Issue 4 - Winter 2014/15 - Morzine Source Magazine

WINTER 14/15 - F RE E

win A jone snowb

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oard

Jenny Jones - life after sochi

The Ski Instructor Debate Mini Shredders + plus

Resort Activities, News & Events The Source Service Awards

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Best dressed wins a bottle of Champagne!

Book online www.themountainmeal.com | Email: info@themountainmeal.com | Tel: +33 6 42 33 29 46 /MorzineSourceMagazine

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welcome

Regular readers of Source Magazine will know exactly what to expect when you turn the page.

We’re delighted to bring you the most up to date information on what’s new in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz this winter, and once you’re finished reading the mag, head to the website for our full events guide. We’re also very excited to bring you this 100 page Winter 15 issue on 100% recycled paper. Hopefully you’ll love the feel of it as much as we do!

But before you go any further, we have just one small request. We’d like you to head to the App store on your phone and download the free ‘Ski 2 The Moon’ app. During your holiday / season you can help youth charity Snow-Camp to raise important funds, just by skiing. The app uses Ski Tracks technology to measure the distance you travel on snow, which contributes towards everyone’s efforts in pursuit of the target distance - The Moon! 238,855 miles away!

We’d love to hear your feedback on the magazine, so do drop us a line if you’ve got something to share.

Amie - amie@morzinesourcemagazine.com Sourc e Mag

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pass iteading? on!

Design and reprographics by Cuttin Edge Solutions Ltd: www.cuttin-edge.co.uk / info@cuttin-edge.co.uk Printed in the United Kingdom by the Magazine Printing Company Front cover graphics copyright Morzine Source Magazine Many thanks to the Office de Tourisme in Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz & Portes du Soleil

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Contributors Contents What are you most looking forward to this winter?

Bon Anniversaire Portes du Soleil ................................................................................................. 7

Rob Purver

The Jenny Jones Interview .............................................................................................................................10

Source Magazine Deputy Editor, Getaway Driver and Internet Warrior.

Morzine, Les Gets & Avoriaz Must Do’s ................................................................................... 8

behind the scenes.................................................................................................................................................................. 16 The Source Awards For Excellence ....................................................................................... 22

“First tracks, big slashes and a beard full of snow. It doesn’t get much better than that”

Droning On ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 24

Chloe Hardy

Resort Events................................................................................................................................................................................. 30

Skier & Cooler Magazine Contributor “skiing loads! Doing some Freeride World Qualifiers, doing some filming and just generally having an awesome time!”

Paddy Morris

Speedrider, Ski Instructor & Serial Shirt Wearer

Piste Off – The Ski Instructor Debate ................................................................................... 26

The Mini Shred Movement .................................................................................................................................... 32 Live Like A Local ......................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Split The Difference – The Rise Of Splitboarding........................................................... 38 ski more, hurt less ............................................................................................................................................................... 42 Pretty Fly For A White Guy – Speedriding with Paddy Morris .............. 46 The Source Accommodation Directory ......................................................................... 49

“Hiking some new hills, skiing some new lines, and dodging work as much as possible”

To Buy Or To Build ................................................................................................................................................................. 64

Samuel McMahon

Snohomes Interior Guide .................................................................................................................................... 70

Look Good, Feel Good .............................................................................................................................................. 56

Whitelines Magazine Online Editor

Go Green Or Go Home ...................................................................................................................................................72

“What am I looking forward to most? Riding powder in the trees an hitting pillow lines in Prodains”

The Virtual Ski Guide ....................................................................................................................................................... 74 European Gay Ski Week ............................................................................................................................................... 76 Snowboard Graphics With Adam Haynes ......................................................................78 Greybird Days...................................................................................................................................................................................80 The Woods Hardwear Guide ........................................................................................................................ 84 The Bluffers Guide To Skiing ...................................................................................................................... 88 Source Summer Courses ...................................................................................................................................... 90 Triathlon Fit In 6 Weeks ........................................................................................................................................... 92 WIN A Jones Snowboard........................................................................................................................................ 96

Copyright - Origami Media Ltd Source Magazine is published in the UK by and remains the property of Origami Media Ltd. All material in this magazine is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved by Origami Media Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers.

Dates, information and prices are believed to be correct at the time of going to print but are subject to change and no responsibility is accepted for omissions or errors.

Any correspondence and advertising enquiries should be directed to: info@origami-media.com or visit www.origami-media.com

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Our favourite ski area turns 50 this winter. It’s still one of the l argest connected ski domains in the world and you won’t find a cheaper big area lift pass per skiable kilometer anywhere else.

The ‘main event’ takes place on 17th January with a huge party at 1950m on the Col des Portes du Soleil (descend from the top of the Mossettes into Switzerland on the blue piste and hang a left) to enjoy a free aperitif and live music. On the same day there’s a treasure hunt across the whole ski area, find four markers and you’ll win a 1 day Portes du Soleil lift pass.

challenge by paying €5 for a torch, all proceeds will be donated to charity. To enter visit portesdusoleil.com to register, then collect your torch from the ESF office. If spectating is more your thing, there’ll be snacks, hot drinks and a DJ to keep the crowd warm at the bottom of the Pleney, and the whole event precedes a huge concert in the centre of Morzine from 7pm.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the birthday celebration occurs on the evening of 17th January on the Pleney in Morzine, when there’ll be an attempt to break the world record for the longest ever torch lit tibetan.pdf 1 13/11/2012 10:52 descent, currently standing at 2854 people.

Anyone can join in the

‘Challenge Ski Plus’ is a season-long treasure hunt across the Portes du Soleil. Use your smartphone to hunt for markers and your chance to win next winter’s ski holiday. Download the free app by searching ‘portes du soleil’ in your app store.

The best pop rock bar in Morzine playing music from the 70’s ‘till now

Open from 2pm to 2am every day Happy hour every day from 4pm – 6pm

Follow us on Facebook - /Tibetan-Café-Morzine Follow us on Twitter - @TibetanMorzine

+33 (0) 4 50 75 90 84 www.tibetan-café-morzine.com

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Live music with great bands and musicians Live DJ every evening All sports shown on a large screen

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Just arrived in town and need some tips to get started? here's our handy guide to our favourite must-do activities in Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets.

Let the fun begin!

Morzine

Avoriaz

Family Fun

Family Fun

Morzine is host to its very own ice hockey team - The Penguins! They play several games a week at the Skoda Arena, including friendlies and league games. For an inexpensive and exciting night out for the whole family get down there and show your support. Go Penguins!

Everyone agrees that freestyle is a huge part of modern skiing and snowboarding, so what better way to learn those death-defying manoeuvres than as a family? The Burton Riglet Park in Avoriaz offers all the thrills and spills of the larger snowparks but is a fraction of the size and danger. Also check out the Burton Kids Parkway and the Baby Stash, both of which are situated under the brand new Proclou chairlift.

Mountain Fun The Pointe du Nyon and Chamossiére offer some epic skiing close to home. With the best panoramic views and a selection of fast red and black descents, Morzine’s two largest skiable peaks are not to be missed. The plateau at the top of the Pleney is also the perfect location for a picnic, and provides amazing views of the one and only Mont Blanc.

Food Heading into its second season, the Bec Jaune Brewery serves up a fine selection of excellent homemade and organic food, as well as their own craft beers. With a great selection for carnivores and herbivores alike, it’s a refreshing change from meat, cheese, potatoes and mass-produced lager.

Après Hosting the biggest après party in the Portes du Soleil, Le Tremplin on a Wednesday afternoon is not to be missed. Rock up in your ski gear from 4pm and dance ‘til its dinnertime. Just follow your ears.

Nightlife Once you’ve been back to your chalet and stuffed down your nightly wine-fuelled calorie binge, you’re likely to want to head back out into the night. Next-door neighbours The Cavern and Le Tibetan Café offer two very different atmospheres in one easy location. Le Tibetan, with its atmospheric lighting, comfy sofas, world-art and table service offers a sophisticated venue for a mojito or two. The Cavern is the other end of the spectrum. Loud sing-a-long pop classics, disco lights, a large dance floor and a whole lot of fun. #lovemorzine

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Mountain Fun At 2277m, Mossettes is the highest lift-accessed peak in the area. Straddling the French-Swiss border, Mossettes offers great skiing down both sides and stunning views of the Dents Blanches (2759m) and Dents du Midi (3257m) mountains.

The infamous Pas du Chavannete piste, commonly know as the ‘Swiss Wall’ is another must do. Classified as an orange piste (too extreme to be called a black), The Wall presents you with a ‘once you pop you can’t stop’ drop in, followed by a near-vertical kilometre of man-high moguls. Advanced applicants only. The faint hearted or ‘sane’ among your group can take the lift down.

There's absolutely no shame in that whatsoever.

Food The Wild Horse Saloon brings a slice of the Wild West to your alpine holiday and has a great American themed menu; racks of ribs, burgers and steak. This place has the meat you need!

Après At the main Avoriaz intersection at the top of the Plateau chairlift, The Yeti is in the perfect place to gather your comrades and relax with a drink after a hard day on the hill. It's not the craziest of après spots, but with epic views, regular live music and some of the last sunrays to hit the Portes du Soleil, it’s the obvious option for an after ski beverage.

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Source mag Dec2014 advert

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09/10/2014

17:01

Nightlife The Place is open until 2am, with live bands and DJs every day and when ten shots cost you just €15, why wouldn’t you?

Les Gets Family Fun The town centre ice rink is a great place to get those little knees warmed up, whilst up on the mountain the amusingly named Grand Cry piste is a dedicated Native American themed kids zone, with mini moguls, a tiny banked slalom and wild animal safari.

Mountain Fun Lurking off to the far right of the piste map, Mt Chery may seem to have few runs and fewer lifts.

But don’t be fooled, this skier’s paradise misses the heavier traffic of the main resort and offers a fine selection of reds and blacks, plus a nice snowpark which has a good range of kickers and rails for all abilities.

International school

British & French instructors Tel +33 4 50 38 34 91 www.avoriazalpineskischool.com

Food Mammas Restaurant & Que Tal Tapas Bar has a double hit of great food options. Situated below Chalet Le Boomerang, the menu is compiled of traditional sit-down tapas dishes, and the restaurant regularly hosts BBQs and hog roasts, as well as having a full fast food take away. Not many places can claim to cater to such a large range of tastes and appetites.

Listen onLine!

Après

ski weather + resort guide in english

At Bar Le Après Ski the name says it all. Sitting at the bottom of the main Chavannes piste, Le Après Ski does exactly that: après!

Weekly goodies to Win

Nightlife Igloo chalet club claims to be the oldest discothèque in France and its record collection boasts over 60 years of Euro Pop to back it up. The bar is open until 5am; although we can only recommend you don’t take advantage of the late finish so as not to ruin the following day’s skiing!

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Image credit - Nick Atkins

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For many years, within the rel atively tight-knit snowboard communit y, Jenny Jones was known as the golden girl of British snowboarding. All that changed on February 9th 2014 when she rocketed into public consciousness by becoming the first ever Briton to win an Olympic medal on snow at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Jenny has been a regular visitor to Morzine for many years and therefore has a lot of friends in town. The reaction to her Olympic final was truly amazing. People were crying, dancing on tables, throwing drinks around and generally losing themselves in the excitement. From the reaction, you’d have thought she’d won the entire Olympics. It honestly felt like she had.

Unsurprisingly, she’s been quite busy since the games and we were lucky enough to catch up with her. But before she tells us about life after Sochi and her history with our beloved town of Morzine, let’s refresh our memory…

dept 74 advert.pdf

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20/10/2014

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here’s the Jenny Jones career timeline!

1999 Season in Tignes British Big Air champion 2000 Seasons in Whistler and Vail USA 2001/2 Broke onto the international contest scene: Triple Crown, Mammoth Gold and then Breckenridge Gold 2002 Invite to X-games - "I was injured in training so didn't compete."

Seasons in France and USA. Competing on the international circuit. Building on podium finishes over these few years

• English Mechanic

2008 Burton European Open 3rd place- "this meant a lot to me as the

European open is a great event & a tough one to podium in."

Burton Japan Open 1st - "this was my first ever win at any Open so very memorable, and so was the party in Tokyo!"

• Mobile tyre fitting service • Vehicle repairs (all makes and models)

Finished 2nd in the overall global open series

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2009 X Games USA, Aspen, Gold.

• Over 35 years experience

2010 X Games USA, Aspen, Gold.

• French registered and fully comp insurance (AXA)

2011 X Games Europe, Tignes, Gold.

2013 First podium FIS Snowboard World Cup, silver in Slopestyle, New Zealand

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2014 Olympic Bronze medal in the women's Slopestyle event in Sochi- finishing 3rd behind Jamie Anderson and Enni Rukajarvi.

06.18.05.90.44

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That’s quite a collection of medals and trophies you’ve got there Jenny. Have you got a special cabinet for them?

Haha yes it’s called my underwear draw so they don’t get scratched! I am not the cabinet type but when I stop competing I guess I will think about maybe framing some of my contest bibs and medals for memory’s sake.

In all seriousness though Jenny, huge congratul ations from everybody in Morzine and the Portes du Soleil on your Sochi performance. We were in a massive emotional state watching you. Has any of the stoke faded since the games?

It’s been under a year so it’s still very new and exciting! #lovemorzine

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You’re a household name now, has the fame changed your life?

Not dramatically but I do get recognised more, especially in my hometown of Bristol. The immediate months following the Olympics were quite a rollercoaster and I sat on many a breakfast show sofa and had some nice chats with various celebrity presenters. The Jonathan Ross Show was pretty funny and nerve racking all at once; chatting on BBC Radio 1; trying to get at least one question

The immediate months following the Olympics were quite a rollercoaster and I sat on many a breakfast show sofa #lovelesgets

right on A Question of Sport; doing my best not to laugh too much on the panel of Sky 1’s A League of Their Own with James Corden, Freddie Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp and Jack Whitehall. I have also visited lots of schools and had several Q&A sessions at assemblies and sports days. It is such a different experience when you are thrown into a totally new environment. It’s not like you have been trained in talking to an audience of 500 high school children. I was definitely nervous at the beginning but did my best to take on the challenge. It was awesome to meet so many children of different ages and talk to them about the world of snowboarding.

Kids have tons of enthusiasm for snowsports and it opened my eyes to how many talented youngsters we have coming through.

You’ve been known to frequent the pistes and the nightlife of Morzine on occasion. What’s your history with the town?

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Image credit - Nick Atkins

plus a few sweat y nights in the Cavern and dancing in Paradis or Opera!

I have a warm connection to it. Plus a few sweaty nights in the Cavern and dancing in Paradis or Opera! Haha.

Years ago whilst I was competing in Whistler and Vail, some of my friends were visiting new spots in France, working seasonal jobs and then settling in Morzine. After recovering from my knee injury back then I decided I wanted to ease back into riding in a nice environment with mates. I joined the girls in Morzine and stayed there for half the season, then started competing. I kept going back each year, being based with the girls in Morzine and having a great time. We would all go shredding together at the Baby Park or Les Crosets snowpark, some days we would meet up with other friends to go and build powder kickers, other days we’d blast about the mountains or ride powder in the trees. There was always a nice vibe whenever I’ve hung out there so

Definitely. I might even head there for Christmas… It depends on the contests and winter schedule but I’m really hoping to do so as I didn’t manage to go last year. I’m looking forward to a nice coffee from Dotty’s too, and I’ve heard there are a few new places open for an evening drink so I’m looking forward to checking those out.

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Will you be back this winter for some Chapelle park l aps?

What’s your favourite pl ace to ride in the Portes du Soleil?

All of it, depending on the day, however I still haven’t done the full circuit challenge so I might have to tick that off the list soon.

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Are we going to see a Jenny Jones post-Olympic snowboard movie part from you in the future? We’d love to see a front 9 into the pow!

To be honest I don’t think I will do another full snowboard part. However I do really hope to get some solid tricks on film and will hopefully put that together in a smaller edit.

Every year we see more and more girls riding park, what advice can you offer to any of them who want to start competing?

get stuck in, because the girls you’re competing against are just other girls riding a snowboard, /MorzineSourceMagazine

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I would say definitely give it a go, ladies, and here’s some things to think about.

How will you start developing your contest experience and skills? Learn tactics and strategies for how to best tackle a comp and prepare for it, as it is slightly different to a day riding the park. However, get stuck in, because the girls you’re competing against are just other girls riding a snowboard, who will most certainly be nervous and most likely quite friendly.

Who out of the next generation of riders do you think will go far?

From Britain I would say Katie Ormerod & Matt McCormick.

Traditionally, when a country does well in an Olympic sport, the funding and inspiration for that discipline increases. Do you think competitive snowboarding is going to snowball like cycling has? in the next 4 to 8 years are we going to see a glorious haul of winter medals?

I don't think it will be quite like cycling simply because it isn't as accessible and affordable, however I do think there will be a general increase in participation because there has been such a huge surge of interest over the past winter. I really hope people and families stick with it, then book some trips abroad to gain a real experience of the overall feel you get from a snowboard holiday or trip. It really is unique and people get a lot more out of it than they expect.

There was a lot of talk about the safet y of Slopest yle and the size of the jumps during the Olympics. Some of those kickers were monsters. Were they too big or do you think the jump size was proportional for the biggest stage on the pl anet?

Image credit - Nick Atkins

#lovemorzine

Honestly, I think the jumps were massive! However, it was more the way they were built that was the difficult part; initially they needed reshaping and tweaking so that they were safer. I think once they had been changed, although they were still big, they were a lot more manageable and had more room for error. So if you went a little too big or too small there weren’t such gnarly consequences. For me though, I found the rails pretty tricky, as it was such a tight course. I'm not sure it showed on the TV but the top rail section was

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if you went a lit tle too big or too small there weren’t such gnarly consequences.

LM

so close together, you had to be so accurate with your tricks, otherwise you wouldn’t be in the right position to make the next rail.

Snowboarding takes you all over the world, where’s the best pl ace you’ve been on your travels?

I have loved so many places, the BC backcountry in Retallack, [Canada]; Silverton, Colorado; Narvik, Norway and Iceland.

And what’s the worst?

Nowhere has been awful, but more that we didn't score good powder or the terrain wasn't as good as we’d hoped. One place I would like to go for powder riding would be Japan because everyone talks about the awesome powder there. I have only ever been once, specifically for a contest, so I really hope I can get out there soon to experience the magic.

What does the future hold for you?

Who knows? All I know is that it will definitely involve everything I enjoy - snowboarding, surfing and adventures.

I really hope to do the odd coaching course for those interested in improving their riding and trying freestyle, etc.

I’m really excited about this year and will keep you posted on developments.

WWW.THELITTLEMOUNTAINSPA.COM LGS.pdf

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26/09/2014

• 0033 (0) 771 10 54 26

12:00

Inspirational british ski & board lessons in Les Gets & Morzine

We’ve got a few quick-fire questions for you, no hesitation!

Regul ar or goofy? Goofy

Frontside or Backside? Frontside

Opera or Paradis? Paradis Tacos or Scorpions? Tacos

Early mornings or l ate nights?

Both, just not at the same time - I’m not that rock and roll, haha!

Whiteout Stash or slushy baby park?

Slushy baby park Tartiflet te or fondue? Tartiflette Ok, Jenny. Thanks so much for your time. We’ll be keeping an eye out for you in a park near here this winter.

Is there anyone you’d like to give a shout-out to?

Massive thank you to all my sponsors: Salomon, Oakley, Pentax cameras, Nissan. The awesome Tammy at Mint Snowboarding. The guys at Morzine who have hooked me up with a lift pass over the past years. Family and, of course, Morzine friends who I have so many awesome memories with, shredding the Portes du Soleil together.

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www.skischool.co.uk info@skischool.co.uk +33 (0)4 50 79 51 37 /LGSnowsports

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Previously a pisteur in Chatel, Jeremy is moving to Avoriaz to join the snowmaking team.

They’re the unsung heroes of the resort. The army of pisteurs, dameurs, securit y patrol and engineers who work day and night behind the scenes to keep the Portes du Soleil in perfect condition. For this issue of Source Magazine we’ve been behind the scenes with Jeremy Helvic, a Portes du Soleil pisteur and snowmaker, and you’ll find further instalments from our ‘Behind The Scenes’ series on the Source website this winter.

#lovemorzine

“Last winter I worked as a pisteur secouriste or ski patrol in Chatel and often closer to home in the Roc d’Enfer ski area. I’d start at 8am to open the slopes and finish at 5.30pm, after closing the slopes. Of course, if there’d been a fresh dump of snow overnight I’d head in early, around 6.30am, to help blast avalanches and make sure the area is safe before it opens.

The job of a pisteur is an important one as we work to identify dangers such as rocks, ice, holes and bumps across the ski area. We use yellow and black poles to draw attention to hazards and we mark the limits of the piste so skiers can see where they start and end. Throughout the

#lovelesgets

day we also keep an eye out for avalanche dangers and we spend a lot of time helping skiers and snowboarders - broken skis, lost poles and sometimes lost children - it’s all part of the job! Of course our main area of responsibility is to rescue anyone who’s had an accident and needs medical attention - we work to get them off the mountain quickly.

Lots of people ask me what training or qualifications are necessary to work on the mountain, and the biggest challenge is definitely the ski test, which you need to do to prove your skill level before you’re accepted onto the course.

The test itself usually takes place on the gnarliest run and performance is judged by a panel who look at style, speed and efficiency. Once you’ve passed the ski test then there’s a 1 month course which covers how the weather affects snow conditions,

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rescue techniques and the rules and regulations of the piste. Successful completion of the course gives you a Brevet National des Pisteur Secouriste, which is a national qualification.

The best part of my job is definitely feeling that I’ve really helped someone out, whether it’s just giving them information, or being able to calm them down and get them off the mountain if they need medical help after an accident.

Other perks include being the first person on the slopes to declare them ‘open’, riding in a helicopter and getting to blast avalanches. Sitting at the top of the mountain in the sunshine and appreciating the amazing view is also pretty special too!

The hardest part of my job is being called to a bad accident.

Myself and the rest of the team

act professionally, because that’s what our training has taught us to do, but even when a rescue goes smoothly we still replay it in our minds afterwards. That can be hard.

We work as a team and we share our responsibilities so we’re able to offer support to one another. I haven’t found myself in any situation that’s been very dangerous and I keep my fingers crossed that I wont!

We do sometimes see some silly things on the mountain and the worst bit is knowing people underestimate the dangers of going off piste when conditions just aren’t right, or if they don’t have the correct equipment. Just because there are tracks leading off piste, this doesn’t mean you should follow them…

Another question skiers often ask is whether it’s hard to balance safety with the need to keep the lifts running and

Morzine - Les Gets - Avoriaz

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Cancellations: Please be considerate and give 24hrs notice otherwise the full fee will be charged.

Travel: Due to travel times certain resorts require a minimum booking.

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the resort open. My answer is always no, because safety always comes first. The decisions on whether to open a slope or close a slope are made by a team of people using lots of information. If there’s any question mark over the safety of a run, we’ll keep it closed.

In other ski resorts they measure the number of pisteurs and other mountain workers that are injured each season – I’ve seen statistics as high as 1/5th of the team over in Tignes! This makes the job look and sound very dangerous, and although it’s likely to be a realistic statistic, it’s probably down to injuries such as sprained ankles. It’s really important that we take care of ourselves during the season, otherwise we increase the likelihood of getting injured.

