What do you do in the summer?

Now that the ski season is over a lot of friends, clients and contacts seem to think we are all sitting around in deckchairs revelling in some kind of six month long “Pimms o’clock” until the snow starts to fall again!

Ignoring the fact that we have a modestly proportioned summer programme to run (www.alpactive.com) there is also rather a lot do. We have a brochure to write, a website to completely redesign (we plan on being bookable on-line by the autumn – this will either be the greatest leap forward in Ski Famille history or the cause of premature greying and hair loss on an unprecedented scale), staff to recruit and ,of course, holidays to sell.

This is not written in a spirit of self-justification; we just want to dispel the image of short wearing layabouts from your mind. However, if you have the time to sit about this summer with not a care in the world I heartily recommend a Strawberry Margarita in the garden, in the sun. Splendid...

Chris

www.skifamille.co.uk

Strawberry Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz silver tequila
- 1/2 oz triple sec
- juice of half lime
- 2 strawberries
Garnish: strawberry

Mix all ingredients with 4 to 5 ice cubes until smooth. Pour into a margarita glass. Garnish with a strawberry on the rim.

Look again at France

I’ve just come back from a very enjoyable weekend at the ABTOF (Association of British Travel Organisers to France) conference in Marseille. It was a great opportunity to meet up with colleagues from across the industry and get a feel, over a drink or two, for what everyone is up to and the key challenges facing our industry (how best to use technology and grumblings about the exchange rate seemed to be two of the most popular topics).

The most dramatic thing I can away with was reignited enthusiasm for France as a destination though. It’s very easy to forget what a fantastically diverse country it is and just how much is on offer for travellers of all ages and interests. ABTOF have recently launched their “France, Yes You Can” website to try and capture the thousands of options available and it’s well worth a visit. There really is something for everyone.

Provence is a great example of an area well known to Brits that possibly gets written off through complacency – we know it’s there and it’s probably quite nice but it’s only France and we’d like to go somewhere more “exciting” this year. There is, however, a huge amount going on in the region and Marseille itself is a bustling cosmopolitan hub that deserves to be a top city break choice. Transport links to the region are also fantastic; along with many delegates I used the Eurostar and TGV. The journey reinforced my belief that this really is the most civilised way to travel around Europe.

If you have yet to plan your summer holiday do give France another look.

Chris

www.skifamille.co.uk

End of Season Report

What a great winter it has been for snow! We’re now all closed up in Les Gets and Morzine but the snow continues to fall and the snowline is set to stay below resort level throughout the week. Les Gets remains open (limited lifts though) with around 50 cm of snow on the lower slopes and 165 cm at the top.

The winter as a whole has been a very strong one. We started with a fantastic base when the resorts opened in the week before Christmas and didn’t look back. There was a period of a couple of weeks in January without any significant fresh snow but it stayed fairly cold and conditions held out.

February and March were both good, although March did see some wet days that dampened spirits and the pistes. The end of the month saw the same cold weather that hit the UK and everything that fell out of the sky was most definitely snow ... and there was a lot of it.

A huge personal thank you to all of the resort staff who made the season such a good one. You worked extraordinarily hard at the same time as enjoying yourselves to the full ... displaying stamina I can only envy.

Now it’s time for a deep breath, a little more kip, and preparations for the next season can begin in earnest!

Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

The final countdown

The last week of the season is just a few days away and we are kicking ourselves for not having extended our dates. Unfortunately all staff flights are now booked, chalet hand-backs have been organised and we don’t have the scope to stretch things out. The last three winters have seen good conditions in April so we will be adding another week on next year; which will have the added bonus of tying in with the later Easter.

There is still buckets of snow in the Portes du Soleil area and yet more is forecast for the weekend, with the snowline likely to be sitting at an incredibly low 250m. I am heading out next week and had a vague dream of getting my skis on, but it appears that my hard working and conscientious Operations Manager has booked me appointments strategically throughout the day in an effort to thwart my plans. Next season will be the season I’ll get more ski time in....

- Chris

www.skifamille.co.uk

Fantastic late snow

The last few days have seen great falls of fresh snow. These have settled on an already good base and conditions in the Portes du Soleil ski area should be very strong through until the end of the season.

