“Is skiing really worth this much hassle?” It’s a common refrain among first-timers as they prepare for their first-ever winter sports holiday. Ski hire, lift passes, goggles, helmets, a pile of borrowed/rented/expensive ski clothing: the list of necessities is a long one. And that’s before they’ve endured the long and wiggly transfer to the resort, and the vice-like grip of their ski boots.

So is the payback sufficient? Not always. Some people hate skiing from the start. But if you’re an outdoorsy type; if you love big welly walks in autumn with puddles to stomp in and the thought of tea and cake to follow; if you already surf, sail or play club sports at the weekend; if you long for a little more adventure than life back home can supply then you’re going to love skiing — and not just a little bit. How could it be otherwise, when the meat and drink of it is whizzing down a dazzling, snow-covered mountain bathed in sunshine? The thought of your next holiday is going to light your path halfway through each winter.

What’s more, it needn’t be as eye-wateringly expensive as everyone makes out. Yes, prices have jumped since the double whammy of Brexit and Covid. And yes, you can hire ski chalets that cost £150,000 for a single high-season week, if you really must. But every mountain nation has also developed a skiing infrastructure aimed at ordinary folk, too. Just avoid the most famous resorts. You’ll pay a premium for everything in one of those. And book yourself into a self-catering apartment, as generations of French/Dutch/Germans/Belgians/Italians have done before you. After all, you’ll only be in it long enough to eat and sleep — and you can always order in a pizza if you can’t be bothered to cook. Outside is where the action is: and even for the most pampered gazillionaire, the real luxury is being let loose in such a beautiful and exhilarating playground.

Main photo: Kopaonik, Serbia (Getty Images)