Fête de la Transhumance: Tradition in Val d’Isere

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Lewis P

A huge part of the appeal for many visitors to Val d’Isere is its inherently contradictory nature. When in season, the commune has much in common with most major ski resorts, offering a varied night life playing host to countless international guests, many of whom arrive armed with the latest equipment and technology.

However, in spite of all its dynamic goings on, a sense of history nevertheless pervades the area. This could be attributed to the to the surrounding mountains steeped in history. Yet it’s not just their age, so much as the way that they envelop and form a barrier between us and the rest of the world that brings this history to life.

However much we insist on equipping ourselves with all the latest communication devices, Val d’Isere always feels far removed from the rest of civilisation, at once modern yet unspoiled. Continue reading “Fête de la Transhumance: Tradition in Val d’Isere” »

Ski apps to play with before your next ski holiday

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Lewis P

In our last blog entry, we wrote about the holiday industry’s never ending commitment to ensuring the safety of its guests and concluded that, while health and safety is one of our top priorities, those who enjoy the mountains ultimately have a personal responsibility to look out for themselves and their companions.

This is where innovations such as the new iSis app come in. Continue reading “Ski apps to play with before your next ski holiday” »

Enjoy great skiing, snowboarding and live music at The BRITS

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Valdisere Chalets

Not to be confused with the similarly named UK music awards, The BRITS is Europe’s original winter festival and offers unrivalled opportunities for entertainment and relaxation. It’s unlikely that attendees will at any point be subjected to the sight of Jarvis Cocker’s malnourished rear end, find themselves embroiled in a feud with Liam Gallagher or incur the wrath of Adele. Instead, they can expect to enjoy breathtaking views, stunning slopes, the finest refreshments and late night live sets from a host of world class DJs and performers. The festival offers an impressive week’s worth of activities and can only be enhanced by a stay at one of our luxury catered ski chalets in Val d’Isere.

The BRITS is perhaps best known for its winter sports championships and the high standard of talent that these attract. Any British national can enter in the hope of achieving athletic glory, the most prestigious being the Slopestyle Championship, a celebration of aerial acrobatics certain to result in an adrenaline rush for both competitors and spectators alike. The Trespass Cross event was the most watched at the 2010 Winter Olympics and has been a phenomenally popular draw at The BRITS ever since, while the Dare2b British Half Pipe Championship is set to be equally unmissable. To cap things off, a new contest designed to test the prowess of daredevil British jibbers debuts this year.

If all of the above sounds a bit too daunting, then fear not. The beauty of The BRITS is that it offers something to enthusiasts of all skill sets. Festival wrist bands and lift passes offer week long access to numerous slopes of varying difficulty, while its musical programme has been designed to engender communal good times. The atmosphere of London eight piece Lazy Habits’ gigs has been compared to that of “the best house party that your parents never wanted you to have,” while a Back to the 90s disco will provide the perfect opportunity for many festival goers to relive their best years. Just be sure to pack your Adidas Originals in with your skis and snowboard.

Based in Tignes, an attractive commune nestled within the Tarentaise Valley, the festival’s hive of activity is but a brief distance from Val d’Isere, both settlements comprising the famed Espace Killy ski area. However, while seven days of uninterrupted revelry from 23 March 2013 doubtless appeals to many, our catered ski chalets in Val d’Isere mean that guests can choose when and for how long they wish to commute over to Tignes for a little Brits mayhem and use our designated drivers to take the pain out of skiing there and back.

Image source:
www.the-brits.com
www.lechardonvaldisere.com

5 Tips for successful corporate skiing trips

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Valdisere Chalets

Taking clients away to a luxury ski resort is a great way to cement existing business relationships. However, when you’re making the leap from the boardroom to the slopes, there are a number of things you’ll need to consider.

The resort

When you’re planning on taking clients away, the ski resort you choose will be influential in the overall success or failure of your trip. If you’re looking to entertain clients on a weekend ski break, perception is everything.

For example, if you book a lesser known ski resort, the perception could be you don’t value them as one of your top clients.

Other factors to bear in mind are the location of the resort to your client’s home or offices and whether or not they’ve previously been to the resort you’ve got in mind. For example, if your clients are based in the north east of Italy, Val d’Isere in France could be a good resort choice.

