Category Archives: Christmas Val d’Isere

Our luxury chalets mix skiing with the festivities

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It’s Christmas Time, mistletoe and wine…  Val d’Isere is always a magical place to visit, but for our guests arriving on the 23rd December we promise a Christmas to remember.

With the smell of mulled wine, mincemeat pies and an array of festive treats to greet them, guests will arrive to afternoon tea served with our premier champagne (for those ready to kick the festivities off immediately)!

At Le Chardon our ethos is to make Christmas as individual as the guests we spend it with. We like to know about the preferences of each group in advance so that our catering fits around their traditions.

On Christmas Eve, Val d’Isere hosts its weekly street party with music, entertainment, ice carving, vin chaud and lots of stalls.  This is a great event for families and lots of fun.  However, for our European guests who exchange gifts on Christmas Eve and have their main meal during this evening, they will forgo this and wait for the Christmas Day events instead.  A little different to our UK families who tend to hold off all celebrations until the 25th December.

Although the chalets are decorated in preparation for our guests arrival, inside we hold back a few Christmas tree decorations for our younger guests who enjoy adding a final touch to finish off the Christmas cheer – especially when those last few decorations are edible and just high enough for little arms to reach.

Each chalet is managed independently in terms of how Christmas is planned.  Some guests enjoy a little fizz with their breakfast and may make time for present opening in the morning.  Others choose to open presents later in the day and make the most of the skiing.It really depends on the family and what they want to do.  We are very flexible about fitting in with individual traditions and plan our catering around our guests’ day.

Most guests will go skiing at some point though on Christmas Day and generally we prepare for an early dinner around 5pm.  This arrangement suits those who look forward to spending a good portion of the day skiing.  In Val, the pistes, bars, shops, restaurants…. everything is open as normal on Christmas day, so there are never any issues should anyone get stuck on the mountain.

It’s hard to convey the real magic of skiing on Christmas day when traditionally this is a day of so little activity.  You are also acutely aware that waiting for you back at the chalet is the smell of Christmas dinner-  and by the time you have finished on the mountain and relaxed in the hot tub your appetite is more than ready for the feast to come.

A fabulous firework display lights up the Val d’Isere sky on the evening of Christmas day, a spectacular way to end the most perfect of days.  Except if any guest would like to go to midnight mass, drivers are on-call to take them and bring them back to the chalet.

The key to making Christmas so special in our chalets is that we offer guests exactly what they want and are as flexible as possible on meal times and what we serve.  I guess just like each of our own families, we all have different traditions we like to adhere to over the festive period and they become part of what makes our family memories.  More often than not they have been handed down through the generations and will continue to be long into the future. This is what we try to replicate in our chalets.

Merry Christmas to all our guests, friends of Le Chardon and staff.  Here’s to a great 2013 for one and all.

(Mistletoe image from www.altogetherchristmas.com, other images from Le Chardon luxury chalets)

When in Val d’Isere, ski in style

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With Christmas only a week away are you organised with everyone’s present beautifully wrapped under the tree or are you still hunting the shops and internet looking for some inspiration?

Well, we reviewed a variety of helmet webcams back in November thinking these would make a fabulous Christmas gift for the discerning skier.  But with winter here and the slopes filling up with skiing and snowboarding aficionados, we felt it was time to take a look at what’s new on the market with a view to skiing in style this season.  You never know, you might just find the inspiration for those last Christmas presents!

As always, with new technologies and inventions, once you have worked out how to use them they become so much a part of the whole skiing experience – usually because they take the exertion out of skiing which makes it so much more fun.

Technology to the Rescue

Not only have skis and boots improved dramatically over the past couple of decades making skiing less arduous, but combined with the following little gems, skiing is just not as we once knew it:

Ever get tired of hauling your skis around, possibly having them wear you out just as you get to the slopes? Then the answer is Porta Ski, an ingenious device which allows you to slip your skis into its designated slots, with wheels on the bottom that allow you to pull them with you anywhere you need to go, even on snow.

Lugging your ski boots around can also become uncomfortable. The solution is the Skiboot Bag, which comes in different sizes, allowing you to haul your ski boots in style, but also to add your ski helmet, goggles and gloves if you want. It is based on the same principles as a modern piece of luggage, with a retractable handle and high-quality wheels to ensure a smooth glide anywhere you go.

Nobody wants to leave their smart phone behind when they go skiing. For one thing, they may want to be in touch with friends or loved ones whilst on the mountain, either alerting them that they are going to be a little late returning, or possibly to connect so that they can meet somewhere along the slopes or organise a driver to collect them at the end of the day. Putting your smart phone in a jacket pocket is not the best solution as you may not hear the phone ring and certainly can’t check for text messages or e-mails easily. The solution is the iPhone Scarf. It wraps comfortably around your neck with a transparent cover for your smart phone, allowing it to be used as normal, including taking pictures easily.

