Ski Blog | Ski Resorts

On a Ski & Snowboard Holiday in Morzine

This is a guest blog from Anna Casswell who loves going on ski & snowboard holidays to Morzine - here's why...

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I love Morzine for two main reasons – The Stash and The Mutzig!

The Stash in Avoriaz is a fun snow playground with natural wooden features.  You can ride down through the trees and discover the rainbow logs, picnic tables, wooden benches and walls, look out for Shreddie the big wooden stash monkey. There are different routes with different hits, and it’s much less scary than going in the Parks with the big boys and the loud music and the hard metal boxes and rails!

Mutzig is the infamous lager that is served in several places, but the best place of all has to be Bar Robinson. No English Seasonaires serving here, Robbos is run by 3 old French locals and it closes at 8pm so you must go straight from the slopes, enjoy 3 or 4 glasses (any more and you might regret it) and have fun staggering back to the chalet in time for dinner remembering to pick up your board/skis on the way out.

I love getting tipsy whilst still in my snowboard gear, sobering up over dinner, getting to bed before midnight (I am nearly 40) and getting up bright and early with no hangover, ready to hit the Stash again.

When not skiing, boarding and er.....drinking Anna helps run Plumb Solar who are experts in the installation of, servicing and repair of Solar Thermal Systems - helping keep your energy bills down & slowing the global warming so we can all go on ski and snowboard holidays for longer!  

Five things to do in Morzine!

This is a guest blog from Guide2Morzine who provide all the information you need about Morzine and surrounding areas.

Morzine in the Haute-Savoie region of the French Alps is where I call home.  In my opinion Morzine is a ski resort like no other.  Rather than being a purpose built ski village with no life outside of the snowy months, it is a thriving market town with a large year round population and a summer season nearly as busy as the winter.  Starting out as a farming and slate mining community, Morzine began to be developed as a ski resort in 1920.  The original Pleney lift opened in 1934.  This year (2013) this lift is being replaced with a brand new state of the art gondola.  Over recent years, Morzine and it’s neighbouring ski station of Avoriaz have seen huge development.  They are now connected to 11 other resorts to create the enormous Portes du Soleil ski area.  The Portes du Soleil is arguably the largest connected ski area in the World with over 650km of groomed pistes, 10 snow parks, 2 half pipes and 4 boarder cross areas.  Morzine has become one of the most popular French resorts for snowboarders and here you will find much more equality between the two disciplines than in other areas.

It isn’t just about the skiing and snowboarding here though.  During the summer months the lifts re-open for walkers and mountain bikers.  Bikers flock here from all over the World to take on the challenging tracks of the Portes du Soleil and the area plays summer home to many mountain bike teams.  There are literally hundreds of kilometers of walking and hiking trails including the famous GR5 which runs right through the mountains surrounding Morzine.  The area is also popular for road cyclists with many large cycle races coming through during June, July and August.  The Tour de France comes through every few years too and Morzine is home to one side of the famous Col de Joux Plane which has been known to break many a cyclist.  There are so many other sports on offer that I couldn’t name them all but a few include; climbing, white water rafting, canyoning, tennis, swimming, ice hockey and so many more.  Of course if you want to relax summer or winter then you can.  There are loads of luxury hotels and chalets, many with there own spas on offer.  You can enjoy the beautiful new Morzine swimming pool (Espace Aquatique) with it’s saunas and hammams or have a massage with one of the many therapists based here.  In the summer the weather is lovely and hot and there are plenty of outside spaces to just soak up the sunshine.

To see why I love it here so much you will need to check it out for yourself.  For those interested in coming to work and live in Morzine there is a huge international population here during the winter months.  There are always thousands of jobs on offer and a lot of seasonal accommodation too.

5 Things not to miss in Morzine

1) Ski the Swiss wall

The Chavanette run which takes you from the top of Avoriaz down into Les Crosets in Switzerland is said to have the largest moguls in the World and is one of the steepest runs too.  This one is not for the faint hearted!

2) See an Ice hockey match at the Skoda Arena

Watch ‘Les Pingouins’ HCMAG (Hockey Club Morzine Avoriaz les Gets) in action at the Skoda Arena in the centre of town.  The local team are in the top Ice hockey league in France and watching them is always an exciting night out.

3) Jump from the top of a mountain!

Parapenting is such a fantastic way to get a birds eye view over the mountains and town.  There are many pilots who can take you on a tandem parapente in Morzine, just ask at the tourist office or your accommodation when you arrive.

4) A walk around Lac Montriond

Summer or winter, Lake Montriond is stunningly beautiful.  In the winter it is frozen solid with snow on top and there is a path which is cleared around the edge of the lake.  In summer you can swim, kayak or just sunbath at this lovely spot which is a favourite with locals and visitors alike.