There are so many other important roles on the mountain each day that you might not be aware of. Helicopter pilots bring medical assistance to emergencies and they help us recover people from areas where there are no roads for ambulances.

The helicopters also help us to blast avalanches. A

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team of doctors give advice over the radio and in person, and they often arrive with the helicopter or ambulance. The piste basher drivers (or dameurs as we call them) are also essential as they help to make the slopes better and safer. Lifties also help to make the whole lift network run smoothly and safely. Often they are the first people to hear of any accidents or incidents so communication with them is essential.

This winter I have a new job in Avoriaz and I’m very excited about it. I’ll be a Nivoculteur or snowmaker, working from 5pm as the pistes close for the day until around 2am, or from 4am until 1pm. It’ll be my job to make sure the snow cannons are always functioning and will make snow when conditions are right – usually when it’s between -3.5 degrees and -4 degrees. It’s very important that the cannons are switched on as soon as conditions are right, and this explains our shift pattern! A Nivoculteur’s job begins well before the season starts so that there’s a good base when skiers arrive.”

#lovelesgets

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19

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

Mammas half page.pdf

1

16/09/2014

17:48

What else happens on the mountain after dark?

16.00 - The ski lifts are starting to close. Lifties begin clearing the working areas around the lifts of any snow before taking down the signage and netting around the lift station, ready for grooming. They also fold up the seats on the chairlifts in case it snows overnight.

17.00 - Ski patrol (pisteurs) begin carefully patrolling the runs and off-piste areas, hurrying along stragglers and looking for anyone having difficulties. It may take several laps of each lift to check every piste, while all the time it’s getting darker and darker.

Hotel offering both bed and breakfast and half board accommodation

17.30 - It’s time for the piste bashers to move in and they’ll be at it for most of the night. Each run gets fully ploughed up, flattened, and then a final ‘groom’.

Bashers use a wide selection of technology to get the job done: winches and cables to access the steeper stuff, high tech GPS for when visibility drops to zero, and a whole host of computer-guided wizardry to keep them clinging to the side of the hill.

18.00 - If the temperature is low enough, the snowmakers will start work with the setting sun and carry on through the night. Snowmakers operate the vast network of snow cannons around the lower half of the mountains. A huge amount of effort goes in to keeping the Portes du Soleil’s 1500 snow cannons in peak operating condition, something you’ll be thankful for come spring!

A great place to unwind after skiing or chill-out after dinner.

Enjoy world wines or cocktails with flavoursome tapas.

LES GETS

RESTAURANT AND TAKE-AWAY

03.00 - If it’s snowing, road clearance teams will be starting work around now, ploughing all the major routes to make sure they’re clear for the morning.

You might hear them when you wake up, clearing the smaller roads, parking areas and footpaths.

06.30 - If there’s been a big snowfall, avalanche blasting will commence well before the sun comes up.

Most blasting in the area is done with the automated gas powered Gazex blasters, which you’ll see poking out of some of the steeper sections near or above the pistes. However, there’s still a requirement for someone to physically hike up and dynamite blast any particularly heavy looking or ‘wind loaded’ areas of snow.

07.00 - Lift crews arrive to hand-clear the equipment and chairs. The lift barriers and netting are re-erected.

08.00 - The Pisteurs start their morning patrols, checking and marking hazards, and putting up poles and signage.

08.30 - Restaurants are clearing their terraces and firing up the coffee machine.

LES GETS

All food cooked fresh to order Eat in or take away Phone orders taken for collection Licensed premises with beer, wine and sodas available to take away The only place in town offering English, Italian and Asian style cuisine, catering for even the fussiest of eaters.

PHONE ORDERS: 00 33 (0) 4 50 37 76 12 OPENING HOURS: 4PM - 10PM DAILY!

THEME NIGHTS AND LIVE MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE WINTER SEASON SEE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE

OR ASK FOR DETAILS

Mammas QueTal Les Gets

09.00 - The lifts are ready to go. Medical teams, ambulance drivers and helicopter pilots are standing by.

Chalet Le Boomerang 2259 Rt des Grandes Alpes, 74120 Les Gets Tel: 00 33 (0) 4 50 37 76 12 Email: ozyalps@leboomerang.com

Image credit - Luca Zesta

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More Stash Shreddie, the Stash mascot, has increased the size of his all-natural snowpark habitat in the woods of Avoriaz. The busy little beavers from Avoriaz SnoZone have built an additional twenty or so more features for your enjoyment! Head there immediately!

New Skatepark in Morzine After many years of campaigning and a serious fundraising effort by the Concrete Community, a new skatepark in Morzine has been given the go ahead. The new concrete structure will be built on the site of the old park underneath the Super Morzine Bridge. Work is expected to start in the spring.

The Paradis Nightclub Reopens!

Undoubtedly one of the biggest news stories this winter is the grand re-opening of the Paradis nightclub. After closing in 2010 many people believed that would be the last we’d hear from the legendary late night haunt. Luckily for us this isn’t the case! RudeChalets have expanded their empire and bought the old club, as well as the hotel on top of it. They have stripped and rebuilt the upper floors to make the RudeLodge; with a cafe and après bar, and a selection of dormitory style and private bedrooms, this 40-bed accommodation is a budget travellers’ dream come true.

The nightclub itself is in the basement, and the ‘70s decor remains untouched. Furry animal print furniture, stripper-poles, and the light-up dance floor will all remain as they were throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s but with updated facilities to improve your experience. With many special events happening throughout the winter, look out for weekly retro nights, resident Ibiza DJs and bar prices that won’t break your holiday budget - a rare find after 2am around these parts.

The bar is open seven days a week from lunchtime until 11.00pm and the club is then open until a hangover inducing 5.00am. Visit rudechalets.com for more information.

Deliveries to the Alps Hauling your skis from your house to the taxi, the taxi to check-in, check-in to the oversized baggage desk (paying £10 a kilo if they’re overweight), waiting 40 minutes for them to appear (or sometimes not) on the carousel, then another 400 meter drag to the transfer van followed by a 25 meter ice climb up the chalet driveway, and you’re starting to wonder why you’ve bothered. Why not just have them delivered? For as little as €2 per kilo return, your luggage can be shipped door to door, fully insured, with no weight limit, in a private vehicle. Say goodbye to that excess baggage stress and check out deliveriestothealps.co.uk for more information.

A New Radio Station for the Portes du Soleil ‘More music. Fresh tracks.’ That’s the tagline of the Portes du Soleil’s brand spanking new radio station Alps Radio. Founders Daniel Johnson of 4uweather.com and Michel Lefant, station boss of RTL2 Morzine told us: “Community is the main message behind this venture. We’re providing the latest sounds for the slopes, a useful local weather forecast, an events guide, tips and insider knowledge, and daily French language lessons to make you feel right at home!” Alps Radio will be on air daily throughout the winter and summer seasons, with programmes from 7.00am until 10.00am, 12 noon until 2.00pm and 4.00pm until 7.00pm, along with non-stop music at other times. For more information visit alpsradio.com Ibex Beer Until recently it was almost impossible to get a good drink in this town. You could get a drink, many drinks in fact, with relative ease. But a freshly made craft beer, produced with care and passion. No way.

Luckily for us lovers of artisan beer the tide is turning. Ibex Beer are producing four varieties for our drinking pleasure: An IPA, a pale ale, a chocolate stout and an alcoholic ginger beer. With plans to be in several bars and chalets around the resort, keep an eye out for Ibex this winter and take the opportunity to drink it (responsibly) as often as you can. #lovemorzine

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your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

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The clever team at Counterfeit Clothing have created these custom t-shirts for the Winter 15 season and we think they make the perfect holiday souvenir.

Ask about our full virtual tours of your property,

Buy them from the Source web shop (morzinesourcemagazine.com/shop) and we’ll deliver them to your accommodation before you head home. Or, we’ll pop them in the post from right here in Morzine.

Top-quality enlargements to personalise your chalet, Specialist website design and hosting for rental owners

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Welcome to Morzine, Avoriaz & Les Gets' tourism Oscars. We’re looking for local businesses that truly help to make our three resorts fantastic and we want you, our readers, to help us find them.

The Source Awards For Excellence l aunch this winter with four award categories:

Favourite Food

Favourite Service

Favourite Bar

We want to reward the local businesses that do all they can to offer the best experience to Morzine, Les Gets & Avoriaz holidaymakers, season workers and local residents.

The Source Magazine Awards for Excellence will be awarded to the best business in each category at the end of the winter season.

Here’s how we’ll choose the winners…

1

We need you, the public, to nominate your favourite business by heading to the Source website and completing a nomination form. (or scan the QR code to make your way straight to the nomination form)

2

On 15th March 2015 we’ll announce which businesses have been nominated and the public vote will open for 14 days.

When you vote, you’ll need to give us a short reason for your choice.

3

On 30th March 2015 voting will close, and a shortlist of the top three businesses in each category with the most votes will be announced. A panel of 5 top-secret judges (who have nothing to do with any of the shortlisted businesses) will decide on their winner based on visitor feedback.

4

The winners of each award category will be announced at the Source Magazine Awards for Excellence awards night on Sunday 5th April.

Favourite Accommodation

get involved

scan the QR code to make your way straight to the nomination form

For more information head to morzinesourcemagazine.com/awards

#lovemorzine

#lovelesgets

#loveavoriaz

Whetheryour you’ve skied too hard or can't face source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

23

going to a restaurant or the supermarket, we can cater for you. From that one-off special dinner to a fully catered week, we can help make your self catered chalet holiday a holiday for everyone Our fully catered package includes 3 course dinners with wine served on 6 evenings, 7 breakfasts (6 served), 7 afternoon teas all left for you to help yourself to Menu 1 - Fixed Menu

Menu 2 - Choose You Own Menus

€220 per person per week, one off dinners charged at €35 per person per night

€265 per person per week, one off dinners charged at €45 per person per night (examples, more dishes on request)

Piedmont peppers & garlic bread Lasagne & salad Tiramisu

Starters Sautéed poached pear slices & blue cheese salad with a balsamic split dressing Bayonne ham & celeriac remoulade & truffle infused olive oil Caramelised onion & goats cheese tart Wild mushroom risotto topped with rocket & parmesan Trio of smoked fish with blinis & crème fraîche, lemon & dill dressing Goats cheese & bacon lardons on mixed leaves with a warm honey mustard dressing French onion soup with a gruyere crouton

French onion soup Tartiflette with salad, cured meats & pickles Lemon sorbet & citrus fruit salad Merguez sausage, chickpea, mint & cucumber salad in a lemon vinaigrette Lamb tagine with Mediterranean vegetables & Moroccan cous-cous Mango & lime cheese cake Nacho chips with guacamole & sour cream Chilli con carne with wraps, grated cheese & salsa salad Chocolate brownie with chocolate sauce

Mains Coq au vin with Savoyard potatoes Beef Bourguignon with mashed potato Confit duck on braised red cabbage Fillet mignon of pork with Armagnac cream sauce Dijon & tarragon roast chicken with wild rice mix Slow roast belly pork with a cassoulet of white beans Local trout fillets with a rice pilaf

Spring rolls & sweet chilli dipping sauce Thai Green chicken curry & vegetable pad Thai noodles Meringues with kiwis & passion fruit coulis Poppadoms with mango chutney & onion relish Chicken & vegetable madras with rice & minted yoghurt Banana samosas & coconut ice-cream

Call us today for more information

Desserts Tarte tatin with vanilla ice-cream Vanilla creme brulee & shortbread Lemon tart with black currant sorbet & crème fraîche Bread & butter brioche pudding with crème anglais Sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce & custard Crepe suzette with caramelised oranges, orange sauce & vanilla ice-cream Chocolate rum pots, chantilly cream & langue de chat biscuits Fine Dining menu 3 also available

/MorzineSourceMagazine

Call Sarah on +33 (0) 6 47 82 98 89 or e-mail info@chaletchefs.net You’ll find more information on our catering services on our website – www.chaletchefs.net

@MorzineSource

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24

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Watch any snowsport movie nowadays and you’ll notice one thing: nearly all have an aerial shot.

I think you would be hard pushed to find a winter film from the l ast few seasons that, at some point, doesn’t feature at least a hint of aerial photography. It’s like the time-lapse of the current age; it sets the scene, the mood and provides a nice bit of filler.

Traditionally these shots were obtained by dangling a cameraman out the window of a helicopter and were exclusive to only those with the biggest of budgets. For the more down to earth productions it was all about cable cams or sending someone up a tree.

a motor and a rotor. They come in various varieties but the most common types are: four rotors - a quadcopter, six rotors - a hexacoptor or eight rotors – an octocoptor.

Drones feature an electronic stability control, which makes for a steady and predictable

As we are now almost in what Marty McFly considered to be the future, it’s not really surprising that we’ve seen the emergence of drone filming.

As we are now almost in what Mart y McFly considered to be the future flight. They are GPS capable, can follow a plotted route and have a gimballed camera

Of course, these are not the first generation of radio-control aircraft mounted with cameras. Single rotor remote control helicopters have been on the market since the mid-nineties and are easily capable of supporting a GoPro. So why didn’t they ever catch on with the same enthusiasm of today’s multi-rotor copters? Quite simply… they are

Image credit - Will Nangle

A drone or UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is essentially a remote control aircraft consisting of a small body containing a battery and the electronics, with multiple arms supporting

mount, meaning not only are they super stable in the air but they are easy to fly and easy to film with. As the technology has become cheaper and more readily available, an increasing number of production companies and individuals have started filming with UAVs.

#lovemorzine

#lovelesgets

#loveavoriaz

25

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

an absolute nightmare to fly.

A few years back I purchased myself a lovely remote control chopper. After 30 minutes of it

Its only a mat ter of time until a celebrit y’s privacy gets violated or someone crashes one into something significantly expensive heading in every direction but the one I wanted it to go in, it hit a tough patch of ground at around 60km/h and that was that.

The Future of the Drone The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been trying to classify the legal standing of private and commercially used UAVs for a while now. As it stands the current laws don’t fully cover all aspects of drone use, with limits on proximity (50m from buildings, 150m from large events) and the actual use of the drone falling under the user’s responsibility to not spy or trespass.

To use a drone commercially in the UK it is necessary to get a license from the CAA in order to ensure that the pilot has the required skills and insurance for drone flight. In January 2013 only 30 such licenses were requested but, due to the ever growing popularity of the drone, they received over ten times the

It’s possibly the ultimate upgrade over having your mate stand on a landing wobbling his helmet cam at you /MorzineSourceMagazine

amount of requests for licenses in the last month.

With the legal standing of drones still unconfirmed due to outdated laws, nobody is exactly sure what will happen in the worstcase scenario of a pilot been taken to court. Its only a matter of time until a celebrity’s privacy gets violated or someone crashes one into something significantly expensive and the current outdated laws are tested by this 21st century problem.

Like a fine wine of the skies, drone technology is only going to improve over time. With current range limited by a usual maximum of fifteen minutes flight time, and that being shortened significantly by any excessive climbing, the full sized helicopter is unlikely to be replaced any time soon for bigger distances and larger scale projects.

Where it’s really going to get interesting is with the next generation of personal follow-cam drones. There have already been a couple of concepts floating about online and very recently a Kickstarter project smashed its funding target to develop a drone that will lock onto your smartphone’s GPS signal and follow you around. It’s possibly the ultimate upgrade over having your mate stand on a landing wobbling his helmet cam at you.

I’d love to have a lit tle hovering robot that followed me down the pistés I think we can safely assume that drones are here to stay. I’d love to have a little hovering robot that followed me down the pistés and I’m stoked at how close that technology is to being affordable.

But judging from the amount of helmet cams you see on your average mountain, can you imagine the madness that would ensue if everyone were being followed by tiny little aircraft down every slope? In actual fact, I can’t wait. It sounds hilarious.

Just remember to duck. And wear a helmet. @MorzineSource

Say hello to ChaletManager A simple and intuitive online application that gives you control of your chalet business.

So what can it do?

Enquiries - straight from your website into ChaletManager; MyBooking - allows your guests to amend their own booking; Multiple users - unlimited users with custom levels of access; Finance - powerful multi-currency invoicing and expenses; Reporting - run reports on all aspects of your business; Real-time availability - displayed directly on your website; Online payments - guests can pay for their holiday online.

Transparent pricing Simply pay depending on your size of operation and the level of service that you offer. From just €0.79 per room per month.

With no fixed contract or upfront costs.

ChaletManager has not only improved and streamlined the way we work but it has allowed us to grow and develop as a company Mark Livesey, Venture Ski, Sainte Foy

Url: chaletmanager.com Email: hello@chaletmanager.com Telephone: +44 (0) 1865 522199 Skype: chaletmanager

/MorzineSourceMagazine

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It’s been subject of controversy in recent months. People have lost jobs. People have been arrested. They’ve even gone to court.

You know what I’m talking about; the ageold problem of being a ski instructor in France.

In this modern day and age, most instructors can get by in most countries with a Level T wo instructor qualification, and any thing above that will have you teaching more advanced skiers and snowboarders and making more money for your troubles.

Not in France, though. #lovemorzine

www.morzinesourcemagazine.com

Last year French police went in, all guns blazing (literally) to arrest ski instructor and business owner Simon Butler, who was deemed to be teaching in France without the proper qualifications, as well as employing underqualified instructors. The following media frenzy attributed the incident to a longstanding rivalry between the ‘frogs’ and the ‘roastbeefs’ after Butler’s claims that he had been unnecessarily treated ‘like a criminal’ by the French police.

In the end he was fined €30k and faced 200 days jail time, as well as being told by a judge that he might like to try working in Switzerland, where the qualification level is much lower. Ouch.

So just what does it take to teach skiing and snowboarding in France?

As well as having to achieve the top instructing qualification for your country, you also need to apply for a Carte Proffessionelle - a document that states you’re legally allowed to teach in France. It’s also compulsory to complete

a speed test for skiers, or get a certain amount of FIS (Federation International du Ski) points for snowboarders. Skiers need to complete a GS course in 18% (24% for women) of the time of a world championship racer, and snowboarders need to compete in FIS organised competitions to gain enough points through either racing or freestyle to prove their ability. Phew.

The 2012/13 winter also saw the French authorities crack down on unqualified ski guides, in particular chalet hosts who show guests around the pistes as a holiday extra and advise them on the best places to go for a hot chocolate.

Following a highly public and frequently appealed case in France, most holidaymakers are now required to pay up to €350 a day for a fully qualified guide to show them around the trails, and likely feel obliged to buy them lunch. The case also saw a number of holiday-company employees lose their jobs, and struck fear into the hearts of

with these increasingly tight restrictions and highly public arrests, could potential new instructors be put off going the distance to teach in France because it’s too much hassle? #lovelesgets

#loveavoriaz

27

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

Morzine-massage-CORRECT.pdf

Skiing isn't ingrained in our culture the way it is in France (as much as we like to pretend that’s not the case) which could be why so many British holidaymakers are more inclined to seek out British instructors.

British mountain dwellers; could it be illegal to show your grandparents to your favourite restaurant in the next resort?

It’s estimated that there are currently 350 instructors working illegally in France, and many more guiding; Butler’s arrest (whether intentionally making an example of him or not) shows that the French authorities are cracking the whip on this kind of behaviour. However, could these restrictions also put off potential new instructors from wanting to teach in France? And could this, in turn affect France’s winter tourism industry?

All these events pose the question to French snowsports authorities: Why so serious? Is it necessary for instructors to pass gruelling /MorzineSourceMagazine

technical exams, become semi professional racers, as well as off piste and touring guides? And is it worth it, to go through years of expensive and stressful training to spend six hours a day teaching tearful under-fives how to do a pizza on the nursery slope?

Well, the short answer is actually yes. The French authorities claim that everyone needs to be this qualified in order to provide the highest level of safety, even if they’re just showing you to the nearest hot chocolate station. But at least then we know that people who take the time to get the proper qualifications are in it for the long haul; teaching skiing and snowboarding is their career and their passion, not just a gap yah fad or a mid-life crisis. @MorzineSource

1

11/11/2013

18:01

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From The Experts

Would a l ack of British, or even international instructors, working in France impact the industry for the worst? And is it wise to upset the delicate bal ance currently in pl ace, particul arly when it comes to guiding?

But there are also a number of cultural factors to think about, especially when it comes to teaching young kids. France’s largest ski school, the ESF (Ecole du Ski Francais), claims that around 70% of its pupils are under fourteen years old. As they cater to many kids who grow up in the mountains, it’s really important to make sure they know how to be safe. Compare this to BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors) run schools, who state that their portion of junior clients is around 30%. Many French kids are also part of local ski clubs, and compete in #lovemorzine

race leagues, which could explain why the French qualification system, the Moniteur du Ski, is focused largely on racing and technical ability. The BASI qualification system is geared around teaching and making sure clients are having fun, in order to keep them interested in the sport. So, basically, we’re seeing skiing being taught as a lifestyle compared to a recreational pastime.

The ESF has around 250 schools and around 17,000 instructors, but there are also a number of smaller, British run ski and snowboard schools throughout the Portes du Soleil who, thankfully, have all taken the time to submit the correct paperwork and employ fully qualified instructors. This means that the Simon Butler case hasn’t set things back for international instructors – the moral of his story is that as long as you obey the laws of the country you are in, you will eventually reap the rewards.

But let’s not forget about guiding. Now that it’s illegal to guide unqualified, could unnecessary strain be put on ski schools to pick up the slack? And how will instructors define the line between teaching and just showing people around the mountain? I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see. The court’s decision to ban guiding is currently being appealed by a number of holiday companies - but don’t throw your piste maps away just yet.

#lovelesgets

Ian McKeller, Director at Avoriaz Alpine Ski School “We have a mixture of British and French instructors so can cater to both nationalities; although every instructor has a different teaching style so nationality doesn’t play a role. Being a smaller ski school we can offer you a more personal service, but that is not to say that larger schools like the ESF are bad. With regards to the qualification level in France, those who wish to commit will achieve. Like any profession you have to work hard to reap the rewards.”

Graham Bell, Ski Sunday presenter “I fully support the fact that you need to be fully qualified if you’re going to instruct and obey the qualification process in place for the country you intend to work in. BASI worked very hard to establish a pathway to become qualified. It’s only fair that you need to be qualified.

I’m less convinced about the hosting regulations. It’s going to hurt the industry because it’s very obvious those guys aren’t instructors. There’s a big difference between skiing socially with a guide and trying to teach people to ski and improve their technique. No-one’s ever said ski guides and hosts are instructors.”

#loveavoriaz

29

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

2014-2015

SKI CHALETS STUDIOS APARTMENTS RENOVATIONS BUSINESSES FOR SALE We have 100s of ski properties for sale in the French Alps and 23 specialist agents living and working locally.

We are on hand to help you find your perfect ski property.

