Easter 2021

[OhCobblers]

What do we think?
Complete speculation I know but wondering if end of March skiing will happen?!

No chance.

@Taikoo because resorts won't be open, we won't be able to get there from UK or another?

I don’t expect to be able to travel from UK without at least incoming quarantine thanks to the variant. Or the Brexit rules which mean we no longer have entry rights to EU/EEA thanks to free movement until our covid rates are super low to get us on the EU green list.
Rules it out for us. I’m hanging onto some flights in case! I think locals will ski for some of the season, at the moment the end of the season looks more likely than Jan or European winter sports holidays/our half term.

I think that at least some EU countries will let us in by Easter maybe with conditions like a negative test result. I suspect the new variant is already in the EU. I think the main issues are whether ski lifts will be allowed to open and how long our own government will keep us in tier 4.

Thanks for replies. Last I read the French were reviewing the opening of ski resorts on 6 Jan? So I guess it's a wait and see game?
Skiing is the one thing in particular we love doing as a family together and not going two years in a row is gutting (first world problems I know!)

I have read the French lift opening is very likely to be delayed. Also whether resorts are open is one thing and quite different from whether Brits will be allowed in (assuming you are also from UK). Irish skiers for example may be in a much better position as regards border entry. Although I see @grenadines seems to be more positive than me on this front - I’d love to be wrong!

I'm booked for Easter. Optimistically booked it straight after last year's got cancelled. We are booked on a package with skiworld in catered chalet. 99.9% sure it won't happen. Might be possible to get to France, stay in Airbnb or something, not have to isolate and the resorts might be open by then though. But I can't see package operators will hire, train and pay for staff on the off chance of a couple of weeks max at the end of season

We're booked to ski in France at Easter - we do self-drive/self-catering and had booked accommodation directly in the resort last year but it was cancelled a couple of weeks before we were due to go; so we re-booked using the credit they gave us, moved the Eurotunnel date and assumed all would be well for this year.

At the moment, I can't see it. France was supposed to open last week but it was postponed. I'm thinking that, if resorts don't open for Feb half term, they won't open at all - they won't recoup the costs in the remainder of the season. If there is any way we can still go, we will, but realistically - and sadly - I think we'll be looking at 2022.

[quote OhCobblers]@Taikoo because resorts won't be open, we won't be able to get there from UK or another? [/quote]
All of the above.
The resorts won't be open.
You won't be able to get there anyway.
And covid will rage on for the rest of 2021.
The British govt are incompetent, 100,000 are dead in the UK.

We'll be lucky to travel in 2022.

I think its still too early to call. I'm playing the waiting game, things are changing fast for better and worse all the time. I'm keeping a keen eye on whats unfolding with fingers crossed.

I also have a ski trip booked for end of March. I am not hopeful at all ☹️

I just wrote off this Easters trip, called up to cancel and have moved it to next Easter instead. Surely this will be over (or at least manageable levels that allow travel etc.) by then?!

Oh no!
Im well aware my chances are very slim for Easter but im going to stay in denial for just a bit longer....
Next Easter is a really safe bet, it will be a hedonistic year 22!

I was waiting like skiyetimagic but my outbound flight got cancelled so I decided to take the money back. It seems so unlikely what with covid and Brexit restricting our entry to Eu/schengen. Will use the funds to get half term 22 flights when they are released. I am really gutted. The conditions look amazing.

No chance. I'm in France with lots of friends in Switzerland. They're likely to push back opening French resorts until Feb or March even for locals. Then there's no way non-EU-resident Brits will be allowed in until you've massively reduced infection rate which isn't likely to happen before the summer. And after what happened in Verbier, everyone thinks British skiers are arseholes so they're likely to keep the ban past Easter just to stop them.

Brits will be outlawed from most sensible countries for a long time yet!

We didn't bother rebooking after last season's cancellations, if things look better by mid March we might make a last minute April booking but with quarantine, visa issues and the value of £ its not looking good for 2021 at all. Roll on 2022, think we'll go for a fortnight to the Rockies to make up for lost time

I'm booked as well. In Austria the resorts and lifts are open now, but for locals only as all restaurants and accomodations are closed. We shall have to see. If we can't go, then I can move the booking (again!) to next season, but if (and I know all this is a very big if) we're allowed to travel again at Easter, there's no quarrantine on the Austrian side (it's not a deal breaker if we still have to quarrantine coming back into the uk), and accomodation and restaurants are open, then we will go. DH should have had his first vaccine by then and possibly his second (and yes I know being vaccinated doesn't exempt him from the social distancing requirements there will be at the time and that no vaccine is 100% effective).

What really happened in Verbier: www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/blogs/what-really-happened-in-verbier/
I can well imagine some French people jumping to conclusions about British skiers; this would not be the first time even if not strictly true. But they are perfectly keen to take our money when it suits them though...

We do have some work to do on our PR in Europe at the moment it's a real shame and it will take a while...

The numbers were hugely exaggerated in that Verbier story and I think the 400s turned out to be 12 at the last count, but it sounds like the story is still unravelling and there were still a few irresponsible people who have given us a bad name. Its just a shame that skiers seem to be a bit of a target at the moment on SM and the press so these stories are being jumped on.

It'll be slush at the very least by the time it's open :-(

That's that then. French ski lifts not opening Feb 1 so season is a write off according to various French press? 😫😫

Its just a shame that skiers seem to be a bit of a target at the moment on SM and the press so these stories are being jumped on.

It's just because it's that time of year. No-one else is trying to go on holiday. Wait until Easter and those that are desperate to get away for some early sun will be vilified instead.

Yes good point @eggypegg I look forward to that!

@ohcobblers I have a feeling the French resorts may open up for Easter but for locals only, but I hope I am wrong. I need more fingers to cross!