Afternoon Tea Or Apres Ski?

The Ultimate Post-Ski Dilemma
The last run is done and the cold mountain air still lingers on your cheeks. Now comes the real question: do you cosy up in the chalet with a steaming cup of tea and a freshly baked treat, or head straight to a lively après bar, drink in hand, to dance in your ski boots?

As Royal S. Copeland once said, "The most trying hours in life are between four o'clock and the evening meal. A cup of tea at this time adds a lot of comfort and happiness." But perhaps a glass of vin chaud or an ice-cold beer provides just as much comfort after a day carving up the slopes.

Few things feel more decadent than stepping into a warm chalet after an exhilarating day on the mountain, shedding your ski layers, and sinking into a deep armchair in front of a crackling fire. Waiting for you is a table laden with fluffy, freshly baked baguettes, a mouth-watering homemade cake, and, of course, the perfect cup of tea.

Afternoon Tea is a much-loved tradition on a catered chalet holiday, and our chalet hosts make sure it’s an experience to savour. The only challenge? Deciding whether to tuck in right away or save it for later...

The alternative? Straight from the slopes to the après scene. The music is pumping, the atmosphere is electric, and that first sip of your favourite tipple tastes like pure celebration. Whether you’re a beer drinker, a cocktail connoisseur, or a champagne enthusiast, après ski is an essential part of the ski holiday experience. A chance to unwind, share stories of spectacular runs (or spectacular wipeouts), and create memories that last far beyond the final descent.

If après is calling your name, don’t worry, we’ll save your cake. Enjoy it the next morning with a coffee as the perfect pre-ski treat.

Bring a taste of the slopes to your own home with our Apple & Cinnamon Cake recipe, guaranteed to transport you straight back to the mountains or inspire you to book your next snowy escape.

Apple & Cinnamon Cake Recipe

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 apples
85g butter
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
200g raising flour
150ml milk
pinch of salt
280g brown sugar + extra for sprinkling
60g raisins

Method

1. Peel, core and chop up 1 ½ apples, leaving ½ with the skin on to be sliced for decoration.
2. Sift flour, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, raisins, eggs, melted butter, milk and apples. Mix until smooth and pour into a lined cake tin.
3. Arrange the sliced apples on top and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake at 180ºC for 45 minutes until golden and cooked through.

If you love this cake, just wait until you see what we have in store this ski season. After a day on the slopes, our chalets will welcome you back with an array of delicious homemade treats, including Blueberry & White Chocolate Muffins, Espresso Traybake, Date Slice, and Carrot Cake.

And if you still have room after canapés, a starter, and a mouth-watering main course, why not indulge in dessert? This winter, our menus will feature Blackberry Soufflé with Lemon Sorbet, Sticky-Toffee Bread & Butter Pudding, Pear & Thyme Tarte Tatin and Chocolate Raspberry Tart.

So, which camp are you in - team après or team afternoon tea? Let us know! Or better yet, come and experience both with us this winter.