Talking of mobile phones.  We all know how annoying it can be to use one as your main camera and then find just when you want to use it as a phone there is no reception. Well, this new travel gadget might just be the best thing to carry for constant connectivity. The SoPOT Connect, Satellite Communicator device pairs with your smartphone and connects to a global satellite network that allows you to send messages and GPS coordinates from absolutely anywhere.  Now you can send those skiing pics straight to Twitter and Facebook regardless of where you are on the mountain.

At the risk of turning this post into a smart phone skiing update, there is one last update for the iPhone users amongst you.  The AlpineReplay free app allows you to track your day on the mountain measuring speed, distance, verticals, calories and more. This App can separate your runs, tell you which chair lifts you’ve taken, clock your time on the chairlift and lots more. We can’t wait to try it.  Get a basic set of stats right on the slope or log in at AlpineReplay to see your progress over the season, compare with friends, push your stats to Facebook, and Replay your runs in 3D. Fantastic.

Once our lovely boot warmers have worn off, there is nothing worse than cold feet whilst skiing. A new product from ThermaCELL will keep your feet continuously warm during the coldest ride on a chair lift.  These heated insoles use advanced heat technology to maintain a steady temperature inside your shoes or boots via a high-tech wireless remote, and last for up to five hours.

If you’re a beginner, or perhaps a little rusty having not skied for a few years, you may not really need a lesson, but it might pay to revisit the basics. One of the most important aspects of skiing is how you hold your ski poles correctly as this can impact your overall skiing efficiency. A product called Pole Position is just a simple strap which fits comfortably into your pocket when not in use. But when you deploy it, it actually connects your ski poles, improving your overall posture, as well as your balance.   Great for improving your proficiency quickly.

We’ll keep researching.  As guests arrive with great little gadgets and new pieces of equipment we’ll be sure to share.  If you have any tips or products you have come across whilst on a skiing holiday dive in and comment.

As well as welcoming comments on our blog we keep an active Facebook presence, so feel free to “Like” us there too.

(Image source for helmet camera: http://www.sportsandfitnessideas.com/sports/skiing/freestyle/best-helmet-cameras-skiers)

 

Ski Helmet Cameras – the perfect gift this Christmas

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As a dedicated skier or snowboarder you can build up a plethora of skiing attire, gadgets and accessories.  And, as fashions change and new technologies emerge, it can be fun to try out different pieces of equipment.  The biggest challenge can be finding the time to research what you need.  However we are thinking ahead, and with Christmas looming and gift hunting becoming a necessity, we decided to share our friends Harry and Alex’s conclusions about one little item we believe makes a cracking Christmas gift: the ski helmet head camera.

Considering these guys have only just started to wear helmets (role model to the children last year/wouldn’t be without it this season and nasty little head injury respectively) and that their needs are so different, their camera choices make interesting reading.

Like us, you may have watched the footage from these head cameras on YouTube – crazy fellas who make extreme skiing highly entertaining    Great fun, even if freestyling off the top of a Glacier is not on your top ten things to do in Val d’Isere.  What you can do with these head camera is capture a lot of fun and good memories.  After all, skiing and cameras have not gone well together traditionally!

But hmm, where to start?  As with all gadgets, the products range from the simplistic through to those that use a lipstick lens to hook up to a camcorder and on to the top of the range products with their faster video speeds, software upgrades, HD and longer battery lives.

Now, our ski guys are quite different in many ways,  Harry is a 40 something father who likes design and branding (addicted to Apple products) and prefers gadgets that are intuitive to use and ideally wants a great user experience over a high end specification.  Then there is Alex, a 28 year old who is passionate about snowboarding and is going to take this camera off-piste at every opportunity pushing it to the limit but doesn’t have the biggest of budgets to play with.

They narrowed down their search to the following and with Christmas in mind, their choices seem pretty darn good.

The smart, high quality ski head cam

The iOn Air Pro wifi, with its 1080p wide angle video, wifi streaming, 5 MP camera and 8GB cloud storage was the baby for our design conscious dad.  In fact, he said it felt so super light and the footage samples were so good that it really ticked all his boxes – down to compatibility with the iPhone for live streaming!

Let’s face it, paralleling down the Solaise in Val and having fun with the kids will be where this camera gets most of its action.  With its abilility to add still images and the fact the camera vibrates when recording, Harry said he had found his ideal gadget.  The last thing he wants is to be fooled into thinking he is filming little Johnny explaining his morning lesson’s “pizza” and “chips” only to find footage of his ski boots when back in the chalet.

