It isn’t only “extreme” skiers and boarders who need to protect themselves!

Despite the heightened dangers less than 50% of British skiers and boarders wear a ski helmet.  Many more children are wearing helmets and some ski schools insist that children wear them.  For some reason the British are reluctant to protect themselves whereas other European skiers consider wearing a helmet as an essential item and purchase their own helmets.

We would urge you think seriously about buying or renting a helmet this season.  With some hire companies such as Ski Republic who have great 2 for 1 deals and offer helmets free.  It really is a “no brainer!”  Ski Republic have a friendly English speaking shop in Peisey Vallandry and we can thoroughly recommend them.

Pyhysical Edge: Meet Physiotherapist Rhys Chong

We hope you will have a safe skiing trip this season but ……. if you are unfortunate to have an injury make sure you get really really good physio help. It will make all the difference. I should know because I have been there and done it! Susan

Tignes in France opened for Skiing on the Grande Motte Glacier on Saturday 29th September 2009.  The conditions are reported as being great with firm snow under foot and bright sunny skies up above.  Similar conditions can be expected at all of the open European “summer” skiing resorts thanks to temperatures remaining relatively low on the glaciers.  Source  Weekly Global Snow Report Snow Menu

Check out SnowJet www.snowjet.co.uk

With more airlines making money by charging extra for every little thing we are delighted to let you know that SnowJet who fly into Chambery – the gateway to The Alps - allow you a 20Kg bag FREE.  If you book before 31st August 2009 your skis also go FREE.  (British Airways are charing extra for skis if they are not within your weight allowance this year)

Chambery is very convenient for Les Arcs and flies from London Gatwick, London Stanstead, Bristol and Manchester throughout the ski season.

There is no better time to book your winter holiday with Alpine Ambiance and get the best deal on your flights at the same time

www.alpineambiance.co.uk

News courtesy of snowmenu

Great news for British holiday makers this season following the recent dramatic reduction in VAT from 19.6% t0 5.5% when buying a meal in a French restaurant or cafe.  Together with the regaining of lost ground of the pound against the euro this should give a real boost to tourism this season as prices in the mountain restaurants drop.

One of our favourite restaurants on the mountains is La Vache in Plan Peisey – La Vache meaning “the cow”  Everything in the restaurant reflects the theme and the food and service is superb

La Vache Restaurant & Bar

If you have just had your summer holiday or are about to have your summer holiday but can’t wait for the snow to arrive ……. the first snow has been falling in the Alps.

Here is a reminder of what the pistes look like after fresh snow and those all important “First Tracks”

First Tracks

If you would like to share this with us this winter from our luxurious chalet in beautiful Moulin just visit our website www.alpineambiance.co.uk  or view our chalet photos here http://tinyurl.com/c6q7za

Chris & Susan

We are used to seeing the Vanoise Express from the chalet balcony but the view from the Vanoise Express in the Summer are just as spectacular as in the winter.

The Vanoise Express is the biggest cable car in the world .  It is a unque technical exploit taking 200 people across the valley at one time on two decks.  Passengers travel in two independent cars.  The views both winter and summer are stunning.

Just to compare here is the Vanoise Express in the Winter

Vanoise Express in Winter

Read all about the history of the Vanoise Express here http://tinyurl.com/6fec7t

Everyone thinks that The Alps are just about skiing and winter holidays.

Peisey Vallandry has a wide variety of activities during the summer months and with the Vanoise National Park on our doorstep what more can you ask for.

To find out more visit www.peisey-vallandry.com and click on the English Flag

If you would like someone to take care of all those little extras and arrange your activities whilst staying in luxury chalet accommodation visit www.summerzest.com

The lifts are closed for summer/interseason and this is the last day of working in the ski industry so I thought I’d finish up with a round up of my personal favourite ski resorts. After three winter seasons living and snowboarding in one plus another two years travelling around them, I’ve collected a good set of highs and lows on the hill and this is them…

1. Tignes

I’m unashamedly putting Tignes at the top despite the fact I lived here and so slightly unfairly know its secret spots. Having ridden some gnarly slopes here without even touching the sides, the best days for me were always the most adrenaline fuelled. Traversing to the top of the Telegraph peak near the Grande Motte and descending the powdery couloirs; catching the Chardonnet bowl before it got tracked out and negotiating the videogame-esq ride of the Vallee Perdu. The worst day by far was tackling the North face of the Grande Motte – renowned for its deadly aspect – showing me the insurmountable power of big mountains. Away from the brilliant backcountry of Tignes: the beauty of the frozen lake against the craggy fingers face of the Toviere; the French and English workers’ communities and the rustic French food – a home away from home.

