Les Gets February 2012

Yo.del: (verb) \\to yodel\\ the official means of communicating by the inhabitants of mountainous regions\\ www.yodelmagazine.com

graham bell

family activities

mountain snowmance

les gets resort events

portes du soleil circuit les gets february 2012

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JCs.pdf

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opposite Mont Chery telecabine

6 Big screens showing live sports in 2D and 3D Bar meals and snacks, eat in or take away available 4pm - midnight

Sunday Roast 2pm until 9pm JC’s Breakfast Club

Wednesday & Saturday 10am until Midday

Happy Hours every night 10pm until 1am All cocktails €6.50 2 Pool Tables, Darts, Babyfoot Live Music every Wednesday from 5pm

Jim, Kath and the crew look forward to seeing you soon!

OPENING HOURS Mon to Fri: 4pm to 1am Sat and Sun: Midday to 1am Yodel-LesGets-Feb-12.indd 2

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Yo.del: (verb) \\to yodel\\ the official means of communicating by the inhabitants of mountainous regions\\

welcome contents Welcome to the February issue of Yodel. We can't believe that we're almost half way through the season already - as ever it's gone super fast. Similarly, the last year has also flown by and already Yodel is celebrating its 1st birthday this month.

Graham Bell..............................................................4 The Ski Sunday presenter talks to Yodel

En Francais ..............................................................7 The French you’ll need in an emergency!

Family Time in Les Gets .........................................8 Three of Yodel’s favorite family activities

Snowmance ............................................................10 Will you find love in Les Gets this winter?

Valentines Day .......................................................12 In our anniversary issue we chat to Graham Bell all about his life as a five time Olympian and his charity work. With Valentine's Day upon us, we also take a look at why you could be more likely to find love in the mountains than anywhere else.

Sounds good to us!

We wish you a happy February full of snow and sunshine. We would love you to get in touch with feedback on what you'd like to see in the magazine. We'd also like to see your best mountain pictures too! See you next month.

We get all romantic

Don’t go home without..........................................14 Yodel’s top 3 Les Gets souvenirs

Gadget Corner .......................................................14 Archie Porter, aged 3 tests the Snow Mule

Through the Keyhole .............................................15 Inside Fruitiere des Perrieres

What’s On? .............................................................18 Events in and around Les Gets during February

How to make a pom pom ......................................20 Get creative!

Remi Vincent ..........................................................22 Designing skis for Salomon

The Yodel Competition..........................................25 Win big with Planks Clothing

Happy Birthday Yodel! ..........................................26 Who else is celebrating this month?

The Circuit .............................................................28 Ski the Portes du Soleil in a day

The History of Poire...............................................29 Where does the local digestif come from?

Interview with a Penguin .....................................30 American Ice Hockey player Weston Tardy

The Go-Pro 2 ..........................................................32 What’s the difference?

Onesie of the Month ..............................................32 stay in touch amie@yodelmagazine.com rowena@yodelmagazine.com

Cover image © N. Joly, Les Gets OT

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Fabulous February Fashions

The Local View ......................................................34 Jane Sayer on 18 years in Les Gets

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Where are you at the moment Graham and what are you up to?

I'm in Switzerland filming for Ski Sunday, the first programme is from Adelboden, and then we move just up the valley to Wengen for the Laurberhorn downhill.

Who is

Graham Bell?

Graham is one of Britain’s best and most notorious winter sports athletes and he took part in 5 consecutive Olympic games. Now he’s one part of the hilarious duo that present Ski Sunday on the BBC. Any excuse to muck about on a mountain eh…

Sounds like…fun! Where did you learn to ski and did you take to it straight away?

I learned to ski on Cairngorm Mountain, way back in the depths of time with a pair of leather lace-up boots. I don't really remember much, apart from the only time I felt warm was when I didn't make it to the toilet in time.

Did you always have aspirations to ski at the Olympics?

My first exposure to the Olympics was watching Franz Klammer win the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck. I was 10 years old and I thought ‘yes I'll have a crack at that’.

Of the 5 Olympics that you took part in, which was your favourite and what are you most proud of?

Calgary 1988 was the most fun Olympics that I raced in. My brother Martin placed 8th and the atmosphere was incredible with the whole city embracing the games. I skied okay in '88 but I think in Lillehammer was a slightly better performance. None of them were much to shout about to be fair.

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Basscamp.pdf

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OM IVAL.C

T P-FES

You've achieved quite a few amazing things in your life, from Olympic medals to trekking to the Arctic Circle to travelling ridiculously quickly on a pair of skis. What’s been your biggest challenge to date?

