Pistepals is where solo travellers and small groups come together

Our friends over at Piste Pals share one of there tesimonials with us, we hope you enjoy it

I have to confess I was pretty nervous about the whole thing to begin with and really didn't know what to expect.  I was about to spend a week of my life in the company of complete strangers, participating in a sport I had never even tried before.  But, if I'd had any doubts, they were quickly dispelled once I’d met the rest of the group.

Of course, I’m not the first person to have come across the problem of wanting to go skiing and not having anyone to come along with me.  I'd been pestering all my friends for ages but it seemed like they were all saving for summer holidays, weddings or new homes.   With no travel companions, it looked like my ambition of going skiing in the Alps was going to be put off for yet another year!  What I didn’t realise at the time was that lots of people – really nice people – are in the same position.  When someone suggested I try a trip for solo skiers, I began organising the whole thing that same day, leaving no time to talk myself out of it

Not knowing quite what it would be like spending a week in the company of strangers, I packed plenty of books and hoped I wouldn’t end up sharing a chalet with a bunch of weirdos and lonelyhearts.  But within an hour of arriving, I knew all my fears had been totally misplaced.  There was a real mix of people, different ages, backgrounds and interests, but we all gelled very quickly as we got stuck into the coffee and cakes provided by our chalet hostess.  Within minutes, we were all chatting away happily and I realised that everyone there had two things in common: first we all wanted to ski; and second, we were the type of person who is willing to get stuck in and make new friends, even if you do feel a little nervous about it to begin with.

The skiing was terrific.  I'd never been before, but our hostess had organised some lessons with a local ski school and (to my surprise) I was actually able to stay on my feet for more than a few seconds at a time.  Some of the others in the group were experienced skiers and were able to offer me advice, and of course our hostess was a mine of information.  With a couple of lessons under my belt, I felt confident enough to join some of the others on a group ski session – we had a great time.  Returning to the chalet, everyone was exchanging funny stories about their afternoon on the pistes as they warmed up by the fire. 

Listening to the others laughing and chatting away, I realised that it’s not a holiday for solo travellers at all: it’s a holiday for groups who haven't met yet. 

Find out about other solo skiers’ experiences by visiting

www.pistepals.com/testimonials