Skiing & Star Spotting - Chalet du Fruit, Meribel, France

What a wonderful stay with Claire & Ben, we stayed in Chalet Christina last year and had a great trip, Ben is an excellent cook & the chalet was lovely, maybe a little tired but as we found out the chalet had been sold and Claire & Ben were taking on the Fruit chalet (this chalet I am reveiwing), a new one for them, they even gave us a tour and WOW! modern & new with a real alpine charm, plus the added benefit of the sauna and hot tub.

Our stay in Meribel was enjoyable, we had some fantastic conditions for skiing, the company was great plus we spotted Rob Brydon and also the band The Feeling and Sophie Ellis Bextor in the pub (There was a free out door concert too at the Ronnie where we saw The Feeling play). On our deaprture day as we were waiting for Andy our transfer guy, Claire & Bens new guests arrived and we were pleasantly surprised to see they were the 4 Poofs and a Piano from the Jonathan Ross show and we met Howard Marks they were staying there in the chalet we were just leaving!!!

All in all a great week with old and new friends, good luck to Claire & Ben for next winter although I do not think they need it, they have managed to source a real gem for you all to stay in.

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

Dear Sam and Steve. A huge thank you on behalf of all of us, for making Mum;s 70th such a lovely occasion. Despite the lousy weather, Sam’s smile provided us all the sunshine we needed. Thanks so much for your care and attention. Good luck with everything. With love from Rosi and the gang of us!

June 22nd 2010
Rosi and Group

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base for mountain bike paradise - Chalet le Riez, Morzine, France

Excellent situation for shops and lifts out of morzine.
comfortable well appointed chalet with all you will need.

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Wonderful Holiday - Chalet les Noisettes, Ste Foy, France

We stayed at Chalet les Noisettes for a week last season and had a wonderful holiday. Charlotte and Marcus were superb hosts, great food, couldn't do enough for us. The resort is lovely with fantastic off piste skiing, no lift queues, quiet pistes. We will be returning this season for sure.

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Fantastic place to stay, spotlessly clean, warm and welcoming hosts. - Chalet Le Morzenettaz, Morzine, France

This place is a hidden gem.

Two of us travelled to Le Morzenettaz for a Mountain Biking holiday and our hosts were Paul and Nina.

We arrived much earlier than we had arranged but Nina was warm and welcoming and straight away offered us a tea or coffee. Our room was spotless and the beds very comfy. The shower at the start and end of each day offered plenty of power to awaken the body or refresh aching joints.

The location is a five minute or so walk away from the Super Morzine lift and is in a quiet road so there is no need to worry about being disturbed at night.

Breakfast every day was great, fresh coffee and fruit juice along with cereal, fresh bread and a choice of eggs. I can recommend the poached eggs as these were perfect every day! The breakfast time was by arrangement and it was great to have such flexibility.

One of the greatest strengths of Apex is the living space which is open to residents all the time. There is a cozy snug (without a TV which is great) but in 30c temperatures we stuck to either the breakfast table or the lovely terrace outside which rather than overlooking a road looks back to the forest on the mountain at the rear of the property. Paul and Nina were often about they made great company to be around.

In terms of facilities, things worthy of mention are the drying room which seemed to work just like a tumble drier without the tumbling and the secure storage for bikes in the ample garage. There was also free wifi and a nice hose for washing bikes.

All in all Paul and Nina's hospitality helped turn a great holiday into an excellent holiday!

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

A fantastic location and a wonderful chalet. We even enjoyed cooking in the kitchen! The rafting and walking were great. Many thanks, The Hynes Family
14th August 2009
Hynes Family

A wonderful holiday. Stunning scenery. Very comfortable chalet and lots to do.
August 2009
Faith and Adrian, Exeter

Steve and Sam, first week of the season and our honeymoon. What a wonder week we had. The chalet is amazing, the food is to die for and the welcome and hospitality from yourselves was excellent. Thank you for making this a special week and look forward to returning hopefully for an anniversary. Love from Jason & Tracey xx
20th December 2009
Jason and Tracey

As your first catered guests in this amazing chalet we feel very honoured! We've had such a special Christmas, thanks to your amazing hospitality, superb food and great skiing. We wish you every success with the venture and have no doubt that this will become a much sought after chalet. Well done Sam and Steve.
20th December 2009
Helen, Rich, Chloe and Josh

Not enough superlatives to describe. Sam, Steve, Ben and Jenny are marvellous. Good luck with everything.
27th December 2009
Paul

What more can we say! The best Christmas ever. Everything superb.
27th December 2009
Bev, Ian, Lauren, Jamie and Esme x

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

Really enjoyed the holiday. Samoens is a lovely village and really good ski resort. Fantastic chalet. Thank you for being so patient with us and the children. All the best for the future.
10th January 2010
The Beals and the Mendozas


Massively “High End” chalet which is better than any 5* ski accommodation that we have stayed in over 25 years of ski holidays. Everybody has enjoyed the stay and facilities are excellent. Standards of food and wine are “cordon bleu”. Service was discreet and efficient and most cheerfully delivered. Lovely to come back to a roaring fire as opposed to a roaring wife – a stress free week with 10 happy guests of mixed ages done... Carlsberg do not do chalets but if they did...
27th December 2009
Winsalls and Etchells families

Thanks for a great stay, we enjoyed every day. The food was great as were the rooms! We felt very welcome. Thank you for the fires Steve! We would definitely like to come back. Lots of love Laura, George & Johnny

Thank you for a great week. The chalet and food are out of this world. The skiing has been great too. We hope to see you again really soon! (if you will have us!!!) We know you will do really well and wish you both all the luck in the world. Lots of love Ali, Keith, Laura & George Ambrose
10th Januray 2010
Ali, Keith, Laura and George Ambrose

Thank you very much for a very nice week. Your food has been great & your hospitality even better. We shall certainly recommend you.
17th January 2010
Bev and Andy (the fire starter)

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

Thank you for giving us such a wonderful holiday. You have obviously studied the snow forecast and have ordered snow at the right time – conditions have been excellent and the scenery spectacular We all wish you best of luck with your business venture and, as your clients, we have enjoyed a wonderful week.
30th January 2010
Doug’s party


You have established an exceptional standard and make your guests feel really welcome and at home. Many thanks.
31st January 2010
Nadine and Doug Scott

Dear Sam,Steve and SteveO. Now that we are home and settled in I thought I would just send you an email to say once again how much we enjoyed our stay with you . I have had a lot of feedback from the others (who are all seasoned chalet guests ) and they have all been very impressed not only by the standard of accommodation and catering you provided but also by the warm and friendly atmosphere that you have created and your ability to discreetly anticipate every need without fuss.
Thank you for giving us a first class holiday.
If you ever need a reference (written or verbal ) I would be happy to provide it.
31st January 2010
Doug Scott

Lovely chalet and facilities – everything is top class including the meals and service. Had a lovely time. Good luck for the future.
31st January 2010
Hazel and Neville

Thank you for being so accommodating for our minibreak! Lovely chalet, lovely food and good luck with the future.
31st January
Fiona and Pete


Love it! Love it! Love it! This place is an absolute gem of a find... great food, hosts, chalet and village – we have had the best week ever. Thanks for a fantastic holiday.
7th February 2010
Michelle and Chris

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

I don't usually fill these things in but we had such a good holiday I thought I should. Many thanks to you for your hospitality and for making our stay so enjoyable. 11 out of 10!
7th February 2010
Wakefield family


Our first skiing holiday, and we couldn’t have chosen a better place! Lovely accommodation, great food, scenery to die for and a great couple (Steve and Sam) catering for our every whim! We wish you all the best in your new business venture – you really do deserve it! If success is down to hard work then you are guaranteed to be very successful. Lots of love.
7th February 2010
Andrea, Rob and Haylee

Sam, Steve and Stev-o. Thank you all for making us all welcome into this lovely chalet. The food, hospitality and the location of this has been excellent. Good luck in the future and thanks again for making this a home from home. Hope to come back again!!
14th February 2010
Dani and Chelsea

Earlier in the year we stayed in ‘La Grande’ but this time we stayed in ‘La Petite’ – but which one is better? There is only one way to find out! Thanks for a lovely time again.
21st February 2010
Winsalls and friends

Thank you for such a fantastic week. The chalet and facilities were perfect for our group, the food was amazing and the wine was generous, which made for very merry evenings and a few slightly sore heads in the morning! Steve's advice on best skiing areas every day was really useful and helped us get the most out of our week. Good luck with the rest of the season, we will hopefully see you next year and possibly in the summer.
21st February 2010
The vets

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

Personally, I'm crap at Mario Kart, Just Dance and skiing but somehow I still has a fabulous week as I do have a great appreciation for good food, good wine and great company. You couldn't possibly have done more for us and I really am so grateful. A real holiday for me is no cooking or cleaning
so it definitely ticked those boxes... and some! I think you are a lovely couple and I wish you all the love, luck, health and happiness you deserve.
28th February 2010
O’Mahony family

It's a six star set up and you really have outdone yourselves. See you next year!!
28th February 2010
Noel

Thank you x100! The Sherrards have had a fabulous holiday – the chalet is cosy and plush, the food is out of this world and your service impeccable yet friendly. Ruby's childcare worked well – she certainly seemed happy! We've had superb skiing too – see you next year then! Love and best wishes and good luck for the rest of the year.
28th February 2010
Sherrard family

Superb hosts and excellent food. And the brownies are awesome!
28th February 2010
Sarah

Top chalet. Sam and Steve are a really nice couple and I wish them all the best in the future.
28th February 2010
Phil

Thank you Sam and Steve for a wonderful weeks holiday, we have had a fantastic time though taking a few skiing injuries home with us! Fabulous chalet, 'fine' dining and we have been looked after amazingly well. You have thought of everything and we hope you have a successful business, you
both deserve it. 110% good luck!
7th March 2010
Pam, Stephen, Sara and Andy

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

Thank you for such an incredible week. I can honestly say that in almost 25 years of ski holidays I have never enjoyed a trip so much. Superb chalet and excellent food and wine (from bottles – what a treat!) Thank you for helping so much with Max and looking after us all so well. We simply cannot wait
to come again. All the best for a long and successful chaleting career. All we need is for Steve to learn to ski and everything will be perfect.
7th March 2010
Sparky, Esther and Max

As this was our first ever skiing holiday, we didn't know what to compare it against, but after being here for a week, we now know that it doesn't get much better than this! The food was amazing and plentiful, the broccoli was to die for. And if that wasn't enough, the Hot Tub at the end of the day made
us all feel refreshed and ready to start again. You both made us very welcome and couldn't do enough for us. We will be back! Thanks for our best ever holiday!
14th March 2010
Phil, Kerry, Georgia & Alex

We really enjoyed our stay. There's so many things we could mention; your service has been excellent. I hope you didn't mind us! Well what can I say about the food – well it was the
best I have ever had. I'll have a take away please! I really really enjoyed it and so did all the others. We really loved this area – it’s soooo clean! This chalet felt like home! We love you all thank you.
21st March 2010
Maya (aged 7)

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Guest reviews - Chalet Absolute Alpine, Samoens, France

Thank you both for a great stay. You have made us all feel welcome in your home. Food was great, sorry we drank all your wine... You're doing a great job. Looking after 17 must be hard. Hope to see you both soon.
21st March 2010
Rob and Shirley

Love the chalet! Great food and an absolutely awesome skiing holiday! Best of luck to you both.
28th March 2010
Rachel

Excellent hospitality, food great, standards of everything are very good. Keep it up and you will succeed in your business. Good luck for the future. We will see you again!
4th April 2010
Martin and Cath

Dear Sam and Steve. We have loved our week here with you. Coming back to this chalet has been like putting on a pair of fluffy moon boots after a day in ski boots. Warm, comforting, relaxing, cosy and inviting. You make the whole chalet hosting thing look effortless. You are made for this life. You Have made us feel so welcome, despite the felt tips, stickers and dirty paws of our children wrecking the joint! It has been bliss to have someone cook delicious meals and then do the washing up too. A proper holiday! Finally a big thank you for being the children’s entertainment for the week, for taking such good care of Posy and for Kip and Effie hanging off your every move. Oh and for being so understanding about our need to over stay our welcome! Thank you again. We would highly recommend you to all we know. Love the family that never left.
18th April 2010
Nick, Phoebe, Kip, Effie and Po Po x

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The peak of perfection - 7 Days Newspaper - Dubai - Ste Foy, France

...If your idea of snow heaven is slopes with space, top terrain and a charming resort where you never have to queue for a ski lift, it does exist - even in the famous French Alps.

The relatively small, but perfectly formed resort of Sainte Foy in the Tarentaise valley may not be the most famous in the region, but it does boast all of the above.

Just down the road from mega-resorts Val d’Isere, Les Arcs and Tignes, this quaint village may just be the area’s best-kept secret. It was described to me, pre-visit, as a hidden gem.

As a rule, you find that most places don’t live up to this billing. They are either not that well hidden, or not that much of a gem.

But Sainte Foy really can claim to be both. It opened in 1990, a few miles up the valley from the original village of Sainte Foy.

But there’s no concrete monstrosities here. Instead the purpose-built chalets are constructed from local timber and stone and building is strictly controlled to keep it this way. We stayed with Premiere Neige and had a truly Premiere experience.

On exploring the Sainte Foy slopes on day one, we soon discovered some of the best terrain we’d ever boarded.

For snowboarders and those skiers who relish off-piste, it offers everything you could want from tricky tree runs to playgrounds of powder features. And the icing on the cake and the reason it does justify true gem status it really feels like you have the mountain to yourself.

Our 3rd year on the trot! - Chalet Himalaya, Meribel, France

I met Clare and Ben a few seasons ago staying at the Christina when I booked quite late in the season. I was there on my own until I convinced some other friends to move chalets as I was so delighted with everything they had to offer - the welcome, the snow, location, bedroom, bathroom, cleanliness, friendliness, food, cakes, beer, wine and more wine! [not to mention the gorgeous Noah!!]

I had a ball and have been returning every year since then and I do not normally return to the same ski place but Claire and Ben have it just right!

[PS. The friends who came with me all that time ago, have also returned with their respective partners every year too!]

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Love the new chalet! - Chalet du Fruit, Meribel, France

The new Chalet is lovely, bright, airy, clean and in a great spot!

After staying with Clare and Ben several times now it is great to see their portfolio increase with the new improved addition.

Can't wait to return next season - bring on Nov and some more great snow!

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1 Season - 2 Visits - Need I Say More !! - Chalet Himalaya, Meribel, France

Just fantastic! 5 of us went for Christmas and had a superb time. It was our first experience of a catered chalet holiday - what an introduction to chalet holidays! Tim & Helen were great - fantastic food, (and lots of it), the chalet was spotlessly clean at all times, great afternoon cakes (on the days we made it straight back from the slopes without a detour to Jacks for apres-ski!!). Claire was great from start to finish in providing all the info needed to get us there and get us on the slopes (travel info, ski hire, ski passes etc etc). A superb location for the free bus service to the main lift area. We enjoyed it so much that me and Paul were lucky enough to get back for a second week in March. Yet again, from start to finish, the stay was great. We look forward to seeing the aktivexperience guys again sometime next season! Julie & Paul McDonald

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Minimising your Enviromental Impact - Meribel, France

Climate Change, two words that are banded around on a regular basis by all, two words that are now so common place sometimes we hear them and forget them. But, they are two words to be taken seriously and when living here in the mountains it is something noticeable, and without sitting up and taking notice there is a fear that our fantastic mountains may only last another generation.

Meribel is doing its best to ensure that the mountains are protected from climate change, implementing many green policies, working towards the international ISO14004 Environmental Standard. The three valleys 920 cannons, 183 lifts and 67 groomers are hydro-electric powered.

Having an environmentally forward thinking resort is one thing but what can you do as a visitor to help the fight against climate change?

On the mountain

Don`t litter,the snow may cover your littering but when the snow disappears it isn`t pretty seeing crisp packets, plastic bottles, wrappers and more, plus it isn`t fair on wildlife as they head out of hibernation and start forage for food.

Don`t drop your cigarette buts!!! one that should go with littering but deserves it own listing, your filters are not biodegradable and are very easily confused by the wildlife as food. If you must smoke on the mountain take your buts with you, if you don`t want to stink your pockets out a) carry a little plastic bag to pop them in or b) Don`t smoke until you get to the bar

In your accommodation

Turn down your heater when heading out, turn off lights that are not in use, if your towels don`t need changing let your chalet host know. Little things that can lead to a big change

Full blog www.aktivexperience.com/blog

New Mini Pass for La Tania. - La Tania, France

We also were told that a "mini-pass" in La Tania for beginners to use the Gondola without having to pay for a full Courchevel Pass is to be launched this Winter. Prices are still to be confirmed but should be significantly cheaper than buying a whole valley pass (Currently one trip up the Gondola can be purchased for 6€). The new Three Valley Piste Map will be out in November

Ski Power take on 4 new piste side chalets - Val d'Isère, France

Val D'isere - Here we come...

Ski Power are pleased to let you know that we have taken over some great new chalets in Val D'Isere - ski in ski out ...

Some great deals to be had..

Please visit www.skipower.co.uk

Chalet Gallois - Chalet Gallois, Chamonix - Les Houches, France

Great week - fantastic snow and very accessible skiing in the Chamonix region. We enjoyed the location of Les Houches and chose to drive - car very handy to open the area. Our stay made even better by the warm friendly and comprehensive help/ advice of Helen - what to do; where to eat etc. The Chalet - very comfortable and efficient for 8; space for the kids to veg out ; shops and SuperU within easy reach. Kids had great fun on the variety of slopes and we all enjoyed a trip to Courmeyer for the day. For larger groups, next door is the same and share a balcony if required. Hope to be back.

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RIVER DEEP, MOUNTAIN HIGH - Nendaz, Switzerland

There's more to a holiday in the Alps than mountains. Only 30 minutes from Nendaz, you can plunge into the world of canyoning and rafting on the River Rhône.

Swiss Raft Activity, based in Sion, has all the equipment and rafts necessary to lead a whole day or half day white water adventure. They provide the qualified guide, any transport that is necessary and the technical equipment. All you need is a swimsuit and a lot of nerve.

You'll find more details on: www.secretalps.com/open_secret/whitewater.htm

Fantastic time had by all - Chalet des Etoiles, Morzine, France

We had a wonderful long weekend at Chalet des Etoiles. The chalet was beautiful and the views stunning. Larry and Janet went out of their way to look after us, and I felt thoroughly spoilt!

Particular highlights were champagne in the hot tub, delicious dinners and of course our white water rafting trip.

There are numerous activities to try here in the summer, and I would highly recommend Chalet des Etoiles as the perfect base.

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Do you rember Les2Alpes ? - Les Deux Alpes, France

Maybe you were a beginner at LES 2 ALPES and now holiday in other ski resorts. Ever thought of returning and exploring the rest of the terrain?

