and treatments across 4,000 square metres, with views of Mont Blanc. Their evening Aperiterme, an aperitif taken in your bathrobe, is an institution.
Chez Vrony, Zermatt
The long mountain lunch, perfected. A century-old family farmhouse at 2,100 metres with a sun terrace facing the Matterhorn. Book well ahead.
The Glacier Express
The world's slowest express train, and all the better for it. Eight hours from Zermatt to St. Moritz through 91 tunnels and over 291 bridges, with lunch served at your seat.
Leo Trippi
Award-winning luxury chalet specialists with a curated portfolio across the Alps, from catered chalets with private chefs to wellness retreats with pools and spas. The right people to find a chalet the whole group will love.
The Chalet Edit
A hand-picked collection of ultra-luxury chalets to rent across France, Switzerland and Italy, with a concierge service to match. Kindred spirits in the art of the edit.
Dress for the mountain, on and off the slopes
Whether you are heading out on the pistes or exploring the village, the right outerwear makes the difference. A beautifully cut ski jacket earns its place at the gondola station, on the spa terrace and at lunch in equal measure.
And there has never been a better moment to find it. We have beautiful pieces from Goldbergh, Duvillard, Nikkie and Sportalm to help you enjoy every magical moment on the mountains From winter boots and bags to snuggly luxury jumpers, Winternational offers a useful collection of ski and apres ski wear for every facet of your winter holiday.
FAQs
Do you have to ski to enjoy a ski holiday?
No. Alpine resorts offer spas, snowshoeing, scenic gondola rides, mountain restaurants, tobogganing and ice skating, so non-skiers can enjoy a full holiday without ever putting on skis.
Can non-skiers use the ski lifts?
Yes. Most resorts sell pedestrian lift passes, giving walkers access to gondolas, sun terraces, viewpoints and mountaintop restaurants. You may also take younger children and occasionally even buggies up into the mountains! Staff are there to make every mountain accessible.
Is snowshoeing difficult for beginners?
No. If you can walk, you can snowshoe. It needs no lessons or experience, and resorts such as Lech, Verbier and Méribel offer marked and guided trails. Tip tips are to use walking poles, have a slightly wider stance and wear comfy boots or shoes. Start on a flatter surface and you will soon be "shoeing" all the time!
How can non-skiers join skiers for lunch on the mountain?
Take the gondola up on a pedestrian pass and meet the group at the restaurant. Winternational top tip is to book ahead, as the best mountain tables sell out in peak weeks.
What should non-skiers wear in a ski resort?
Warm, waterproof outerwear, good boots and layers. A well cut ski jacket works everywhere, from the spa terrace to the village, whether or not you ski. Non-slip soles on your winter boots ensure you stay warm and upright!
