The crisp mountain air that cures all hangovers, the fresh pow pow that makes you yiihaaa with pure joy, the ice cold beer at après ski that never tasted so good… Sounds like a distant memory?

The closest many of us came to snow this year is scraping the ice off our windshields before the morning commute to work and whilst we wanted to get back to the slopes again this year, we ran into more COVID-19 restrictions, more expensive PCR tests and then beyond that accommodation is more expensive than ever. Skiing or snowboarding has never been cheap, but with 2 years of resort closures all that pent up demand has resulted in the most basic bunk bed apartment on the slopes acting like its a 5* hotel with extortionate prices.

For those lucky enough to work in the mountains or manage to sneak away for an epic snow holiday, congratulations! The FOMO has been real. But I’m dealing with it. Of course it’s not been easy to watch the stories, but I give the posts a like and comment a few fire emojis because I’m happy for them, I am.

Anyway, how do I deal with all this? I have a secret: a way to settle the regrets of playing it COVID-safe this winter and canceling that yearly ski trip. Want to know how? All you’ve got to do is sit tight for 3 more months and then before you know it you’ll be breathing a new kind of air…

This one trades the stench of the boot room for notes of pine trees and sea salt, it replaces the hum of the ski lift with a chorus of chirping cigales and softens the nightmares of chapped lips and goggle tans with a bronze body and ocean-clean sinuses. Forget the thermal protection and painfully uncomfortable rental boots, you can free those toes and run wild in the dirt and dunes until you find yourself asking: Who put Tarzan’s feet on the end of my legs?

And what about the thrill of launching yourself down the face of a mountain? We have that covered too. There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline of a wipe out – or better yet – an open faced wave that takes you gliding past the yiieewhooo’s of your fellow wave junkies.

The hot coco by the fireplace in the chalet will be long forgotten as you skip back to the surf camp to rinse off beneath the trees and hang your wetsuit over a bamboo rack outside your luxury tipi tent or brand-spanking new mobile home. All freshened up for the night ahead, you’ll devour several portions of dinner with the crew before the live music begins, the cocktails start flowing and the games commence.

Whatever your preference is, here are some epic reasons for replacing your annual ski/snowboarding trip with a surf trip this year:

1. Surfing is cheaper. So much cheaper!

The price of our back2basics package and surf rental for the week is cheaper than your average price of a ski lift pass. That’s 8 days / 7 nights of accommodation, all breakfasts and lunches, four dinners, live music, entertainment, wine and cheese night, wetsuit & surfboard hire, long surf days & lively summer night parties and a much better suntan CHEAPER than a weeks’ ski lift pass — which is basically the equivalent of walking to the beach, which in our case is not only free but a beautiful stroll through the pine trees. Unfortunately, the pent up demand has overbooked most resorts and if you are lucky to find accommodation, you will be unluckily paying through the nose for it.

2. Long days, in-tents (see what we did there) nights.

Whilst hardcore ski and snowboarders will argue that shredding the slopes is better than hitting the waves, one thing that can’t be debated is that Ski lifts opening at 09:00 and closing at 16:00 when it gets dark does not give as much diem to carpe (day to seize). Fast Forward to summer solstice at the beach in southwest France where the sunrise light lights up the trees from 6 am and the sunset at 10 pm makes for a great transition to a few cocktails and a chats, a few more dance moves and shots. The only question is: How will you recover from burning the candle at both ends? To which we respond with a question: A beach nap or a hammock nap?

3. Skiers and Snowboards are naturally good surfers.

Surfing is a hard sport but the most rewarding when you progress. So imagine how rewarding it is when you are already good at it without even trying it. Just like Neo from the Matrix, any skier and especially snowboarder has already downloaded the basics and has muscle memory installed cheat sheets to progress in the most fun sport in the world. Balance, flexibility, coordination are all key to learning surfing and if you do any board sports or sports where you have good ability in these areas, you’re likely to go from learning the basics to catching green waves out back in n(e)o time. 

4. Slopes are busy, but the beaches are endless.

The ski resorts have been mostly closed the last two winters whereas beaches have been open. You get about 8.5 hours of daylight in late December in the Alps compared to more like 16 hours in June in southwest France. That’s half the time to ride than the summer equivalent and so when you think, shall I try to squeeze in a ski trip over the busy Easter holidays, maybe check out a surf holiday this year instead!

Whether a newbie frother or an expert shredder, ocean- and nature-lovers from all around the world find themselves at Star Surf Camps summer after summer to share party waves (and parties) with fellow travelers, families, friends, colleagues or students. It’s a place for everyone – no matter age, background, language, surf level or Mountain FOMO side-effects. And if you fancy a summer by the sea in your van, you can

get surf road trip ready here with our top surf road trip hacks!

Sea y’all for a surf

Your Star Surf Camps Team