I am doing exactly this tomorrow. This winter I will avoid the ski resorts and stick to x-c skiing. Only tomorrow I'm taking a day off work to go skiing in Saas Fee. I have cancer last winter so didn't have the chance to spend a single day in the mountains, and I figure I won't go this winter either due to corona. But my self-justification logic is that a Thursday in shoulder season when there will be no international guests is probably going to be pretty quiet.



I am sooooo looking forward to a day in the mountains in the sun, it's been almost two years.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55157175

France to impose border checks to stop skiing abroad

Just saw that. Hope it doesn't affect the guests from central France who just booked a studio for New Year week...

I did write the "if" for a reason - and also the reason for weekdays!

Ischgl was very clearly linked to apres-ski. Although I ageee it is difficult to be certain, I don't think anything was ever connected to the skiing activities themselves.

According to the Tagi it's a threat rather than a final decision. But I could certainly imagine them doing it...

Simple to get round - rent equipment and explain the winter clothes by claiming they were touring or snow shoeing.

Big news for rental shops in CH!!!


Edit: you have to watch the guy on TV selling the 7 day of quarantine after returning from CH to FR even if you don't understand anything in French. It's ridiculous, I don't even think this proposal is implemented https://twitter.com/BFMTV/status/1334041789297254401

W o w

I can't see how they can enforce it if it's only going to apply to snowsports. Either you allow people to holiday abroad or you don't, so this would only make practical sense if they were to impose a quarantine requirement on everyone returning from Switzerland, which doesn't seem to be part of the proposal.

We're certainly seeing a definite upswing in web viewings and bookings since the French announced that they'd be closed over the holiday period, and two that I know of are quite clearly coming here just because of that (coupled for some with our separation of the four apartments, each with its own entrance, so no need at all to get close to anyone else.)

We will, of course, keep in place all the existing measures about masks, sanitising, separation, etc. for our own safety if nothing else, but it's rather looking like we might be getting the silver lining of the pandemic cloud.

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I am beginning to feel a bit concerned at the lure of the upcoming Christmas/New Year ski holidays for overseas visitors to CH. I know a few British UK resident second home owners in Klosters. A few have asked me about the situation here and I have given them my personal views and obviously the BAG regulations. It is quite clear some families are asking for advice to make sure that they comply with the rules whereas others are looking for ways to circumvent them or are simply planning to ignore them altogether.

I assume holidaymakers are also required to adhere to the three houesold rule etc., but doubt there will be any enforcement of such rules. I fear we will all feel the repercussions in January.

Ace1- perhaps they will check those with ski/snowboard racks? Hence good news for ski/snowboard hire in CH?

I think apres-ski was only the beginning. The main superspreader event was that the whole town was shut down suddenly and guests were given only hours to leave, thus everyone crammed into buses, taxis, cars and got stuck in traffic for hours... it is the main explanation of why many people caught the virus even without going to apres-ski.

Just spoken to head of Ski School, who says it's still all up in the air, but there's talk of making French visitors either do a test or self-isolate after return to France. At this point they're not expecting French visitors to actually be stopped at the border.

I don't understand why Macron is getting so worried about the French coming to Switzerland. I thought the French were restricted to travelling no more than 20 km from where they live and had to fill in the infamous "attestation" checking a box about what the reason for travel was. Going on holiday to Switzerland isn't one of the choices. Finally, crossing the border with a pair of skis strapped to the roof is going to make it fairly easy for whoever wants to check on these things.

The attestation requirement is/was a temporary measure, so it may well be lifted soon.

What kind of donkeys are trying to organise foreign holidays in the middle of a global pandemic?

The UK is in 'full lockdown' mode, the Swiss infection rate is impressively high, France about to emerge from lockdown, and the Hooray Henry's ( or Henri's) think it's fine to go skiing?

Firstly, "foreign" could be a matter of a few km by car, the border is a fairly arbitrary distinction.

Second, the government implements a set of rules they think balance the risk of coronavirus with the risk of economic collapse, social needs, personal needs etc. As long as you obey those rules then yes it is fine.

We have confirmed our booking for our usual hotel in Austria for our ski week; they have a good policy allowing last minute cancellation in the event travel is not possible from either country, or in case of quarantine etc. So we wait and see if the rules allow it, and will follow those rules to the letter.

Well there is the letter of the law, and the spirit of the law.

Codified law requires zero interpretation, that’s its beauty

Austria will be introducing 2 weeks quarantine for a 3 week period starting for arrivals just before Christmas

You do realise the point of that saying is not to twist the rules or seek out minor loopholes to suit your own purposes?

Hardly what I was suggesting - I'm doing everything that I've been told to protect my family and our society.

You clearly have no understanding of the sort of people who go skiing.

And then there's common sense. Observing proper sanitation and separation is important, home or away. Masks are required everywhere there are people to come into contact with, including when using the ski lifts. Queues will be subject to proximity rules (exactly how it'll be enforced I don't know, but I'm confident it can, and will, be done), restaurants which are currently closed except for takeaways may or may not be in operation depending on government guidelines, shops all have max capacity rules and mandatory masks...

And hotels, where separation, contact-free check-in, no communal areas etc. cannot be realistically enforced will simply not be open. Nor will the catered chalets, and groups in larger apartments are nearly always close famiiy anyway.

In short, I see no reason why a skiing holiday should be any more risky for individuals or society as a whole than staying at home, provided everyone observes the necessary precautions.

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