All my biggest challenges came as a downhill racer. There is nothing like racing full speed down the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel. Having said that I do like to give myself some kind of challenge fairly regularly just to see if I still have the drive to scare myself. They say fear is a man's best friend, I'm not so sure about that, but it does keep you feeling alive.

CAM .BASS WWW

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What's the situation at the moment with the current GB winter Olympic team? Does the UK have a lot of talent coming through the ranks?

Unless you are into Bob Skeleton or Short Track Speed Skating you can forget any funding, which is incredibly short sighted. It takes at least 20 years to produce a top class ski racer, but you can win a gold in sledging after a couple of years of practice. The answer is, yes there is talent out there, but they have a massive struggle ahead of them to make it to the top.

You've skied with a ridiculous amount of famous people on Ski Sunday and High Altitude over the years. Who was the best skier? And who was the worst...?

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson is a great little skier, although I think most of the time I spent with her we were either hung-over or drunk! That girl knows how to have some fun.... I can't tell you who the worst skier was, but taking Frank Gardener down a GS in a sit-ski was in his words the most terrifying thing he has ever done.

Do you come up with crazy ideas such as sleeping in snow holes yourself or do other people pitch them to you?

The majority of the mad ideas for Ski Sunday or High Altitude were dreamt up by either Ed Leigh or myself, but we'll take pretty much anything on.

So if anyone out there has got any suggestions I am happy to hear them!

What's your favourite ski resort?

I like to hit small resorts with a good off-piste reputation. Gressoney in Valley d'Aosta Italy, and La Grave or St Foy in France.

Did you teach your two children to ski? What advice would you give to parents when it comes to that first ski holiday with kids?

My kids started skiing at aged 2, they are now 16 and 12, and I only got them into ski school twice. I ski all winter long so I'm happy to spend my time skiing with them when we go on a family holiday. I do tend to stick a pair of powder skis in the bag just in case, and if it really dumps I'll ditch them. No friends, or family on a powder day!

Will you be in Morzine, Les Gets or Avoriaz at any point this winter?

I'll be coming to Morzine at Easter time to ski with the kids from Caring Cancer.

I skied with them last season, and I don't think I've ever seen a group of kids more appreciative for being alive and in the mountains.

When we interviewed your Ski Sunday co-host Ed Leigh he said he'd like to swap you for Dale Winton. Who would you swap him for?

Ed's very much in touch with his feminine side, so would it be too much to ask to swap him with Jessica Alba?

What's next for Graham Bell?

Looking forward to London 2012, where I hope to be the first man to talk to Alistair Brownlee as he crosses the line to win the Olympic Triathlon, hopefully with his younger brother Jonny right behind him.

Personally I have entered the London Marathon raising money for Nordoff Robins Music Therapy, then I'll race the Etape du Tour for a cycling challenge, and round the summer off with an Iron Man Triathlon.

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You can read more about Caring Cancer and their trip to Morzine on the yodel website: www.yodelmagazine.com

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Morzine Shuttle.pdf

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En Francais s’il vous plaît Local language school Lost in Translation (www.lost-intranslation.com) brings you all the essential French to use in an emergency situation.

An Emergency It’s an emergency C’est une urgence (Say toon ur-jonce) Injured Blessé (Bless-ay) Where are the toilets?

Où sont les toilettes?

(Oo son lay twall-ette) Can I please use your telephone?

Puis j’utiliser votre téléphone?

(Pwee joot-ill-eezay votreuh telephone) Help!

Au secours!

(Oh sec-or) Leave me alone!

Laissez-moi tranquille!

(Less-ay mwah tron-keel) I need….

J’ai besoin de (Jay beuh-zwan de) -the police -la police (la police) -a doctor -un médecin (un medd-euh-san) -a fire engine -les pompiers (lay pomp-ee-ay)

French lessons

Warnings!

- Group Lessons

Fire!

Feu! (feuh)

Do Not Enter Défense d’entrée (Day-fons don-tray)

- Private Lessons

Stop!

Arrêtez!

(Arrett-ay)

Out of Service Hors service (or sair-vees)

If you are a French registered business or are employed on a French contract, then you could be eligible for training budgets to cover the cost of lessons.

Warning!

Attention!

(Att-on-sion)

Open/Closed Ouvert/Fermé Oov-air/Fair-may

Translation Services

- Intensive Courses

tel: 06 10 40 10 92 email: info@lost-intranslation.com web: www.lost-intranslation.com 7

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Family Time in

Les Gets

As if skiing weren’t enough, there are stacks of other fun filled family activities in Les Gets this winter.

The Grand Cry

The Chocolate Workshop

La Piste Des Indiens is a ski area dedicated to children and is located on the Chavannes piste.

The Grand Cry is an American Indian village with teepees and a ‘war-paint’ face-painting workshop. There are games, trappers, Indians and "wild animals" as well as boarder-cross style ski runs with little moguls and banked turns.

