Serre Chevalier Accommodation
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I have just introduced an interview section starting here with Richard Johnson who runs a ski chalet in Monetier Les Bains.

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Monetier Les Bains

Serre Chevalier's first day open this season

Just got down from having a quick squiz at the only open sector of Serre Chevalier, ie the lifts above Bachas in Monetier.

Got to tell you it’s not bad, not bad at all. There were quite a few people undeterred by the forecast and they were all happy about the three lifts that were open, with something like eight pistes open – for all ability levels – and a fair amount of off piste off the back of Cibouit.

I even saw a couple of guys skiing right down to the bottom of Pre Chabert, so that means the load of through the trees runs can be attempted, not certain I’d recommend it, there was very little snow under the lift, but on the right faces it can be done.

Chippy Jason and Nurse Claire

Chippy Jason and Nurse Claire

Bumped into the world up there, Chippy Jason and Nurse Claire, up from their end of the valley and Damien who runs the Peyra Juana restaurant off the Rochamout piste bellow. Neither the piste nor restaurant are open so he’d skinned up and was off doing some trails under L’Yret.

Spoke to Nicko at the Aroaki hire shop in Pre Chabert, they’ve rented some 30 pairs, not bad for these conditions. The village is full of people – a surprising number of English voices – not just Parisians getting an early ski in.

All in all a positive, happy feeling, and easily enough snow in a good enough condition to see us through to the next big dump, which is forecast for Monday maybe but Wednesday definitely.

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Alcohol and AltitudeIt’s not often I get batey with the man, but the news that Whitehall is seeking one more area of control vexes me.

I’m talking of course of the looming “something must be done” about crazed, alcohol-riddled bodies piling up around the Alps. Which is of course bollocks.

The British Foreign Office is warning that booze and altitude are a bad combo – no shit Sherlock, but these are adults on a holiday – it seems as if the Brits are truly the last people to see skiing as a holiday, the fun of the 80s is gone, according to local hoteliers. So not content with doing a bang up job making sure UK town centers are empty of comatose teenagers, lying on a bed of Bacardi Breezer bottles, the same government wants to be gooseberry when we travel.

A wise man once said “take the log out of your own eye, before dealing with the splinter in your brothers.” If idiots want to get pissed up, good luck to them, if they are adults, what holiday makers do abroad, regardless of how it might sully the reputation of that sceptred isle, is a foreign affair, if they’re dicks the local law will deal with them I’m sure.

The sad death bandied about to illustrate the dangers of booze and cold is that of a 20 year old Brit in Val D’Isere, who, if you look into the background, was not drunk, but got lost and slipped down an embankment into the river Isere after leaving a pub in the dark.

This will be used as the thin end of the wedge to control personal behavior on holiday, but surely the monies spent on this campaign might be better spent on say proper night lighting and railings along the river, at what is described as a known danger area?

When the British government chooses to extend it’s power abroad to places like Afghanistan and Iraq – where we’re nearly up to 2 million civilian deaths and counting (and based on a lie btw) – maybe it might consider this has more of an impact on its reputation, rather than a few pissed holiday makers in the Alps.

Can I add an amen?

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Here we go:  from that ‘other’  Serre Chevalier site (who won’t link to us coz we are not a real biz!) [ED]

The ski area of Serre Chevalier opens partially from December the 12th, 2009 on Monêtier les Bains sector.

The ski area will open progressively from that day regarding the evolution of snow conditions.

Opening forecast for dember the 12th, 2009* :

  • Bachas High speed quad
  • Yret triple
  • Cibouït double
  • Eychauda quad

I’ll go to the lift on Sat morning and take it up to Bachas – if it’s open, take a pic and get it to you by lunch

if there’s wind it’s going to suck.

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A Rainbow swamped in red,  in Monetier

A Rainbow swamped in red, in Monetier

It’s just dawned on me how to spot local kids from tourists, whether they be French, English or foreign.

It’s the cut of their jib, not attitude, size, sweariness or brand of clothing. It’s not exactly what they wear but the size.

Local kids are either just about grown out of their ski jacket or have some long ways to go before it’s the right size for them. – and that’s only in passing.

Visitors tend to buy for that season, so in truth they do look a little more professional, well turned out and less Oxfam, as we were allowed to say back in the day.

I suppose when the ski jacket is an everyday object you do expect to get more than a week’s wear out of it, so if it’s bought new in 2009 it hangs off them like a burn victim’s skin, 2010 is the perfect fit and 2011it looks as under pressure as John Prescott’s buttons in a short sleeve shirt, and that’s with detaching the liner.

The English would call this leap-frogging, but the French call it Sot Moutton, which I found amusing, the active jump of a frog has become the passivity of the sheep as it is jumped over. Same same but different.

Should you be thinking of buying kids clothes always buy black trousers, they’re unisex and little Johnny isn’t go be traumatised by being forced into his older sister’s fuchsia kecks.

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No ParkingGot some not very good news, it’s not official but there is serious doubt as to whether Serre Chevalier will open on the 12th.

I‘d go so far as to say it will be announced very soon, but remember where you nearly heard the bad news first.

I was to buy some skis, but my dealer said there’s no rush for Saturday – and I’m hurting man, just a taste, something. I suppose the first thing you learn is you always have to wait.