- 2300m of vertical descent;
- guaranteed snow on the 3600m high glacier;
- 431 hectares of prepared runs and 700 hectares off-piste;
- easy links to the paradise of La Grave;
- new fast 8 person chairlift;
- new restaurant at the foot of the glacier;
- 2 snowboard parks which host the annual Mondial du Ski and Surf
- Mondial du Ski end October – start November – test out all the latest equipment
- Resort starts to open from November until May, one of the longest seasons in the Alps
- Paragliding, ice-climbing, snow-shoeing, cross country skiing
- Authentic mountain villages in stunning surroundings, eg Venosc which is linked to Les 2 Alpes in 7 minutes by a 6 person gondola and which stands at the edge of the Ecrins National Park

If you thought you knew LES 2 ALPES, think again; you will be amazed at how much more terrain you can now cover as an intermediate or expert skier.

And for beginners, experience the majesty of the high peaks as you access the glacier of Mont de Lans with its consistent green and blue runs. There are free lifts for you in the town and English speaking ski and snowboard schools offering small group sizes and private lessons at very affordable prices.

Summer Season in Bansko Area - Bansko, Bulgaria

Don't forget this is not just a winter resort. There are plenty of things to do in the summer too!

For the more active there is:
Rafting (early summer its far more gentle and suitable for the whole family)
Canoeing
Canyoning
Buggy and Quad Bike adventures in the mountains
Superb hiking in some of the most accessible mountain in Europe
Rock Climbing
Mountain Biking – loads of marked trails, guides and maps available
Fishing
Go-carting
Horse riding

For those looking for a bit of culture there is:
The Rila Monastery
Malnik wine area
Trigrad gorge where legend has it that Orpheus returned to the underworld
Dobarsko’s tiny chapel where frescoes have recently been revealed showing Christ in a space ship, dating back centuries

For those of you looking for relaxation:
The open air thermal mineral pool in Dobrisnishte
Numerous spa hotels
A day on the beech - 2 hour drive to the Greek Beeches
Shopping in nearby Blagoevgrad the American University town with its café culture

The list for all of the above goes on.

AND……Don’t forget the famous Bansko Jazz Festival during the 2nd week in August held in Bansko’s centre during the hot summer evenings!

La Plagne - La Plagne, France

Located in the French Tarentaise Valley, and offering you 425km of pistes and more than 2000m of vertical drop, snow-sure Paradiski is one of the largest ski areas in Europe. Originally two distinct resorts - La Plagne and Les Arcs - the construction of the Vanoise express lift in 2003 joined the two areas into one domain - Paradiski.

La Plagne itself has a huge variety of ski terrain and is an ideal resort to suit a mixed ability group. Why not choose to take some gentle blue runs winding through the lush pine forest down to Les Coches, have a day out skiing from one end of the domain to the other, or, for the experts, have a go at one of the un-pisted black runs dropping off the top of the Bellecot Glacier? With this much choice, there is something for everyone of every level.

As well as the more traditional pistes, La Plagne also offers a wealth of off piste to be explored with a guide; a half pipe, boarder cross and park; a large glacier and designated tranquillity zones for peace and quiet. The resort is well managed with fast lifts, well groomed pistes and plenty of snow making facilities - althought with 70% of the domain over 2000m, the resort is snowsure.

Les Coches, Paradiski - La Plagne - Les Coches, France

Situated in the heart of the the Paradiski domain, just a five minute ski from the Vanoise express lift on the La Plagne side, Les Coches is ideally placed for exploring both La Plagne and Les Arcs. With a choice of four lifts directly out of Les Coches, and 425km of pistes to choose from across the paradiski domain, you are spoilt for choice here.

As well as the excellent skiing, Les Coches also offers a beginners ski area, cross country skiing track, an ice rink, sledging area, a variety of walking trails, and plenty more.

Built using local materials, and designed for sustainable development, Les Coches has retained a true village feel, whilst at the same time ensuring that visitors are well provided for. The pedestrian village centre, with its shops, bars, ski hire and ski schools is compact and friendly. The resort is traffic free, and offers a crèche, children’s club and ski school which makes it a good all round choice for families.

There is however still plenty of choice if you fancy a night out to try one of the restaurants or bars. Firm favourites for restaurants include Les Lauzes, Le Tavern de Monchou and, of course Les Coches Pizza. For a few drinks, and maybe a bit of a boogie, the "Last One Pub" is the place to be.

First class - Abode, St Martin de Belleville, France

This week you've delivered the quality of service, genuine hospitality and absolutely fabulous food that other companies claim to offer but definitely don't manage to deliver consistently. We will be back.

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We loved it!!! - Pirin Chalet, Bansko, Bulgaria

We had a lovely holiday. A very practical and well equipped house for our family (including a 1 and 7 year old). The house came with everything we needed, stair gate, cot, highchair etc. Lots of indoor and outdoor space and in a beautiful, peaceful location. Kitchen was very well equipped and the house had every home comfort you could require. Very modern furnishings in a beautiful Bulgarian house. We skied most days and although its a short drive to the ski area it was never a problem as its not a ski in, ski out resort anyway. Will definitely be visiting again!

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AktivExperience - Chalet du Fruit, Meribel, France

For the last two years we have booked our Ski holiday with Claire & Ben, staying in Chalet Christina. Both holidays we receieved a wonderful warm welcome, which continued throughout the holiday. The Chalet was beautiful and cosy, and the service provided by Claire, Ben & Steve was 5*. We have several highlights from our holidays; meeting other guests staying in Chalet Christina who were brilliant, steak night which was yummy, the hot tob was a hit for the aching bones, and seeing a 6ft7" rugby player hula hoop on Wii!! Thanks Claire, Ben, Steve and we cannot forget Noah!

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excellent ! - Pirin Chalet, Bansko - Dobrinishte, Bulgaria

clean, cosy, confortable. Situated in a nice spot. The kitchen had everything we wanted!
One small suggestion for further improvement: an expresso machine is needed in the kitchen

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cant wait to come back - Chalet Himalaya, Meribel, France

i have been to meribel a few times now and stayed in many chalets but nothing compares to this one. ben and claire were amazing and made us all feel welcome and at home..the food was 5 * just what we all needed from the slopes oh and to soak up the alcohol from apres ski..
it was nice for a change that the service is done by people who didnt just fly out from school and knew what they were doing and wanted your stay the best it could be so much fun. the chalet was warm beautiful and brilliant location so close to the slopes....
coming back next year soooooooooo cant wait

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My stay - Chalet du Fruit, Meribel, France

January 2010, what a week we had in the chalet. From booking, through to leaving nothing was too much trouble, the food was fantastic, especially the french themed night, well we were in France after all. Ben & Claire were friendly and really helped us out, especially when our luggage got lost and they had spare kit to lend us until the bags arrived.

The chalet was gorgeous, perfect for our family stay, wonderful roaring fire to sit around with afternoon tea while the kids played on the Wii! never underestimate the power of the games condole with weary kids.
Besides the great skiing, my favorite part of the day was heading down to the Hot Tub & Sauna with a cold glass of something to ease my weary legs.

We will be back!

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Boys annual ski trip - Chalet Himalaya, Meribel, France

After visiting Meribel in January with the family, March was then time to do the "lads" ski trip, as we are getting older though a week would kill us( we are all now the wrong side of 40 & some 50!) so we opted for the usual 3 day cram it all in ski break.

Having stayed with Aktive Experience in January and speaking with Claire & Ben I knew they offered short stays so I booked in to their other chalet, and again we were not disappointed (although I missed the sauna & tub which I became accustomed to in the Fruit). This time Helen & Tim looked after us, lovely couple who produced wonderful food and hospitality.

Our skis and passes were pre booked for us which was a blessing as we only had 3 days to ski so no time to waste, we arrived by midday and were on the mountain by 12,30 would have been quicker if we traveled in our ski wear!

All in all another great visit to Meribel, for a short stay this was second to none, Claire fully understands that time is of the essence on these short stays and the whole organisation is geared to getting you on the mountain as quickly as possible and ensuring that you get the most ski time as possible. We even managed to
get Ben to ski with us (he told us that he doesn`t guide as he loses people) on one day and WOW he really put us through our paces and showed us some great runs, and he lost no one.

Again thank you guys

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You get more than you expect - Pirin Chalet, Bansko - Dobrinishte, Bulgaria

1. The facilities are specious
2. The house is fully equiped (DvD, Playstation!, hi-fi, espresso coffee maker etc.)
3. It is clean
4. The commissaries are sufficient to cover basic needs for breakfast
5. A bit inflexible in the arrival-departure scheduling, but it can be handled.

Overall you get far more than what you expect!!!

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Meribel - Chalet du Fruit, Meribel, France

I had an amazing stay in Meribel, Claire and Ben were amazing hosts as always, and little Noah was toooooooo cute. The food was amazing, the beds were comfortable and weather was perfect!! We couldn't have asked for anything more!! We shall definitely be back!!

Sav and Lexy x

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Wonderful Holiday - Chalet Himalaya, Meribel, France

Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful. The 3 words to sum up my stay in chalet Himalaya last March, having always traveled with larger companies who offer everything in one package I was a little unsure traveling independently would be, but, the team at Activexpereince ensured we were ok from the moment of inquiring to arriving. Once there Helen & Tim could not do enough for us, food was excellent, the chalet was immaculately clean and their friendliness was second to none. A big thumbs up all round. Thank you

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Planning Your Ski Trip To France & Meribel - Meribel, France

Almost all British skiers will know the Trois Vallées, wether this is because they have visited or friends have told them of the area. According to the Meribel tourist office 37% of the visitors to Méribel, in the centre of the three valleys and the prettiest town, are British. The resort has a reputation of a “party” time and exclusive resort, but Méribel's reputation doesn't match with my own experience of the resort, which I am lucky enough to call home.

When choosing your accommodation, location is an important consideration, as Meribel is a sprawling resort , if you are looking for a short walk to the bars on an evening then maybe Les Allues is not the correct area, on the flip side if you are looking for a peaceful evening lounging by the fire and don`t care for “wild” nights then Meribel Village, or Les Allues are maybe better suited. The hub of the resort, where most of the shops and bars are located, is Meribel 1450, and not Meribel Village, as the name might suggest. The Village is in fact a modern area of the town itself. Meribel-Mottaret is another area further up the hill at 1750m of altitude, great for ski-in ski-out. However, while the additional 300m up to Mottaret mean better snow the 2km by road make for more than a short stumble home from 1450 after a night on the beers. Accommodation varies greatly in the valley from self catered apartments that sleep 6 (but realistically will sleep 4) to uber luxurious chalets, prices also vary greatly, you can get more for your money the lower down the valley you stay, but there is compromise including distance from the pistes and resort centre.

Châtel will challenge your riding to a whole different level.. - Chatel, France

Picture your favourite UK single track...now imagine it 10 times longer and 10 times as varied, snaking through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Now just imagine that you don't even have to ride up hill in order to come down!

Welcome To Chatel...!

During the summer the vast network of Portes du Soleil ski lifts are converted to carry you and your bike to the top of the mountains, meaning that hundreds of miles of Alpine single track is on offer without ever having to ride uphill....unless of course you want to!

Châtel is fast becoming known for its large number of well kept downhill tracks, and the fact that it is one of the most challenging areas in the Portes du Soleil! The downhill world cup is regularly held here, along with big events such as the Chatel mountain style, and the Passportes du Soleil.

Whether downhill, XC, Freeride, or just getting out and about on your bike is what you're after, there really is no better place to come.

Perfect holiday in Chalet Cerf and/or Gallois - Chalet Gallois, Chamonix - Les Houches, France

We had a great week in Chalet Cerf. Thanks to our host Helen, everything went smoothly. There are two twin chalets next to each other (Gallois and Cerf), in total can accomodate up to 16 people, so it is good if you have a large group. The slopes of Les Houches are great for families and kids, and it is also a good place to stay (only 50 minutes drive from Geneva) to expolore the whole Chamonix valley.

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Tour de Suisse - Nendaz, Switzerland

The Tour de Suisse is one of the world's major cycling stage races and is regarded as a preparatory event for the Tour de France. It is on between 12 and 20 June and many of the big names from the sport, including Lance Armstrong and Fabian Cancellara (last year's winner) are expected.

Nendaz is a great place to base yourself if you want to see the end of Stage 2 at Sierre on 13 June and follow Stage 3 the next day from Sierre, along the Rhone valley before they turn north towards Schwarzenburg.

More info on: http://www.secretalps.com/open_secret/cycling.htm

Summer Holiday at Chalet des Etoiles - Chalet des Etoiles, Morzine - La Grande Terche, France

I spent a wonderful week at Chalet des Etoiles in August 2009. I had to keep pinching myself to believe it was true. The situation of the chalet, perched above St Jean d'Aulps is breathtaking and the views from all around the chalet are absolutely stunning. My room was beautifully furnished in a traditional style and there is a lot of attention to detail to make sure that the guests have everything they need to make their stay very comfortable and welcoming.
Janet and Larry are the perfect hosts and you immediately feel completely at home and part of the family. They are very pleased and proud to be sharing their beautiful home and they have created a very relaxed style of entertaining. The cooking was delicious, all home made with fresh ingredients and careful thought to how it is served. The wine was plentiful and the mealtimes full of animated chat and laughter. One of the best moments of the day was relaxing in the hot tub which almost floats over the valley. I felt pampered and spoilt. Most evenings and indeed breakfast, we ate outside on the verandah and it was wonderful to watch the dusk falling and the twinkling lights appearing in the valley below. Janet and Larry were attentive and nothing was too much trouble.
We spent the days walking in the mountains through amazing meadows of wild flowers and again, stunning views in every direction. The sun shone and the skies were azure blue. It really is a very special area.
I was reluctant to leave this magical place and felt very sad to be leaving. By the end of the week, Janet and Larry felt like lifelong friends. I cannot wait to return and have indeed booked my second visit in the summer.

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Plans for La Tania - La Tania, France

New Develpopment work - JCB spotted in La Tanua - Could be the start of the new development to build between Hotel Montana and
the Gondola Station? Workers apartments, a left luggage office, medical
centre and community reception room are planned.

Chalet Broski review - Chalet Broski, St Martin de Belleville, France

My husband and I travelled from Australia to enjoy four nights and three days skiing at Chalet Broski, just down from St Martin de Belleville. It was the last week of the ski season in the resort and we were the only guests in the chalet so got thoroughly spoilt by Servane and Luke, the chalet hosts, and had endless blue skies and good snow (until the afternoon slush puppies hit).

The chalet is superbly set up for groups and we highly recommend it for ski enthusiasts. The food was of a uniformly high standard and the hosts provided delicious vegetarian food for me and other meat/fish dishes for my husband.

A real bonus was to meet one of the co-owner's, Robin, and hear about the history of the chalet and a lot of great local knowledge.

Merci!

S & S
Brisbane

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Great Stay at Chalet des Collines - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

Just had an week skiing in the Grand Massif based in Chalet des Collines. Can only say that it is the best Chalet I have stayed in - ever! I have stayed in many and this is the best. Great location with great views and only a couple of minutes to the lift in the car. The rooms are all fabulous with great showers when the day is done! The cinema is great for the kids and I made them all watch the Great Escape. Kitchen wonderful if like me you love cooking. Must also say that Alexia, who looks after the Chalet, delivers bread and croissant every morning and is a great help.
All in all a wonderful late season skiing trip. Thanks Tim and Thanks Alexia

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Great Easter Week at Chalet des Collines - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

Our party of 8 adults and a 2 year old stayed at Chalet des Collines for Easter Week 2010. We were all very impressed with the quality of the Chalet, furnishings, finishes and kitchen equipment and the bathrooms are great! I would have no hesitation in recommending Chalet des Collines and hope to return in the future.
Samoens is a great location for skiing, the village is very pretty and family friendly and is a nice walking distance from the Chalet.

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Green Run - New snow cannons from top to bottom - La Tania, France

20 snow cannons will be installed this summer on the green Plan Fontaine run to keep it open all season long. With 637 snow cannons on the Vallée de Courchevel skiing area, 44% of the area will be covered. Details: 20 snow cannons, 1900m length, cost = €650,000.

Lovely chalet- amazing hosts/ service - Alpe d'Huez - Oz-en-Oisans, France

CHALET LE SABOT- Oz en Oisans

We didn’t manage to match the 50 litre in- chalet record set by the Leeds lawyers but I think we set a sunshine record with 6 gloriously sunny days out of 7. The chalet is really nice, facilities and location good, but what really made the holiday was the hospitality and willingness to help of our hosts Colin & Sam and the food has been fantastic- by far the best experienced in a catered chalet. Thanks very much.
Fantastic hosts- it’s great to see a couple enjoying their work, excellent food, good chalet, great weather. Just Brill!
Bl*ody good tucker!

Lazy Luxury at Le Dauphin - Chalet le Dauphin, Alpe d'Huez, France

Simply the finest large group accomodation, with exceptional access to the extensive and efficient lift system and the culinary delights of the old town.

Le Dauphin is extremely well appointed, boasting underfloor heating, basement games room and bar area, sauna and bespoke craftmanship throughout.

A fantastic chalet and resort - highly recommended

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Best ski chalet ever ! - Chalet St Joseph, Meribel - Les Allues, France

Feb half term 2010 a group of 18 of us stayed at Chalet St Joseph and we had the most fantastic time.... the food was excellent and the rooms so comfortable clean and warm!! There was always hot water and plenty of it and Heather and Andy couldnt do enough for us...even giving us snow reports etc every morning and meeting us to show us the best routes on piste.

Every morning we had a cooked breakfast of some sort ie pancake , scrambled eggs,full english etc and every eve we had so much food of the best quality ! plenty of wine and beer and even a childrens menu if the kids fancied somethg different!

You realy cannot fault the chalet the location ( with free shuttle service ..tho you could easily walk down the road to gondola ..we were lazy) the food the company ..........

This was the best ski holiday catered we have ever had!
best wishes to the hostests with the mostest hope to see you again soon , and to Ali who we must have driven mad taking us to and from the gondola/slopes.

xxxxx

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Super Weekend - Chalet des Etoiles, Morzine - La Grande Terche, France

First time we tried a weekend skiing and it was a really success - we seemed to get a weeks worth of skiing into four days and saw a good part of the Porte du Soleil. This was mainly due to Jan and Larry driving us around to different ski bases and showing us around the area on skis a couple of mornings - much better than ski-in ski-out in this area. It only took two and a half days out of work and the transfers from Geneva, which they arranged, worked like clockwork.

Without sounding too gushing we could not have asked for more, the hospitality, accommodation location and food was well beyond our already high expectations having seen other reviews. We both felt truly spoilt and have put in some dates for next year already. We feel we have made a couple of friends in the Alps as well as having had a great skiing break.

Whether you want to ski or just relax there are no reasons why you should not take a holiday here and every reason why you should!

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Great place - Chalet 118, Bad Gastein - Bockstein, Austria

Great people and top value.
The accomodation is clean the food is great and it has a cheap bar.
Ok so you have to get a bus to the slopes but they are well run and the bus stop is right out side the chalet.
Will be going back.