Skiing ability

Another factor worth considering is the range of skiing abilities within the group. The last thing you want is to have one of your clients who’s a complete novice skier going away with a group of advanced skiers. Skiing ability is obviously reflected by the choice of slope at the resort and it would be unfortunate if one of your group was left isolated due to having a different level of competence on the snow.

Accommodation

The accommodation is another crucial part of any corporate skiing trip to get right. Some clients may be happy for everyone to stay together under the same roof in a luxurious chalet, while others could be more reserved and expect their own private sleeping quarters.

Based on your existing relationship with the client, you should already have a feel for what’s most appropriate. If you’re planning on booking a catered chalet, it can be beneficial and more sociable if everyone has dinner together in the evening after a hard day’s skiing.

As with your choice of resort, the accommodation you book your clients into will speak volumes about how much you value them. First impressions count, even on corporate skiing trips.

Convenience

It’s not just your time at the ski resort you have to think about. It’s also important to focus on the other little details that can make a big difference to your clients. For example, how close is the accommodation to the slopes? How will your clients get from the airport to the resort? Have you arranged lift passes in advance so you don’t have to queue to get on the slopes every day?

On-site assistance

When you’re organising a corporate ski trip, it’s good to have someone on the ground in the resort who knows how everything runs. Things such as making dinner reservations at the best resort restaurants or arranging a local musician to come and play for your guests are all made easier by having someone at the ski resort with local knowledge looking after you.

A corporate skiing trip should be an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. By taking the time to plan properly and follow the steps mentioned above, your time away on the slopes with clients is sure to be successful.

Image credits: www.morguefile.com

Great food can make all the difference to skiing performance

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Bella

Energy and lots of it is required when exploring the spectacular snow covered slopes of the popular ski resort of Val d’Isere. Preparing for a ski trip by being physically fit as well as enjoying a healthy, nutritious diet both before departure and at the resort can make all the difference to the whole skiing experience. At the luxuryLe Chardon catered ski chalets located in the private area of La Legettaz in Val d’Isere, cuisine is of paramount importance, with locally sourced fresh gastronomic food and fine wines available. Each chalet has a personal chef who designs delicious menus and creates splendid meals for visitors.

Being exposed to higher altitudes means the air is dryer, so when out all day on the slopes it is so important to keep hydrated by drinking lots of water. Drinking water will re-hydrate the body and keep energy levels high reducing the risk of a mid-morning or afternoon dip. The ideal way to start the day in preparation of being on the snow is to have a healthy filling breakfast, which will keep the body and muscles fuelled all morning. Carbohydrates are an excellent source of energy and also a great choice for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.

Come lunch-time, the body is ready for a balanced meal combining lean protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats which provide the vital ingredients to keep energy levels up until it’s time to head back for a well deserved rest and a tasty evening meal. To re-charge the muscles after a long day out on the snow, nothing beats a soak in an outdoor hot tub. From there you can relax and take in the stunning scenery from a different point of view whilst you recall the twists and turns of the day and plan tomorrow’s adventures. To enjoy the ultimate skiing and food experience in Val d’Isere, visit Le Chardon to find out more about a luxury ski break in one of the leading French ski resorts.

Image credits: http://www.lechardonvaldisere.com

The Height of Ski Chalet Luxury On Top of the World

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Valdisere Chalets

There are only 5 weeks to go until the ski season officially opens in Val d’Isere (Dec 1st) and already we are hitting fever pitch at Le Chardon HQ.

Luxury Ski Chalets Sauna

The snow is out and proud; chalets are being aired and spruced up; menus are being planned and speciality orders are being shipped.

In our consistent determination to thrill and astound, we are always on the look out for new ways to make your ski holiday even more spectacular. Therefore …

Announcing Le Chardon Wellness Areas

We are delighted to announce not one, but two fantastic new additions to the luxury experience at Le Chardon Mountain Lodges. The New Wellness Areas in Lafitenia (sleeps 12) and Chardon (sleeps 20).

Go on, feast your eyes:

Luxury Ski Chalet Sauna

The Wellness Areas consist of the most high tech luxurious massage areas with ambient music, gentle lighting, saunas, showers and an atmosphere in which to properly indulge.

After a hard day of skiing, what better way to relax than in one of the chalets’ outdoor hot tubs or indoor saunas with a glass of champagne and some tasty nibbles.

