We were so busy on 1st August with a record-breaking Early Booking Offers period that we couldn't write this until now...sorry!

It’s 50 years since the UK last had a Prime Minister from the North of England. That was Harold Wilson and he, like Le Ski, came from Huddersfield. So what has happened since 1976..?

How prices have changed?

	1976	2026	Ratio
The Average House	£12,500	£290,000	23 times
Litre of fuel	16 pence	£1.60	10 times
Loaf of bread	17 pence	£1.40	8 times
Coffee	5 pence	£3.50	70 times

 
Most items seem to have increased in cost by roughly 10 times over the past 50 years, with some, noticeably coffee prices, rising 70 fold and house prices rising by 23 times. But, in 1976 if you asked for a coffee in a café you had a choice of black or white. Nowadays it’s Espresso, Doppio, Americano, Long Black, Ristretto, Latte, Cappuccino, Macchiato, Mocha, etc, etc. It’s a similar story with bread. In 1976 you would have got white or sliced white. Nowadays you need a long time to read through the choices of sourdough, granary, fig, walnut, seeded, wholemeal, bloomer, gluten free, etc, etc. And quite right too, good bread is important!

Political changes?
Well we don’t talk politics publicly here at Le Ski; our speciality is catered chalet holidays to quality ski resorts in France. All we do know is a Northerner probably can’t do a worse job than his 12 predecessors…so good luck to him, even though he’s from the wrong side of the Pennines!
 
European links
Well this is big one isn’t it?! In 1976 we were in the European Union (technically the EEC at the time). Now we’re not. We will leave the overall effects to others to debate but has our exit from the EU helped ski holiday providers or British skiers in Europe? The answer is a categorical “no”. We have to provide visas and work permits for our UK staff, which is very costly and has increased the price of your holiday. Also you can now only ski a maximum of 90 days per winter – outrageous!
 

The biggest change since 1976?
This is an easy one. Le Ski was born in 1982 and is a now a relatively mature 44 years old. Have we revolutionised the way ski holidays are provided? No, but we seem to have created a model which suits thousands of guests each winter. What is that formula? Our own flights from London or Manchester to Chambéry with dedicated onwards transfers to either Courchevel, Val d’Isère, La Tania or Tignes. 35 catered chalets all staffed by our own hosts who make you breakfast, afternoon tea and 3-course dinners with Champagne and canapés plus unlimited wine.
 

Why have Le Ski thrived?
We believe in an honest and open approach. Most of our guests are regulars and they value our fair descriptions of our chalets, our full service model and our amazing UK staff who are a font of all chalet and resort knowledge. That knowledge is dispatched in a characteristically direct Yorkshire manner too…!
 
Here’s to the next 50 years!