“Branded hoteliers have seen an opportunity in the Alps and they are exploiting that,” says Jeremy Rollason, Head of Savills Ski.

Demand for non-ski activities

There’s also the question of what a ski holiday actually means today.

“It’s definitely moved to as much about lifestyle as it is about skiing itself”, says Longsdon. “I know clients who don’t ski but they love the mountains”.

“We have a lot of clients where part of the group doesn’t ski,” says Ceri Tinley, Managing Director of Luxury Chalet Operator Consensio. “So, the facilities in properties are that much more important, as are extracurricular activities.”

It’s perhaps not surprising to discover that those extracurricular activities don’t necessarily involve dancing on tables at La Folie Douce. Instead, non-skiing excursions may include ice driving or snow polo as well as more ‘traditional’ pursuits such as snow shoeing.

Is this the end for budget ski holidays?

So, does this mean the end of the budget ski holiday? Not necessarily.

Although rising costs, new rules for seasonal workers post-Brexit and of course the global pandemic have all impacted catered chalet operators, the model is not dead and buried.

“There has definitely been a growth in the high end chalet market,” says Paul Turnbull, Managing Director of Ski Weekender. “But there are still similar price alternatives out there that there have always been. There are still mid-market operators out there and affordable options.”

Longsdon agrees. “As more and more luxury chalets come to the market, these do not replace other options, but simply give alternative options. Skiers are a diverse cross section and whilst it was once easier to put everyone into the same “bucket”, this is simply no longer the case.”

Encouragingly, alternative wallet-friendly accommodation options are appearing across resorts. Base Camp Lodge is the second hostel to open in Les 2 Alpes (the People Hostel opened three years ago), offering modern, spacious accommodation that include dormitories where beds cost from €35 a night. Double rooms start at €95. The group also has hostels in Bourg Saint Maurice and Les Arcs. In Les Menuires and La Plagne are the Ho36 hostels that offer, among other options, loft-style apartments with a kitchenette that can sleep four to 10 people with prices starting at €109 a night.

So, while the ski scene might not look the same as it once did, there are still options for skiers that don’t cost the same as a deposit on a house. Plus, you can still be first on the ski lift in the morning and last on the slopes in the afternoon. And tartiflette can still be found on the menu.