The links below will help you to assess the situiation on the ground. If you have ever thought about late season skiing this is the time to give it a go! Don't let that powder go to waste....


Les Gets piste reports
More snow forecast
Ski Famille late availability

- Chris
www.skifamille.co.uk

Did the train take the strain?

Fleet to Geneva by rail

After the usual routine of running around the house trying to pack a bag whilst fitting in a quick nappy change (baby not me) I left home just after the commuter rush and hopped on the train to London. Frustration number one actually turned out to be the only significant one of the day – getting across London. With no direct tube between Waterloo and St Pancras lugging a bag up and down stairs and along walkways was a bit annoying. Not as huge issue though.

St Pancras itself is a haven of calm and good design compared to any UK airport. With no lengthy check in times I was only around for long enough for a swift coffee and glance at the papers before it was time to board the train. St Pancras is now stunning and, call me a nerd if you will, but I’d happily go there again for a wander around even if I didn’t have a train to catch.

Once on the train the comfortable seats, big windows, feeling of space and helpful staff did not make me long for air travel one bit. It felt like a thoroughly civilised way to travel. A pleasant breakfast was served just before we dived underground to cross the channel and in the blink of an eye you are in France with your coffee topped up and the (albeit fairly uninspiring) scenery rolling past.

Crossing Paris (I plumped for the RER underground train rather than a taxi) was painless and cost a total of €1.50. A lesson there for the London underground? A small warning though, there were ticket queues and subterranean Paris has little in the way of glamour or Gallic charm! If travelling with kids I probably would have dived into a taxi for the journey across to the Gare de Lyon.

The journey from Paris to Geneva was again painless and comfortable despite my carriage appearing to be full. The highlight was a gentle stroll to the buffet car where I enjoyed an ice cold beer and a top class croque monsieur. It’s the simple things in life ... . There were plenty of families on the train and most seemed to be playing games around the large tables, reading books, or watching DVDs on laptops. Nowhere did I see (or hear) frustrated kids kicking off!

In summary the journey both ways felt like “travelling” rather than a hassle and inconvenience to be endured in order to get where you want to go.

Would I do it again?
Yes.

Would I do it with children?
Only if they were over about 7 and could wheel their own bags along and not require too much parental intervention for entertainment en-route.

- Chris

Plan your train travel in Europe via the RailEurope website.

Fresh snow hits the Portes du Soleil - updated 20/03

After some warm weather, last weekend saw good snowfalls in both Les Gets and Morzine. Cold temperatures have continued throughout the week and a big "dump" of snow is forecast for tomorrow (Friday 21st). For today the sun continues to shine.

We've all been flicking through the diary this morning seeing of there is the scope to dive out to resort for a quick ski - alas it is not to be!

The forecast below is for the Chamonix area (a good indicator for the Portes du Soleil).

TOMORROW - FRIDAY MARCH 21

Snowy disturbance crossing over - strong wind high up

SKY CONDITIONS (cloud - sunshine) : overcast - period of sunshine close to 0%.
PRECIPITATION : moderate to heavy in the morning - showers in the afternoon - rain-snow limit between 400 and 900 m - expected snowfall towards 1500 m : 40-60 cm.
WIND - aloft : WNW -> W strong to gale force - decreasing towards the evening.
TEMPERATURE : min -3°C - max +1°C.

SATURDAY MARCH 22

Getting even colder - frequent snow showers - possible fleeting sunny spells

SKY CONDITIONS (cloud - sunshine) : mostly cloudy - possible fleeting sunny spells - period of sunshine close to 20%.
PRECIPITATION : snow showers - more frequent in the afternoon - rain-snow limit dropping towards 500 m - expected snowfall towards 1500 m : 10-20 cm.
WIND - aloft : W -> SW moderate.
TEMPERATURE : dropping.

EXTENDED OUTLOOK UNTIL TUESDAY MARCH 25 2008

Sunday and Monday : getting even colder - snow showers - fleeting sunny spells. Tuesday : likely to improve - getting milder.

Meteo France paints a similar picture and, helpfully, gives Les Gets piste information too.

If you think you can get out to resort (any resort, doesn't have to be with Ski Famille!) just do it. Fantastic late season conditions beckon.

- Chris