Recognition for Chalet Vache Bleue

Chalet Vache Bleue has been awarded the "Label Meribel" by the Meribel Tourist Office, this prestigious award is an independent classification system specifically for the Meribel valley that gives recognition to elements such as comfort, ambiance and decoration. Whilst many of the valley’s apartments and chalets already benefit from inclusion in the national tourist accommodation rating system (Chalet Vache Bleue is classified as 4 Star) this classification is based mainly on quantitative criteria (size of rooms, equipment etc), and does not sufficiently take into account the quality of accommodation.
The Méribel Label gives more importance to the quality of floor and wall coverings, It also takes into account the harmony of furniture, textiles and lighting as well as up-to-date bathrooms and kitchens. By going beyond the normal technical specifications, the Méribel Label guarantees quality apartments and chalets. We are very proud to have achieved this and are loving sharing what we have created with our guests.

 As most people would know Europe has been shivering lately and Meribel is no exception. The last 6 days have been incredibly cold requiring interesting ski tactics to survive a day in the elements. The snow is amazing, the deep base remains in great condition thanks to the cold temperatures, so it may be cold but it is worth venturing out. The pistes are quiet and although it is cold enough to freeze a finger to the camera here are a few a shots taken during the (ongoing) cold spell.

On the way home Chardonnet run

Aiguille Du Fruit taken from Ours run into Mottaret

Too cool for school?

With the exception of those lucky enough to have practically been born on skis or those who have amazing innate ability, skiing and snowboarding are not easy sports to master. Even once you have got the basics the slightest thing can throw your progress off course; a change in conditions, a bad habit picked up unconsciously or more often than not simply forgetting what you already know.  Having invested money in a winter sports holiday why not invest a small amount more and take lessons? The reasons why people don’t always take lessons are varied, for many it is the thought of a week of “bend zee knees” and “follow me” when they would rather be with their fellow holidaymakers even if it’s painful to keep up at times.

If you are reluctant to join a group lesson have a think about private lessons which are usually for between 1 and 3 people and can accelerate you progress and more importantly your enjoyment so you get the very best out of your time on the slopes. We have recently enjoyed the company of friends from Australia, it’s a long way to come and we haven’t seen them for 4 months so we wanted to get around the mountain together safely and have fun. We are skiers they are boarders, one person has about 6 days snowboarding under their belt the other has enough experience to have been Heli boarding. The solution to our predicament was in the form of Marmalade – that is Ski Marmalade and a couple of private lessons with Greg Jones. So what was so good about the sessions? Well according to our happy visitors:

• ·         Greg was observant, quick to pick up on what could be improved
• ·         The suggestions on how to improve were clear and concise
• ·         The amount of information and guidance given was well paced and not overwhelming
• ·         Greg listened as much as he spoke – sounds silly but learning anything has to be a partnership
• ·         They left with a clear idea of key things to work on
• ·         They got around the mountain – when you are with an instructor there is no time wasted pouring over Piste maps you can cover a lot of ground quickly
• ·         They had FUN – isn't that what a holiday is all about?

So if you can afford a ski holiday you can afford lessons, here in Meribel a 3 hour private lesson for between 1 and 3 people will cost you between 200 and 300 Euros. It’s a small price to pay and will no doubt increase your holiday enjoyment immensely. So even if it means leaving your friends for half a day take the plunge, unless you are a hairdresser you probably don’t cut your own hair so unless you are a ski Instructor don’t try to teach yourself or someone else skiing or snowboarding.

Greg and his colleagues at Ski Marmalade can be contacted at: http://www.skimarmalade.com/  they offer other great mountain experiences other than private lessons so check them out. Learning from a professional really is quite painless so treat yourself and give it a go!

Snow update - another glorious week here in Meribel and it's snowing again, pictures to follow on next Post

January in Meribel

January is considered by many people to be the short straw of times to ski, it has a reputation of being cold, sometimes very cold. We have skied many times in January, coming from Australia it is our main holiday period so it is relatively easy to get time off work, far from being the short straw we actually think we hit the jackpot each year. January in Europe is the time everyone goes back to work to recover from the Christmas and New Year excess, once the Russian New Year is over the slopes are empty, everyone relaxes a little after the frantic busy festive period and there is time for a chat with shopkeepers and business owners.

