Travel Thirst » Mountains

Time for Tignes!

admin — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:48:09 +0000

Tignes Snowboarding Views

Tignes Les Brevieres is one of the smaller and quainter villages that make up the skiing area of Tignes in the French Alps. Unlike its larger, more commercialised bigger siblings of Tignes and Val d’Isere, Les Brevieres has maintained its village feel and real sense of community spirit.

If you’re on a late arrival, a warm welcome will often be lavished upon you from the guy who knows the guy who runs the chalet you’ll be staying in. Next thing you know, you have a personal, albeit vaguely inebriated guide taking you directly to your door. Be prepared to be seeing a lot more of him as there’s only a couple of pubs and one late bar that cater for this small resort. But there-in lies the charm of les Brevieres. You meet lots of interesting people and genuinely have a good time après-ski. The unadulterated backdrop of traditional farmhouses, wooden lodges and narrow streets makes for a characteristically alpine environment that some of the larger resorts tend to lose. Look out for the donkey sausages on the street market though!

The slopes won’t let you down either. Les Brevieres is perfectly situated at the foot of the Espace Killy ski area. Assuming you get good snow from a seasonal perspective, the skiing here is really good and you can make it as extensive as you like. North-facing slopes often keep their snow into May and are generally not as busy as neighbouring resorts. They’re regularly pisted with plenty of nice little off-piste cut-throughs for those looking to experience ‘safe’ off-pisting. But the region isn’t that big so it’s inevitable that you will want to venture into Tignes itself as well as Val d’Isere and surrounding areas.

'The Needle' at the top of Les Brevieres lifts

Skiing over to Tignes can be done leisurely in a day. There are plenty of nice wide sweeping slopes when you take the chair lift to the top of the Les Brevieres side up to the ‘needle’ and make your way down to Tignes town. Stop for some lunch and spend the afternoon on the variety of slopes that range from easy to pretty challenging. There are some good slopes here if you are learning to snowboard but watch out for schuss’ that can catch you out if you’re a bit worried about picking up too much speed just yet. You could be in for a tiring walk to the lifts! For those seeking a bit more of an adrenaline rush there’s a great black run that leads straight into the lifts – the steep incline leading to a flat home run allows you to pick up some serious speed and challenge your nerves on the way down. There’s plenty to do on this side of the mountain before returning back to the sanctuary of Les Breviere - you could even try parasailing off the mountain in your skis or ice-diving in the lake!

For a longer, more energetic day, you could carry on from Tignes over to Val d’Isere. The funicular will take you up the mountain from the town and there you can choose from a vast range of slopes – the only thing stopping you will be time. There is always the option of getting the bus back if you don’t have time to ski your way back across, or you could consider stopping for a night. The nightlife in Val d’Isere is lively and you’ll find a real mix of nationalities here.

Back in Les Brevieres, there’s nothing nicer than skiing straight off the mountain into one of the bars for a nice warming glass of vin chaud as you un-buckle your boots and watch the last die-hards make their way off the mountain. Bliss.

Are, Sweden - A lot more than just skiing

admin — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 07:21:08 +0000

The most popular ski resort in Sweden, Are has a lot more to offer than just the downhill, even in the summer. If you don’t like skiing and you don’t like apres-ski you might believe that Are is not for you but you couldn’t be more wrong. The fantastic nature and wildlife in the Swedish mountains is, in itself, worth the trip.

Are is, of course, best in the winter and the healthy activities you can find in this center of winter sports in Jamtland, Sweden, are many. Try dog sledding in the crispy cold weather or have fun playing with snow mobiles for a day. The hiking might be Scandinavias best and the fishing in the cold Nordic rivers can give you an experience you will never forget.

The indigenous people of Sweden, the Sami have a strong presence in Jamtland, the area where you find Are, and there are possibilities to stay a night in a Kata, the traditional tent like home of the Sami. The most common traditional livelyhood of the Sami people is the herding of reindeer and with a little luck you can even run into reindeer while hitting the slopes in Are.

Rockies vs Alps

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:48:39 +0000

Anyone who’s really into winter snow-sports will probably have spent some time in both the Alps and the Rockies. But which would you recommend to a friend?

The Alps

Top 5 Pros:
1. In the heart of Europe; close and less expensive to get to for many
2. Absolutely breath-taking scenery – arguably prettier than the Rockies
3. Great range of slopes for beginners and experienced skiers alike
4. Brimming with character and alpine charm
5. Lots of après-ski activities away from the slopes

Top 5 Cons:
1. Notorious for long and pushy lift queues
2. Ski-schools not always in English
3. The snow season can sometimes be unreliable
4. Slopes can often be crowded in peak season so difficult for beginners
5. Not always as snow-board friendly as the Rockies

The Rockies

Top 5 Pros:
1. Usually fantastic champagne powder even early in the season
2. Quiet, sweeping wide slopes excellent for beginners
3. Brilliant bowls for snowboarding and loads of great off-piste routes
4. Usually no lift queues with very friendly staff
5. Top quality English-speaking ski-schools where teaching groups are kept small for best tuition

Top 5 Cons:
1. Not as much mountain-based après-ski and less character than the Alps
2. Often need to take a bus to get to the mountain from the ski resort
3. Generally expensive to get there with long travelling times
4. Accommodation tends to be hotels; less availability of cheaper chalets
5. Constant tipping pressure – every interaction comes with a price

Après-ski or Champagne Slopes?

Both the Rockies and the Alps have fantastic appeal. If you want a sugar-coated winter holiday filled with charm, a mix of winter activities and plenty of sociable après-ski, the Alps is your ticket. A fantastic Christmas retreat with friends and family too.

For an awesome skiing or boarding experience, hit the U.S and Canada – pure, unadulterated ski heaven but less feeling of community in the evenings. It’s a tough call and one that budget and mood will probably decide for you.

Summer in the mountains

But what often gets forgotten about both these destinations is that they are fantastic summer holiday locations too. Both the Alps and the Rockies are perfect for mountain biking, hiking and climbing. They also boast white water rafting, pony trekking and kayaking to name but a few activities. Perhaps where the Rockies win out in the summer months, however, is with the wildlife. A trip to see the Canadian Grizzly Bears is a must at some point in your life; specialist nature operators organise trips to see the bears and a whole host of other animals that make the Rockies their home.

In short, both the Rockies and Alps should definitely be on your list – with any luck, the only decision will be the order you visit them in!