The Ski Blog

Alpine Elements boss to race across the Atlantic for Sail 4 Cancer

What do ski company bosses do in the summer?

In the case of James Hardiman of Alpine Elements, it's take on a tough personal challenge and race across the Atlantic Ocean for charity.

James, director of both Alpine Elements for wintersports and newly-formed Ocean Elements for watersports holidays, will be racing in the ‘Azores and Back’ race (otherwise known as the AZAB), starting on June 5th.

The race covers 2,500 miles and is the UK's biggest ocean yacht race of the year. It has been a regular event since 1960. This year's AZAB has around 60 yachts taking part. For the majority of yachts the outward voyage is around 7 and 10 days, a few days spent in port allow them to make repairs and restock, and then it's the journey back.

In carrying out this challenge James hopes to raise in the region of £5,000 for Sail 4 Cancer. (Sponsor him here!)

The AZAB is regarded as one of the most challenging yacht races for competitors, not least those with only a small amount of offshore ocean sailing. Although James has been sailing for 23 years, he only has very limited experience of ocean sailing.

"Although I have been sailing (on and off) for about 20 years, my ocean sailing experience is zero. I have clocked up a few thousand miles inshore/offshore and solo sailing, and recently started to compete, (with some poor results!), in some solo and dbl handed races. My inexperience of the ocean is why I feel it prudent to compete in the Azab double handed with my father. Nevertheless it will be a steep learning curve!" says James. "We are at sea for 8-10 days on each leg and 800 miles from closest land", he added.

James was personally touched by cancer when his mother contracted the disease 25 years ago. She happily made a full recovery, This race is the perfect opportunity for James to combine his passion for sailing with the chance to raise money and awareness of Sail 4 Cancer.

Sail 4 Cancer aims to improve the quality of life for those living with cancer. This is achieved mainly through the provision of water based respite opportunities for cancer patients, their families and those who have been recently bereaved through cancer. Since its inception in 2001 Sail 4 Cancer has provided nearly 6,000 respite days for people living with cancer, helping them to rebuild confidence, create treasured memories and giving them quality time together away from hospital appointments and treatment. Opportunities include UK sailing days, family riverboat holidays, spa days, cruises and watersports holidays abroad.

If you would like to know more about the race, Sail 4 Cancer or make a donation please take a look at James' page on the Sail 4 Cancer website.

Everyone here at CDHQ would like to wish James the best of luck - keep us posted James!

Alpine Elements specialise in winter chalet holiday packages in resorts all over France. Take a look at their sister company too iGOSKi for short breaks and ski weekends.

Verbier - winter 2010-2011 round up

Despite all the negative reports in the press about lack of snow in Europe, many visitors had great ski holidays during winter 2010-11. Joyce Read of Verbier tour operator Chalets Unlimited has summed up the Verbier season for us.

What an extraordinary season for all the chalet companies in Verbier who have survived.

At least we have had all the negatives out of the way in one go. Wrong snow, wrong dates, wrong exchange rate, wrong economic climate, wrong world situation. All offset by having the greatest amount of winter sunshine most people have ever seen and the most amazing efforts put in by Televerbier in keeping the pistes in excellent condition and the resort and runs open 95% of the time.

All tour operators were pleased to compliment Televerbier on the extremely good work they did on keeping the pistes in such good condition and open throughout the whole season, especially taking into account they had only 30% of the normal snowfall, conditions never experienced by any locals under 60 years of age.  Everyone was very impressed by their use of all the latest technology on making snow early on, and building up a solid base which made it possible to keep the runs open, even down to Medran until the 20th April, a bit damp at times but just skiable at the bottom.

When the clients arrived in resort after receiving such negative reports from the press they could not believe just how much skiing was available and in such lovely sunny conditions, we had no complaints whatsoever from anyone, they all really enjoyed their stay in Verbier. They were just delighted to be away on their winter/summer holidays and to be going back with a genuine tan.

Due to the height of the resort and the fact that most skiing is above 2,300m it has the great advantage of a long season, starting the last week in November and going on until the last weekend in April. This year many of the low resorts took advantage of this, when they were closed down due to lack of snow, they were able to bring their clients to Verbier, for lessons and skiing, so they were not disappointed. With the lifts starting at Le Chable it does not take long to transport people up to the snow. The relatively new lift The Le Chaux Express, with a mixture of chairs and telecabins, means that beginners have the opportunity to start their lessons way up in the mountains. This also makes it easy for the non-skier to travel all over and meet up with friends in the mountain restaurants for lunch, even for early après.

Verbier Village is very lively and enjoyed by everyone of all ages. From the very many smart restaurants to après from 5.00pm onwards at the Farinet in Place Centrale. It's here that you have to be ready to dance on the tables and bar with Yellow Mike being one of the most popular of the groups, he has a following from 8 years to 80 and they all have a great time. Then back to the chalets for an excellent evening meal and to get ready for the Pub Mont Fort until 2am, then you have a choice of Casbah, Farm Club, Coco’s, or Coup d’Etat until 4.00am.

