Favourites
Customer portal
When we picture ski holidays, we think of ourselves whooshing down the mountain, dancing at après-ski, and wrapped up warm in our hotels and chalets, eating wonderful food.
But what about the quiet hero of every ski holiday, the humble ski lift?
A huge part of a spending time in the mountains is enjoying the lifts with the people we love most.
We chat on chairlifts, gossip on gondolas and burst out laughing when our mates fall over on the button lifts. So in quiet celebration of the very thing that makes skiing possible, here are some of the top lift stories from the Iglu Ski team.
To go down, we have to go up!
The ‘crossing the border with Dad’ gondola
By Hannah, Social Media Executive
There are several ski areas which span different countries, and no matter how many times you do it, stepping foot (or skiing) into a different country is always a bit exciting. One fine example of this is the French-Italian border in the Milky Way ski area.
“I loved the novelty and thrill of skiing over the border into a different country - and doing it with my Dad who visited the exact same ski area 40 years ago was something really special.
“The Rocher de l’Aigle gondola in Montgenèvre took us to the very edge of France in beautiful weather.
“My Dad was telling me loads of stories about his time here on the gondola, so venturing over the border into Italy together with fresh snow, and enjoying a long, winding run through the trees is something that’ll stay with me forever.”
The Rocher de l’Aigle is part of the Milky Way ski area, which has 400km of slopes across France and Italy - an absolutely huge ski area.
The ‘right on top of Folie Douce’ chairlift
By Jack, Customer Service Manager
Val Thorens’s ‘Plein Sud’ is an iconic one. It's the route takes you skis dangling right above both the resort centre and Folie Douce.
“The Plein Sud chairlift in Val Thorens hangs above Folie Douce, with some great birdseye views of all the chaos. Me and my mates could see every dodgy dance move, every drink spilled - and we got some funny chat from people below!
“It’s useful for seeing how busy it is, and we got some great entertainment as people filed out and tried to find their skis/boards.
“One particular memory is seeing a few skiers wander out, strap in and immediately faceplant - maybe one too many of the local refreshments for them!”
The Plein Sud is one of 183 lifts in the 3 Valleys ski area - it has 600km of slopes and is the largest interconnected ski area on Earth!
The ‘realising the kids can finally ski’ chairlift
By Simon, Managing Director
There are few times more special than skiing with your children, and watching them learn the ropes is amazing - but it gets even better when they start keeping up with you!
“As a lifelong skier, it was almost ‘the moment I had been waiting for’.
“It was on this chairlift when I realised for the first time that my two young daughters were now able to ski a good chunk of the mountain - no longer just the greens.
“As my wife, daughters and I did loop after loop of the Leissieres Express in Val d’Isère, I could see how much the girls were enjoying themselves. I felt both proud, and also unbelievably happy, to be doing what I love most with my favourite people.”
Simon and his family were skiing on the Val d’Isère side of the Espace Killy ski area. One of France’s most popular resorts, it has 300km of slopes that are great for all abilities.
The ‘first ski holiday away with mates’ chairlift
By Henry, Content Executive
For skiers who were lucky enough to learn as children, it seems like it’s all been building up to that first ski holiday away with your best friends. Having fun in the mountains with your mates is definitely one to tick off the list time and time again.
“A chairlift in a pretty part of Andorra’s Grandvalira ski area really stands out to me because of the memories I made on it.
“It was the first time I had been skiing independently with friends and we stayed on that run for a good couple of hours, laughing at our questionable skiing abilities on the lift back up and just losing track of time. Two of us were experts, while the others were relatively new to skiing, so we did loops of runs that all of us could enjoy.
“The snow was falling, the slopes were quiet and there was no wind - I’ll never forget it.”
Henry was skiing with his friends in Pas de la Casa, the liveliest resort of the Grandvalira ski area in Andorra. It’s a fantastic cheaper alternative to France and Austria.
The ‘used to be a secret NATO base’ funicular
By Phil, Head of Sales
The whole concept of skiing is cool… but few ski lifts are cooler than this one in Gausta, Norway, which slowly creeps skiers up the inside of a mountain inside a vintage funicular cart.
“This is the most unique ski lift I’ve ever been on (and I’ve been on a lot of ski lifts). The Gaustabanen funicular began as if we were going into a secret tunnel, with a door automatically opening as we approached it.
“It was flat for a while as it entered the mountain, before the second stage of the journey, where we started rising. It was actually quite nerveracking (in a good way) at times - it’s been kept in its original style, so was quite rickety and surprisingly steep.
“If you sit at the back of the second train, you can see all the way back down the tunnel - don’t do this if you’re not a heights person!
“At the top you’ll notice it used to be a secret NATO military base from the Cold War, with an attached museum explaining all the history. There’s also a cafe serving jam and cream waffles, and incredible 360-degree views of the valley. You can see into Sweden on a good day.”
Phil was skiing in Gausta, a small but brilliant family-friendly resort in Norway that’s great for beginners. Gausta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fascinating history and beautiful scenery.
The ‘faceplant after a big night’ chairlift
By Aimee, Marketing Manager
Aprés-ski is a massive part of lots of people’s mountain holidays, and lots of us have had some wild nights, with funny consequences!
“It was St Patrick’s Day (always a big occasion in the mountains), so my friends and I headed to Tom Crean’s Irish Bar in Tignes Val Claret for music and the obligatory pints of Guinness.
