Enzo, the company's founder, should have been the President of Italy.

If I'd had a son, I would have called him Dino, the same as Enzo's first born. Instead, I've had to settle with having a sister called Dina. You can't deny it, those lucky souls involved with Ferrari family are some seriously cool customers. Or so I thought.

Once a year the extended families and crew of the Ferrari and Ducati - the motorbike manufacturer - racing teams descend on the lovely resort of Madonna di Campiglio to launch the new season as well as thank their staff and favourite media professionals  with a five-day break in the beautiful Italian Dolomites.

Schumy with his 500 enroute to his favourite hotel in Madonna di Campiglio - The  family run Hotel Gianna.

It's no surprise that they go to Madonna; as well as boasting some gobsmacking vistas within reasonable distance of Ferrari HQ in Maranello, it has a first-class ski area and some great hotels and restaurants to boot.

Ignore the view in the foreground and enjoy the background view of Dolomiti di Brenta.

Whilst these facts alone ought to be enough to go on, rumour has it that the tourist office director of the area knew someone well in Philip Morris, parent company of Marlboro - the iconic title sponsor of the Ferrari Formula 1 Team. Naturally, one thing led to another and Madonna became the alpine home of Ferrari, rather than the more established Cortina d'Ampezzo, Courmayeur (or any other ski resort in the Alps).

These days, there's branding all over Madonna to remind you of this fact, including a Ferrari bar and nightclub.

What a show they put on in the third week of January, too. The buzz in the resort is palpable as current and former Ferrari drivers including Michael Schumacher himself come for a ski with their team. The frozen lake in the middle of Madonna becomes an ice racing circuit, featuring Ducati, the Fiat 500, karts or whatever the flavour is that year.

If you're lucky enough to be invited as a guest of Ferrari - as I was - then there are also some incredible parties on and off the mountain, as well as a ski race.

Felipe warming up.

Your truly enjoying the hospitality.

But here's the thing: despite all the excitement and ambience in Madonna, with everyone walking down the street in their Ferrari uniforms looking uber cool, special edition Ferrari skis over their shoulders, none of them can actually ski. Seriously, none of them. Every single one makes their way to the bottom of the hill in either a snowplough or have their bottoms or arms positioned awkwardly and in the wrong place. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, in normal ski gear. But dressed to the nines is Ferrari red? Just not cool. If I was in charge of this lot, I'd say: 'have your fun and practice your skiing... but not in my uniform please! There's even a black ski run called 'The Schumacher.' I mean...?!

Felippe Massa - Ferrari F1 Driver

Casey Stoner - Former MotoGP World Champion

Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari F1 Driver and former World Champion

The boys waiting for the arrival of his Excellency, Luca Montezemolo Chairman of Ferrari and lots of other things in Italy.

Family photo with Luca and Team boss Stefano Domenicali

Luca being interviewed by Bernie Ecclestone's daughter.  Whats her name?? Wait a minute... Did I not see her on some poster on Wandsworth Bridge or is that the other sister?

My friend Chris Madigan was convinced she was Sarah Palin

And the party continues

This guy rocked up in Courmayeur's pedestrian zone. Honestly, no need to show off. You are cool as it is.

Regardless of this Event, this is a great week or weekend to go to Madonna di Campiglio. Its not busy, and Ferrari put on a great show for the public on Madonna's frozen lake and generally add a great buzz to the whole place.

As Christmas is approaching, I thought I'd share with you this spritual experience......

Back in the days when I was fit, one of my aims was to do the Haute Route.  Chamonix to Zermatt.

A six-day ski tour, climbing and skiing untracked mountains by day and sheltering in high alpine refuges by night. I got to know the Alps intimately that winter, and these days I'm a real bore on an airplane. On a clear day, I can point out almost every glacier and peak between Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. With the Haute Route conquered, I started to explore slightly easier day tours. Soon enough, I discovered a real gem.

If you ever cross the alps from the Aosta Valley down towards Switzerland via the Grand Saint Bernard pass, where the last scene of The Italian Job took place, you will arrive at a ski area called Super St Bernard .

And by the way whilst I am on that subject, the opening sequence of the Italian Job was filmed on the Petit St Bernard Pass which links the ski resort  La Thuile to La Rosiere in France.

The opening sequence photo above is the interior of one of my favourite classic cars, the Lamborghini Miura.

Aren't they just the most gorgeous eyelashes?

Sorry, I got side tracked there. If you ever cross the alps from the Aosta Valley towards Switzerland, the first place you come out of the Grand St Bernard tunnel is a ski area called Super St Bernard, part of the Verbier Four Valleys ski pass.

This is a glorfied car park with just one lift that climbes almost 1000m of vertical, with some incredible off-piste terrain below it. You could spend the entire day going up and down that lift and never get bored. But that wasn't the plan on my first visit. We were there for ski touring.

After a couple of long runs to whet the appetite, we took the lift up a third time to begin a lengthy traverse and climb to the Grand St Bernard Monastery and Hospice, where we would spend the night.

It wasn't a hard climb and when we arrived in this desolate place,  where, rumour has it, Hannibal crossed the Alps, I knocked on this old wooden door to be greeted by a friendly monk who invited us in. Father Bernard Gabioud spoke in a velvet monotone that suggested great spirituality.  He offered us rooms for the night. We went to Vespers, had a lovely super with copious volumes of red wine, sadly didn't see the legendary St Bernard dogs with Cognac under their chins and each tucked under a comfortable duvet, lights out for a good night's sleep.

What a great experience in such an incredibly remote setting.  In the morning on the Italian side we found drifts, windblown slabs and cornices presenting difficult skiing and an obvious avalanche risk.

After skirting the most dangerous part, we then had fun skiing on a section of the tunnel flat roof and enjoyed some great powder before shooting down to passport control at the Italian entrance to the road tunnel.

If you want to know more about this give me a shout as since writing this blog I found out that the Super St Bernard lift is no longer working. To reach the Monastery from the car park is still a short tour. The altitude of the tunnel entrance car park is 1,900m and the Hospice and pass are at 2,469m, about 2 hours for the fit ones and 4 hours for me.

The hospice at Grand St Bernard remains open to travellers, and although you won't see any St Bernards in the winter these days, the monks still keep a few in the summer if you decide to brave the pass in summer and the Croce Bianca restaurant in Etroubles on the Italian side is a must!

Happy Christmas

Today, I'd like to share a story with you that I normally reserve for my nearest and dearest. The story of my trip to Aspen, Colorado.