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Superb holiday retreat - Chalet des Etoiles, Morzine - La Grande Terche, France

A wonderful first class venue for our 'girlie' weekend. For the first time the website photos matched the venue, with beautiful accommodation and fantastic views to match. Enjoyed the restful location away from the crowds. The food was spectacular ,delivered by two very warm and friendly hosts. Don't expect to lose weight here... the food and drink is far too delicious. The hot tub was the icing on the cake, with G+T in hand of course..... a welcome way to relax those tired muscles, after a hard day skiing. I would love to try it in the summer too, for a different type of holiday.Transport to and from the slopes was an added bonus and was very much appreciated.
A venue I hope to return to, with lasting happy memories. "Thank you Larry and Janet for such a happy holiday!" JLB 22 Mar 10

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Chalet Soltir - Chalet Soltir, Bansko, Bulgaria

Excellent chalet, with lovely hosts, they couldn't do enough for us, really went out of their way. The accommodation is very good, comfy and warm, had everything we needed. The food is superb and plentiful, and with wine, what a bargain. Highly recommend. We stayed as a group of 8 in January 2010.

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Sunny fun times in the snow - Chalet Flocon des Neiges, Les Menuires - Reberty Village, France

After returning from a long weekend in Reberty it's been both relaxing and adventurous! The weather was what makes skiing perfect - clear blue skies and bright sunshine as well as a great amount of snow. Staying with Fran & Steve was great and my friends and I can't wait to come back next season to experience a bit of Powder and Shine - something to look forward to!
Robyn x

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Le Dauphin - Chalet le Dauphin, Alpe d'Huez, France

I just recently came back from Alpe d'huez and stayed in the Le Dauphin chalet .Great position lifts nearby, ski back to chalet .Plenty of room, on suite double, fantastic facilities from sat TV in each room ,great sound system in kitchen/dinner/lounge area.Well appointed games room with all sorts of games including table football and nintendo WII. The Chalet is simply quality, roomy and well run .I would recommend it to all my freinds and family .The resort it'self provides everything a skiier could want from difficult blacks like LE TUNNEL to simple blues and one of the greatest long pistes le Serrene .All in all just great!

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Brilliant week! - Chalet La Maison, St Martin de Belleville - La Combe, France

James and Gemma,

Thank you so much, I had a brilliant week skiing. Everything you could need for a skiing holiday you had thought of! Good food (especially the cakes), good company and very good fun. Very sorry if you have been banned from the karaoke night. We are proud to be winners of the first Chalet Olympics!! And can't wait to see the Green mountain Calendar.

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Awesome - Chalet le Dauphin, Alpe d'Huez, France

Awesome place. Perfectly placed right by lifts, ski pass office, restaurants and bars - a relief after a hard day's skiing. Inside, a totally different league from the norm with all the mod cons, tastefully decorated, ample space and even a sauna. Will definitely be back.

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Chalet le Dauphin - Alp D'Huez - Chalet le Dauphin, Alpe d'Huez, France

If Carlsberg rented chalets, this would be it!! Great skiing, restaurants and first class accomodation with everything you could possibly need for a fantastic holiday ( almost a same to have to go skiing)

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Can your family take the Easter Challenge? - Nendaz, Switzerland

The Easter programme for families in Nendaz kicks off on Sunday, 4 April with the competition for the Easter Challenge Cup. Perhaps not quite as serious as it sounds, it involves a family race on the Greppon Blanc run, followed by a BBQ up the mountain and then an Easter egg hunt in the afternoon. The winning family lifts the Trophy.

Nendaz is one of only a few Swiss resorts which has been awarded the Family Assured badge. It is well deserved given the activities that are routinely organised for children. The play area at the top of Tracouet is superbly well equipped with the snow-tubes being the most popular item in the snow park. They will be working morning and afternoon right through to 18 April.

There is also the Luge Adventure every Thursday afternoon which draws parents as well as children to the Tortin-Siviez run. Don't worry about getting hold of a sled. Two of Nendaz's top sports shops rent out good sleds for young children.

And off the mountain, children can practise on the ice rink in the middle of the resort in the afternoons when it is open to the public.

To get more of an idea on what is on offer see: http://www.secretalps.com/open_secret/news.htm The apartment is available too.

Our 2010 Family Ski Holiday - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

We have stayed in a few chalets in the Alps now & we can honestly say that Chalet des Collines is our favourite. The Chalet itself was fantastic, our group was a mixture of adults & children, Skiers and walkers and it met all our needs even down to things like stair gates, travel cots & highchairs for the children. The village itself is lovely with a mix of shops and character. Breakfast delivery was a real nice touch and started the day of in a relaxed style. Would love to return.

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Easter waterslide - Nendaz, Switzerland

On Easter Monday (5 April 2010) skiers and non-skiers can enjoy watching the brave or the foolhardy try to water ski over the pool of water which is created at the top of Tracouet, in Haute Nendaz. If you have the technique, you slide right over the pond. If you don't, you get pretty wet to the amusement of everyone else.

Nendaz, an accredited Family Friendly resort, organises an excellent family day on Easter Sunday. It starts with a ski race, followed by a BBQ lunch and then a hunt for Easter eggs.

All details on: http://www.secretalps.com/open_secret/news.htm

Great chalet. - Apartment Alpe-de-Nyon, Morzine, France

The Alpe-de-Nyon is probably one of the best private chalets I have ever stayed in. The quality of the interior provides a real home away from home feel, and the surrounding area is quiet and peaceful. It's not quite ski-in/out, but its so close to the piste to make very little difference. The run down from the top of the telepherique is a long winding blue, which is wide enough and lacking flat sections to be good for both beginner skiers and boarders alike.

The only slight downside is the distance from the local shops: 15 minutes walk along the river, or via the road. However we did discover that you can order fresh bread for the morning from the bar next to the telepherique, if you order before 5.30pm, at little to no cost difference from the local boulangerie.

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February half term (2010) in Chalet Sabu - XX Apartment Sabu, Puy St Vincent, France

We really loved the chalet. It is really spacious, especially the master bedroom with its fabulous ensuite - lashings of hot water and a huge bath that comfortably takes two people! It's great that no one needs to sleep in the living room or hall. There are three separate bedrooms and the kitchen is very well equipped.

We hired a car from Avis at Turin airport, which went very smoothly. The drive from Turin was really easy and despite being half term, the roads were almost empty - contrasting with friends who drove to Puy St Vincent and took 14 hours from Calais, including a pretty much continuous traffic jam from Lyon.

The ski shop recommended by Anna was excellent, with several British staff and we all ended up with very good, comfortable kit.

Being half term, Puy St Vincent was busy in the mornings and it took a little creativity to avoid lift queues but we managed well overall. We had some fantastic fresh snow later in the week and Will, our resident off-pister, had a brilliant time and the weather cut the queues considerably. When it had snowed, snow chains were absolutely essential getting to and from the apartment and for getting up to Puy St Vincent, which only took a few minutes. Vallouise itself was charming.

If you decide to visit Mongenevre on the Galaxie pass, you have to get a coupon from the Puy St Vincent lift office. We didn't realise this and despite having our passes, the Montgenevre lift people absolutely would not let us ski free without one. However, although we had to pay, we had a brilliant days skiing there which was actually well worth it.

We had a great time and would thoroughly recommend Chalet Sabu to anyone.

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stunning skillful skiers - Chalet La Maison, St Martin de Belleville - La Combe, France

James & Gemma,

Thank you so much for a super week, Roz, Faye and I had a great time with the penguin manoeuvre, soulful singing & indecent exposure! Definitely a recipe for success especially with a whole bunch of northerners!!!

Many thanks again,

Kate

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Best Chalet Ever - Chalet Montana, Morzine, France

All 3 of us agreed beyond any doubt it is the best boarding holiday we've
ever had,and we have had 5 or 6 respectively so far. This was definately down to the absolutely awesome chalet, and the best and biggest contributor to thisfact was the fantastic hospitality shown to us by our hosts Dave & Ruth. They and their staff are the reason why we'll all look to come back next year, and I've already recommended them to 3 separate people since getting back. The food in this chalet is outstanding.
Gregor D

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Summer in Reberty Village - Three Valleys - Les Menuires - Reberty Village, France

I love the fact that the majority of English people are not keen visitors of the French Alps other than when it is below zero degrees and there is plenty of snow. Well, the Powder has gone, bring on the Shine!

The Alps are not only a winter playground, and surrounded by the most beautiful scenery, the Belleville Valley is one of the best places in the Alps to visit during the summer.

Are you a family looking for an activity holiday somewhere different?
Do you love mountain biking?
Breathe in the pure fresh air whilst taking a walk up the mountain and experiencing breathtaking views?
Care to experience some extreme fun? (Paragliding, kayaking, quad-biking, via ferrata, rock climbing)
Simply want to relax in a beautiful, peaceful environment and soak it all in?...

Then Reberty is the place for you! Reberty Village in Summer is simpy beautiful. It is situated at 2000m about 1 mile away from Les Menuires and not far from Val Thorens. There is an abondance of summer activities available for adults and children and the local tourist office offers a Multiloisirs Card which is the perfect purchase if you are a family looking to do lots of different activities. The card costs 38 Euros per week (Adult) and 27 Euros per week for children aged 3-6 years old.

Superb Chalet Great Value - Chalet 118, Bad Gastein - Bockstein, Austria

Just got back from my third visit to this great chalet. Peter, Vikki & Sophie made our group very welcome as ever. Great accomodation, good food and a very cheap bar! Tons of skiing here over the 4 resorts. Fantastic.....

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Absolutely Fantastic Villa - Chalet 118, Bad Gastein, Austria

This is the second time that we have stayed and will definately be returning again. Pete and Vicky are extremely helpful, freindly and relaxed hosts. The villa is very spacious and kept nice and clean. The surrounding area is excellent for sking and boarding, with a great range of facilities for.

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Excellent week - Chalet Mautalent, Samoens - Morillon, France

We had such a great time at Chalet Mautalent, from the really friendly team to the hot tub (with its multi-coloured disco lights) and the incredible food.

The lounge area is great and never felt cramped and the huge sofas were perfect for a post ski nap.

I hadn't skiied in the area before but was so impressed with the great piste and off piste skiing, the lift network and the yummy mountain lunches that were a lot cheaper than the 3 valleys.

Back at the chalet dinner was great every evening- really varied, with nice wine and always followed by a cheese course.

Thank you!

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Powder N Shine - Chalet Flocon des Neiges, Les Menuires - Reberty Village, France

I recently had the pleasure of spending a week snowboarding in Reberty, being hosted by Steve and Francesca. Not only was the weather and snow amazing but myself and my 2 other friends received some fantastic hospitality. If we had any problems Steve and Francesca were more than happy to help, and with my French being limited this was very handy.
As for the food - well if I could take Francesca back with me then I would, it was some the finest meals I have ever had along with some superb local wines to cap it all off.
I would definatly recommend Powder N Shine since their attention to detail in second to none.

Martin
From Warwick

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The Tennis Club group. March 2010
We didn’t manage to match the 50 litre record set by the Leeds lawyers but I think we set a sunshine record with 6 gloriously sunny days out of 7. The chalet is really nice, facilities and location good, but what really made the holiday was the hospitality and willingness to help of our hosts Colin & Sam and the food has been fantastic- by far the best experienced in a catered chalet. Thanks very much.
Fantastic hosts- it’s great to see a couple enjoying their work, excellent food, good chalet, great weather. Just Brill!
Bl*ody good tucker!

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The Michel Family, Germany. March 2010
We were lucky that we found you! We enjoyed the authentic chalet, the slope and eating the ‘schotnen’ especially. We had super nice weather for 5 days. We had a wonderful time and we will definitely recommend you.

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Great chalet for winter or summer break - Chalet des Etoiles, Morzine - La Grande Terche, France

We had a splendid holiday at Chalet des Etoiles with Larry and Janet. Being driven to and from the airport and around the resort was a major plus. Ski conditions were excellent all week and there is a good variety of ski-ing. However what made the holiday special was the delicious food we were served. After afternoon and tea and homemade cake we had a G&T in the hot tub followed by a glass of bubbly (with canapes)and a lovely meal. Clean plates every night! Larry and Janet make you feel very welcome.

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February 2010 Chalet la Tourterelle - Chalet la Tourterelle, Meribel - Meribel-Village, France

3 Families (12 people) spent a fantastic ski holiday in Meribel February 2010.
The Chalet is a delight in every sense. We could feel the property owners
attention to detail. The decoration, pictures and espcially the stunning photographs
made us talk. Everything was in perfect functional state. The chalet is
spacious enough to accomodate up to 12 people. We have been hiring chalets for the
last 10 years but never had such a homely feeling like in La Tourterelle.
The spacious heated entrance hall allowed us to put on the ski boots in comfort!
The lounge with a Piano, which we used every day, with an angled fire place which was
easy to use, was our focal point after a hard days ski. The modern and well equipped
kitchen allowed us to prepare meals including fondues. The bedrooms are nice and comfi.
The heating system works well. The relatively small TV did not have a good reception
but is suitable to watch DVDs.The WIFI connection worked well for the portable computers. Jane the local girl was very attentive to the questions we had.
The local bread shop is full of many delicious pastries apart from the usual
assortment of freshly baked bread. Unusual to find very good and not too expensive
Burgandy wines in a bread shop! The local shop stocks a nice assortment of everything
especially for English tastes! We would absolutely without hesitation recommend
this chalet to our friends and time and money permitting we will rebook for next
year. Finishing the review with words from one of our grandchildren: " This was the
best ski holidays we had for ages!"

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Family fun in Kreischberg - Chalet Shaw, Kreischberg, Austria

A half-term week ski-ing in St Georgen/St Lorenzin ob Murau Austria turned out to be glorious fun. We stayed at Da Capo, a family run guesthouse with Adrianus and Helen in charge. They went out of their way to make us feel at home with lots of advice, lifts to ski hire, and schnapps after dinner. Telephone 0043-3437-20031. They have 15 rooms and a luxurious sauna for apres ski lounging. All the rooms face the mountain.

Nearby is a spacious pub, a station to take you up the line to other villages, a supermarket and a bank.

It is a five-minute walk to Kreischberg, with easy and difficult slopes for all abilities.
We were a party of eight, with five new skiers so we took lessons every morning from Harri.

Here is what it all cost:

Guest house, with breakfast and evening meal: 50 euros a night (children less)
Suli Sport-ski hire: approximately 12-15 euros a day
Lessons for five days at Richi's Skischule: 105 euros
Lift pass 146 euros for five days. If you are a beginner, you might prefer to buy a daily ticket (35 euros) in case you do not go up every day.
Transfer from and to airport: 60 euros.

A friendly guest house in a friendly informal resort with facilities for every age group. Lots of children learning. And some nasty dangerous pistes for good skiers. Two of our party did these every day and loved them.

Flights are from Stanstead or Heathrow to Graz (change at Munich) and a 90 minute transfer to Kreischberg.

Highly recommended.

Thanks Al and El for making our stay such fun ! (Disregard the photo which is for some other property !

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Chalet des Collines Review - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

I have been visiting the Alps for 25 years and I can honestly say that Chalet des Collines is one of the finest Chalets available (certainly the best in Samoens)! The chalet exudes luxury and comfort with the latest in high tech appliances (HD Cinema, iPod docks and state of the art kitchen). The underfloor heating throughout was a nice touch as well as the Sauna. I would recommend both the chalet and the ski area and I plan to return soon. The chalet is located about a 10min walk to the centre of town, which might be a problem if you have young children however it is a 5min walk away from a ski bus stop!

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Great skiing at Green mountain ! - Chalet La Maison, St Martin de Belleville, France

Had a great week at Green mountain chalets, Familys first experence of catered chalet, and did not let us down, James and Gemma looked after us all so well , food was excellent the worst meal we had was on there night off when we ate out!!
Chloe (youngest daughter ) was trying to choose her favourite dish and it changed every night to the one we had just eaten, especially the puddings !!
The access to the troi valleys ski area was great, backed up by James's ferrying right to the gondola and pick up service ,And arranging all ski equitment and ski lessons for us which was completly stress free.
Thanks for a great week and can't wait to come back

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Chalet Appaloosa - Chalet Appaloosa, Val d'Isère, France

Flew back in on Saturday, all I can say is what a fantastic chalet this is. Well finished, good interior design, lovely new 'floating' wall log fire, comfy lounge, boutique style bedrooms, lovely spa area.

The hosts jo and Chis were fantastic, top rate food and service, by far the best chalet I have stayed in and I would not hesitate to reccomend it to any of my friends.

Thanks for such a great stay!
Dan

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Top ski area - from where the champions come - Morgins, Switzerland

Morgins is in the Portes du Soleil, the largest linked ski area in the world
Suitable for all standards of skier, we are proud that Didier Defago - the Olympic Men's downhill champion was raised, and still lives in Morgins.

You don't have to be a champion to ski there, the top ski schools, soon have beginners improving, as the more advanced skiers ski seamlessly from Switzerland to France and back.

Come and see what a real ski area is like.

Unbeatable Chalet Accomodation! - Chalet Appaloosa, Val d'Isère, France

The moment you walk into this chalet you feel like a VIP! The interior design of the chalet is stunning from the faux cow hide walls to the condiment designed lampshade in the Kitchen.The chalet has the feel of a stylish boutique hotel fused with the comforts and luxuries of your own home. The attention to detail is amazing in all areas, the lounge has a stunning modern log burning fire and a modern widescreen TV and DVD player with comfortable sofas. The ground floor has a brand new hot tub and steam room.

If the decor and design are what make the impact when you enter it is the staff that make the stay one to remember! Cheerful,Friendly and helpful chalet hosts Jo and Chris serve up a superb breakfast with a great variety of options to fuel you for a great day on the slopes, you return from your day on the mountains to hot drinks and freshly baked cakes, then after a stint in the hot tub to relax tired muscles you have Canapes and wine. All this is before the superb three course meal fit for a king! Powder White's resort manager, Alex, is always available to assist with enquiries and assisted us with our transfer when another company let us down.

The chalet is brand new and the pride and joy of it's owner who has done everything to ensure all a guests needs are catered for.

Jo, Chris, Alex and Andy thank you for a superb holiday!

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Amazing Chalet in the Three Valleys - Chalet La Maison, St Martin de Belleville - La Combe, France

I recently stayed at Chalet Maison, home of Green Mountain Chalets in St Martin de Belleville. I had the best snowboarding / chalet experience ever, James and Gemma are fantastic chalet hosts and ski guides, paying attention to even the smallest detail (down to the robe and slippers and chocolate bowl to stock up for the day on the mountain). I stayed in the 'Red Room' which had the most comfy bed ever!! Yummy, yummy food - it will be the highlight of your evening for sure! If I had enough holidays I would be booking in again before the season is out - can't wait for next year! xx

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Chalet La Fraise - Chalet La Fraise, Alpe d'Huez, France

We had a superb weeks skiing in January 2010 and stayed at Chalet La Fraise in Vaujany.The Chalet is located in an excellent position for keen skiers ,as the cable car and gondola are a very short walk away, from there the links to Alpe D'Huez,Oz, and L'auris are available for all grades.
The Chalet is great, very comfortable,very clean, with plenty of room. We loved the lounge kitchen area which is very well equipped with everything you need.
The 6 of us had the best skiing we can remember after 16 different resorts ! The snow was plentiful, the lift queues non-existent and the accommodation perfect ! We will definitely return ! Thankyou

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La Giettaz: A Charming Back-Door to Megève and the Evasion Mont Blanc - Megeve - La Giettaz, France

La Giettaz is a beautiful rustic village that is rightly proud of its traditional mountain lifestyle. Surrounded by fabulous Alpine scenery, visitors here cannot fail to be charmed by the relaxed pace of life and friendly locals: you are staying in a real village, not a resort.

