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Backcountry Ski Holidays in Ste Foy – try it this winter!
Backcountry Snowboarding in Ste Foy with The White Room ChaletAre you tempted to head off-piste on your next ski holiday? Do you need a good nudge and a bit more confidence to do it? Then why not try a specialised Backcountry ski or snowboard holiday aimed entirely at getting you safely to the secret stashes that skiers and snowboarders dream of!
The White Room Chalet, based in Ste Foy, have been running snowboarding backcountry weeks for a few years already. This coming winter they have their inaugural backcountry week for skiers which will take place from 16th – 23rd March 2019 and will be run by local guide Patrick Bidwell.
Intro to Backcountry course for snowboarders
If you're new to the backcountry there is an intro week for snowboarders starting 2nd March. This course is aimed at riders who are confident on reds and blacks and have a fairly good technical ability and want to dip in to off-piste riding. It involves a good bit of avalanche training which is taught practically.
The week starts with getting comfortable with off piste and then as the week progresses you will do more and more technical descents.
The Intro weeks also give you some technical training to improve your riding abilities.
Classic Backcountry Weeks
The classic backcountry courses are aimed at people who already have some experience of off-piste snowboarding or skiing – they are not intended as "intro to off-piste" weeks.
The idea is to do as much good riding as possible, not to spend a lot of time learning the technique. The more confident snowboarder and skier will be taken to far flung parts of the mountain so whilst you don't need to be an off-piste expert, you shouldn't be a total beginner either. You should be happy on the steepest pistes and should have spent at least a few days exploring between the pistes or beyond the resort boundaries.
While the week is based in Sainte Foy, the proximity to the other resorts in the valley means there is always the chance to ride the best terrain and snow to suit the conditions. This could include the Grand Col at Les Arcs, the Fingers or the Col des Vés in Tignes, the Couloir des Pisteurs or the Col Pers in Val d'isere or the Bella Valletta in La Thuile.
There is also a Girls-only backcountry course this year running alongside the BC Intro week.
What's included
These weeks include chalet accommodation, food, drinks and your guide for the week. They are guided from Monday to Friday, and if you don't have your own avalanche equipment you will be able to rent it there.
It's classic chalet board, with afternoon tea and cakes, dinner with wine or beer on 6 nights, and breakfast everyday.
Last year was an epic year for snow in the Alps – check out the gallery from last year's backcountry weeks.
So why not take the plunge and make this winter the time to try it out? Going with a guide means you'll be sure to find the good spots, and you'll be able to learn a lot about snow conditions, what to look out for and what to avoid. See their Backcountry Weeks section and find out all about dates and prices! Places are limited so book soon!
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Here’s a Top Tip for your first Family Ski Holiday
The children’s book all skiers have been waiting for!
Any parent with children who ski will tell you that the first week is crucial and not without stress and worry.
Will they take to skiing? How will they cope with the equipment, the cold, the environment? What if they hate ski school and refuse to go back? The first week or two is make or break – it could either mean a future of great family ski holidays or zero family ski holidays.
A trio of British ski instructors, all ex-GB team racers, have come together to tackle this problem and have published a great little book for children called "Jacob's First Ski Holiday".
The book which is aimed at 4 to 8 year olds is guaranteed to bring extra excitement in the build up to a child’s first ski holiday.
Written by the founders of Maison Sport, they have used their experience of ski teaching and love for the sport to create a book that will increase the chances of a successful and enjoyable ski holiday for young children.
The book features illustrations and descriptions of various key techniques the children will learn during their first lesson, in a subtle and exciting way. It also aims to show how much of an adventure the children will go on during their holiday, taking away some of the unknowns that can make the experience daunting for a child.
Nick Robinson, one of the team behind the book explains:
"Sometimes the first hour of a children’s skiing experience can be quite challenging, they often have no understanding of what skiing is and more importantly why they now have to walk around in giant shoes (ski boots), with ridiculously slippy planks of wood stuck to their feet (skis). They then spend the next hour trying to walk around with said planks of wood attached to giant shoes, sliding and slipping everywhere. This can be disheartening and that’s why the book tries to show them all the adventures they will discover once they can ski.
We have huge passion for the industry and have great memories skiing as a child, we feel this is a great way to pass this on."