I grew up in the 70's and 80's reading Powder Magazine, a US publication which was always filled cover-to-cover with inspirational photography. You know the sort,  some skier in 50cm of powder, charging through frozen trees looking effortlessly cool. The caption simply reads: Snowbird, Utah. Unsurprising, then, that North American powder was all I dreamt about. I had done seasons and seasons all over Europe, but never came close to experiencing the legendary white stuff from the other side of the pond.

Powder so thin, you can't form it into a snowball. So light, you can ski through it mid-afternoon and blow it off a car roof. So I began organising the trip of a lifetime with a buddy of mine from Edinburgh. A no-nonsense Scotsman by the name of Neil, who I knew would be up to the task of conquering American mountains with me.

Choosing a destination proved tricky; whilst there was a great choice of resorts to pick from, our checklist was a little more sophisticated. We wanted somewhere with nightlife, ambience, good dining and mountain restaurants that didn't serve you food on plastic plates. A glass of wine would have been a bonus. After lengthy consultation with my friends in the ski press, we soon decided there was only one option: Aspen.

Off we went, landing at Aspen Airport in a snowstorm. A $30 lift into town in a stretch limo (the chauffeur's client had cancelled on him at the last minute), our skis sticking out the back, left us grinning ear-to-ear. This is what we had come for! Upon checking in, the receptionist in Limelight Lodge  flashed us both a knowing smile. Ah, American customer service, I thought to myself. Could it get any better than this? Arriving in our room, I open a copy of the Aspen Times. The headline - Aspen Eagerly Awaits Gay Ski Week?

I jumped off my seat - the receptionist's smile suddenly made sense. For a couple of single blokes on the pull ( this is a long time ago), it seemed we had picked the wrong week. The two of us would be sharing a room, going out together for meals, drinks, and skiing together for the rest of the week. How would we explain our situation to everyone we met? No matter, though. Aspen was an amazing place. Four mountains, excellent après-ski, a lovely town with great shops (with heated pavements!), high-class restaurants and out-of-this world skiing both on and off the piste.The nearby resort of Vail was only a two-hour drive, so we even managed to squeeze that one in, too.

One dilemma. We weren't quite sure about how we would tell our friends when we returned home.  Make a joke of it and tell them about our disaster or keep it quite? We made plenty of  amusing stories out of our surprise visit to Gay Week, which caused plenty of laughs from the locals.

Yes, it had gone excellently. Until the last day, that is.

"Is that Amin?!?" I hear someone scream, as I get ready to board the chairlift. "Amin! What are you doing here??"  My heart sinks; with grins on their faces, three ski journalists from three different broadsheet newspapers from the UK ski over to where I am standing. They have been covering Aspen Gay Week. Red-faced, I have to explain to my colleagues exactly why I am at the largest gay festival on the planet with a tough-looking Scotsman as my roommate.

Many years later, I've yet to live that one down amongst my friends. I've yet to return to Aspen, either. Nonetheless, it remains one of my two favourite resorts in North America (the second being Jackson Hole, WY). I'd love to go back soon. Maybe next time, I'll check the Aspen Times first!

I did buy a souvenier T Shirt which had the wording: How's Your Aspen?

Watching the news and the threat of yet more strikes ( and don't remind me about BA) takes me back to the 80's and how I ended up in the ski business.

In this line of work I occasionally get invited to a few rounds of golf in the summer.

I couldn't believe my luck when just a few weeks ago, whilst the News of the World phone hacking scandals was in the ascendancy, I was paired with Eddy Shah to play the gruelling West Course in Wentworth.

'Who's Eddy Shah?' I hear you cry. Well, for starters, he's the reason I failed my Industrial Relations thesis as a student back in 1984. Eddy is also of Persian origin and so am I.

He was also the most famous face in Britain for six months back in 1982/83. He took on the trade unions, when they were crippling the country, and at the same time revolutionised the print industry before Murdoch entered the game.

At the time, running a newspaper on Fleet Street cost a monumental sum of money. Nobody had computers, and everything printed in London was transported by train across the country. It was Eddy that introduced desktop publishing, using new technology that allowed newspapers to be made up on computers rather than using piecing together hot metal by hand.

At the same time, he introduced colour printing to newspapers with the launch of his flagship publication, Today. Suddenly, the whole process sped up.

Sadly he didn't have the money to market Today, and soon had to sell up. Nowadays, everyone does it the way Eddy used to.

So there I was, some 30 years later, playing golf with the topic of my failed 1984 thesis (my lecturer was a labour supporter, and we never saw eye-to-eye as far as Eddy was concerned). I told Eddy that when I re-sat my exam, I softened my tone to get a pass, but by that time I was fed up of the whole environment in this country and had decided to go and work in the Alps.

And now I'm running a business that I am passionate about and believe in. Everything happens for a reason, I suppose!

But what's Eddy up to? Well, his wife Jennifer (an ex-Bond girl) fought cancer some time ago, and they now help run the Nicholls Foundation with a friend of Eddy's - David Nicholls. The Foundation raises money for stem cell research and they organise a very high profile pro-am golf event at Eddy's golf club and spa, The Wiltshire.

Ex-pro Peter Aliss commentates, each team is paired with a celeb such as Michel Roux, Heston Blumenthal, Richard Shepherd ( owner of Langans), Brian Turner etc.  In the last 6 years, they've raised an astonishing £600,000 for the Foundation.

What's more, David Nicholls ( who was the youngest Michelin Star chef in the UK) is one of the directors of the Mandarin Oriental group and was responsible for bringing Heston Blumenthal to their Knightsbridge Hotel. So it's not just a great golf event - the catering is world-class, too. A Mandarin Oriental is about to open in Milan and if you are travelling anywhere around the world, any of their restaurants will definitely merit a detour.

For any of you golfers-cum-foodies out there, look out for the Wiltshire Celebrity Golf Event in 2012.

There is a new kid on the block and he is going to make the business of networking, dynamic, racey and fun!

12 years ago we created the City Ski Championships with a clear vision: to take the party atmosphere and excitement of high-level ski racing found at a World Cup race, and make it accessible to London's keenest snowsports enthusiasts. More than that - we wanted to give our spectators the chance to have a go themselves, regardless of ability.

The Giant Slalom

Even snowboarders are welcome:-)

The Accenture Dual Parallel Slalom in relay format, in teams of 4

Radar Trap. Who is the fastest skier? Your speed measured by a speed gun.

