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Val d'Isere, Val Thorens, Revelstoke
and Sainte Foy
We have worked hard to find not just the best ski opportunities
(self evidently true despite the ironic brand name), but
also the best value for the coming season. Economic problems,
and especially the falling value of Sterling against all
major currencies, has made skiing much more expensive.
Quality skiing can never be bargain basement. Nevertheless,
this season's trips still provide the customary quality
at an affordable price. You will also see that there is
much more choice of date, place and theme.
The deadline for paying your deposit for the first two
trips is the 30 June, so book now and get your choice
and the best price.
First Tracks, Early Season Week,
Saturday, 5 December -12 December, 2008
Chalet Cherrier, Val d'Isere [15 places]
What joy to be on first snow before
the crowds in a legendary place with an exciting atmosphere,
both on the mountain and in the resort. Always enjoyable
and relaxed for the company, adventure and food, this
season we have quality accommodation and a full week on
snow.
More snow making has transformed early season snow conditions
on the main pistes and guaranteed sufficient mileage to
keep us more than happy. Powder on the Le Fornet and Tignes
glaciers always delights. Last season's December snow
was spectacular.
Skiworld's chalet Cherrier is rated ***** and has Enhanced
Service (welcome drink, better cooked breakfast, pre-dinner
drink and canapés, higher quality four course dinner,
superior regional wines,after dinner chocs, fresh fruit
bowl, extra towels, etc., and eat out one night a week).
In the centre just off the high street opposite the Peteit
Danois, Cherrier could not be more convenient, being only
40m from a bus stop and 300m from the Solaise and Bellevarde
lifts.
The chalet has been converted and decorated to a high
Savoyard standard in stone and wood with modern furnishings.
The living dining room on the first floor is large, all
twin bedrooms on the second and third floors are en suite
and there is a sauna on the first floor. Room 10, a smaller
twin with bath and wc, can be used a single at a discounted
supplement of £149.
Travel is Gatwick – Geneva.
Cherrier offers a quality modern chalet with good food,
a full 6 days on snow and excellent value for money.
Discounted price £398.00
includes flight, transfer, food and accommodation and
maximum discount of all places filled and booking before
30 June (applies only to full package booking). Tourist
tax paid in resort.
Val Thorens, Three Valleys,
23-30 January
Not Tignes, but still high and
snowsure as the highest resort in Europe at 2300m. Even
with our warming world, reliable snow is assured because
of altitude and northerly aspect (with Espace Killy, it
is opens earlier than any other resort in France) . Not
an island, Val Thorens (VT) is part of the 600kms of pistes
in the Three Valleys, arguably one of the biggest ski
areas in the world. (Is this area of terrain, lifts
or pistes ? Who knows, but let's agree that it is big,
varied and superbly linked.) La Masse, Cime Carron and
the fourth valley offer some of the best terrain, on and
off piste, in the whole area. VT has direct access to
the upper Meribel valley and interesting terrain around
Mont Vallon.
Our Skiworld chalets are conveniently located at the top
end of the resort for access to the pistes and resort
centre, and are within easy walking distance of each other.
As previously, you will save money
from a highly discounted lift pass. Everyone will have
the full Three Valleys pass unless specifically requested
otherwise.
Chalet Package
The chalets are classed as ****grade by Skiworld. Bonhomme
de Neige has been upgraded to Enhanced catering: welcome
drink on arrival, better breakfast, aperitif and canapes,
choice of regional wine, four course dinner with cheeseboard,
after dinner chocolates and fresh fruit bowl throughout
the week. Towels are changed mid week. All chalets have
ski guiding. Everyone eats out once a week.
A few twin rooms can be occupied as singles at an additional
cost of £250 per person [ a discounted cost].
Bonhomme de Neige (28)
At the upper level of the resort, the chalet is both self
contained and part of a larger complex close to the centre
(150m). From level 3 of the complex, there is access to
the slalom piste, and you can ski back to within 100m
of the chalet (ski bus stops 150m from the chalet). All
bedrooms have en suite facilities (bath and wc.) and
balcony. Most are twins with a few doubles and quads,
which can be used as twin, triple or quad with a discount.
The large living dining room is on the top floor (it
is spacious) and has open fireplace, TV and large balcony
giving superb views of the Belleville Valley. We have
free use of the swimming pool, fitness suite and sauna
in the complex. We have stayed in this chalet about 10
years ago.