With beautiful illustrations the book helps to paint a picture of what a child can expect on their first ski holiday and helps to get them excited and looking forward to the experience, whilst familiarising them with some of skiing basics. The idea is to give them the book before the holiday so they can start to learn what to expect.
To find out more and how to purchase the book take a look at https://jacobsadventures.com/ !
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Try a ski holiday in La Tania!
It's in the massive 3 Valleys ski area, it's got it's own special feel and Ski Amis have got all the information about it here! Try La Tania – you won't be disappointed.
La Tania is a small and pretty resort surrounded by trees and beautiful forestry. This resort was originally built to house journalists for the 1992 Albertville winter Olympic Games. The resort centre itself is a third generation purpose-built resort. The apartments were made to have eye-catching chalet style designs, rather than the normal concrete rectangles. La Tania has great access to the Three Valleys with neighbouring resorts like Courchevel and Meribel that you can access via lifts, skiing, car or bus.
Activities in La Tania
There are plenty of non-skiing activities in La Tania to keep you busy if you fancy a day off from the slopes, or a member of your group isn’t keen on the idea of skiing! Here is just a few things you could get up to:
- Dog sledding
- Snow blading
- Snow shoeing/Cross Country Skiing
- Torch Lit Descent
The Torch Lit Descent is a true alpine classic across all resorts and is a must see if you are in the mountains during winter. The members of the ESF ski school come down the slope with flaming torches in their hand and create a line of fire into the town. This is followed by fireworks and free Vin Chaud, not to be missed!
A little bit of shopping – why the hell not?!
Shopping in La Tania is actually quite limited, with few shops, a post office, a bakery and a sherpa – all you need for getting the essentials. If you are a shop-o-holic, then take the free shuttle bus for a trip over to Meribel or Courchevel to get your fix.
Events for the 2018/19 season
- Opening parties (everywhere)
- Christmas Party and Santa skis into La Tania
- New Year Mayhem and Fireworks Party
- Kids Fortnight with special events for children of all ages
- La Tania Family Charity Fete
- The 3 Valleys Charity Day
- Music Festival
- Closing parties (everywhere)
New and Shiny
- New Grangettes Gondola that takes pedestrians and skiers between Courchevel 1550 and 1850. This upgrade will be more comfortable, more reliable AND the new 10 seater cabins means shorter and quicker queues for 2018/19
- 5 new pistes across the Three Valleys – improving, the already great, ski area!
- Courchevel Luge run which will stretch to 3km long. This will be a great evening activity for the children (and the adults of course)
Where to Eat in La Tania
- Snack Bar Le Snow Food – great for a quick bite. You can also take-out sandwiches, paninis and pizzas
- Restaurant La Ferme De La Tania – a homely place which serves everything from Crepes to local Savoyard specialities
- Restaurant Les Chanterelles – they are famous for their savoury crepes and other dishes that includes “cripites” which is a thin pizza variety
- Restaurant Les Marmottons – they serve up Savoyard specialities and every Thursday night there is a special meal of Mussels and chips – which is perfect if you’re hosts day off lands on a Thursday – and if you like Mussels of course!
- Le Farcon – this is top of the list of restaurants as it has been awarded a Michelin star for providing a new twist on the regional French cuisine
Relaxing your muscles whilst in La Tania
If you are looking to wind down and relax after a day of skiing/snowboarding then you can head on over to the “Le Montana” and the “Christina Apartments”. They have fitness centres, saunas and solariums to offer. The Montana also has a heated swimming pool (plunge pool) which has great views of the slopes outside, a steam room and a Jacuzzi – it is free for guests staying at the hotel but for others there is a fee. The hotel also has a masseur available to provide treatments.
La Tania Bars and Après
There are a handful of bars in La Tania which are normally very lively places to be, especially with the Brits.
- Le Chrome Bar – they are usually buzzing thanks to the happy hours and live music that they have on all season. They also serve fast food for lunch and dinner to get down with your pint!
- Pub Le Ski Lodge – People call it the “Most well-known meeting point for the English community in the 3 Valleys” and they also run happy hours, concerts and also theme nights – including a shots raffle on Mondays where you could be in for a chance of winning a brand new pair of Skis. It’s usually very busy and closes around 2am. Also serves food for lunch and dinner.