12 years later, we truly believe that we've delivered that. Those that took part this year enjoyed the best of both worlds, entertaining clients or colleagues, mixing with celebrities and networking whilst still getting to experience the pumping adrenalin of standing in the start hut. Which is why when the weekend was over, next year's dates went straight into the diaries of those that took part. F1 Champion Damon Hill, who keeps coming back year after year, described the event as "competition in its friendliest format". And he's not wrong.

Damon is the patron of the Halow Project.

Lunch at the Savills Alpine Homes paddock area

A dozen years has allowed the Championships to evolve into a tremendous community of city firms, media folks, friends, celebrities and loyal sponsors that - through the spirit of competition - have become good friends.

So what do we have to look forward to in 2012? For starters, we've moved to Crans Montana in the Valais Region.

Switzerland. Why? We needed a resort that matched our aspirations, befitting of our expanding clientèle. Somewhere chic and dynamic, that's focused on the UK market. After a lengthy search, we found we could look no further than Crans Montana.

Crans Montana. Views to die for. A must for your ski holiday.

Not only do they offer a fresh injection of alpine culture into the event, but the resort boasts the capacity for the event to grow without losing its personality.The resort has an excellent pedigree, it hosts the men's Alpine World Cup, Omega Golf European Masters and the Caprice Music Festival whilst boasting both an excellent snow record and a glacier as good as any in the Valais.

As a measure of Crans Montana's commitment to the event, I'm proud to announce that they have promised to deliver the same prices for ski passes, rental and accommodation,a great range of hotels in the resort  as our guests enjoyed in Italy in 2011. It promises to be the best value ski weekend in the whole of Switzerland. So no fear of exchange rate here.

The really big news is that in 2012, we plan to realign the event by broadening the concept into The Momentum Ski Festival. Of course, the racing will still be the backbone of the festival, but with a major apres ski programme organised by Marcus Brigestocke's agency, Taking the Piste. Confirmed Comedy Club acts so far are Marcus himself, Rufus Hound, The Feeling playing at Zero Dix on the Friday and stand by for Miss Sophie Ellis Bextor to DJ at our party! Lots more to be announced soon.

The Feeling

Marcus Brigstocke

Rufus Hound

NEW for 2012 is  the launch of The FT Alpine Business Forum, engaging top business
and media leaders on the most pressing and interesting current issues facing us.

So whilst the City Ski Championships will continue, the weekend will also be open  to non-skiers who simply like the idea of a big alpine party or those who want mix business with pleasure can attend the FT Alpine Business Forum with CEO's and VIP guests.. George Osbourne more than welcome to attend. 

Marcus with Jeremy Rollason of Savills and record breaking athlete Colin Jackson.

Celebrity Ski coach Warren Smith and his team will be there again, if you want to improve your performance.

The main man, our commentator and prize giving maestro, Matt Chilton,  Britain's voice of skiing.

The bottom line is: you can do as little or as much as you want. Demand has already been overwhelming, but we still want you to promote the event amongst your colleagues, friends and clients so we can build as big a party as possible. We'll provide the infrastructure and resources. We'll put together the programme,  from racing

Try a pair of £2,000 Zai skis

and prize giving ceremonies

to meeting facilities and great entertainment...and you bring your clients, associates or friends, enjoy all the benefits of a top-class event, and don't have to organise a thing.To hear more, contact me, amin@momentumski.com and we'll see you in Crans Montana, 15-18 March 2012.

Things were much easier back then - just daddy and his little girl on a road trip that began with cycling the Golden Gate Bridge and touring round San Francisco before heading over to ski Squaw Valley, Northstar, Kirkwood, Sierra, Heavenly, Mammoth and finishing with the ultimate treat in LA: Disneyland.

It truly was a trip of a lifetime (if you're really interested, you can read the article I wrote about it in the Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard magazine). Make sure you give me a shout if you like the sound of it, and we'll organise it for you.

Fast forward to 2011, and Emilia is now nine (what's more, we now have Emma who is six months old!). Although we still love skiing in the States, a road trip was out of the question with a baby on board. We needed to spend the week somewhere where we could take it in turns to ski with the nine year old whilst the other parent babysat.

My wife and I would have to pick our destination very carefully. The answer was Heavenly. And I'm about to tell you why.

1. The views are Heavenly

You have the lake to look at one side and the desert on the other side.

2. They "get it"

I've been all over the place with my skis, from Northern Europe to the chilliest parts of South America, but Heavenly are one of the best at their game. There's a reason that they're the biggest ski resort company in the US; they have a smart, friendly team of highly-qualified people, and that's just one of the reasons why they "get it".

3. Ski in, ski out comes as standard

They have 10,000 beds that allow you to walk outside and already be up the mountain. Heavenly.

4. It's the second biggest resort in the US

With 47 intermediate ski runs, lots of terrain and adventure parks for children, it would take a several days to explore it all.

5. Skier-friendly tree lines

So this is a slightly strange one, but then again, all Emilia wanted to do was ski in the trees. Usually this terrifies me. But not in Heavenly – the trees here are deliberately spaced apart to make it easier to ski them.

6. The ski school rocks

As with many American resorts, the ski school is fantastic with kids. It's always nice to have instructors for whom English is a first language, too. There's also a great childcare centre at the base of the gondola in case both mum and dad want to ski.

7. Not everyone is a hardcore skier

Most of the folks in Heavenly want to do more than just ski, and that's what ticked the box for us as a family. It's international with great restaurants, bars, and casinos with heaps of entertainment and concerts (I was devastated to miss Robert Plant's gig by just a couple of days!). There's also no need to drive in resort, there's an ice skating rink, cinemas and – best of all – you can combine the trip with a stopover in San Francisco for a spot of shopping or a day in Yosemite National Park.

Hardcore skiers need not despair, though. If you want to tick off a few other ski resorts, then Kirkwood, Squaw Valley and Northstar are all within an hour's drive and all accessible by the shuttle bus.

PS. If you're really lucky, as I was, you might ski with Mike Frye – Lake Tahoe Visitor Authority's frontline dude and the most stylish skier I have ever skied with. An ex-race coach, PSIA examiner, instructor, programme director, and a resort boss at Kirkwood in the past. I wish I was him.

Mike, about to embark on the "Fire Break", a fire break in the trees that runs from the top of East Peak down to the village.

Skiing on either side of the "break" brings on consistently steep pitch high 30 degrees terrain..fall line riding....and you come out directly at Forest Suites hotel and walk across the street to Heavenly Village. Very little like it in the USA.....really big old growth trees..... monster granite boulders.....and outrageous scenery.