For Morzine, Les Gets, St Jean D'Aulps and Le Biot contact: Nicky Wye on 0033 (0) 6 27 86 27 04 or nwye@leggett.fr

WWW.LEGGETTSKI.COM /MorzineSourceMagazine

@MorzineSource

/MorzineSourceMagazine

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THE BIG ONES

12th – 19th December

31st december

10th january

AVORIAZ Rock On Ultimate Launching the start of the winter season in style, Rock On Ultimate includes free equipment testing, live music and parties, plus an appearance by snowboarding legend Shaun White’s band Band Things on Sat 13 at 5pm. Entry is free.

MORZINE New Years Eve Part y Basscamp Sessions DJ Thomas Gandy hosts après at Hotel Le Tremplin followed by a party until 6am at L’Etale. At the same time Le Tibetan’s annual party is always great fun, you’ll need to buy tickets in advance from the bar.

LES GETS The Big Mountain Bat tle Working in pairs, skiers and snowboarders must cover a circuit of lifts, runs and hikes, visiting GPS tagged checkpoints over a three hour time period.

The three quickest teams win prizes. The Big Mountain Battle also takes place on 24th January too.

12th –15th march

15th - 21st march

21st - 29th march

19th january

31st january

7th february

#lovemorzine

MORZINE Alpine Challenge Fundraiser Ahead of March’s Snow-Camp Alpine Challenge we’ll be raising important funds for the youth charity with a pub quiz at the Bec Jaune Brewery.

Come and join in the fun!

tbc

LES GETS SkiColour They’re calling this a ‘world first’… participants will ski or snowboard down a dedicated run on Mont Chery as coloured powder explosions are triggered along the piste. There’ll be a family friendly atmosphere and a concert at the end of the day.

MORZINE Dropzone 800 people pack into the Palais du Sport for a huge dance party, accompanied by a staggeringly huge sound system and some of the best French drum 'n bass and electro DJs.

#lovelesgets

15th april

MORZINE & PORTES DU SOLEIL The Alpine Challenge As you’ll find out on page 44, Team Morzine Source Magazine & Bec Jaune Brewery are the team to beat when Snow-Camp return to the Portes du Soleil for the 6th Alpine Challenge. If you’re not taking part, keep an eye on your social media accounts for live updates!

PORTES DU SOLEIL Rock The Pistes The free, piste-side music festival, which last year included British bands Babyshambles and Klaxons, is back for a 5th time. Five big name acts are promised and we’ll announce the full line up on the Source website soon. What we do know is that Morzine will host a concert on Sunday 15th, Avoriaz on Monday 16th, and the plateau between Morzine and Les Gets on Friday 20th.

AVORIAZ European Gay Ski Week As you’ll discover on page 76, European Gay Ski Week arrives in Avoriaz for the first time this winter. Expect hundreds of revelers enjoying music from international DJs, artists and performers.

Morzine The Cavern 247 Film Festival We’ll confirm the exact date on the Source website as soon as we have it, but the Cavern 247 is an unmissable event and if you’re in resort all season, you should most definitely get involved.

Raising money for important local causes, teams spend seven days before the festival filming across the ski area, all edits are screened at the Palais du Sport the night after filming closes and a winner is announced!

MORZINE End Of Season Part y This year’s Morzine Source Magazine and Retro Rentals end of season showdown in the centre of Morzine promises to be even bigger and better than last year, with extra bars, more bands, DJs and a great atmosphere. We’ll also be raising a stack of money for charity!

#loveavoriaz

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WEEKLY EVENTS mondays

tuesdays

wednesdays

MORZINE - 9.30pm le tibetan Great bands from the local area and further afield perform live on the Tibetan stage morzine - 4.00pm Hotel Le Cot tage DJ Candyman brings the sound of funk to the heated terrace at Hotel Le Cottage, just a few metres from the Pleney lift in the centre of Morzine

Wendys

fridays

morzine - 4.00pm hotel Le Cot tage Local bands including Morzine favourites Cab Collective are live and loud during après at Hotel Le Cottage Houses.pdf 1 01/10/2014 15:43

morzine - 5.00pm le tibetan Indoor apres’ best at Le Tibetan, where the bands a great, there’s a cosy, warm atmosphere and table service to boot nyon - 4.00pm Inferno The Friday Fancy Dress après Party includes best dressed prizes, drinking games and drinks promos les gets - 9.30pm Bar Bush The pub quiz is known locally as one of the funniest ways to spend a Friday night in Les Gets

Nyon - 3.00pm Inferno The Ultimate Mountain Meal Experience brings a whole new après experience to the Inferno on Nyon Plateau with live bands and DJs each week Morzine - 4.00pm Le Tremplin The biggest après party of the week kicks off on Le Tremplin’s huge heated terrace, to the musical accompaniment of Morzine’s finest Basscamp DJs

thursdays

thursdays

You'll find a full list of all weekly events on the source website.

morzine - 11.00pm Paradis Nightclub El Tropicana @ Paradis Nightclub hosts the best in funky, tropical and deep house

saturdays

sundays

MORZINE - 3.00pm Le Tibetan Live sporting action with large TVs showing all the 6 Nations and Premiership action you need Nyon - 4.00pm Inferno Sunday Sessions at the Inferno on the Nyon Plateau involves live bands and live DJs

Property search consultants

Free one to one personal service Local expertise

Specialising in prime location resorts

Morzine, Les Gets, Chatel, Megeve, Chamonix and Tarantaise

LES GETS: La Turche: True Ski in/ Ski out newbuild apartments.

12 newbuild apartments to be constructed. 2 bedrooms to 4 bedroom duplex + 2 chalets.

In-house 5 star SPA facilities: Stunning mountain views and short walk to village centre.Reserving off plan: Prices from 620,500 euros.

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Kids can’t snowboard until they are thirteen years old.

Tammy from Mint snowboarding has put together her top tips to help make your youngster’s experience as pleasurable as possible. Because the most important thing is that your children enjoy the experience and have a great, memorable holiday.

If you want your young children to come on a winter holiday, they have to ski.

At least that’s what we were told as kids and that’s how it’s always been. Young children can’t snowboard; they aren’t strong enough. And with early rental equipment and teaching techniques, that was certainly true. Heavy, stiff boards, boots that only went down to an adult size five and bindings built from girders under a ‘one size fits all’ policy were the norm. It wasn’t that snowboarding was hard for a young child, it was genuinely impossible. They’d have had better luck removing one of the chalet’s oak doors and riding that down the piste. They’d probably have gone further, anyway.

So what’s different nowadays?

It’s easy to see why your lit tle darlings can now come back from a morning snowboard lesson all smiles.

Mint Snowboarding are at the forefront of kids’ snowboard instruction in Morzine. Working with Burton Snowboard’s latest range of cutting edge kids set-ups, Mint have made the superb ‘Mini Shredders’ video, demonstrating just what can be achieved by three to seven year-olds after a few lessons. It’s well worth a watch, especially for five-year-old Raph’s massively hucked frontside 180!

Image credits - Nicolas Hug / Mint Snowboard School

Firstly, there’s the technology. Lighter, more flexible boards and bindings, which (almost more importantly) are rentable and affordable. The other big change is in instructor attitude; they’ve realised that kids are not simply smaller versions of adults. The way younger children are taught has improved dramatically in recent years, with lessons being structured more like a fun game that happens to be on a snowboard. Small class sizes, new techniques and freestyle (AKA the real fun bit) being introduced from the word go have led to a fun learning environment designed specifically for little bodies and easily distracted minds.

Visit mintsnowboarding.com to watch the video and find out more about the mini shred movement.

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Choose a kid friendly resort (Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets all are great for kids).

Rent or buy second hand equipment – unless you’re in a position to ‘hand it down’, kids grow so quickly that it won't last.

Helmets are highly recommended to protect their lit tle melons.

Wrist-guards are a good idea for older kids (eight plus) but for younger children it’s less important as they are lighter and have less far to fall, plus it can be a real faff get ting them on tiny hands.

Mit tens are warmer than gloves and easier to get on and off too.

Keeping your kids warm is crucial to the success of your holiday. If it’s a super cold day, take regular breaks inside by the fire to keep enthusiasm levels high.

Go for goggles, not sunglasses – they’re much more durable and offer bet ter face protection on impacts. They’ll also provide bet ter protection from the sun.

Kids should be encouraged not to take their gloves and goggles on and off. They should be able to do every thing with them on, including doing up and undoing bindings.

Always keep an emergency chocolate bar/sweets in your pocket in case energy levels get low.

Speak to their instructor about where is suitable to take them out of lesson time don't believe your kid if they tell you they’ve been down a black run on day t wo!

Picking the correct school to go with is essential. A proper kids’ program is crucial for nailing those first turns and set ting them up for a lifelong love of snowboarding.

If you are opting for group lessons, maximum group sizes should be six kids per instructor (and even smaller groups for aged five and under). Make sure the school is professional with enthusiastic and fun instructors. Learning should be hidden in games and kids should come back with gleaming smiley faces to prove how much fun they’re having.

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A lot of hard work, planning and money has been invested over the last few years to improve the connections around the Portes du Soleil. New lifts and pistes help to eliminate long lift lines, bus rides and those dull slow-bits, whilst keeping the ski area fresh for returning visitors.

Winter 13/14 Saw the completion of two key link upgrades. Replacing the original ageing and tedious cable car was the highly impressive Prodains 3s gondola, capable of lifting 2500 people an hour up to Avoriaz in just four minutes.

Also new last winter was the super high speed, low noise, energy efficient Pleney cable car. It is capable of boosting 3000 people per hour to the top of the Pleney in only three and a half minutes, a fraction of the time of the original 1950s structure.

New for 2015 The Proclou chairlift, which runs over the Chappelle snowpark, and the Seraussaix (occasionally known as ‘the love lift’ due to its isolation, slow speed and beautiful sunset views over Morzine) have been replaced with new high-speed chairlifts. This makes the area a much more efficient and pleasurable place to ski, especially during the school holidays.

For those with a Portes du Soleil pass, a new connection has been opened up between Linga and Super Chatel.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of riding the bus from Linga or Pre-la-Joux to Super Chatel, you’ll know that even though it opened up a huge area of skiing, it really slowed down the rhythm of your day. Nobody likes waiting for a bus, and when you’re pumped full of adrenaline at the bottom of a run a five minute wait can seem like an eternity.

Now with two new high-speed chairlifts connecting the two resorts, the bus ride is no more. The four and six person lifts will whisk you between resorts in no time at all and make a previously annoying part of your day a speedy pleasure.

Pl anned for the Future There’s still a proposed plan to extend the new Prodains 3s down the valley to link Morzine and Avoriaz with a single lift ride. The supposed route would retain the 2500 people per hour capacity and the estimated travel time between resorts would be around ten minutes. A significant improvement over the nearly 40 minutes it takes currently. Work could start on the new lift from as soon as spring 2016 and the base station is proposed to be situated somewhere in the vicinity of the top of the Rue du Bourg.

Rumours There have been whispers, rumours and speculations of a new lift connection between the Chavannes and the Mt Chery mid-station in Les Gets. A few locals have seen leaked plans of the proposed two kilometre span across the resort. Although the Marie have neither confirmed not denied these whispers, watch this space!

One of the more outlandish rumours we've come across recently is of a proposed connection between Montriond village and the top of the Super Morzine. A large and rarely busy underground carpark appeared in the centre of Montriond a few years ago. Is this infrastructure development an indication of a new station? Surveyors have recently been sighted in the area drilling ground samples, though we're relatively sure they are taking the piste in this case.

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Morzine Self-Catered Accommodation Specialist Property Management Services

www.mountainlets.com

THE CHALET HOST CO.

We cook, so you don’t have to!

Enjoy restaurant quality food in the comfort of your own home. ~ One of our hosts will come to your accommodation and become your private chef. ~ Every element of your service is specifically tailored to your group. ~ We keep our prices affordable so everyone can enjoy the private chef experience.

If there is anything we can help with: www.thechalethostco.com hello@thechalethostco.com UK: +44 (0)7975936079 FR: +33 (0)630779223

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Find us on

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LIVE LIKE A LOCAL There’s nothing bet ter than taking recommendations from a bunch of wellinformed locals. Consider these venues and activities tried and tested!

Paul – The Edge Snowsports

Where would you go for the best Tartiflet te?

Where would you recommend for the best Pl at du Jour?

The tastiest tartiflette can be found at Restaurant La Grange in Morzine.

It’s lovely and fresh and extra-special when you order the charcuterie on the side!

Le Vaffieu on the Pleney is my favourite spot for a long lunch; with stunning views, a great atmosphere, yummy food and a really warm welcome!

Elizabeth – Skizeen

Recommend an après spot with the best view…

Which restaurant serves good veggie food?

Gemma – Mountain Lets

Stuart – MSC

Le Tyrolien Morzine is great as a vegetarian option as their fondue and raclette are great or alternatively they have great (enormous!) salads too!

Yvan Tessiere, Photographer

How many l ayers should you wear to an après part y?

What’s the best sunshine drinking location?

Three! An outer layer, mid layer and a base layer, then as the evening progresses and drinks flow, you’ll feel the benefit of a figure hugging base layer! Don’t forget your essential beanie hat either!

La Rosset'taz (near TS La Rosta in Les Gets) stays in the sun throughout the day and offers great views across the valley. They also serve burgers as big as your head.

Lucy - ICE Morzine

Where will you find the best bad weather family fun?

What one essential should you always have handy during your airport transfer?

Sarah – Getaway Vans

Good chat and some sunglasses! And of course you should keep your travel details handy so that you can access your accommodation upon arrival.

I recommend the ice rink at the Palais des Sports or Aquariaz on a wet winter’s day, it’s great fun for families!

Dan – 4UWeather

Where’s best to watch live sports?

Where would you recommend for a good après cocktail?

Helena – Ski Beyond Ski School

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The view from Le Grande Ourse on Mt Chery is fabulous while enjoying sundowner drinks on their terrace overlooking Mont Blanc. The run down into Les Gets afterwards is also really cool!

Beanies on the Rue du Bourg have a great cocktail list and they're all expertly made! My favourite tipple's an Espresso Martini.

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Dom – Mountainxtra

I love watching live sport in Dixie Bar for the atmosphere but it does get pretty crowded! If you prefer to get a seat or want to be able to get a drink from the bar then try the Cavern or Sherpa as these are also great live sport watching venues. #loveavoriaz

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Where’s the best pl ace to have your skis waxed?

Tim – LGS

Ski with some of the best British instructors in the Alps

I prefer to wax my own skis, but if I had to choose a local shop it would be Caribou Sports in Morzine as they’ve invested in some really high tech kit.

What’s the best holiday souvenir?

Michael – Counterfeit Clothing

Assuming you have already purchased some Counterfeit Clothing, then it’s got to be a hand carved walking stick! I’d personally go for the Marmotte edition but other models are available so choose wisely.

Call us or email us now to book lessons Call 0033 450 74 98 58 from France Call 0844 484 33 44 from the UK email Info@thesnowinstitute.com visit www.thesnowinstitute.com

What’s the best restaurant for a chalet night off?

Wendy – Wendy’s Houses

L’Etale in Morzine is the safest choice as they cater for all tastes and budgets, the atmosphere is really good fun and it’s in a very handy location in the centre of the resort!

Forever Morzine Summer Source advert.pdf

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What’s your favourite non-ski activit y?

Carrie – The Little Mountain Spa

After a morning stop in the spa of course, my favourite non-ski thing to do is to explore on snowshoes. A trip up Mont Caly in Les Gets has beautiful views over the Mont Blanc range, a delicious restaurant for a cheesy lunch and a chance to access where you can’t always get on skis or a board. Walk in quiet snow filled woods, follow animal tracks and see a different side to the busy pistes - a perfect day for calm reflection and relaxation!

Road Cycling Holidays Cycle the Alps in the company of other passionate riders and always at your own pace.

Morzine based holidays

What’s the best way to avoid lift queues?

Andrew – The White Valley Company

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Aim for first lifts! During busy weeks the early bird really does catch the worm and using the Nyon Telecabine (bus route N) drops you amongst links to both Morzine and Les Gets, avoiding the queues and bottlenecks in both.

Self-guided, with expert route support

Point-to-point tours

Throughout the French Alps, for all abilities All holidays include half board accommodation, airport transfers and a professional personal service from the Forever Morzine team.

@MorzineSource

Season runs June - Sept.

Call Paul on +33 (0)7 81 32 83 03 info@forevermorzine.co.uk | www.forevermorzine.co.uk

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For me, as a snowboarder, there’s nothing bet ter in this world than riding powder.

In my humble experience, riding a fresh face of waistdeep pow-pow beats any other sporting highpoint. Some may say that catching the perfect wave is comparable, but I don’t know of any wave that descends for 2000 meters or offers you a pristine selection of jumps, drops and slashes all the way down.

No. Powder is king.

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But there’s only a limited amount of it available to be shredded after each dump, even in the epically sized, seemingly endless Portes du Soleil. Within an hour of the lifts opening there’ll be a handful of tracks down every single slope with lift access.

By the end of the day there’ll be hundreds of lines down everything in sight.

Some people say sharing is caring. They are wrong. The popular phrase ‘no friends on a powder day’ was coined for a reason. Of course riding with friends is crucial for the experience and for safety.

But there’s no way in hell I’m going to tell you where my secret spots are. And if you’re late for first lifts, you want to stop for an extended lunch or you have an equipment failure, then don’t be surprised if you find yourself abandoned at the nearest lift station. Nobody wants to share the glorious white stuff, at least outside the immediate crew you’re riding with. It’s a jealously guarded resource.

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So what can you do to acquire yourself a slice of the freshest pie on the planet? Firstly… get up early. If you aren’t waiting for the lifts to open then you will miss those easy to find freshies. Les Prodains home run with 25cm of fresh on the groomers is heaven on a stick.

Or, you could walk. You may notice that bootpacks and traverses start appearing, usually leading tantalisingly along ridgelines and disappearing around corners. It’s never wise to follow unknown tracks in the snow, as you never know what you’re getting yourself into. But wherever they may lead you one thing is certain: someone else has had that one special, beautiful, perfect first decent. Sloppy seconds are fun but they’re nothing compared to the real deal.

So you yearn for fresh turns and crave an adventure? The lift fed powder has been turned into a mogul field or it’s just simply not ‘out-there’ enough for a shredder like

you? There’s an avenue of exploration that you need to… well, explore: The splitboard.

For decades randonnée skiers have been slip-sliding off into the distance to get the freshest of lines. To follow them on a snowboard is impossible. To take off your board and walk behind them is a sweat inducing slog of the toughest caliber.

Snowshoes are better, but it’s still knackering and the skiers will out pace you in minutes. Plus you’ve got to carry a heavy snowboard on your back on the way up and awkwardly shaped snowshoes on the way down. Not ideal.

A perfect scenario is to ski up and snowboard back down, utilising the mobility and climbing ability of touring skis and the floaty surface area and carve-ability of a snowboard. A splitboard offers the best of both worlds. Is it magic? Nope, just some clever engineering.

At a glance, splitboards look just like any other powder board; directionally shaped,

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Beanies Source winter 15.pdf

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slightly longer than a freestyle board, relatively stiff, with a fast base and a large side-cut, they are designed for the deep stuff.

Upon closer inspection you’ll notice that the major difference between a splitty and a regular board is the, um… split, dead down the centreline. A splitboard is in fact made of two mirrorimage halves. When bolted together with a selection of clips and clamps along its length it’s a solid snowboard. Undo the clamps and suddenly its becomes much more like a pair of skis, two independent halves surrounded with a metal edge for control.

Slopest yle Shop Morzine will be renting out Burton Splitboards this winter; the Family Tree L andlord and women’s Anti-Social, both with Spark bindings.

Prices start at €45, with a €5 discount for locals!

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Featuring a set of bindings that can be quickly moved from the traditional legs-akimbo snowboarder stance to a parallelfooted ski position, the splitboard is the alpine equivalent of a Swiss army knife. Admittedly with somewhat less tools. The whole process of conversion from skis to board takes only a few minutes - a small sacrifice compared to carting the weight of excess equipment with you all day. Add a set of skins, some extendable poles, a backpack full of safety equipment and (most importantly)

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a packed lunch, and suddenly you are no longer limited to what you see on the piste map. You’re free to do your best Jeremy Jones impression and explore the world beyond the lifts.

As an experienced snowboarder it was very humbling to go back to square one and learn to ‘ski’. But it didn’t take long and learning to snowplough is the least of your concerns when heading into the Backcountry.

HOWEVER, it’s never recommended to simply head off in a random direction. Mainly because there’s no guarantee that you’ll find any good riding that way, but also because you’ll never know what dangers may be lurking just under the snow. There are many qualified guides available to show you where to go and this is highly recommended for your first few outings. Once you’ve got the basics down you can find many a good route online. There are literally hundreds of online resources for ski touring and splitboarding.

Mountains are dangerous. Snow is dangerous.

Avalanches may look spectacular from a distance but from underneath they lack all such beauty. When you’re on or near the pistes you are in a managed snow-sports environment, as soon as you leave that environment you are in Mother Nature’s lady garden and she punishes unprepared trespassers severely.

To get into splitboarding there are a few requirements in addition to the equipment.

You need to be educated and not just on how to ski on the thing when it’s in ‘split-mode’.

If you ride off-piste everyone in your party should be carrying avalanche gear: a shovel, a probe, a transceiver and, most importantly, the knowledge of how to use them correctly.

Everyone should have attended an avalanche awareness course and be experienced in reading snow conditions and acting

accordingly. Do not attempt to ride off piste until you have had sufficient training in avalanche awareness, prevention and rescue.

Training courses are widely available and relatively inexpensive when compared to the usual cost involved with our beloved sports.

Once you’re all trained up, and have rented or purchased a shining new splitboard, you are ready to go. A great day splitboarding is one of the most fulfilling and satisfying things you can do on a snowboard. I highly recommend you slip and slide out of your comfort zone and have a go soon.

did you know?

Mint Snowboarding offer custom splitboard guiding as well as full week courses in Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets.

They will also be running a Mixed Splitboard & Backcountry Course on the 16th – 20th March, covering all aspects of splitboarding, mountain safet y and avalanche awareness.

For more information or to book your place visit mintsnowboarding.com

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your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz ardent sports advert.pdf 1 27/11/2014 09:56

NOT YOUR STANDARD SKI RENTAL SHOP

Ski Rentals & Sales Clothes Accessories

IPMEN T I EQU K S ISTS IN RANDON N EE L A I SPE C

In the centre of Montriond and at the foot of the Ardent Telecabine Store your equipment with us for FREE

Call:

Montriond Shop: +33 (0) 4 50 75 79 38 Ardent Shop: +33 (0) 4 50 37 48 22

Reserve online and have your skis delivered to your chalet with our Flex-Rent service

PDS Academy Advert.pdf

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MOR E T HA N J US T A S K I S C H O O L

PDS-Ski-Academy @PDSSKIACADEMY

The Academy is a modern take on the traditional ski school.

Designed around your individual learning requirements, we create unique lessons to cater for your every need.

You can choose from our small group sizes or a bespoke private lesson to guarantee your skiing is taken to the next level.

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WWW.PDS-ACADEMY.CO.UK ENQUIRY@PDS-ACADEMY.CO.UK CALL +44 (0) 203 290 6731

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Bev Fentiman from Morzine Massage gives us her top exercises for reducing thigh burn and improving your ski and snowboard fitness.

