How to have a budget ski holiday

Skiing is fun. It’s fast, it’s frightening and addictive.

It’s also bloody expensive.

Ski passes alone cost upwards of £150 for a week and that’s before you’ve factored in the costs of getting there, accommodation, ski hire, ski gear, all the food you’ll be eating after all that exercise, and of course the alcohol consumed in the name of “après ski”.

And if you’re considering skiing in North America (whether you’re from there or not) you’re looking at several hundred dollars for ONE DAY! Whistler in BC now costs CAD$300 for a day ticket and you can ski for a week in some of the best ski resorts in Europe for less than that.

However, skiing on a budget is possible! Honestly. I’ve done it multiple times and if you happen to live in Europe then it’s much easier than if you live in North America.

Let me show you how to have a budget ski holiday.

If your heart is set on staying in an alpine resort and waking up to snow just outside your door then maybe this isn’t for you. But if you’re desperate to just get on the mountains regardless then I’ve got you covered.

In this post, we’re focusing on skiing near Grenoble France. This town is where I lived for the best part of a year. I spent all my free time skiing and since I was a student, I was doing so on a budget. If you’re looking for a great base to place yourself for Grenoble skiing on a budget, then read on to learn more. I’ve also included a top tip for some super cheap ski pass Grenoble deals!

Grenoble Skiing – Where to ski near Grenoble

While you can’t go skiing in Grenoble, you can find plenty of resorts within a 2-hour drive away.

For skiing on a budget, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to stay in the resort. This is especially true with the bigger, more well-known ones. Instead, consider staying in Grenoble town which is fairly near resorts.

Grenoble is surrounded by ski resorts, some as little as 30 minutes away from the town centre. The best thing about staying in Grenoble is the ease and cost of getting to multiple resort and you also have plenty of alternative activities and things to do in Grenoble if you decide you need a break from skiing for a day.

If you fancy a trip to a smaller resort to refresh your skills or just have a half-day skiing you can go to one, and likewise, if you fancy a huge resort with hundreds of kilometres to ski you can go to one.

The easiest resorts to get to from Grenoble are Chamrousse the host of the 1968 Winter Olympics (30 minutes away, quite small), Les deux alpes (1 1/2 hours away, much bigger), Alpe d’huez (1 1/2 hours, huge and my favourite of the Grenoble ski resorts), Alpe de Grande Serre (45 minutes away, quite small) and Les Sept Laux (35-40 minutes away. very pretty but quite small).

Cheap lift passes for ski resorts near Grenoble – Grenoble Skiing Prices

The best part is that with Skiligne you can get both your return transport and a day’s ski pass for less than one day’s ski pass will cost you in the resort.

It’s such a top tip if you’re looking for a Grenoble ski pass. And, if you’re a member of the university, you can usually get this for even less money!

For instance, return transport and ski passes to Alpe d’Huez and Deux Alpes cost €45 whereas a one-day ski pass costs €48 in the resort. Three euros doesn’t sound like much, but with the accommodation savings you’re making too, it all adds up.

We were lucky as I still have friends from my year abroad as a language assistant living in Grenoble who were kind enough to have us stay.

However, as outlined above a ski holiday really can cost less than half the price you think. I know that staying in a city isn’t quite the same as being able to ski from door to door but now you can afford another trip away with the savings you’ve made!

Accommodation for a budget ski holiday

When you stay outside of the ski resort you’ll find your accommodation is far cheaper and nicer.

Ski resorts tend to just rent out tiny studio rooms that still smell of the boozed-up students who spent the previous week there (yes, I’ve been one of them).

But, if you’re staying in a town outside the resort you can find a nice Airbnb or hotel.

Check out Airbnb for private rooms costing less than £20 a night.

Most Airbnb apartments have kitchens so you’ll be able to cater for yourselves. In doing so you’ve just saved a fortune on restaurant dinners

Budget-friendly accommodation in Grenoble

• L’Espace Détente – GEM / GARE: Right by the station so perfect if you’re planning on using SkiLigne for your transport + lift tickets since that departs from the station. 1 bed apartment with everything you need for your stay.
• Les Appartements de Grenoble: Beautifully modern and bright apartments of varying sizes at the foot of the Grenoble Bastille and near the river. Easy walking distance into Grenoble centre.
• RockyPop Grenoble Hotel: This great hotel has an appealing price. Very central to Grenoble.

Ski rental Grenoble

If you don’t have skis or, like I did, decided to bring them wasn’t worth the extra EasyJet costs, then the good news is that hiring is no longer hugely expensive.

If you hire in Grenoble you can expect to pay around €25 a day and there are usually discounts if you’re renting for the week or multiple days.

If you’d prefer to hire in the resort then make sure you book online! Not only do you usually get to make massive savings (sometimes up to 50% on the usual price), but you also speed things up as they will often have your weight/height details from your booking rather than waiting for you to do it in-store.

We used Intersport for our skiing Grenoble ski hire needs and it costs us less than £20 a day! Other ski rental shops in Grenoble include:

• Barthelemy Ski
• SkiTruck – Le Shop and,
• SKI SERVICE PROBEL

How to get to Grenoble

By Train

If you book early, Eurostar can be one of the most cost-effective ways to get to Grenoble. When I lived in Grenoble I once got a single ticket for £60, by booking three months in advance. Proof that it really doesn’t have to cost you a fortune!

Omio is a great platform for booking European and UK travel on. You can check train and bus prices and schedules and book super easily!

It takes 6 hours from St Pancras in London to reach Grenoble, with just one easy change in Paris.  There are no luggage restrictions – the rule is basically, “if you can carry it, you can bring it”.

This means that if you have your own skis, boots, or board you won’t have to fork out hundreds of pounds extra to take them.

The journey is pretty picturesque too, and French trains are a lot nicer than those you get in England.

By plane

If you’d prefer to fly then don’t limit yourself by looking at flights just to Grenoble airport. Most of the year it’s closed and it’s really no closer to Grenoble than either Lyon or Geneva airports.

A return flight with EasyJet, from London to Lyon, can cost about £60, and from there, it’s a short bus or train journey to Grenoble. All in all costing just under £100 return.

However, should you wish to pack skis, boots, or a board you’ll have to pay a lot more.

EasyJet makes you pay for hold luggage and then extra for ski equipment. Usually, this ends up doubling the price you’ve paid for a ticket. That’s why I ultimately think getting a train is easier and cheaper in many cases.

Skyscanner is what I use to find cheap flights.

Renting a car

If you decide not to make the most of the cheap public transport and ski pass deals and want to rent a car. Then I recommend doing so well in advance to get. thebest prices and deals.

You’ll need to make sure you can fit skis in it if you’re staying in Grenoble and driving to and from the resorts every day, and make sure it has suitable all-season or winter tyres.

I use comparison sites like DiscoverCars and RentalCars to book my car rentals as it’s easy to check prices and compare the best deals!

Last Updated on November 8, 2023 by Hannah