Detour to visit Yosemite national park before heading back to the UK.

Guest of Damon Hill. The coolest pass to have around your neck.  AAA. Access all areas.

I couldn't believe my luck. OK, so I'm bragging a little. But can you blame me? Damon, as you may know, was the F1 World Champion in 1996. He's also a great guy, an excellent skier,  President of the BRDC (that's British Racing Drivers Club to you and me) and the man who secured the British Grand Prix deal in Silverstone for 17 years in this country. The BRDC is the proud owner of Silverstone, and its clubhouse is a seriously comfortable place to spend a day at the races. Especially when the Formula 1 circus is in town for the British Grand Prix, as it was last week.

When I say comfortable, I mean it. Imagine watching the cars pass as you lounge in an armchair, or grab a drink on the roof terrace. It's an invitation that money can't buy, mixing with legends such as Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart as well as Royalty.

Even a Red Bull, McLaren or Ferrari VIP pass won't get you through the door on Grand Prix day. Although a face as scary as this one below probably would:

Last time I met Bernie was in the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio, for the annual ski jolly for the Ferrari team. ( By the way, if you haven't been there you must go).

I think I've adequately set the scene. Back to the story.

So these tickets land on my desk, as a personal thank you from Damon. For the last two years, we've helped raised some sizeable sums for a charity that he is the Patron of  Halow,  as part of the Momentum City Ski Championships, where Damon is a regular racer and party goer.

(If you want to have a ski with Damon, next years City Ski Championships weekend dates are 16-18 March in Crans-Montana.)

First problem: what car does one drive to the Grand Prix? My Volvo Estate wasn't going to cut it; I didn't want to embarrass an F1 champion. There was a time when I'd head to Silverstone, to avoid the traffic, on my Vespa, but with the company I'd be keeping, that didn't seem like a good idea either. Luckily, my friend Dave was joining me (I had a pair of tickets, after all). His Toyota Prius is even less cool then my Vespa, but at least we were able to take the moral high ground as we rolled into the paddock next to a collection of super cars.

Soon enough, we saw some familiar faces.

like Rachel, a City Ski Champs regular in the Red Bull Garage, with Alistair Watkins, ex- FIA Press Officer

...and Kenneth Clark MP. I never guessed he would be into F1. I wonder if he skis?

Kenneth used to be on the board of British American Tobacco who used to own the BAR F1 Team, which became Honda, then Brawn and now Mercedes. Confused?

Then we settled down to watch the race with Damon's son Josh. Josh has announced that he wants to get into F1 and is in his second season of racing. He certainly has the pedigree!

A rising star and a hell of a nice guy. Look out for his name in a few years. This is an ideal time for any potential sponsor to strike a deal with him.

It was a great race, even if Prince Harry was upset to see a Spanish driver win rather than British. I was hoping to have an espresso in the Ferrari Motorhome and say hello to my friends there, who we've previously run events for. But race day isn't the time to bother them.The Paddock area is where all the work goes on. ( for more Paddock photos see end of this blog)

Ferrari Motorhome area behind the Pit Lane. A luxury portable hotel.

The best part of the day?

As the race ended, Damon came to pick us up and take us to the post-race party. Silverstone is a festival in all but name, with over 300,000 people who come to watch the race and party. Inevitably, our car got mobbed en route - something I have never been on the receiving end of.

Photo from insde the car.

Boy, do F1 fans love Damon. I'm not talking screaming teenagers surrounding the Beatles either, but full-blown grown-ups desperate for his signature and to shake his hand. Eventually, we got through and Damon headed for the stage as I filmed. The applause he got compared to anyone else (and that includes Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton) was incredible.

CLICK HERE TO  Watch Damon video go on stage

I get a message on my phone. It's the wife: 'when will you be home? ''Could be a while"  I text back, 'I'm backstage with Damon Hill and Lewis Hamilton".

Lewis with the fragrant Sylvia Hoffer Frangipane, media officer at McLaren.

And our day ends here, enjoying the Eddie Jordan band ( whom I am thinking of inviting to next years Momentum Ski Festival weekend, if it doesnt clash with the first GP of the season), mixing with F1 aristocracy and soaking up the atmosphere. We slip into our Prius and begin the journey back to London, only to get cut off by Nigel Mansel in his six-litre Mercedes. Some things never change..

PS: I briefly touched on the Paddock area where all the work is done. If you are into F1, and what goes on behind the scenes, you may like some of  these photos.

The Dark Forces.

Darth Vader.

Back in 5 minutes.

No break for Ferrari.

Lewis, get rid of those ear rings, please.

Good to see Lotus back.

Inside the Ferrari motorhome.

"Get off my sofa", says Felippe Massa.

Sunday best clean for our next door neighbour's windows.

The new Wing at Silverstone above the pit lane. Great achievement Damon.Bravo

BRDC trackside garden.

The Pit Wall.

Vote for Montezemolo, Italy's next  President?

You might have noticed that if you ever travel to Geneva at the end of February, it is busy and it's virtually impossible to find a space in the airport car park, even in mid-week. Don't worry, you're not going bonkers; you've simply fallen victim to the Geneva Motor Show. If you're a petrolhead, you've almost certainly heard of it - as far as the automotive industry is concerned, it's the most important show on earth. Why? Because the Swiss don't produce cars, making them - as traditional dictates - a neutral location. Instead of domestic manufacturers dominating the trade show, each has equal representation - allowing for a level playing field where everybody wins.

Ferrari announced they are going Green!

Every year, we at Momentum Ski head to Geneva to look after a special group of elite UK media guests on behalf of Ford - probably the most dynamic manufacturer in the business when it comes to marketing and PR.  It is the intention at Ford these days to be seen alongside BMW in terms of performance, handling, fit and finish, rather than just another Vauxhall or Peugeot, so it's really no wonder that no expense is spared when it comes to media relations.That's where we come in. Before the Geneva Motor Show gets underway, Ford invites a select handful of the key motoring journalists to the Alps, with logistics handled by Momentum Ski.

All the toys lined up on the Flaine Ice track. The Escort heritage from the start to winning rally ones.

Eric, the ice driving instructor. He gave me some great tips on how to handle normal hire cars on snowy alpine roads.

Even the old Escort is put through its paces.

So why the mountains before the show?

The mountains give Ford management a unique chance to get to know their most important journalists in an environment that takes everybody away from the stresses and pressures of their daily life. The scenery, skiing and first-class hospitality of a Momentum trip, along with a good balance of informality, ensures a unique experience for all those involved - which is something we try to achieve with all the corporate trips we run.

