For many skiers and snowboarders a ski holiday just isn’t complete without some late afternoon table dancing in ski boots, getting lost on the way back to the apartment in the early hours and the compulsory hangover or two. The number of blue, black or even green runs really isn’t on the priority list – however, the number of après-ski bars is top of the list! A ski holiday without good après-ski is like a ski holiday without good snow for those avid party goers. Austrian ski resorts have a great reputation for their après-ski but France and Switzerland are starting to catch up in the après-ski charts…
If a ski resort wants to get on any kind of “Top” après-ski list, then their après-ski offer needs to include some lunchtime and afternoon partying as well as the more classic after-skiing après-ski! Many ski resorts in Austria and France have seen the opening of rather stylish, trendy bar/restaurants that lure skiers and snowboarders in with luxurious looking terraces with fake-fur or bright coloured cushions and a menu packed with delicious, hearty lunches. After tucking into one of these calorie-filled dishes, and quenching one’s thirst it seems a shame to leave such a sumptuous spot – just a couple of after-lunch drinks and some people watching won’t do any harm – those black runs aren’t going anywhere! Just when you start to think about getting back on the slopes, some rather lively music gets going and you find your head bobbing and your foot tapping… This could be the beginning of the end – of your day of skiing! One of my favourite afternoon venues is the chain of Folie Douce restaurants in the French ski resorts of Meribel, Val Thorens, Val d'Isere and Alpe d'Huez – I’m not sure how they do it but they always seem to find the best spot on the mountain which makes it very hard to leave!
If you’re not particularly fussy about the kind of music you listen (and dance) to and you like a jolly, friendly atmosphere, then Austrian ski resorts are the best bet for you. Typical Austrian music is mixed with the latest European hits making a set that would give any decent DJ nightmares! However, after a few drinks the friendly atmosphere gets to you and you’ll find yourself dancing and laughing with people you’ve never met before. You may think that après-ski is reserved for the younger crowd and it is true that some venues attract a particularly young, student type clientele. However, I believe that your age is just a number and if you still have the stamina after a day’s skiing or snowboarding to get up and dance, then you’re young enough to join in!
Having said that Austrian après-ski is all about beer and cheesy music, I have to admit that the Austrian Alps are also home to some of the best après-ski spots in the world! The Austrian ski resort of Ischgl is very proud of its slogan “relax - if you can” and with a reputation of being “Ibiza on the snow” it’s not hard to see where the slogan came from! If it’s afternoon partying you’re looking for then you need to head up on the slopes to the Paznauner Taja – huge crowds gather here daily and the atmosphere is legendary! Once you’ve showered and recharged your batteries you can head to the Schatzi, Niki's Stadl or the Trofana where you’ll find it very hard not to have a good time!
You can find other legendary Austrian après-ski venues in the ski resorts of Mayrhofen and Saalbach-Hinterglemm. Mayrhofen is the liveliest resort in the Zillertal ski area and has a very international clientele with high expectations! Here you’ll find the Ice Bar which is usually the busiest après-ski spot and claims to serve more Grolsch beer than any other bar in Europe! If names like the Goasstall (The Goat Stall), the Après Ski Palace and The London Pub ring a bell then you must have been skiing in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. This ski resort is really for the serious après-skier - the Goasstall has been named the best après-ski bar in the Alps more than once!
The world-famous ski resort of Val Thorens, in the Three Valleys ski area, is where you will find Europe's highest, and some of the best, après-ski in France. Thousands of young (and not so young) people come here each year looking for a great combination of excellent skiing and unforgettable après-ski. Whether you like a drink up on the slopes or dance long into the night, Val Thorens is where it’s at. And if you like to mix with tall, blonde, blue-eyed types, then head for Val Thorens for the last week of the season as thousands of young Dutch skiers and snowboarders come here for a huge orange party - “Dutchweek”!
