Wealthy Europeans have been decamping to the mountains to ski since the late 19th century and some of the oldest resorts have somehow managed to retain the down-to-earth charm that attracted people to them in the first place. So where can you go for that “old-money” atmosphere today?
Megève, France
Aristo-chic at its finest, baroness and philanthropist Noémie de Rothschild first put the quiet alpine village of Megève on the map in the early 1920s. Her mission was to create a French alternative to St Moritz and that is what she did, by inviting all of her friends to stay. Just an hour from Geneva in the heart of the Haute-Savoie, it was home to France’s first ski-specific cable car and would go on to attract the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Jean Cocteau.
Today the crowd is a mix of society families and a young ski hard-play-hard party crowd. At the relatively low 1,100m, it’s most suitable for height-of-season skiing in January and February and remains famous for its discreet luxury and for its scenic, relaxed runs ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers.
It is also excellent for dining, with cosy alpine restaurants like Le Bistrot de L’Alpaga and fine-dining options like the three-Michelin-starred Flocons de Sel.
For a contemporary take on a historic hotel, check into Lodge Park, which celebrates its centenary this winter. A year-long refurbishment has seen room numbers reduced from 49 to 29 and the addition of the region’s first “biohacking” spa.
How to do it
Doubles at Lodge Park start from £692 per night during the winter season, including breakfast.
Val d’Isère, France
One of the most popular, reliably snowy ski areas in the French Alps since the 1930s, when members of Parisian high society first began to visit, high-altitude Val d’Isère has long attracted party-hard A-listers that are also genuinely passionate about skiing. Today the crowd includes Margot Robbie, Hugh Grant and Harry Styles.
Thanks to strict planning laws, it has remained pretty and authentic-feeling, with its trademark traditional Savoyard grey stone and rustic timber. Not that that’s stopped hotel development, which has seen the recent addition of properties like Airelles (once the far-less-grand Hotel Le Brussel) and, close by, alpine-chic Experimental Hotel, by the hipster Parisian cocktail bar brand-turned-hoteliers.
In the heart of the Tignes-Val d’Isère ski area and home to the first ESF Ski School, launched in 1936, you’ll meet both French and English families who’ve been coming for generations – Olympic rower Matthew Pinsent and chef Jamie Oliver both learnt to ski here.
Its 186 miles of varied terrain is accessed by an extensive lift network, so you rarely have to queue for long. The town is still home to the original champagne-drenched, mountain-top party place, La Folie Douce, which is always fun, or for something a little more down-to-earth, try La Petit Danois or Cocorico.
How to do it
Ski Solutions offers seven nights in a double room at Experimental Chalet Val d’Isère on a B&B basis, including flights, private transfers and accommodation, from £2,195pp, departing February 20.
Gstaad, Switzerland
A wonderful spot for beginners, Grace Kelly taught her kids to ski in Gstaad and, like Julie Andrews and Elizabeth Taylor, owned a house here. When Taylor had an overflow of guests, she would book them into the Palace Hotel (now Gstaad Palace) and on one occasion Richard Burton, Roger Moore, David Niven and Peter Ustinov were all spotted at the bar. Today, you’re more likely to see Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna, Tiger Woods, and an assortment of European royals.
Against all odds, Gstaad has managed to maintain a down-to-earth rustic charm, attracting the international jet-set, yes, but remaining a working farming community. That said, the ultra-exclusive Eagle Ski Club is still going strong so if you know a member, get them to take you there for lunch for the people-watching.
At just over 1,000m with lots of gentle, wide, sunny slopes, 60 per cent of the runs are for beginners, 30 per cent for intermediates and 10 per cent for experts.
An excellent base is the whimsically historic palace hotel Le Grand Bellevue, which sits in its own parkland a five-minute walk from the centre and has a huge spa.
How to do it
Rooms at Le Grand Bellevue start from £640 on a half-board basis.
Klosters, Switzerland
St Moritz may be glitzy and fun, and was once favoured by the old-money crowd, but that’s not how it feels today. Klosters, on the other hand, has managed to maintain that air of discretion and low-key luxury. It has long attracted the European elite with its large network of mostly intermediate slopes and is the sort of place you might see the King of Sweden popping to the Co-op for a pint of milk.
In the 1950s, it was dubbed “Hollywood on the Rocks” for its ability to attract the likes of Greta Garbo and Gene Kelly – and King Charles, who checked into the Hotel Walserhof annually for years. Today the vibe is more Julia Roberts, Johnny Depp and a new generation of aristocrats. It’s not far from Davos, so during the annual World Economic Forum it’s also where billionaire tech bros skulk off to for a bit of peace and quiet.
To soak up the atmosphere, head to Restaurant Wynegg, within the historic guesthouse of the same name, or Kessler’s Kulm at the foot of the number 13 black run – both favourites of the King when he was a regular visitor.
For a base that’s steeped in history and central, check into Chesa Grischuna, once the epicentre of the Hollywood scene and as popular as ever.
How to do it
Doubles at Chesa Grischuna start from £370.
Lech am Arlberg, Austria
One of the highest ski resorts in Europe, Lech has one of the longest winter seasons and extensive and varied slopes. Until the arrival of the Arlberg Railway in 1884 brought tourists, locals earned a living through farming. The first ski school was founded there in 1925, with a ski lift following in 1940. After the Second World War, it became popular with European royalty, particularly the Dutch.
It has retained its serene, unspoilt mountain atmosphere to this day and is remembered as the ski resort Princess Diana first visited in 1991 – under a pseudonym – returning multiple times with the boys. Today, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima still visit regularly with their families, as does Prince Albert of Monaco and celebrities such as Claudia Schiffer.
Be sure to book a table at the fabulously cosy Hus No. 8 for the best mountain food. A short stroll from both ski lifts and village centre, Hotel Antonius offers a warm and authentic Austrian welcome. Run by the welcoming Strolz family, you can expect traditional charm and attentive hospitality.
How to do it
Crystal Ski Holidays offers seven nights at the Hotel Antonius from £1,500 per person, based on two adults sharing a twin room on a B&B basis. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick to Zurich and coach transfers departing on March 6, 2027.
Madonna di Campiglio, Italy
This little ski resort in the Brenta Dolomites has long been where well-heeled Italians like to sneak off to ski – but we’re talking quietly wealthy CEOs from Milan rather than celebrities. Discreet and elegant rather than flashy, it is home to one of Italy’s biggest, most extensive snow parks and offers everything from excellent nursery slopes to challenging black runs.
Though the resort’s first international chain hotel, Casa Cook, opened last season, the pretty pedestrianised village centre is home to artisan shops and privately run boutiques rather than big designer shops, and the whole area is teeming with lovely cafes and restaurants including three with Michelin stars.
A little south of the centre of town, the lovely four-star Biohotel Hermitage has been run by the Maffei family for over a century. It’s a great place to stay and also home to the excellent Michelin-starred Stube Hermitage. While the wood-panelled dining room feels traditional, the food, much of it foraged, is wholly adventurous and delicious.
How to do it
Seven nights at Biohotel Hermitage from £1,445 per person on a B&B basis including flights and private transfers.