Test driving the new Ranger off road near La Thuile

Now if you really like cars, then read the rest below...

Whenever I am with clients, I am always asked the self-same question: what is my favourite ski resort? I never get tired of answering, such is my passion for the mountains, but it did get me to thinking: what if the boot were on the other foot? So it was - after numerous requests from those of you that watch Top Gear, 5th Gear or occasionally read car magazines - that I decided to pop the question to the elite selection of motoring journalists in my company.

If you could only have one car for the rest of your life, what would it be ? Bear in mind I asked this question at about 2am in a nightclub.

And here are the results...

Chas Hallett, Autocar: Mercedes Estate E Class

Richard Bremner, Inside Line US: Porsche 911

James Woodroffe, Producer of 5th Gear: Fiat Panda 4x4 Sisley

Top Gear: Shall remain nameless, Range Rover Diesel TDV8

Sam Hardy, Auto Express: 1977 Pontiac Transam

Jonny Smith, Sunday Times & 5th Gear presenter: Ford Granada MK1 3litre

John Mahoney: Editor of Mazda Zoom Zoom Magazine!  Porsche 993 RS

Guy Bird, Wallpaper: Nissan Cube MKII

Jay Nagley, Redspy.Journalist & Automotive Cosultant: Ford Focus RS

and me? I am going to chose 2 cars. After all I am writing this blog:-)

1) If I was on my way to pick up Jackie Kennedy or Keira Knightley for dinner? A 1965 Pontiac GTO

2) To show off at the school gates? A 1967 Maserati Sebring

With the tourist office bosses of Lech, Davos, St Anton, Seefeld, Garmisch, St Moritz, Zermatt, Megeve, Chamonix, Kitzbuhel, Grindelwald & Cortina

As you can imagine, I was somewhat taken aback to find myself rubbing shoulders with some of the most powerful men and women in the Alps, including the tourist office directors from each of the 12 resorts. My mild surprise soon gave way to complete astonishment as the Championships got underway. The atmosphere was electric.

Those of you lucky enough to have witnessed a major international ski race will know what I mean, and those that haven't, only will, if you go yourself. It's almost indescribable; the excitement felt by everyone in town, and the burning question on everyone's lips: who is going to be the best skier in the world today? Nothing  except an FA Cup or World Cup Final really compares.

The race was fantastic, with Ted Ligety of the USA winning the Giant Slalom, much to the surprise (and frustration) of the Austrians and Swiss.

I continued watching long after Ted had sown up the win, with GBR athletes Noel Baxter, TJ Baldwin and Dave Ryding coming down in bib numbers in the 50's and 60's. An honourable mention must also go to the lone Iranian skier in bib 67, Porya Saveh Shemshaki, who takes his surname from the wonder ski resort of Shemshak, situated just outside Tehran.

After an enjoyable lunch, the Best of the Alps attachés took us on a tour of the major nations headquarters. As with the Olympics, these are the buildings inhabited by the national federations to look after and entertain their key partners and sponsors. Entry is by invitation only, of course. But then again, I was in the company of the Alpine mafia, the BOTA (or MOTA, as I prefer to call it!). Thankfully, this wasn't the Olympics, otherwise it would have been the equivalent of a very long pub crawl.Swiss House was our first stop, heavily branded with St Moritz logos because of its candidacy for the 2017 World Championships.

The place was full of cheese fondues, dried meats, cheeses, flags, pickles and all the Swiss wine from the Valais that you could shake a stick at. World Cup Champion Didier Cuche walked in during our visit to rapturous applause, even if he didn't win a medal.

Next came Italian House; slick, spacious, lean and contemporary, with a nice glass of Prosecco and handshake from Alberto Tomba to greet you at the door. Would you have expected anything else?

Several more glasses of Prosecco later,

we arrived at Austrian House.

Again, they didn't fail to live up to national stereotypes: buxom, dirndl-clad waitresses were on hand with an endless supply of beer, which were thumped upon the tables in time to the music played by the umpa band in the corner. For those of us that preferred to stick to wine, the chief sommelier was none other than Adi Werner, owner of the legendary Hospiz Alm in St Christoph.

My wine grip being corrected by Adi to the Tirol Grip!

Bavarian House was our final, somewhat-weary stop. The facility is a permanent fixture in Garmisch at the moment, promoting the heritage of the resort as a former Olympic and now World Championships host.

Just missed the Angela Merkel interview:-(

With good reason, too: Munich (and Garmisch by extension) is a candidate for the 2018 Winter Olympics.With Munich just a 90-minute drive away, Garmisch is personal favourite of mine as a skiing destination, whether it's for a weekend getaway to the slopes, or a longer stay. And with some of the best hotel rates in the Alps (rooms from as little as 80 euros a night), it's reasonably priced, too.

Not sure if this gondola is still in use!

One of the most eye-opening trips I experienced last week was a visit to Crans Montana.

Last time I was there was in 1979. I was 17. Disco was in its heyday, from John Travolta and Saturday Night Fever to Earth Wind and Fire and The Bee Gees. Unsurprisingly I was desperate to get into a night club, and spent half my time in the UK trying to achieve this goal. Sadly, I looked about 15 and never had any success.

That is, until I spent Christmas 1979 in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana. Sneaking out one night after dinner, my older sister and I headed for 'Le Sporting'. I'll never forget it – the electric atmosphere, the beautiful girls, and all the tables for everyone to sit around. What's more, the music was great, giving a Pink-Pantheresque feel to the place. The night would have been complete had Peter Sellers walked in with Claudia Cardinale on his arm.

Plenty of great snow, all the way down, last week.

I loved the skiing too. There wasn't much snow around in Switzerland that December, but all I remember was that Crans Montana had a glacier and we skied it till the lifts closed. Just like any 17-year-old, I was pretty hard to please, but this resort ticked all the boxes: a thriving discoteque, the best pizzas outside Italy, and good intermediate skiing terrain to bomb down.

Buvette Pepinet terrace. Roger Moore's and the local's favourite.

I wasn't one bit disappointed when I returned last week. These days, 'Le Sporting' acts as the clubhouse for the resort's championship golf course, but none of the charm has disappeared. As a teenager, I'd spent my time looking at the girls and missed some the most amazing views in the entire Alps. Watching the sunset reach from Mont Blanc to far beyond the Matterhorn whilst sitting at your hotel terrace ( from most hotels actually is a vision imprinted on my mind forever. Truly stunning.