For many skiers and snowboarders a ski holiday just isn’t complete without some late afternoon table dancing in ski boots, getting lost on the way back to the apartment in the early hours and the compulsory hangover or two. The number of blue, black or even green runs really isn’t on the priority list – however, the number of après-ski bars is top of the list! A ski holiday without good après-ski is like a ski holiday without good snow for those avid party goers. Austrian ski resorts have a great reputation for their après-ski but France and Switzerland are starting to catch up in the après-ski charts…
If a ski resort wants to get on any kind of “Top” après-ski list, then their après-ski offer needs to include some lunchtime and afternoon partying as well as the more classic after-skiing après-ski! Many ski resorts in Austria and France have seen the opening of rather stylish, trendy bar/restaurants that lure skiers and snowboarders in with luxurious looking terraces with fake-fur or bright coloured cushions and a menu packed with delicious, hearty lunches. After tucking into one of these calorie-filled dishes, and quenching one’s thirst it seems a shame to leave such a sumptuous spot – just a couple of after-lunch drinks and some people watching won’t do any harm – those black runs aren’t going anywhere! Just when you start to think about getting back on the slopes, some rather lively music gets going and you find your head bobbing and your foot tapping… This could be the beginning of the end – of your day of skiing! One of my favourite afternoon venues is the chain of Folie Douce restaurants in the French ski resorts of Meribel, Val Thorens, Val d'Isere and Alpe d'Huez – I’m not sure how they do it but they always seem to find the best spot on the mountain which makes it very hard to leave!
If you’re not particularly fussy about the kind of music you listen (and dance) to and you like a jolly, friendly atmosphere, then Austrian ski resorts are the best bet for you. Typical Austrian music is mixed with the latest European hits making a set that would give any decent DJ nightmares! However, after a few drinks the friendly atmosphere gets to you and you’ll find yourself dancing and laughing with people you’ve never met before. You may think that après-ski is reserved for the younger crowd and it is true that some venues attract a particularly young, student type clientele. However, I believe that your age is just a number and if you still have the stamina after a day’s skiing or snowboarding to get up and dance, then you’re young enough to join in!
Having said that Austrian après-ski is all about beer and cheesy music, I have to admit that the Austrian Alps are also home to some of the best après-ski spots in the world! The Austrian ski resort of Ischgl is very proud of its slogan “relax - if you can” and with a reputation of being “Ibiza on the snow” it’s not hard to see where the slogan came from! If it’s afternoon partying you’re looking for then you need to head up on the slopes to the Paznauner Taja – huge crowds gather here daily and the atmosphere is legendary! Once you’ve showered and recharged your batteries you can head to the Schatzi, Niki's Stadl or the Trofana where you’ll find it very hard not to have a good time!
You can find other legendary Austrian après-ski venues in the ski resorts of Mayrhofen and Saalbach-Hinterglemm. Mayrhofen is the liveliest resort in the Zillertal ski area and has a very international clientele with high expectations! Here you’ll find the Ice Bar which is usually the busiest après-ski spot and claims to serve more Grolsch beer than any other bar in Europe! If names like the Goasstall (The Goat Stall), the Après Ski Palace and The London Pub ring a bell then you must have been skiing in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. This ski resort is really for the serious après-skier - the Goasstall has been named the best après-ski bar in the Alps more than once!
The world-famous ski resort of Val Thorens, in the Three Valleys ski area, is where you will find Europe's highest, and some of the best, après-ski in France. Thousands of young (and not so young) people come here each year looking for a great combination of excellent skiing and unforgettable après-ski. Whether you like a drink up on the slopes or dance long into the night, Val Thorens is where it’s at. And if you like to mix with tall, blonde, blue-eyed types, then head for Val Thorens for the last week of the season as thousands of young Dutch skiers and snowboarders come here for a huge orange party - “Dutchweek”!
Being lucky enough to have parents who were crazy about skiing, my love for the mountains started when I was 4 years old on our first family ski holiday to Austrian ski resort of Obergurl. One ski holiday a year was never enough and tears rolled down my face as I looked out the back window of the car on the drive down the valley on the way home!
