Iteration 3 · 30 Sep 2026 · live flight and Booking.com prices · March ruled out
Dublin + Leeds groups7 nights€1,000–€1,200 ppBig areas only
Portes du Soleil (Morzine) · Sat 23 – Sat 30 Jan 2027
Both groups fly direct to Geneva on the same Saturday (Dublin €135 Aer Lingus, Leeds €143 Jet2), then share a 1h15 transfer.
580 km across 12 linked resorts in France and Switzerland, January snow, Avoriaz parks for the boarders, and Morzine / Folie Douce après.
≈ €755–€920 pp, well inside budget, with room for a nicer apartment or Avoriaz ski-in/out.
Which week?
Flights + bags, transfer, apartment ÷5 and pass, for Morzine.
★ Best · Week A
Sat 23 – 30 Jan
Dublin
€755–€907
Leeds
€763–€922
DUB→GVA €135 direct, LBA→GVA €143
No big school holidays elsewhere
Cold, best snow, quiet pistes
Good · Week B
Sat 30 Jan – 6 Feb
Dublin
€836–€919
Leeds
€748–€820
Leeds €119, but Dublin's direct flight jumps to €386 (Sun €218)
Berlin holidays only
Avoid · pencilled-in week
Sat 6 – 13 Feb
Dublin
€962–€1,086
Leeds
€970–€1,094
Paris-zone French holidays start 6 Feb, plus Scotland, Bavaria and Flanders
Apartments +30–50%, flights €278–€299
Flights, week A (return, cabin bag)
Google Flights, searched 30 Sep 2026. Add ~€40 for bags. Leeds Bradford only flies direct to Geneva, Chambéry and (in Jan) Salzburg.
🇮🇪 Dublin group
Geneva€135 Aer Lingus
Turin€153 Ryanair
Barcelona€105 Aer Lingus
Grenoble (Sun)€188 Ryanair
Verona€202 Aer Lingus
Salzburg€249 Ryanair
🏴 Leeds group
Geneva (LBA)€143 Jet2
Chambéry (LBA)€217 Jet2
Salzburg (LBA)€303 Jet2
Turin (via MAN)€163 + train
Barcelona (via MAN)€84 + train
Verona (via MAN)€81 + train
Shortlist, week A
Green bar: km on one pass (0–1,200). Blue bar: € pp for the Dublin group; dashed lines show the €1,000–€1,200 budget. Hire is extra.
Ruled out
Saalbach 🇦🇹€1,040–€1,380. January apartments €1,600+
Val Thorens 🇫🇷€1,050–€1,170. Stay in Les Menuires instead
Bansko / Borovets 🇧🇬75 / 58 km, only 5–6 km black
Livigno 🇮🇹115 km, 3.5 h transfer
March weeksRuled out by the group
Extras
Book apartments first. Italian and Andorran stock is thin (21–36 listings).
Fancy-dress day on Thursday. Spa day midweek, and bring flip-flops.
Lessons: 5 morning group lessons for those who need them.
Insurance with winter-sports and third-party cover. EHIC/GHIC is not enough.
January is cold. Bring proper layers, a buff and goggles for flat light.
Estimates only. Flights and apartments are live prices from 30 Sep 2026 and will move. Apartment ranges run from the lowest to about the 8th-lowest price for 5 adults on Booking.com. Passes are 2026/27 official prices where published.