How to Make Your Ski Holiday Eco-Friendly

Ski holidays are not always synonymous with being environmentally friendly. However, choosing to travel abroad and enjoy the mountains doesn’t have to be in contrast with being eco-friendly. There are a variety of different ways you can lessen your impact on our planet, even whilst on a skiing. Here are a  few ways to make your ski holiday eco-friendly.

The Best Way to Travel

…is by train. Straight from London St Pancras to Moutiers the ‘snow train’ departs weekly on Friday evening and Saturday morning. You can take it overnight and gain an extra day of skiing. We recommend checking out the Snow Carbon website. It’s a great resource for everything you need to know about train travel to the Alps.

However, we recognise that the snow train might not make sense for everyone. Maybe you have small children or are just too far away from London. If you do fly into the Alps, opt for a shared transfer. This way, there are more bums in seats on your ride up to the mountain from the airport, and fewer transfer vans on the roads. Also, let’s not forget they’re cheaper than private transfers!

Also, choose your transfer company consciously. There are companies such as Vanoise Prestige who are doing their part to be more eco-friendly. getting to the alps train

Conscious Ski Gear Consumption

Ski gear is a necessity for a ski holiday – there is no getting around that. However, you don’t have to go to the shop to buy something brand new.

  • Rent – Renting gear is great for first-time skiers. You may not know if you’ll enjoy it and don’t want to invest in clothing for a one-off holiday. Luckily, there are a few options for renting ski gear these days. Ski Chic offers pick-up in Courchevel of ski jackets, trousers, goggles & gloves. They have high-quality kit from brands such as The North Face and Peak Performance. And, you can save some space in your suitcase with this option!
  • Repair – Get a bit old fashioned and sew up your holes and tears. If you have a jacket or pair of salopettes that are a bit worn, find a seamstress or get out your sewing machine and sew it up. This YouTube video has some helpful tips.
  • Buy Used – New-to-you gear can be just as good. One Sleeve is a local organisation based in Courchevel, that is giving new life to barely-worn gear. They receive ‘damaged’ kit from ski brands, that they cannot sell for full price, repair the small damages and re-sell it for a fraction of the price.
  • Share – Sharing ski kit is great for children (and adults!), but especially little ones who are constantly growing. Find a friend or family member who can lend you their clothing for the week.

Choose Eco-Friendly Companies

When you do make purchases, choose companies that are trying to contribute back to the planet rather than just take from it. Did you know EasyJet offsets their carbon emissions for each flight? Then there is Patagonia who is the gold standard for clothing with a purpose. And here are ten more green ski brands to check out.

Keep Doing Your Small Part

Although you’re on holiday, you can still make the small personal choices that you do at home.

  • Bring a reusable water bottle. For your travel days and on the slopes. It’s also a good way to save a bit of cash on not having to buy water.
  • Be responsible with your rubbish & recycling.
  • Use public transit where possible. La Tania has a free bus system that connects with every village in Courchevel. Opt for this over a private taxi or in-resort transfer.

ski holiday eco-friendly

Get Involved

Is this something you’re passionate about? There are many skiers and snowboarders who are working hard to protect our mountains through the organisation Protect Our Winters UK. If you want to get involved there are a number of ways you can do so.

At the end of the day, we’re here because we love the mountains, and when you are out skiing in them, you really appreciate all they have to offer. Perhaps that will lead you to make small choices that help protect the stunning Alps that we get to play in and enjoy.