For those interested in even more indulgence, our concierge service will organise a massage with one of our physiotherapists or one of the in-resort beauticians who will happily visit you in the comfort of your own chalet. Yoga and Pilates can also be arranged in the chalets or a short chauffeur driven drive away you can visit one of the many spas in town.

The Height of Beauty & Relaxation

It’s official – Val d’Isere is France’s Leading Ski Resort for Winter 2012 / 13. And it’s easy to see why. Not just the fabulous night life and fashionable apres-ski but on skiing credentials alone, it certainly kicks the competitor resort’s respective butts.

Between Val d’Isere and Tignes (both of which lie on the Espace Killy) there are 300 km of trails connected by 90 modern ski lifts (2 trains, 8 gondolas, 44 chair ski lifts and 36 button and anchor lifts); 131 categorized ski trail (16 of them black, 35 red, 60 blue, 20 green) and two snow-parks.

All this is provided by the help of 61 snowcats, 109 ski patrols 300 ski lift workers and 331 snow guns.

Impressive stats for those who like stats. But the essence of why groups and families come to Le Chardon time and time again is because of our attention to detail. Our ability to anticipate your next request and the top quality concierge service are the mantras by which we live.

No Task Too Big, Too Small or Too High

You need to be picked up at two in the morning? The children would like the latest Wii games? Somebody has a midnight craving for peanut butter? You would like some in-chalet entertainment?

Well, that’s all in a day’s work for our dedicated front of house staff in Val d’Isere. And there’s no need to stand around trying to make arrangements with this company or that organisation, our people are trained to deal with every eventuality. They even have “peanut butter” on speed dial at the ski chalets.

With that in mind, we would like to offer some more fantastic bargains for the forthcoming winter season 2013.

Please feel free to share this information to those in need of a solid bargain at this time of the year.

Summer 2012 was a bit of a wash-out so if you want to catch some extraordinary rays of sunshine, exhilaration and sheer joy, follow us on Facebook or pick up the phone.

Hot Deals for Chilled Ski Chalet Holidays Winter 2012 / 13

We’ve got a grand total of three crazy hot deals for this season. One for Short Breaks, once for Sole Occupancy Bookings and one for Shared Bookings.

1. Short Breaks

16^th – 20^th December ….. 4 nights ….. Chalet Chardon ….. £13,900 ….. (£695 x 20 guests)

10^th – 13^th January ….. 3 nights …..Chalet Chardon ….. £11,900 ….. (£595 x 20 guests)

7^th – 10^th February ….. 3 nights ….. Chalet Kilimanjaro ….. £5560 ….. (£695 x 8 guests)

21^st – 25^th April ….. 4 nights ….. Chalet Bergerie ….. £4950 ….. (£495 x 10 guests)

2. Sole Occupancy Ski Chalets

6^th – 13^th January 2013 there are huge discounts on sole occupancy chalets
Kilimanjaro, sleeps 8 now £11,600 was £20,920
Bergerie, sleeps 10 now £12,500 was £22,500
Mistral, sleeps 14 now £17,500 was £31,500
Chardon, sleeps 20 now £25,000 was £48,000

3. Shared Chalets, savings of £300 – £700pp depending on dates

Dates	Chalet	Price
4^th - 8^th December	Mistral	£595pp (4 nights)
8^th – 15^th December	Mistral	£995pp
15^th – 22^nd December	Bergerie	£1,250pp
6^th – 13^th January	Mistral or Chardon	from £1,250pp
13^th – 20^th January	Mistral	£1,250pp
27^th Jan – 3^rd Feb	Chardon	from £1,250pp
3^rd – 10^th February	Chardon	from £1,250pp
14^th – 21^st April	Chardon	from £1,250pp
21^st – 28^th April	All chalets	£995pp

For shared chalets, prices are based on 2 sharing and include:

7 nights luxury accommodation (unless otherwise stated)
Dedicated service from chalet staff and daily housekeeping
Pre-arrival and in-resort concierge
Breakfast cooked to order and afternoon tea daily
Champagne and canapés plus gourmet evening meal (6 nights) with wines, beers and soft drinks
Children’s lunch and dinner if required
In-resort chauffeur service (8am – 2am)
International newspapers
Fresh flowers
Luxury bathroom products
Hairdryers, bathrobes and slippers
Ski snacks, water and sunscreen
Satellite TV, DVD, Wi-Fi and PC
Comprehensive winter sports travel insurance

Over To YOU

Need anything else? Don’t hesitate to call us on +44 131 209 7969, email enquiries@lechardonvaldisere.com or follow us on Facebook

Equally, if you know anybody else who may be interested in these incredible early season deals, do share the info. They’re bound to be very grateful for the insider tip.

