Skiing without clutter: on the eco-friendly slopes of Slovenia’s Julian Alps

The Vogel-Bohinj ski area lets nature do the talking: billboards and snow cannons are banned, and cable cars and car parks are tucked away in woods

Winding through Slovenia’s Julian Alps, it’s easy to miss the signs to the Vogel ski centre and carry on driving. The cable car and car park are concealed deep in woods above beautiful Lake Bohinj – a deliberate policy to keep the landscape free from tourist clutter and visible ski infrastructure. The result is one of the most natural skiing areas in Europe.

From its hidden entrance in the woods, the cable car ascends to Vogel and the views open up: mountains soaring above, snowy churches below, and the deep blue lake dropping away beneath until it’s the size of a puddle.