Around a year ago, I went on a skiing vacation to France and had a great time by all accounts. The best part was that I went with all my friends, all of which had varied abilities, but were all eager to give it a go. Some of my friends compete in competitions and the like, whilst others have only been on the slopes a few times in their life. The fact is that we were all really looking forward to it, and we were all sure to enjoy ourselves whilst we were away. Unfortunately, we don't spend much time together, as we all go to different colleges, whilst others are trying to make it through the rat race.

When we decided to book the holiday I was delighted to hear that everybody was able to make it, and that everyone had promised to save up enough money to really enjoy themselves while we were away. The cost of booking the holiday worked out at around $300 for accommodation for the week as we were going to be staying at a backpacker's location, and it was only going to cost $150 for return flights. We really felt like we had struck a bargain, and we were even more delighted when we heard that the cost of living would be really cheap when we got there. We had decided to save up $1000 each, which meant that we would have more than enough spending money for when we arrived.

I have to say, I never quite expected Europe to be such an excellent skiing destination for people like us with mixed abilities.  Sure, there are the Alps, but I thought these were only the playground of the expert skiers.  How wrong I was!  There are simply loads of different places in Europe you can go, regardless of your skiing ability, and you're almost guaranteed to have a great time.  Also, the facilities right on the resorts are out of this world.  It really is a great place to go skiing.

We arrived in France, and we were firstly shocked at how laid-back it all seemed.  It was some surrealist painting, except in motion, with strange, stereotypically French characters passing by.  Regardless of this initial culture shock, we soon got our skis on and experienced the awesome slopes for ourselves.  Trust me - France is a great place to go skiing with your friends, and a great place to go on a vacation if you're looking to have a good time.

We chose France for our vacation, but there are loads of great European ski resorts, and in fact, some people even say that Europe is the home of the sport, and it is easy to see why.  If you're looking for a great time, go for Europe, to experience a wholly different way of life, and skiing that is simply second to none.  Check out your travel agent for good deals, and remember that the more flexible you are, the cheaper your holiday.  By booking up the flights at the last minute, you can end up saving loads with some of the budget airlines, and by being totally flexible, you can avoid peak times, which means you can avoid peak prices.  Your vacation in Europe doesn't have to cost the earth, but it can be a once in a lifetime experience that you will never forget.