Beware the sun when taking in a ski resort on a gap year tour

People visiting a ski resort as part of their gap year in France should still ensure they are protected from the sun's glare.

Tourists taking to the popular ski slopes of Val d'Isere, Meribel or Courchevel may feel that the snowy conditions will mean they have little risk of getting sunburnt.

However, Bevis Man, communications manager at the British Skin Foundation, believes that sunscreen should be one of the main items packed into a suitcase when travelling to such resorts.

This is because five per cent more UV rays reach Earth for every 1,000 foot above sea level that a person is located at.

As a result, Mr Man advised: "To avoid getting that 'panda eyes' effect, apply sunscreen liberally as you would on exposed parts of skin as if it were summer, as both water and ice are very good reflectors of UV radiation."

Those taking up skiing during a gap year should also have a variety of goggles on hand to protect the eyes in all weather conditions, Liz Segre, editorial director of AllAboutVision.com, recently noted.

See the different gap year destinations on offer.