The Ski Blog

Snow is falling in the Alps!

Hot off the press from Johanna at Ice and Fire - the first snow is falling in Paradiski!

October marks the beginning of the snow season in the Alps, and with it comes the age-old debate about how good this winter will be for snowfall.

This year, the 2024-25 season is off to an impressive start, with a dusting of fresh snow already on view across the La Plagne glacier. The photo you see here, taken on October 6th, showcases the view from the new webcam perched atop the Bellecote Glacier.

Locals often believe that snowfall before the Demontagnee festival bodes well for the season ahead. This local festival, taking place on October 19th in Bourg St Maurice, celebrates the return of cows from their summer pastures in the highlands back down to the valley farms, where they will rest for the winter.

Ice and Fire are Paradiski experts with two lovely chalets in Les Coches. Johanna has been at the helm for over 10 years, starting as a chalet host herself - so she knows what's needed to make your holiday a great one!

As the weather is turning wetter and colder, it's hard not to get excited about snow in the mountains! Have you booked your ski trip yet? 

Keep an eye out for our Latest & Greatest newsletters which are going out regularly with great offers to get you on the slopes this winter. And of course don't forget about the Solutions Room - a creative and convenient way to find the perfect ski holiday, with ski companies reaching out directly based on your needs.

 

 

We're all set for February skiing - fresh snow, blue skies, great conditions!

But don't just take our word for it - here's the latest report from TDC Ski. If you're heading out for half-term holidays you're in for great snow. 

This week is set to remain cold too!

Snow Report 5th Feb 2018 Val d'Isere Tignes from tdc - the development centre on Vimeo.

There's still time to organise a last minute Half Term break check out our Half Term offers!

Snow Report from TDCSki in Val D'Isere

Looks like it's definitely going to be Happy Holidays for Christmas and New Year. Snow depths for this time of year are the best they've been for several years. There's a great base and it looks like there'll be some sunshine over the next few days - a welcome respite from the arctic temperatures and low visibility skiing of last week. If you're heading out for Christmas you'll have a great time!

time!

Snow Report 19th Dec 2017 Val d'Isere Tignes from tdc - the development centre on Vimeo.

Thanks to TDCSKI

The old style of ski school, and ski lessons where you follow around your ski instructor needed a revamp. So TDC have adopted a much more dynamic and personal program of ski coaching and ski improvement. Experience the difference with small, high quality ski coaching clinics, which allows your coach to concentrate on you.

TDCski are a group of highly motivated ski instructors who hold the highest international qualification with full French equivalance. Having all qualified through the British system and with English as a first language, they specialise in high-quality, focused and rersonalised ski coaching. 

With centres in Val d'Isere, Tignes, Meribel and Courchevel. why not get in touch with them to take your skiing to the next level! See their website: TDCSKI

Brexit? What does it mean for your ski holiday?

As the UK and Europe are still waiting for the dust to settle and speculating on how it's all going to work out - we've spoken to some of the leading ski companies to find out how it could impact your next ski holiday.

Nick Williams, director of Mountain Heaven, with an extensive portfolio of both catered and self-catered chalets and apartments in France and Switzerland is optimistic that any changes won't dampen our natural enthusiasm for skiing and snowboarding, and as a company they took precautions to protect their customers:

"Although Mountain Heaven Ltd was disappointed with the result we respect that everybody has their own view about staying in or leaving the EU." said Nick,  "Whatever happens the snow will still fall, the mountains will still be there and our wonderful chalets and apartments will still be welcoming guests with our fantastic personal services."

"Just in case the result was an exit we bought forward all of currency required for next season for fixed costs and so we are able to maintain our great low prices and also a guarantee that anybody that has booked a holiday with us (by the 31^stAugust) will not be subject to any surcharges whatsoever on their holiday. In addition we continue to expand our portfolio with 2 new chalets this year in Courchevel 1650."  

As a seasoned operator in the Alps, Mountain Heaven has weathered tough times in the past including recent recession and below average snowfall. 

Ski Amis is another company who have been round the block - they have been providing holidays in some of the top French resorts for 25 years. Director Christine van Zadelhoff assured us that nothing is really going to change in the near future.

“At this point in time, nothing really changes as it will be at least two years before the UK will exit the EU – so Ski Amis will still be able to provide the same excellent levels of service in our catered chalet holidays in France next season and beyond.  Unless there is a further huge drop in the value of the pound before the season starts, we don’t anticipate any changes in terms of our pricing policies either – but in the event this does happen and we are forced to increase prices, Ski Amis guarantees this would NOT apply for any existing bookings so the best thing to secure a great deal is to book now!  Who knows what the future will bring – so why not just get away from it all to the peace and tranquillity of the mountains and let the politicians fight over it!  We’ve all had our say, one way or the other, so regardless of our individual opinions, it’s up to them now to work out the details.”