Outdoor speakers play music, there is a picnic area and the Grand Cry team of staff arrange treasure hunts and drawing contests throughout the day.

If your kids are creative, this is a great activity for the whole family! Chalet du Chocolat is on the main street in Les Gets, just on the corner of Rue de la Forge, opposite the Nagano hotel.

Every Wednesday between 2pm and 3pm Chalet du Chocolat opens its doors for children to create their own chocolate from scratch, complete with their own chef’s hat and apron.

It all sounds delicious but it gets even better… they get to take their masterpiece home at the end!

Ages: Children old enough to ski

Ages: Suitable for children aged 5 years and over

Prices: Free access for all with your lift pass Prices: €9 per person To Book: Not necessary – just head up the Chavannes!

Yodel Recommends: Take a packed lunch with you and eat in the Grand Cry 8

Image Copyright © J. M. Baud, Les Gets OT

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To Book: Call ahead on +33 (0)4 50 37 67 43 to book your place to avoid disappointment!

Yodel Recommends: Change your kids out of their ski wear first!

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ski-transfers.pdf

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www.skitransfers.com French licensed & registered

Airport transfers from any airport to anywhere Local shuttles to Morzine, Avoriaz or Les Gets Caroline’s Farm

You can take the free ski bus from the centre of Les Gets up the Route des Chavannes and hop off in Les Folliets for your visit to Caroline’s Farm.

Children who love animals will enjoy watching the beautiful Herens cows and alpine goats in their natural environment. Caroline’s Farm is a real working farm and is a chance to see how the local farming community started in Les Gets.

Ages: Suitable for children of all ages, although we wouldn’t recommend taking a pushchair.

Prices: Entry to the farm is €3 for children and €5 for adults To Book: Not necessary but the farm opens to the public at 6pm each Tuesday Yodel Recommends: There are some beautiful local farm products for sale such as cheese and marmalade – take some home with you!

Day trips to Flaine, Chamonix, Annecy or elsewhere Evenining shuttles to Morzine and Les Gets

BOOK NOW +33 (0)4 50 75 86 69 +33 (0)6 32 78 34 42 9

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SNOWMANCE N MO F

Valentine’s Day is a bit like Marmite but love it or hate it, once a year it always comes round. It is the second biggest card-sending holiday after Christmas with over 1 billion cards being exchanged.

The good news for any singletons in the mountains looking for their Valentine is that this may actually be the best place to find your next partner. A research team at the University of Glasgow has discovered a link between blossoming romance and the adrenaline of extreme activities.

Dr Niall G MacFarlane lead the research which discovered that no matter what your level of skiing, participating in the sport will make you more attractive to the opposite sex. The likelihood of becoming attracted and falling in love to a significant other is much increased out on the mountain in comparison to meeting someone in a bar or on the street. Good news indeed!

Dr MacFarlane’s findings were backed up by Clinical Psychologist, Amy Wenzel. “For couples to grow, they need to engage in activities that are novel to continue to achieve personal growth and associate that personal growth with the relationship. It's preferable for the novel activities to be exciting or physically arousing because it mimics the excitement/arousal the couple experienced when they first initiated their relationship.

There is some research showing that relationship quality increases to a greater degree when couples engage in novel, exciting activities, rather than novel but merely pleasant activities.

Skiing is certainly novel, exciting, and arousing.”

N BM

AF 10

Single traveller holiday companies such as Pistepals, who organise ski trips in Morzine and Les Gets have seriously increased the likelihood of finding love.

Pistepals Managing Director, Sarah Saunders said, “People tend to be more focused on the snow initially and it's that common interest that encourages other commonalities to emerge throughout the week. We've had some brilliant success since 2007 - with a Pistepals marriage and engagement so far, as well as a few longer-term relationships.

The combination of great banter, lots of great food and a chalet setting that allows you to relax as you would in your own home gives the holiday a nice, chilled atmosphere. People feel more comfortable being themselves and when you add spending all day together on the pistes in the fresh air and (often) sunshine you have a glorious setting for all kinds of friendships.”

Local Celebrant, Kay Evans of Always Number One conducts weddings in the Alps. She thinks the setting of the mountains strongly contributes to finding love.

“I think people find the mountains particularly romantic not just because of their absolute physical beauty and magnificence, but also because they have often shared special times here.

It’s a time when they are transported into a world of snowy peaks, far away from everyday life. Where they are free to escape their imagination to the meadows and shimmering lakes of the Alps in summertime and snowcapped, magical mountains in winter.

It’s a place where anything is possible, and to experience that together makes it even more special.”

