Why are Ski Seasons so Addictive?

With season workers (AKA Seasonnaires) across the Alps packing their worldly belongings into overfull ski bags in recent weeks and bidding farewell the end of another winter ski season, it got me thinking….. Why are ski seasons so addictive? And why does the return to reality fill us with such dread?

With many professing to searching for “proper jobs” on their return to blighty you know full well that around half will be on that bus as it pulls back into resort next year with some new recruits aboard.

So what is it that draws us back in against the protest of our well meaning parents and our overdrawn accounts? And how is it possible that next year will mark a decade I’ve spent in the Alps?!?

This week we’ll be looking at the draws that pull as back year after year and it would be great to get your input! Are you a Seasonnaire, or ex-Seasonnaire? Or are your children stuck in the cycle? What do you think motivates you or them?

But for today, to kick us off, I thought we’d start with the most obvious, and for many the initial draw to the mountains…..

1. The skiing (or boarding) – of course!

This is what brings most of us here. Who wouldn’t want a winter with almost daily access to the pistes, fresh snow and endless opportunities? The adrenaline rush as you fly down freshly groomed corduroy with the wind in your hair, or finding fresh tracks, just can’t be beat! Plus, its the perfect remedy if you’ve had one too many beers at après! Phrases like “There’s no friends on powder day” were born, from people like us. People fighting for that floating feeling as you bounce through untouched powder. And others learning to make their first carving turn. For 5 months this is a reality for us. Almost every day.

So do you agree? Or is there another main draw we’ve not yet uncovered? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Answers on a postcard folks. Or better still, leave a comment below and we’ll collate the answers at the end of the week.

À bientôt tout le monde!

Written by Sara Fernie-Jones