One thing that all skiers will need during their holiday is a lift pass – the only exceptions to this rule are the cross-country skiers in certain resorts such as Méribel and Courchevel.
In resorts that are part of a larger ski area, the choice is usually between a single valley pass or the larger area pass. So for example in Zermatt you can buy a Zermatt only or the International Pass, which also covers you to ski in the neighbouring Italian resort of Cervinia. In Méribel you can buy a Méribel Valley or a Trois Vallees pass. In my experience the cost difference between the single area and the full area pass is not usually significant and all but beginner skiers will, over the course of the week, ski at least part of the larger ski area.
Once you have decided on which type of pass you’d like, we can then look as to how to get the best deal. In the Trois Vallees resorts you can get a discount when two or more people buy the same area pass for the same duration and most resorts now offer a ‘Family Pass’ of some kind that will offer good savings. For example in Chamonix when two adults and one child buy same pass/ same duration all other children (to maximum of four) are free. In the Trois Vallees when 2 adults + 2 children buy a Family Pass, everyone pays the child price.
It is always important to look at child ages as the younger children are often entitled to a free pass (although there is usually a nominal charge of around 3 euros for the card!) but the age limit varies – in France it is usually under 5 years but in Zermatt it is under 9 years. Some resorts such as St Anton also offer a Youth Pass rate so that you still get a better price on teenagers. If you let your SkiBoutique PA have the children’s dates of birth, they will always work out the best, most cost-effective combination for you. On the subject of ages, in Verbier you have to have the dates of birth of adults as well but that’s not required for other areas unless you’re getting a discounted pass (i.e. young child or over 65 years) then you need to have ID.
Thankfully the days of fiddling around with passport photos are almost gone and most shorter duration lift passes do not require a photo although they are still needed for season passes. And some resorts still require them for the free child passes but they can now take a scan from a passport so the process is much more straightforward.
You can add accident insurance to your lift pass – it is called Carre Neige in France, Snowcare in Switzerland and Arlberg Safety Card in St Anton /Lech area. You order the add-on insurance when you decide on your lift pass and it is automatically put onto your hands-free card. The cost varies slightly from country to country but is approximately 2-3 euros per person per day.
To decide if you want the additional insurance you need to check your travel insurance policy to make sure that you have Winter Sports cover included. Check that you have mountain rescue cover, including helicopter (and whether it is for on & off piste), medical cover, repatriation and refund of any unused days of lift pass or ski school. If your existing travel policy covers all of those, then Carre Neige (or country equivalent) won’t add anything further although it might simplify the process if you are unfortunate enough to have an accident. It is also worth noting that the repatriation cover is to an EU country only, so for non-European residents, it is better to ensure that you have winter sports cover on your travel insurance.
Two things to remember – take out any old lift pass cards from previous holidays out of your pockets as they can stop the gate reader from scanning the new pass and keep them in zipped/closed pocket as although it is possible to get a replacement if you lose it, it’s a hassle you don’t need on your holiday.
The great thing about booking with SkiBoutique is that we’ll sort it all out for you, letting you know the options available and the most cost-effective passes to suit your requirements.