Getting there

Ticket Collection

Final information details are posted/emailed by Ski France between 21-28 days before departure or within 48 hours of confirmation for bookings made within 15 days of departure. Where possible information will be sent electronically to reduce the impact on the environment. This information includes:

- Travel Itinerary

- Tickets if required (all rail passengers require paper tickets)

- Final Information Booklet

For Final Information which has been emailed the following can be collected at the relevant airport desk if required - or please ask us to post if this is inconvenient.

- Carriage of Ski/Board Stickers

- Luggage Labels

All bookings made within 14 days of departure will not have any documents posted but they can be collected at the point of departure.

Gatwick

Ski France is represented by SKYBREAK for CHARTER flights only. SKYBREAK have desks in both the North and South Terminal.

Tel: 01293 555700 or call internally 2516 (free) from any extension at Gatwick.

SKYBREAK are open from 4am - 10pm every day in the South Terminal and DOD's (documents on departure) can be collected anytime for your flight. These will also be ready from 6pm on the day before your flight.

If you are collecting your tickets and documents on departure (DOD) you must collect these from the SKYBREAK desk in the relevant terminal before proceeding to check-in which will be determined by the airline.

N.B Monarch Airlines check-in at the SOUTH terminal. This is a 2 minute ride by shuttle from the North Terminal.

SKYBREAK also collect any unpaid carriage of ski's or boards (£40 if not pre-booked) this can be paid at the same time at documents are collected, or otherwise will be charged on check-in.
Manchester

Ski France is represented by AIRPORT AGENCIES for CHARTER flights only. AIRPORT AGENCIES have desks in both Terminal 1 and 2.

Tel: 0161 489 6266

The AIRPORT AGENCIES desks will be manned from 2 hours before the flight is due to depart.

N.B Monarch Airlines check-in at terminal 1.

AIRPORT AGENCIES also collect any unpaid carriage of ski's or boards (£40 if not prebooked) this can be paid at the same time at documents are collected, or otherwise will be charged on check-in.
St Pancras/Ashford

SnowTrain via Paris – Note this information is still being updated, awaiting confirmation from Rail Europe.

Check-in is at either St Pancras International or Ashford. Check-in is not required if you have received Eurostar tickets in advance, otherwise tickets can be collected from the Rail Europe rep at the 'Group Check-in' area (very close to ticket barriers on the right hand side of the concourse). Check-in is open from 14.30 at St Pancras and 15.30 from Ashford. Last Check-in is at 16.00 at St Pancras and 17.15 at Ashford. Please note it gets very busy at Waterloo to pass through the barriers from 15.30 onwards and we suggest you do this as early as possibly to avoid lengthy queues.

In case of any difficulties please call the Ski France office on 0870 251 0005.
Direct Eurostar Services

Tickets for all direct services are issued in advance and will be sent by special delivery. There is no need to check-in just proceed directly to the ticket barrier.

We suggest all passengers travelling on this service provide us with a contact mobile phone number in advance. The transport manager in France can then call/SMS you to ensure you disembark at the correct station and inform you of the arrangements for your transfer to resort. This is not compulsory but if you are in any doubt about which station you should alight at will help alleviate this worry!

Self Drive (Eurotunnel and Channel Ports)

Check-in is ticket-less at all Ferry/Eurotunnel terminals. Please ensure you have your crossing reference number with you.

Ski France issues resort maps which give the location of your accommodation and the resort contact telephone numbers. These can either be emailed or faxed to you in advance of your departure.

Please call the resort manager approximately 1 hour before you arrive to arrange a rendezvous and ensure you find your accommodation!

Arrival In Resort

Resort Representatives & Chalet Hosts

The reps and chalets hosts will be on hand to offer any help or guidance throughout your holiday. Please feel free to discuss all aspects of your holiday with them, as feedback is invaluable to our continued improvement. To get the most out of your holiday we suggest that you have a frank discussion at the start of your holiday, to enable the chalet hosts and reps to ensure that they advise you of the most appropriate activities for your tastes. If any problems or complaints arise do not hesitate to contact your chalet host or rep so that the situation can be resolved as soon as possible and you can continue to enjoy the rest of your holiday. If you do not report any problems straight away to either your chalet host or rep, they may find it harder to resolve them at a later date. Remember, if we don't know about it we can't do anything to fix it. So please let your resort staff know of any issues that may have arisen as soon as possible.