2. Verbier

A late season guidebook promo tour took me to Verbier and despite hearing good reports, I expected to hate it and its fashionable jet set status. We arrived in town to find the Nissan O’Neill Extreme Freeride comp on and many of the world’s best riders tackling the mental North face of the Bec des Rosses. On the first day, our reporter and ski instructor, James Golding, took us snowboarding. In the 06/07 season, famous for its lack of snow, we hit the first bluebird day after a week-long dump. And with James taking us down off-piste lines of fresh powder, through couloirs and even pistes a foot deep in snow, we got a tour of the ski area I’ll never forget. Off the mountain, the resort is pretty posh but the likes of Pub Mont Fort, Fer a Cheval and the T-bar are fun without being excessively expensive. This is definitely a great party town – if only we’d had the energy after all that powder.

3. Courmayeur

An early December research trip to Italy (Courmayeur, Cervinia and La Thuile) wins the best trip award of the season. The longest stop was Courmayeur where we were fortunate enough to be given the full hospitality of the resort including guiding, three course meals and rooms at the lovely Hotel Edelweiss. Our first day on the hill dawned a white-out but slowly as we warmed up, the sun came out and stretched below us were three week’s worth of untouched powder. Getting our winter legs back with run after run of soft three feet deep powder was fantastic and we finished the day grinning like idiots. The next couple of days, we were shown around the (pretty small) ski area punctuated by a three course tasting lunch in Maison Vieille including the best homemade gnocci ever tasted and some cured chamois and local Fontina cheese. Luckily Ben’s concoction of expresso and rum got us back in our bindings and out for a few more runs… I don’t know how the Italians do it every day. For me the highlight of this resort was taking the cable cars up to the Punta Helbronner – the Italian part of Mont Blanc. A truly humbling experience, even the photos don’t do the awe inspiring experience justice. I’d live there if I could.

4. Zermatt

Charm, style and sophistication, Zermatt is the typical stereotype of a chocolate box ski resort. You half expect goats to be herded through the streets… and then they are – a daily fixture of life in this car-free Swiss resort. After arriving on a cog railway, you’re in the mood for some cliched cheese and gluhwein and it’s here in abundance. But juxtaposed with this is an extreme aspect – the towering sides of the mountain valley are imposing and the climbers’ graveyard a testament to the local peaks’ power – especially that of the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa. Down in resort, the friendly North Wall bar, the sashimi of Nelly’s restaurant and the sumptuous Alex Hotel are all top favourites. The Matterhorn cable cars show you the thousands of crevasses littering the surrounding glaciers or the Gornergrat cog railway will take you to the pistes through densely wooded paths. In short, Zermatt is a place that I found to be far more complex than any stereotype can do justice.

5. Val d’Isere

The first ski resort I ever visited, no memory of this place will ever be untainted by those uni trips fuelled by voda shots and fluegls, trying to learn to snowboard and failing miserably due to said hangovers. Longtime seasonaire Jez taught me to snowboard each day and I think I must’ve tested his patience somewhat. A party town, each week spent here was spent in the now sadly closed Cafe Fats before stumbling up to Dicks Tea Bar. Snowboarding consisted of trying to circuit the Madeleine on the Solaise and falling off chairlifts, rope lifts and T-bars… Luckily my time in Tignes meant I got to come back and shred all these slopes, experience the quiet beauty of the Fornet and dance at the Folie Douce. And now Val is home of my favourite off-piste run of all time, the Col du Pers which runs down from the top of the Fornet down to the gorge and then along the summer road finishing up with some well-earned rose at the rustic L’Arolay restaurant.

6. Mayrhofen

The Austrian resort of Mayrhofen gets a mixed report… on one hand i disliked the cheesy Austrian apres-ski scene, the amount of traffic in the resort and the fact I ruptured a knee ligament and ended my season here. On the other, the snowpark is the best I’ve seen, the White Lounge Igloo hotel was a little paradise and the locals were friendly and welcoming. We were in town for the Jib-Vid comp and to research the resort and spent much of our time at the Scotland Yard pub, the Vans Penken Park and the Grillhof Alm mountain restaurant – all heartily recommended. I’d like to go back and give this resort another go next year for sure.

Resorts 7-10 on their way and will comprise of Peisey-Vallandry, La Thuile and Cervinia…