That said, the snow facilities are fantastic: the village has direct access to the Evasion Mont Blanc and its 445km of pistes. Moreover, the Espace Diamant and the Massif des Aravis domains are both only as little as 15 minutes' drive away. Experienced snowheads and newbies alike will love the dramatic scenery: the 360-degree panorama from the top of the local chair lift, taking in Mont Blanc, the Massif des Aravis and south towards Albertville, really has to be seen to be believed. Beginners are well-looked-after by the local ESF office (which offers some of the best-value lessons in the area), and there are creche facilities at the foot of the piste for your kids. And thanks to the slightly off-the-beaten-piste location, even in high season you can expect quiet pistes and very little queuing. How often do you find that in the French Alps?

Après-ski options include a delightful selection of local restaurants and bars in the centre of the village, serving traditional mountain cuisine, again at some of the best-value prices in the area. The glitz and glamour of Megève, or the family-friendly fun of La Clusaz, are both easily reached by car, and a trip to either of these becomes all the more of a treat when you know you are returning to the secluded beauty of La Giettaz!

Heli ski at Easter: only for the fearless - Nendaz, Switzerland

Does this photo make you quiver with excitement or shake with fear? This is an idea only for a)the brave b)the expert and c)those with deep pockets.

The well established Swiss mountain guide company, Montagne Loisirs, is organising an Easter week like no other. On offer is a helicopter ride to various summits of the 4 Valleys every day and the idea is that you are guided back to Haute Nendaz by one of their experts in the course of a day's exhilarating ski touring. This is the kind of week which is readily available in the wilds of Canada or the US but not so common in Europe.

You will need all the safety equipment which Montagne Loisirs can also arrange through one of their partners in Nendaz, such as Neige Aventure. And of course, the company will provide full briefing, instruction and advice before take-off.

NO SMOKING IN VALAIS - Nendaz, Switzerland

The whole of Valais has quietly turned all public places into no smoking areas. That means that restaurants and bars on the slopes and in the resorts are now all smoke-free.

This is the first season of the new regime and so far it has been as expected: non-smokers are happy with the clean air indoors while smokers huddle round patio heaters outside.

More info on: http://www.secretalps.com/open_secret/news.htm

Stunning Chalet - Chalet Mautalent, Samoens - Morillon, France

Chalet Mautalent is in an excellent location close to the Morillon telecabine. The Chalet benefits from a tranquil location while allowing easy access to a vast ski area. The mini-bus drop off and pick up was a great service.

The chalet has an excellent living area and a stunning dining area. The catering and wine was of an excellent standard in particular the tartiflette on the last night.

I would highly recommend Chalet Mautalent and look forward to returning in the future.

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A wonderful weekend - Chalet des Etoiles, Morzine - La Grande Terche, France

The perfect venue for 7 girls celebrating a 40th birthday! Larry and Jan were the perfect hosts. We were collected from the airport and from that moment on we were looked after in every way - welcoming comfortable rooms, skis delivered and fitted, driven to and from the slopes, evening G&T's in the hot tub, served delicious food and wonderful wine! We all left with very happy memeories, a cake recipe (!!) and hopes to return again. Jane

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Trip 2 coming up - Chalet La Maison, St Martin de Belleville - La Combe, France

I stayed with with Green mountain chalets with my son and girlfriend. The chalet is really nice and the food and hospitality we recieved from James and Gemma was excellent, so much so, we have just booked to return again this season. I would highly recommend this chalet

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Kids ski passes to 18 years of age at Les Aillons !! - Les Aillons-Margeriaz - Le Chatelard, France

Les Aillons ski resort in the Massif des Bauges above Lake Annecy - has made its already ridiculously good value kids pass even better. Its 79 euro for 6 days and covers nearby Margeriaz and you count for this great deal if you are 18 or under. If you have 4 kids aged 12-18 you will save approximately 500 euro on lift passes over the bigger resorts!! Adult passes are 95 euro for both resorts. I've just returned from a 3 day jolly last weekend with 6 gents and we got 20cm of power on Friday night on top of the 105cm already fallen this season. Les Aillons Sport decked us out with skis and boots for £49, all waxed and edges prepped. A days ski was just 14 euro at Les Aillons with 40km of piste to entertain us! This resort is low and tree lined but with so much snow in the Alps this year you need not go higher where you pay more money. 900m- 1400m Les Aillons and 1400-1900 at Margriaz. One of the blacks runs at Aillons is regarded as one of the most difficult in France. March will be top value if you can getaway and you know you want to..... www.lesaillons.com

Happy Easter! - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

We were very lucky to be some of the first guests to try out the luxurious facilities at Chalet des Collines and had a wonderful Easter holiday in 2009. The views are breathtaking and the chalet is extremely comfortable and relaxing and finished to a very high standard - my favourite feature was the central fireplace in the sitting area looking out on the lights of the village and the valley below...The chalet is very well equipped (eg two dishwashers) making catering for large numbers easy and enjoyable...

The skiing was still great fun at that time of the season particularly at Flaine, and we really enjoyed visiting the local shops and restaurants in Samoens. We hired our gear from Thierry at Planete Glisse which was excellent. The village has a really local unspoilt feel to it which makes the holiday very special.

We cannot recommend Chalet des Collines highly enough!

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Wilder Kaiser/Brixental ski area - Kitzbühel - Westendorf, Austria

Comprising the resorts of Going and Ellmau, Scheffau, Soll, Hopfgarten, Brixen, Westendorf and Kelschau.
Going and Ellmau are family friendly resorts and are good for beginners with several short easy runs in the village.
Sheffau village is located 1 km away from the lift and is very quiet. The gondola gives access to some easy blue runs, great for less confident skiers.
Soll is a pretty village with a reputation for good nightlife. This takes place mostly in 2 or 3 overcrowded pubs. It attracts a percentage of heavy drinking male groups. The skiing in the village is good for beginners for the first 2 days. Above the village the skiing consists mostly of red runs and is not really suitable for beginners or less confident skiers.
Hofgarten is a good access point into the ski area and has easy linke to Kelschau, Brixen and Westendorf. It is not suitable for beginners,
Brixen village is spread out and mostly a Dutch enclave. It does offer great access to Westendorf and the main areas in Soll and Scheffau. Again, not good for beginners.
Westendorf is without a doubt the best ski area of this region. It has several runs of varying difficulty back into the village, it is less busy and has the best snow conditions along with Kelschau. It is one of those few ski resorts that has something for everyone. Long blues, blacks and off piste.
Kelschau is a tiny resort which can only be reached by a limited ski and post bus service from Hopfgarten. It has old slow lifts, almost a throwback to the seventies. However, it is worth the trip over as it is uncrowded, it is great for intermediates and the snow conditions are superior.
Hochsoll and Hochbrixen are usually the busiest ski areas.

Fantastic Fully Catered Chalet - Chalet La Maison, St Martin de Belleville, France

We just got back from our stay with James and Gemma, and I can not praise them highly enough. The lovely chalet, the fantastic cooking, the excellent hospitality, as well as their experience as ski guides around the whole 3 valley area, meant that we could not have been more spoiled.
It was our first time in a fully catered chalet, and we really enjoyed the experience. We found it great value for money, and wish them luck with the future success of Green Mountain Chalets.

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Great Holiday - Apartment le ZigZag, La Plagne - Montchavin, France

Really enjoyed our stay. The apartment was very comfortable and clean and the skiing superb. Great snow, lifts quick and when you needed a break the cafes and restaurants were superb.
All the staff with La Source were very helpful, sorting out ski lessons for the kids and making sure the apartment was ok.
Very simply we would recommend La Source to all our friends.
Thanks Linda and Chris and the team.http://www.chaletsdirect.com/forum/images/emoticons/laugh.gif

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

‘The Swan’, the Dad and Elliot, UK. Half Term February 2010

This is very much a superior chalet with really excellent hosts. Nothing was too much trouble for them from taking us around the village to organising ski hire and ski school to booking us a restaurant and a return taxi. The chalet food was full ‘cordon bleu’ quality and the atmosphere was always very friendly. Overall Chalet Le Sabot was an excellent experience. Many thanks.
We enjoyed:
The hospitality and excellent food
Taking care of food allergies
The chalet, warm bedrooms
The cakes...extra helpings of cakes
Large amounts of wine and beer
The snow and slopes
The resort and restaurants
Cooked breakfasts
The other guests we were sharing with (the Kings)
The relaxation
We didn’t enjoy:
The clouds
The journey
Thanks for a great holiday!

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The King family, UK. Half Term February 2010

We came to Chalet Le Sabot for dinner last year and had a taste of a ski holiday in a lovely chalet so this year we looked forward to a week away from the kitchen and daily chores and it has been really wonderful being pampered by our gracious hosts. Thank you Chalet Le Sabot for a lovely week!

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

Jessie and friend, UK. February 2010
We have had a brilliant relaxing holiday with great hospitality and food, it was just what we both needed.

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The Wilson’s, South Africa. February 2010

We were both looking for a relaxing and carefree break...and guess what we found? Just that plus much more! Lots of snow, beautiful scenery, quaint villages, lots and lots of good food and wine and hosts who cared. Thanks guys.

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Great short break! - Chalet La Maison, St Martin de Belleville - La Combe, France

We stayed at the Chalet La Maison last weekend and had a fantastic time. Excellent food, lovely chalet, brilliant value for money and great hospitality from James and Gemma (who even doubled as free ski guides for us a couple of days!) The main ski area is really easy to reach from the lift at St Martin de Belleville and once youre up there the 3 valleys regions is very good and really easy to move about in.

Would definitely stay again and recommend to anyone else...

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Great Snow Falls Hit the Grand Massif - Samoens, France

50 - 70 cm of snow fell over the Grand Massif on Friday 29th January 2010. The Grand Massif is made up of the resorts of Flaine, Samoens, Morillon, Sixt and Les Carroz,and nearby Verchaix. The ski area is made up of 265 km of piste and only an hour from Geneva airport, it is the fourth largest ski area in France - and one of the prettiest.

:D - Chalet Blanche, Chamonix, France

Hey, I saw the program today on Swedish television. It was great to see how it went, and how you managed everything. It was great fun, and exciting. You seem to be real fighters, because I would never dried. I hope I and my family go there and stay with you sometime

I really hope it goes well for you, and you get the life you have dreamed of, Alastair and Debbie.

/ / Antonia Ader, Sweden

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Chalet le Dauphin - Chalet le Dauphin, Alpe d'Huez, France

Having been skiing many times and staying in a variety of accomodation,Le Dauphin was a different class.It was spacious comfortable and everything was done to highest spec.Most rooms en suite a lovely lounge area large dining room with extensive kitchen.Downstairs a large games room sauna and good sized boot room.All this and 75 meters from the chair lift.Do yourselves a favour and go there.

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Le Dauphin - Chalet le Dauphin, Alpe d'Huez, France

This is a serious piece of kit,the chalet has everything !Th e rooms are all very spacious and laid out so you almost have to check who's around! The games roo and boot room downstairs are all top quality and the kitchen was so new it was almost a shame to use it.
Really convenient for the lifts .This is a top place !

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Fantastic - Chalet le Dauphin, Alpe d'Huez, France

What a great place, ideally situated with lifts, shops and bars nearby. Great atmospere in the chalet with plenty for the kids to do if they can get the grown ups off the WII.Finished to the highest spec and very comfortable I shall be going back.

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Fantastic conditions in the Central Pyrenees - French Pyrenees - Bagneres de Luchon, France

Following a number of heavy snowfalls across the central Pyrenees the resorts of Superbagneres, Peyragudes (the 2nd most popular in the French Pyrenees) and Baqueira Beret (the fantastic Spanish gem)are all in fantastic shape.

Conditions both on and off piste a great and provide something for everyone, families, powder hounds, and speed merchants alike.

With great links and short transfer times (maximum 90 minutes) these resorts provide a real alternative to the Alps and Andorra.

Great snow, empty slopes, friendly locals and low prices mean that these relatively undiscovered resorts wont stay hidden for long.

Great January Conditions - Samoens, France

Great snow conditions in the Grand Massif. The new Chariandre express from Samoens makes a huge difference to the access time over to Flaine. January is a great time to visit the area as the snow conditions are good and the pistes quiet. There are weekend deals to be had as Verchaix and Morillon are only 1 hour from Geneva airport and there is a hotel in Verchaix that doesn't charge extra for single room supplement in January - worth a look!

Fantastic Snow in Chamonix! - Chamonix - Les Houches, France

Just returned from a fabulous fortnight in Chamonix. A powder day in Les Houches, followed by a day of perfect pistes! All other ski areas in the Chamonix Valley are in great condition. Also skiied Cormayeur, Italy. Once again, plenty of powder skiing, perfectly groomed pistes and lots of sunshine! Perfect!

More snow today 3rd December - Samoens - Verchaix, France

Snow is falling on the Grand Massif today, and more is forecast over night.

Blue skies but snow forecast - La Rosiere, France

All the runs are open and well covered,the skies are blue and skiing fantastic but with more snow forecast the season just gets better and better

How Good A Holiday - The Goat Shed, Les Arcs - Peisey-Nancroix, France

AWESOME !!!!!!!
One word that best describes our best ever skiing holiday (and we’ve visited 20 different chalets)

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Simply the best - Chalet Chez Max, Ste Foy, France

We have just returned from a fantastic week at Chalet Chez Max in Ste Foy. The chalet is wonderful, spacious, warm and with lots of added extras that make a holiday into a great holiday. Max is a great host, a great cook and showed us the best of the mountain. We have been skiing as a family a dozen times but nothing comes close to the week we have just had. I would thoroughly recommend Chalet Chez Max and will be heading back there soon I hope!! thanks Max.

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

Nigel et al, UK. January 2010

We had a really good time. (Reference the chalet food) from the Thai to the monkfish with Pernod no effort has been spared. We enjoyed the sauna in this really comfortable chalet. The skiing has been great finishing with a day of powder through the trees- bliss.

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

Vicky and Joe, UK. January 2010

We’ve had a lovely time, thanks so much. We’ll be back. NB Sam’s cakes were amazing especially the scones!

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

Niamh, Ireland. January 2010

Thanks a million for your wonderful hospitality, you made me feel really welcome and the food was great too!

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The Morris group, UK. January 2010

This was our first time in Oz. Sam and Colin have been fab they took very good care of us and took a really personal interest in us and have been consistently good humoured. Their orientation when we first arrived was really helpful. We very much loved Oz, an attractive village with excellent access to the slopes. There was good skiing at all levels. We’ll be back!

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The Nolans, Ireland, January 2010

We all had an amazing week. With regards to skiing we had great fun on the amazing Vaujany and Alpe d’ Huez resort even with the many falls! The food was the highlight of the chalet although we gained a few pounds. Thanks hugely to Sam and Colin who were great fun all week.

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Simply The Best - Chalet Chocolat, Samoens - Verchaix, France

Chalet Chocolat is simply the best chalet we have ever been too, it exceeded every expectation and we would recommend it to everyone interested and appreciative of the very best in quality and luxury.
A premier chalet which is hard to beat!"
Pophof-Anderson family 2009

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The International Gang: Canada, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Switzerland, Morocco, Denmark, Italy, Belgium, Burundi and Mozambique. New Year 2009

We greatly enjoyed our stay at Chalet Le Sabot, thanks partly to the lovely decor and creature comforts, but mostly thanks to Sam and Colin- the best chalet staff anywhere. They catered for our every need whilst being fun, friendly and very interesting to chat with. We hope to be back some day.

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CHALET LE SABOT GUEST BOOK ENTRY - Chalet le Sabot, Alpe d'Huez, France

The Ward family and friends, Holland. Christmas 2009

We’re two Dutch families who decided to have a great week in Oz- and we got it! We skied every day and had loads of fun.

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Fantastic chalet with everything you could possibly want! - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

this brand new chalet is the last word in practicality combined with luxury. It is amazingly well thought through with anything you could want for either an all adult party or several families together. The size means that you never feel on top of one another even when every bed it in use as there are lots of different places inside and out to sit and chill with fantastic views from the panoramic windows and balconies. The furnisings are luxurious and very well done, the kitchen has every bit of kit you will need and masses of fridge and oven space and 2 dishwashers.
There is excellent walking and cycling on the doorstep we went out of ski season and had a really relaxing time walking and chilling.
I would thoroughly recommend Chalet de Collines

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Go for it .... I guarantee you'll like it! - Chalet Plein Air, Les Carroz, France

Chalet Plein Air has to be one of the best chalets that I have visited. Brand new chalet, a little out of town but more than made up for by our chalet hosts Chris and Vanessa who catered for our every need. Looking to beat the queues? No bother, a quick shuttle to the near empty ski lift up the road (most days we were first in line), likewise a speedy lift back from the pub at the end of a hard day. Most of all though our group were welcomed as if we were in our own home, the food was great, the company was easy and all in all very relaxed. Add to this a vast ski area with easy access to the whole of the Grand Massif and you can't go far wrong. For those of you who are intermediate + skiers there is a fab tree-lined run (slightly off piste) back to the chalet door snow permitting (every day for us!). As I say, give it a go - you won't regret it!

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Partiel Opening of Avoriaz and Espace Roc d'Enfer - Morzine - Ardent, France

Avoriaz will be opening the gates this weekend after good snowfall earlier in the week which continued longer than expected.
Secteur du Plateau
Secteur d'Arare
Secteur Lindarets
all open from 5/6 December

Loved it - Chalet Ribot, Alpe d'Huez - Ribot Huez, France

We stayed with these guys last year and it was fab!
The food is great, Dan and Susan were just great, nothing was too much trouble.

If we return to the area we would definately be back!

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Massive snow falls in the Pyrenees - resorts now opening - French Pyrenees - Bareges, France

The Winter season has got off to a great start here in the French Pyrenees, with 60cm of fresh snow already this week and more forecast. The largest ski area - Tourmalet (Bareges-La Mongie) resort is opening this weekend, Saturday 5th December.

3* ski chalet accommodation is available in the mountain village of Bareges, with 10% special discounts for groups of 4 or more in January - see our website at www.mountainbug.com for details and photos

Resort open and great early skiing - Les Deux Alpes, France

Once again Les Deux Alpes has been able to open its doors for the winter on the last weekend of November. Thanks to guaranteed skiing on its glacier, up to 3600meters and extensive snow making, Les Deux Alpes is one of the most snow sure resorts in France. This coupled with great early snow fall, has promised to be another fantastic winter season.

CHALET LA FRAISE - Chalet La Fraise, Alpe d'Huez - Vaujany, France

Wonderful brand new chalet, well equipped and tastefully decorated with a large open fire place. Very easy with children: well located; walking distance from drop off for ski school and swimming pool and a few escalators away form all shops and restaurants. Really enjoyed our stay, will definitely book here again. Huge garage for easy storage of all ski gear at the end of the day.

