The STW Ski and Snowboard thread: 2021-2022 Season

Decent dump here in Salzburgerland the night before last so a powder day yesterday.

Young ColP jumping off stumps

Nice sunrise walk with AlfieP

Followed by park laps

@LD thanks for that from me too. I’m going to have a play with the SGP app.
What I don’t understand though is how you can scan the qr code on your own phone using the SGP app. What am I missing?

If by FFP2vented you mean they have a valve to make unfiltered breathing out possible I think you’ll find they are not acceptable. There’s now little point trying to keep Brits out of Europe, the infection rate here is higher.

I found I could still ski 30-year-old skis but it’s hard work, hairy and sometimes worrying. Back down in one piece though. I’d forgotten that feeling of dread as a ski breaks through the crust and hauls you the opposite way to which you’re trying to turn. All pine trees missed, just. Pretty good snow at 2400m, concrete at 1400m

What I don’t understand though is how you can scan the qr code on your own phone using the SGP app. What am I missing?

You need to get a copy of your code onto another device, I just take a photo. Then scan that. You will not use the VerifiaC19 app in Italy. They will scan your phone or paper code with it.

France opens up again tomorrow (Friday)

⚠️ #frontières | Nous assouplissons les conditions d’entrée en ?? depuis le ?? pour les voyageurs vaccinés.
➡️fin des motifs impérieux et de l’isolement à l’arrivée
➡️un test négatif <24h sera demandé au départ
Le décret sera publié demain matin, avec entrée en vigueur immédiate pic.twitter.com/cthQc0D6qP

— Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne (@JBLemoyne) January 13, 2022

-We are relaxing the entry conditions int France from United Kingdom for vaccinated travelers.
-end of compelling reasons and isolation on arrival
-a negative test < 24h will be requested at the start
-The decree will be published tomorrow morning, with immediate entry into force

Travelski website is taking a hammering 🙁

Woohoo!!

whooop – was worth chancing booking a flight last week for next weekend!

any got any proper info on what testing is required to get into france under the new rules? appreciate it is early days yet.

and also – if flying into geneva (switzerland) then travelling over to france – do I need to fill forms in for switzerland as well as france?

My cancelable bookings might not get cancelled
👍🙂🙃😃😋👍

any got any proper info on what testing is required to get into france under the new rules? appreciate it is early days yet.

It’s worth checking out snowheads website, though the threads area LOT bigger than this so the info can sometimes get drowned

Checked the government websites (french and English) and still cannot find whether we need a PCR or a lateral flow test to go. Getting a tad frustrated

Chunnel is booked for Saturday morning though….

Another here hoping to drive to Switzerland via France. Would love to know what the procedure is. Guessing PCR within 24 hours arrival to France. Then whatever the regulations are for travel from France to Switzerland?

I’m ok to drop this in here, I know it’s not the Alps but it’ll have to do me for a while yet…

Cairngorm the weekend past.

Checked the government websites (french and English) and still cannot find whether we need a PCR or a lateral flow test to go

If it’s to be done in the 24hrs before going, I think that means it must a lateral flow – PCR would take longer than that to process?

Way and indeed hey… We’re on for the 15/01 😀

Servicing in progress :

If it’s to be done in the 24hrs before going, I think that means it must a lateral flow – PCR would take longer than that to process?

Yes. My sister recommends the Boots Rapid Antigen (as opposed to PCR).

any got any proper info on what testing is required to get into france under the new rules? appreciate it is early days yet.

Before Christmas I was in email contact with the French Consulate in Edinburgh regarding which LFTs were suitable for travel TO France. NHS ones are not, but any where you upload an image of the result to the test provider and they sent you an electronic certificate apparently are OK.

I specifically checked whether a test that gets sent to you to do at home, you perform the test yourself, and then the result is uploaded to the provider for them to certificate it is OK, and they said yes it is.

Kinda thinking out loud here based on my current research. If you wanted to drive to Swizerland…

France wants negative test taken in last 24 hours (so has to be Rapid Antigen / Flow).

Switzerland wants negative test – PCR in last 72, Flow in last 24. I usually stop on way down / across so have to get test day before so Flow / Antigen won’t be within 24 hours which means PCR 48 hours before leaving, antigen within 24 hours of leaving.

Location forms for Switzerland. Waiting to see what other documents for France…

Looking to book a snowboard trip for the end of the season. But I can’t be doing with all this silly Covid charade (vaccine pass etc), especially not when on holiday. Does anyone know which country in Europe has the most normal and relaxed feel at the moment? Have heard that Bulgaria might be relatively normal but has anyone been recently? Anywhere else that has not succumbed to all this pointless carry-on?

@Freester
Means PCR 48? Not necessarily.
Google Randox CertiFly
Roughly £19.
Order, click and collect from local garage, down load app, use when you need them.
Randox email you the certificate.

we used C19, ordered and delivered the tests the same day, guarantee certificate within 12 hours.

