From skiing to spas: 10 of the best Alpine activity holidays

To say the Luc Alphand slope in Chantemerle ends abruptly is an understatement. The piste, graded as a black run, is more like a sheer-drop slide at a giant’s play park, coming to a dramatic halt on the pavement in the middle of town. As I sit in the breakfast room of the Grand Hôtel with a ringside view of skiers barrelling their way down the mountain, wondering whether I’ll be brave enough to join the Luc at some point, I’m all too aware that this dilemma may soon be a thing of the past. Warming temperatures and a lack of snow in the valley mean that the slope, like many around the Alps, needs a lot of artificial snow, using up precious resources. 

With Valentines Day just around the corner, rediscover romance with the finest wellness retreats to suit the preferences of any couple. Whether you’re an adventurous, outgoing fitness duo or partners looking for a more holistic experience, Health and Fitness Travel, the wellness holidays specialists has amassed a variety of wellbeing breaks to rekindle that deep, intimate connection with your significant other. From setting out together to discover the vast landscapes and rich culture of Qatar, to exhilarating fitness breaks in the UK, or whisking your partner away to Italy for a romantic and revitalising mindfulness retreat, there is truly something to suit every couple.

The most visited city in the world offers a great base from which to explore the surrounding area. Think sumptuous castles and ancient hunting grounds in under an hour from the Eiffel Tower or day trips to the Normandy D-Day landing beaches, Champagne tasting or visiting the Loire Valley château—all are possible in a day trip from Paris and here are six of the best.

Fittingly shaped like a tropical fish, St Kitts packs a lot to see and do in its lush and historical expanse.

The city of Bordeaux is not only about wine.

It was 2:38 p.m. on August 21, 2017, when day turned to night. That was the precise moment in Greenville, South Carolina, when the moon, passing between the sun and Earth, fully blocked our view of the sun.

For the vast majority of travelers, a cruise is anything from a weekend getaway to a 7- or 14-day vacation in the sun. Some people can afford the time and money to splash out on a longer trip, perhaps an intensive month-long historic tour of the Mediterranean, or the Caribbean and Central America. But for the fortunate few, there is another option.

Germany is celebrating the 250th birthday of one of its best-loved painters, the Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840). His work features mountains, ruins and stormy seas, often with human figures, such as Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog. There are exhibitions in Hamburg (until 1 April), Berlin (19 April to 4 August) and Dresden (24 August to 5 January 2025), where Friedrich lived for 40 years; he is buried in the city’s Trinitatis Cemetery. His birthplace, Greifswald, has a festival (31 August-1 September) and three exhibitions at the Pomeranian State Museum (from 28 April). Visitors can also follow in the artist’s footsteps – literally, as he preferred to travel on foot, sketchbook in hand – to locations in his paintings, such as Rügen Island or the Saxon Switzerland national park.germany.travel

If you’ve been conjuring up images of whipping down the ski slope (or simply getting cozy during apres-ski in a beautiful setting), you might also be wondering about the best ski destinations to check off your bucket list. New data from the travel insurance experts at Compare the Market AU has recently revealed some of the objectively best ski destinations in the world to help bring your vision to reality.

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With mixed amounts of snow across Europe's ski slopes the week before Christmas and with ever decreasing amounts of expected snow, many resorts are pushing for greater climate action and alternative ways to find income, particularly as artificial snow isn't the panacea it was once thought to be.

It is often said that the world is a great book, and those that do not travel only read one page. What if you read books as well as travel? You would be quite the literary sort, indeed. Here at Condé Nast Traveler, our journeys take us to places near and far, and we don't always have other humans along for the ride with us—but books are good friends to keep in our suitcases for company.