We all put so much effort into choosing an amazing ski resort and perfect accommodation, but who puts the same effort into preparing our bodies for a week on snow?

The key muscles we’ll look to improve are your quads, glutes, calves and anterior tibialis (shin), plus your core muscles. By strengthening all of these muscles for as lit tle as six weeks before your holiday you will have more stamina, less leg pain and you won’t wake up after your first day on the hill feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck.

Core Strength

Your core area is composed of 29 pairs of muscles; it includes your lower back, abdominals and deeper muscles in the pelvic girdle. We use our core muscles every day during simple activities, but require a stronger and more specifically conditioned core for snow-sports to support the body’s shift in balance as we make turns, do jumps and ski off piste.

Hold the plank once for 20 seconds every day Progression: Progress by five seconds each day until you reach one minute, then hold the plank for two sets of 45 seconds, increasing by five seconds each day until you can do two sets of one minute.

Leg Strength Squats On the hill you are going to spend most of your day in a squat position.

It’s essential that you spend time building up this position with dynamic exercises to cope with the momentum of skiing and keep your leg fatigue to a minimum. Most ski accidents happen on the last run of the day when your legs are at their most tired, so building up your leg strength will prevent leg burn as well as minimising your chance of an accident.

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Stand with your back straight and feet shoulder width apart. Bend your knees, lowering your bottom towards the ground, and keeping your knees above your ankles.

Your arms should stay stretched in front at shoulder height.

Cycling

Start with a small 5kg weight in each hand and do twelve repetitions of five sets, three times a week.

Progression: Increase the time gradually, by at least ten minutes each week. Introduce two hilly routes for the second and third week, and include three hilly routes for the remaining weeks.

Progression: Jump Squats . The same as squats but with no weights. Lower your hands between your feet until your palms touch the floor. From this crouching position, jump up, throwing your arms above your head, land and repeat.

Start with eight repetitions of three sets, building up to twelve reps of five sets, three times a week.

Cycle to and from work or cycle for 30 minutes four or five times a week, starting on flat routes, and adding just one hilly route in the first week.

Endurance Endurance training is all about improving lung and heart capacity; this helps to increase the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles, and in turn helps to reduce thigh burn and enable you to exercise for longer. The best method of endurance training is intervals of higher workloads followed by intervals of normal workload.

Walking with Lunges Walk to work, walk up steps rather than using lifts and add lunges between lamp posts or every 400 meters throughout your walk.

Walk for at least 40 minutes, three times a week.

Flexibilit y Skiing and snowboarding require a huge amount of flexibility to allow you to turn freely and stay in a centred position no matter what the terrain type. You should be able to flex from the ankles, move your back freely and keep your hips open. Unfortunately, daily life in an office does not encourage this flexibility so you will need to really work on this aspect of fitness to improve your skiing or boarding performance.

Progression: Walk up hill!

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Hips, Lower Back and Calf Stretches After exercise is the best time to stretch in order to increase flexibility. All stretches should be performed on the left and right sides of the body.

Lie on your back and put one ankle on the opposite knee. Bring the knee up towards your chest and feel the stretch in your buttock area.

Hold for 30 seconds.

Sit up straight and tuck your right foot under your left buttock, then place your right hand next to this foot. Place your other foot by the opposite knee, anchor it here with your arm, and then look over your right shoulder.

Take a deep breath in and lift up through your spine, as you breathe out turn deeper into the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds.

At Morzine Massage we see lots of broken bodies that have never done a squat or a core exercise before their winter holiday. This is your chance to make a real difference to your holiday and impress your friends and instructor with your newfound endurance. It takes as lit tle as six weeks to make a huge difference. What are you waiting for?

Assume a lunge position, keeping that front knee in line with your ankle. Now lower your rear knee closer to the floor while gently thrusting your pelvis forward until you have a lovely stretch in the hip flexor. Hold for 20 seconds.

We still hope to see you at Morzine Massage for a Sports

Keep both feet facing forward, in line with your hips, then step one foot back and lean forward into the stretch. Make sure you keep your back leg completely straight and hold for 30 seconds.

Massage, because you have been skiing from first lift to last lift and those legs and lower backs have earned it!

We recommend the end of your second day as the best time for a recovery massage.

Contact us on +33 (0)6 67 52 49 36 or book online at

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Design contemporain et matériaux anciens Contemporary design and traditional materials Bardage - Panneaux 3-plis Plancher - Poutres Poutres délignées - Chevrons Plateaux.

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Vente en gros et détail.

Reclaimed old wood : veneered ply sheets, flooring, beams, roof rafters and boards.

Wood ready to use for individuals, professionals and wholesalers.

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Snow-Camp Alpine Challenge

Cavern 24/7 Film Festival

The 12th March sees the return of the Snow-Camp Alpine Challenge, a unique, two-day endurance ski and snowboard race around the Portes Du Soleil.

The biggest community event of the winter is returning to Morzine for the seventh year running. Up to fifteen teams have seven days to make a four minute film. The rules are minimal and the themes are varied, but there will be no shortage of powder, park, stunts, explosions, crashes, comedy and nudity.

With twenty-five checkpoints spread over every far-flung corner of the ski area, teams have to cover a minimum distance of 150km to reach every checkpoint and take a selfie. Each team carries a GPS tracker and their progress can be monitored live online during the race.

Last year Team Morzine Source, led by our heroic Deputy Editor, stormed to victory with a total distance of 316km, smashing all previous distance records for the event. This year we’ve teamed up with the Bec Jaune Brewery to form the snappily titled ‘Team Morzine Source Magazine & Bec Jaune Brewery’.

With an estimated 750 people turning up to the Skoda Arena for last year’s screening, the event was a massive success. Over €14,000 was raised for the two causes: the Leon Berard Centre for Cancer Research and a community project to build a new skatepark in Morzine. Although unconfirmed at the time of going to print, the competition usually falls around the 13th March.

Returning team members, captain Rob and navigator Paddy, will be joined by the owners of The Bec: head chef Matt and brew-master Chrigl. Together, they will defend their title and show the rest of the world that Morzine locals are not to be trifled with.

We’ll also be raising lots of money for Snow-Camp, a charity helping to introduce inner city kids who’ve had a tough upbringing to the world of snow-sports. The charity aims to build confidence and teach life skills to young people, as well as help them gain instructor qualifications and work towards a job in the industry.

Our first fundraiser will be at the Bec Jaune Brewery on Monday 19th January.

To watch some of the previous entries from the Cavern 24/7 film festival, find out the dates of our fundraisers, or to view live updates and tracking during the Alpine Challenge visit: morzinesourcemagazine.com/charityevents

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Collectively, the French ski resorts are the most popular destination for the million or so UK skiers, with around 35% of them heading to France.

So it’s no surprise that ski insurance – travel insurance for UK people going abroad to ski – is designed largely with France in mind, although, naturally, it does cover trips to other destinations too.

MPI Brokers, winner of the World Snow Award for Best Snowsports Insurance Provider in 2012 and 2013, has a long association with skiing in France. Managing Director Michael Pettifer has more than 30 years’ experience in ski insurance – like his late father, John, who wrote the first Travel Insurance policy for skiers in the early 1950s.

BRIGHT COLOURS BIG SMILES FIRST CLASS COACHING

Michael is a keen skier, having skied since a child. He is both a BASI ski instructor and a Ski Club Rep. His expert, first-hand knowledge of skiing, and his long insurance experience (including many years as a Lloyd’s broker) enables MPI to deliver effective insurance for individuals, travel and ski companies.

Book your lessons with New Gen this winter in Morzine 04 79 01 03 18

www.skinewgen.com

Every MPI Ski Insurance policy starts with a sound Travel Insurance package, covering cancell ation before departure and losses during a trip. It offers: • Single trip policies – three days to two months • Annual multi-trip policies – up to 30 days on any one trip (7 days’ skiing on any one ski trip) • Long-stay policies – typically for older people with time for extended overseas travel • Seasonaires’ policies – providing travel, emergency medical and personal liability cover for those working in resorts.

It has some of the most customer-friendly policies. For example, it: • Covers skiers skiing on and off-piste, with or without a guide • Includes snowboarding in snow parks, ski racing and several other wintersports activities • Includes skis left outside a restaurant • Covers people with certain medical conditions that many other insurers regard as reason to decline insurance outright.

So how should you approach Ski Insurance?

• Buy it when you book your trip, so you are covered for cancellation • Get cover for all the activities you are planning • Get Personal Liability cover in case you accidentally injure someone • If you are booking a ski trip for yourself and others, you should also hold Personal Liability in case you are held responsible for damage to property caused by members of your party • Read the policy conditions carefully before you buy • Remember, it’s not the cost that matters, but the cover that counts. /MorzineSourceMagazine

Travel and Wintersports Insurance

Ski and Winter SportS

Specialist Insurance • Off piste – with or without guide • Personal liability - injuring other skiers and cover for ski leading • 24hr emergency medical cover - including rescue by helicopter • Family policies – kids go free • Local ski racing covered • Snowparks • Ski event cancellation cover • Up to age 80

t: 0845 180 0055 e: info@mpibrokers.com w: mpibrokers.com

@MorzineSource

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46

image credits - paddy morris

www.morzinesourcemagazine.com

bulb, and the steam engine, all rolled into one.

A few short years ago, speedriding was one of those things you might stumble over on the very back shelf of Youtube, along with sneezing pandas and ninja cats. Then a clip emerged of Antoine Montant and Francois Bon speedriding the North Face of the Eiger. It was so radically different from any thing people had seen before that it quickly went viral, and speedriding began to enter the public consciousness.

These were the early days, before the sport had even settled on a name for itself. Various different permutations of kit were tested.

Around the Alps a small and reckless bunch of amateur aeronauts tinkered around with free fall skydiving chutes, small paragliding wings, and even modified power kites. Thanks to the experiments of these early pioneers, the equipment gradually improved, but there was a high human cost and a great many pilots died during these formative years.

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Wingsuit flying was at a similarly embryonic stage, and with much crossover between participants of both sports, a lot of lives were lost. Antoine Montant, for example, lost his life in a wingsuit accident. Many were simply not aware of the capabilities of the equipment; early incident reports are littered with phrases such as ‘he was flying a prototype glider’, or ‘the pilot crashed after flying too close to rocks and died at the scene’. Others hit lift cables or, flying alone without witnesses, seemingly just dropped out of the sky. Then people started doing low-altitude barrel rolls, and the number of accidents reached a level where the regional newspaper, Le Dauphine, even ran a regular column on who had died that week.

Things had to change. Governing bodies were set up, in most cases, under the jurisdiction of the local paragliding authorities. This, combined with the increasing performance and reliability of the equipment, began to have a real impact on safety. More and more people were taking up the sport, sharing knowledge online and in resort, and as its popularity increased, the accidents began to decline. The emerging speedriding schools played a huge role in this too, with most of them being run by both expert paraglider pilots and skiers. Inevitably, the sport found a balance between safety, performance and exhilaration. Because as much as speedriding is a dangerous sport, it is also the best thing mankind ever invented. The wheel, the light

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Picture the scene. A perfect sunny day. You wake up at dawn. The coffee brews whilst you run to the boulangerie. You take the first lift to the highest point in the resort, then spend an hour or two ski touring, further still, to the very top of a perfect, untouched peak. The world is laid out at your feet, the sun is shining and you’ve got a tiny little 3kg rucksack on your back. You open it up and unfurl your flying machine. On goes the harness, and you attach yourself to your wing.

This is, of course, what GoPros were invented for, so make sure the camera’s rolling, and off you go.

To start with, it’s just like any normal offpiste run. The snow is deep and silent and you put in some of those perfect giant-slalom turns - each one took you 10 minutes to hike, but that’s the whole point, right? Then, unfortunately, you’re confronted by a 400ft cliff. Ah - that’s why no one else had skied down here. Not to worry - you simply ski off it. Lean to your left, pull gently on the line... a couple of huge spirals as the ground comes rushing up to meet you, then a firm pull on

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both brakes as you flare. Your skis are back on the ground, the cliff is behind you, and you’re still hammering along at 50mph.

Back into ski-mode now, without breaking stride. You slow down a little, weaving through a few isolated pines as the tree-line approaches. Then at the last minute, you straighten up, pop off that little rise and you're airborne again. The tops of the trees are perilously close to your skis, but you’re ok, and you know the way home. A minute later, you’re landing down in the valley, in the garden of an obliging neighbour’s chalet. You scrumple up your wing and stuff it back in the bag, then thumb a lift back to town. There’s probably enough time for a half a dozen more flights before lunch.

Surprisingly, the safety record has improved so rapidly in the last few years that it is now possible to do tandem flights with an instructor. Though you will need to be able to ski at a reasonable level for the take-off and landing, the instructor will do the rest. You won’t be taking off and landing more than once on a tandem flight. If you consider yourself an advanced skier, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to attempt a small solo flight after a couple of lessons.

Several of the paragliding schools in Morzine offer beginner's courses, with three dedicated speedriding areas on which to learn. The steering inputs are pretty straightforward, and you’ll probably be surprised how quickly your instructor will take you from making slow, simple turns on a blue piste, to small airborne hops, to full flights down the mountainside. Just don’t forget - bad decisions in the air turn very serious very quickly.

/MorzineSourceMagazine

It’s not like making a mistake on your skis! Trying this without an instructor and insurance is as bad an idea as you’ll ever be likely to have.

And if it still doesn’t sound like your thing, head over to Lindarets and watch us from the comfort of a cafe. We fly down the side of the Chaux Fleurie lift whenever the sun’s shining and the wind isn’t blowing, because there really is genuinely nothing better to do!

47 recrewters advert.pdf

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21/08/2014

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+33 (0) 6 78 48 49 36 / +33 (0) 6 68 87 85 99

DID YOU KNOW? Paragliders use a large fabric wing of around 26-30 meters

bargework@gmail.com | facebook.com/TheRecrewters

square. Paragliders use currents of air to ascend and descend at speeds of around 20kmh.

Wingsuit pilots use a suit with fabric wings stretched bet ween the arms, legs and body.

After gaining speed through free-fall the suit begins to perform much like a wing.

Speeds can reach over 200kmh.

Speedriding uses a much smaller wing than paragliding.

T ypically only around 10 meters square.

Speedriders reach speeds of up to 100kmh, and aim to follow ground contours as closely as possible, skiing when the terrain allows, and flying when it doesn't.

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SUPPORT YOUR TEAM, IN THE FRENCH HOCKEY PREMIER LEAGUE! DECEMBER 05 TH

JANUARY 10 TH

JANUARY 31 TH

HCMAG VS GAP

HCMAG VS BREST

HCMAG VS LYON

DECEMBER 23 TH

JANUARY 17 TH

FEBRUARY 10 TH

HCMAG VS EPINAL

HCMAG VS CHAMONIX

HCMAG VS ROUEN

DECEMBER 28 TH

JANUARY 23 TH

FEBRUARY 13 TH

HCMAG VS DIJON

HCMAG VS ANGERS

HCMAG VS CAEN

SKODA ARENA | 502 ROUTE DU PALAIS DES SPORTS 74110 MORZINE | TEL : +33.(0)4.50.75.78.21 | INFO@HCMAG.FR |

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CHALET DES FLEURS

SNOW MOTION CHALETS

THE TAST Y SKI COMPANY

Chalet des Fleurs is a well-established company providing holiday rentals in Morzine, Les Gets & St Jean d'Aulps. Our properties have been selected by us based on our experience of what guests look for in a holiday home. Our aim is to make your holiday hassle free, from the booking process to organising extras like ski passes and catering.

Comfortably sleeping 10 with a huge open plan living, dining and kitchen area, Chalet Le Coeur de Lion is conveniently situated in the centre of Montriond village, just 50 metres from local shops, bars and the free ski bus stop. Wi-Fi, UK FreeSat TV, Wii, airport transfers, ski hire, lift passes and ski lessons also available.

The Tasty Ski Company offers luxury catered ski chalet holidays in Morzine and Le Grand Massif.

Delicious food in amazing locations is the name of our game. Our chalets in Morzine are either in the centre of town or opposite the Nyon cable car.

WEB: chaletdesfleurs.com

WEB: snowmotionchalets.com

WEB: thetast yskicompany.co.uk

TEL: + 33 (0)6 85 62 85 05

TEL: +33 (0)6 43 80 65 82

TEL: +44 (0)7538 761767

EMAIL: enquiries@chaletdesfleurs.com

EMAIL: info@snowmotionchalets.com

EMAIL: info@thetastyskicompany.co.uk

THE HOFNAR EXPERIENCE

MTB BEDS MORZINE

SIMPLY MORZINE

Our trips are a little different to everyone elses‌ most people are in their twenties and thirties, many are travelling solo and there are no kids!

A sociable, laid back, wander around in your pyjamas, raid the fridge, put your feet on the table kind of place‌ the kind of place that you can feel at home in.

MTB Beds provide bike specific accommodation in Morzine. Our properties are equipped with bike washes, dry rooms, secure storage, Wi-Fi, Sky TV and located in central Morzine. MTB Beds clients also receive discounts on bike hire, airport transfers, restaurants and bars/shops within Morzine. With local and knowledgeable staff we are always on hand to answer any of your questions.

All properties have outdoor hot-tub, pool or sauna.

Four luxury ski-in ski-out & / or central catered chalets. Unique French chalet-style hotel on Pleney pistes. Self-catered on-piste apartments ideal for families. Superb cuisine & renowned personal service. Geneva airport transfers & resort shuttles.

Discounted lift passes & ski/board equipment hire.

Highly regarded family summer activity holidays.

WEB: hofnar.com

WEB: mtbmorzinebeds.com

WEB: simply-morzine.co.uk

TEL: +44 (0)203 286 4469

TEL: +33 (0)6 49 05 02 27

TEL: +44 (0)1664 568902

EMAIL: info@hofnar.com

EMAIL: info@mtbmorzinebeds.com

EMAIL: info@simply-morzine.co.uk

CHALET MORZINE

RIDE & SLIDE

CHILLOUT MOUNTAIN

Ski-in, ski-out luxury catered chalet in fabulous central Morzine location. Privately run by French ski instructor and his English wife since 2002.

Family friendly, separate cinema / games room, huge sledging field in front. Stunning views, quiet location, only 2 minutes walk from central Morzine and just 5 minutes from all lifts. Hot tub, Wi-Fi, flat screen UK TV, PS3

Award winning luxury chalets in central Morzine.

Luxury chalets with hot-tubs, saunas, professional chefs, and all the little touches that earned the accolade of Best UK Specialist Tour Operator 2013 from the World Snow Awards. Now approaching our 10th anniversary you can be sure of receiving the very best attention to detail for your winter holiday.

An independent, owner operated chalet company with a range of luxurious, contemporary chalets offering stylish accommodation for both families and independent groups. All chalets are situated in beautiful locations, with stunning mountain views and quick access to the slopes. Our extensive knowledge and experience enables us to tailor your perfect holiday whether catered or self-catered.

WEB: chaletmorzine.com

WEB: rideslide.co.uk

WEB: chilloutmountain.com

TEL: +33 (0)6 71 92 33 77

TEL: +33 (0)6 83 73 41 37

TEL: +33 (0)6 42 79 76 97

EMAIL: info@chaletmorzine.com

EMAIL: info@rideslide.co.uk

EMAIL: info@chilloutmountain.com

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THE ALPINE GENERATION

MORE MOUNTAIN APT PLENEY

ALPINE HIGHS CHALET FLORI

A new company dedicated to providing high quality catered chalet holidays – we know what it takes to make your ski holiday in Morzine a fantastic one.

Included within your holiday price are a number of additional services to enhance your stay and encourage you to return to us year after year - visit the website for more details.

Ski-in, ski-out, self catered Apartment Pleney sleeps 6, 3 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, large lounge, modern kitchen & dining area, large balconies, stunning views of the slopes. Free Wi-Fi, Bose, Nintendo Wii & XBox 360. In resort concierge service and Meals on Wheels available. Lift passes and in-chalet ski hire also offered. Prices start from €1400 per week.

Chalet Flori is a newly renovated 18 person chalet in a great location. If you are looking for a fabulous and affordable holiday, Chalet Flori is a perfect base to explore the Portes du Soleil. With an outdoor hot tub, beautiful accommodation and great food, we can guarantee you a fantastic stay.

Prices from £400 per person.

WEB: thealpinegeneration.com

WEB: moremountain.com

WEB: alpinehighs.com

TEL: +44 (0)1403 586002

TEL: +33 (0)6 86 02 18 05

TEL: +33 (0)6 03 84 5923

EMAIL: us@thealpinegeneration.com

EMAIL: info@moremountain.com

EMAIL: info@alpinehighs.com

THE WHITE VALLEY COMPANY

SKP SKI

ALPINE HIGHS CHALET joran

An exquisite, newly-built, luxury ski lodge in the stunning Vallee de la Manche area of Morzine, White Valley Lodge is owner-run, sleeping 12 adults. You’ll find luxury REN toiletries, fine bed linens, a roaring, contemporary wood fire and cinematic TV as well as underfloor heating, interior designed décor, incredible food and specially selected wines.

SKP ski offer a fresh new approach to winter holidays. Our guests enjoy gourmet 4 course suppers with free-flowing wines, outdoor hot tub, sauna, tranquil location, a log fire and more.

Chalet Chelmer - 12 guests, large & cozy. Chez le Commis - 8 guests, ski-in, ski-out & 100m to a chairlift… Escape to the mountains!

Chalet Joran is a beautiful, luxurious catered chalet, built by local artisan builders. It offers stunning accommodation for up to 12 people, in a great location. The outdoor hot tub and sauna are perfect for relaxing in after a day on the slopes!

Price from £3500 sole occupancy catered.

WEB: thewhitevalleycompany.com

WEB: skpskimorzine.com

WEB: alpinehighs.com

TEL: +44 (0)7 7 78 326708

TEL: +44 (0)7813 191717

TEL: +33 (0)6 03 84 59 23

EMAIL: enquiries@thewhitevalleycompany.com

EMAIL: info@skpskimorzine.com

EMAIL: info@alpinehighs.com

MORE MOUNTAIN CHALET ROBIN

MOUNTAIN MOMENTS

MORZINE RETREATS

Sleeps 12 and located in central Morzine. Features 6 bedrooms, outdoor hot tub, two separate lounges, log burning feature fireplace, leather sofas, separate dining area and balconies with stunning views of the slopes. Free Wi-Fi, Bose and in chalet iPad come as standard. Lift passes and in-chalet ski hire also available. Prices start from £599pp inc. free airport transfers.

Tailor-made summer & winter alpine holiday specialists. Individuals, groups, families, clubs, events, weddings, celebrations & corporate. As owner-operators of the wonderful & atmospheric Chalet Ste.Marie, we are committed to delivering excellence and the highest levels of personal service.

You can ski wherever there’s snow, what matters is where you stay and how well you’re looked after.

Two great chalets next to each other in a convenient location. Maximum capacity 28 should you wish to book both chalets. 600 metres to town / pistes, the free ski-bus stops IN the driveway.

Stunning catered Chalet Le Cabri – sleeps 12, 5 en-suites, Jacuzzi. Affordable Chalet Le Timeris – sleeps 16, self-catered (catering can be arranged through dining-direct.com).

