Three Valleys Lift Pass - Up and Down

A six day lift ticket for the world's largest ski area, the Three Valleys, will increase by three percent from 225 Euros last season to 232 Euros in high season (151 Euros off-peak).

However if the pound continues to strengthen the costs for Brits is likely to be lower next winter – currently 232 Euros equals about 204 pounds, when at the pound's lowest point last winter 225 Euros equalled 215 pounds, or around six percent more than Brits would currently have to pay for next season's more expensive ticket.

This decreased cost scenario is likely to play out for Brits visiting ski resorts across Europe (except Iceland and Scotland) and North America next winter and apply to all purchases in resort, so long as the pound does not weaken again.

In France a dramatic decrease recently announced to VAT on restaurant bills – from around 20% to around 5%, should help bring costs down in resort too.

If there are signs of a falling pound in the autumn it may be possible, in some cases, to pre-purchase lift tickets online in advance at the better rate.
Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

Restauranteurs in France have been staring at empty covers for a while now, whilst the French start to enjoy sandwiches and save money. I suppose the reduction in VAT is a political move. It will certainly help the tourism industry, as long as it is passed on, and not diverted to prop up the profits )

Good news ...for the restaurateurs..the French are never averse from making a bit of extra profit ...I am still wincing from the €10 for a coffee and a soup along with the €3.20 packet of Walkers in Flaine this year ...Mind you it was €6 for a coffee in Courcheval ..

bandit wrote:as long as it is passed on

It makes sense to pass it on - there's no profit to be made from an empty restaurant! 8)

Admin wrote:

bandit wrote:as long as it is passed on

It makes sense to pass it on - there's no profit to be made from an empty restaurant! 8)

I was wondering about the tourism markets, and the captive audience they represent. The tourists will likely pay the price put in front of them, whatever the underlying VAT rate is on the day )

A customer told me the following story.

He had been to the same resort in France twice this winter. On the second visit he noticed that a particular mountain restaurant had put its prices up since his first visit. He asked why. The reply was "Oh! we had to, less and less people were coming in for lunch"

bandit wrote:Restauranteurs in France have been staring at empty covers for a while now, whilst the French start to enjoy sandwiches and save money. I suppose the reduction in VAT is a political move. It will certainly help the tourism industry, as long as it is passed on, and not diverted to prop up the profits )

I noticed in Serre Chavalier that the French did not eat or drink in the restaurants, the supermarkets were making plenty of money, that must have been in 2004 8)

The little "supermarkets" in samoens in January new how to charge as well..e.g €1.40 for a pot of cheap jam ..I noticed no natives in them just the foreigners who didn't have cars to get to the local hypermarket.