L F FV

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PISTEPALS MARRIaGE Tania Bishop and Kevin Jager met in December 2007 on a Pistpals holiday in Les Gets. They were married in May 2009 in Slovenia and were happy to speak to Yodel about finding love in the mountains.

“Being together in the mountains really helped us to fall in love because you know you are both interested in the outdoors. You aren’t just meeting on the internet or speed-dating and having a regular date. It means you can spend the whole day together on the slopes. The week we met was perfect, lots of snow and blue skies everyday so we got lots of skiing in together.

When we returned home, we conducted our romance between the US, Newcastle and Brussels and got engaged on a trip to Scotland. After a romantic Valentine’s dinner in the dungeon of Dalhousie Castle she said yes and the rest is history.

We would advise people looking for love in the mountains to exude confidence, don’t be afraid to break out of your group, jump on a lift by yourself and have a chat - hopefully with someone interesting!”

Piste des Vorosses - Téléski de la Turche 74 260 LES GETS call-home.pdf 1 12/01/2012 11:15 www.restaurant-paika.com

Réservation : 04.50.92.85.22

How would you describe each other?

T: Kevin is a gregarious fun loving Geordie with a very loving nature, loves his outdoor pursuits and sports and can always make me laugh.

K: Tania is a funny, sometimes goofy American with a practical side and she always looks for the positive in any situation.

Aah, now that’s love!

N u

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The History Of

Valentines Some cynics claim that Valentine’s Day was dreamt up by greeting card companies themselves with the aim of making money. Imagine! So where exactly does the history lie behind all the hearts and flowers on February 14th?

Considering that it has become such an international tradition, the actual origins behind Valentine’s Day are surprisingly unclear. There are several versions of Valentine stories dating back thousands of years. The most popular version concerns Saint Valentine, although there are three saints that go by this name from the Christian calendar…confusing!

The most popular Valentine’s Day tradition is built around the life of a priest in Rome who lived around 270 AD named Saint Valentine. He strongly opposed Claudius II, the Roman emperor at the time who had banned marriage under the threat of the Roman emperor collapsing. Claudius needed to recruit many more soldiers to protect the empire and he believed that married men were too emotionally attached to their families to fight properly.

He subsequently banned marriage and in retaliation Saint Valentine started performing illegal marriage ceremonies.

While many feared the emperor and obeyed the decree, Saint Valentine recognised the plight of young lovers who

wished to be married. He would meet couples in a secret location and wed them in secret but to little avail as Claudius discovered his betrayal and arrested him.

Saint Valentine was in prison awaiting his sentence when he used his saintly abilities to restore the sight of his jailor’s daughter.

Following the healing, Saint Valentine fell in love with her and upon being sentenced to death he wrote her a letter which he signed “From Your Valentine”. The phrase has lived on ever since and the day of Valentine’s death, February 14th has been celebrated as Valentine’s Day in nations across the globe ever since.

The other famous figure of Valentine’s day you may be more used to seeing on cards and decorations each year is, you guessed it…cupid. But where did this cheeky chappy that has become synonymous with romance hail from?

According to Roman mythology, Cupid was the God of Love and the son of Venus – the Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty.

Cupid is thought to have used gold tipped arrows that cause the recipient to fall in love with the next person they see. Cupid is often depicted wearing a blindfold, which is used to symbolise that love is blind. Cupid is hailed as the reason for love at first sight and instant physical attraction.

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K2.pdf

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04/11/2011

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Eat in or Take away Food served non stop from morning to evening Full English Breakfast

Maxi Burger + chips (beef, bison or chicken)

Crepes, Savoury crepes, omLettes, soup

Local specialities (fondue, tartiflette and more)

menu from 15 euros children s menu 7 euros Relaxed friendly atmosphere Reservations recommended in the evenings

La Case K2 155 rue du Centre 74260 Les Gets Tel: 04 50 79 78 09

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Find us on Facebook - La Case K2

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Cowbells may not be the easiest thing to get home in your hand luggage but they are very popular none the less.

Usually an aid for Alpine farmers to ensure their stock does not wander off into the mountains untracked, they also double as a beautiful home ornament for you to take back and remind you of your time in the mountains.

Price: Between €5 for a keyring cowbell and €250 for the largest sizes It may not act as a lasting reminder of your holidays but you may enjoy it more than an ornamental souvenir for the mantelpiece. Saucisson is the dry cured sausage renowned in France and widely enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. There are many different varieties to choose from including sausages containing walnuts, roquefort, garlic and even genepi!

The Snow Mule is a clever and handy way to pull your kids along behind you while you’re all on skis. There is a backpack version and a bum bag version, both of which have two retracting tow handles for pulling children weighing up to 45kg on each. This means that your hands are free to either carry other bits of kit or pole yourself along on your own skis. The developer hopes that the Snow Mule will take some of the stress out of family skiing.