WEB: moremountain.com

WEB: mountainmoments.co.uk

WEB: morzine-retreats.com

TEL: +33 (0)6 86 02 18 05

TEL: +44 (0)800 689 9004

TEL: +33 (0)6 30 79 55 15

EMAIL: info@moremountain.com

EMAIL:info@mountainmoments.co.uk

EMAIL: info@morzine-retreats.com

#lovemorzine

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51

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SNOW AND TREK

MY HOME IN THE ALPS

GOURMET SKI

Snow and Trek Ltd have been operating in Morzine since 2002 and specialise in quality self-catered chalets and apartments for stays from 3/4 days to a whole season. Chalet Poppy is also available on a B&B basis. We have a wide selection of privately owned self-catered apartments and chalets suit many group sizes and budgets.

Discover our exceptional portfolio for your next cozy mountain holiday! My Home is your French luxury chalet specialist. Owners or tenants, we aim to offer a comprehensive solution for greater comfort. Trust, responsiveness, listening and sharing are the hallmarks of our philosophy. MY HOME IN THE ALPS invites you to enjoy the art of living in the mountains!

GourmetSki – a collection of three stunning chalets with either 4, 5 or 6 en-suite bedrooms, nestled in Montriond and Morzine. Beautifully designed and furnished chalets, offering a real sense of luxurious mountain living. Fine dining, chauffeur service, hot-tubs / spa facilities and great service. Book your dream ski holiday with GourmetSki now.

WEB: snowandtrek-morzine.com

WEB: myhomeinthealps.com

WEB: gourmetski.com

TEL: +44 (0)1243 379970

TEL: +33 (0)4 50 79 45 91

TEL: +33 (0)6 74 03 28 91

EMAIL: info@snowandtrek-morzine.com

EMAIL: info@myhomeinthealps.com

EMAIL: enquiries@gourmetski.com

THE FARMHOUSE,

MAS DE LA COUTETTAZ

Built in 1771, The Farmhouse is the oldest building in Morzine. One of the most desirable hideaways in the Alps sits in the heart of this beautiful alpine village just two minutes walk from the centre.

The Farmhouse is a truely unique experience and the level of service first class. Once you have discovered this gem you will return.

CHALET THE ONE

INFERNO MORZINE

Contemporary chic meets traditional comfort at this farmhouse with sauna and indoor pool. Original wooden features are enhanced by the high-quality materials and the refined furniture. Located at only 10 minutes on foot from the town center, chalet The One is the ideal place for your next holiday!

The ultimate mountain top ski-in ski-out chalet.

The friendly and relaxed atmosphere is the perfect place to meet like-minded snow enthusiasts.

The outdoor hot-tub, huge terrace / dance floor gives you the ultimate mountain party experience with daily live bands and DJ events. Sleeping 45 including breakfast and dinner, the Inferno has it all.

WEB: thefarmhouse.co.uk

WEB: myhomeinthealps.com

WEB: infernomorzine.com

TEL: +33 (0)4 50 79 08 26

TEL: +33 (0)4 50 79 45 91

TEL: +33 (0)6 42 33 29 46

EMAIL: info@thefarmhouse.co.uk

EMAIL: info@myhomeinthealps.com

EMAIL: info@infernomorzine.com

ALIKATS MOUNTAIN HOLIDAYS

JOLLY GOOD ALPINE ADVENTURES

DRIFT RIDING

Exceptional catered chalet holidays in Morzine Avoriaz provided by Al & Kat Judge. We have 3 stunning chalets with all en-suite bedrooms, hot-tubs with epic views, cozy log fires, incredible gourmet food and unlimited quality wine. We provide our guests with really magical ski holidays to ensure they come back to us year after year.

Relaxed and friendly catered chalet in Morzine with its own après ski bar. Chalet Sherpa sleeps up to 25 guests. Just a short walk to town centre / ski lifts. Weekend / short stays or longer holidays. B&B and self-catering apartments also. Group discounts.

Holidays tailored to your needs and budget. Winter and summer.

Fancy biking this beautiful area? If you ride - we cater for you. Road Cycling, Cross-Country & Downhill. Drift provides affordable half-board accommodation, Bike Hire and a Sales Shop in Morzine. Chalet Le Nantégué: 17 en-suite bedrooms plus pump track. £42ppn Chalet Catherine: 10 en-suite bedrooms plus sauna, hot tub, in-house cinema. £60ppn Both chalets provide secure bike store, garage, bike mechanic and more...

WEB: alikats.eu

WEB: jollygood.com

WEB: driftriding.co.uk

TEL: +33 (0)6 78 10 40 92

TEL: +44 (0)3 33 800 80 44

TEL: +44 (0)1932 837 634

EMAIL: info@alikats.eu

EMAIL: info@jollygood.com

EMAIL: sales@driftriding.co.uk

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SUMMIT SPECIAL CHALET GENTIANE

CHALET LE CHANTERELLE

HOTEL CHRISTIANIA

A luxurious and spacious 8 bedroom, 7 bathroom chalet, ideally located in a prime position close to the slopes and the village centre. Ideal for groups of all sizes, Chalet Gentiane has a beautiful large living / dining area with a roaring open log fire surrounded by plenty of comfortable chairs to sink into after a days skiing and delicious evening meal.

A genuine ski-in & ski-out chalet directly located on the ski slope of “Chery Nord”. Be picked up by our snow mobile on your arrival. Le Chalet Chanterelle is a spacious & luxury 320m2 chalet over 3 floors that includes 6 en-suite bedrooms, fitness/play room with gym equipment, table tennis, baby foot, outdoor hot tub and outdoor wood burning sauna.

Envious location in the very centre of Les Gets.

Ski-in ski-out 80m from the Chavannes Express.

Extensive characterful refurbishment for the start of this season. A warm and friendly welcome is assured at this family run hotel bar & restaurant.

Extensive menu & wine list. Fireside lounge & bar.

Free Wi-Fi. Sauna, two outdoor hot-tubs. We look forward to your visit.

WEB: chaletgentiane.com

WEB: lechaletchanterelle.com

WEB: hotelchristiania.com

TEL: +44 (0)7931 934312

TEL: +41 (0)79 7586234

TEL: +33 (0)4 50 75 82 44

EMAIL: summitspecial@chaletgentiane.com

EMAIL: info@lechaletchanterelle.com

EMAIL: info@hotelchristiania.com

CHALET BEATRICE

MUCH BET TER CHALETS

HOTEL LE COT TAGE

Chalet Beatrice is nestled in the beautiful village of Montriond just 2.5kms from the centre of Morzine with easy access to any of the lifts in the resort. We have 7 en-suite rooms and a hot tub and sauna.

Our focus is on making your holiday as stress free and enjoyable as possible while feeding you quality food and wine.

Why waste hours searching for the perfect chalet?

Let Morzine and Les Gets’ independent chalets make you offers instead! Here’s how… 1) Make one enquiry. We’ll carefully match your requirements with over 350 chalets. 2) The best matches reply with personalised quoted. 3) Compare and share offers on your group’s private page. 4) Book direct with your favourite. Easy!

Flexible summer and winter breaks in Morzine, perfect for couples, families and small groups. Our characterful and stylish hotel is located in the very centre of Morzine, just 15 metres from the Pleney cable car. Bedrooms include Wi-Fi, TVs, coffeemaking facilities and balconies while our restaurant serves delicious dishes. Our bar is a lovely spot for après too

WEB: theedgemorzine.com

WEB: muchbet terchalets.com

WEB: lecot tagemorzine.com

TEL: +33 (0)6 15 18 96 65

TEL: +44 (0)20 0333 1176

TEL: +33 (0)4 50 79 01 03

EMAIL: lindsay@theedgemorzine.com

EMAIL: info@muchbetteradventures.com

EMAIL: info@lecot tagemorzine.com

HOTEL NEIGE ET ROC

CHALET HOTEL LE BOOMERANG

CHALET L A RUCHE

Our full service hotel is a beautifully designed, traditional Savoyarde residence in a wonderful location in peaceful Le Prodains. With an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, relaxing sunny garden and on-site spa facilities, there’s something for everyone. We’re also just opposite the Prodains Express lift, affording easy access to activities in Avoriaz too.

Ideally situated in Les Gets village centre, just 150 metres from the lifts, giving easy access to the entire Portes du Soleil region. Ideal for skiing and mountain biking. There are 14 delightful en-suite bedrooms with free Wi-Fi access available on B&B or half board basis. Our on-site restaurant and wine bar offer a wide range of international cuisine at a great price.

This self-catered chalet is centrally located in Morzine and sleeps 12 guests in 6 bedrooms with 5 shower/bathrooms. It has British satellite TV, free Wi-Fi, 50m2 south facing terrace with BBQ and secure bike storage. The chalet is only 550 flat meters to the Super Morzine lift, 60 meters from a supermarket and 50 meters from a bar/restaurant.

Web: neige-roc.com

Web: leboomerang.com

Web: alpinenavigations.com

Tel: +33 (0)4 50 79 03 21

Tel: +33 (0)4 50 37 76 12

Tel: +44 (0)845 680 1208

Email: info@neige-roc.com

Email: ozyalps@leboomerang.com

Email: info@alpinenavigations.com

#lovemorzine

#lovelesgets

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53

Four winter Olympic games and seven world champs. What's your best memory?

Tough one! The memory I am most proud of is 19th at the Sochi Olympics. Exactly 6 months before the games I broke my leg and had big surgery, leaving me with a 15 inch metal nail down the bone marrow of my right leg. I had over 1048 minutes of surgery to my leg and just 4 minutes of competitive skiing before the start of the Games.

Through dedication, passion, heart and perseverance I still managed to come 19th, less than 2 seconds off the leader.

My best memory is the Turin Olympics because I was ranked outside the top 100 in the world and in tough conditions finished 11th with my whole family in the crowd watching. It was also the last time I ever saw my mother before she passed away so it holds a huge emotional significance too.

You've just retired from international competition, what's this winter got in store for you?

I just want to ski. To ski in lots of different places with lots of interesting people and not have my performance dictated by a clock counting in milliseconds! I will be travelling around presenting for Ski Sunday from the Women's World Cup Tour and also continuing my inspirational speaking on the value of sport. I am working with Equity Tours to create a value led ski holiday so parents and teachers understand that not only do their children learn to ski, sport also fast tracks the learning of valuable life skills.

What's your opinion on the funding situation in the UK following Team GB's medal haul in Sochi?

We smashed the Olympics in a few disciplines and quite rightly they have received some great financial support. Alpine skiing is still struggling and not receiving any help so I hope to help change that to give our young future stars the support they need in order to personally excel.

You got married l ast year, will you have the chance to take a romantic ski holiday with Dougie this winter?

On our bucket list we have some big plans – heli-skiing in Alaska, ski touring in Iceland, face shots in Japan and lots of sneaky weekend getaways to France!

You're now mentoring other winter sports athletes, how's that going?

I really feel, that even though I never achieved my dream of winning gold, I have a lot to give back. I overcame a lot adversity to continue to follow my dream and learnt from every struggle and success so my little black book of experiences comes in very helpful when mentoring others!

Follow Chemmy’s winter adventures at @ChemmySki

/MorzineSourceMagazine

@MorzineSource

/MorzineSourceMagazine

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Three of the area's best chalet chefs serve up their favourite winter recipes so you can make them at home... starter

main

dessert

By Toby at The Chalet Host Co www.thechalethostco.com

By Sarah at Chalet Chefs www.chaletchefs.net

By Damian at Dining Direct www.dining-direct.com

Sweet Potato & Roast Garlic Soup 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into thumb size cubes 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 onion, diced 2 table spoons of vegetable oil 2 tablespoons of red Thai curry paste 1 litre of water 1 ½ vegetable stock cubes 1 400ml can of coconut milk 1 large bulb of garlic 1 teaspoon of lemon juice Parsley and fresh red chili for garnish A dollop of crème fraiche Salt and pepper

Bourguinion St yle slow-cooked Beef Brisket 1.5kg well-marbled beef brisket rolled and tied with string 1 large onion cut in half vertically 10 sprigs of fresh thyme, 10 sprigs parsley, 2 large bay leaf tied into a small bunch 2 tbsp tomato puree 500ml good beef stock 500ml red wine 1 carrot, 1 celery, 1 garlic Salt and pepper to season 200g lardons, 200g button mushrooms, 200g peeled shallots left whole Vegetable oil and butter Fresh thyme or parsley

Preheat oven to 190°c

Preheat oven at 140°c

Half the sweet potato, drizzle with olive oil and bake with a whole bulb of garlic with the top 1/3rd removed for 25mins. Shake occasionally.

On the hob heat the vegetable oil in heavy casserole dish until smoking then add the seasoned brisket turning it three or four times until it's well browned. Remove to a plate.

Dice an onion and simmer in a splash of water and veg oil for 5 mins.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and then add all the rest of the ingredients and bring them just to the boil, add a teaspoon of salt and a ¼ tsp of black ground pepper

Add the carrot, the remaining ½ sweet potato along with the water, stock cubes, coconut milk and Thai paste.

Bring to the boil and leave to simmer gently until the veg is tender.

Remove sweet potato and garlic from oven and add potato to veg in the saucepan. Use hand held blender until smooth.

Put the brisket into the casserole lid on and put in the oven for 2-3 hours until the meat can be easily cut with a fork.

Remove the brisket and vegetables.

Put the casserole onto the hob and reduce sauce by half.

Remove garlic cloves from bulb and add to soup.

Season to taste, take off the heat and add tbsp of butter.

Squeeze in the lemon juice and blend again lightly.

Sauté the bacon lardons with the shallots for ten minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook until they are all browned.

If soup appears too thick, thin it with milk.

Pour soup into warmed bowls with a dollop of crème fraiche. Garnish chopped parsley and red chili garnish. #lovemorzine

Slice the brisket and put on plates, pour over the sauce and garnish with the sautéed mix.

Serve with some steamed carrots, greens and mash and chopped fresh parsley or thyme. #lovelesgets

Melting chocol ate fondants with a rosemary & vanilla crème brûlée

Chocol ate Fondant:

250g dark chocolate (70%) 250g unsalted butter 6 whole eggs + 3 yolks 175g castor sugar 200g plain flour

Melt the chocolate and butter in microwave.

Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Butter 12 ramekins and coat with cocoa powder (remove excess).

Fill each ramekin with 2/3rds mix.

Refrigerate until required.

Rosemary crème brûlée:

300ml cream 1 vanilla pod 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped 4 egg yolks 2 tablespoons castor sugar

Bring the cream, rosemary and split & scraped vanilla pod to boil. Remove from the heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until it thickens slightly. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continuously. Pour the mixture into 12 small ramekins and place into an oven tray.

Pour enough hot water into the tray to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake at 160°c until just set. Refrigerate until needed.

Just before serving, sprinkle castor sugar on top and caramelise using a brûlée torch.

Preheat oven to 180°c Remove the fondants from the refrigerator and place into center of oven.Bake for 8 minutes or until the fondants have cooked around the edges on the top, but the center of is glossy.

Tip each one out and place on a plate.

Serve with a crème brûlée and some fresh fruit. #loveavoriaz

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le your rocher.pdf 19/11/2013 11:20 source1of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

Petit Coq.pdf

1

23/09/2014

09:59

Restaurant

Open from 9am until 1am every day

St Jean d’Aulps Cozy restaurant in the heart of St Jean d'Aulps offering home cooked signature dishes such as Thai Curry, Satay, Fillet Steak and Tapas

Savoyarde Specialties and Take-Away Pizza

Takeaway €10

Cafe Le Petit Coq

Also serving delicious lunchtime treats in our friendly cafe, including big breakfasts and homemade cakes

OPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY

10AM - 4PM FOR BRUNCH AND LUNCH FROM 6.30PM FOR DINNER (LAST (LAST TABLE TABLE RESERVATIONS RESERVATIONS ARE ARE AT AT 8.30PM) 8.30PM)

Tel: 04 50 75 78 47

Delivery Andy.pdf

5 4.5/

1

17/11/2014

36 Route de Morzine - 74110 - Montriond 11:32 www.lerocher-montriond.fr

ADVANCE ADVANCE TABLE TABLE RESERVATIONS RESERVATIONS ARE ARE RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDED FOR FOR DINNER DINNER

CALL +33 (0) 4 50 79 66 79

/Restaurant-Le-Petit-Coq

Delivery Andy.pdf

1

24/10/2013

@lepetitcoq

16:28

Ski & Snowboard Carriage • • • •

door-to-door delivery of your equipment & luggage weight allowance up to 30kg per bag discounts for group bookings & seasonaires BIKE CARRIAGE DURING SUMMER SEASON

Weekly Delivery Service • • • • •

small parcels to large items 1kg-1,500kg pallets - up to 1000kg per pallet light removals storage

UK Supermarket Deliveries Unit R3/B | MK:2 Business Centre | Milton Keynes | MK2 3HU Tel: +44 (0)1908 821210 | Mob: +44 (0)7780 727187 mail@deliveriestothealps.co.uk @alpsdeliveries

/deliveriestothealps

www.deliveriestothealps.co.uk /MorzineSourceMagazine

info@alptitude.com | 0033 (0)7867 11412 @MorzineSource

/MorzineSourceMagazine

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www.morzinesourcemagazine.com

Not that long ago, buying a piece of technical outerwear would have meant buying a piece of clothing that said ‘look at me! I’m a piece of technical outerwear!’

I’m talking garishly bright colours, contrasting taped seams and salopet tes that are just that bit too short.

The kind of thing in which you could only be taken seriously when in a bar in Chamonix with a leathery face, chapped lips and a demi, telling a group of slack jawed holiday makers how wingsuiting lets you feel ‘at one with the elements’.

But fear not, thankfully all our favourite brands have realised that people want to look good, as well as be protected from the elements. In this issue of Source we’ve dedicated ourselves to finding the best technical outerwear and base layers that you can...not feel like an idiot in.

If you’re not sure what to look for when buying new riding clothes, Gore-Tex is a good place to start. It’s the most waterproof, windproof and breathable fabric on the planet. Plus, Gore Fabrics

#lovemorzine

is an environmentally responsible company and is a founding member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, meaning you can shop with peace of mind.

There are a number of other fabrics designed to be waterproof and windproof and they are ranked in the form of waterproofing / breathability.

The highest quality garments are 20k/20k, meaning that the fabric can stand up to or above 20,000mm of water pressure before it starts to leak through,

and let out 20,000g of water vapour (ie. your sweat).

Breathability is often confused with how much wind can get into a fabric, but it’s actually how well it allows your sweat to get out, which keeps your body warm and dry. So if you find a nice jacket that’s 5k/5k, chances are you’ll be soaked either from the snow or your own sweat by lunchtime.

When buying base layers, it’s important to remember to NEVER wear cotton, and that includes cotton/polyester mixes. Unlike thermal fabrics, cotton absorbs your sweat and doesn’t do anything with it, meaning it sits against your skin and makes you cold. Other thermal fabrics ‘wick’ moisture away from your skin, which allows your body to regulate your core temperature and stay warm. Look out for merino when shopping for base layers. It’s a specific type of wool that’s durable, naturally elastic, fire resistant and odour repellent, so you can make do with one for an entire holiday, and won’t have to worry about getting too close to the logburner. It keeps you really warm, too. Also look out for

#lovelesgets

merino socks to save your ski or snowboard boots from offending your friends and family.

It may be a bit more expensive to buy good quality gear, but you’ll thank yourself later when you’re warm and dry in the midst of a blizzard, or five years down the line when you’ve still got a coat that’s in near perfect condition and that you’re happy to wear in real life as well. For those on a budget, look for last season’s clothes on sale, or eBay for second hand stuff; items that have only been worn a few times can be found for a fraction of their retail value.

When buying outerwear it’s important to think about how you’re going to wear it; what you’re going to wear it with and what you’re going to wear underneath it. Most brands have a system of zips or poppers to attach jackets to pants but if you like to mix up your brands make sure you have a good snow skirt to stop the white stuff from going where it’s not supposed to. Bib pants or a onesie will be sure to keep the snow out, just watch out for wet and suspicious looking toilet floors… #loveavoriaz

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

Here’s our pick of what’s best for on the mountain as well as for day-to-day life.

Make the most of those purchases!

57

NIGHT SLEDGING YOONER SLEDGING MEALS IN A TEPEE

ladies

SNOWSHOE WALKS Burton Voo Doo Gore-Tex Jacket

SNOWSCOOT

330.00€

PARAGLIDING

Is this the best jacket ever?

It’s Gore-Tex, and the lining is made partly from recycled plastic bot tles. If that’s not enough, it’s extra long to keep out that pesky snow, and is lightly insul ated to keep you nice and toast y. It also looks great on and off the mountain.

DINNER IN A IGLOO

19 Place de l’Office de Tourisme MORZINE +33 (0)4 50 49 48 60

Airbl aster Sassy High-Waisted Pants

APRES SKI!!!

Night Sledging Yooner

259.99€

Airbl aster is a brand that’s all about fun and these pants are no exception. They’re super high-waisted for extra warmth and protection, and are less hassle than bib pants. They’re also made from what Airbl aster calls Back-Door-Tex, which is upcycled cut offs from Gore-Tex and other technical fabrics. Guaranteed to keep you warm and dry and they’re great for the environment, too!

/MorzineSourceMagazine

@MorzineSource

/MorzineSourceMagazine

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mens The Source Suppliers Show

Saga Monarch 3 L ayer Jacket

280.00€

American brand Saga is finally available to buy in the UK. This is their most technical jacket; it’s 20k /20k, and super st ylish to boot. It may only be a shell, but the super rel axed fit makes it great for l ayering up.

Last April we held the area’s first business to business trade event, aimed at bringing buyers and suppliers together at the Domaine du Baron on Lake Montriond.

Forty-five exhibitors attended to present their products and services to buyers and this year’s event looks set to be even bigger. It takes place on Monday 13th April, the cost to exhibit as a supplier is minimal and visiting the show is free.

Complimentary refreshments will be available and the whole event is a great opportunity to catch up with the local business community at the end of another busy winter season. For more information visit morzinesourcemagazine.com/ suppliers-show.

New 4* Hotel for Avoriaz Inspired by the ‘60s mod style with bright Pop Art colours and retro furnishings, the Hotel des Dromonts in the centre of Avoriaz has undergone a huge facelift to open this winter as a 29 bedroom, six suite boutique hotel. There will also be an indoor pool with the accompanying Spa Pure Altitude, as well as a new après terrace. Perhaps the most exciting news from the Hotel des Dromonts is the opening of two new restaurants. Les Enfants Terribles is already an established part of the gourmet dining scene in Megeve (expect haute-cuisine, with steak au poivre and Ramón Peña sardines on the menu), while Les Enfants Terribles DOWN will be a lively cocktail bar serving small sharing plates. Visit maisons-hotelssibuet.com for more info.

All Change at the Pointe de Nyon Restaurant

Armada Basin Gore-Tex 440.99€ Pro Pant Probably the most impenetrable pants ever (unlucky l adies).

There’s no snow get ting into these, and you can wear them as big as you like without worrying about them falling down. They also have a built in Recco aval anche rescue system, which is not to be confused with the more advanced aval anche safet y equipment and should only be used as a secondary system along side a transceiver.