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September magic! - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

September in the Alps? Aren't the Alps all about skiing? As a non-skier I hoped not. My wife and I joined some friends at the wonderful Chalet des Collines in September this year. We were blessed with wonderful weather and fantastic walking, but the chalet itself 'made' our trip. Wonderful bedrooms (ours had a super view over the valley) enormous open plan sitting/dinning area with the same tremendous views and a much better kitchen (we did eat in now and again!) than the one we have at home. We even managed a leisurely lunch-time BBQ and sat on the terrace to enjoy (yes, you're right) the tremendous views. The only down-spot was watching my home team (Burnley) loose on the basement home cinema. We will return!

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Samoens Chalet - Chalet des Collines, Samoens, France

A fabulous newly built chalet in a wonderful setting.Great views with easy access to skilifts.The chalet is a perfect place to stay for a large ski or Alpine mountain walking party.The bedrooms are stylish and modern with superb granite bathrooms.The kitchen has everything you would need and more for a large party and the 360 degree fireplace is wonderful for sitting around for pre-dinner drinks and relaxing after a hard day on the slopes. Outside there is a large terrace to 3 sides, ideal for alfresco barbecues and breakfasts.I would highly recommend it for summer and winter.
(Winter and Summer stays 2009)

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Great Holiday - Chalet Genepi, Les Menuires - Le Bettaix, France

Top class chalet - and a proper cooked breakfast is a big plus. Rhian and Garrett were brilliant hosts! Friendly, good-humoured, nothing too much trouble, good interaction with the guests (very important). Ski hosting is a useful extra, and would be appreciated by the more advanced skiers.

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Really Enjoyable Holiday - Chalet Genepi, Les Menuires - Le Bettaix, France

Chalet Genepi had good size bedrooms, plenty of hot water, comfortable beds, comfortable lounge, good choice of DVDs, Wi-Fi access good. Food was excellent - best ever on a skiing holiday, and we've been on quite a few!!

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We had a great time!! - Chalet Sara Marie, Les Menuires - Le Bettaix, France

Sara Marie is a great chalet. Very clean and comfortable with plenty of wardrobe space. Food was of an excellent standard - Sam's desserts and afternoon cakes were to die for. Sam and Sarah were wonderful hosts and looked after us in every way - nothing was ever too much trouble.

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Want to ski with your little ones? You want Vaujany - Alpe d'Huez - Vaujany, France

So how do you marry a love of ski-ing with a brood of four?

Answer: choose your resort very carefully.

Vaujany is our no.1 choice. It has “Famille Plus” status, and we think it deserves it. Take a look at the resort site: www.vaujany.com

Vaujany ski school (ESF) offers morning ski school plus lunch club (which the children love) – a perfect combination for those families with parents who want to stretch their ski legs before spending time with the children in the afternoon.

Ski school meets at the lift station – once the kids are dropped off, shoot straight up to 2,800 meters on a massive cable car and access the most amazing variety of ski-ing. Vaujany links into the vast Alpe D’Huez ski area which rises to 3,330 metres. There is ski-ing to satisfy all standards aswell as four amazing descents of over 2000 metres without having to take a lift.

Pick the kids up at 1.45pm on the slopes and then ski all together – there are loads of pretty runs which are perfect for the children to show what they have learnt that morning or the secret places that their ski instructors have taken them to.

On other days, head down to the Village for a swim in the great pool (the kids just adore the curly slide) or for a wobble around the ice skating rink (what a beautiful outdoor setting). Or you could toboggan, visit the Village museum, children’s playground or maybe just have a well deserved cup of cocoa!

A great family holiday.

Sunday Telegraph Selected Les Gets as Worlds Best Family Ski Resort - Les Gets, France

In October 2009, the Sunday Telegraph selected Les Gets as the best family ski resort in the world. In 2005 the Independant Newspaper also seleted Les Gets as the best family ski resort in the world. Need we say any more - links to the article are on our web site under 'ski area'.

Apartment 1 Chamois D - Apartment 1 Chamois D'Or, Morzine, France

Just stayed at this lovely, clean and brilliantly located apartment right in the centre of Morzine. The beds were really comfy and it had all the equipment we needed. Its really close (easy walking distance) to both the Super Morzine and Pleney lifts and looks out over the main square. I think they're building a skating rink there - so plenty to look at! Oh yeah, and the underground parking is really handy since the centre of Morzine is nearly a traffic free zone where you have to pay for parking! We'd definitely stay here again as Spar shop round the corner, and loads of restaurants right there. Check out the grill at the Restaurant Combe a Zore if you're a meat lover, and the lunch at la Cendree near the Pleney lift is also good.

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PREMIERE NEIGE - SUPER SAVERS - Meribel, France

PREMIERE NEIGE

With everyone feeling the pinch these days ski holidays maybe one of the luxuries that people forfit this winter, BUT……

Why forfit your ski holiday when you can do the 3 valleys on the cheap?

Many chalet companies are offering reduced rates on catered and self catered accommodation in Meribel for the 12th - 19th Decemeber 2009.

Lift pass Normal 3 valley rate €232 PREMIERE NEIGE SPECIAL €174, a saving of 25%

Going out in Meribel, check out this article,

http://www.skiinfo.co.uk/News-104-en.jhtml?aic=173042

In Summary

“Meribel bars have decided to start the season with a bang this year. With the tourist office and chalet companies already offering special reduced rates for Meribel’s ‘premiere neige’ week from 12th December, the bars have decided to follow suit and offer happy hour prices to all customers, all day and night, every day for the week from 12th December!”

What are you waiting for, treat yourself to an early Xmas present and enjoy the quiet un- crowded pistes at a great price.

Beautiful Contemporary Catered Chalet - Chalet Rosetta, Morzine, France

This is a beautiful modern, clean chalet with friendly hardworking staff, a lovely hot tub to relax in at the end of a busy day on the slopes and a therapeutic infra red sauna to ease all of your aches and pains!!

Highly reccommended!! *******

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Stunning, warm, Welcoming! - La Touviere, Morzine - Le Biot, France

This is the most beautifully furnished chalet I have ever seen. So warm and cosy with traditional decor, cosy beams and wooden floors. Lovely large sofa to snuggle up in. Beautiful surroundings. Not far from some fantastic places to visit and some great ski slopes. A must see!!!!! ******

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Great base for a skiing holiday - Chalet Sauterelle, Morzine, France

Throughly enjoyed my stay at the well-equipped and roomy Chalet Sauterelle. A great base for skiing the extensive pistes of both Avoriaz and Morzine. Whatever your ability you will find a great selection of runs. Although I'm mainly a blue run skier, there were plenty of places for me to go, including the 6 km Apricot. Drive 10 minutes up the road from Sauterelle to Super Morzine for hassle free parking and easy access to the lift system. In the evening I enjoyed an apres-ski noggin, or two, by the chalet's log fire. Would I go again?...Definitely!

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Couldn't recommend it more - Résidence Pierre & Vacances Le Tikal, Val Thorens, France

Great accommodation with a contemporary twists right in the heart of Val Thorens. With the slopes 20 yards away it doesn't get much better than this, with the ability to get out on the slopes early and back late. Le tickle adds something a little different to the usually bland European self catering accommodation with it's massive centre courtyard and it's unique blue modern lighting, and quality apartments. The place has a modern feel to it with good quality furnishings; the building itself is designed with interesting textures for those who like a designer feel to their abode. The staff were very friendly and very helpful when giving us advice.
 Also Le Tikal is near all the good restaurants, bars and has a supermarket across the road. Couldn't recommend it more.
Gary Milton

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Les Arcs due to open 5th Dec 2009 - Les Arcs, France

Les Arcs is due to open 5th Dec 2009 , with mainly lifts in Arc 2000 and the TransArc in Arc 1800. It is to coincide with the European Film Festival.
Millionaires skiing Pre - Xmas as there is no-one on the slopes and the pistes are kept well groomed due to the lack of people. Well worth coming for an early season trip.

Luxury and great views! - Chalet Sauterelle, Morzine, France

We have stayed here as a family and also with friends. The chalet is equally good for winter skiing and for stays in the spring/summer/autumn.
Beautifully appointed kitchen and lounge with a cosy log fire and under-floor heating. Plenty of room for eight people with a mezzanine as a play-room for the kids and/or as a TV room.
Great views from the lounge and bedroom balconies.
We look forward to using the new swimming pool and hot tub on our next visits!

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Spring flowers - Chalet les Cailloux, French Pyrenees - Bareges, France

We had a lovely holiday with Mountainbug.com in June 2009 when we spent a week walking around the area under the watchful eye of our guide Rob. He taylored the routes to suit us and cater for our individual needs - you would never have known that my Robbie had a vertigo problem! The flowers were lovely and the whole area made the "Sound of Music" spring to mind. As I have a wheat and gluten intolerance I was particularly impressed at the wonderful food we were given and I will always remember the nice touch of the home baked cakes and biscuits made especially for me. If I was a better skier I would love to try a winter holiday, but hopefully will be able to return for another walking holiday. With all good wishes to Emma and Rob from Moira and Robbie.

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Real Alps... - Les Aillons-Margeriaz, France

Google a ski holiday and you get the same resorts. Le Plagne, les Arcs, Alp d'heuz, Port de solei, Tois vallies etc. Having skied in all these resorts I can truthfully say they are great - especially if you are subsidised by your parents and loaded! Roll on 10 years - you're married with 2 kids, the travel, lift passes and equipment x 4 comes out at £2,000 and that’s without accommodation!! RAINCHECK - Have you ever wondered why, when you go to these 'premier league' resorts, that the foreigners are anything but French - lots of Dutch, Germans and loads of Brits. So where do the French go...Well - in the Alps, there are hidden resorts frequented by the local villagers. In les Massif des Bauges (the wallows)national park in the triangle of Annecy, Chambery and Albertville, there is a spectacular area with 4 local ski resorts including Le Revard - one of the oldest in France. However, the highest and most snow sure is Margeriaz and Les Aillons, just 15 minutes from le Chatelard, the capital of Les Bauges and its 14 villages. 97euro buys you a lift pass for a week where you can cover 40km of superb piste and magnificent ski de fond (cross country)- the delights of which we only discovered last year. This 100 year old past time is over looked by the one week a year skier and should be given a try on your vacation but you'll struggle to find it in the big resorts. Based in Le Massif des Bauges you can choose from these delightful resorts at half the cost of the big players and enjoy the 'real alps'. Find us on Chalets Direct and have a real alps experience at Les Aillons Margeriaz... and no queues!!

summer hols in the alps - Chalet le Chatox, Les Aillons-Margeriaz - Le Chatelard, France

We spent 10 nights in this brand new, idyllic chalet, close to Lake Annecy. A short walk to the local village of Le Chatelard let us sample typical Savoyard hospitality. The local tourist information was really helpful and told us where to go for white water rafting, a one and a bit hours' drive away to the town of Aime (check out franceraft). Excellent local walks leave from the village and the chalet. It is also near enough to cycle to the village of Lescheraines where you can swim in the freshwater lake. We had some super days out on lakeside beaches at Annecy and Aix les Bain. We drove down to Annecy with our bikes, parking just out of town, and joining the cycleway which goes around the lake.Whilst there we took in the excitement of the Tour de France which was fantastic. The chalet is homely and comfortable and has fabulous views out over the countryside. Bedrooms are cosy and sleeping was not a problem, following leisurely barbecues on the balcony with a few local wines!! We had a couple of journeys out to see the nearby ski resorts of Les Aillons and Margeriaz. These looked to be ideal for family skiers who don't like crowds or the hurly burly of commercial resorts. Worth a look. Another great day out was to Chamonix which was about an hour and a half away by car. It's easy to park there and you can enjoy a gondola ride up the mountain to view the glacier and the ice caves. We walked from the mid station to the ice caves which took about two and a half hours but what stunning views. We recommend you phone ahead and prebook the cable car. Would definitely go again.

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Chatel resort news: - Chatel, France

Chatel just keeps getting better: and snow is already falling! 2 Nov 09

Chatel is in the centre of one of the largest ski areas in the world with 650km of marked piste across France and Switzerland. The Portes du Soleil has so much to offer for all abilities, and this once sleepy farming village within 70 minutes of Geneva airport has established itself as a major mountain resort, and It just keeps getting better!

New for 2009/10 winter season season:

Replacement of Linga 2 Chairlift:
The old 3 man Linga 2 chairlift which took skiers up to Col du Linga at 2050m, has been dismantled and replaced by an express 6-seater detachable chairlift. The departure station is located at 1550m, next to the Leiche ski lift, and it’s name will be Echo Alpin. With a length of 1580m and a difference in height of 525m it will carry 2700 people per hour, making it one of the fastest lifts in the Portes du Soleil area, it will carry skiers at a speed of 5.5m per second taking them to the top in under 5 minutes. Access into the vast Portes du Soleil ski area has never been faster.

New snow-guns
Chatel is increasing it’s cultivated snow capacity. For winter 2009-2010 the resort will have 180 snow guns.

Great value “liberty” Châtel skipass
This flexible skipass allows you to ski on the whole Châtel area during 4 consecutive hours, starting when you want in the day.
Tariffs : Adult: €27 Junior/Senior: €24 Child: €2

Snow arrives early again in Chatel - Chatel, France

As November arrived, so did the snow. The leaves in the trees have barely changed into their Autumn colours and already the village is under a blanket of snow, with more forecast throughout this week this bodes very well for another great winter season here in Chatel and the Portes du Soleil.

Chatel is simply a fantastic place for your winter holiday. We are in the heart of the world's largest linked ski area, the Portes du Soleil, 650 km of piste combining 14 French & Swiss villages offering skiing without frontiers, all accessible using a single, inclusive card.

Chamonix All Year Round - Chamonix, France

Chamonix is best described as a bustling Alpine town and a stunning holiday destination, easily accessible all year round. Nestled in the shadow of Mt Blanc it is internationally acknowledged as the birthplace and playground of mountaineering and adventure. A spiritual home to many, it offers a gateway to the indulgence of lifetime outdoor adventure and passions in the beauty of the Alps.
The unimaginable breathtaking scenery, excellent town amenities and abundance of activities on offer for all the family, it is apparent why Chamonix is one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
Visitors just keep returning, again and again!
In winter the resort of Chamonix offers access to the most exciting skiing and snowboarding in the world. A genuine high altitude cosmopolitan resort with unarguable snow records it boasts easy access to 5 different ski areas and an additional 4 beginner/intermediate areas. Coupled with the choice of endless off piste and backcountry routes and the infamous Vallee Blanche descent, it’s clear why it is the top choice for groups and families of mixed abilities.
In summer you will find a catalogue of activities on offer for all abilities and interests from Golf, Swimming, Tennis, Hiking, Rafting, Summer Fun Park, Mountain railway, Cable Car to the Aiguille du Midi to just soaking up the sun in the valley floor. The list is simply endless!
Visit Chamonix with all the family and experience an interesting and fun packed short, medium or long term stay.

The perfect village resort - Chatel, France

Winter or summer, an intimate break for two, a family holiday, an action packed weekend with your friends....Whatever you choose to do in Châtel you'll find everything the perfect village resort has to offer.
A beautiful & lively village with superb modern facilities in the heart or the Portes du Soleil, perfectly preserved mountain architecture, 650 km of skiing without frontiers across France & Switzerland, Plus summer mountain biking, white water adventures or perhaps a relaxing walk through mountain pastures to name but a few of the wonderful activities to fill your days.
In Châtel there really is something for everybody. The countryside is as magnificent as the old chalets in the valley.
Here, the atmosphere is a tempting mixture of a tranquil way of life, friendliness and fun!
Come & see it for yourselves!

Traditional village location linked to Paradiski - Les Arcs - Peisey-Nancroix, France

How often do you find traditional Savoyarde villages unspoilt by tourism yet linked to a huge ski area ?
Peisey Nancroix is just that - this charming village at 1400m has the benefit of remaining untouched yet has that all important direct link via the quaint 'lobster pots'to the incredible ski area called 'Paradiski' offering 450kms of piste and endless off-piste attracting ski tourers from around the world. Also, cross-country skiing at the bottom of the glacier on the valley floor.

Peisey is situated bang in the middle of Les Arcs and La Plagne, so you can explore each area to the full,leaving time to get back home each day!
The Paradiski area boasts 2 glaciers at over 3200m plus 70% of it's pistes are over 2000m so guaranteed snow all season, especially with the snowmaking equipment installed over the last few years.

Events this season include:
January - Le Derby du Derby (a race for teams of two)
1 - 5 February - 1st International event of Speed Flying

Benefit of staying in Peisey Nancroix:
Value for money! The experience of staying in a 'real' French village yet that amazing skiing is on the doorstep.

Dog Sled Competition 29-31 Jan 2010 - Donovaly, Slovakia

The howling of the pack - crawling between snowy hills, the symbiosis of a hunter with wintey nature in remote ages with the help of a faithful friend - the dog. Don´t miss the chance to see the unique atraction that catches the local colour of Park Snow Donovaly - the competition of sled dog. This competition is organized every year by the Slovak Association of Sled Dog, and conforms to the rules and closely cooperates with European clubs of similar orientation. You can become a member too, of course. It brings not only joy and fun but also a lot of care and you have to sacrifice your free time to your 4 - legged friends.

The First Snow - Donovaly, Slovakia

It has been snowing for three days! We currently have 400mm. The ski season officially starts mid. November.

A Chocolate Box Picture Place - Apartment Worthski, Les Arcs - Bourg St Maurice, France

We spent two weeks in July at this apartment. Bourg and the apartment are ideally located for touring the French Alps placed as they are within easy reach of a number of mountain resort areas. There are plenty of activities locally - walking, white water rafting and cycle routes are all on the doorstep. The apartment is spacious, clean and very well equiped, parking was secure and convenient and outside space private and quiet. Walking the Alps in summer - perfect! I Look forward to returning in the future.

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Val D - Val d'Isère, France

We have the Mens and Ladies downhill world championships coming to Val D'Isere:
Great atmosphere and spectacular to watch.
December 11th, 12th & 13th 2009 : Men’s races
December 18th, 19th & 20th 2009 : Ladies races

Stay with Ski Power in the Gelinotte in the center of Val d'Isere
Great Offers :
Christmas week 19 Dec - only £499 pp h/b
New Year Week 26 Dec - Only £599 pp h/b
12 Dec week ONLY £389 pp

CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR
Val d’Isère celebrates the festive season from December 21st 2009 to January 4th 2010
Shows, concerts, torchlight descents, a visit from Father Christmas, Epiphany…

All JANUARY Weeks On offer with SKiPower at £449 pp
EVENTS IN JANUARY
January 14th to 17th 2010
Polo Masters Cup Polo-on-snow tournament

January 19th to 21st 2010
"Classicaval" Music festival – 1st Opus Classical music festival

Can you let me know if you post something up on this..

Top holiday at bargain price - Apartment Worthski, Les Arcs - Bourg St Maurice, France

Had a great time staying there in February 2009. The cost of the accomodation was very reasonable compared to others in the area, and the quality of it was great for ourselves (family of 4) and our friends (also family of 4). Very spacious and good cooking and lounging facilities. We thoroughly enjoyed it and are going back next February with the same friends. Even the drive to the fernicular was only 3 minutes away. Hopefully our friends will get some ski practice in so they can keep up with us!! Oh and hopefully Al won't get stretchered down the mountain again!

