UK government warns its compatriots against drink-skiing

Known for their binge drinking antics abroad, young British holidaymakers heading to French ski slopes have been warned by their own government to go easy on the booze.

By Tony Todd (text)

British tourists coming to France for the ski season have been warned by their own government to be careful when drinking at high altitudes.

The UK Foreign Office (FCO) campaign comes after more than 30 Britons died in Alpine ski resorts last year. Many died because they underestimated the risk of drinking at a high altitude, according to British diplomats.

A study published by the FCO estimated a third of skiers and snowboarders under 25 had experienced problems abroad linked to a mix of altitude, adrenaline and alcohol.

The FCO has responded by distributing posters, flyers and beer mats in French resorts urging Britons to go easy on the booze when out on the slopes.

The campaign poster carries the slogan "Don't catch your death" and shows young drinkers, glass in hand, before an Alpine background.

French authorities say drink-skiing was becoming a growing problem in resorts and had caused several accidents on the slopes in recent winters, including avalanches set off by tipsy tourists going off-piste.

The beer mats

Bikinis are inappropriate

Philippe Bunce, who owns the BKM Bar in Alpine resort Les Arcs, told FRANCE 24 there are basic rules visitors should follow to have a good time without running into trouble.

“Obviously as a bar owner I don’t want to discourage people from having a drink and enjoying themselves,” he said. “But following a few simple rules can mean the difference between life and death.”

Mr Bunce said it was paramount that visitors from the UK remember quite how cold it can get in the mountains, to dress appropriately and to know their way back after a night out.

“A big problem can be bars holding Caribbean parties, for example, where girls turn up in bikinis,” he said. “It’s just not sensible. People forget that at night it can be -20°.

“You should know your way home so you don’t get lost - and definitely don’t get so drunk that you might fall asleep outside.”

“Above all, don’t drink and ski,” he stressed. “It’s like going out on the motorway drunk. It’s not just your own life you’re risking, but the lives of others too.”