With its £300 price tag, easy editing and top quality 1080p he has reported it as a perfect Christmas gift for those going on a 2013 skiing holiday. ( image and product  : http://www.actioncameras.co.uk/ion-air-pro-wifi )

 

The hard wearing snowboardable Helmet Camera System

The Tachyon Micro HD came out as the clear favourite by Alex.  He reported back that he had found “one of the toughest, most resilient head cameras around that still produces great video and retails at a great price”.

After googling it, this camera is actually marketed as easy to use, easy to edit and tough – the toughest there is.  I can see why an off-piste snowboarder would snap one up.  He did say the sound had terrible reviews, but went on to explain that most of what is uttered off-piste is either un-recordable or just too highly pitched for comfort – so compromising the sound for the waterproof casing made great sense and I’ll take his word for it :-)

With its 32 GB memory card storage and the fact it has a simple on and off record button and a connecting cable to allow TV viewing, this does seem like the perfect gift for a younger guy/girl and the £130 price tag isn’t quite so steep as our dad’s choice.  ( image and product : http://www.tachyoninc.com/resell-uk-asp-trading.html )

 

The girls choice

We started to get quite excited at the prospect of filming ourselves swishing down the Glacier and did our own bit of research on head cams.  Funny really but our product of choice was a little different: these goggles with their built in camera look just fabulous.

We could see great potential with these, swapping them around our group of friends to ensure everyone got in on the action.   The selling points for us included ease of use even with ski gloves on, and the one button recording – it’s either on or it’s off.   They are snow proof, so no worries about taking a tumble and the camera supports SD cards up to 32GB so you can record hours of fun. Downloading the results onto the chalet TV, we could see great entertainment of an evening scoring each other’s skiing technique!

At £99, these look like good all round fun and are definitely on our radar this Christmas.  http://www.sport-cam.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=SkiHD

Let us know if you have invested in head camera technology and what you think of it – if you have edited footage, do share the URL below or post it on our Facebook page.

 

( Main image source: http://www.sportsandfitnessideas.com/sports/skiing/freestyle/best-helmet-cameras-skiers )

Chalet Special Offer – Pre Christmas Stay

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SPECIAL OFFER! Our largest lodge, Chalet Le Chardon, is available for a short stay of 5 nights arriving on Sunday 18th December and departing on Friday 23rd December. It is just perfect for those of you who wish to enjoy a mini ski holiday in Val d’Isere during the magical Christmas season festivities but want to be back at home for Christmas Day.

Chalet Le Chardon has 10 ensuite bedrooms and sleeps up to 20 guests. The stay includes a private chef, chauffeur, hot tubs, swim spa, in-chalet ski equipment fitting, luxury bathroom products, Concierge Service and is fully catered.

We are offering this stay at the special price of £15,000.

Please contact our Sales Team for further information and booking.

Further Reductions on Christmas Skiing Val d’Isere

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We’ve just reduced the price of our stunning chalet Kilimanjaro, which sleeps 8, to just £10,000 for the week beginning 19 December. This discount of almost 50% gives you exceptional value on a luxury skiing holiday in one of the top ski resorts in the world.

Val d’Isere is a mecca for skiers and snowboarders alike at all levels of ability. For non-skiers or days when you’d like to try something else, there is a huge selection of activities in Val d’Isere to choose from. Ranging from the unique, ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences like ice diving or an igloo evening, to resort-based activities such as horse-riding or a massage, you’re sure to find something you like.

Christmas in Val d’Isere is a completely magical experience, complete with Christmas market, ice sculptures, street entertainments and a visit by Santa for the children. Definitely not to be missed.

Christmas Skiing in Val d’Isere

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At Le Chardon we go to every effort to guarantee that your Christmas is festive, fun and stress-free, so for a magical and memorable Christmas ski holiday why not get in touch? We pride ourselves on attention to detail, personal service and extra touches which all add to the enjoyment of your holiday.

When you arrive and catch the first glimpse of your chalet, you will see that the exterior, and a number of  surrounding trees, are lit by twinkling fairy lights, creating an enchanting setting amidst the snow. Inside, all our chalets are magnificently adorned with trees, lights and decorations.  The Christmas tree, a real fir, can be decorated before you arrive or we can leave it for the children to decorate on your arrival.

Of course Father Christmas will make an appearance on Christmas day, at a time to suit you (he’s very accommodating), with a sack full of goodies for the children.  You may prefer the main meal at lunch; or you may prefer dinner to be served.  We are very flexible both in the timing and the menu, and will liase with you in advance to ensure that everyone in your party is delighted with the menu. You can rest assured that your talented and experienced chef will serve up a delicious and exquisitely presented Christmas dinner.