This last week has been January at its' best in Meribel. The sun has shone every day and the snow is in perfect condition right across the Three Valleys. We have skied empty slopes, lift queues are non existent and there has been time to finally unravel the mystery of that red crocodile which we posted about back in December. The Crocodile is part of the "Monumental Works " Exhibition which has resulted in a wide range of pieces of art appearing in the villages and on the mountains around the resort. This is not a new idea in Courchevel and certainly adds interest and puts a new perspective on the amazing scenery which nature has provided. Here are a few snaps of other pieces in the Exhibition we have seen while skiing this week

In addition to these amazing pieces some of the bubbles on the Gondola lifts have become moving pieces of art painted by a selection of 20 major artists. We will try and catch a couple of those this week and report back.

Weather and more weather

An extraordinary amount of snow has fallen in Meribel since the second week of December but the last 24 hours has still caused surprise. Yesterday morning we skied on a soft layer of fresh snow in reasonable visibility on the lower slopes of the valley. 

Limited visibility especially higher up

In the afternoon we crossed over to Courchevel and by the time we had decided the visibility was not too great and the wind was increasing the lifts had started to close. As a result we endured a difficult descent from Saulire in high winds and almost zero visibility. By the time we reached Les Allues heavy snow was falling and abandoned vehicles were blocking the road. News from  Val d’Isère  was that the road from Bourg St Maurice was closed due to high winds and avalanche risk, by the early hours of the morning the storm reached Meribel causing mini cyclones of wind blown snow up and down the main street in Les Allues. At 4.00am power was cut and by morning everyone was realising how dependent they were on electricity and mobile phone connection.

Early morning snow clearing required to free the residents from this Les Allues Apartment

Sitting at home in the decreasing temperature seemed pointless so we set off for Meribel Village and skied away a couple of hours in soft fresh snow which continued to be topped up with ongoing fresh snowfalls. Loud explosions reverberated around the valley as the Pisteurs blast away the potential avalanche risk. Off Piste today was rated 5/5 which is extremely dangerous due to the amount of fresh snow and the added danger caused by the effect of the high wind overnight.
The following pictures were all taken around the Altiport and Meribel Village, not too many people about but an awful lot of snow. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Something a bit different

This week we have been seeing The Three Valleys from a new angle. With our Apartments fully booked we took the opportunity to do something a bit different which finds us directly across the valley from Courchevel in a delightful place by the name of Tincave which sits in the sun (when it’s not snowing) above Bozel. 

This excellent location can make for a difficult decision for skiers – do we head straight across to Le Praz for a quick entry into Courchevel and the Three Valleys within 20 minutes or do we drive 15 minutes around the corner to Champagny en Vanoise  to access to the Paradiski ski domaine via La Plagne? For non skiers it doesn’t get any easier – a snow shoe walk in beautiful surroundings or an afternoon by the cosy open fire?

The view from the apartments across to Le Praz, Courchevel 1550 and 1650

For a larger group or just for 2 people the Apartments we stayed in are a great “out of resort” option offering more space than you will often find in a resort centre but still putting you within striking distance of the great skiing this area has on offer. Tincave is a beautiful little village, take a look at the Apartments we stayed in then go and discover it for yourself.

http://www.ski-courchevel.org/index.html

Christmas in Meribel

Despite the weather forecast Christmas Eve in Meribel brought even more snow and a nasty northerly wind which nearly blew us clean off the Tougnete ridge. A half day ski was enough and although the weather did break at about 4.00pm that was too late for most people who had moved on to more festive pursuits. Santa made an appearance on a horse drawn sleigh and there was singing in the square outside the Tourist Office.


Christmas is a time when many people in Meribel are here for family reasons and not everyone is keen to ski or snowboard all day. Despite being a ski resort Meribel offers many other pursuits one of the most popular being walking on well marked and well cared for routes which criss cross the resort. Most paths can be accessed from car park and bus stop areas although some require the use of a ski lift and the sight of "Pietons" on chairlifts is not unusual. A walk through the upper area of the Altiport last week showed just how deep the last snowfall was, as you can see from this picture a snow shovel would be required before any picnics could take place here.

Christmas Day brought what most people were hoping for - a beautiful bright sunny day. We took advantage of the great conditions and skied the low areas of Courchevel including La Tania and 1550. Until well into the afternoon the pistes were blissfully quiet, this shot was taken at the top of the Renard Piste in the Meribel valley. Where is everyone? Perhaps eating and drinking their way through Christmas.

Merry Christmas from Chalet Vache Bleue