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Skiing in Les Arcs (Bourg Saint Maurice) - Apartment Worthski, Les Arcs - Bourg St Maurice, France

We had a fantastic family ski holiday this winter staying at a spacious new apartment to us in Bourg Saint Maurice. The ski lift was only 2 mins away in the car and the helpfull tips provided by the owners really came in handy when setting up and booking our holiday. The house also has a safe garden area where my 2 daughters used up the remains of their energy after a long days skiing. I highly reconmend this apartment for families and will be looking to return next winter and even in the summer.

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The best value skiing in the Alps??? - Les Aillons-Margeriaz, France

About the Les Aillons Margeriaz
Les Aillons-Margériaz, the authentically friendly resort just over an hour from Geneva airport. In the heart of the Savoie, surrounded by the Regional Nature Reserve of Les Bauges, Les Aillons-Margériaz, resort combines a village rich in tradition with a large number of tourist facilities. 20 ski-lift spread out over two sites.

Whats on offer?
Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or paragliding are some of the many activities that will enable you to combine recreation and discovery during your winter holidays. Moreover, a Sound and Light show is superb entertainment at xmas and half-term.

The good news - Cost!
Ski passes come out at a credit busting 93euro for a wk pass and 74euro for under 15's!!

J2Ski says 'The largest resort in the Bauges district of Savoie, where all 14 towns and villages are officially recognised as holiday resorts. Les Aillons Margeriaz Ski Resort is:-
*Fantastic for Intermediate Skiers.
*Fantastic for Snowboarding.
*OK for Beginners.

As the resort is in a national park, an area of outstanding natural beauty, you can mix up your holiday and ski in the morning and visit beautiful Annecy in the afternoon for lunch. Packed with tourists in August visiting one of Europes prettiest towns, Annecy is a delight in the quiet winter and very romantic.

The words 'hidden gem' are used a lot on these sites - Les Massif des Bauges really is the real deal - very special. A trip back in time with local Fench villagers dusting down old ski's from the 80's and 'hand me down ski's' for the kids. No posers here. No queues. Just real skiers. I think they want to keep it quiet you know..
www.lesaillons.com
www.lesbauges.com

Thank you for making my vacation positively awesome!!! - Chalet Anchorage, Chamonix, France

Thank you for making my vacation positively awesome!!!

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What a wonderful location - Chalet Anchorage, Chamonix, France

What a wonderful location, fantastic food and a lovely couple
that could not do enough to ensure we had a stay to remember. We have some
wonderful memories and will certainly be back for another break.
Greg Lawson & Family

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Had a fantastic time - Chalet Anchorage, Chamonix, France

Had a fantastic time, & an amazing experience with Neil & Julie,
and cant wait to return in the Winter.
Amber Brazear

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A Great Chalet! - Chalet Alpage la Combe, St Martin de Belleville - La Combe, France

I'd highly recommend Chalet Alpage in the quiet Hamlet of La Combe after spending New Years there. The chalet has been lovingly restored with real character and charm. We also felt that the chalet offered excellent value for money, especially if you can find discounted flights, with the holiday costing significantly less than usual for a peak week.

As a combination of skiers and none skiers we found it a good location to access the Three Valley ski area or to explore the region by car. A five minute drive to Les Menuires meant easy access to the shops and restaurants as well the slopes, and even in this busy period we managed to find free parking.

Thanks to Shelly for all the friendly advice & helpful information provided before we went, and left for us in the chalet. The whole family had a wonderful holiday and look forward to returning sometime soon!

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Marvellous Christmas - St Martin de Belleville, France

Saint Martin de Belleville is the exact place to be for Christmas since it has kept unchanged the traditional houses and chalets built centuries ago.

There is no noisy discotheques, but the cosy softness of our childhood Christmas villages. You are in another world, but all the choices and facilities are available. This is the best compromise for ski lovers who are looking for an authentic village, off the main track.

Belonging to the world’s largest lift-linked ski area the Three Valleys (600km slopes, 200 ski lifts), Saint Martin de Belleville is the perfect mixture of tradition and great skiing.

Do not hesitate, you'll not regret it.

Various Entries Direct from the Alpinebreaks.com Guestbook - Chalet Lac des Vonnes, Chatel, France

“Claire Blackham” March 2009 - I just wanted to say a HUGE Thankyou for the best snowboarding/sking trip we could have ever asked for. You exceeded our expectations in all areas and made us feel so warm and comfortable in the chalet, the food was amazing as was your hospitality. Thankyou so much for your guided tours of such a beautiful area. All the best this year and we all can't wait to come back again!

“David Benedict” March 2009 - I'd like to thank you both for a truly special week's holiday. You both went out of your way to make the holiday great for all of us and we had a marvellous time. After the great ski-guiding and all the beautiful food, the slamon on Saturday was unforgettable. I wish you very well and I hope to holiday with you again soon.

For more, please go direct to our Guestbook on our website at www.alpinebreaks.com

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Horse Racing on Frozen Obersee Lake - Arosa, Switzerland

Top for Families Award winning resort, and zero carbon rating resort.
The December Humour festival, Christmas and New Year celebrations give a lively start to the winter season.
January sun and blue skies attract skiers, snowboarders, families, walkers, golfers, and the horse races, to Arosa.
February hosts many mountain competitions and night entertainment.
March enjoys later lift opening times, and April has music around the mountains.
Each month Arosa hosts full moon parties at the top of the Weisshorn, and the cable car is open all night which is free with the lift pass.
This high altitude, hidden away valley has attracted loyal clientele for a hundred years. With 100 km skiing, and intertwining walking trails, it is ideal for families, and with off-piste routes galore - there is truly something for everyone.

Chatel resort news: What's new 2009/10 - Chatel, France

Chatel is in the centre of one of the largest ski areas in the world, the Portes du Soleil has more to offer than most ski domains. Situated just 75 minutes from Geneva airport, the beautiful Alpine village of Chatel is a traditional farming village set on the borders of France & Switzerland, transformed with alpine style into the now, major ski resort. Chatel seamlessly mixes rustic charm with a lively village centre plus superb modern facilities.

Replacement of Linga 2 Chairlift:
The actual Linga 2 chairlift which took skiers up to Col du Linga at 2050m has been replaced by a 6-seater detachable chairlift. The departure station is located at 1550m, next to the Leiche ski lift, and It’s name will be Echo Alpin.
With a length of 1580m and a difference in level of 525m it will carry 2700 people per hour, making it one of the fastest lifts in the Portes du Soleil area, it will carry skiers at a speed of 5.5m per second taking them to the top in under 5minutes. Access into the vast Portes du Soleil ski area has never been faster.

New snow-guns:
Chatel is increasing it’s cultivated snow capacity. For winter 2009-2010 the resort will have 180 snow guns.

Great value “liberty” Châtel skipass:
This flexible skipass allows you to ski on the whole Châtel area during 4 consecutive hours, starting when you want in the day.
Tariffs : Adult: €27 Junior/Senior: €24 Child: €2

NEW LIFTS for 2009/10 season - Chamonix - Les Houches, France

They are building again...
More new lifts for Les Houches
This time a brand new chairlift for the beginners area at Prarion - great investment, well done guys!

Perfect weekend destination. - Morzine, France

Imagine boarding a Geneva flight early on a Friday morning and arriving at a luxury catered chalet in the French Alps before mid day. Your lift passes, ski equipment and a welcome hot drink, home made cake and fully ensuite bedrooms are waiting for you. A chauffered minibus whisks you right to the entrance of a ski lift accessing the vast Portes du Soleil ski domain. You enjoy hearty breakfasts, scrummy afternoon teas, delicious dinners with wine and beer, a roaring log fire , relaxing jacuzzi and 3 and a half days of skiing before leaving for your return flights on Monday evening . All that and just 2 days off work! Of course you can stay for longer and take advantage of cheaper mid-week flights. The skiing and snowboarding here is amazing with pistes to suit all abilities and if the snow is anything like last winter's then you are in for a real treat.

great mountain biking... - Apartment A le Grand Sapin, Morzine, France

we had a great time in Morzine. The boys enjoyed the downhill and spent time on the Les Gets side. We played tennis, went riding and swam in the lake.
Claire and Nick were really helpful and cooked us a great meal. I would definately recommend it.

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Les PassPortes du soleil 2010 - Chatel, France

Starting in Chatel, the most charming village in the Portes du Soleil, Open to all & a must event for any mountain biker, this event has been held in the portes du soleil since 2004 & has grown better & more popular year after year.
Originally a replacement for the Free Raid Classic, it is now better than ever.
Les PassPortes du Soleil is a lift-assisted 50-mile free ride mountain bike tour of the region in an atmosphere of festival and focuses on fun.
Descending nearly 20,000 feet & includes massive descents, traversing, & even a tiny bit of climbing. Riders can complete the circuit in one day, over the course of the weekend, or even ride its entirety each day.
Although the festival is technically headquartered in one of the 14 resort villages the starting and finishing points are completely up to the individual. Entry includes weekend-long lift access throughout the region, post race festivities, goodie bag & everything else that comes with attending a large mountain bike event—all for less than 40 Euro.
The summer 2010 'passportes' will be held over the last weekend in June, and will mark the start of the summer season in Chatel.

VILLAGE FACILITIES IN CHATEL
Excellent child care facilities • Bars • Live music • Restaurants • Tennis • Bowling • Cinemas • Free navette busses running in around the resort plus much more, including the new multipass scheme, unlimited access to numerous activities throughout the Portes du Soleil for 1 € per day!

SKI 3 VALLEYS FOR LESS - Meribel, France

Desperate to hit the slopes this year? but your purse / wallet is screaming NO! ?

If you are dreading the thought of not being able to hit the mountain this year, there are many money saving ways to to ensure your snow fix.

**PREMEIER NEIGE -This is the 1st weeks of the resort opening and offers reduced lift pass prices, during Premiere Neige accommodation will be cheaper and budget airlines tend to have good deals on flights.

** Book early, some great early booking discounts and group discounts can be taken advantage of in chalets, plus early booking deals on flights, car hire and transfers.

** Consider a catered chalet where you get a great mix of good accommodation and quality food and house wines included.

** Surrender some of the in chalet luxuries as this can reduce the cost of the stay.

** If you are going self catering shop in the valley on the way up as prices are very high up in resort on products and food.

Self catering can offer the benefit of your own kitchen and living room but in ski resorts do not expect too much space as they are notoriously small as space is always at a premium. Also consider that you are less likely to want to cook and clean after a busy day on the slopes and eating out soon adds up.

** Try booking equipment online as there can be discounts of up to 40% on ski & boot rental plus some websites offer of two for one. I

** Short Stays, cannot afford a week? then try a 3 night short stay break, you will still get the hit of the mountain but for less.

For more details of short stays and discounted / free places check out Aktiv Experience in Meribel.

Skiing - Donovaly, Slovakia

Slovakia is one of the best countries in the region for skiing. The resort of Donovaly offers extremely good skiing conditions and boasts 17 ski lifts with a capacity of 11,650 persons per hour, which makes this resort the top ski resort in Slovakia.

Certainly you will not skip the chance for an exciting night of skiing or the view of snowy hills from a bird's perspective while paragliding. If you love the adrenaline rush of snowboarding, you can find the temptation of excellent terrains for free-riding here, peppered with a lot of rails and obstacles, and jibbing on the U-ramp. You can also visit our snowboard club Bulldog. And even more attractions are waiting for you...

Shh! Can you keep a secret? - St Gervais, France

In just under an hour from Geneva you will find the resort of St Gervais les Bains. The resort was made famous in the Victorian period because of its Thermal Health Spa.
Nestling in a valley between the resorts of Chamonix and Megeve St GErvais is popular with French families who prefer the quieter atmosphere and lower prices than its more up market neighbours. Those Brits who have discovered its charms come back year after year.
With over 400kms of pistes on the Montblanc Evasion ski pass suiting all standards of skier and board rider. You would need svereal holidays to explore the entire region. There is also a newish snowpark with halfpipe to challenge even the most experienced.
Access to the slopes from St Gervais is by a fast, 20 man telecabin. This delivers you to the heart of the ski terrain and the ski schools. All the princepal slopes are covered by snow canon ensuring good snow cover all season.
The village offers a good selection of shops and restaurants. It also has a thriving tennis club, the ice rink which is home to Montblanc Ice Hockey team and an exhibition centre.
There is a nightclub for those with the energy and just a 10 minute drive down the nountain takes you to the St Gervais Health Spa and also the Casino.
Chamonix is only 20 minutes by car for those wanting the 'British' experience and Megeve, with its expensive shops is just 10 minutes away.
Why not take 5 minutes to look up St Gervais on the net...but keep it to yourself!!!!

Apartment le Grand Sapin - Morzine - Les Prodains, France

We had there a week mountain bike holliday and we can say it was perfect!
The apartment where we lived was big nice and cheap,
we had everything you need and the owner,Claire and Nick was very friendly and helpfull!
And if your dont want to spend to much money at the restauranrs are to tiered to cook your own food,you should speak with them,becouse nick is a great chef and they can meak you an good offert for a nice and good dinner
We enjoyed our holliday and would come again

Johannes Platzer

La Tania - Childcare - La Tania, France

NEW CRECHE
La Tania is expected to have a new building to house a Creche, commune office, medical room and left luggage area..

This is hoped to be ready for this coming season...

Ski Power - have now got a brand new creche in Le Praz - offering clients pick up and drop of service for children aged 6 months to 5 yrs.

Lift Pass News
A new 3 hour single valley lift pass is to be launched for Winter 2009/2010. The 3 consecutive hours are activated the first time the skier goes through a turnstile. This pass will answer the demand of skiers who want to ski when they like without being restricted to the 1/2 day pass times (like getting out of bed early). The 1/2 day morning pass will be discontinued except for the 3 Vallées ski area while the 1/2 day afternoon pass (from 12h30) will be maintained.

Piste work, Snow cannons & Childcare - Courchevel - Le Praz, France

Piste Work, Snow Cannons

Some major piste work on Murette down to Le Praz is going ahead, possibly there are snow cannons being installed and an easier route down to the village is being planned.
Watch this space.

NEW Creche

Ski Power Ltd - who have a few chalets in Le praz, have a NEW Creche - which is great news for families with little ones - as many of the child care companies have disappeared!

NEW Piste improvements - La Tania, France

New Piste Improvements on Les Arolles above La Tania
Making it easier for beginners.

This beginners blue run down from the top of the mountain towards the top of the gondola station has been widened, re-aligned and re-shaped in places to make it much easier for beginners. Work never stops in The Three Valleys...

Wonderful Summer Break - Apartment A le Grand Sapin, Morzine, France

Good location with a lovely sunny terrace for an afternoon drink whilst watching the paragliders. Close enough to town and the shops for walking with the added bonus of a free bus. Large apartment with creature comforts and wifi, also well decorated so feels like home.

Thank you for all the help Nick and Claire we will come back again for sure.

See property details...

tranqui and magical swiss mountain village... - Anzere, Switzerland

situated on a south facing plateau in the heart of the Alps, the village of Anzere enjoys a Mediterranean microclimate, where nature unfurls like an exquisite piece of tapestry, each thread enticing you to new discoveries. Enjoy the most spectacular panoramic Alpine views the easy way by cable car or ski lift, or just live the good life basking in the sun on your balcony or by the banks of a mountain lake.

Winter in Anzere means 40km of ski runs plus 6km of cross country trails, over 20km of winter footpaths, guided snowshoe hikes, sledge pistes, an ice-skating rink and toboggan run, curling, local ski schools as well as parapente school for the more adventurous.

Year-round the village square at the very heart of the village is reserved exclusively for pedestrians and makes the perfect spot to shop or drop and just watch the world go by, without traffic, pollution, noise or cares getting in the way. With amusements and diversions of many kinds and with a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, Anzere is a real retreat.

In summer, discover 166km of signposted pedestrian footpaths, guided hikes with organised stays at mountain lodges, fishing, paragliding school, horse-riding, mountain climbing. Mountain biking is a serious sport during the summer months with 5 tracks with a total length of 80km and two downhill tracks, one black and one blue. There is a bike park in the village by the telecabine. There are tennis courts, outdoor pool and childrens play area in the village. There are excellent golf courses within a 20km radius. There are many other attractions within easy driving distance to give interesting day excursions including La Grotte aux fees - Europes largest underground water caverns.

Altitude Festival 2010 Comedy & Music - Meribel, France

March 2010 may be a long way off, but already plans are afoot to ensure that Meribel has a spectacular winter, and this includes the ALTITUDE FESTIVAL!!!!

20th - 27th March 2010

Altitude Festival 2010 will feature live standup comedy, live music, international DJ's, slopestyle competitions and more. The backdrop to the festival will be the beautiful snow-capped Alpine mountains of the 3 Valley ski resort of Meribel.

Comedy

The core of Altitude is its comedy line up. Festival goers of 2009 were impressed with the line up of French speaking and English speaking comics from all around the world. From Canada we had the pleasure of Craig Campbell, Australia, (and 2008 Edinburgh award winner) Brendon Burns, from USA Dave Fulton, from England TV’s Phil Jupitus, Jenny Eclaire, Marcus Brigstocke, Lee Mack. From Ireland we had the pleasure of seeing Ed Byrne and Andrew Maxwell, and flown in especially from Iran was Omid Djalili!

Music

Whether you go to one of the many free gigs in Meribel’s bars or you get a ticket to see one of the ‘big name’ bands you will not be disappointed.
The DJ scene has always been a vibrant force in après ski entertainment at the many of the snowboard festivals (chamjam, Xbox big day out and snow bombing) and we have always been there aiding and abetting in the fun. DJ’s and the mountain go together as slickly as a record in its sleeve.
Last yeasr saw KT Tunstall, Dub Pistols, Brandon Block and more play the bars and venues in Meribel

Free tickets for events available when booking accommodation with AktivExperience.

Brand new fast chair at Molliets - Les Carroz, France

Over the past few years Les Carroz in particular and the Grand Massif in general have been upgrading the lift system with a new telecabine in Carroz new chairs in Flaine,and now in the mid summer heat construction of the new fast six man chair at Molliets is well under way,this will solve the one remaining bottleneck in busy times and improve links to and from Carroz immensly.

The Portes du Soleil Multipass - Morzine, France

The multipass scheme is proving to be very popular with guests this summer, as it allows access to lots of mountain activities for just 1 euro per person per day. As a member of the scheme we lend guests a hand free pass, which can be reloaded for 1 euro per day for the total number of days that guests are staying. This allows free access to the swimming pool in Morzine and Chatel, tennis courts, ice rink, some chair lifts and cable cars(for walkers only),cultural sites and certain buses. It's valid from June until 15 September 2009 so there is still time to come out and make the most of all the mountain activities in this beautiful area, while saving money!

Vaujany - Winter & Summer Alpine Beauty - Alpe d'Huez - Vaujany, France

Summary
Voted 'Best small resort of the year' in the 1997 edition of the Good Ski Guide, and best family resort last season. Vaujany is a tiny rural village perched on the hillside of its own sector of the Alpe d'Huez skiing area. The village is served by a queue-free state-of-the-art cable-car which whisks you up to an impressive 2,800m. The village of Vaujany is lovely, very quiet and offers a small selection of apres ski and non skiing activity, the swimming pool complex is excellent, particularly in view of the size of the village, with a lovely small paddling area for young children. The creche at Vaujany is highly recommended.
Vaujany shares the same ski domain as Alpe d'Huez with skiing from 3330m to 1100m and some of the longest and most beautiful runs in Europe. Genuinely catering for all standards of skier with excellent varied runs on the Vaujany mountainside in particular.