Henry crackiing open the bottle to celebrate the best sunset in the alps.

What's more, last week, I was lucky enough to see some equally beautiful views of Lake Geneva en route to Crans Montana (Swissrail is definitely the best way to travel to the resort, as far as I'm concerned). The well-known rock band, Deep Purple, were quick to point out during an end-of-season gig in Crans a few years ago that their famous track – Smoke on the Water – was recorded as a result of smoke on the Lake Geneva water after a fire burnt their studio down. And that says it all, really!

Crans Montana is a great ski area with some fantastic runs and if you're a family with young children, your kids will thank you for it. Crans is one of the few resorts which has sunshine all day, and over December, January and February, where most other resorts drift into shade and skiing becomes extremely cold in the afternoons.

Off piste ( Les Favereges) off the back of the Plein Morte glacier to Aminona, part of Crans-Montana's ski area.

Drop 3 letters, "ona", and you have a classy resort!

To this day it remains an upmarket resort with great boutiques and excellent bars and restaurants both on and off the mountain. Roger Moore is a permanent resident here and I was even lucky enough to have his instructor, Jorg, show me his favourite haunts (now that was a great day's skiing!). That said, there's a great choice of hotels for every budget. Other regular celebs that you might bump into include, Alain Delon (those were the days), Bono, Rowan Atkinson, Ben Fogle, and James Cracknell. And did you know Countess of Wessex - yes, Sophie Rhys-Jones - did a ski season in Crans Montana working as a rep for Bladon Lines?

With three new boutique hotels (Le Crans, Guarda Golf and Crans Luxury Lodges) and the 5-star Crans Ambassador, 2012 is set to be Crans Montana's year.

IF YOU HAD 48 HOURS IN CRANS-MONTANA

Ski runs:

Chetzeron, Toula, "National" World Cup run and for the off-piste, Les Faverges down to Aminona (see picture below).

Lunch:

Buvette Pepinet and Chetzeron (see photo below) and Les Violettes if you're staying longer. You can dine in Chetzeron at night too.

Apres- Ski: Zero Dix

Aperitif: Senso (photo below), Le Plaza or 1900 fort the local scene.

Dinner: Bistrot "des Ours and Mont Blanc restaurant in Hotel Le Crans

Bistrot "des Ours"

Mont Blanc at Le Crans

End of dinner treat at Mont Blanc

Later: Pacha, Xellent or Monki's for the younger. Roberta's is my favourite for a few late night drinks. Roberta is a great host!

Xellent.

We went too early!

Oh, and for the more adventurous skiers:

After a great lunch at the Pepinet, eating the most amazing wild mushrooom croutes washed down with a Valais Gamay...

...our guide Jean Yves suggested we do one last off-piste run down the back of the glacier. This time towards the Zeuzier Dam below the village of Anzeres. This is more of a ski tour with a great steep descent down to the dam. To our surprise, when we reached the dam where we had agreed to meet our driver, the road was closed . We had to walk 1km on glass ice through two freezing and pitch-black tunnels!

Still, glad we did it.

I'm sure I either saw bats or alien eyes staring at me in there. Or was I just tired!

Did you know that you can have a curry at high altitude? Well, now you do! The Gletschergarten restaurant on the Zugspitze Glacier in Garmisch is perhaps the only place in the Alps to serve curry (with a modern twist) and wow, it's worth it.

I recently ate there at lunchtime whilst cruising the glacier. The chef, Akram, who has lived in Germany for 13  years but originates from Punjab, offers a tantalising fusion of Italian, French, Spanish, Arabic and Punjabi cuisine.

This leads to an unusual and delicious selection of mountain fare such as corn poularde breast with basmati rice and thai vegetables, salad bouquet with falafel and yoghurt dressing, and fish served with noodles and vegetables. It's keenly priced, too, with a three-course set menu costing 25 Euros and a pint of beer in town at 3.80 Euros. Beat that Val d'Isere!!

At the end of the day we took the train from the glacier, getting off after about half an hour to have a final ski down through the trees to the base of the cable car.  Remember Akram next time you're in Garmisch if you're looking for an unusual way to spend the afternoon...

There is an awesome Bavarian dining room in Garmisch too - the Gasthof Fraundorfer, which serves proper Bavarian nosh, to an accompaniment of dirndl-dressed waitresses and happy-slappy-lederhosen-clad dancers. Everyone who comes here seems to love it - and the fact you can eat yourself to a complete standstill for under a tenner helps the atmosphere no end.

Garmisch is only 90 minutes from Munich and a typical short break costs from £395 to include, scheduled flights, car hire and 3 nights B&B in a centrally location 3* hotel. A great place for short break with quite a unique dining experience.

Departure morning at home - London under snow!

A good day to travel is Sunday. Not only will you avoid the busy French changeover of Saturday, you'll also find that lorry travel is restricted, leaving you to cruise down deserted motorways. As for the journey itself, there are really two ways of doing it right. You could take a 9am Channel Tunnel crossing and do the whole drive in one go. Within 35 minutes of leaving the UK you're in Calais, where most ski resorts within reach of Geneva (Chamonix, Verbier, 3 Valleys, Val d'Isere etc) are an eight to ten hour drive.

Motorway after Calais

In my case, I was heading to Courmayeur on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc. A straight eight-hour slog from the Eurotunnel, and we were in resort in time for an aperitivo and dinner. I wouldn't expect to have done the journey much more than three hours quicker by plane, and who says my flight would have been on time? Alternatively, you could take slightly more relaxed approach. Get yourself a copy of the Relais and Chateaux Guide, and wind your way down to the Alps via a couple of nice restaurants and a hotel.

Driving isn't for everyone. Those who should consider it are families with lots of gear and those who want to enjoy the flexibility of departure times. What's more, having a car will give you the freedom to explore nearby ski areas on the down days. Chaos at airports over December let me extremely glad that I decided to drive.

Still snowing after Paris

Car choice was important with all the snow, so I took the Ford Kuga. Whilst it's compact enough to drive and park around Fulham (without getting accused of driving a Chelsea tractor), its 4x4 function handled the snow drifts with ease.  

Was it cheaper than flying? With two full tanks of diesel (£120) each way, a Eurotunnel crossing (£120), and numerous motorway tolls including the Mont Blanc Tunnel (£121), I was left around £602 out of pocket. When you consider the £970 that four flights and 7 day car hire would have cost (and a lot more over half term), it's no wonder that driving to the Alps is an increasingly popular option for British skiers and snowboarders.

