European Gay Ski Week (EGSW) 2023
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European Gay Ski Week (EGSW) is the largest LGBT+ skiing and snowboarding event in Europe, with more guests and bigger parties than any other. EGSW is the only ski week that moves to different resorts, so that skiers and boarders can explore different resorts, pistes and nightlife across the whole of the French Alps.
EGSW will take place at Les Arcs 1950 / 2000 from Saturday 18 March to Saturday 25 March 2023.
Les Arcs is part of Paradiski (Les Arcs, Peisey-Vallandry, La Plagne), the second largest linked ski area in the world, with 425km of pistes over 14,390 hectares
You can ski with your ODL friends or join an EGSW hosted ski or snowboard group to meet new people too.
ODL at EGSW
Attending EGSW is an excellent way to meet new people while you learn to ski or board or just have fun on the slopes. EGSW organises all of the classes, hosted groups and après-ski/parties.
Given the Saturday arrival day can often be quite chaotic, no specific catch-up or event has been planned yet for the start of EGSW. Instead, an “ODL at EGSW 23" WhatsApp group has been set up for ODL members to chat and to use to plan catch-ups throughout the week, including drinks and dinner, or meeting up at the parties, or for skiing.
Each afternoon at the EGSW après-ski (from 16:00 , but it gets busy from 16:30), the ODL contingent will get together for a bevvie and a chat and perhaps a podium boogie, and to plan that evening’s dinner and party shenanigans.
What to bring
Equipment Hire
If you've booked your ski / board equipment through EGSW as part of your booking, you will receive the voucher in your pre-event email, together with accommodation vouchers etc. Make sure you PRINT these just to be on the safe side. You will then exchange the voucher for equipment in almost any of the hire shops in Les Arcs 1950 / 2000.
If you haven’t booked your ski / board equipment, you can do that at the resort - there are plenty of options at both Arc 2000 and Arc 1950
Les Arcs 1950 / 2000 is a ski-in / ski-out resort. Hopefully, the streets will be covered in snow, so we'll be wearing walking boots when out of ski gear, not trainers.
Food & drink
Food and Catering at EGSW
You have the option of half-board accommodation that includes breakfast and dinner, or self-catering apartments.
There are mini-supermarkets scattered around Les Arcs 1950 / 2000 that have a reasonable variety of stock, but if you have any specific delicacies you need, then bring them from home . . . and bring a bag-for-life too. Note that some self-catering places don't provide some basics like toilet paper, so a quick trip to the supermarket on day 1 is essential.
Alternatively, there's self-catering accommodation, but you can book a breakfast or breakfast & dinner package through the EGSW website, to save yourself the trouble of cooking.
When you're out on the pistes, you should carry a few snacks, plus some water.
There are lots of mountain-side restaurants for lunch. These will range in price from ~ €15 for self-service to much more for a sit-down meal that includes wine. There won't be many places where you can sit down to eat a packed lunch, especially if the weather is bad.
EGSW has its own currency in the form of coloured plastic tokens. Using these helps to speed up the service for drinks at bars and sometimes entitles guests to a discount off their food bill in some partner restaurants.
You buy your tokens at the EGSW check-in or at any other EGSW event. If you pay for them by credit card, your transaction will be processed by your credit card issuer as a normal purchase, not a cash withdrawal. You then use your tokens to pay for drinks at EGSW venues, or food at partner restaurants displaying an EGSW sign. The drinks at EGSW venues cost 1, 2 or 3 small tokens (= €3, €6 or €9 in real money), whilst your food bill will be discounted by the agreed % in partner restaurants, if they are offering a discount.