Lower floor: 4 twins, 1 double and 1 quad [2 single beds
and a bunk in separate area].
Entrance floor: as Lower.
Top floor: living dining room and wc.[ not in living room
!].
Discounted price £644.00
includes flight, transfer, accommodation and food and
depends on number booked by due date, full occupancy and
applies to full package and booking by 30 June only. The
chalet has Enhanced catering at a discounted cost of £29
per person that will be added to the discounted price
above. Tourist tax paid in resort.
Chalet Cerise and Abricot
(14)
Chalet Clementine (10)
These modern apartment chalets are in the Balcons 5 building
[ see resort plan on the net], only 25 m. from the piste.
The Plein Sud lift (one of the main lifts to return to
the resort) is close. Better skiers can ski to the door.
For beginners (if we have any), the ski bus stops outside
the complex with its bars, resto and mini market. The
resort centre is a short walk.
At the top of the resort, there are inspiring long views
over the Belleville Valley.
Built in the customary “modernist alpine “style,
the living dining room rooms are spacious with wood burning
stove and tv. All rooms are “efficiently”
planned and have en suite facilities, most with Jacuzzi
bath.
Cerise and Abricot
Entrance floor: ski store.
First floor: room 1, twin with Jacuzzi bath, wc. and balcony
; living dining room.
Second floor: rooms 2-4, 3 twins with Jacuzzi bath, wc.
and balcony.
Third floor; rooms 5-7, 3 twins with Jacuzzi bath, wc.and
balcony.
Supplements for rooms 1-7, £4 per person per night.
Clementine
Entrancefloor: twin with Jacuzzi bath and wc; dining room.
First floor: room 2, small twin with Jacuzzi bath and
wc.; rooms 3-5, 3 twins with shower and wc.
Supplements : room 1, £3 per person per night, and
room 2, £1 per person per night.
Discounted price £604 on
the same terms as Bonhomme. These chalets do not have
the Enhanced catering, but if more than 50% want it, the
additional discounted cost £29 per person will be
added to the cost above.
Travel
You must choose your travel mode when you book.
No flight fuel or currency supplement at this time but
this may change.
Ski carriage on flights £15
Gatwick Geneva flight: no supplement
Gatwick Grenoble flight £12
Gatwick Chambery flight should save an hour on the transfer
£25
Birmingham Chambery flight £29
Bristol Chambery flight £32 worked well last time
Manchester Chambery flight £39
All flights will have carbon offset cost added.
The train is the future, use it
now. It's more environmentally friendly without wasted
time at the airports, no ski carriage charge, no transfer
delays, delayed flights and limited baggage.
Overnight train: leaves Waterloo at 16.42 on Friday 22
Jan ., change train at Gare du Nord, Paris, for the
sleeper stopping at Moutiers. On return, leave late afternoon
on Sat., 30 Jan., arriving Waterloo at 9.56 on Sunday
31Jan. VT is about 60 minutes drive from the station.
There is no baggage limit but you must carry your bags
.This mode gives another two days on snow .£99
Daytime train direct: leaves Waterloo at 9.42 on Saturday, 24 Jan., and arrives Bourg at 18.30. Leaves at 9.30
on the 31 Jan., to arrive back in Waterloo late afternoon.
Probably the most civilised mode of travel .No baggage
limit .£89
Learning and having fun
Our coaching in January is focused on your needs in a
small supportive group. You will discover new terrain
and snow conditions with congenial skiers of the right
standard. The minimum standard on your first day is linked
turns at moderate speed. For the more technically experienced,
there will be groups tackling all terrain and snow conditions.
Instruction for beginners and novices can be arranged
with a local ski school. A week’s Squalor coaching
is three alternative days with a coach in a group of no
more than 10 equivalent skiers. A group of disparate standard
or speed may be sub-divided for coaching (with pro-rata
reduction in exclusive time with your coach). To balance
cost, and for fairness, there will be a supplement for
all groups with less than seven members. If you want more
intensive coaching, Fred Foxon has Personal Performance
Courses at Tignes, Sainte Foy and Courchevel. I must reserve
the right not to accept, or, alternatively, to refund
or cancel Squalor coaching for anyone not suited to our
style of teaching.
Depending on demand and availability, our coaches will
be:
Bob Conkie BASI, ISIA and former Snofun instructor
Other instructor to be confirmed
Coaching One week (three days) £125 until 1 September
2010
Depending on the rate of exchange at the time of paying
the coaches, there may be a supplement if there are insufficient
Euros.