- La Taiga Lounge – This place is more of a sophisticated cocktail bar rather than your local pub setting so if you’re looking for something a bit more refined then this is the place to be and it also serves up some lovely food if you want to gather round with some friend/family and enjoy the night.
Why Ski Amis love this beautiful resort
- Great skiing throughout the trees
- Excellent location and speedy access to the Three Valleys
- Plenty of places to eat and drink
- Lively and friendly atmosphere
- Loads of Events and Activities to choose from
Where to stay in La Tania
There are many catered chalets and self-catered properties in La Tania – you have a wide choice of companies to pick from! Tour Operator Ski Amis have 6 catered chalets in this resort, as well as an extensive list of self-catered options. Each catered chalet has its own quirks and they can sleep from 8-28 guests – room for all the family! They are all very close to the lifts, 5 minute walks at a maximum and some you can ski back to the door through the trees.
Ski Amis have brought back their SUMMER SIZZLER discount for the whole of July. Book ANY of their catered chalets for ANY week of the season and receive 15% off! Offer must end on 31st July. Check them out!
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Winter 2017/18 – December to April and non-stop snow
Hope you enjoy our gallery of scenes from this winter as much as we've enjoyed taking them!
Winter 2017-18 -
The Skier & Snowboarder: putting them first and making them come back
Last week the Ski Club of Great Britain announced details of their new instructor-led guiding service which they have developed as a response to the ban on ski leading imposed by French authorities in 2014. The legal battles behind the French ban have been well documented elsewhere so we don't want to go into that here. The Ski Club provides a great service and we hope that the leading service will be reinstated in France at some point in the future. In the meantime the instructor-led service offers a great opportunity to get some tips and pointers from an instructor without the cost or commitment required for private lessons or ski school – so members get the chance to explore and to get some tips to improve their technique.
It's not just a disappointment for Ski Club members that the free leading service in France is on hold however – it's a shame for the whole industry. It's no secret that the total number of skiers (and snowboarders) in the UK has shrunk over the last few years. This can be attributed to the economic downturn to a large extent – there simply hasn't been as much cash around for ski holidays. There are of course other factors – below average snow depths last winter, a stronger euro until relatively recently etc.
It's also true that skiing and snowboarding are not quick-fix past-times. Getting to the stage where you feel that you are getting to grips with the sport and really enjoying it, will usually take more than one holiday. True, after one week many people will say that it was the best holiday they've ever had and are hooked for life. But for many they may need a few more weeks to say that they are really convinced.
And this is what ski resorts, lift pass companies, ski schools, ski holiday companies and everybody involved in the ski industry should be looking at – not just how to get the customer but how to keep that customer coming back. How to turn a beginner into a keen skier/snowboarder who wants to discover and learn everything that the sport and the environment has to offer? How to make their experience enjoyable, fun and meaningful? This is something that the Ski Club is good at – not just with the leading service but with the holidays they offer and the opportunities they provide to learn and improve.
We also know that there are hundreds of great ski holiday companies out there who do their utmost to provide a good experience – you can find them on Chalets Direct. Most of them are passionate about the sport and their love for the mountains – and their knowledge and passion is infectious.
So rather than fight over who has the right to show people around the ski area, rather than legislate to keep your piece of the pie, we encourage authorities, ski schools, lift pass companies and all of those businesses who rely on skiers and snowboarders coming back, to look at how to make the pie bigger, tastier and more appetising.
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5 Top Tips for a family ski holiday
Are you thinking of taking the plunge this winter and taking the whole family on a ski holiday? Family ski holidays are a fantastic experience for all – but the planning and execution can be fraught with stress and anxiety.
Take a look at our top tips here!
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Colorado Ski Resorts – Great Developments for 2013-14
Thanks to Helen of Chalets USA for an update on what’s new for next winter in the top Colorado resorts!
New runs, quicker lifts in USA ski resorts:
Winter is almost over here in Colorado, USA (although it snowed here in town in Winter Park today last week) and we are looking forward to a warm summer.