@igm @sprootlet yeh thanks was thinking could flow test twice once before I enter france. Stop over on way down do another test or something.

Bollox couldn’t have got this anymore wrong! Booked avoriaz week or so later French ban UK visitors… last weekend paid extra with same company WeSki to switch to Switzerland…. and now macron caves in and France has some silly cheap deals… should have taken a refund! I know first world problems 😉

What cheap deals have you spotted?

Just taken a PCR test for a trip to Kitzbuhel, Austria. Really hope that it’s negative!

We were due to travel to France this weekend but have postponed that until March.

We have been looking for the country with the strictest rules rather than the least restrictive, sad I know.

@smoky_jo weSki deal to laplagne

https://www.igluski.com/ski-resorts/france/la-plagne/residence-les-constellations_1619

All sorted for La Tania on the 9th. Appt sorted, flights sorted, what’s the Shizz on hire cars at Geneva? It’s been a while.
I know it can get complicated with French and Swiss sides and winter prepped cars. Advice gratefully received.

So the French have now clarified the entry requirements, and it’s a PCR or lat flow test 24 hours before departure.

Obviously the free NHS lat flow tests are not eligible,but does anyone know whether it has to be a lat flow test conducted over video call/in the providers premises or can it be an at home lat flow from any of the fit to fly lat flow providers?

@swavis looks mega that!!! Hoping to be doing the same myself Feb half term…..

We have been looking for the country with the strictest rules rather than the least restrictive

How come out of interest? You could try Australia, authoritarianism and abuse of human rights is off the scale there if that is your sort of thing? Not sure the skiing is good this time of year though.

Anyway, anywhere know which skiable countries in Europe currently have the lease restrictions? I kind of want my holiday to feel like a holiday, not an excersize in form filling, nasal swabbing and having to show your papers every time you fancy a bit of Apres Ski.

All sorted for La Tania on the 9th. Appt sorted, flights sorted, what’s the Shizz on hire cars at Geneva? It’s been a while.
I know it can get complicated with French and Swiss sides and winter prepped cars. Advice gratefully received.

Not hired for a few years from Geneva for obvious reasons @TheDTs but would always hire from the Swiss side. Desks are now in the main arrival terminal and then a 2 min bus ride to Area51 car park (or what ever it’s called) with your keys and off you go. They’ll always have winter tyres on at this time of year too.

On return I always fill up at this petrol station which is 2 mins from the airport.

https://goo.gl/maps/eKQ8Qg4XYDSKxxQv5

Cheers Turboflard.. Thats handy to know about the tyres. You would think it would be obvious from the websites wouldn’t you..

Anyway, anywhere know which skiable countries in Europe currently have the lease restrictions? I kind of want my holiday to feel like a holiday, not an excersize in form filling, nasal swabbing and having to show your papers every time you fancy a bit of Apres Ski.

In Austria, on the mountain they don’t ask as you can’t get a lift pass without linking it to your vaccination record (1 minute job).

Most bars/restaurants will ask you on entry but again, flash up your vaccination record on your phone and job done.

Sounds like you’re after any resort in the 2018/19 season @akbar

laplagne deal is💰 cheap it’s better than 2.1/2 stars. I’ve been there it’s a super base for the mountains

Swiss side rental cars are mental expensive at the moment so get some quotes before you book other stuff. Although just checked and seemed OK

Just booked the travelski express to Les Menuires at half term. Not bad prices, limited availability.

Obviously the free NHS lat flow tests are not eligible,but does anyone know whether it has to be a lat flow test conducted over video call/in the providers premises or can it be an at home lat flow from any of the fit to fly lat flow providers?

Not sure it can be differentiated – at the end of the day you just show the ‘fit to fly’ certificate.

I’m going to do it in a pharmacy for the simple reason they guarantee the email / cert within 15 mins.

Those ones where you upload a photo are supposedly 3-12 hours (depending on provider) as they have to be manually verified. It’s possible this could be the first time the demand has put the provider under pressure. That’s my thinking anyway.

All those measures mean the resorts are open, Akbar, and there will be enough hospital capacity for you to get treatment if you wipe out and need it. Just show your QR code with a smile when asked and cover your face inside.

When in Rome, eh ! I can’t see much difference between Hungarian rules and other places. How about Cairngorm? I think you can still have drink standing at the bar there. Please don’t come to France.

I have just landed in Austria, followed Edukator’s advice and showed my papers to the nice military gentleman with a smile.

We chose Austria due to the strict rules as if I am spending time on an aircraft and coach with people I like to know that all have had to prove vaccination, recent test etc.

I will trade some rules and restrictions for less concern about those around me and have a better holiday for it. Each to their own I guess.

Hoping to go to France by train in March.