As a Gen Z woman, I know I’m not alone in searching for community. It can be difficult to find a sense of belonging: for me, this is especially the case after moving across the world from the US to Prague at 21, then again at 23 to London.
After completing my first marathon last April, I was on the search for the next challenge. But this time, I yearned for a sport that felt more community-focused. That’s when I came across Girl Powder Retreats, a five-day ski and wellness experience in the heart of the French Alps.
I had previously taken a skiing course at university and had found myself feeling confident on the blue pistes by the end. But nearly eight years later, I wasn’t sure how much I would remember.
The Chamonix retreat promised a thoughtful blend of ski instruction and daily yoga, and welcomed women of all abilities. Something about it felt instinctively right.
It was like something from a film when we arrived: the snow began to fall heavily just as we pulled up to the chalet.
We checked out our rooms, settled in and found ourselves with a glass of wine (or sparkling water in my case as I was taking part in Dry January) within the span of half an hour. You could feel a sense of shared excitement rising as our group of women got to know each other.
The chalet set the scene for the rest of our retreat. It was expansive yet cosy: three storeys including a spacious kitchen, a lounge area with a fireplace and a swim-spa outside. It was clear we were in for a treat.
Every day entailed an early start. We had breakfast at 7:30am and were dressed and ready to head out an hour later. Then we headed to the slopes of Les Houches.
We were split up by skiing ability: two women in the advanced group, four in intermediate and three of us, including myself, getting a refresher in the beginners group. The three-hour daily group lessons were shaped around progress without pressure. We waited at the bottom of each slope for each other, cheering one another along, no matter how many times we fell.
Afternoons were centred on restoration. We were led through recovery yoga sessions by Sema Moussa, founder of yoga studio Anicha Yoga, who had been practising for 20 years. Homemade dinners then followed, cooked and prepared by our personal chef, Luca.
They helped to create a magical atmosphere – something that was further emphasised by the retreat’s founder, Laura Marriott-Clarke. Chamonix had been her happy place for years, she said, and once she renovated her family chalet she decided it was time to share it with other women. Through Girl Powder Retreats, she’s struck a great balance between physical challenge and rest, meaning there was space to push yourself without feeling overwhelmed.
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I found myself feeling so confident on the first day that after the beginners ski lesson was finished, I headed to the more challenging slopes with the two women from the advanced group.
As we made our way to the very top of a red run, I realised I was in over my head. But, nonetheless, there I was, ready to do the hard thing. And I was lucky to have two guardian angels in the form of my fellow Girl Powder Retreat attendees who looked after me.
For the first piste or two I was fine. Actually, I was great. But then I got tired. And there was still an entire mountain below me that I had to find my way down. It must have been at least another two hours and dozens of falls before I finally reached the bottom. I was proud I’d pushed through it and that I’d bonded with the women around me.
When I signed up, I hadn’t fully considered the kind of people I’d be sharing the experience with. They were a mix of magazine editors, authors, business owners and fitness coaches. Well-established women who were mostly in their forties and fifties.
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From the first round of introductions, it was clear I was surrounded by talented, driven and confident people. While I usually consider myself fairly self-assured, being in such company prompted reflection on how navigating competitive, high pressure spaces in my twenties had affected me.
And any flicker of intimidation quickly softened into something else entirely. These women were warm, open and deeply generous with their encouragement. Through time spent skiing, journaling and meditating, a sense of ease settled in. I found myself feeling content in a way that felt more sustainable than anything I’d experienced before.
The shift from the first to the final day was striking. Not just in my skiing, but in the way I carried myself and approached conversations. On that first morning, I moved cautiously and was often the last to reach the bottom. And yet every descent ended the same way, with cheers echoing across the snow and patient support waiting at the base. Progress was never framed as competition, only as something collective. That same spirit extended far beyond the slopes. Between swim-spa sessions, saunas and yoga with panoramic views, the group dynamic had deepened with each day.
On the final day, we headed over to Flegere. The mountains there offered one of those rare, luminous bluebird mornings, the kind that feels almost cinematic. There was a buzz in the air as we squeezed onto the ski lifts. It was a surreal and rare experience to feel so present.
That afternoon, when myself and one of the other women were on the ski lift, sitting in silence, we teared up. Then we smiled at each other, both feeling how special it was to share that moment. The energy felt sacred.
The retreat didn’t just make space for vulnerability, it normalised it, right up until we were queuing at Geneva airport to catch our flight home. The trip – and more importantly, the women – served as a reminder to this London girl that slowing down and letting go can be just as valuable as the “grind” society is so obsessed with.
Since returning home, that feeling has lingered. I feel energised by the women I met and more trusting of myself after committing to something I once found intimidating. Perhaps most meaningfully, I left with the beginnings of genuine friendships, rooted in encouragement rather than comparison. It was a reminder of how powerful women’s spaces can be when they’re built on care and generosity.
How to do it
British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Geneva, with prices starting at £120. Flight time is from one hour and 45 minutes.
The winter Girl Powder Retreat starts at £1,925 and includes three days of three-hour group ski lessons, yoga classes, luxury accommodation, ski equipment, a three-day ski pass, unlimited drinks, in-chalet catering and private transportation.
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