Ski Magic, based in La Tania in the 3 Valleys, are also confident that ski and snowboard holidays will weather the storm! 

"Ski Magic was around pre-euro and we survived 2008 so are hopeful that we’ll ride out the economic situation this time around with some careful planning. The travel industry has a lot of questions at the moment, but we are still receiving enquiries and selling holidays at our same good value prices. As with many of our local friends in the business, we’re unsure what the future may hold but we’ll move forward and find solutions to whatever new legislation is introduced. Skiers are a resilient bunch and once you’ve got the bug it’s hard to get through the winter without a ski holiday!” says Clare White. Ski Magic are also offering some great discounts for families right now and flexible stays over the Christmas period  so check them out!

High profile and long established holiday company, Mark Warner, are also confident that the enthusiasm for ski holidays will not be damaged - and are introducing new elements to their packages for next winter. Ben Roseveare, their head of Sales & Marketing, had this to say:

"Mark Warner have been operating our award-winning ski holidays to the Alps for over 40 years. We’ve developed a fantastic network of contacts, friends and pioneered the concept of the welcoming and sociable chalet hotel. Next season we’re looking forward to establishing our new off-piste skiing weeks, beginner weeks and re-introducing our guided skiing programme in France. See you on the slopes!"

And finally, highly respected and experienced UK ski operator, SkiWorld, with chalets in France, Austria, Switzerland and further afield,  have reacted to the referendum result by actually extending their early booking offers - and focusing on what we can celebrate right now, in particular Andy Murray's progress towards the Wimbledon final! 

"We've extended our early booking offers!
Re-serve your perfect ski holiday today with £150pp deposit and catch our ace properties whilst there is availability, and before prices are affected by Brexit. Now, relax in front of Wimbledon with a glass of Pimm's, safe in the knowledge that your next ski holiday is in the diary!”

So it might be an uncertain world out there - exchange rates may be tricky this winter and we don't know how things might change in the future -  but whilst there are still mountains we're going to be skiing them.

 

A video posted by Chalets Direct (@chaletsdirect) on Jul 2, 2016 at 8:47am PDT

It's a great time to get a ski holiday!

After a shaky start January has, as ever, been proving to be a great time to ski. The snow fell abundantly in the early part of the month, followed by a spell of sub-zero temperatures mixed with more snow. The forecast is set fair now for a few days at least and, as almost everyone in the know will tell you, January skiing is special. Quiet pistes, quiet airports, cheap flight options, and available accommodation. 

The good news is that there's still a week of January left - and the first week of February is also going to be excellent before the half term rush! So check out our last minute offers and grab a quick ski break!

If you're still looking for your February half term break there's still availability too - book with Pierre & Vacances before 27th Jan and you can get 40% off for holidays throughout February, including the half term week - and there's more half term deals available here!

The view of the Mont Blanc massif yesterday (23rd January) - inspirational n'est-ce pas?

Win Tickets for the Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Show 2015!

The Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Show returns to the UK and we've got 5 pairs of tickets for the London Show to give away in our great Ski Slick Limerick competition - read on!

Where & When:

30th October - 1st November: The Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Show North at Manchester’s EventCity
Discover the latest gear and best resort for you. Meet Team GB athletes, browse over 100 exhibitors, sample authentic alpine food, and pick-up show only deals.

5th – 8th November: The London Show, Battersea Park
Be transported to the mountains in a one-of-a-kind authentic immersive experience. Indulge in alpine fine dining and street food, watch breathtaking pro rider competitions and displays on the slopes of Mount Battersea (a 50 ft. real snow kicker) and be entertained by a stellar line up of live music and comedy.

What's Happening:

Authentic Alpine Food: Forget lack-lustre hot dogs, and warm beer, this year the shows will offer visitors alpine fine dining and street food including German Bratwurst & Fries, Tartiflette, Austrian Tiroler Göstl and Moose Burgers as well as a range of regional wines and beers to bring authentic mountain flavours to the city.

Mountain Talks Theatre: The Mountain Talks Theatre has a packed programme of workshops, films and talks from some of the biggest names in snow sports including Warren Smith Ski Academy who will return to share their knowledge with live demos in the Mountain Talks Theatre and 1-to-1 coaching.

Travel Genius Bar: The Travel Genius Bar is a dedicated hub which will give visitors the opportunity to get beyond the brochure and face-to-face with leading industry experts to receive free impartial travel advice.

