[TRAVELS] The Planet’s 10 Best Apres Ski Party Resorts

(Image: Folie Douce in France CREDIT Folie Douce)

Fortunately the pound has gone up in value by about a quarter in most countries in the past few seasons and the sky rocketing price of a pint in the Alps seems to have stabilised a bit – so suddenly  a good night out does seem so prohibitive in the Euro-zone.  Yippee!

Even more distant destinations like Western Canada and Japan are now far, far cheaper (once you’ve paid out to get there).

Here’s a run down of some of the best apres ski resorts to head to in 10 ski nations, and the best bars and clubs in those resorts…

1. Andorra – Pas de la Casa

The Big Snow Festival began life in Arinsal, Andorra

Andorra is no longer the all round low-cost destination it was 20 years ago but food and alcohol remain very cheap so assuming you get a good deal on your travel, accommodation and lift pass, once you get here you’ll be able to afford to go out each night and have a good time.

In truth all the main resorts in Andorra (including Pas de las Casa’s neighbour on the Grandvalira pass – Soldeu, as well as Arinal in Vallnord) have plenty of busy bars and night spots but still Pas de la Casa maintains the most out-there reputation.   Paddy’s Irish Bar is generally regarded as the top place to go.

2. Austria – St Anton

Typical afternoon in the Mooserwirt

Austria has a stronger reputation for its party resorts than any other ski nation.   You can’t go wrong at most of the better known areas but probably Ischgl, Mayrhofen, Saalbach, Solden and Soll have the strongest reputations for their heaving beer halls and table-dancing (in all its varieties)venues, with a strong Germanic feel as the ski day winds down.

But although Ischgl has the biggest music stars in world skiing at its festivals at the start and end of winter and although Mayrhofen has the Snowbombing and Altitude Festivals – making it the best in the alps when those festivals are in town – none can really beat the hedonistic reputation of St Anton and particularly its legendary night spots of the Krazy Kangaruh and Mooserwirt at the base of the slopes.

3. Bulgaria – Borovets

Bulgaria is the current day ‘Ibiza of skiing’ with loads of bars and night clubs, selling big measures of love priced drink.  The apres ski scene is different to the Alps however as it really kicks off later in the evening, not as the slopes close, so there is some recovery time, although you can then expect to dance through the night.  The Buzz Bar in Borovets is a particular international favourite and usually gets busy shortly before midnight.

4. Canada – Banff

It’s tricky to name a resort in Canada as the best for apres ski as most of the well known resorts has at least one classic, gnarly ski bar.  Big White, with its strong Aussie contingent and the famous Snowshoe Sam’s bar – voted best in Canada several times by Canadian skiers – is a strong contender for sure, and over on the East Coast Tremblant can be pretty vibrant, as can Whistler on the West, in part because both score huge visitor numbers so they need to offer a buzzing nightlife and have the demand to provide one.

But I’m going to plump fort the great ski town of Banff as it’s heart is lined with great bars and restaurants a short staggering distance apart.  The Rose and Crown and Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon (pictured above) are two of the top party spots with live music and dancing.

5. France – Chamonix

France doesn’t really have a strong reputation as a country with a lively nightlife, but that has been changing over the years.  Although there remain complaints that prices in some of the purpose built altitude resorts are prohibitive – forcing groups in to their apartments for spontaneous parties with supermarket beer –  more lively bars have emerged and established themselves in resorts like Les Arcs and La Plagne (make sure you pick the right bases like Arc 1800 though!), as well as Alpe d’Huez, Avoriaz, Val Thorens, La Tania, Tignes and Les 2 Alpes, not to mention traditional resorts like La Clusaz and Morzine.

The expansion of the Folie Douce chain, which create a sort of on-mountain corporate version of the big Austrian ski bars has also transformed the options at some top resorts, you can even buy Folie Douce packages this season.

Then there are resorts like Meribel and Val d’Isere which have their selection of famous ski bars (Dicks Tea Bar in Val d’Isère is one of the ski world’s most famous establishments), but also a reputation for being at the higher end for the cost of your drink, meaning the crowd attracted is more of the well heeled variety.

But Chamonix  (pictured above) just about leads the way thanks to its status, it’s international reputation and the global mix of hard skiing, hard partying people it draws in each winter.

6. Italy – Livigno

(you’ll be full of va va voom after a full night partying in Livigno)

Italy’s most infamous party resort 30 years ago now was Sauze d’Oulx, which made it in to British tabloids in the 1980s and 1990s as a kind of Italian ski Ibiza and land of excess in the club 18-30 era (if you remember that!). ‘Sow-zee’ is still a top choice for party people but Livigno – hard to get to but worth the effort – has pipped it for most as it has, like Andorra, duty free status making food and drink very affordable.  There are, literally, hundreds of small bars and duty free shops lining to long main street so you can start and end your crawl pretty much anywhere.

7. Japan – Niseko

The famed Fridge Bar

It costs a bit and takes a while to reach Niseko on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido but once you’ve got there you’ll find prices have plummeted since the prohibitively expensive days of a decade or more ago so you can afford to live like a king.  You’ll also find one of the planets top ski towns of the 21^st century with a global mix of party people who prefer powder and a strong Aussie influence.

Again plenty of good nightspots but the Fridge Bar – real name the Gyu+ Bar but getting its name from the fact you access it via a fridge door – is always buzzing if you can squeeze in.

8. Scotland – Aviemore

You don’t have to go overseas for a good apres ski party – Scotland has two ski towns to choose from Fort William and Aviemore, serving Nevis Range and Cairngorm ski areas respectively.

Aviemore’s high street is lined with bars – some with a long apres ski history including the Winking Owl, Ski-ing Doo and The Cairngorm Hotel.  There’s also the Cairngorm Brewrey in the town creating their own best selling brews, and of course we’re in the heart of the Speyside whisky region.  Need I say more?

9. Switzerland – Laax

Switzerland, like France (used to be), is another country not known for its raucous nightlife, although this is in part because you need to take out a small loan to enjoy a week out clubbing in most of its resorts – that’s if you’re not fairly rich (when you arrive at least).  If you are then Verbier and Zermat are good choices, both with a good selection of great bars and clubs.  The Farm Club in Verbier is one of the best known.

But Laax (pictured above in party mood) has built a reputation as a freestyle boarding (and skiing) Mecca over the past decades, and attracts big events including, this season, the return of The BRITS.  The RocksResort has a selection of bars and nightspots including the famed Riders Palace.

10. USA – Jackson Hole

Springtime Slopeside in Squaw CREDIT Tom Day

As with Canada, the best resorts in the US (and even the less good ones) all have their great bars.  On the West famous ski towns like Aspen, Park City, Heavenly, Breckenridge and Steamboat all have their selection of great bars whilst Squaw Valley (pictured above) particularly comes in to his own for springtime slopeside partying.  On the East there are famous ski bar institutions like the Wobbly Barn in Killington which has been an institution for more than five decades.

But I’m going to plump for Jackson Hole, with the last of our legendary animal-themed ski bars of the world – the Mangy Moose at its base, although particularly the city of Jackson 10 miles or so away from the ski area (pictured below) as the place with the best concentration of great bars.

For a Complete Guide to Partying On The Piste

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