With great and extensive skiing during the day for all levels of ability and a very varied night life for all ages, Verbier is a must-visit ski resort. Very easy to get to by flight and transfer from Geneva or about 14 hours by car from London. There are loads of catered and self-catered chalets to choose from at all price levels. We all look forward to seeing you there next winter with only the positives, loads of snow, skiing, sun and plenty of fun. Be there.

Chalets Unlimited offer great apartments and chalets for groups and families in excellent locations throughout Verbier. They are an established operator in the resort so if you need advice on where to ski, and where to apres-ski, they'll be happy to help.

La Plagne releases lift pass prices, offers and innovations for next winter.

Heather from Ice and Fire has sent us the latest news from La Plagne's lift company - some interesting news, so please read on:

"SAP, the La Plagne lift pass company have been working hard behind the scenes to prepare for next season and, this week they have launched their 2011-12 lift pass prices.

Most passes have seen an increase of roughly 2%, in line with the French increase in the cost of living. In real terms that means that a 6 day adult Paradiski pass will increase from €249 to €254 for the forthcoming season.

The resort is working hard to attract, and keep, more families this year with no change to the family pass price which will stay at €799 for a 6 day Paradiski pass for 2 adults and 2 children. They are also planning on introducing a free kids liftpass offer over Christmas, giving one free child Decouvert or Paradiski pass when the parents purchase the same pass.

The 2011-12 winter season will also see a major organisational change, with the deposits for the physical cards themselves being scrapped. Starting from the beginning of next season, the lift pass office will provide the physical cards free of charge to anyone purchasing a lift pass. The aim behind this change is to streamline the system, and to reduce the workload of the lift pass company and the tour operators who sell the passes. The change has been welcomed across the region, although some have concerns for the environmental impact if an increasing number of passes are being used. The lift pass offices will still re-use all passes that are returned, and the office at Les Coches has already commissioned a lift pass recycling stand for use outside the liftpass office.

At Ice and Fire we will be returning used passes to the liftpass office for recycling too – so please don’t forget to hand them back at the end of your stay!"

It's interesting that they will be scrapping the lift pass deposit - will other resorts follow suit we wonder?

Ice and Fire have Earlybird prices available for next winter so take a look at Chalet Campanules if you're planning to ski in Paradiski next winter!

Summer Holidays in the Mountains - so much to see, do and enjoy

Winter 2010-11 is almost officially over and we know that it's been a lean snow year in Europe. Whilst the snow didn't come in bucketloads this season, the majority of holidaymakers we spoke to have had great ski holidays - pistes were very well maintained, sub zero temperatures in January allowed snow cannons to be on at full blast, and late falls of snow higher up provided some nice spring skiing conditions.

Now as the last of the snow disappears, the resorts have the opportunity to get ready for summer. We asked our Chalets Direct members to tell us what kind of holidays they operated over the summer months, and we were amazed at the choice and variety of options that came back! Everything from wine-tasting to triathlon training weeks, from yoga retreats to climbing Mont Blanc, painting courses, cookery classes, cycling tours, white water rafting - it's all available. So if you fancy doing something different this summer and seeing the spectacular mountain scenery in all its dazzling summer beauty, then try the Alps and Pyrenees. Here's a selection of just some of the things you can do.

Push Yourself to the Limit

The mountains provide lots of opportunities to get fit, stay fit and increase your fitness levels. National football and rugby teams will usually head to the hills a few weeks prior to important competitions to train at higher altitudes where the body works harder than at sea level. So why not follow their lead.

Triathlon training: Chalet 365, run by Chris and Allie Hodgson, offer triathlon training camps and holidays in Samoens in the beautiful Giffre valley, just an hour from Geneva.

Chris tells us: "I am a keen novice Triathlete myself and we provide training guidance as well as offering access to qualified training specialists in disciplines such as swimming. For a Triathlon Training holiday in the French Alps it is rare to find such a great mix of Triathlon training terrain in such a close environment."

The chalet has both a 25m pool and a 400m open water lake close by. Cycling routes include many of the Tour de France cols, as well as flat valley roads. Running trails can provide good hill training and flat road, river or park trails - all within 5 minutes of the chalet. The training camps include structured training, technical coaching and advice on areas such as training schedules, race plans and dietary intake. Depending on the time of year you book, you could even do a triathlon whilst on "holiday" -  with one of Europe's most spectacular triathlons taking place in the area at the end of August. More details of what's available can be found on their website.

Mountain Biking: Mountain biking is of course an obvious choice of activity when in the mountains. Resorts will open up the lifts for bikers over the summer, and trails are graded according to difficulty - in the same way that ski pistes are graded. The Portes du Soleil and the Chamonix area have long been considered mountain bike meccas - so there is great choice of holidays available.

