Take the Eurostar ski train this winter

The direct service to Chambery, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice offers a more eco-friendly way to get to a whole host of ski resorts including Meribel.

There will be a weekly service leaving from London St Pancras International on Saturday mornings between December and March. Cheaper than flights for certain dates, Eurostar also offers a generous baggage allowance with each passenger able to bring two suitcases and skis or a snowboard, all included in the cost.

Once in Moûtiers, Aime or Bourg Saint Maurice, you can get a transfer or a bus service to the ski resorts of Courchevel, La Plagne, Val Thorens, Tignes, Val d'Isère, Meribel and Les Arcs. Return trains leave from   Chambery, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice on Sunday mornings.

Cheaper prices are available in off-peak weeks but expect to pay more for popular times, with Christmas and February half term usually selling out within minutes of going on sale. Tickets are available from the Eurostar website at Eurostar stations or from travel agents.