We think this very clever device is great, even if your kids aren’t on skis yet. You could pull them along on a sledge behind you and the backpack version even has very handy straps so you can attach kid's skis after a day on the slopes.

Little Archie Porter, aged 3 tested the Snow Mule out for Yodel. Once he got his balance and understood how to hold onto the reigns tightly, Archie was off! Dad Kevin said he could hardly feel the weight of Archie behind him but he did know when Archie let go, which is good from a safety perspective. So the Snow Mule got a big thumbs up from the Porters and they think it will be great for older children too.

Price: Just a few euros each and there are plenty of good offers around town if you are looking for a selection It's a cute and cuddly companion as well as a constant confidence booster, the wolf-whistling marmotte has been accosting pedestrians from the streets outside souvenir shops for years. There are many different types; skiing marmottes, wooly hatted marmottes and even lederhosen clad marmottes all ready to wolf whistle their way into your hearts.

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Prices: Marmottes around €6 up to €20

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vary

from

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Fruitière des Perrières

Through the

key hole The Fruitière des Perrières restaurant in Les Gets is housed in the old cheese dairy and is truly a sight to behold with its beautiful vaulted ceilings. The restaurant is testament to the building’s past with intricately decorated milk urns and an impressive large brass cauldron originally used for heating up the milk used in cheese making.

As you enter the restaurant, there is a homely area based around a traditional French kitchen with an exquisite old range oven. There are then three separate dining rooms each full of their own character and charm. The rooms are perfectly lit with uplighting that also draws attention to the handpainted murals of alpine cows and the village of Les Gets on the ceiling.

There is beautiful old French memorabilia lining the walls and worktops of this originally decorated space. From classic liquor bottles to landmark newspapers and typical alpine accessories including skis and sleds, you cannot look anywhere without being fascinated. www.fruitiere-lesgets.com

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Thrs 2nd Feb 8.00am . . . . . . . . Village Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rue du Centre 3.30pm . . . . . . . Tea Dance with Sebastien Guinet . . . . . . . . Salle de la Colombiere 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Goat Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .La Sarre Farm 6.00pm . . . . . . . Visit to the Automatic Carillon . . . . Museum of Mechanical Music 10.00pm . . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zebra 3 10.00pm . . . . . . Darts and Pool Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Fri 3rd Feb 9.00am . . . . . . . . Tour of the Cheese Dairy . . . . . . . . . . . . La Fruitiere des Perrieres 5.00pm . . . . . . . Introduction to Savoyarde Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town Square

Sat 4th Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar

Sun 5th Feb 12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar 2.00pm . . . . . . . Sunday Roast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Mon 6th Feb 5.00pm . . . . . . . Happy Hour until 7pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Welcome to Les Gets Drinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Front de Neige

Weds 8th Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inferno Bar, Nyon 3.00pm . . . . . . . Chocolate Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chalet du Chocolat 4.00pm . . . . . . . Curry Night - €10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Le Boomerang 4.00pm . . . . . . . Live DJ - NouMix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 4.30pm . . . . . . . Ice Party – Games on the Ice Rink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 5.00pm . . . . . . . Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Pottery Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Sarre Farm 5.30pm . . . . . . . Hot Chilli Jazz Band – Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 10.00pm . . . . . . Toss the Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Thrs 9th Feb 8.00am . . . . . . . . Village Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rue du Centre 12.00noon . . . . . Live DJ – Yosko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L’Hotty’s, top of Nauchettes lift 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Goat Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .La Sarre Farm 10.00pm . . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zebra 3 10.00pm . . . . . . Darts and Pool Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Fri 10th Feb 9.00am . . . . . . . . Tour of the Cheese Dairy . . . . . . . . . . . . La Fruitiere des Perrieres 5.00pm . . . . . . . Introduction to Savoyarde Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town Square

Sat 11th Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar

Sun 12th Feb 12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar 2.00pm . . . . . . . Sunday Roast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Mon 13th Feb 5.00pm . . . . . . . Happy Hour until 7pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Welcome to Les Gets Drinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Front de Neige

Tue 14th Feb 5.30pm . . . . . . . Live Music by ‘Remo’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 6.00pm . . . . . . . Torchlit night walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets Lake 6.00pm . . . . . . . Tour of Caroline’s Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Folliets 7.00pm . . . . . . . Valentine’s Dinner on the Mont Chery Bubble . . . . . . . Mont Chery 8.00pm . . . . . . . Seasonaires ‘Request-A-Song’ Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bar Bush 10.00pm . . . . . . Pimps and Ho's Valentines Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Wed 15th Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 3.00pm . . . . . . . Chocolate Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chalet du Chocolat

4.00pm . . . . . . . Curry Night - €10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Le Boomerang 4.30pm . . . . . . . Ice Party – Games on the Ice Rink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 18 4.30pm . . . . . . . Dorin Gall Orkestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre

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We want to get as many people in our lovely town involved in yodel magazine as possible! If you have events you would like to be added to this page, please contact us at rowena@yodelmagazine.com or amie@yodelmagazine.com We regularly add new events and information to the yodel magazine website events listings, be sure you check it out!