There are just 2 chalets still available for Christmas week; La Bergerie and Kilimanjaro.

La Bergerie for 10 people, on the site of a 17th century shepherd’s hut, retains many original features. The beautiful spacious living/dining area is warm and welcoming with an open log fire. The floor to ceiling windows offer amazing views, and the secluded hot tub and terrace are also perfect places to relax and watch the sun set. The cinema room comes complete with a Nintendo wii, and there is also a massage room for physiotherapy treatments.

Kilimanjaro for 8 people is also a stunning chalet, elegantly finished with warm Italian tiles and 200 year old reclaimed wood. Like La Bergerie, the private terrace and hot tub enjoy spectacular views, making for an ideal place to relax and enjoy a glass of champagne after a day on the slopes. The huge, open plan living area is fabulous, with deep sofas, a roaring fire and soft textured furnishings.

Each chalet is fully catered and comes with a range of chalet services to ensure your skiing trip is restful, relaxed and enjoyable.

Choose French Ski Chalets for Christmas Skiing

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Christmas ski holidays in Val d’Isere are, quite simply, unforgettable.  The traditional Savoyard houses clustered around the 17th century church create an enchanting setting for the village festivities. From the third week of December to the first week of January, the village comes alive with sparkling fairy lights, a bustling Christmas market, ice sculptures and snowmen, and children’s shows.

Every Thursday evening during the festivities period, the centre of Val d’Isère becomes a wonderland of street entertainments, including parades, music and fireworks. There are always lots of things going on to keep the children happy.

Of course no Christmas would be complete without a visit from Father Christmas, who appears in a horse-drawn sleigh to everyone’s delight. All in all, Val d’Isere at Christmas is a magical experience.  Yet more magical is returning to one of our five luxury ski chalets for a soak in the hot tub followed by champagne and canapés before dinner.

So, why not treat yourself and your loved ones to one of the best luxury ski holidays you’ll ever experience.  We’ll arrange everything down to the finest detail, and you can take the credit for a stress-free, relaxing and fun time.  Our experienced chefs will cater to all your likes and preferences, we will also arrange for a selection of ski equipment to be brought to you so you may choose in the comfort of your chalet.

As one of the top high-altitude ski resorts in Europe, Val d’Isere has a longer ski season than most, so you will be able to enjoy some great skiing too.

We look forward to seeing you.

Christmas in Val d’Isere

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If you’d like to treat yourself and your loved ones to one of the most luxurious skiing holidays they’ll ever experience, look no further than Le Chardon.  We’ll arrange everything down to the finest detail, and you can take the credit for a stress-free, relaxing and fun time.  Our experienced chefs will cater to all your likes and preferences, a selection of ski equipment will be brought to you so you may choose in the comfort of your chalet.  Even getting to the slopes is pure enjoyment as all our chalets are in prime locations for ski in, ski out access.

Christmas ski holidays in Val d’Isere are truly magical and memorable.  The traditional Savoyard buildings clustered around the church create the perfect setting for the festivities you can enjoy when not on the slopes.  The village celebrations run from 21st December to 4th January:   magical fairy lights, a Christmas market, snowmen, children’s shows and a visit from Father Christmas all join together to make Val d’Isere at Christmas an enchanting experience.  More magical still is returning to your luxury catered Le Chardon chalet for a soak in the hot tub followed by champagne and canapés before dinner.

Getting to Val d’Isere is now even easier, with a choice of airlines flying to Grenoble, Geneva, Chambery or Lyon from many UK airports or if you prefer to let the train take the strain, the nearest station, Bourg St Maurice, is only a 20 minute taxi ride from Val d’Isere.

Festive Highlights to come:

Premieres Traces / First Lines
The jitters about the recent mild weather have been quelled by heavy snowfall in the last couple of days.  More snow is forecast, so the excitement is steadily building, with a real party atmosphere in the town.  The opening weekend on 28th-29th November, ‘Premieres Traces’ (First Lines, promises to be a big success.  Make sure you try out all the big-name brands of skis and snowboards on offer.  These include Atomic, Black Crowes, Dynstar, Elan, Fischer, Head, K2, Kastle, Movement, Nordica, Rossignol, Roxy, Salomon, Scott and Volkl for skis.  Snowboarders will also be able to take their pick from Apo,  Arbor, Burton, NDK, Nitro and Ride.  There will be music, mulled wine and a range of fun activities for everyone.

This year sees the 54th Critérium de la Premiere Neige (‘the first races of the new snow’), with the men’s events taking place on 11th-13th December and the women’s on 18th-20th December 2009.  There will be 6 Alpine World Cup Ski events and masses of entertainment for everyone.

Le Chardon Mountain Lodges

Luxury catered ski chalets Val d’Isere