5) Take in the view of Mont Blanc from the top of la Rosta in Les Gets

Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps, is just a few kilometers away at Chamonix.  From the top of many of the peaks in the Portes du Soleil you can see this majestic giant.  However the view from the top of la Rosta in Les Gets is unbeatable.

Debunking 11 Skiing Myths!

This is a guest blog by Sara from New Generation Ski & Snowboard School

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Whether you're a beginner or have skied for years it's hard to know if what you're doing is right, with so much contrasting advice out there. Especially, as what we know to be correct now, is very different from what was advised back when skinny skis were the norm. So if, like me, your legs appear to be tied together, or you're wondering whether you really should be leaning back off piste, here are a few ski myths demystified by one of our Courchevel instructors.

Bend the knees – MYTH!

Actually you need to bend the ankles. If you bend your knees then you sit back and will be out of balance. The flex should actually start from the ankle which means your hips and knees will follow and you'll stay centred

Lean forward – MYTH!

Try to avoid leaning forward. Instead, aim to be central. This is so you can use the whole of the ski from tip to toe, and your pivot point for initiating the turn is right under your foot.

Ski boots should hurt – MYTH!

Ski boots are not meant to be tight or uncomfortable. They should be well fitted. No movement in your foot, but you should be able to wiggle your toes.

Wear thick ski socks to keep your feet warm – MYTH! 

Wearing thin, non-cotton socks will give you a better feel for your boot and ski. Wearing two pairs, or socks to thick, will make you hot and sweaty, and then as you cool down will make you cold.

I'm too old / young to ski – MYTH! - probably not! It doesn't matter if you are three or 83. While learning to ski might be tiring, if you are physically active in everyday life, then you should be able to learn to ski. It’s like riding a bike.

I must ski with my feet as close together as possible – MYTH!

Having a wide, shoulder-width stance keeps you balanced and centred.

I need to dig my edges in when it's icy – MYTH!

Actually, you need less edge and more balance.

It's safe to ski off piste if there are tracks to follow – MYTH!

You don't know how experienced those skiers or boarders are, or what equipment they had. You might even be following parapent tracks! It’s best not to take that risk.

I have an airbag and transceiver. I am safe to go off piste – MYTH!

Unless you know the area and all your party have experience and training on how to use the equipment then you could be at risk. If in doubt, go with a guide or instructor.

When skiing off piste you should always lean back – MYTH!

You should try to maintain a centred balance to manipulate the skis under your feet. If you bring your skis closer together, bounce more and stay centred you’ll feel the joy of skiing powder.

I can ski black runs and fast so I don't need lessons – MYTH! Actually skiing in control and rate of descent is the challenging part. We can help you explore the mountain safely and improve your technique.

Hopefully that has cleared up some of those nagging questions you’ve always pondered as you your mind wanders on that cold chair lift. If you’ve got any other myths you’d like debunking then drop us a line to info@skinewgen.com and we’ll get one of our instructor team on the case. 

Ski Pass Price Comparison

This is a guest blog by Tim at The Tasty Ski Company

Tim has taken time out of the kitchen and been crunching his calculater!

The start of the ski season is fast approaching and already we are all scrambling to book our favourite resort for this winter. But what exactly makes a ski area a great ski area? 

Value for money certainly comes into it, and the cost of the lift pass can sometimes be the deciding factor. 

Below is a table comparing the price of an adult lift pass in some of France’s major ski areas relative to the amount of pisted slopes:

• Resort  /  Km of piste  /  Adult 6 day pass   /Price per km
• Portes du Soleil  650km  €237.50  €0.36
• Three Valleys  600km   €277   €0.46
• Paradiski   425km   €277   €0.65
• Four Valleys  412km  €288  €0.69
• Grand Massif  265km €225  €0.84
• Espace Killy  300km  €252.50  €0.84
• Chamonix Le Pass  113km   €230   €2.03

But of course this doesn’t tell the whole doesn’t look like great value until you realise that you can spend a little bit more on the excellent ‘Mont-Blanc Unlimited’ pass. This pass gives you access to some additional skiing in not only Chamonix but also in Courmayeur (Italy) and Verbier (Switzerland).

The table does not take into account how well the ski areas are connected - in particular whether or not you can ski from one side of the piste map to the other. The Portes du Soleil tops the above list, but to enjoy the whole area you will have to get a bus at various points. This is in contrast to the Grand Massif and Espace Killy, where you can ski from one side of the map to the other without once taking off your skis.

And of course the sheer quantity of pisted slopes does not in itself equate to good skiing. If you are an experienced skier looking for the black mogul runs then you are probably not that interested in a 10km green run. Not to mention that the above table does not comment on the quality of off-piste skiing, which is often the No.1 factor in deciding certain people’s ski holidays. 