Tues 7th Feb 6.00pm . . . . . . . Tour of Caroline’s Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Folliets 6.00pm . . . . . . . Torchlit night walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets Lake 8.00pm . . . . . . . Seasonaires ‘Request-A-Song’ Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bar Bush 10.00pm . . . . . . Back to Skool Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Event listings\\February 2012\\

Wed 1st Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar 12.00noon . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 3.00pm . . . . . . . Chocolate Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chalet du Chocolat 4.00pm . . . . . . . Curry Night - €10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Le Boomerang 4.30pm . . . . . . . The Red Pepper Sauce Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 5.00pm . . . . . . . Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Pottery Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Sarre Farm 10.00pm . . . . . . Toss the Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

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5.00pm . . . . . . . Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Wed 15th Feb 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Pottery Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Sarre Farm 10.00pm . . . . . . Toss the Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Thrs 16th Feb 8.00am . . . . . . . . Village Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rue du Centre 4.00pm . . . . . . . Snow Sculpture Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . Maison des Gets Square 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Goat Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .La Sarre Farm 10.00pm . . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zebra 3 10.00pm . . . . . . Darts and Pool Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Fri 17th Feb 9.00am . . . . . . . . Tour of the Cheese Dairy . . . . . . . . . . . . La Fruitiere des Perrieres 5.00pm . . . . . . . Introduction to Savoyarde Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town Square 6.00pm . . . . . . . Snow Street Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town Square 6.00pm . . . . . . . ‘Harry Covert’ Kids Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Salle de la Colombiere 8.00pm . . . . . . . Ice Hockey – Penguins V’s Strasbourg . . . . . . . . . . Palais du Sport

Sat 18th Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar

Sun 19th Feb 12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar 2.00pm . . . . . . . Sunday Roast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Mon 20th Feb 5.00pm . . . . . . . Happy Hour until 7pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Welcome to Les Gets Drinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Front de Neige

Tue 21st Feb 6.00pm . . . . . . . Torchlit night walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets Lake 6.00pm . . . . . . . Tour of Caroline’s Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Folliets 8.00pm . . . . . . . Ice Hockey – Penguins V’s Epinal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Palais du Sport 8.00pm . . . . . . . Seasonaires ‘Request-A-Song’ Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bar Bush 10.00pm . . . . . . Pirate Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar Weds 22nd Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inferno Bar, Nyon 3.00pm . . . . . . . Chocolate Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chalet du Chocolat 4.00pm . . . . . . . Curry Night - €10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Le Boomerang 4.00pm . . . . . . . Live DJ - NouMix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 4.30pm . . . . . . . Ice Party – Games on the Ice Rink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 5.00pm . . . . . . . Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Pottery Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Sarre Farm 10.00pm . . . . . . Toss the Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Thrs 23rd Feb 8.00am . . . . . . . . Village Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rue du Centre 12.00noon . . . . . Live DJ – Kris Matteo . . . . . . . . . . . L’Hottys, top of Nauchettes lift 4.00pm . . . . . . . Snow Sculpture Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . Maison des Gets Square 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Goat Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .La Sarre Farm 10.00pm . . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zebra 3 10.00pm . . . . . . Darts and Pool Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Fri 24th Feb 9.00am . . . . . . . . Tour of the Cheese Dairy . . . . . . . . . . . . La Fruitiere des Perrieres 5.00pm . . . . . . . Introduction to Savoyarde Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Town Square

Sat 25th Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar

Sun 26th Feb 12.00noon . . . . . Live Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC’s Sports Bar 2.00pm . . . . . . . Sunday Roast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Mon 27th Feb 5.00pm . . . . . . . Happy Hour until 7pm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Welcome to Les Gets Drinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Front de Neige

Tue 28th Feb 6.00pm . . . . . . . Torchlit night walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Gets Lake 6.00pm . . . . . . . Tour of Caroline’s Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Folliets 8.00pm . . . . . . . Seasonaires ‘Request-A-Song’ Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bar Bush 10.00pm . . . . . . Horse Racing - Duck Run Derby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

Weds 29th Feb 10.00am . . . . . . . JC's Breakfast Club - Full English until noon . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

12.00noon . . . . . Cab Collective Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ba Bar 3.00pm . . . . . . . Chocolate Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chalet du Chocolat 4.00pm . . . . . . . Curry Night - €10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Le Boomerang 4.30pm . . . . . . . Ice Party – Games on the Ice Rink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 4.30pm . . . . . . . Kite Making Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tourist Office 5.00pm . . . . . . . Live Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar 5.30pm . . . . . . . Tour of the Pottery Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Sarre Farm 5.30pm . . . . . . . The Red Pepper Sauce Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Village Centre 10.00pm . . . . . . Toss the Boss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JC's Sports Bar

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How to make a pom pom Every beanie needs a bobble. So add some embellishment to your noggin and spend 10 minutes making a nice chunky bobble!