#lovemorzine

Under new ownership this winter, the Pointe de Nyon Restaurant on the Nyon plateau has been a Source lunch-stop favourite for a long time. With sunny terraces both front and back, it’s also a great place for relaxing après drinks and that all-important mid-morning coffee stop. New proprietor, Luce is a Morzine local through and through, so changes include a new menu with lots of regional specialties, and ‘Sunday slow-cooks’ such as Boeuf Bourguignon or Coq au Vin. The Pointe de Nyon is also a pretty special wedding spot, so if you’re looking for a piste-side venue for your nuptials, be sure to pay them a visit. #lovelesgets

#loveavoriaz

59

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz Tremplin winter Source Advert.pdf 1 22/11/2014 09:35

Midas.pdf

1

01/10/2014

15:32

and brasserie

www.midaskitchens.fr | sales@midaskitchens.fr

+44 7803 625 242 MODERN KITCHEN MEETS TRADITIONAL SKI HOME THE PERFECT COMBINATION Family run UK company based in St Jean d’Aulps offers you the everything from a no obligation kitchen design consultation through

W

to a fully project managed installation.

NE

S ST HOW

BY JEA RO AP PO N D OM INT ’A ME U IN NT LP ON S LY

m of the botto t a is e c a Pleney lift unny terr s w e e n g r e h la t r e Ou sit piste, oppo door… the Pleney nt to our fro i k S . n io t sta made good home Menu g in v r e s n kitche sphere.

A gourmet amily friendly atmo af €10 recipes in hes from is d n e r d il ch from €17, ea ernoon t t f a o t t kfas rom brea Service f

y day r e v e n phere s o ope m t a rès-ski p a y l e Liv or DJs c i s u m e with liv

Part of the Burnhill Kitchens Group

UK TO PORTES DU SOLEIL /MorzineSourceMagazine

@MorzineSource

/MorzineSourceMagazine

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www.morzinesourcemagazine.com

Stay on piste The number one reason people get caught in an avalanche is because they are in a place where an avalanche could happen. If you really want to avoid avalanches then simply don’t put yourself in harms way. This is by far the safest option and the only guaranteed technique for avoiding an off-piste avalanche.

Designated zones Scattered around the Portes Du Soleil are designated ‘freeride zones’. If you’re new to off-piste, they are a great ‘controlled environment’ in which to learn. These zones are blasted thoroughly and patrolled regularly to ensure they are as safe as possible.

However avalanches can still occur and appropriate safety equipment should be used.

Education There’s only so much you can learn from reading a ‘avalanche tips’ article. The real learning happens up there, with qualified instructors teaching correct techniques.

Book yourself on a course (the more detailed the better) and top up that course with additional knowledge as often as you can.

If you’ve not tried skiing or snowboarding off piste, you should! If you’ve already had the pleasure of get ting ‘fresh tracks’, then I don’t need to explain to you the unbeatable feeling of carving down a fresh face.

There is one problem with venturing from the marked runs however: avalanches.

They kill hundreds of people every year, and injure many more.

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go off piste, it simply means that you have to use caution, common sense and receive proper training on how to do so safely. We’ve put together a collection of tips on how to make off-piste skiing and snowboarding as safe as possible.

#lovemorzine

Spl ash out Purchase the best quality avalanche safety equipment you can afford. The minimum requirements are a shovel, probe and transceiver - plus the knowledge of how to use them correctly. A good helmet, ABS pack, Avalung and extra Recco tags will not make you invincible but they will certainly help if it all goes wrong.

Look after your equipment Make sure you keep it somewhere safe out of season. Always have fresh batteries in your transceiver and check your gear for faults or damage before every use.

Check the aval anche warning level Situated at the top of every main lift there’s an avalanche risk scale. See our table of the different avalanche risk levels and what they mean to you.

Never ride alone Ever. A small tumble and a partial bury from a tiny ‘sluff’ avalanche would have your mates laughing or grumbling about the hold up whilst they help you out. On your own the situation would be somewhat less jovial and significantly more scary and dangerous.

Look around you If there’s a lot of natural avalanche activity, it’s a bad sign. If others are avoiding the off piste, you should too. If there are cracks forming as you walk, snow is ‘whumping’ or shifting as you walk on it - get out of there!

Go with a guide A trained and qualified guide will be able to lead you to some wonderfully untouched and most importantly, safe powder riding.

Be sensible A gung-ho attitude to avalanche awareness is a sure-fire way to get buried.

Trust your instincts If you’re not happy about dropping into a slope, don’t. Don’t cave to peer pressure.

If you’re following a friend who’s making some reckless decisions, voice your concern.

Its better to call them out and face a mild socially awkward moment then have to deal with someone being buried.

#lovelesgets

#loveavoriaz

61

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

1. low risk

France Property angels.pdf

1

02/10/2014

13:29

what it means?

Snow is generally well bonded and stable

Beautiful Properties for sale in the French Alps

Triggering is possible on a few steep slopes Small natural avalanches possible Be sensible and you’ll most likely to be safe

2. moderate risk

what it means?

Snow is less well bonded on some steep slopes Triggering is possible on steep slopes Large natural avalanches possible Proceed with caution, use correct avalanche awareness techniques and you’ll enjoy some nice powder today

3. considerable risk

what it means?

www.francepropertyangels.com info@francepropertyangels.com +44 (0) 1225 442128

Moderate to weakly bonded snow on many steep slopes

Linges des Alpes Advert.pdf

Triggering is possible, even by individual skiers on moderately steep slopes

1

02/10/2014

13:25

Medium and large natural avalanches likely Snowpack is sketchy in places Avoid steep slopes. You’d be bet ter sticking to the piste 4. high risk

what it means?

Snow is weakly bonded in most places Triggering is likely, even with single skiers on many slopes

Mitre Linen- Supplier of Hotel Bedding, Towels, Pillows, Bed Linen and Slippers Heritage, Luxury, Comfort & Essential Ranges Vogue Beds UK - British made beds - Zip n Link sets, fabric bases and matching Headboards H2K of Harrogate - Skin Care products Specialists in Cow Hide chairs and Sofa’s Supplier to hotels, chalets, tour-operators or the individual in France.

Frequent medium or large avalanches possible Do not venture from the marked runs

Fournisseur: Linge de Maison, lits, chaises, fauteuils (peau de vache).

Distributeur: Crèmes de soins, savon…

Spécialiste International: Hôtelier, tour-opérateur et particuliers.

You’ll have considerably more fun in The Stash!

5. very high risk / extreme

what it means?

Weakly bonded snow and largely unstable Numerous large avalanches likely, even on moderately steep terrain Piste and lift closures likely Don’t even think about it!

/MorzineSourceMagazine

@MorzineSource

www.lingedesalpes.com +33 (0) 6 43 22 28 27 +33 (0) 4 50 79 45 89 info@lingedesalpes.com

/MorzineSourceMagazine

62 La Terrase advert.pdf

1

25/11/2014

www.morzinesourcemagazine.com

10:36

+33 (0) 4 50 74 16 17 | laterrassedeslindarets@hotmail.fr

Newsive

LA TERRASSE PARTY

You may not be aware, but Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets have their own ice hockey team - The Penguins! We love The Penguins here at Source Magazine and we think you will too. Here’s ten reasons why you should head down to a match and see the fun for yourselves…

& exclu

ter 15 for Win darets in Les Lin

WELCOME TO OUR ESTABLISHED MOUNTAIN TOP RESTAURANT WHICH WILL NOW ALSO HOST OUR CHIC AND EXCLUSIVE PANORAMIC TOP APRES VENUE FEATURING GREAT LIVE BANDS AND INTERNATIONAL DJ’S

ENJOY THE PARTY WHILST SIPPING ON COCKTAILS OR ENJOYING DIFFERENT SPIRITS WITH OUR THEMED APRES SKI EVENTS RELAX ON OUR HEATED TERRASSE AS THE SUN SETS LATE AND THE FUN BEGINS ENJOY THE LEISURELY BLUE RUN DOWN TO ARDENT AFTER THE PARTY, OR JOIN ONE OF OUR TORCH LIT DESCENTS OR SKIDOO TAXIS La Terrasse is also available for exclusive private parties too

“ Enjoy your time on the slopes with the peace of mind a Snow Angel Nanny brings”

It’s cheap – At just €12 for a League Magnus match or €100 for any twelve games throughout the season, ice hockey is an absolute bargain!

It’s indoors – Dumping down with snow

or minus twenty outside? Fear not, it’s dry and (relatively) warm inside the Skoda Arena.

Catch a puck – A great souvenir; there’s usually at least one that goes awry. Try to catch it with your hand and not your face for a great takehome memento.

Great bar – Admittedly, we’ve only ever purchased beer and chips from it. But service is rapid and the beer tastes great. Top tip: Head to the bar whilst the game is ‘in-play’ to beat the queues.

It’s close – The Skoda Arena is within easy

walking distance of most areas of Morzine and Montriond. Access the venue via the Super Morzine elevator or walk down the road from the Marie.

Goals – Hockey is a goal-fest! Expect score lines

of five, six or even nine or ten goals per team.

The Best Private Nanny Service in the French Alps.

Snow Angel Nannies is a reliable and professional mobile childcare service in the French Alps.

We cover the famous snow-sure ski areas of The 3 Valleys, Les Deux Alpes, Alpe d’Huez and The Espace Killy.

Les Deux Alpes • Alpe d’Huez • Meribel Courchevel • La Tania Tignes • Morzine • Les Gets

Fights – Unlike its American cousin, European

hockey is a little more reserved when it comes to violence. Fights do happen though. And shoulder barges and takedowns happen regularly.

Shift changes – It’s a beautiful thing, the

shift-change. For absolutely no visible reason to the untrained eye, the entire team will down tools and swap out for a new set of players. It’s practically art.

Rink side seats – You can literally get within two centimeters of the action. Pressing your nose up to the glass means you can see the action up close.

Just try not to flinch when they slam into the sides.

Want to go to another resort... just ask! info@snowangelnannies.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 8090 0007

www.snowangelnannies.co.uk #lovemorzine

#lovelesgets

It’s a good game – All in all, ice hockey is a great game. It’s fun, it’s fast and it’s a great holiday experience for the family or for the more social drinkers among you. When else do you get a chance to scream your lungs out at grown men ice-skating and have a great night in the process?

#loveavoriaz

your source of information for Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz

/MorzineSourceMagazine

@MorzineSource

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/MorzineSourceMagazine

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The pound has just come off a t wo year high against the euro.

New flight routes bet ween UK regional airports and Geneva are being announced left right and centre. Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz are now firmly on the map as both summer and winter holiday destinations. There’s real grow th at the beginner end of the winter sports market, spurring demand for convenient, lower, learner friendly resorts.

You might be thinking that now would be a great time to cl aim your stake in the local propert y market. And you’d be right. But is it bet ter to build your dream home or buy an existing propert y?

To Buy… Charm & Character It’s still entirely possible to find that chocolate box dream property locally, especially if you’ve not got your heart set on living in the very centre of resort. Outlying villages such as Le Biot or Seytroux are home to some stunning Savoyarde farmhouses and many are ripe for renovation. If it’s your dream to own a property filled with charm and character, then buy.

Local property expert Joanna MacGovern fromGeranium Immobilier (geranium74.com) told us

There are so many opportunities to buy fantastic properties in the villages surrounding Morzine and Les Gets. We have a range of properties from authentic Savoyarde farmhouses that haven’t been touched for 70 years, to properties that were last modernised 20 or 30 years ago. These properties in particular present a great opportunity, as it’s usually possible to live in them while they’re being modernised, and often they have original features which you won’t find in new build properties.

High Demand for L and As the old adage goes, they don't make land anymore and many of the prime, sunny spots in resort centres have already been snapped up. Consequently when new constructible plots do come to the market they are reserved very quickly.

As local property finder, Wendy Bull of Wendy's Houses (wendyshouses.com) explains

Land in Morzine is extremely hard to find as there are currently so many buyers all looking for land on which to build a chalet. My current experience on land sale prices is that we could possibly find land from €350 per m2 in certain areas of Morzine and land has recently sold up to as much as €650 per m2 in a prime south facing location.

Costs In the Alps it’s cheaper to buy a house than to build one.

Construction costs are higher than in the UK for various reasons, the distance that materials have to travel being just one of them. Of course the end cost really does depend on the scale of a project, but you can expect to spend a minimum of €2500 per sqm on your build if you’re handy and have the skills required to get involved. #lovemorzine

#lovelesgets

This means a 3-4 bedroom chalet will set you back around €350,000, excluding the cost of your land. If your budget doesn’t stretch this far, then buy.

Nicky Wye from property agents Leggett Immobilier (leggett.fr) told us

A new build property will cost 10-15% more than a re-sale property if you use a constructor or property developer and depending on the standard of finish, the cost per sqm can be as much as €5000 or €6000 in Morzine. Of course for this you’ll get a 10 year structural guarantee, your finished home will comply with all the latest building regulations and you’ll have an efficient heating and hot water system, which can reduce annual electricity costs to between €1500 and €1800 for a five bedroom chalet.

Time If the motive behind your decision to own property in the Alps is so you can spend next winter as a weekend warrior, jetting in and out several times a season, then the timescales involved in buying may be more attractive than building. It takes far less time to buy a property than to build one, and you’ll more than likely be fully settled before the next winter season arrives.

Sharon Scott of 2 Valley Properties (2valleyproperties.com) explains

While a 'normal' sale usually takes between 3 and 4 months if you are taking out a mortgage, (or around 2 months if you are a cash buyer) purchasing land and building a property can take between 1 and 2 years. In the mountains we are ruled by the seasons, so if for example you buy a plot of land in late autumn or during the winter, you will not be able to start excavating the foundations until the spring. Also don't count on doing a lot of finishing work inside during the winter season, as many artisans will be on the slopes, as ski instructors or just having a rest!

Therefore realistically there is roughly a 7 month window to start and finish a building project, from May to November. Also taking into account planning applications, which can take up to 6 months, service connections and land surveys, you can understand why 2 years is a reasonable time scale for building your own chalet.

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Interior Inspirations.pdf

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To Build…

Availabilit y There’ve recently been changes to the capital gains tax arrangements for second home owners in France, consequently selling a property can be costly. Coupled with the fact that holiday home rental potential has skyrocketed as the popularity of the area increases, this could result in fewer properties coming on the market. If you’re looking for an existing property that ticks all your boxes, and you’re not one for compromise, then build.

Call us for a free consultation

+33 (0) 6 35 24 07 62

Local immobilier Paul Watts of Morzine Immo (morzine-immo.com) explains

We have a collection of clients who are looking to purchase in Morzine or the surrounding area with a high budget. They're attracted to the area's year-round appeal and their requirements are quite specific. We work with them to look at land options in the area, as many of them have the budgets to support such a project. We're able to connect them with excellent local architects and builders so they can realise their alpine property dream.

The Builder The home building process in France is tightly regulated and there are a number of highly regarded building companies locally. The regulations give you a lot of protection and a fixed price project guarantees the end cost of your building project. Compare this security to the uncertainly involved in buying a local ‘doer-upper’ and you’re perhaps looking at a more comfortable and less stressful route to your dream home.

Let us help you to create the home of your dreams with our skilled and experience designers

celia@interiorinspirations.eu | www.interiorinspirations.eu

Olaf Adamec from Alpine Services (alpine-services.com) has been building beautiful properties in the area for years. He told us

In a new build, if an ideal spot can be found, everything can be planned out in advance and each contractor is planned with little or no surprises through the project. Today's drawing programs allow us to calculate the possibilities of load bearing structures and keep within local regulations at our altitude. Costs and lists of materials can also be calculated fairly accurately to keep within thermic requirements. Adding energy efficiency into any design has its benefits when starting from scratch. Although retrofitting an existing property is possible, it's undoubtedly more complicated and planning to catch the heat of the sun and using modern low consumption heating technology will help achieve a sustainable, cost effective building for years to come.

A Thermally Efficient Home Local traditional building methods were designed to keep homes as warm as possible during the winter season, but they’re far from what you might describe as being ‘eco’. Strict new laws have recently been brought in in France (Regulations Thermique 2012), meaning new builds have to comply with much higher eco standards. If you’re careful in your choice of building materials, it’s completely possible to build an eco friendly property. ECSUS Design for example, design, supply and fit SIPs (Structurally Insulated Panels to you and I), providing an exceptionally quick way to build a thermally efficient chalet.

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Olaf Adamec Le Corbier - 74430 Le Biot info@alpine-services.com

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Steven Downs from ECSUS Design (ecsusdesign.com) explains

The Future

Over the last decade our average spend on energy has rocketed by over 50%, even though our average usage has dropped by over 15%.

Despite initiatives to insulate older homes, their bills are often still high because of the method and materials used in construction. New homes built with Kingspan SIPs and the latest renewable energy heating systems on the other hand, have bills of virtually zero because they’re so thermally efficient. The construction costs are comparable to traditional build plus you’re saving on energy bills from day 1, and doing your bit for the planet too.

And when it’s time to sell…

Whilst the initial outlay of a new build is likely to be higher than purchasing an existing property, your new home could potentially sell for a higher value when the time comes. If you manage to nab a great plot of land, build to a high specification, meet all building regulations and consider energy efficiency, you could end up with a higher resale value than if you’d bought an existing property.

Kate Thompson of France Property Angels (francepropertyangels.com) told us

If you’re willing to wait, new builds allow you to specify exactly what you want from your dream home by choosing your finishes such as tiles, kitchens and bathrooms. Buying an existing property with traditional Alpine charm gives you the opportunity to purchase immediately and put your stamp on a piece of history.

A decision on whether to buy or to build will undoubtedly depend on your budget, your objectives and your tastes, but it’s also worth considering how the local property market is likely to change in the future.

Pastures Greener’s Carrie Smith (pasturesgreener.net) explains

The market is trending towards the higher end both in sales and rentals. The demand for high-end rentals must be supplied so there is a high demand to be met through the construction of new build or renovation projects. With high budgets come corresponding high standards and expectations.

This is bringing the quality of construction to new levels in our local area and services and amenities are following suit. Certainly new builds keeps an eye to the future and whereas it is never possible to completely “future-proof” a project, it is easier to work to the current norms and regulations with new builds rather than renovation. You can have a house that looks to the future in terms of energy efficiency, environmental impact and economy – all attractive aspects when it comes to resale. And prices will continue to increase because of the lack of availability of prime plots whilst buyers keen to build from scratch will start to move further out of the main hubs of the resorts to be able to achieve their dream – and this demand may ultimately also have a favourable knock on effect on infrastructure and amenities in those areas. High end renovation achieves the same end in many respects whilst also doing a great service in keeping local heritage alive and giving the satisfaction of owning a piece of history and local character.

If you're still undecided on whether to build or to buy, here's t wo properties that are currently on the market locally...

to buy...

...or to build

A farm renovation project - €220,000 Traditional Savoyarde farmhouse in Le Biot Apartment with kitchen, living area, 2 bedrooms and bathroom Double height barn for renovation Pretty garden on a plot of 650m2 For sale with Geranium Immobilier

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A new build apartment development - €715,000 Les Chalet des Nants in Morzine centre Ski-in, ski-out 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms Garage parking and gardens For sale with Morzine Immo

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DON’T GO OFF PISTE

WITH YOUR INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS…

Increasingly, people are steering away from banks when it comes to making international money transfers. It is common knowledge that banks are big, can be impersonal and are often unresponsive. So why are they still being used to transfer funds overseas when a specialist can provide an easy and costeffective alternative service?

Despite many being familiar with using a specialist foreign currency exchange service or broker to transfer their money abroad, many more remain unaware of the benefits, such as up to 4% savings. On a £50,000 transfer this equates to a saving of £2,000.

FC Exchange is one such service provider.

Operating since 2005, they are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Authorised Payments Institution

(No.511266) and have achieved success in this sector due to their commitment to providing a customer-focused service.

FC Exchange is not only able to pass cost savings onto its clients by offering more competitive exchange rates, but through savings on the transfer fees too where banks would charge around £25-£45 per transfer.

Further, unlike most banks, its products can be customised thereby enabling clients to target, fix or protect exchange rates in the volatile currency market.

James Croft at FC Exchange points out that Sterling has been on a volatile ride throughout 2014 already, rising over 2.5% and then falling by the same amount versus the euro in less than three months.

He further says, “Using tailored solutions

such as a Stop Loss or Limit Order can help clients to maximise their returns by allowing them to target a better rate of exchange whilst at the same time having a safety net in place to secure the rate if the market moves adversely”.

Getting the best exchange rate is now one less thing for us to think about during the ski season.

Prior to working with FC Exchange we would constantly have to monitor the rates to make sure that we were converting our guests’ money at the best rate. Now we leave this to the experts so that we can focus our time and energy on what we do best.

Dom, skiology.co.uk

Contact

James Croft Personal currency exchange

+44 (0)20 7989 0000 Business currency exchange

+44 (0)20 7989 1111 Register with us online

fcexchange.co.uk FC Exchange is a trading name of Foreign Currency Exchange Limited. Registered office: Salisbury House, Finsbury Circus, London EC2M 5QQ. Registered No.05452483. Authorised by the Financial Services Authority (No.511266) under the Payment Service Regulations 2009 for the provision of payment services.

HM Revenue & Customs MLR No.12215508.

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advertorial

the local propert y market

The propert y market has certainly been buoyant in the local area over the past year. The facing page shows a small percentage of the sales completed by Morzine Immobilier, on and off the market l ast year.

Morzine Immobilier is delighted to have been chosen by Knight Frank to be part of their global net work for Morzine and Les Gets. With over 335 offices in 52 countries, the net work of residential and commercial agents includes the number one propert y agents in London, New York, Paris, Moscow, Singapore and, dare we say, the Morzine / Les Gets area.

Having established the relationship 12 months ago, we have now seen the direct results / benefits of such an association for us and our clients selling property. Here’s a few points about Knight Frank: • Founded in 1896, Knight Frank has grown to become the world’s leading independent real estate consultancy • Today, it is widely regarded as the advisor of choice in the global real estate world, best placed to engage with occupiers and wealth across prime residential and commercial property • Last year Knight Frank received the RESI award for International Sales Agency of the Year • This year on September 10th Knight Frank launched a formal relationship with Douglas Elliman in the USA – now allowing them to cover the residential markets in New York, South Florida and Los Angeles – extending the global reach.

It is certainly true; Morzine has seen a great change during the last decade. It has grown into a resort which now caters for all tastes and skiing ability with the Summer season becoming more and more vibrant. This has had the positive effect of driving prices upward in the area.

Prices per square metre on high specification new build apartments are one of the best performers.

Morzine, for example has seen prices increase from €6,500 per m² three years ago to €8,400 per m² today with the likelihood that this will continue to increase with the limited supply available.

Offices in Dubai, Geneva, Monaco, New York and London, to name just a few, as well as 19 associate offices in France, ensure that all luxury markets are covered. We look forward to a very successful relationship with Knight Frank and our clients over the forthcoming years.

So what is happening in the area?

It certainly seems that confidence in the area by overseas investors has returned. It appears that the British second home owners have returned to France contravening current market sentiment within the UK economy. The majority of these are high earners in the City who have not been affected so much by the recent economic crisis.

