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A ski holiday at Les Menuires

Alan — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:25:07 +0000

A ski holiday at Les Menuires in the magnificent Trois Vallees region of the French Alps is almost guaranteed to provide some of the best skiing in the world. The resort is connected to all 600km of trails in the vast area that makes up the Three Valleys, with almost perfect positioning for its mostly east and west-facing slopes, meaning you ski in the sun more often than not. At an altitude of around 1850 metres, you can also expect great snow conditions with plenty of powder.

The purpose-built resort is also justly proud of its reputation as a resort for the whole family, with every sort of terrain suitable for all levels of expertise from novice to the most experienced daredevil. However, Les Menuires offers a lot of additional pleasures for non-skiers and for diversion and a change of pace that even the most avid skier needs now and again.

Snow scooting is a fairly recent innovation, and Les Menuires is a great place to try it for yourself. The snow scooter is sort of like a jet ski, but on snow rather than water (and it’s less noisy.) Instead of poles you have handlebars, and a single wide ski with a small engine attached. They can be hired in the La Croisette district for a whole new experience in navigating the slopes – if you want a real buzz, this is one you won’t forget.

Another new and exciting way to spend a ‘happy hour’ is available at the Roc’n Bob, a 4km toboggan run that’s open to kids and adults and offers as many thrills as you can handle. Roc’n Bob is accessed via the gondola at Le Roc des 3 Marches, and has a drop of over 450 metres with ‘rapids’ and ‘canyons’ plus a long straightaway at the end of the run. Sundays and Mondays from 2:30 to 5:30 you can get a bargain happy hour rate, but this is no cheap thrill – it’s the real thing.

For other slightly more sedate diversions, you can take a pony ride starting in the village of Villarenger.

This is a great way to slow down from the breakneck speed of the slopes to a gentle amble through peaceful countryside. Another experience to try is dog sledding with a professional driver and his team. Tours are available that include local sights or just snowy woods, and they are all delightful.

Of course, at the end of the day (and into the night) Les Menuires is also a fine place to party. Apres ski spots in town and in nearby Val Thorens are numerous and varied, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to thaw out in lots of ways. Most of the liveliest spots are at Val Thorens, but you won’t have to go far for a very pleasant night out dining, dancing or just recuperating from your day.

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Grandvalira at Soldeu ideal skiing

Alan — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:35:10 +0000

When the topic is winter skiing in Europe, the countries that usually come to mind are France, Switzerland, Austria and others, but Andorra is one that often escapes notice, and this may be very advantageous to skiers, at least for a little while yet. The resort of Grandvalira at Soldeu has been rated as one the three best budget ski resorts in Europe, and it was reportedly the most searched location for Christmas ski holidays in 2010.

Soldeu has a lot going for it, to be sure. The largest ski area in the Pyrenees, with around 200km worth of runs for every level of expertise, the top runs reach a height of 2580 metres. The village of Soldeu sits at about 1710, and the gondola goes up to 2250 metres, where the ski schools and some restaurants are located.

One of the biggest attractions of the resort is its top-notch ski schools. There are more than 450 instructors in various languages, with English predominant, and the quality of tuition is award winning. Though the native language is Catalan, English is spoken in most of the shops and restaurants, and the village is more family-oriented than most of its nearest neighbours. Added to its current very reasonable prices, Soldeu’s attractions are almost unbeatable.

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Taking your car to France for ski holidays

Alan — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:28:53 +0000

With airfares rising and airport security measures proving a major constraint for many travellers, more and more are opting to drive to their destination rather than fly, if the circumstances are right. They certainly are right for many U.K. residents taking a ski holiday in the French Alps.

Automobile transportation is hailed as a great way to avoid airport fees and hassles, save money on luggage transport, allow much greater freedom for exploration and dining at less expensive establishments than those right in a resort area, amongst other benefits. If you have a roomy vehicle to share with other travellers, so much the better.

You can take any number of ferries from any number of locations in the U.K., with prices for a return trip starting as low as £12, depending on the carrier and the location and date of your departure and return. Most of them take about 1 ½ hours, whereas the Eurotunnel

will get you from Dover to Calais in about 35 minutes. Return fares for the Tunnel start at about £44, again depending on dates and times.

Always check on the weather outlook before you leave home, but in any case remember a few basic rules if you want to avoid fines and get the maximum enjoyment from your holiday. In France, you must carry a high-visibility reflective jacket in the car, not in the boot. You must also have a GB sticker, a warning triangle and a headlamp converter. These are mandatory, but don’t forget the common sense basics like preventive auto maintenance and a cooler full of travel food.

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France is most popular with expert boarders

Alan — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:25:59 +0000

Skiing holidays have been known for quite some time as a luxury sport popular among the famous and rich. As such, it is no surprise that the British royal family also enjoys skiing with Prince Charles regularly heading to the French and Swiss Alps for two weeks with William and Harry.

In fact, the Prince has made the trip so frequently that the main cable car on top of Gotschnagrat is referred to as the Prince of Wales.

However, the market has loosened up in recently with the spread of budget air and lower costs in general for holiday packages helping increase the popularity of ski holidays in France every year.

Travel agent, First Choice Holidays, have determined that the top skiing destinations for holiday are France and Austria as both countries continue to experience an increase in the amount of UK travellers heading to the slopes.

A spokesperson for the travel company stated that France is most popular with guests that are expert boarders and skiers while those who book Austrian holidays are in search of great skiing and traditional accommodation. They continued to state that they have seen an increase in families searching out French holidays.

Investors looking at France get an added bonus from the leaseback scheme because French law dictates that an overseas investor can purchase a property and then lease it back to a management company who handles the property.

This allows for a steady stream of income and that there is still income during the off-ski season.

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Spring is ideal for French ski trips

Alan — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:38:01 +0000

Many people head off to late season skiing due to the many holiday deals that pop up in March and April as well as the large snowfalls that continue to keep the pistes along the Alps fresh. Many people also make the mistakes of skipping the spring months of skiing assuming that the slopes will not be in proper condition, but the slopes are actually quiet and welcoming full of fresh powder that is arguably the best of the entire ski season.

With this in mind, there are several French resorts that are coated with fresh powder throughout the spring months and extremely welcoming breaks from the British rain. One of them is the Val d’Isere which also holds an Adventure and Discovery Film Festival from April 19^th thru April 22^nd allowing you to get twice as much in during your ski holiday.

The festival shows 11 documentary films that range in length and topic and showcase the most extreme sports out there. If you book with Snowline you get seven nights at a chalet that can sleep six for the duration of the ski holiday/documentary festival starting at £695 per person.

Another great place to visit is the Paradiski area which combines the large French resorts La Plagne and Les Arcs via a double-decker cable car. Not only is it one of the largest ski areas across the globe, but during the spring on April 2^nd you can also catch the Ventilo Fest which is a mix of reggae, ska, and dance and can be the sugar on top of your ski holiday.

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