Hotels
When you arrive at your hotel, have your passport ready, as it is usually required for checking in at reception. Hotels don’t always provide full porter service, so please be aware that you may suffer some inconvenience on arrival and departure. Reception will allocate your rooms on arrival. They will do their best to comply with any special requests that you have made but these are not guaranteed and they cannot be held responsible if the request is not available Three and four bedded rooms are usually regular twins with the addition of extra beds so do expect to find that both floor and wardrobe space may be restricted. One of the pleasures of travelling abroad is to experiment with different cuisines, so guests should not expect the same meals as they are in Britain. Breakfast is similar to most continental countries coffee, tea rolls and jams. Many hotels now operate their restaurant as self-service, buffet style for some or all of the courses; an advantage, as you may then help yourself to as much or as little as you like! When half-board is offered this is usually breakfast and evening meal; full board also includes lunch. Drinks are not included unless specified. We suggest that valuables are not left in your room but kept in a deposit box or the hotel safe.
Chalets

Most of the chalets we feature are private houses or apartments contracted for the season. As a result of this, furnishings may vary in standards and therefore we have tried to give as accurate a picture as possible in the brochure, and when discussing your requirements prior to booking either directly with us or via your travel agent. We ask you to remember that the atmosphere on a chalet holiday will be more intimate than you may have been used to in hotels. The Ski France chalet hosts will do everything possible to ensure that your stay is an enjoyable one. If you have any special dietary needs please advise us in advance, and we suggest you discuss this in detail on your arrival. All of our chalets have reliable water supplies, but it is not unlimited so you may have to be prepared to stagger times to ensure everybody gets a hot shower or bath. Towels and linen are provided in all of our chalets and a mid-week change of linen is provided if you have booked to go ‘Prestige’, our up-graded catering service. We endeavour to provide a front door or room key but we are unable to guarantee that they will always be available. It is also unusual for chalets to be locked during the day, or at night, as chalet regulars are aware. Please therefore be careful and watch your valuables or keep them with you at all times. Chalet staff do not always ‘live in’ in every chalet. Sometimes staff accommodation is adjacent to chalets and may be large enough to accommodate a number of staff from your resort.
Apartments

Studios and apartments may not be ready for immediate occupation on your arrival, as the accommodation needs to be cleaned and checked after the departure of the previous guests. Naturally we will make every effort to ensure that your apartments are available as close to your arrival as possible, but this may not be until mid/late afternoon i.e. 4pm. Checkout on departure is generally around 10am. This is to allow sufficient time for cleaning during changeover.

For guests arriving by train we will endeavour to provide suitable changing and storage facilities. These may have to accommodate a number of passengers so your co-operation in helping this run smoothly would be appreciated. On your transfer coach or on arrival in resort you will be asked to pay a deposit of approx 200-500€. This is usually payable by traveller’s cheque, cash or sometimes credit card. This deposit is to cover any breakages that may occur. The deposit will of course be refunded to you providing all is in order after the rep has checked the apartment at the end of your stay. We rely on you to leave the apartment as clean as you found it on your arrival. However, if the apartment needs cleaning at the end of your stay, the cost will be deducted from your deposit.

Traditionally, French apartments are very compact, and the sleeping area often consists of bunks, cabins or alcoves, convertible sofa, and all with limited storage space. Whilst there will be sufficient cutlery, crockery and utensils for making tea, coffee and light snacks, kitchen equipment is generally limited. Sometimes a saucepan rather than a kettle is provided and teapots are not always included. There will, of course, be a fridge and usually two gas or electric rings but rarely an oven or grill.
Bed Linen and Towels

Are not included and can be hired locally at a cost of approximately £8 per person. Please notify us at least 10 days before your departure if you would like us to arrange this. Consumable and personal items tea towels, washing up liquid, soap and the like - are not provided. Remember, if you have pre-booked Easy Meals the all-in self-catered package you won’t need to worry about the toilet roll, washing up liquid and such!!
Taxe De Sejour

This is a local tax payable by all self-catering and hotel guests in resort. The cost is between 10€ and 25€ per adult per week.
Children In The Snow

All children, particularly young ones, are likely to be more susceptible than adults to the effect of sun, snow, cold and reduced oxygen content at high altitudes. It should be remembered that however warm or indeed cold you may feel, a young child will be less able to cope with extremes of weather conditions and difficulties breathing at high altitude than an adult. Of course, children of all ages like to play in the snow and as long as everyone is aware of potential problems, and care is taken in wrapping them up well against the cold and protecting them against the sun, everyone can be happy.

Altitude could have various effects on your child. Look out for complaints about earache and tiredness and remember to take it easy for the first day or so. These should pass as they become acclimatised. Children may also experience lack of appetite. This should return again with fresh air and exercise as he/ she becomes used to the altitude.

Altitude is not the only problem: coldness, particularly in December and through to mid-February, is a major factor. It is especially important to remember that it is the extremities that suffer the most from the cold e.g. fingers and toes, and with young children heat is lost very easily through the head, so it is imperative that these are well covered. For the body, lots of layers rather than one thick woolly jumper are best to keep the body warmth in. Mittens are also recommended.

During high season week’s children’s ski school and crèche facilities can be extremely busy. It is strongly recommended to book in advance.