Mountain Base in Chamonix offer guided mountain bike holidays with qualified guides and vehicle support - come for a week or a long weekend. If you're experienced and want to strike out on your own, PRG MTB provide a great base in Morzine with all the facilities you require. Run by Rob and Zeb, (PRGSKi in the winter), keen mountain bikers themselves, they can also give you all the pointers you'll need.

Road Biking: Road biking has been a popular sport in the mountains for years - with quiet roads, glorious scenery and fresh mountain air what could be more inspiring? This year Bluebird Days, based in the picturesque village of Nancroix in the Tarentaise, are offering summer cycling tours.

Jane, owner of Chalet Myrtille - the base for the tours, explains: "Following a very successful 10 days last year with a group of Australian road cyclists we are offering tailor made holidays this year from June to September for groups of 6 to 8 people. Basically we plan a holiday based on a wish list of routes to cycle, providing a back up vehicle and a real ‘French’ experience of a combination of cycling, food and sightseeing." It's a great opportunity for cyclists to test themselves on some of the most famous mountain roads in the world - such as the 21 hairpins leading up to Alpe d'Huez and the Col de la Madeleine - regular stages of the Tour de France. So you choose your routes and they deal with all the praticalities.

Breathe Bike, in Chamonix, run supported cycling holidays for keen cyclists. The base for the holidays is the luxurious Chalet Annabelle - with hot tub to ease the pain at the end of a good day. As keen cyclists themselves, who "live, eat and breathe bikes", Mike, one half of the powerhouse behind Breathe Bike is hoping to complete at least one of the major cycling competitions this summer - either the Etape or the Marmotte or both - and you can follow the ups and downs of his training on his blog, Etape 2011.

Breathe Bike can also arrange climbing holidays with fully qualified guides - aimed at getting you to the summit of Western Europe's highest peak - see here for more details.

Multi-Activity Breaks: Of course you don't need to limit your adrenaline rush to just one sport. That's the good thing about a mountain break - there's enough excitement available in lots of different environments - land, water and air.

Savoie Faire, based in Chatel, are offering special 4 day multi-activity breaks. The 4 day package includes 1 day mountain biking with bike hire included, a half day white water rafting, a day hike and another half day at the aerial adventure park. The package price also includes half board accommodation, and can be extended to a week. There's certainly no need to to rack your brains on how to entertain the kids on this break!

Watch Others Push Themselves to the Limit

One of the biggest events over the summer in France is the Tour de France. Over a period of 3 weeks, world class athletes come to compete in one of the most challenging competitions in their sport.

If you're in an area where the Tour is passing through it's very hard not to get caught up in the atmosphere.Thousands of people descend on the host towns to see the start and finish of stages, and preparations and celebrations begin way in advance.

The Ecrins Lodge between Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes is in a great position to catch three of the latter stages this year - which could prove to be crucial in determining the victor. These are:

21^st July Pinerolo > Col du Galibier

22^nd July Modane Valfréjus > Alpe-d’Huez

23^rd July Time Trial Grenoble

The Lodge is within cycling distance of all three areas - so why not join in the fun, and take in the atmosphere.

Or just Chillax

Mountain holidays don't have to be about white knuckle rides or training to the max. You can also take the time to relax, enjoy the surroundings or learn something new. 

Learn something new, improve your skills, collect your thoughts:

Over the summer Chalet La Savoyarde, situated in lovely Morzine, becomes the venue for Painting in the Alps. Run by artist Steve King, all artist materials are supplied and there are sessions both outdoors and in the studio. Tuition is friendly and informal and Steve can guide you through techniques, provide demonstrations and help you to cultivate your own skills.

Powder n Shine, located in the Belleville Valley, has an array of summer activities and courses available over the summer 2011 period. If you're hoping to do a winter season for example, you could get some great insights on their chalet host cookery course. The course is over 5 days and covers everything from recipes, keeping to budgets, cooking at altitude to how to maximise your time on the slopes! Essential advice for any aspiring chalet host and a good stepping stone to finding a job later. They also offer wine tasting trips in the Savoie and activity holidays.

The Alps also provide the perfect backdrop for more gentle activities and are an ideal environment to work on both mind and body. Michelle Willmott of Cosy Ski Chalets and Inspired 4 Life is a qualified life coach, yoga and meditation leader and during the summer she runs a number of retreats and workshops in lovely chalets in the Haute Savoie. These breaks are "an opportunity for people to get away from the hustle and bustle of their hectic lives at home and recharge their batteries, relax in beautiful surroundings and achieve a real sense of renewal and rejuvenation" she tells us. Her retreats offer morning and evening classes in beautiful, relaxing surroundings and there is plenty of opportunity to explore and enjoy the magic of the local area.

So as the snow retreats the mountains become a perfect playground for a great choice of things to do - to find more ideas of summer holidays and special packages take a look at the Promotions on Chalets Direct - just search for the dates you're interested in and see what comes up. We've just scatched the surface here but there a golf courses, spectacular hiking trails, wonderful lakes, fabulous driving routes - amazing places to see and lots of things to enjoy!