Lift Passes
There will be large discount on the cost of your VT lift
passes. I shall presume a full Three Valleys pass unless
told otherwise and the cost will be automatically added
to your invoice. There is a small admin charge if you
are entitled to a free pass.
Canada, 14-28 Feb.
Lake Louise and Revelstoke
Your chance to ski one of Canada's oldest resorts and
one of the newest. We fly Air Canada to Calgary where
we collect the luxury “minivans” [ Alamo Gold
standard] for the 1.5 hour drive to Lake Louise, probably
the second biggest resort in Canada[ it says it's the
biggest but Whistler must be bigger].There are 4000 acres
of terrain, three peaks and a front side / backside so
beloved of American ski parlance. Although Louise does
not get the huge snowfalls of some parts of the Rockies
[ more later ], it is one of the first areas to open and
is reliable. Sunshine, 30 minutes down the road, has
much more snow, no snowmaking and is on the same ski
pass.
Louise village is small and 1.5 miles from the hill by
free shuttle. We stay in twin rooms at Deer Lodge, a
restored hotel from the 1920s with a reputation for good
food and drink, roof top hot tub and period charm. It
is next to the much grander Chateau Lake Louise.
Revelstoke is about 3.5 hours drive over Roger's Pass
on the Trans Canada Highway, the subject of much recent
investment. Formerly a forgettable railway junction and
jumping off point for heli skiing, the town has been,
and is being, transformed by the construction of a new
ski area. The Selkirks get snow, much snow [ average of
40-60 feet a winter and the attraction for heli skiing].
The emerging ski area has the biggest vertical in Canada
[ 5600feet], 3000 acres of terrain, no queues and is
not for beginners. The skiing is unique in combining piste,
cat and heli skiing from the same base. The cat skiing
operates in a huge bowl at the top of the mountain and
time is not lost getting to and from the area of skiing.
Although the resort is not fully developed with all lifts
and a full base area, the full vertical of lifts and terrain
is available now. This is world class skiing in the making.
Discover it now before the hordes do.
We stay studios in the newly built Nelson Lodge at the
bottom of the hill with direct access to the ski area,
rather a ride from Revelstoke. The Lodge is modern, well
appointed and high quality.
Price £1,399.00 includes
flight, vehicle hire and accommodation but not food .
Sainte Foy, 4-14 March
Auberge sur la Montagne
Some of you will know the Auberge
as the building on the Ste Foy junction on the road to
Val and Tignes. Up the hill from the Auberge, the ski
area is a 5 minute drive, although not large, has good
snow [ faces north] and many off piste opportunities for
all standards. Much is within the ski area and ranges
from flattering to moderately steep .The lift served terrain
also gives access to extensive back country for day and
half day tours. As the capacity of resort accommodation
is still relatively restricted, the snow is not skied
out within a few hours like its big brothers up the road.
The area has developed an apparently contradictory reputation
for families and for soft snow addicts, attracting guided
groups from up the road. If the local hill is not enough,
Les Arc is 15 minutes drive, Tignes les Brevieres 20,
Val 30 and La Rosiere 30 [ Europe's biggest heli ski centre].
The Auberge is owner managed by Sue and Andy who take
a personal interest in service and food quality. They
are ably assisted by enthusiastic knowledgeable staff.
Ski and touring equipment can be hired on the premises,
and skis can be repaired in the workshop.
This restored 200 year old Savoyard building has a big
dining room and big lounge /bar with oprn fireplace. Obviously
not a modern building with standard spaces, the rooms
are individual, all refurbished with modern bathrooms
and spacious. Hot water is copios. Facilities vary. Most
rooms are en suite. Those sharing bathrooms are cheaper
[70E per person per week ], as are those with external
access. Rooms can be occupied as singles for an additional
£150. There are doubles and twins [and triples].
If the en suite facilities don't satisfy, boil in the
garden hot tub.
Breakfast is a buffet, and dinner three course with wine.
Packed lunches can be provided. As usual, eat out once
a week.
Transfers are available from Bourg station [ about 15
minutes ] and Geneva airport [ minimum of 6 ] at an additional
cost. Transport within and between resorts is also available
at an additional cost [ essential for the longer off piste].
Price £485 for accommodation, food and wine. We provide our own transport by car sharing, train or flight.
Insurance
Call me for advice.