Le Chardon’s House Champagne

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Penny Thomson

Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut is our house champagne of choice. We have favoured Perrier-Jouet for our guests for years and last season we hosted Perrier-Jouet UK for an educational champagne tasting supper which was a superb success. Our guests certainly love the champagne!

Perrier-Jouet is a champagne producer in the Épernay region of Champagne. The house was founded in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas-Marie Perrier-Jouët and produces both vintage and non vintage cuvee and around 3 million bottles annually. Perrier-Jouet owns an impressive 266 acres of vineyard in the Champagne region. One of the world’s oldest champagnes, a Perrier-Jouet Vintage 1825, was opened, tasted and celebrated in 2009.

The history of the 200 year old champagne house began when a local cork merchant Pierre-Nicolas married Adèle Jouët in 1811. They celebrated their marriage by founding a champagne house. Perrier-Jouet champagne soon became highly prestigious with followers including Queen Victoria, Napoleon III and King Leopold of Belgium.

The family business has since been passed through the generations building the reputation of the house and expanding their produce. First the Brut, then a Vintage then the Belle Epoque were created. The inspiration for the beautiful design of the Belle Epoque bottle was the discovery of a bottle, dating from 1902, found gathering dust in a cupboard. The bottle featured artwork by the now renowned glassmaker Emile Gallé. Gallé had created this bottle at the request of the house to celebrate the 1890s but it was never used. The first Vintage of Belle Epoque, a Brut, was the 1964. It was followed by the Belle Epoque Rose in the 1976 Vintage and then by the precious Belle Epoque Blanc de Blancs of which only a limited number of bottles are produced and exported.

At Le Chardon our guests enjoy Perrier-Jouet champagne, with all its history and beauty, with canapes each evening before sitting down to dinner.

Bonne santé!

Penny, Le Chardon Mountain Lodges

http://www.lechardonvaldisere.com/

Still snowing

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Valdisere Chalets

With fresh snowfalls all last week, the skiing at Val d’Isere is still stunning, especially on the higher slopes. The weather is beginning to break up now, but all that late-season snow proves that booking a holiday in one of the higher resorts really does pay off for Easter and spring skiers and boarders.

It’s not just the snow that’s still great: the shopping and nightlife are still humming, snow-shoe treks are hopping, the Mono Ski World Championships have only just left town and, while the company may be thinning, there are still enough folk around to give the place a buzz.

Later on in the year, of course, Val d’Isere is a great place for hill-walkers, with miles of trails around the valleys. The place is hardly recognizable if you’re used to its winter appearance, but has a different beauty: wildflowers and greenery under the famous Val sunshine and bright blue skies. There are fewer people around and the pace is slower – for some that’s reason enough to hire a luxury chalet during the summer.

Val d’Isere April Shared Chalet Offer at Le Chardon

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Penny Thomson

SPECIAL OFFER! We have a superb Split Week offer during April. For those who wish to book a chalet room in a shared chalet rather than a full chalet for exclusive use then this is the perfect ski experience to enjoy the luxury and service of Le Chardon for superb value.

During April we are offering a 7 night stay for £995 per person arriving 8 April, 15 April or 22 April based on 2 guests sharing a room.

Perfect for a special romantic mountain retreat, for a small group of friends or small family the stay includes a private chef, catering, in-resort chauffeur, Concierge Service and luxury bathroom products.

Having had a record amount of snow, Val d’Isere has retained an excellent base of snow for a long ski season and continues to have great sunshine! Perfect for April skiing.

Contact our Sales Team for availability and booking on 0131 209 7969.

Le Chardon Mountain Lodges featured on www.bahighlife.com

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Penny Thomson

British travel journalist Sara Lawrence visited our chalets in December and wrote a wonderful article about her experience for British Airways.

Sara wrote “Luxury and relaxation are the buzzwords here…Leaving – you just won’t want to.”

http://www.bahighlife.com/Hotels-And-Spas/France-Le-Chardon-Mountain-Lodges.html

Chalets in Val d'isere – luxury catered ski accommodation

5 luxurious ski chalets in Val D'isere, France

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