Our destination:-)

A couple of months or so ago, before they started selling like hot cakes and ending up fetching ridiculous prices on eBay, I bought a couple of Heston Blumenthal's "hidden orange Christmas puddings" at my local Waitrose supermarket at £13.99 each.   Waitrose sold all 25,000 of its Heston Blumenthal Christmas Pudding within 10 days of them going on sale.

As a result, Heston Blumenthal got the chance of tucking in to his own creation when the TV chef and his family spent Christmas skiing in Courmayeur, Italy,  a holiday arranged by Momentum Ski. I bought them originally for a bit of a lark, long before they became much sought after. I knew Heston was skiing with us over Christmas, and thought it would be fun to offer some to him as well over Christmas. So as a surprise to some Momentum Ski clients, including Heston and his family, I arranged for my friend Giacomo Calosi, who runs the iconic Maison Vieille restaurant on the mountain, to serve it at a special Christmas lunch. I think it was really unique as no other mountain restaurant in Italy was likely to be serving an English Christmas pud on Christmas day!.

Said Blumenthal after his Christmas blow-out (tagliatelle with brown butter, smoked pancetta and white truffle, turkey braised with chestnuts and juniper berries, stuffed with spinach, eggs, sage, sausage meat with roasted potatoes and rosemary. "We've had a cracking Christmas lunch, one of the best ever! 

Said Heston, "Giacomo and I tried frying one slice of the Christmas pudding in butter and that was over the top for me, so we steamed it for two hours and then Giacomo served it cold with chocolate sauce and cream. The Englishman in me thought that was sacrilege but on the other hand I thought it was just right for the Italian palate. Whilst chocolate sauce is very unconventional,  if you think about it, it actually works really well with all the Christmas pudding ingredients - orange, dried fruits and spices. There are very few hidden orange puddings left in Britain but I know where I can get hold of a few and I want keep them for a year and see how they age. Maybe next Christmas I will try making a vintage version. Right now I need to get skiing after such a a big lunch!"

Heston B, Giacomo Calosi, Amin Momen

The Powell Family

Located just outside the village, it's the perfect place to cocoon yourself whilst the winds are still roaring outside. 

The best way to describe the design is 'cool rustic' - it has a cozy alpine feel, great furniture, a great restaurant, a wine cellar to die for (with the bottles stored artfully in an illuminated coffin), and perhaps the coolest lounge/bar in the Region, which boasts an excellent selection of records played on the legendary Technics 1200 turntables (Technics recently announced they were discontinuing turntables). Whilst doing my site visit, I noticed last record left on the turntable was Lou Reed. Very nice.

These guys certainly know how to run a hotel that's original and comfortable enough that you won't want to go outside. What's more, racing fans may be interested to know that Frankie Dettori is having his 40th in Les Neiges D'Antan this week!

Picture it: the stunning Alpine scenery, fabulous snow, bright sunshine, clear blue skies, and... crippling pain in your feet.

We've all been there. I remember only too well the hand-me-down boots I spent my childhood in, all the while with feet like blocks of ice. Little did I know at the time that the five layers of socks I had on were actually keeping them cold.

Things have certainly changed since then. Remember the rear-entry revolution from Salomon? Otherwise known as foam buckets. Great ski boots for dancing on tables, as I recall (as long as you set them to 'walk' mode).

Nowadays, there is no reason to let ill-fitting ski boots ruin your ski holiday. Professionally-fitted ski boots can provide levels of comfort and performance that cannot be obtained in a rental boot, and this will massively enhance your skiing experience.

5 reasons to buy your own ski boots that actually fit:

1. Every foot is unique in shape, profile and volume and no two feet are the same. Your boots can be custom fitted to your specific requirements.

2. Comfortable ski boots can transform your skiing enjoyment, while creating a more dynamic platform so that progression is quicker and easier.

3. Correctly-fitted boots will enhance comfort and aid both performance and technique.

4. Custom insoles improve alignment, comfort, power and control and are designed specifically for your feet.

5. Your own boots become a part of you rather than renting boots that are often too big, too stiff or too soft and lack any form of comfort and performance.

The most common mistake is for people to buy ski boots which are at least one or two sizes bigger. A good boot doctor should measure your size by taking the inner out and giving you the right size shell. I ski with my clips almost undone, that's how good my shell is. I don't ski with race boots and I don't have a foam fit, but I have the right shape boots and custom made insoles.

For those who get cold feet, a common problem can be bad circulation from badly fitted ski bootsas well as how your feet sit on your insoles. If your feet still get cold, there are magic heat plates which can give you a comfortable 26 degrees all day :-)So where should you go?

Well, you're in luck. This season, Momentum Ski have teamed up with ski boot specialists Profeet to provide an exclusive offer of a free ski boot MOT and both 10% off the fitting and a free boot bag if you do decide to buy a new pair.

The MOT will allow you to book an appointment with one of Profeet's expert technicians during which they will take a look at any current discomfort you've been experiencing and make the necessary adjustments free of charge. Just make sure you quote 'Momentum Ski' when booking.If you are interested in a more long-term solution, such as investing in a pair of custom fit insoles (which can be moved into a new pair of boots in the future) or boots, book an appointment with Profeet and you'll enjoy 10% off a one-on-one consultation, 3D boot fitting andanalysis. And you even get to try your boots out on their ski simulator at the end!The fitting process takes around 2 hours and you leave with your boots. Profeet also offer a lifetime comfort guarantee with every boot sold.

Sound good? Head on over to www.profeet.co.uk and have a look for yourself!

1. Ford Motors named their hugely popular, mid-size family car after it. As a publicity stunt, several Cortinas were driven down the resort's bobsled run, whilst rally ace Roger Clarke put the car through its paces on the piste.

2. David Niven, Peter Sellers and Claudia Cardinale did most of the filming for The Pink Panther - the first film in the series - here. Remember that lovely chalet with the fireplace in the middle?

3. Cortina's slopes were the filming location for perhaps the best ever James Bond stunt sequence. You know the one: Roger Moore in For Your Eyes Only, hurtling down the slopes on skis with bad guys on spiked-wheeled motorbikes exploding in his wake. Brilliant.

4. And if that wasn't already enough Hollywood screen time, Sylvester Stallone was here in the early 1990s to film most of the key scenes from the box office hit Cliffhanger

5. When Italy entered WWI back in 1915, the majority of the town's inhabitants were on the Russian front fighting for Austria. 669 men - the majority of whom were teenagers or old men - took up arms and met the advancing Italian army on the slopes were you can ski today. Severely outnumbered, they retreated after an extremely bloody mountainside battle. Following Italy's victory in the war, Cortina was given to Italy.