You’ll need:

Cardboard 2 circular items you can trace around Wool Scissors

Draw around two circular items onto the cardboard. The size of the circle you create determines the size of your bobble. For nice and chucky we recommend your cardboard circles are around 12cm is diameter but don’t make them any smaller than 8cm in diameter.

Cut a smaller circle measuring 2cm in diameter inside your larger cardboard circles so that you have two donuts.

Cut your wool into manageable lengths of around 2 meters. Remember you can use lots of different coloured wools to make a nice bright pom pom!

Place one donut on top of the other then hold one end on the outside of the ring and feed the other end through the hole, round the back and through the front again. Essentially, you’re wrapping the cardboard donut in wool. Work your way around the ring until all of the cardboard is covered.

As you use additional lengths of wool to cover the cardboard, you don’t need to tie them together – just make sure that the ends are on the outside of the donut, rather than in the middle.

Once your donut is covered in wool, carefully use the scissors to cut the wool around the outside of the donut so you expose the cardboard beneath.

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Pass a length of wool between the two pieces of cardboard, around all the strands of wool and tie it firmly together. Remove the cardboard rings and sew it onto the top of your hat!

15/01/2012 22:49

boom_mammas_que_les_FEB_2012.pdf

1

12/01/2012

"Once in our hands, like a Boomerang you'll keep coming back" We have comfortable rooms available on Bed and Breakfast from 60€ per person on Double/Twin share.

Tel: 0450377612 Email: chaletleboomerang@sfr.fr

BAR

HAPPY

HOUR 4.30-5.30PM

OPEN 4.00-1.00AM

Les Gets

www.mammas.fr

Good Food at Great Prices

• All food cooked fresh to order • Eat in or take away • The only place in town offering English, Italian and Asian style cuisine, catering for even the fussiest of eaters.

Bar Bush.pdf 07/12/2011 15:20 Opening Hours 1- 4pm - 10pm Daily!

2259 Route Des Grandes Alpes, 74260, Les Gets.

“Nuts about the The Bush since the year 2000”

Good Wines & Great Beer Cindy and Matt welcome you to the best small bar in Les Gets if not the Alps....

Find us in the old village next to the ice rink Follow us on facebook and twitter @barbushlesgets

Yodel-LesGets-Feb-12.indd 21

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19:02

RemiVinc Rémi Vincent is a freelance graphic designer and art director who has completed designs for Adidas and Salomon. Now based in Montreal, he originally grew up in Digne-lesBains in the Southern Alps.

“I really enjoyed growing up in the Alps, my childhood was amazing. I grew up between Provence and the Alps where you can do everything you want, go skiing in the winter and swimming in Verdon Gorge in the summer. My family grew up there and I met many of my best friends and my beautiful girlfriend there. I found a lot of the inspiration for what I’ve created since from Digne-les-Bains.

When I was growing up people often told me to do some fine art sessions at school because they thought I was good with drawings but I preferred to imagine I was more of a Michael Jordan. I was always playing basketball and football or hanging around the neighbourhood on my BMX. I have always been a dreamer so creativity is naturally a very big part of me. At the end of the 90’s with my first PC and the rise of the Internet I began sketching and realised I had an artistic streak. As soon as I finished a boring science course, I changed direction toward applied arts. I do not regret my choice!

Today is a great era for artists because there are no longer

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ncent technological or geographical limitations. With Salomon, I entered one of their artwork competitions and was nominated by them. A few months later, they contacted me to collaborate on their ‘artist series’ for both the summer and winter collections.

Adidas actually contacted me through MySpace inviting me to an event in Lyon to customise their caps. It was really challenging! I was asked to customise something like one hundred caps for a onenight event in one of their concept stores. I asked my friend and artist Onekon7 to help me on the project and we had to make snap decisions to find art techniques that were fast and efficient. We prepared some caps prior to the event and we finished them live during the evening.

I watch and learn from literally everything around me. It could be a landscape, a movie, an emotion, a dream, books, pictures, photos, fashion, sports or even lifestyles.

I like to be into everything from painting to video to toys and clothes customisation, I would describe my work as colourful, playful, animated, typographic and electronic.