Tim runs The Tasty Ski Company with catered chalets in Morzine and the Grand Massif.

Edinburgh’s turn for Into The Mind

This is a guest blog from Emily Millns from www.subzeroevents.com 

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After the success of the UK premiere of Into the Mind last week we are looking at a sellout at the Edinburgh premiere!

On the evening of Monday 14th October, Sub Zero Events in association with Sherpas Cinemas will be taking over the Pleasance Theatre in Edinburgh. Joining us are some great sponsors; Freeze Pro Shop, Syndicate, Sno Limit, Snow Camp & Hillend just to name a few.

There’s a raffle prize for everyone (almost) including:

• Salomon Jackets, pants & helmets,
• Fall line magazine subscription & gloves,
• Black Diamond back packs and hats,
• Syndicate goodies,
• Freeze pro shop - Oakley goggles
• Planks hats,
• John Mogul t shirt & leather gloves,
• Beginner lesson for 2 at Hillend,
• Coloud headphones,
• Arc'teryx Quintic 28 pack & hats,
• Recco t-shirts & avalanche DVDs,
• The North Face pack,
• Teva pack & boots,
• Blues 40% off voucher for Fischer vacuum boots,
• Stupid clothing goodies.

With stunning cinematography and groundbreaking storytelling techniques, the Sherpas (based out in Whistler, BC) blur the lines between dream state and reality, and immerse you into the mind of a common skier as he attempts to climb and ski the ultimate mountain.

Be the first to catch the film on the big screen, check out the sponsors, enter the raffle and do some shot skis. The event kicks off at 7pm and we will be partying apres ski style until 1am.

Tickets are £12 in advance from www.subzeroevents.com

See you Monday for a snow sports filled evening! 

New Ski Lift in Morzine

This is a guest blog from Tim Maitland from The Tasty Ski Company 

The New Le Pleney Lift

With less than two months to go before the ski season begins we are all waiting with baited breath for resort life to kick back into action. Lots of holiday makers are looking forward to returning to their favourite spots, and also to see what is new in their top resorts. This has never been more true for Morzine with the construction of the new Le Pleney lift. The old gondola has been completely changed with a brand spanking new cable car that accesses both the Morzine and Les Gets ski areas. So how does this change the Portes du Soleil skiing for winter 2013/14?

Firstly the new gondola will provide an improved capacity and greater speed for anyone who uses it. Le Pleney lift is the main lift going out of Morzine towards Les Gets and also for all the skiing that heads back into Morzine town from Le Pleney side. It is possibly the busiest lift in the whole of the Portes du Soleil, particularly for holiday makers staying in Morzine who do not purchase a ski pass for Avoriaz and beyond. This is good news for families staying in Morzine, as the short trip over to the Les Gets skiing is often very popular.

Secondly the construction of the new gondola is an example of the continued development of Morzine as a skiing destination. It is one of the few established french ski resorts that still has a lot of area that can still be developed. This is in contrast to other large french resorts like Val d’Isere, Chamonix and The Three Valleys that are increasingly short of space. This results in lots of new accommodation popping up every year, and allows Morzine to be consistently more affordable than the other large alpine ski resorts.

And finally we don’t want to forget the mountain bikers! Le Pleney gondola was not in use for summer 2013 much to the frustration of downhill mountain bikers and walkers. However from 2014 there will be a faster service and larger capacity during the summer which can only be a good thing for the MTB enthusiasts! 

The Tasty Ski Company run chalets in Morzine and Morillon and Tim will be writing some guest blogs through the season about food and will include some recipes!  Yum! Looking forward to those!  

Our new website….

It’s been a long time in coming – there’s been some false starts, a lot of frustration but now a lot of excitement as we launch our new website!

We have what we think is the best tool for organising a group ski or snow boarding holiday.

You know how you’ve had a couple of beers or a glass of wine too many and you stick your hand up and agree to organise that next trip to the mountains!  It’s going to be great fun looking for the right ski accommodation, the perfect resort to suit everyone and then…… John wants to change the date, Jo doesn’t want to go there but Jerry does and Joanne can’t get that week off work and asks can’t we go the week after but that clashes with Jamie’s work do and so it goes on as you get more frustrated as the email threads get longer and longer, the language on the Facebook discussion would embarrass your Mum – good job you’re not friends with her on Facebook.  You are?  Oh!  What’s that all about?  Anyway I digress, you now have access to the best group organising facility on the web with our new group booking tool!

Head over here to check it out and you can watch a short video of how it works as well.

You just pick a shortlist of resorts and dates and your mates vote on their preferred ones and you search our site for the ski accommodation that suits.  Holiday booked!  Easy!

Ski Deals – looking for the perfect deal?  These are all listed on our Ski Deals page, it could be an early booking discount, free transfer, peak week availability, you’ll find something to tempt you onto the snow!