A lot of clients are still watching the pound's performance against the Euro. Now that it seems to have settled at above the €1.20 to the £1 (at the time of printing it was 1.26) the British are not disturbed at all and are, it would appear, very happy at this level of exchange.

The British expat markets from the likes of Dubai, Bahrain, Singapore and Hong Kong have also been active.

Locally, the French have similarly been increasingly active over the past five months after a quiet winter.

The British press continue to praise the area, a quote from the Financial Times in October 2014 stated:

“Amongst Europe’s top performers is Morzine, a resort which arguably comes the closest to being recognised as a truly year-round destination and one that is investing heavily in its infrastructure.”

Early 2010 saw British buyers constrained by the weak pound together with more international buyers coming to the Alps to buy property, most notably the Dutch and other Eurozone countries. However, the market was suppressed by the wide divide of price expectations from purchasers and vendors. This also reflected global economic factors and where vendors were realistic, showing up to a 20% drop in valuation from their 2008 high, properties were changing hands.

More recently we have seen property prices make a resurgence in value, with buying conditions especially in the last 18 months having much improved. Some property prices are now back to and well beyond their 2008 highs. This has been helped also by the inward investment that is being made by the Morzine Commune on snow canons, new ski lifts and general facilities, for example, a new indoor swimming pool. Also in the past few months we have seen a lot of activity with the strength of the Euro against the Pound with clients being able to stretch a little further for their ideal property.

If you would like to discuss any aspects of this report or even a valuation of your property then please do not hesitate to contact us or pop into the office for a chat.

Writ ten by: T: +33 (0)4 50 79 13 09 | F: +33 (0)4 50 79 15 67 | E: info@morzine-immo.com

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Paul Wat ts & Sébastien Michaud

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You wouldn’t be able to tell from looking at around 90% of mountain chalets, but alpine furniture doesn’t always have to be large chunks of squared tree with stars and hearts carved into it. To be fair, the Savoyard style does make us feel very cosy and wintery, but for most people, having a home that looks like a scene from a 1950s Christmas movie isn’t ideal. Large, heavy furniture, dark colours, poor use of space and a constant view of hearts is a tad much for most. Thankfully, there is a solution: Snohomes Bespoke Furniture and Joinery.

This creative team based in Montriond is revolutionising the alpine interior design experience. With a fully customisable design service, their work can encompass both residential and commercial projects.

Snohomes can be as involved in your project as you choose; whether it’s designing an individual piece of furniture, creating a storage solution for that awkward space or overseeing a complete design project, they tailor the design service to your specific needs.

image credits - sharpography.co.uk

Here at Source, we particularly like their bespoke joinery creations. Taking the traditional alpine look and applying a mixture of modern and traditional joinery techniques, they create contemporary and functional, yet beautiful pieces of custom furniture.

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Snohomes specialise in designing and making bespoke furniture and joinery for a broad spectrum of clients in the Haute Savoie region of France. For more information, visit their website at snohomes.eu.

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Yes, you separate your recycling. Of course you don’t leave the tap running when you brush your teeth. You might have even bought a hybrid car, grown your own vegetables and only flush after a number two.

But what have you done about your winter sports habits? Remember those horrible nasty large industries pumping out chemicals around the world? Well, bad news… the ski industry is one of them.

I don’t need to tell you that human activit y has affected the Earth’s climate.

If you’ve not heard about it then you literally must have been on another pl anet.

Greenhouse gases, Global Warming, Climate Change, flooding, drought, cyclones and tsunamis; like any huge issue you see on the news, it’s almost impossible to rel ate to on a personal level. It’s all just too big for you and me. Too many l arge industries around the world pumping out their chemicals and us, powerless to stop it. In fact, we rely on it to live.

A ski resort might not seem so bad; it’s just a small town in the mountains after all. But when you consider the power and water usage of the chalets and hotels, the energy consumption of the lifts, the diesel in the piste bashers, tourist cars, transfer minibuses and coaches, the aviation fuel from all those Easyjetters (15,000 people a day into Geneva on the Saturday before Christmas), road clearers, medical helicopters, sewerage output from the Portes du Soleil’s 122,000 beds… it all adds up. And that doesn’t even include the environmental costs of building the resort in the first place.

Now multiply that by the number of resorts in France (over three hundred), and you’re starting to get one incredibly large carbon footprint. Scale it up to cover the rest of the world’s ski resorts and you’re looking at serious level of environmental damage.

Looking at it like that, you can see why the environmental forecast is so dire: In 50 year’s time, the French mountains will have lost, on average, 40% of their snow at altitudes below 1400m*.

Luckily for us, our beloved industry knows all this and many resorts are currently trying to clean up their act. To point them in the right direction and help them gauge their performance against other resorts is French company, Mountain Riders.

Now in their fourteenth year of operation, Mountain Riders produce the most excellent Eco Guide To Ski Resorts. This is a downloadable (which is more environmentally friendly!) guide to all you need to know about making the earth a cleaner place to live, with a focus on ski resorts and winter holidays.

Working closely with local, regional and national government, as well as ADEME

(France’s Agency for Environment and Energy Control), Mountain Riders gives out great advice on how you personally, your business or your town can reduce its environmental impact. They also produce an annual table that shows which resorts are pulling their weight, and a similar table for winter sports brands, depicting how ‘green’ they are in the continuing fight for a cleaner ski industry.

We caught up with Monsieur Rey-Gorrez, Mountain Riders Communications Manager What are the goals of Mountain Riders?

We wish to sustain our education and awareness campaign in the mountains, including the Mountain Days waste collection campaign, our educational interventions for children and our courses with the elderly. But we also aim to develop our Green Snowflake label, so tomorrow’s customers can choose their future ski destinations based on the resorts eco-credentials.

Tell us about the Eco Guide.

The Eco Guide is a participatory tool used to declare the environmental standards of ski resorts. Any resort can be included, the only requirement is that three principal groups complete our detailed questionnaire: the Tourist Office, the Town Hall and the lift operating companies. So if a resort does not appear in the Eco Guide, that’s not to say it is ‘no good’, it is simply that the resort did not respond to the Eco Guide questionnaire.

The Eco Guide rates a resort in seven ways.

Transport, energy, development, water, waste, social and territorial. By filling out an indepth questionnaire on each of these areas, Mountain Riders can calculate the resort’s ‘green’ rating in comparison to other resorts.

Morzine doesn’t do as well as we might have hoped in these ratings; this may be because of the town’s larger size compared to ‘winter only’ resorts, it’s year-round popularity, or the large amount of agricultural activity going on throughout the year.

However, that’s not to say that Morzine doesn’t need to try harder. Over the next few years we’re likely to see a huge increase in demand for eco-friendly tourism.

* Etudes Météo France, Centre d’Etude de la Neige

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What’s the best thing the town can do to improve its efforts to be greener?

The major areas of work for resorts are to first to improve their transportation systems.

Then work on their energy usage as well as on planning and development, especially on the issue of ‘cold’ or empty beds.

What can local business owners in Morzine do to make their businesses more eco-friendly?

They can work internally to manage their waste, reduce energy expenditure, rethink employee and supplies travel, work on sustainable procurement, customer awareness, and offer support to organisations that work in similar ways; so many positive actions are possible. Start an action; see it through to the end and then work through a process of continuous improvement.

What can tourists who visit for winter holidays do to reduce their environmental impact?

To reduce their impact, holidaymakers can think through their options for transportation to get to the mountains and ‘eat local’ during their stay.

What is certain is that it is necessary to pack your ‘ecofriendly’ attitude in your suitcase!

There’s a lot of publicity in the media and talk of big environmental changes on the horizon. What are your predictions for the future of the mountains?

We believe in the predictions of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) from now until 2050, which are as follows: • 60% of plant species in the Mediterranean mountains may disappear, due to lack of a home that meets their requirements.

• In the Northern Alps, 25% of plant species could become endangered.

• Wildlife would see their habitats and breeding grounds restricted; endangered species such as the Black Grouse, the Snowfinch or the Apollo butterfly could disappear.

What is the most serious issue we should be worried about locally?

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It is urgent to act on transportation and building renovation. Today 57% of greenhouse gases come from the movement of people to and from the resort and 27% of energy consumption comes from public and private buildings.

If you could give a message to everybody who reads this, what would it be?

I will conclude by quoting Francis Blanche: “In a world constantly on the move it is better to address change than change the dressing…”

We ALL have a role to play in the transition of our mountains!

Reach Your Peak offers you private ski tuition in Avoriaz, Morzine & Les Gets.

We will tailor your lessons to maximise your performance, be it advancing from the nursery slopes to conquering the bumps. We can also organise small group lessons with a maximum of five people per group. +33 (0) 6 68 92 88 86 herve@reachyourpeak.com

The free Eco Guide is avail able online at mountain-riders.org in English, French and German

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As mentioned in the news recently and elsewhere in this magazine, casual ski guiding is now forbidden.

You’ll have to hire yourself a fully qualified ski instructor if you want someone to show you the fastest route to that nice restaurant you went to l ast year - You know? That one with the great Tartiflet te and the strange cow paintings - Or maybe just to make that first day’s decision of ‘do we go right or left’ a lit tle bit easier to make.

Here at Source, we feel your pain; what can possibly fill the hole left in your lives by ‘Dave the chalet boy’ who would so willingly part with his hard earned knowledge of the cheapest beers, quietest runs, shortest queues and quickest connections between resorts? And that got us thinking… who needs Dave?

We know the way to go, we know where you can find a fantastic fondue at 1700m, we know if you should turn left or right on that first morning and we want you to know, too.

And that’s why we are introducing our brand new concept in futuristic digital-age ski hosting; The Virtual Guide!

It’s a simple to use and highly efficient replacement for poor old Dave. And on the plus side, you don’t have to buy it lunch.

Instructions 1. Scan the QR code 2. Pick and download your chosen route 3. Get to the start point.

All routes start at a major lift station in Morzine, Avoriaz or Les Gets.

4. Follow the on screen instructions

Simple!

You don’t necessarily have to run the days in order. That’s just how we would do it.

The routes get progressively longer and more challenging as they go, to match up nicely with your improving fitness/ability/ braveness.

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MCM source advert.pdf

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We offer all levels of management service to property owners in Morzine, Avoriaz, Les Gets and the Vallee d’Aulps area Property management services ranging from basic changeovers to full rental and management of your property

Please contact us to discuss your individual requirements

uk: +44 (0) 7712 88 95 55 | fr: +33 (0) 6 23 81 01 90 e: heather@morzinechaletmanagement.com w: www.morzinechaletmanagement.com

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Avoriaz is set to host a pret t y special event this season. It’s a new one to the area and we’re all super excited at here at Source for what promises to be a spectacularly colorful week. It’s the European Gay Ski Week!

We caught up with Simon Patrick whose job it is to make the EGSW as fabulous as possible.

What is your role within EGSW? I've been privileged to be the "Event Manager" for EGSW since 2008.

So it's my job to ensure our guests have the most AMAZING time, when they have finished skiing for the day at our various parties and events.

It's hard work, but I have to admit I LOVE every minute of it.

Why have you chosen Avoriaz this year?

Well our guests got tired of Tignes very quickly, and have skied every inch of Alpe d'Huez over the last four years, so we listened to their request for exciting pastures new and Avoriaz was perfect.

Sitting at the heart of the world's biggest ski area, and being such an internationally renowned and well-respected resort, we couldn't ask for any more. Plus the warm welcome and enthusiasm, of everyone we have dealt with in Avoriaz has been incredible.

How long has the EGSW been running?

EGSW 2015 will be our 7th year, and when we first started in Solden (Austria) we had just 150 guests mainly from France, UK and Germany.

Now we have in excess of 1000 people attending, from more than 50 countries around the world. We are the most spectacular Gay Winter Sports & Music Festival in Europe.

Do people normally come as individuals or in groups?

Our event has broad appeal to individuals and groups of friends, in fact many new relationships have started at EGSW and anniversaries celebrated back the following year. Last year we had a guest who proposed to his boyfriend, and there was a great celebration when he said YES to his marriage proposal. Our primary aim has always been to offer the perfect winter holiday, for individuals or groups of friends, in a welcoming lesbian & gay environment. #lovemorzine

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Is it just for men or are women welcome also?

The majority of our guests are gay men, but 10% of our customers are women & gay-friendly straight guests are very welcome and often return each year again and again.

Do people travel far for the week?

As I previously said we have guests from more than 50 countries, and yes many travel from very far away. I always meet guests at EGSW from far and wide around the world, even regular returning guests who come all the way from Australia & Brazil.

parties and events are packed every night, and our ski schools and hosted groups are full to capacity every day, I sometimes wonder where our guests get their stamina from!

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Group lessons with a maximum of 6 pupils per group

What's the most scandalous thing that has happened during the week?

You wouldn't believe what happened last year. It was astonishing! So it was on day two, when... oh hang on, I almost forgot. I'm sworn to secrecy and have to respect the privacy of our guests. So I'm afraid what happens at EGSW, stays at EGSW.

Contact info@the-snow-school.com +33 (0) 4 86 68 88 40

How hard do you part y?

OH I WISH!!! I have so many international DJs, cabaret artists, drag queens, performers, dancers, musicians, production, lighting and sound crew, hosts and team members to coordinate all week. So it's pretty much all work and little sleep for me during EGSW.

How much skiing and snowboarding actually goes on?

What should people do if they want to get involved?

Obviously the best way to come and enjoy EGSW 2015 is to visit our website and check out all the amazing things we have on offer at europeangayskiweek.com.

We are always recruiting new volunteers and as we expand, Ski Hosts and Front of House team members each year, so if you are interested in joining our team send us a quick email to info@ egsw.eu

We are primarily a skiing holiday, so all of our guests take great advantage of exploring every aspect of a resorts pistes and facilities. Considering how all our /MorzineSourceMagazine

Group lessons with a maximum of 9 pupils per group in low season (12 pupils in high season)

info@esf-morzine.com +33 (0) 4 50 79 13 13

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Looking down at your snowboard or skis you’ll no doubt appreciate the rather fetching graphics laid out before you.

That is of course unless you’re on race or rental skis, then simply keep an eye out in lift queues for what we’re talking about.

If you’re the proud owner of a pleasing picture on your winter sporting equipment you may have found yourself wondering who creates these underfoot masterpieces.

We’ve tracked down one such responsible person and quizzed him on the mat ter.

Adam Haynes is an artist from Central Oregon.

He started drawing from a young age, citing a l ack of television, a plenitude of books and the epic Oregon backdrop as inspiration. As a youth he would spend hours drawing l andscapes and scenes from his imagination; fast-forward a few years, with a fine arts degree and a spell as a designer for Adidas, Haynes now works as a freel ance designer, with previous clients including Nike 6.0, Red Bull, Quicksilver, GNU Snowboards and Travis Rice for his film "The Art of Flight" and also his Supernatural and Ultranatural competitions.

Hello Adam, welcome to Morzine Source Magazine.

Have you ever had the chance to ride in the Portes Du Soleil or the French Alps?

Thank you for the warm welcome! I'm afraid I haven't had the opportunity to ride anywhere in Europe yet. It's on my to do list, though.

You’re mainly known around these parts for your GNU snowboard art work. What’s your favourite doodle for GNU so far?

It's hard to pick just one, but the painting for Temple Cummins’ pro model board last year is top of the list at the moment. That board will be available this season and it's got some good stories behind it.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

Inspiration comes from all over. Sometimes it's having a conversation with a team rider and art director, sometimes it's a long road trip. Usually I just need to get out of the studio and go somewhere beautiful. That's my favourite way to get inspired.

Could you expl ain to our readers how one goes about designing a snowboard graphic?

I usually start with a piece of wood or paper that is the size and shape of a snowboard. It's a pretty big surface to work on, so it's nice to have it full size for scale. Then I rough in the graphics with the inserts marked, so I don't put anything important under the bindings. After the composition is dialled, I paint it or ink it, then scan and add colour on the computer. I don't like to go to the computer until the end, because the size of the monitor really limits how much of the board you can work on at one time. In order to see the whole graphic at once it has to be really small on the screen, and that can throw off the look of the board once it's printed up full size. It's a long process that can take a month or more.

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What advice would you offer to artists or designers who’re interested in skate or snow art work design?

I always wanted to do snowboard graphics, so at the earliest opportunity I started offering my work in snowboard and skateboard art auctions. It's a nice way to familiarise yourself with the shape and scale of the art surface, and it can give you some nice portfolio pieces to shop around to different companies. Other than that, my best advice is to work hard and draw and paint as much as possible, but also go skateboarding and snowboarding often. My ‘ins’ in the industry came from being in the mix with the art world, but also from meeting folks while snowboarding and travelling.

Hotel, Bar & Restaurant 'Au pieds des pistes'

New 'a La Carte' Restaurant and Char-Grill Menu Formule Table D'Hote Menu Cosy Fireside Lounge

If you had a chance to design a signature board graphic for any rider, past or present, who would you do it for and what would you draw?

Lunch Time

Group bookings on request

Dinner

Every day of the season 6pm – 11pm

It'd be the biggest honour I can think of to design a board graphic for the late Craig Kelly. He was the master of riding pow in the backcountry, and he's been a huge inspiration to me for most of my life. What would I draw? Who knows! I'd have to have a long conversation with the man first, and unfortunately that's not going to happen.

Come and enjoy our stunning new Bar & Restaurant, exciting food and friendly and knowledgeable staff All food is sourced locally and is of the highest quality Cocktails, beers & an extensive wine list Free Aperitif for all visitors quoting SOURCE magazine on arrival.

Do you ride your own graphics? Have you got a special one off board you’ve made for yourself?

Hotel Christiania 74260 Les Gets Reservations- 04 50 75 82 44 info@hotelchristiania.com

I do occasionally, if it's a good shape for the conditions. It's a really special thing to be able to make a graphic and then get to ride it. I've got one special one-off board that I painted a few years ago. It's a real beauty, a binding-less pow surfer that I got from Wolfgang Nyvelt. That board needs a lot of fresh pow to work well, so it only comes out on the deep days.

Thanks Adam!

Morzine-Avoriaz-Les Gets Mountain Music Station

Ski - Weather - Events www.alpsradio.com

to see more of Adams work visit stickfort.com

We’ll be giving away one of his prints over the winter. Keep your eyes peeled on our Facebook page to find out how to win!

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Months, weeks, days have passed and now the wait is almost over: it’s time to ski. But as the transfer bus pulls into resort l ate and you look up at the overcast sky you can already feel the excitement slipping away. You came here not just for the snow but for the sun too – even the most modest of us secretly wanted to show off the goggle tan back at the office. But rather than the bluebird days promised in the brochure, the grey clouds above make this look more like... Hull.

The tricky thing with winter holidays is that they’re so weather dependant – not only does everyone want the sun to be out whilst they’re in the mountains, but for it to be any good it needs to have been heaving it down with snow for at least a week before. So even if one load of happy revellers turns up for the dream week, chances are someone’s not quite had the best of it. Whether you’re out here for the pistes, parks or powder, it’s the sun that we’re all chasing.

And while that might sound like a downer, it really shouldn’t be. Out of the many memorable days on snow I’ve had, I can’t think of many that have been out in those prime conditions. The ‘down’ days, the ones where it’s puking it down with snow so hard

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you can’t see further than two feet in front of you and it’s chillier than an Inuit’s outhouse – those are the days worth fighting it out of the front door for. Not only are the lift queues noticeably smaller, but those that brave the elements are the ones that get the goods.

It’s not just that the slopes will be crowd-free, but skiing or snowboarding in poor visibility is a prime way to up your game. Your reflexes get trained so that you can feel your way down a run, reacting to what’s underfoot rather than the little your eyes can see at speed even on a clear day. And once you’ve dabbled in a few ‘greybird’ days you’ll be hooked there is really nothing like soaring down a deserted mountain feeling the elements throw themselves at you, peeling out from the mist

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at the bottom only to pounce back on the uplift for more.

Yes, by the end your jacket will be soaked through and your goggles will be steamed up almost beyond repair, but you didn’t come all this way just to dip your toes in. And hell, you couldn’t see anything anyway, just far enough ahead to catch flashes of your friends whooping and hollering around you, delighting in being freed from watching the snow forecast because now you know: it’s what you’re riding that counts, not how it looks. Fighting for first tracks after it clears is good, but taking your pick damn near every lap on snow so fresh it’s still got the wrapper on is better. Way better.

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French Intensive Courses, Group Lessons, 1 to 1 tuition, 10€ Conversation Classes

That’s what gets me out of bed at 7am on days when I know I won’t even see sunlight, because even my footprints to the lift will be filled in before the masses shake off their Opera-induced hangovers and shuffle out the door. There’s magic in them forests: Lindarets, Prodains, Nyon, Pleney, Chatel... some of the finest tree riding you’ll encounter this side of the Sea of Japan, far superior to the impenetrable fogs sat atop the high-altitude resorts of Val Thorens, Tignes and Deux Alpes anyway.

Yes sir, we’ll be seeing each other at the crack of dawn for warm up laps through The Stash. Or maybe not, our goggles might already be steamed up from all the fun we’re having...

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French Language Holidays, GCSE & A-level tutoring

Translation services, Auto-entrepreneur set-up

tel: 06 10 40 10 92 email: info@alpinefrenchschool.com web: www.alpinefrenchschool.com

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Inferno Renovation Inferno, Nyon’s piste-side party bar and ski-in, ski-out hotel, have had a full refurb; you’ll find a new terrace, an updated bar and dining room, plus all sixteen bedrooms have been completely renovated. And they’re installing a new hot tub for winter! Now you can enjoy all the luxuries of a catered chalet and the fun of après without having to leave the mountain. What more could you want? For more information visit infernomorzine.com.

Be Your Own Barman at the Cavern Bar Gone are the days of patiently waiting for the barman to spot you amongst the hordes of thirsty people in Morzine’s Cavern Bar. The self-service beer tap has finally arrived in the mountains! Table mounted draught beer taps mean you can pour your own beer whenever you want it, and until then it’ll stay nicely chilled. Simply buy a pre-charged card at the bar when you arrive, grab your beer-tap adorned table and chug until it’s all gone. You can also use your pre-paid credit to buy other drinks from the bar, or leave a credit card with the barman and settle up when you leave. For more info keep an eye on the Cavern’s Facebook page – facebook.com/TheCavernBarMorzine The Avoriaz Igloo Vill age A new icy wonder awaits you on the Arare piste in Avoriaz this winter. You’ll stumble across a 200m2 igloo with three bedrooms, a bar, an ice cave and intricate ice sculptures. The bar opens at 1.00pm each day and has a capacity of 200. A traditional Savoyard meal is available each evening for €95 per head, after which you can glide back into town on your skis. Alternatively, if you’ve enjoyed a little too much locally produced genepi, you might prefer to bed down for the night in an ice bedroom, which will cost you €175 per person, including dinner. If you’re not on skis, you can take the Stade chairlift to the Arare mid-station and then walk to the Igloo in ten minutes. You’ll find more information at cameleon-organisations.com/village-igloo-morzine-avoriaz.