“The next morning, we made it bleary-eyed to the Tichot chairlift, which takes you up from Val Claret. It had snowed heavily overnight, with loads of snow cleared and dumped into a big bank by the lift attendants.
“As the chair picked us up, I didn't lift my skis up in time, so they buried right into the snow bank, catapulting me out of the seat and causing me to face-plant right into the mound of snow.
My friends were in hysterics as they carried on, while I had to make the ski of shame to the back of the queue, before joining some random people on another chair.
“I registered their apprehensive look as the chairlift swept us up, and the lift attendants had blatantly radioed up to those working on the top lift with a full description of me, warning them there was a beginner approaching (I’m very much not!).
“The chair slowed to a snail’s pace to make sure I didn’t have another fall - and when I finally made it off the lift, my friends and I whizzed off without a glance back.”
Aimee was skiing in Tignes - part of the Espace Killy ski area alongside Val d'Isère - and an excellent choice for great value accommodation and high-altitude skiing.
The ‘right over the ridge’ rollercoaster chairlift
By Leo, Senior Sales Consultant
As chairlifts go, the most stress they inflict on a skier might be when it’s someone’s very first time getting on one (don’t worry if that’s you, they’re fine!). But some go right over the top of a ridge and back down again - causing one or two butterflies in the stomach.
“I remember the first time I did the Lessieres Express chairlift in Val d’Isère, and I felt excited because of the social media noise around it. My friends and I were enjoying a fun week in a lovely hotel, but we needed something a bit hair-raising to kick us into gear.
“It was the second day and my stomach dropped as we neared the top, as you literally can’t see anything beyond it. It felt like a rollercoaster into nothingness, but then over we went, and we all calmed down! We ended up going on that lift probably more times than any other on that trip.
“It’s only fitting that Val d’Isère has a thrilling lift like that, given its high-octane après and nightlife, plus its huge and challenging ski area”
Leo was skiing in Val d'Isère - a fantastic all-round resort with plenty of bars and restaurants, bags of charm, and incredible high altitude skiing.
The 'don't you dare take that' chairlift
By Cormac, Head of Marketing
Ski lifts are great opportunities to chat and have fun - but sometimes, the most memorable lift is the one which you don’t take!
“I was a mere 16 year old, and just getting into skiing, and my family and I were hoping to explore Switzerland from where we were staying in Avoriaz. We reached the top of an orange run that some say is the most challenging in the world… The Swiss Wall.
“I looked over at this steep, long and fearsomely bumpy run - the only one down - and froze. But luckily, over to the right was the Chavanette chairlift that could take us down. It was in that direction that my whole family was confidently going, so I started to follow.
“But before I got anywhere, I was grabbed by my older cousin, a fella who’d been skiing since he could crawl and wasn’t going to let me skip one of the most infamous ski runs in the world.
“As an impressionable teenager, I followed him over, and spent the next half hour staring longingly up at the Chavanette chairlift which promised comfort, ease and relaxation.
“But by the end, I was chuffed that I gave the chairlift a miss, and I realised there was nothing I couldn’t conquer. Not once did I ever take the lift down again”.
Cormac was skiing in Avoriaz, a unique resort with wooden clifftop architecture and instant access to the massive Portes du Soleil ski area.
The 'baby's first ski trip' gondola
By Alice, Operations Executive, and Phil, Head of Sales
As skiing lovers, there’s no harm in introducing our hobbies to our children when they’re young. Even when they’re babies!
“We couldn’t wait to introduce Penelope to the mountains since skiing is such a huge part of our lives!
“She was only 10 months old, so a bit young for skis, but we took full advantage of the hotel pool and kids’ club, and also gave her a resort tour.
“The highlight was definitely her first ski lift, the Alpe Express, which took us over to the bottom of the slopes.
“There, she got her very first taste of après-ski! She absolutely loved watching everyone and even bopped along to the music.
“We can’t wait to see her on skis one day”.
Alice and Phil were skiing in Alpe d’Huez, known for being both family-friendly and having a lively après-ski scene. It’s also dubbed “The Island in the Sun” thanks to its large amount of south-facing slopes which soak up good weather.
The 'check for a lunch spot' chairlift
By Louise, Head of PR
Food is a massive part of skiing - and beautiful lunch spots up in the mountains can make your holiday even better. Over in one resort, a chairlift lets you scout out the sun terrace for the best tables left.
“Skiing in Bulgaria towards the end of last season, my friends and I found the perfect lift for lunch.
“The Todorka chairlift in Bansko goes right over the 180° Bar and Restaurant, meaning we could check if there was a crowd on the terrace, and whether we had a good chance of getting a quick meal in at lunch.
“We had so much fun here, and loved the food and service, while there were lots of lovely seats and space at après-ski time in the early evening.
“It’s a really surreal one to tick off, with the chairlift going almost overhead”.
Louise was skiing in Bansko, the largest resort in Bulgaria. It's a fantastic option for those looking to slash the costs, and it's particularly great for newbies and those looking for some fun après-ski - although families are most welcome, too!
It's Time to Write Your Ski Lift Story
Iglu Ski's Great Lift Pass Giveaway means there are quite literally millions of free lift passes up for grabs this July. For each lift pass you buy, we're giving away one for free, meaning you could take thousands off the overall cost of your ski holiday. There's never been a better time to book!