The 12th was always a punchy call, traditionally the 15th or 16th is when the station comes online. The rain of Monday night didn’t help, the temperature is just over what is needed to fire the snow cannons up and to top it all it’s blowing a howler up there, judging from the whisps screaming off the tops.
There is some good news, especially if you cross country ski, the paths are mostly prepped and there are people in spandex rushing around, but for alpine I’d say it’s no go.

This weather, ie nice, clear but windy is apparently an anti-cyclone and it’s predicted to stick around for a bit.

Maybe it will all blow over, now I see this doom on paper, I’m not certain I want to put my name on it, still this is the word on the street. The pisters go to work on Thursday and we’ll get a better idea then.

Yours on tenterhooks, putting his money where his mouth is – Fergus Rainbow.

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Les Grands Bains, Monetier

Les Grands Bains, Monetier

Tick tock, it’s nervous exhaustion, we’ve been riding the clutch of expectation and it’s, quite frankly, exasperating.

The pistes open Saturday, we’ve had some great falls, but there are some gaps at the bottom and now it’s started to rain, ever so gently, but just enough to help doubt sprout.

Took the kids to the bottom of the piste in Monetier over the weekend, Saturday was lovely, the crystals of snow sprayed out, each distinct and fine like flour on a dredging board. Sunday was like treading on concrete, totally compact and bijoux like a diamond, but not icy. I would not like to take a tumble on that.

Rain is forecast for early in the week, but then nothing, maybe a very light dusting on Friday, not getting my hopes up on that prognostication.

It is cold enough to fire the cannons up, so that’s something, but it’s not the same is it?

However there are some great conditions above the first lifts, ie Bachas and Serre Ratier, so it’s just the last little step that I’m worrying about.

In Monetier this means you can make it to the lift, but if you wanted to ski back to Pre Chabert, past the bandstand, it would probably be best do it on ‘rentals’.

The piste down from Bachas

The piste down from Bachas

That’s advice you won’t see on any “official” sites.

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A Toploader Washing Machine, Yesterday

A Toploader Washing Machine, Yesterday

As promised it’s the washing machine piece threatened earlier. I hate to disappoint and any of you who thought they’d missed this one, you didn’t and I need your help.

This is one of those feed back articles that I need answers to, so please respond if you can, as I’m all at sea for this one.

Do you use the washing (clothes, just in case there’s any confusion) machine when you’re on a ski holiday?

It seems quite a preposterous idea – of course I do – but do you really?

Thinking back (xylophone wobble and fade out) when I used to ski for a week I believe I had enough pants, socks, shirts to get me through. Fine I might have had to double dip, or dibble me smalls through in the sink, but to actually accumulate enough stuff to fill the machine, do a load, take it out, hang it up, let it dry and then re-wear it?

I’m beginning to doubt.

Let me set the scene, my wife and I are renovating a village house in Monetier les Bains and making three apartments and the architect had forgotten to include space for a machine in one flat – he also managed to forget the building was 30cm shorter than he thought, so in the grand scheme of things it wasn’t such a big deal.

In talking to my wife she said she didn’t believe visitors for a week washed their clothes. I was shocked, but now this feeling is ebbing and I suspect she might be right.

Is it different for families? Do you get the most out of your stay by taking your laundry with you? Is my wife just a filthy frog?

Help a brother out and write in – washing machines? Yes or no?

PS. Because Serre Chevalier is so dry should you wash anything, dry it in your room overnight on the radiator, I would say it will help you breath more easily, but that’s trademarked, but it will ameliorate your respiration.

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Maddy LomasI think this is the last year I’ll be able to out ski my 5 year old boy, next season he’ll probably be better technically than me and although I’m beloved by gravity, I’m not exactly Tuesday’s child when it comes to grace.

This just dawned on me when I signed him up with the local, community run, kids ski coaching programme.

We trooped down to the town hall to register and were shocked to get the bill for Eur150 for 60 hours of alpine ski instruction over the season, not bad, however when the school playing field is under 80cm of snow what else can you do?

Shockingly despite the price and the voluntary operation of the scheme there was still some miserable mother giving the people working there for free on a Saturday grief because two hours of alpine lessons overlapped with cross country lessons. It is in moments like this you truly get what a handout culture exists in France (that’s not racist, my Frog wife said so).

This is group lessons so there is a lot of that just following down the mountain style so beloved by ESF.

I’m slightly anti-ESF, all great skiers but not great teachers. A few years ago I was having difficulty with my back ski juddering as I turned, a problem I could feel and explain. The private ESF coach just made me follow him down the mountain, but to anyone who’s skied the answer is obvious – roll open the back knee as you turn.

It was at this moment when I fell in love with super instructor Darren at Insight, who solved that problem and when he charges for “extras” you get extras, if you know what I’m saying.

So 60 hours with some local, may be great but my English heart knows I’ll still beat my half breed son for many years, I just need a few more hours under Darren.

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The Underground Bar, Alpe d'HuezJust a quick note to say that The Harper Brothers are leaving Serre Chevalier! Well for one night anyway, as long as the snow doesn’t get too bad we will be playing at The Underground Bar, Hotel Chamois, Alpe d’Huez tonight.

This is the 4th gig by the Harper Brothers this season, the first was at Le Central Briançon on 13th November and the following day at Duo also in Briançon. The 3rd gig was quite short at the opening of The Station, Chantemerle.

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