Description
Pisted runs worthy of special mention include The 'Champagne Run', starting at Pic Blanc (3330m) and descending down into the snowy forests of Enversin (1100m) underneath Vaujany village and close to the hamlet of Pourchery where Chalet Verney lies.
Vaujany is not only blessed with state-of -the-art lifts and fabulous skiing it also has facilities that would grace a major resort such as the modern swimming-pool and leisure centre, offering multi-gym, sauna, jaccuzi and sports hall. There is also an excellent village creche, a local ski school, an ice-skating rink, and a good selection of bars and restaurants.

Montchavin, at the heart of Paradiski - La Plagne - Montchavin, France

Montchavin offers the best of two worlds: fabulous skiing at the heart of Paradiski, with over 400kms of pistes and skiing from 1250 - 3250 metres; and old –world charm and friendliness.

Montchavin is on the La Plagne side, linked to Les Arcs by the Vanoise Express. Visitors to Montchavin can get to Les Arcs in minutes; or explore the 224 kms of La Plagne.

The runs range from pretty tree lined tracks to wide open pistes and include plenty of choice for all abilities. Beginners learn amongst the trees on gentle drag lifts; intermediates can get from one side of the resort to the other on blues and reds; good skiers can take on the 2km descent, or enjoy the powder and moguls on both sides. 70% of the ski area is above 2000m and with 2 glaciers to ski and widespread artificial snow making facilities the resort is snow sure at all times.

The piste-side restaurants above Montchavin are charming and welcoming. Our favourites include Le Plein Soleil, for Austrian specialities (go just for the puddings); and Le Sauget for authentic old Savoyard ambience.

In the village itself, explore cobbled little alleyways, apple orchards, and working farms. The ski shops, ski schools, restaurants and bars ensure you have everything you need for a modern skiing holiday. At the foot of the pistes is the Ferme de Cesar with a large sun terrace and cosy, traditional interior; the Camp de Base is hugely popular for drinks and lunchtime snacks. La Zaccota offers excellent pizzas at family friendly prices; Le Moulin a Poivre and Le Dos Rond serve French and Savoyard specialities. The hotel offers a spa, open to all: sauna, jacuzzi, and hamman.

For a holiday that combines charm and authenticity with unlimited skiing opportunities, Montchavin is a winner.

Les Menuires is the least well-known, most French and most accessible resort in the Three Valleys. - Les Menuires, France

Les Menuires offers 160 kilometres of pistes and has been graded by 'Where to Ski and Snowboard 2007' as follows:

4/5 for snow
5/5 for extent
4/5 for experts
5/5 for intermediates
3/5 for beginners

With many wide blues, off piste, stunning views, challenging blacks, and only two drag lifts in the whole resort, Les Menuires caters for every skier and snowboarder. Les Menuires is just two lifts from Val Thorens, the highest ski resort in Europe, guaranteeing you snow from before Christmas until after Easter. As well as Les Menuires and Val Thorens, you can ski to Meribel and Courchevel with the Three Valleys lift pass which gives you access to 600 kilometres of piste!

From the skier's point of view, Les Menuires equals mostly uncrowded pistes and short queues at the chairlifts. You can also ski the 'Itinéraires du Soleil' (which roughly translated means 'the sunshine path'), all day long on south and west-facing slopes to maximise your sun-tan!

Another good point for many is the fact that Les Menuires is such nice family resort - definitely lacking in the fur-coated snobs which frequent some of the other resorts nearby. It has a good selection of bars, restaurants and shops, a well-equipped sports centre (with indoor swimming pool, gym, jacuzzi, hammam, sauna and squash court), outdoor swimming pool, cinema, night clubs and an ice skating rink.

Why Oz en Oisans? - Alpe d'Huez, France

As part of the Massif des Grandes Rousses, 'Oz' offers great skiing for all abilities. Learn to ski or enhance your techniques on the quieter, more gentle slopes or challenge yourself on the more difficult runs. Take a lift to the Pic Blanc to enjoy a 2 km vertical drop of blissful skiing right back to the chalet door! For a bit of variety the resort also offers cross- country skiing, paragliding, snow- shoeing, ice skating and night skiing. If you have a head for heights you can scale the indoor climbing wall or even the ice wall. This picture- postcard resort has everything you would expect to find in a large resort...without all the people! You'll simply adore Oz and fall in love with the chalet. Oz-en-Oisans Ski Resort is:- Excellent for expert skiers, fantastic for intermediate skiers, perfect for beginners and great for snowboarding. Oz en Oisans offers access to:- Pistes above 2500 metres, so skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season; 17 black runs, 36 red runs, 31 blue runs and 39 green runs; 62km downhill pistes, 292 individual pistes, 20km cross country trails; 22 ski lifts; 1850m max vertical, 2850m highest lift, 1350m resort altitude, 1000m lowest piste.

Why Oz en Oisans? - Alpe d'Huez, France

As part of the Massif des Grandes Rousses, 'Oz' offers great skiing for all abilities. Learn to ski or enhance your techniques on the quieter, more gentle slopes or challenge yourself on the more difficult runs. Take a lift to the Pic Blanc to enjoy a 2 km vertical drop of blissful skiing right back to the chalet door! For a bit of variety the resort also offers cross- country skiing, paragliding, snow- shoeing, ice skating and night skiing. If you have a head for heights you can scale the indoor climbing wall or even the ice wall. This picture- postcard resort has everything you would expect to find in a large resort...without all the people! You'll simply adore Oz and fall in love with the chalet. Oz-en-Oisans Ski Resort is:- Excellent for expert skiers, fantastic for intermediate skiers, perfect for beginners and great for snowboarding. Oz en Oisans offers access to:- Pistes above 2500 metres, so skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season; 17 black runs, 36 red runs, 31 blue runs and 39 green runs; 62km downhill pistes, 292 individual pistes, 20km cross country trails; 22 ski lifts; 1850m max vertical, 2850m highest lift, 1350m resort altitude, 1000m lowest piste.

Grand opening on July the 4th. It’s summer for everybody. Have fun and enjoy in Saint Martin - St Martin de Belleville, France

With its stone and wooden houses, Saint Martin is a beautiful village in the heart of the traditional Savoy region that proposes a multitude of activities to enjoy with friends or family. Mountain lakes, streams and ponds… unspoilt nature guarantees a change of scenery.
Sporting events, concerts, festivals, traditional fetes: make a date with any number of warm, friendly or dynamic events…

FOR NATURE & SPORT LOVERS, a multitude of paths for all abilities.

Easy walks, hikes, MTB routes: an invitation to visit and relax in the valley’s natural environment. Get ready for the great escape!
Adventure park for children, Glacier hike, Summer sledging.
The Multi-Activity Card gives access to two sports complexes (les Menuires and Val Thorens), Ski lifts & fun park.

FOR CULTURE LOVERS, various activities directly linked to history and music.

Villages and hamlets reveal all their charms as you travel the valley. Rural heritage, Baroque churches and traditional fetes celebrating the life of a mountain community that remains loyal to its origins.
The Notre Dame de la Vie sanctuary is a prominent religious site and place of pilgrimage. Art and history buffs: "Baroque paths" will guide you to the Savoy’s secret chapels and churches
Concerts and music courses are present all summer long. Classical, baroque or contemporary: music is omnipresent.

FOR FOOD LOVERS, various local products to tickle your taste buds

In the alpine farms and chalets, you’ll find locally-produced cheese and cold meats. On your hike, enjoy a picnic, and then on your return to the village, appreciate the specialities offered by the many restaurants to suit all tastes.

FOR WELL-BEING LOVERS, various beauty treatments and body care

Well-being is essential to your holiday: sauna, jacuzzi, hammam, beauty treatments and body care can be found at all altitudes.

Mountain bike, hiking, water sports and much more... - St Martin de Belleville, France

You can find everything in Saint Martin for your summer activities. Theme activities are also organised to let you and your children create good memories of the time spent in Saint Martin.

"BILBERRY – MARMOTS" WEEK
from 11th to 18th July 2009

Walk around La Vallée des Belleville and discover all the facets of nature thanks to a guide! He will accompany you one morning on a walk to meet the marmots; he will take you on an afternoon’s “gourmet” walk during which, while enjoying a welcoming pause, you will taste a delicious bilberry tart, and lastly, an unforgettable day’s outing to discover our valley’s magnificent ibex.
On your return from your walk, you will be able to relax in the Sports Centre’s swimming pool, sauna or jacuzzi!

ASTRONOMY WEEK:
from 20th to 24th July

A week in which the young will be introduced to the science of star watching, their evolution and their physical and chemical properties through scientific games... In small groups they will participate in various fun workshops. The opportunity for them to create small rockets which will reach a height of 150 m ....

SORCERER'S APPRENTICES' WEEK:
from 3rd to 7th August

Throughout the whole week, our sorcerer’s apprentices will be able to discover science in an attractive way in the «Labomagic» with the great sorcerer Alex Périance: magic potions, magic tricks and other challenges won't be a secret to them any more… Abracadabra, Harry Potter better watch out !

GASTRONOMY & COUNTRY FOOD WEEK:
From 8th to 15th August

Discover the secrets of Savoyard gastronomy and the local produce; walks, recipe demonstrations by the resort’s
cooks and tasting-conferences about the in-escapable Savoyard products.

Perfect Summer destination - Morzine, France

Imagine lush green mountain pastures abundant with wild flowers, soaring snow capped peaks, fast flowing rivers and crystal clear lakes. All this and more can be found in the summer months in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps.

If you are looking for an idyllic Alpine getaway then the Savoyard village of St Jean d'Aulps near Morzine is perfect.

There are plenty of activities here in the French Alps including walking, golf, white-water rafting, climbing, cycling, swimming and sight seeing. If you wish to explore, then the towns of Annecy and Chamonix are only an hours drive away, whilst the spa towns of Thonon and Evian les Bains on the shores of Lac Leman are even nearer.

Travelling here is easy. Simply fly to Geneva where you can hire a car for the 75 minute transfer. Alternatively, if you drive from the UK, it’s about 8 hours from Calais.

3 VTT - THE MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENT 4 - 8TH JULY 09 - Meribel, France

LOVE THE MOUNTAINS? LOVE BIKING?

A week of mountain-biking, trials riding and road biking for all the family.
Freebike, group rides, courses and entertainment throughout the valley!

- 3 VTT : THE MOUNTAIN BIKING EVENT 4 & 5 July
Mountain-biking week-end, with two open events:

"Free Bike" :
Timed descent from the summit of Saulire to Brides-les-Bains!

"Cross country Tour" :
Mountain-biking circuits of varying difficulty levels around the 3 Vallées.

- RIDE N' BIKE 6, 7 & 8 July
Mountain initiation for kids : safety & handling instruction. Riding over an initiation area equipped with trial type modules. Supervision by certified instructors.

MUSIC AIR, MUSIC FESTIVAL 10th - 15th AUGUST 09 - Meribel, France

MUSIC'AIR - MERIBEL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Meribel is not only an amazing ski resort and a fantastic place to walk and ride, it also plays host to MERIBEL`AIR, 10 acts perform during 5 days in varying styles in music, something for all to enjoy.

This is an easy theme: music, rhythm, nightly concerts in the resort’s bars, aperitif-concerts &, the main feature, an outdoor show on Saturday, August 15th!

Encompassing music of every variety, held in a range of bars, restaurants and hotels in Méribel.

Tour de France July 2009 - La Plagne - Montchavin, France

In 2009 the Tour de France has a stage finish in Bourg Saint Maurice.

Will Lance be back? We hope so. What we do know is that the Tour is coming to Bourg St Maurice in July 2009. Arriving via the Col du Petit St Bernard on Tuesday 21st July and departing the next day via the Cormet de Roselend. Two spectacular mountain passes to explore later in the week when the circus has moved on.

The DORFFEST!! Alpbachs village festival!! 3.07.09 – 5.07.09. - Alpbach, Austria

Every village in the region has a festival one weekend during the summer. Next weekend it’s the Dorffest in Alpbach, Tirol, Austria.

It is the highlight of the year with the village becoming alive with lots of beer drinking and roast chicken eating, live music, and partying. All the village comes together to celebrate!


Fri, Jul 3 warm-up party
Sat, Jul 4 village festival
Sun, Jul 5 musical brunch of Bundesmusikkapelle Alpbach.

Come and join the party!! The beers are on me!!

mit freundichen Grüssen! (with friendly greetings)

Claire

Golf Meribel & Courchevel - Meribel, France

Merbel

One of Méribel’s biggest summer attractions is the 18 holes golf course. Open from early June until October, it is often described as one of the most beautiful mountain courses in France, offering wonderful views of the Saulire peaks and over Méribel valley. A hilly, ranging from 1565m to 1850m The course has grown in length from 5281 to 5538m and has risen to par 71.

The golf club is very friendly and speak good English. All levels of player are welcomed as are children, and there is no minimum handicap to play the course. Competitions are held throughout the summer and are open to all. Many offer competitors a lunch at the ninth hole and numerous prizes for all levels.


Take a lesson
Golf lessons are available in English from the course pro Didier Audin and his team. One-week courses are available to adults and children of all levels from complete beginner to advanced.

Courchevel

A course that meets high expectations
Situated at the foot of the Saulire mountain, in the ski area of Verdons, this golf course is at the heart of Courchevel 1850.
The superb view of the lake from hole number 1 stretches out before you and there is a green carpet as far as hole number 9.
So those who love mountains will be able to enjoy both nature and golf.

Summer Walks and Biking - Meribel, France

Summer, Summer, Summer Time!

Meribel is as spectacular in the summer as it is in winter. The French Alps provide a stunning backdrop for a wide range of summer activities to keep you active during your time in the mountains.

Meribel has some world class mountain biking and is also the gateway to the Vanoise National Park, which covers over 2000 sq kms and is home to the increasingly rare ibex, the chamois and numerous alpine species of flora and fauna. A network of over 500 Kms of marked walking trails and long distance hiking paths provides opportunity to explore the beauty and the true Alpine experience. Other activities available in the local area include climbing, white water rafting, grass skiing, horse-riding, hot air ballooning, fishing, paragliding, swimming and skateboarding.

If you’re looking to entertain your children during the holidays then Meribel has plenty of options to keep them busy.

- 3 months - 5 years are catered for by Kidz Etc in the daily crèche or private nanny service.
- 4- 8 years Les Petit Louis Club including pony riding, mini tennis, bouncy castles, gondola tours plus more
- 8-17 Years Alain Falcoz includes mountain biking, archery, paint balling, crazy golf, kayaking tennis lessons and much much more

Summer in Samoens - Samoens, France

Samoens is a meca for hikers and bikers alike. There are so many marked trails and wonderful refuges where you can spend a night in the great outdoors and sample the local mountain cuisine - saves having to take your tent up and carrying your own food! There are a few chairlifts open in Morillon and Sixt for those mountain bikers who love the thrill of the downhill.

If you prefer a gentler sport like yoga, you can enjoy outdoor yoga near the lake, where you will breathe the wonderful mountain air and have great views too. Prices start at 10 euro for a session that lasts over 1 hour with a professional instructor. You will love the experience.

Don't miss this years Tour de France, as it passes nearby Samoens and the time trial is in Annecy, only 45mins from Samoens!

Mountain Biking - Chatel, France

Summer has arrived in Chatel, with the up-lifts open this weekend, 13 June we enjoyed well prepared & new trail throughout the area. Chatel, the most charming village in the Portes du Soleil offers you almost endless riding without frontiers on 650km of well-marked MTB tracks across France & Switzerland.
Tracks will take you through alpine meadows & forests using an extensive network of 24 linking lifts, all with the breath-taking backdrop of the French & Swiss Alps.
Chatel is situated just 80 minutes from Geneva airport. It is a beautiful alpine farming village set on the French/ Swiss border, mixing local traditions & rustic charm with a lively village centre with superb modern facilities.

FREERIDE, CROSS COUNTRY OR DOWNHILL
Chatel & the Portes du Soleil region has endless terrain on offer for all abilities - from gentle family outings through to world cup downhill runs. Adventure is guaranteed whatever your level. Plus amazing freeride on the swiss side of lake Geneva, take a guide & explore endless deserted trails with views of the lake far below.

ONE LIFT PASS
Chatel has it’s own 90km of marked trails & 2 bike parks but your Portes du Soleil lift pass gives you so much more with direct access to 650km of trails taking in 14 villages including: Morzine, Avoriaz, Les Gets, Morgins, Torgon, Champery, Champoussin & Montriond. Without doubt, the Portes du Soleil offers the best selection of riding anywhere in the Alps!.

VILLAGE FACILITIES IN CHATEL
Excellent child care facilities • Bars • Live music • Restaurants • Tennis • Bowling • Cinemas • Free navette busses running in around the resort plus much more including the new multipass scheme, unlimited access to numerous activities throughout the Portes du Soleil for 1 € per day!

The Swiss Alps in Summer and Winter! - Nendaz - Haute Nendaz, Switzerland

Haute Nendaz, nestles in the Swiss Alps and is a pretty postcard Swiss village offering every Alpine activity, summer and winter!
Only 90 minutes from Geneva airport, the village is full of cafes, bars, excellent restaurants, shops, sports centre and swimming pool, whilst the area is perfect for tranquil walking holidays through the Alps by way of the Bisses, ancient irrigation walkways. Mountain-biking is also popular with bikes hired locally if necessary and the tourist office has an enviable programme of events, such as cheese-making and alphorn competitions, just to mention a few. The village has also been awarded the prestigious 'Families Welcome' badge by the Swiss Tourist Board for catering so well for all ages.
Other activities available are white-water rafting, paragliding, golf, horse-riding, tennis and of course every type of possible wintersport in the winter season, as the area covers 410kms and links to Verbier.
The sun shines 300 days a year and the snow record is second to none, as the ski area is high altitude, so why not experience the true Switzerland and give Haute Nendaz a try!

Summer in Chatel - Chatel, France

Summer has arrived in Chatel with temperatures hitting 30 degrees this week. A holiday in Chatel is your guarantee of unlimited invigorating mountain air for the ultimate relaxation or action packed itinerary of mountain & water activities. 



Chatel village is the perfect base to explore the mountain pastures and forests on foot or on mountain bikes, enjoy some white water adventure, spend the night in a mountain refuge or relax by the open air swimming pool before enjoying lunch at one of the many excellent village restaurants. 


Chatel has everything, and is the perfect village resort. The atmosphere is a tempting mix of tranquility, friendliness and fun! A little further afield why not explore the wonderful medieval villages on the banks of lake Geneva or take a steam paddle boat trip to name but a few.


Marvellous summer in the Vallée des Belleville - St Martin de Belleville, France

The Vallee des Belleville offers a great starting point for marvellous summer holidays in the mountains. Nice views from everywhere, you can see up to 1000 summits from the Cime Caron (3200m high; reached by lift)

Almost any kind of summer activities is possible, walking, mountain biking, fishing, adventure circuit, swimming pool...