Fashion Show: This eye-catching performance showcases some of the top snow sports apparel, highlighting new styles and trends in a fun dance off!

London Show Specials:

The Lodge: Legendary Michelin starred chef; Angela Hartnett has curated an authentic alpine menu, served exclusively in London’s pop-up restaurant - The Lodge. Indulge in a 3 course alpine menu in the surrounds of an authentic mountain restaurant overlooking the slopes of Mount Battersea, accompanied by live acoustic musicians. Tables are limited and available to pre book now.

Altitude Comedy Tent: For the very first time, Altitude Comedy Festival will bring their unique blend of snow, laughs and stand up to The Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Show London with performances from top acts including Live at the Apollo’s Marcus Brigstocke, and Andrew Maxwell, rising stars and blistering cabaret.

Mount Battersea: Mount Battersea has risen within the heart of London’s Battersea Park. Gape in awe as pro riders take on our 50ft real-snow kicker with live demos and international competitions The BRITS and The London Ride.

Après Stage brought to you by Snowbombing: This year the Ski & Snowboard Show is bringing the world's best snow-fueled party to Battersea on Thursday 5th & Friday 6th November. Known as the greatest show on snow, Snowbombing will be taking over the stage with well known acts performing live, next to a raft of après bars serving up beer, wine and spirits.
Just announced, Hot Chip (DJ Set) will headline the Après Stage on Thursday 5th, supported by 2 Bears. The party continues on Friday 6th with Norman Jay MBE and The Cuban Brothers!

For all the skinny on opening times and tickets for both shows go to www.skiandsnowboard.co.uk

Win tickets for the London Ski Show - compose a Ski Slick Limerick:

Chalets Direct has 5 pairs of adult tickets to give away to keen skiers and snowboarders wanting to visit the London show. 

How to enter:

1. All you need to do is to get creative and compose a limerick beginning with the line:
   There was a keen skier/boarder* called Joe ...
   (*You can choose skier or boarder - whichever you prefer)
   Just a reminder that the format of the limerick is 5 lines; lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme, and lines 3 and 4 also rhyme. They are usually humorous. For examples and inspiration take a look at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/limerick-examples.html
   
2. Include the words Chalets Direct somewhere in your limerick.
3. Send your limerick to [email protected] - please put Ski Slick Limerick in the subject line.
   Please state the day you wish to attend the London Show in your email. Winners will be notified by email! 
4. Closing date is 28th October - so get your poetic thinking caps on!

For competition rules please see here. 

 

 

The Lost Art of the Turn

‘Back in the day’ skiers used to look back up the hill admiringly at the men and women who skied with effortless ease through demanding terrain. The one who put in nice rounded carved turns on hard pistes; the bumps skier whose knees moved up and down like pistons, whilst staying in rhythmic control; the powder skier putting in beautiful S’s in fresh snow.  These skiers were admired and revered. Many a seasonnaire or regular would want to ski like that. Not only was the skier great to watch but the skier himself  (or herself) was loving the sensation of being in harmony with the mountain. He or she was in an almost Zen-like state which was all consuming. 

 

Today one can look back up the hill and watch. Hundreds of skiers clattering down the hill at great speed, with the sole intention it would seem of breaking their latest speed record on the iPhone app, barely missing each other and finally skidding to a wild uncoordinated halt at the bottom of the chairlift. Can these skiers be having fun? Can these skiers be approaching that Zen all-consuming experience? 

 

So what has changed? Why is the atmosphere on the mountain so different?  Sure things move on, of course there is progress, but is it always for the better? Can progress slowly strangle the golden goose that kept skiers coming back for more?

 

The main innovation of course is with the equipment itself. Today you can buy all types of ski: rocker, fat, mid-fat, all terrain, all-mountain, the list goes on. The common denominator is they make all dimensions of the mountain more accessible than ever before. With a lot less experience, the skier can go to places that were inaccessible to all but the very skilful before. 

 

At face value this sounds great. We can all ‘ski’ powder, we can all ‘ski’ the piste … and sadly most bumps are flattened by the resort management.   

 

However recently there seems to be a few different murmurings within the industry. The consumer is less happy and less satisfied then they used to be. Odd you might think, with all this innovation making it easier? Ski shop owners are beginning to hear the term ‘bored’. There seems to be less of a sense of accomplishment than before. Previously it took skill, time, practice and indeed lessons to master certain terrain. Now that terrain can be charged down quite easily with relatively little experience or effort. Are we getting that same sense of achievement? Are we getting near that deserved well-earned state of Zen? Or are we just in some semi-skilled high speed traffic jam? 

