LIFE THROUGH A NEW LENS - The first Alcohol-Free Ski Retreat with soberski just launched

When I first had the idea for soberski, it wasn’t because I wanted to create a new ski holiday. It was because I felt slightly out of place in the old model of an excessive lifestyle.

I love the mountains. I love skiing hard, first lifts, long traverses, chasing better lines. But I fell out of love with the culture that said the day only really started once the drinking did. Over time, I realised there were plenty of other people who felt the same, but didn’t have the confidence to say it - or more importantly, right environment to facilitate the choice. They wanted the adventure, the performance and the connection, just without the hangover.

So I built what I couldn’t find.

In January we hosted our first retreat in Méribel in the Three Valleys. Nine guests joined us for a week that combined proper ski days with a private chef serving stunning cuisine, structured wellness sessions, mindset workshops and recovery work through yoga and cold plunges. Over 20 sessions ran across the week, but it never felt forced. It felt natural. Ski. Eat well. Recover optimally. Talk. Sleep. Repeat.

What struck me most was the energy. People were present. Conversations went deeper. Mornings were sharp. No one was dragging themselves onto the first lift. By midweek the group felt tighter, stronger, more focused. It confirmed what I’d suspected for a while. You do not need alcohol to create atmosphere. You need intention.

Equipment plays its part in that experience too. Panda Optics kindly sponsored the retreat, making sure our guests were properly set up on the mountain. Anyone who has skied in the Alps knows how quickly conditions can change. Flat light rolls in, snowfall hits, glare reflects off every surface. The right lens is not a luxury. It changes how confidently you move.

There was something fitting about partnering with Panda.  soberski is about clarity. Clarity in the mornings. Clarity in your thinking. Clarity in why you are there in the first place. Being able to literally see through their lens on the mountain felt aligned with that.

Guests left January feeling different. Not exhausted from excess, but stronger from the experience. That is the benchmark now.

we’ve opened up our Earlybird Bookings for January 2027 with Priority Access Now Live  https://www.soberski.co.uk/book-retreats/p/earlybird-january-2027