Search by different categories for your holiday whether you are looking for a catered chalet or self catered apartment, a weekend trip, family holiday or want to find a luxury holiday you can find it easily.

Resorts – know which resort you want to go to? Then search by resort and check out all the ski accommodation in that resort, find links to the resorts website, Facebook page or if you have already booked then check out that all important snow report and webcam! We are also continually adding resort services to this so find the best deals for ski hire or snowboard hire, clothing and many other in resort services!

Travel - Booked your holiday but not sure how to get there?  Check out our Travel page for links you need whether you are driving, flying, training it or just need an airport transfer.  How to get to resorts are also listed on each resort page.

We have some great competitions lined up starting with 50 family tickets to the In The Snow Live ski show at the NEC on 25th – 27th October, half price deals on tickets to that if you aren’t one of the lucky ones.

If you find anything on the site that isn’t working then please do let us know (it is all new after all so there maybe a few glitches) or would you like to see something that isn’t on the site?  Again do get in touch!

We hope you love our new site as much as we do – we’re nearly as excited about it as we are that the new season is only four months away….. do we sound a little obsessed?

The Ski Season That Doesn’t Want To End!

Wow what a season that was!  Well when I say was perhaps I should be saying is, as it isn’t really over if you look at the snow that is still around!

Ok it is over in terms of the majority of the resorts now being closed but there is still a load of snow and if you are into your hiking and touring this will be a great touring season – take care of avalanches etc though as when things warm up it can be dangerous out there!

A was very luck to get a lot of skiing in this year and had trips to the Alps in December / January a couple of weeks in February and then again in March/April and each time I was there it snowed!

If you haven’t seen our YouTube channel then head over here and have a look at some of the videos that we put together. You can see snow reports and some skiing videos that we put together.

Everywhere we went there was great snow and tales of great skiing! 

We were lucky to visit Le Grand Massif (Flaine, Les Carroz, Samoens & Morillon), Avoriaz and Morzine, Verbier, Megeve, Chamonix, Courchevel and La Rosiere through the season.

The best skiing we had was probably in February – watch it here and see me nearly ski into a tree!

So now the resorts are all winding up and we have a summer to endure before the winter comes back!  Don’t worry we’ll make the most of it and enjoy the sunshine and maybe get a bit jealous of the powder days in New Zealand and other southern hemisphere resorts!

When Do Ski Resorts Close?

It’s been an amazing season and as we head past the middle of April sadly the season is really coming to an end and there is still loads of snow all across the Alps! In fact we are wondering if it will ever stop snowing this season!

This Sunday 21st April will see a lot of resorts shutting down (what a waste of snow! ☹ ) for the summer and though we are now back in Altitude Towers in the UK and won’t be skiing again this season we wondered where you could ski if you wanted to and here it is….

• Alpes D’Huez – open ‘til 26th April
• Paradiski (La Plagne / Les Arcs) – open ‘til 27th April
• Three Valleys (Courchevel, Meribel, Val Thorens) –27th April
• Flaine – Partial opening from 22nd – 28th April 
• Serre Chevalier – local area open until 28th April
• Les Deux Alpes – open ‘til 28th April
• Verbier – 28th April
• Val D’Isere – 5th May
• La Grave – 5th May
• Tignes – the glacier is open until 12th May
• Argentiere (Chamonix) - open until 12th May and always finishes with a great party on the slopes! 
• Hintertux Glacier – just doesn’t close!! ☺

Let us know if we have missed any.   Enjoy the snow and sun if you’re heading out there for a last stretch of the skiing or boarding muscles!

Please note that this information is taken from Tourist Information Offices and third party sites and we can’t be responsible for the accuracy and / or any changes to these dates!

This may sound very obvious but Altitude did once gatecrash a chalet operators (no names!) end of season staff trip to a resort that was closed!  Yes really!  We only found out when we arrived in Courmayeur to find it all shut up and no lifts open!  Fortunately another half hour drive and we could ski in La Thuile!  So do be careful and check ahead if you are planning a late spring trip!

It Always Snows in April!

Just a few weeks ago we wrote a blog about when is too late too late to ski and once again the snow gods delivered at the end of March and beginning of April!

Spring is always a great time to ski – we love the quiet slopes, spring snow, long lunches on the terrace topping up the tan, après ski beers in the sun, watching the sun set but more than any of that we love skiing in powder!  Powder in March and April?  Really?  Oh yes!

Don’t let anyone convince you that it is too late to ski after February – it is quieter, there are no queues, the snow is good and…..er….. actually scrap that don’t bother!  Stay away and leave it all for us to play in!!

Here’s a little video that we put together of us having some fun, in a bit of sun on the snow at the end of March.