 

Has the pendulum begun to swing the other way? By making the mountain more accessible has the ski industry created a fast food fix which is great in the short term but long term ultimately you can only have so much.  The clients used to come back time and time again enjoying the process of attempting to reach that skiing Nirvana. Have those days gone? Are they ever going to appreciate what skiing, like good food, is all about? Or is the future just a big Mac and chips? 

 

Lindsey Vonn gets 63rd World Cup and goes into the record books!

Lindsey Vonn broke the women’s record of World Cup victories with 63 at today’s FIS Alpine World Cup Super G race in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. The previous record was held by Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell who earned 62 World Cup victories from 1970 to 1980. Vonn’s first World Cup victory was in the downhill at Lake Louise, Canada, on December 3, 2004.

Today’s record-breaking win also places her second behind Ingemar Stenmark (86) in the overall World Cup wins standings (both men and women.) Vonn is the most decorated skier in U.S. history, and is the only American woman to have won downhill gold at the Olympics and the only American woman with four Alpine World Cup overall titles. 

Watching from the finish line were Vonn’s parents, sister and boyfriend Tiger Woods, who made a surprise trip to watch Lindsey’s victory.

Vonn is scheduled to race again in next weekend’s (Jan. 24-25) downhill and Super G races in St. Moritz, Switzerland before returning stateside for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships (Feb. 2-15) to be held near her home in Vail/Beaver Creek, Co.

Here's footage from yesterday's race where she equalled the world record. Congratulations Lindsey - today you smashed it!

The limits of carving skiing with Ted Ligety ... and the return of Ski Sunday

If Sir Isaac Newton had been present to watch Ted Ligety ski Giant Slalom in the World Cup in Beaver Creek in early December,  he might have been tempted to write a new law of gravity.

At a speed of around 55mph the angles Ligety achieves, whilst carving on a rock hard icy piste, are incredible.  He has his inside hand, hip and even inside boot buckle on the snow and yet is superbly balanced and in control - Ligety won this race.   If you look at Ligety in the finish area he has a smile from ear to ear, not only has he won the race but it is blindingly apparent he has just simply loved the buzz of coming down the course carving and arcing his skis at these angles, the adrenaline is rushing through his veins.  

As a holidaymaker you might think ‘how do  I relate to that?’ Well with the right type of instruction, some persistence and a positive attitude you can get the your skis to become your best friend and give you a fantastic feeling whilst skiing down the piste. Plus the more you do it the better you become and the fun factor multiplies.  

So you probably won't achieve the same angles as Mr Ligety, (nobody else on the planet can), but you will love the sensation and want to go back for more.  You never know, if  Isaac Newton had  been around, he might have been tempted to jump on a pair of skis, take some lessons and have fun ... just a bit more interesting than sitting under an apple tree. 

And don't forget you can see more snow action now on Ski Sunday as it returns to BBC 2 this evening (16.45 GMT). Tonight's show includes an interview with Team GB snowboarder Jenny Jones and presenters Graham Bell and Ed Leigh are in Santa Caterina in Italy to cover the Men's World Cup downhill.

Limited Snow? Follow Dave Ryding's lead and improve your skiing

Ok, so it looks like mother nature has not provided the most ample amount of snow for the coming week in the Alps.

Realistically the terrain is going to be more limited than some bumper days you might have had before or will do again, but this could be an opportunity in disguise.

Dave Ryding ( the top British slalomer ), who skied into the top 20 on the World Cup last weekend and got his best ever result, spent many hours in the summer on an indoor snowdome practising his technique. To do that he broke down his turn movements and skied them slowly, precisely and accurately.

Hmm, you might think, what is accurate skiing? Well it’s the abilty to get the ski to do exactly what you want it to do. Dave practised his turns at speeds well below those he would normally ski,  and he did it again and again. He was making effective use of the limited space, enjoying himself and indeed improving his skiing.

This might be a slightly different perspective on your skiing for the coming week but you will be surprised how much fun you can have and how much you will improve you skiing or snowboarding in the long run. If you do get a chance to get a lesson at the beginning of the week do so, and ask your instructor to show you some technique exercises, maybe alternatively check out some exercises on the web. Do it with friends and take videos of yourselves, get the kids involved.  Are you doing it like the demonstrators on youtube?

Consciously thinking of your technique this ski holiday due to nature's limitations could well lead to better and more enjoyable ski holidays in the future. Remember the old saying – If you’re handed a lemon, then make lemonade. Have fun.