But we’re also already fast forwarding to next ski season. The Colorado ski resorts have announced some exciting new developments for 2013 / 2014 that we’d like to share with you. These really should give an even better skiing holiday in the USA. New terrain, faster lifts & better restaurants all contribute to making your ski trip the best yet.
And as for the snow conditions, well some resorts like Arapahoe Basin are still open & even Aspen opened up in May, so the mountains are the place to be!New 6 pack lift in Vail:
A new 6-pack chairlift in Vail, Colorado USA will replace Mid-Vail’s Mountain Top Express high-speed quad chairlift for 13/14 ski season. “The new six-person chairlift will increase capacity by 33 percent, dramatically reducing lift lines and building on this year’s success of the newly built Gondola One,” company officials said in a press release. Vail added Gondola One this season – a 10-passenger gondola from Vail Village to Mid-Vail.
New terrain in Breckenridge:
New ski slopes in Breckenridge, Colorado.
New restaurant in Beaver Creek:
Beaver Creek are opening a new 500-seat gourmet restaurant and “upscale cafeteria” at Red Tail Camp, ready for the Feb 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships. It’s planned to be located at the finish of the men’s and women’s downhill courses.
Aspen re-opens in May:
Our clients often ask us “what’s the snow like in April and should we ski at Easter in Colorado?”. Well the answer is yes! The Colorado mountains are at higher altitude than many of the European ski resorts & you can enjoy Spring skiing conditions well into April.
In fact there was still plenty of snow left in Aspen on May 25, 2013, so much so, that they re-opened Aspen mountain for a bonus bank holiday weekend. Having had 4 feet of snow since the resort officially closed mid April, Aspen was able to open 16 runs for the 3 day weekend of sunny skiing.Check back for more updates as the Summer progresses and keep on dreaming about that skiing!
For more on ski resorts & ski holidays USA visit http://www.chalets-usa.co.uk -
Womens ski courses
Women's All Mountain ski courses in Chamonix with Claire Summers
Ski manufacturers have developed equipment specifically for women. So why shouldn't there be ski coaching available that is specific to women as well?
It is probably no secret that in general women learn skiing in a different manner to men. Women will want to fine tune something before really putting things into full action. Men however, are generally more inclined to just have a go and then fine tune. So women will be keen perfect their technique to avoid falling down – men will learn by falling down.
So we felt that girls only courses could really help the dynamics of the learning environment for a small group of women.
This season women keen to learn off piste and all mountain skills can join our courses in Chamonix specifically for women. This allows women to learn at their own pace, and to develop their skiing and understanding.
The courses are with Claire Summers who is one of Britain’s leading ski instructors (BASI level 4 ISTD). Claire has vast experience coaching skiing across Europe for all levels, particularly coaching groups for off piste skiing. She is patient and understanding with a real talent for passing on her number 1 passion. In her spare time Claire competes in international freeride skiing competitions around Europe – with some impressive results!
Claire Summers
The courses are structured the same as our mixed All Mountain ski courses with the aim of developing confidence through control, versatility and expression. Claire will help you to improve your technical, tactical, psychological and physical skills in a relaxed, non-pressured atmosphere.
If you would like more information such as dates, levels etc, please see our website.
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4 top tips from the pro’s for tuning your skiing back in at the start of the season
Its always best to start on an easy piste, greens or blues are sufficient –even pros don’t hit the blacks until dialled back in!
1) Look ahead, just like driving a car, look beyond the bonnet/ski. Try to feel your skis against the snow rather than looking at the tips. Get into the habit of reading the ground ahead of you. It’s better to feel what your skis are doing, encouraging you to work from the ground up for more natural skiing.
2) Be centered Work on centralising the weight down through the middle of the foot. Try to become aware of where the weight is being transmitted onto the sole of the boot. Standing with your weight centered on the skis gets the skis working as they are designed.Being too far back or too far forwards on the skis does not work as well.
3) Go for smooth, linked turns. Try not to have any abrupt movements. This will help to keep you in balance and allow your skiing to flow.
4) Get the outside ski working in the turn to have more pressure than the inside one. Pressing early on the outside ski makes a good start to your turns. Do this by stretching the leg slightly to push down through the sole of the foot.
Simon Halliwell and Mark Gear run All Mountain Performance in Chamonix and are qualified to the highest level,(BASI 4 ISTD)