YOUR perfect Alpine wedding spectacular settings . personal words . magical memories

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For a wedding like no other in the beautiful French Alps, choose Kay Evans

British celebrant, confidante and wedding coordinator (Maître de cérémonie/Organisateur de mariages)

Chat with Kay on +33 (0)6 20 47 96 39 Email: kay@alwaysnumberone.co.uk www.alwaysnumberone.co.uk

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WWW.2VALLEYPROPERTIES.COM · 04 50 49 22 13 Follow our Friday Freebie tips for expats on the Source Magazine website and our facebook page: www.facebook.com/2ValleyProperties.

Member of the Association of Independent Celebrants

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burton mal avita bindings Burton’s top technologies blended with a freestyle focus. No wonder it’s a team favorite.

t h e w o o d s

Quickly becoming the go-to binding for the Burton team and beyond, the Malavita balances full wrap response around your boots with a mid-range flex that’s 100% focused on freestyle.

Softer than the Cartel and more responsive than the Genesis, the Malavita stems from the on snow la vida of riders like McMorris, Davis, Jones, Sollors, and Hale.

Opened on the 10th anniversary of its sister shop, Slopest yle (located opposite in Morzine) and now in its second winter, The Woods has an epic selection of top qualit y snowboarding clothing and equipment.

Run by the eminently knowledgeable and allround nice guy JP, The Woods displays this year’s cut tingedge snow-tech in a spacious and beautifully laid out shop.

rrp €279.00

Here’s JP’s guide to hot hardware this season…

Anon M1, M2 & MW1 Goggles rrp €200.00

rrp €219.00

rrp €199.00

Changing your lens before heading up the mountain is good practice and will lead to a much more enjoyable experience. It really does make a huge difference. But what if conditions change during the day? Changing a lens on the fly can be time consuming and fiddly with a fair bit of tugging and wriggling involved.

Thankfully Anon’s range of ‘Magna-Tech’ equipped goggles have changed all that.

Utilising neodymium magnets seated around the perimeter of the goggle’s frame to hold the lens in place makes for the fastest lens change available today. And whilst it’s incredibly simple to remove a lens intentionally, Anon’s team of testers still haven’t managed to dislodge one with a hard landing or a crash.

So if it unexpectedly clears up by midday you won’t be forced to squint your way through the afternoon sunshine. And you’ve no reason be caught out wearing a super dark lens as the late afternoon sun disappears behind a bank of cloud and the moguls become much harder to spot.

The M1, M2 and women’s MW1 all share the same ingenious technology but with frame shapes and sizes to suit all faces. The M1 and MW1 also feature a simple grab tab, making changing super simple, while the edgeless M2 offers one of the largest lens profiles and visual ranges on the market.

We’re giving Source readers an amazing chance to win both the Jones Snowboard and a pair of Anon goggles on page 96.

Head there now for our Picture Of The Season competition.

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Jones Aviator 2015 Jones Snowboards have been making a big impact on the snowboard market in the last few years and the Aviator is no exception. With tough, well made and beautiful to ride boards it’s easy to see why Jones are fast becoming one of most desirable boards on the hill.

The award-winning Aviator is one of the fastest and most responsive boards in the Jones line-up, designed for aggressive riders looking for all mountain performance. With great edge hold for carving but only 20mm of setback, it’s a great freestyle board for the more aggressive rider. The ‘high end’ spec-list includes a super fast sintered 9000 base and a full Triax fiberglass and carbon fishnet inlay from tip to tail, which makes the board incredibly responsive. It also features the 3D Power Camber profile, an innovative positive camber that offers the great edge response of camber with the float and catch-free feel of a rockered base.

This board is aimed at the advanced-expert freestyle chargers.

It likes going fast, straight and big.

rrp €550.00

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Skidooing

Indiana Adventures run a fine selection of activities in both summer and winter.

Engines and snow; that’s €95 almost all we need to say about Skidoos! A slightly more €45 (passenger) controlled experience than 1 hr Night Sledging but very fun and 4km course very fast. Smaller children can ride shotgun on an adults’ sled.

Here at Source we’ve tried and tested their winter line-up and have graded each activit y with our coveted Source Snowflake fun rating!

Enjoyable and fun

Exhil arating and very fun

Extreme and insanely fun

Yoonering Some people judge Yooners as not being very cool, most people in fact. It’s a bit like a snowblade that you sit on, and as an alternative to skiing and snowboarding, it’s quite simply rubbish. It’s when it’s compared to a standard sledge that the Yooner comes into its own. Crazy fast and very exciting.

€26 2 hrs Age 8+

Night Sledging

Night Yoonering As with the standard Yooner, Night Yoonering is fun and fast. Add a head torch and a closed piste and you’ve got yourself some serious fun on a stick.

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€24 1 hr Age 16+

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Night sledging is almost the most fun you can have on a mountain in the dark. There are two ways you can tackle it: either utilising the brakes for a fun and controlled descent, or just let off completely and steer by dragging your hands behind you. This brakeless approach is bordering on insanity and works best when racing your friends. Helmet, gloves, goggles and spare pants are recommended.

€24 (adult) €13 (8-11) Under twelves ride with an adult

4km decent 1 hr

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Snow Shoeing What better way to enjoy the mountains than in the silence found from walking away from the pistes?

Snow shoeing is great fun and a gentle exercise to get the blood flowing. It’s also a fantastic way to experience the flora and fauna of the mountains.

A great alternative to skiing and snowboarding for those who don’t fancy all that falling over.

€23 ½ day Age 8+ 4 persons

minimum

Night Snow Shoeing with Igloo Much like the standard snowshoe trips, this is exciting and fun for all the family, but with the addition of it being dark and having some very cool igloos/snow caves to explore.

€50 4.5 hrs Age 8+ 4 persons

minimum

Self Catered Chalets & Apartments in Morzine & Les Gets...

Night Sledging & Tipi Dinner with Vin Chaud An exhilarating dash from the top leads you to a secret grove of tipis hidden deep in the forest.

There you’ll enjoy a local delicacy of Tartiflette before continuing your hair-raising decent with a little bit of extra weight on board.

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€55 3 hrs Age 12+ 10 persons

minimum

Prices from £100 p/p/p/w quote “source15mx” for a free bottle of champagne on arrival, book now at: www.mountainxtra.com

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The Bluffers Guide To Skiing.

Skiing is a complicated sport, lots of terminology, lots of technique, lots of fitness and to top it all off it all can seem a lit tle dangerous. Not to mention bloody cold.

Prices: Piste grading: You may think that to earn the respect of your peers and succeed in an alpine environment you’ll have to put in hours of lessons, study and practice. That you’ll need to trawl endless websites and catalogs to find out which gear is in and what’s ‘so last season’.

They range from ‘easy’ to ‘absurdly dangerous’ and are graded by colour according to degree of difficulty. Thus a ‘green’ slope is perceived to be easy, a ‘blue’ is less easy, a ‘red’ less easy still, and a ‘black’ is no place for bluffers.

Well… it turns out you don’t. There’s no need to spend hundreds of euros on lessons, there’s no need to practice, or to put in much effort at all really. You could just bluff it. That’s right; bluff your way through a ski holiday.

Moguls:

Originally released in 1992, the fabulously lazy book ‘A Bluffers Guide To Skiing’ has recently been reprinted with some modernisation. Not too much though – good bluffing is timeless.

This book can point you in the right direction for pretty much all skiing related conversation and situations. You’ll sound like a seasoned mountain guide if you study this little beauty.

Just don’t expect to actually do any skiing. But then it all seems a bit cold and too much like hard work doesn’t it?

Here’s a few golden nuggets of knowledge to be found within: #lovemorzine

There is a certain type of skier who claims to ‘love’ moguls. Nobody loves moguls, unless they are bluffing, in which case they must be accorded proper respect.

Skis: There are only three things that you really need to know about downhill skis: 1. There should be two of them (unless you happen to be one-legged).

2. They should match (not essential, but desirable).

3. They should move forward when you stand on them pointing downhill.

Apres:

Here, everything costs up to three times as much. A useful formula for calculating the percentage increase is: 50% for every 1,000 feet in altitude.

Altitude: Surviving the effects of increased altitude is relatively straightforward if you don’t exert yourself. But since a skiing holiday is likely to be the only time of the year that you actually do exert yourself, you need to be prepared for it. If you have ever witnessed a grounded fish gasping on a riverbank, you will have some idea of what to expect at the end of your first mogul field.

The Jump Turn: One that comes in handy on very steep slopes and in deep, heavy snow. Often initiated from a stationary position, it requires both skis to turn in mid-air and face the opposite direction. If the tips cross in mid-execution, you may well engage in interesting acrobatics for the remainder of your descent.

The term was invented by the French to describe that convivial period at the end of the day when skiers get together, have a few drinks and then lie disgracefully about their skiing exploits.

Bluffers box sets to help you bluff your way through any situation. This Active Collection includes a guide to hiking, skiing and cycling and would be particularity useful to bluff your way in the Alps all year round.

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Our family run business provides peace of mind for property owners, and hassle-free holidays for your guests.

Total Chalet Services

Mountain bike & Road bike holidays Catered, B&B, Self Catered Centrally located in premium chalets

Morzine, Les Gets and outlying villages.

Our services range from total chalet management to ad hoc cleaning, catering or babysitting. www.totalchaletservices.com

Total Mountain

Riding in Morzine for over 10 years - we share our riding experience so you can get the most from your Alpine holiday.

Specialising in bespoke alpine holidays.

Summer or winter, we have a range of options to suit you. www.totalmountain.co.uk UK: +44 (0) 7870 191 144!

Fr: +33 (0) 6 47 94 65 69! e: info@totalchaletservices.com

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Ă” CHALET bar burgers & crĂŞpes

#phone e #tabl #tab #tablet let # #screen scr cre een #fast #fast #p #pr #professional rofessio ion nal #in #inresort

Bar, crepes, galettes New in Morzine this winter, Gourmet burgers right in the centre of the resort.

Bacon rolls every morning Authentic Hot Dogs Music & TV sports Happy hours

Open 8am - Midnight #maintenance nce #renovation #quality #homeautomation #homeauto

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There are so many reasons to come back to Morzine for a summer visit, just look at our article “Ten Reasons to Return for Summer” on page 94 if you still need convincing.

Another great reason is for a lit tle bit of personal enrichment. Check out all of these amazing courses that are available throughout the summer months.

Tri4theAlps – Triathlon Training Weeks Tri4theAlps specialise in triathlon training and cycling holidays. As well as being in a beautiful location, these breaks allow you to improve your skills and fitness with experienced coaches and train in a warm-weather environment. Packages include luxury accommodation, delicious food, a hot tub, sauna and airport transfers to and from Geneva. For more information visit tri4thealps.com

Alpine French School The best way to learn a language is to fully immerse yourself in it. Alpine French School offers intensive French language holidays with the option to stay with a local French family. With lessons every day and plenty of time off to do your preferred alpine activities, it’s the perfect way to experience the Alps whilst learning French fast! Check out alpinefrenchschool.com for more details.

Alpine Cookery Holiday A Taste of France offer weekend cooking courses throughout the summer, specialising in a range of French dishes and cooking techniques. Costing €575 per person, each course includes two nights’ accommodation and all food and drink, with the added extra of a hot tub and sauna. Source readers get a 10% discount when booking at atasteoffrance.co.uk.

Simply Morzine Painting Courses Simply Morzine run inspirational summer breaks for artists. The courses cater to individuals or small groups, and can be taken with or without an art tutor. Simply Morzine provide a relaxing and educational environment with good food and wine to help you focus your creativity and appreciate the mountains. Visit simplymorzine.com to find out more.

Alpine Action Adventures – Boot Camp With an in-house nutritionist, military qualified training instructors and an amazing setting, the aim of the camp is that you not only shed pounds and inches, but leave with a new ethos to help you on your way.The week consists of early morning sessions, long walks in the mountains, fitness and cookery workshops and evening yoga classes. Visit alpinactionadventures.co.uk for more details.

Damian McArthur’s Action & L andscape Photography Courses Damian's action sports images have appeared on magazine covers around the world, and living year-round in Morzine, he works with winter and summer sports athletes who are at the very top of their game. If you're a keen action sports or landscape photographer, Damian's courses give a great insight into equipment, technique and composition for photographers of all levels.

Visit morzinesourcemagazine.com/source-courses for a growing selection of inspiring and fun Alpine based courses

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alpine bootcamp with

Forces trained instructors In-house nutritionist The best possible setting Changing your mind-set, not just your waistline Taking bookings for May 2015 and beyond Email info@alpineactionadventures.co.uk We also offer catered ski and snowboard holidays

image credit - Guillaume Reynaud

+33 (0) 4 50 37 49 86 | +44(0) 7966 02 42 84

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Amelia Pearson has been competing in triathlons for over 17 years. She first came to Morzine in 2005 whilst racing in the French Triathlon Grand Prix.

With multiple podiums in various Ironman’s (and a PB of 9hours 36 mins), top 10’s in 4 world champs and finishing the 2009 season with a number 2 ITU world LD ranking she has more than enough credentials in the sport. In 2012 she returned to Morzine to run Tri4theAlps and share some of her vast knowledge and experience with amateurs and professionals alike.

Amelia believes the sprint distance Triathlon is achievable for anyone that is capable of doing small amounts of swimming, cycling and running and she has put together a 6 week training schedule to help you prepare for your first triathlon.

The Sprint Distance triathlon is a 750 meter swim, a 20 kilometre cycle and a 5 kilometre run. It’s long enough to be a significant challenge but short enough to be achievable for beginners. The event and training can seem daunting at first but if you follow our progressive schedule you’ll be ready for your first sprint triathlon in just 6 weeks.

The training schedule will help develop your aerobic endurance as well as strength and speed. Some of the key sessions you need to practice before your first triathlon are swimming in a wetsuit in open water, running ‘off the bike’ and transitions between stages.

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As well as following a training plan it’s important to include regular stretching and core stability work in your program. This will help to build strength and avoid injury.

Going to a Pilates, yoga or another core stability class is a great way to integrate this into your routine.

One common mistake for beginner triathletes is to try and do too much training too quickly.

Recovery is very important. The body adapts best to training when it has had good quality rest between training sessions and is fuelled with good nutrition.

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To get started in triathlon, you don’t need to go out and buy the top of the range gear. It’s your first one you can use any type of bike, so as long as it’s safe, in good working order and you feel comfortable riding it. The same applies for the rest of your gear. Generally triathletes wear the same outfit for the entire race so it’s important you choose something comfortable.

For your first triathlon you will require a race outfit: a triathlon suit, bathers or shorts and singlet. For the swim you’ll need a wetsuit and goggles, for the cycle you’ll need a bike with toeclip or clipless pedals and shoes to match, plus a helmet and finally a pair of running shoes for the run.

Committing to an event is great motivation for training. You can enter most triathlons online well before the day of the race. National federations, clubs and event management companies have calendars online where you can find an event in a location to suit you.

If possible, do a reconnaissance of the course so you know exactly what you’re up for on race day.

When preparing for your chosen event its good to do some research about the course so you can mentally prepare yourself, as well as physically.

z Morzine Ski Chalets Our speciality is your perfect getaway!

www.morzineskichalets.com

Our speciality is your perfect getaway!

The most important thing to know before the race is the layout of the transition area. You should be aware of where the entry and exit points are and where your bike is positioned in relation to them so you do not waste time having to look for it.

Finally, above all else, enjoy the challenge of combining 3 sports in one, improving your fitness, and make sure you have a big smile at the finish line!

www.morzineskichalets.com

To download your free, printable training schedule visit: morzinesourcemagazine.com/triathlon

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There's something for everyone during an alpine summer holiday...

MultiPass - One pass to rule them all.

Gain access and discounts to hundreds of activities and events across the Portes du Soleil with the MultiPass, from as little as €1 a day

Temperatures - It’s warm! But with cooling mountain breezes to ensure you don’t overheat. And with blue skies from April ‘til November the ‘summertime’ isn’t just in summer. Average summer temperatures are between 25-32 Degrees.

Bikes - Morzine and Les Gets are the cycling capitals of Europe. Downhill, enduro, crosscountry and road biking are all well catered for. With large amounts of funding being pumped into new downhill tracks, talk of a longer biking season and very exciting rumors of the Pleney staying open late one night a week, it’s a great time for biking in Morzine.

Flying- You’ll see the odd parapenter or speed flyer in the winter, but in the summer, the skies are full. Warm air and epic views combine to make a parapent trip one of the must-do activities for a summer holiday.

It’s close - The short transfer time from Geneva Airport or the simple to navigate, eight hour drive from Calais makes it so easy to get here you’ve got no excuses!

Hiking - Just look at it! Of course it’s good for hiking. Use the lifts to get you to the best bits, take a picnic and get exploring!

Climbing - With vertical rocky surfaces everywhere you look, it’s not hard to imagine the possibilities lurking around every boulder.

Weddings - Get married, go to a wedding or crash one! It’s beautiful here and you’re much less likely to get rained on than in the UK.

White Water Rafting - With the Dranse de Morzine running through town on its way to Lake Geneva, getting in the river on a hot day is the obvious choice. Follow that river downstream a little and it joins another, The Dranse d’Abondance and these two rivers combined form the mighty Dranse. With its many rapids, waterfalls and gorges on the way down, an afternoon on the Dranse is a whole load of adrenaline-fueled fun for all the family. Our favorite operators on the river are the lovely Jeremy and Nat at Frogs Rafting. We highly recommend their Pro-line Rafting or hydrospeeding! Book with them at Frogsrafting.com.

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Alps Bike Hire Tri Alps.pdf

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Joe and Amelia the coaches are a wonderful couple who ensure everyone is we'll looked after and nothing is too much trouble. The training was great fun and tailored to our individual needs. A brilliant week set amongst breath taking scenery, what more could you ask for. Thank you Tri4thealps for your support and a truly inspirational holiday.

TripAdvisor review from Lorrie-Northam, United Kingdom 2014

Luxury Accommodation Experienced Coaches Nutritious & Delicious Food Airport transfers from Geneva Outdoor 50m & Indoor 25m Pools Large Fresh Water Lakes Range of cycling options (including famous mountain climbs) Beautiful Alpine Running Trails

Music - Last summer saw Simple Minds putting on an epic free gig in Morzine town center. Les Gets had UB40 playing and Chatel had Bob Sinclar.

There are ‘strongly denied by the tourist office’ rumours that Blondie will be playing at the Harley Days festival this summer. Watch this space!

Endless Adventure activities

www.tri4thealps.com | info@tri4thealps.com

Harley Days - A strong smell of burned rubber, Old Spice, leather and cigar smoke fills the air as 10,000 Harley-Davidsons come to Morzine for the three-day Harley Days festival.

Promising many middle-aged men in leather, a complete disregard for carbon footprints and wide selection of ageing rock acts… it’s a spectacle not to be missed.

Alps Bike Hire allows you to enjoy the scenery and explore the alps without any of the hassles of bringing your own bike. Our Giant Defy Advanced 0's and 1's are arguably the highest quality roads bikes for hire anywhere in France.

image credit - robbie davies

Mont Bl anc Tarmac Rally - Early September sees Morzine host the Ralley Mont Blanc. With several of the stages starting or ending in or near town it’s a great free spectator event.

And if it does rain… it’s even better! Trust us.

The challenge and beauty of cycling in French alps is unforgettable, but dismantling and packing you own bike into a bag or box certainly can be a forgettable experience, not to mention the extra fee that some airlines charge for bringing you bike along.

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t h e w o o d s

HOW TO WIN The Woods and Morzine Source Magazine have teamed up to find the picture of the winter.

Send us your best winter images, taken in the Portes du Soleil and JP from The Woods will pick his favorite, and one runner up.

2015 Jones Aviator 156 HOW TO ENTER On Instagram: Tag your photos #SourceComp15

By Email: competition@morzinesourcemagazine.com And we’ll add it to our online gallery of entries.

Source Magazine competition rules apply. Check out our website for more details.

Competition closes 10th April 2015

2015 Anon M1, M2 or MW1 Goggles* * model & colour subject to availability #lovemorzine

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advert.pdf

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19/11/2014

advert.pdf

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Contact us UK : +44 (0)7950 038 353 France: +33 (0)6 17 60 89 02 enquiries@destinationpamper.com www.destinationpamper.com

The opening of a new bar is a big deal around here, especially when it repl aces one of Source’s all time favourite watering holes – L a Barque (AKA ‘The Tabac’) in Montriond. New owners Andrew and Alisha certainly aren’t shy of hard work and they’ve got some big pl ans.

Pamper off Piste works hard

Services include…

in extending our services to

Mexican Massage

meet your needs and

Early Bird Yoga

1 hour 1 hour

can be divided between everyone in the group.

expectations. We hand deliver Injury Management

luxury pampering to the

Why Did you buy the bar?

Free 10 min call in collaboration with PhysioVal

comfort of your chalet.

We love pubs, beer and being sociable so it just seemed to make perfect sense to us. Having a ‘local’ is one of the things we miss most from the UK/Ireland and it has always been our desire to run our own place. After a year of looking at various options in the area, we kept coming back to the Bar Tabac in Montriond. It just seemed to tick all the boxes – location, space, access, parking and of course that sunny terrace!

Injury Treatment 1 hour

1 hour 90 - 2 hour 170 - 3 hour 230 4 hours 290

Please mention SOURCE to receive 10% off at the time of booking.

A2SKI advert.pdf

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14:04

What changes are you making?

Nothing too major! We want it to remain a good, honest, local bar, providing a service for locals and tourists alike. Montriond is an amazing community and we can’t wait to be part of it. The major change will be the name. We are also hoping to put in a kitchen and start serving a bar snack menu for those hungry après-skiers!

Are you doing any regul ar events?

Après, après, après! The Bar Tabac has always been known for its live music so we will keep that going, albeit moving it to slightly earlier in the afternoon to make the most of the terrace. Our rough plan is for live bands on Tuesdays, resident DJ’s playing funk / soul / reggae / hip-hop on Wednesdays and Thursdays will be a surprise!

Other than après ski we are going to host a wide range of events from drop-in language workshops to beer festivals. And big sporting events if I can get it passed Alisha! We are community focused and aim to have something for everyone.

Why should people visit?

If a welcoming atmosphere, adecent drinks selection, good tunes and excellent service are your pub priorities then La Marmotte d’Or is the place for you! We have a good range of bottled beers both local and from the rest of Europe; a monthly special on tap; live music; a busstop right outside, not to mention the huge car park across the road!

We serve Guinness and spiced mulled wine; we have delicious sharing platters (which don’t necessarily have to be shared of course!) and most importantly service is always with a smile. Basically, it would be rude not to!

Competitively priced airport transfers and in resort cab company.

Pre booked cab service operating: Monday to Friday - 6pm to 2.30am Weekends - 6pm to 2.30am subject to availability

For further information and all other inquiries please email us at info@a2ski.co.uk or visit our website a2ski.co.uk Wishing you a fantastic winter from the A2Ski team.

Find out more at www.lamarmot tedor.com

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We hope that this winter’s issue of Source Magazine has equipped you with all the local knowledge and information you need to have the best possible winter holiday in Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz. But if we’ve left you hungry for more, pay a visit to the Source Magazine website, where you’ll find even more local news, information and events. We’re constantly adding new articles to our website, including local recipes, tips and recommendations and there’s also a handy business directory with stacks of great chalets, hotels, ski schools, transfer companies and much more. Planning your next winter holiday has never been easier…

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