Cultural activities are also possible to discover the ancient farms, churches, watermill, and the new museum showing the evolution of the valley from mountain farming to ski resort.

Beautiful village whith traditional architecture Saint Martin de Belleville and all the hamlets around, will amaze you with views, smeLls and tastes, since nice restaurants (including a 2 Michelin stars) offer a great discovery of the local cuisine.

Summer or Winter,I just cant decide - Wengen, Switzerland

The resort lies on a wind-protected sun terrace at the foot of the Jungfrau, 400 metres above the Lauterbrunnen valley at an altitude of 1274 m.
With its nostalgic timber houses, Wengen has retained all the character of a picture-postcard mountain village. Opening widely to the south west, the terrace guarantees above-average hours of sunshine.
The key excursion destinations within the Jungfrau region can all be reached easily from Wengen. Climbers on the Eiger north face – one of the world’s most spectacular and difficult climbing faces – can be observed by telescope from the Kleine Scheidegg.Take the train to Europe,s highest railway station,see the glaciers,and you can reach the Schilthorn summit from the valley floor resort of Lauterbrunnen.

Summer

Over 500 km of marked walking trails and 15 mountain cableways in the nearby surroundings lead to the most beautiful vantage points of the Jungfrau region; take for example the classic panorama route between Wengen and the Kleine Scheidegg, which offers up a particularly impressive view of the rock massif of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.But for eye-popping amazement, you should walk the Eiger Trail at the foot of the Eiger north face, a medium-difficulty mountain walking tour.


Winter

In winter, Wengen is the ideal starting point for the family-friendly ski region of Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen with 110 km of predominantly easy to medium-difficulty pistes, and the renowned World Cup piste on the Lauberhorn as its crowning glory. The neighbouring ski areas of the Jungfrau region, Grindelwald-First and Mürren-Schilthorn are also readily accessible. The clean air, the long hours of sunshine – especially in winter – the toboggan runs and 50 km of winter hiking trails also serve to attract non-skiers to the sunny resort.

Chalet Enzian - Visitor feedback - Jan 2008 - Chalet Enzian, Murtal - Stadl an der Mur, Austria

Lovely cosy chalet, beautiful area.
Wonderful Chalet - well equipped to make the stay very comfortable. The surrounding area is great with excellent ski resorts all within a reasonable area. Looking forward to booking 2009

Ollie Johnston and family

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Chalet Enzian - Visitor feedback March 2008 - Chalet Enzian, Murtal - Stadl an der Mur, Austria

The plus points here are many and various; there's all you need in the Chalet - plenty of storage for maps, books and groceries and Everything works!! Nowhere too pricey either which was a relief.

We've had a great family holiday. We only boarded at Kreischberg as our son (5) who's a beginner had ski lessons there. Daniel's tuition was fantastic and he went from a complete beginner to doing excellent snow plough turns

Ellis family

We had a really great time - nice to get away. Great mountain (Kreischberg), lovely area, very beautiful Chalet in excellent surroundings - very modern

Kevin Hubble and friends

A quick thank you for letting us stay in your Chalet with all mod cons. It is fresh, clean and extremely comfortable. The view from the windows is astonishing. Would certainly recommend the Murtalerhof for food and hospitality - the staff are extremely friendly.
The skiing at Kreischberg is fabulous - my only complaint is that the holiday was too short. However look forward to coming againg this time next year. Thanks once again

Price Waterhouse Coopers Corporate Ski Group

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Chalet Enzian - Visitor Feedback - Feb 2009 - Chalet Enzian, Murtal - Stadl an der Mur, Austria

Thank you for letting us stay at this wonderful chalet. It is comfortable - very comfortable, and is packed with everything we needed. The view from the windows is amazing. We all had an awesome time skiing - it was so much fun and we all had a chance to get better. We liked staying here and the only complaint we have is that our stay was too short.

Thank you

The Hielma Family (from Canada, staying in Slovakia)

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Summer in St Gervais Mont Blanc - St Gervais, France

With the snow now rapidly disappearing from the mountains our attention turns to summer. And what better way to start off the new season than learning to paraglide? Which is why Chris, Pauline, (seen in the photo waiting their turn,) Fred, Jordan and myself found ourselves doing the St Gervais-based A2L Parapente beginners course last week, run by sometime French champion, Sam Sperber. What a fantastic thing to do! When the moment arrives to launch yourself over the edge and into the air for the very first time, you are totally prepared, mentally, physically and skill-wise; you just enjoy the sensations, the rush, of flying through the air, master of your own destiny!

Ever been tempted to have a go at paragliding but never quite got round to it? Give me a call, drop me a line and I will enthuse you to the edge!

Jeremy

Something for Everyone - La Tania - La Tania, France

Right at the heart of the amazing 3 Valleys, lies La Tania, offering something for everyone - winter OR summer, skier or non-skier.

La Tania has many pluses - lower prices than other areas of the 3 Valleys; great skiing over a large area on even the local lift pass, easy access via plane, road or rail - but perhaps the main plus is it's convenient layout. You are not far from anywhere in La Tania and the pedestrianised village centre is easily reached from most accommodation.

Our excellent large chalets for example, are just 150m away from the lifts, ski school meeting places, nursery slopes, cafes, bars, restaurants etc., so no buses, minibus transfers or walking miles in ski boots. Children love La Tania for this reason as well as the sledging runs! Once the lifts close, the nursery slopes are taken over by children hurtling towards their parents on toboggans! As this is the centre and pedestrianised, parents can enjoy an apres ski beer or coffee, at one of the al fresco tables, and watch the fun.

Summertime also offers great things in La Tania. There is a swimming pool, cycling, paragliding, mountain-biking, walking, hiking, climbing - all this AND a Circus School! This takes place in the centre and children can attend for either one, 2 hour session, or each day, to learn juggling, trapeze and tightrope walking amongst other traditional skills. There is a show at the end of the week to show off what's been learnt.

The glorious summer weather (it can reach the 80's in July/August) with cool breezes, and reliable winter conditions of great snow, make La Tania an excellent all-round resort, at the heart of one of the World's greatest ski domains.

Come and see for yourself!

Nicest Skiing Holiday we have ever had. - La Musardiere, Haute Alpes - Devoluy - Aspres sur Buech, France

Thank you all so much for making our holiday so special, it was the nicest skiing holiday we have ever had. The house is lovely and homely with the fire always lit for our return and the smell of delicious freshly baked cakes when you open the door. We all really enjoyed the hot tub, it was a great way to ease the aches and pains after a day on the slopes. La Jarjatte is a very special little ski resort perfect for children, and for those of us who hadn’t been skiing for some time to ‘Knock the rust off’ as you put it Paul, it almost felt like we had our own private resort there were so few people around but the ski instructors were excellent and had our children skiing within 2 days! The skiing was superb but what made it so special was your fantastic hospitality and wonderful cooking, none of us wanted to go home but we’ll be back as we have booked again for next year and two weeks in the summer!
The Bolt family, Somerset.

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Summer in Puy St Vincent - Puy St Vincent, France

Puy St Vincent has everything to attract people who love mountains and alpine scenery. Explore the abundance of summer activities. Walk through flower filled meadows to mountain restaurants or go trekking, road biking, paragliding, mountain biking, rock climbing then return to sit listening to the crickets enjoying a chilled glass of wine as the Provencal sun goes down.

Ecrins National Park, which will be on your doorstep at Puy St Vincent, has abundant wildlife. Look out for eagles, chamois, willow grouse, marmots, black grouse, ptarmigan, blanchons, and even stoats….in all 167 rare and valuable species.
It is probably the best place to shrug off the pressures of work and just relax in the tranquillity of the flowery meadows bathed in 300 days of sunshine a year.

”The Barre des Ecrins at 4,101m is a worthy object for any competent alpine party. 

For the walker, wander through meadows full of flowers and harvest wild strawberries. There are lots of huts to visit, passes to cross, lakes to camp beside and the Ecrins Massif to be encircled, as the classic GR54 “Tour of the Oisans” does just that in a fourteen day feast of alpine walking. 

If rock climbing is your thing, then this is the place to be. There are 600m limestone walls just down the road, and beautiful rock ridges that will take you breathe away.

That said, one of the most pleasurable things to do is lay out the picnic (of baguettes, local sausage, cheese and wine) in the meadows, watch the eagles soaring overhead and the marmots playing on the boulders. Failing that, a traditional lunch of mountain fare on the sun terrace of the Madam du Pré Chalet is just as pleasant (just don’t forget your sun block!).

Summer is on its way! - Chamonix, France

Despite the recent snow and ski tourers all over Chamonix, summer is on its way. The trees a few hundred metres down the valley have blossom on them, and the climbers are back on the crags!
Why not visit Chamonix this summer, with hiking, mountain biking, trail running, rafting, paragliding, climbing, mountaineering and sightseeing to do you will struggle to pack it all in.
Lifts are opening from mid June to mid September, and by July all the areas of Chamonix will be lift accessible.

perfect Summer or Winter chalet - Chalet des Etoiles, Morzine, France

We have had 3 holidays at Chalet des Etoiles, 2 in the winter and 1 in the summer. Everything it says on the web site is true if not better. The amazing views, the luxury of the chalet, the fantastic food and to top it all a jacuzzi out in the snow just make for the perfect holiday. The hosts Jan and Larry made us extremely welcome and do everything to make the holiday fun and relaxing all at the same time. Nothing is too much trouble. I would definately recommend it to anyone who likes to be pampered

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Nice apartment - Apartment C le Grand Sapin, Morzine, France

Nice, warm, good sized apartment, especially enjoyed the log fire! Modern, well fitted kitchen. Only criticism is that the bedrooms had no wardrobes for hanging clothes and it would be helpful to have an essentials food package supplied at an extra cost as we arrived quite late and on a Sunday. Good access to resorts, via bus and fantastic skiing. A great week and would go back

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Summer in Samoens - Samoens, France

Summer is an amazing time of the year to visit Samoens. The mountains transform themselves into a hikers, bikers, paragliders heaven. There are endless hikes to discover, for all abilities whether you are looking for a 3 day hike or a stroll in the mountains. Biking is amazing too - both mountain biking and road cycling. This year the Tour de France passes near Samoens on the Col de Columbiere, and there is also a time trial in the nearby pretty town of Annecy. Don't miss out on the worlds most famous cycling event!

Brilliant accommodation, service & food - Chalet Cristal, Samoens, France

My wife and I enjoyed a superb five day break at La Tataz in January. From the moment we were picked-up from Geneva to being returned, the organisation and attention to detail resulted in the most enjoyable ski break we have ever experienced. Kevin and Susan provide excellent hospitality; accommodation and food (courtesy of Gavin and Tracey). As an added bonus, Kevin’s ski instruction is worth the visit alone! We will definitely be going back, both with and without our children, for our foreseeable ski holidays.

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One Of The Best Kept Secrets in Austria - Schladming, Austria

Schladming is part to the Ski Amade area, one ski pass covers 860km of piste and 270 ultramodern, lifts, which is enough to keep even the keenest skiers happy for a week or 2! The whole area is also hugely attractive, with tree lined runs and pretty resorts with atmosphere. Schladming it self has 167km of runs and 81 lift that connect 4 great mountains. It is also the only resort in Austria with 100% snow-making facilities and this along with a number north facing pistes mean it is very snow sure. Schladming is an intermediates paradise where you can ski a different area everyday. Beginners are well catered for with several excellent ski schools. Schladming itself is a friendly Austrian town with a life outside of tourism, the apres ski may not be as wild as in some Austrian resorts but this in not seen by most as a negative point.
Part of the Schladming area, set on a high, sunny Plateau at 1100m is Ramsau am Dachstein overlooked by the Dachstein Glacier, reaching 2700m which is worth a visit just for the view alone, as well as a number of down hill and cross country runs, which its possible to ski almost all year, there's a new giant Ice Palace there which has been carved into the Glacier which is really quite something. Ramsau itself is a vastly pretty, spread out village with a number of beginners runs and a small area called the Rittisberg with 30km which is mainly used by the locals and so beautifully quiet. Ramsau is also a mecca for Cross Country Skiing with 11 Trails - 150km of classic and 70km of Skating tracks all running through stunning scenery.

Ski Chalet - with charm and class! - XX Chalet Abondance, La Plagne - Montchavin, France

We've just come back from a ski holiday staying with Mountainsinc in Montorlin, just down from Montchavin/Les Coches - and had the best time!

The village is a beautiful French village, just like your imagination would conjure up.

The chalet is filled with its own charm, hundreds of books, eclectic CD Collection, very comfy sofas, plenty of wine and a tasty feast every night!

The ski-ing is brilliant for all levels - beginners to off pisters. You can get a lift to the bubble / lift and there's lockers for your kit.

Three cheers to the lovely hosts - Liza and Andy
Hip Hip Hooray

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Vaujany - Winter & Summer Alpine Beauty - Alpe d'Huez - Vaujany, France

Summary
Voted 'Best small resort of the year' in the 1997 edition of the Good Ski Guide, and best family resort last season. Vaujany is a tiny rural village perched on the hillside of its own sector of the Alpe d'Huez skiing area. The village is served by a queue-free state-of-the-art cable-car which whisks you up to an impressive 2,800m. The village of Vaujany is lovely, very quiet and offers a small selection of apres ski and non skiing activity, the swimming pool complex is excellent, particularly in view of the size of the village, with a lovely small paddling area for young children. The creche at Vaujany is highly recommended.
Vaujany shares the same ski domain as Alpe d'Huez with skiing from 3330m to 1100m and some of the longest and most beautiful runs in Europe. Genuinely catering for all standards of skier with excellent varied runs on the Vaujany mountainside in particular.

Description
Pisted runs worthy of special mention include The 'Champagne Run', starting at Pic Blanc (3330m) and descending down into the snowy forests of Enversin (1100m) underneath Vaujany village and close to the hamlet of Pourchery where Chalet Verney lies.
Vaujany is not only blessed with state-of -the-art lifts and fabulous skiing it also has facilities that would grace a major resort such as the modern swimming-pool and leisure centre, offering multi-gym, sauna, jaccuzi and sports hall. There is also an excellent village creche, a local ski school, an ice-skating rink, and a good selection of bars and restaurants.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - Apartment C le Grand Sapin, Morzine, France

This is a perfect apartment for skiing in the Morzine / Avoriaz area.
V clean, new fittings and furniture. No usual chalet clutter. Quiet setting.
Log fire a bonus.
Easy access to Morzine town by bus during day (bus stop v near) and on foot in evening (10 minutes away).
Avoriaz cable car short bus ride in opposite direction.

Many thanks to Nick and Claire.

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La Tania - Snow Conditions BEST EVER - La Tania, France

As a Tour Operator in La Tania - we can honestly say that we have not had conditons as good as these ever!! Its as good as it gets...

Regular snow fall and low temperatures has meant that the pistes are in immacualte condition and lots of fresh powder..

We have some great availability and offer for the 21 March week - so why not get out there and enjoy the snow...

www.skipower.co.uk
01737 306029

A Marvelous Time!! - Apartment C le Grand Sapin, Morzine, France

Thanks for a wonderful week in January. The apartment was fabulous, never had so much space in France. Town is close for shopping or a drink or two and access to the snow was great. Will be telling my friends.

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5 star food in an Amazing Chalet! - Chalet La Luge, Verbier - La Tzoumaz, Switzerland

We couldn’t have asked for a better holiday! The food was divine, the setting was amazing and the hosts were wonderful. Even though there were 15 of us including 4 little people, the chalet never felt over crowded. The food was seriously exceptional and worth a visit even if you don’t ski!! We can not recommend this place enough and if we were not moving back to Australia would be there again next year.
Thanks again Mini and Dan for a brilliant holiday and all the best for the future. Mel, Ross and Zoe x

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Zweisimmen - Gstaad - Zweisimmen, Switzerland

Zweisimmen is a hidden gem. Just 20 mins by car or 10 by train from Gstaad and Shoenreid. For skiers it has an amazing amount of slopes in very easy reach and if you get bored here(heaven knows how) you then have Lenk which is another 15 mins by road.

The trains are ultra efficient as are all the ski areas and lifts and no queues!! to top it off there is snowshoeing,husky dogs,horse drawn carriages,ice skating,toboggans etc....all within easy reach.

Lots of bars and restaurants in Zweisimmen,Schoenreid and Gstaad to suit every budget, and the train or cab to get you there.None of the bars stay open later than 3am!! and restaurants do seem to close early, last sitting at 9.30-10

In summer there is walking,cycling,rafting,swimming in the lakes,summer tobogganing and plenty more.
a very useful site is www.zweisimmen.ch which gives details of things going on in the local area, as well as links.

Zweisimmen - Gstaad - Zweisimmen, Switzerland

Zweisimmen is a hidden gem. Just 20 mins by car or 10 by train from Gstaad and Shoenreid. For skiers it has an amazing amount of slopes in very easy reach and if you get bored here(heaven knows how) you then have Lenk which is another 15 mins by road.

The trains are ultra efficient as are all the ski areas and lifts and no queues!! to top it off there is snowshoeing,husky dogs,horse drawn carriages,ice skating,toboggans etc....all within easy reach.

Lots of bars and restaurants in Zweisimmen,Schoenreid and Gstaad to suit every budget, and the train or cab to get you there.None of the bars stay open later than 3am!! and restaurants do seem to close early, last sitting at 9.30-10

In summer there is walking,cycling,rafting,swimming in the lakes,summer tobogganing and plenty more.
a very useful site is www.zweisimmen.ch which gives details of things going on in the local area, as well as links.

Hiking & Biking for everyone!! - Nendaz, Switzerland

Mountain biking
Take your family or friends on an active holiday, where the air is fresh and the nature right at the door step.
Several different bike tours for either the whole family or just for dad and his mates are all available. What you ski in the winter you can now bike in the summer. Up to Mont-Fort, down to Verbier and back to Nendaz, bikers say that the 4 Valley Tour is one of the best ever done.
Hiking
numerous walks\hikes even pushchair walks are available. The ideal family walks along the old bisses (small mountain strains) makes a day in the nature just so perfect. There are different treasure hunts along this walks which makes the whole thing so exiting. The 4 different hunts go from 1h up to 4h.
At the end of each track, a gift is given. By following all the tracks, you can win a supplementary surprise. All the participants are also included in a lucky draw which takes place and the end of the summer season.

Explore on a day trips from Nendaz,...the Canton capital city Sion or a trip to the Lake of Geneva including Montreux the city of jazz.
Why not head to the beautiful traffic-free village of Zermatt where the skyline is dominated by the most famous mountain in Switzerland, the Matterhorn. Alpine Comfort offers transportation in our private mini bus at a competitive rate.

There is so much more to do we'r looking forward to welcoming you in the beautiful summer resort of Nendaz Switzerland.
www.alpine-comfort.com

Yet again the Devoluy Mountain Range has another huge snowfall ! - Haute Alpes - Devoluy, France

The resorts of Super Devoluy and Joue du Loup have had yet another huge snowfall and more is forecast over the next few days. In between the snow there has been stunningly blue skies so what should we do, it seems we should stop work and just get out there.
An excellent season so far, long may it continue !