6. The seventh Winter Olympics were held here in 1956. The Austrian great, Toni Sailer, became the first person to sweep all three alpine skiing events in a single Olympics. Cortina has been one of the world's major ski resorts ever since.

There we have it. An elite destination with magnificent Dolomitian scenery, a traditional town, and more boutiques, great cafes and excellent restaurants than you can shake a ski pole at. The resort has two large ski areas with skiing for all abilities and a vast array of hotels to choose from, ticking all the boxes for families, couples or corporate groups. We'll also send you to the best places to dine on and off the mountain.

Sound good? It gets better. Make sure you do the following if you're heading to Cortina this winter:

First, fly to Venice airport. Store your bags at the left luggage office and grab a vaporetto (water taxi) - you'll be in St Marks Square in 30 minutes. Soak in Venice for half a day, have lunch in Osteria da Fiore before you return, and then pick up your car from the airport. It's as easy as that. Your trip is barely disrupted, you get a wonderful taste of Venice, and Cortina is still only a two-hour drive away.

Second, have lunch at Rifugio Averau. It has one of the best views in the Alps and if you ask, they'll serve three different types of their delicious pasta on one plate.

And finally, ski the Hidden Valley off Lagazuoi, which is one long red/blue run down to Armenterola. Just you and stunning nature. No other ski lifts in sight. It's every bit as beautiful as it sounds.

PS: Only very recently I saw James Bond's The Spy Who Loved Me and guess what car the baddie was using when chasing Bond in his white Lotus Espirit? Yep, A Ford Cortina.

 
Momentum Ski has a special guest at this year's London Ski Show: superchef Heston Blumenthal. Holder of three Michelin stars for his work at the Fat Duck in Bray, Blumenthal will be coming to Ski Show on Friday October 22 with Momentum Ski Director, Amin Momen, to judge the Three Valleys Cook-Off. You'll be able to see him on the Three Valleys Stand from 4-6pm, where he'll also be answering questions about both food and skiing (he loves to ski, by the way).  

For tickets to the Ski Show, visit http://www.metrosnow.co.uk/the_show
 

In the third weekend of each March, the City of London suddenly assumes a strange hush. Where is everybody? Well, wonder no more: they've probably headed for the mountains as the Momentum City Ski Championships draws them to the magnificent Aosta Valley.

The Championships – in which anyone who can ski (from boy and girl racers to beginners and even never-evers) has the chance to rip it up or dawdle daintily down a GS and a Dual Parallel Slalom course during a weekend of fun both on and off the slopes – has become an established annual event. It's held in the delightful Alpine village of Courrnayeur, perched below the Italian side of the mighty Mont Blanc massif.

Last March more than 150 high fliers swapped their pinstripes for their powdersuits and signed up for the championship weekend. Obligingly, Courmayeur's bars and hoteliers kept pace with their high spirits, providing round-the-clock entertainment!

The idea of holding ski championships for people working in the City came to Amin Momen when he started Momentum Ski 14 years ago. He wanted to specialise in tailor-made ski holidays and events. For two years we had organised the Courmayeur leg of the European Mogul Challenge and Amin was keen to organise an event for the City.

To begin with people weren't sure whether they were good enough. They kept asking me 'how good do you have to be?' and of course we reassured them that the weekend was all about fun, and not whether they were embryonic Hermann Maiers!

I think the key to encouraging people that lack confidence to compete is to have two runs. You may have to push people a little to do the first descent, but by the second they're raring to go and it's wonderful to see what a buzz they get out of skiing down a World Cup course. Although the racing on the Saturday is taken seriously by most, the biggest cheer goes up for the winner of the slowest skier award. Last year we had about 35 companies taking part, divided into teams of four. There are several categories of prizes, including fastest banker, stock broker, insurance broker, management consultant, lawyer, property agent, fund manager, and journalist as well as the prizes for over 40's and 50's and best wipeout!

The Championships are now in their 11th year and the spirit of competition lives on despite the downturn in the City. To alleviate the problem of 'how good do I have to be?' for 2011 we are also creating different ski levels which are monitored by pro skier Warren Smith. This way you can race within your own category and with Warren's clinics have something to work on and come back and beat your own time.

Besides the race, the weekend provides everyone with a full programme of entertainment, including drinks parties, and an oscar style prize-giving ceremony. If you work in the City and love skiing as much as we do, then you'd be mad to miss out on the City Ski Championships, 17^th-20^th March 2011.

There's a widely-held perception amongst ski and snowboard enthusiasts that February is the safest time – snow-wise – to take your family skiing. And they're right – the conditions are nearly always good, which makes for great conditions and an excellent trip. But know this: February is the one time of the year that hotels and airlines charge a premium (sometimes more than New Year) simply because they know they have you by the cojones. Worse still, if you go to France then the February holidays coincide with the French school holidays, turning the ski area into a zoo.

So here's some friendly advice:

If you're stuck with February half term, you have no other choice, and it really is the only time of the year you can get away to the Alps with your family, then do your bank manager a favour and book early! It's madness not to benefit from the better airline fares and the increased choice of flights that can be snapped up before the winter season, rather than just a few weeks before.

What's more, consider going to Italy. The Italians don't have February school holidays, your meals and drinks cost a lot less, the locals are friendly, and kids love Italian food. You can get a proper espresso for just 1 Euro, a nice bowl of pasta for under 10 Euros, and a pizza will set you back around 8 Euros rather than a staggering 18 Euros in the French Alps.

Better still, avoid February altogether. Take your children skiing over Christmas or the week before. Most people tend to spend Christmas at home, not realising what a magical time of year it is to take your children skiing. You'll find that the resorts are far from busy, yet fully up-and-running.

And if Christmas isn't a goer, hit the slopes at Easter. The last few seasons have seen some of the best snow falling over the Easter holidays. Long days, long lunches, lots of snow, and plenty of hotels, flights and hotels to chose from.

Believe me, the Alps have plenty to offer outside of February. Give us a ring (020 7371 9111) or send us an enquiry – you might be surprised!

Rocky Mountain hi! We at Momentum Ski have broadened our horizons.. After many winters of dipping our ski boots into North American powder, we want to share the experience with you. So we've taken on a full-time US and Canada Expert.

See our blog Meet Kelsi or call her. Kelsi is our resident North American expert.