Avoid inflation and also get a discount - Ski Europe

[ChrisC]

This is really a year to consider a European ski trip.

The dollar has wiped out any inflation in the EuroZone, and likely giving a discount. And lift tickets are already priced cheaply.

My potential lift tickets at Courmayeur ( 3 days - 143 Euros) and Monterosa (3 days - 146 Euros). That is just a little more than a day ticket at any big USA mountain. It's hard even to argue how great an Ikon or Epic Pass is comparatively.

 

[Sbooker]

I agree - even for those of us who are not enjoying such beneficial currency conversions. AUD has increased about 6% to the euro this year which is not too bad I guess. Lodging on the hill is much cheaper in Europe. As mentioned lift tickets are cheaper. Food is much the same in my experience. Lessons for the kids and 'off piste course' for me are way cheaper in Europe. No tipping expected in Europe. From my perspective the airfares to Europe from Australia are about 30% cheaper than to North America now - and this year I had to buy 6. (Why is it more expensive to fly a lot shorter distance?)

Cost negatives are the cost of a guide for those of us who like to ski off the trails but don't have the experience to do it without a pro. Another negative from my perspective is Europe doesn't have the cheap but first class craft beers from the micro breweries that are so prevalent in the US and Canada.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

The only buzzkill will be what I expect to be $10/gallon (possibly more?) gas prices by winter.

 

[jasoncapecod]

The only buzzkill will be what I expect to be $10/gallon (possibly more?) gas prices by winter.

Yes 10 /gallon is a lot but, how much would it really add to your trip?
say you drive 1000 miles @ 30 mpg = 33 gallons
33x10=330$..Gas used to be 6$ or so? 198$
132$ diff... Not a big deal, considering how much you are saving with the exchange rate..

 

[jamesdeluxe]

132$ diff... Not a big deal, considering how much you are saving with the exchange rate..

Fair enough. Now I just need to avoid camera speeding tickets.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Recent car rental cost on 26 day trip: $57/day for the car, $33/day for gas, tolls and one speeding ticket. On a one or two week trip I'd consider the ticket unlucky; over a month one ticket with those cameras would be about the expectation the way Liz and I drive.

The 3600km sounds like a lot but that's only 138km/day. 10 of the days (6 Val Thorens, 2 Sölden, 2 Cinque Terre) the car was parked all day.