For me, an average day begins with a strong breakfast, and a walk with my french bulldog, HervĂŠ, before going to work. I'm freelance now so I share a studio as my work place with four other 23

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great artists. Working from there makes me have a "normal routine".

Depending on my workload I work 6 hours to 15 hours a day, that's what you got as a freelance.

When I have a chance, I do some VJing work for events like music shows or clubs. And finally after my days work and when weather allows, I practice bike polo. It's really a fun sport even if it is not very well known.

I have lived in Montreal for over three years now – I was only supposed to spend one year abroad! It’s such a great city with lots of artists, music festivals and events so there is an excellent quality of life with great opportunities. It is so different to living in the Alps - snow may be the only thing the two places have in common. One thing is for sure – I miss the gastronomy of the Alps; tartiflette, raclette and the WINE! I have a need to create and to get my art everywhere I can so I like customising objects like toasters and toys. Most of the time I begin by drawing something on paper and when I reproduce it on a 3D object it gives so much life to my creation. I love it!

If I hadn’t been a designer I don’t know what I would have been…a shepherd in the Alps, who knows?

I’m lucky I have a passion for art and can live from it. In the future I still picture myself having as much fun as I do now and still creating and playing with images.

I won’t ever grow up!”

RemiVincent

portfolio.tetsouille.fr

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This month we’ve teamed up with the awesome Planks Clothing for another photo competition ‘Drop Cliffs Not Bombs’ ‘I Do Lines’ ‘Skiing Rocks’ and other slogans adorn the hoodies, t-shirts and hats in the Planks range.

We want you to take inspiration from the catch phrases, there’s a full list on the Planks website: www.planksclothing.com

push yourself on the hill and send us your images.

Planks founder Jim Adlington will choose the best three at the end of the month!

Send your entries to competition@yodelmagazine.com

1st Prize

Planks soft shell hoodie Planks t-shirt Planks beanie

Runners-up Prizes Planks t-shirt and Planks beanie each

The colours / design of the actual prizes may differ from those illustrated above.

This competition is subject to Yodel’s usual competition rules, a list of which can be found on our website.

This competition closes on 29th February 2012.

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HAPPYYODEL BIRTHDAY

The creation of Yodel magazine in February 2011 was a pretty momentous occasion after months of preparation.

As we celebrate our first anniversary we take a look at what else will be celebrating an anniversary this month.

28 15

28 years since Torvill and Dean were crowned the Olympic ice skating champions in Yugoslavia on Valentine’s Day. The dynamic duo skated a free dance performance of Ravel’s Bolero and scored perfect marks for artistic impression.

In the same year of 1984 they were crowned the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year.

48

48 years since Beatlemania arrived in the US. On 7th February 1964, the hit band arrived at Kennedy Airport for the first time to 3,000 screaming teenagers. The Beatles received maximum-security precautions for the trip, the type of which is usually reserved for world leaders and royal figures.

15 years since the first mammal was successfully cloned on 22nd February 1997. Scientists in Scotland at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh created Dolly the sheep. The research sparked mass backlash concerning the ethical and moral implications of cloning.

48

48 years since Cassius Clay was crowned the heavyweight champion of the world. On 25th February 1964, the world watched with bated breath as he beat opponent Sonny Liston. In the same year, Clay joined the nation of Islam and changed his name to the more recognisable, Muhammad Ali and has since become a cultural icon.

7 years since the upper crust of England and Wales were hit with a hunting ban. As of February 18th 2005, fox hunting with dogs was made illegal in both countries despite a long tradition with the pastime. While some illegal hunts continued, most groups turned to drag hunting whereby the foxes follow a scent.

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93

83 years since the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre in which 7 mob associates were murdered in Chicago. It was the beginning of the end for Al Capone’s reign over the city of Chicago as public outrage ensued. And they say romance is dead!

88

20 years since the Maastricht Treaty was signed on February 7th 1992. The treaty essentially created the European Union and eventually lead to the creation of the single currency Euro. The treaty has been amended in the years since it was originally signed.

20

88 years since the first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix in 1924. Although it was held under the name ‘international week of winter sport’, it is widely recognised as the first Winter Olympics. The final medal of the games was not awarded until 1974.

A bronze was given to Anders Haugen after an error in the scoring was discovered 50 years later!

82

82 years since Armand Allard invented specialist ski pants in February 1930. Megève claims they are the ski resort where specific ski trousers were originally invented and as such celebrated the 80th anniversary with the Allard Cup in 2009.

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THE CIRCUIT The Portes du Soleil is one of the largest ski areas in the world with over 650km of marked pistes encompassing twelve resorts. It stretches between Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva, which creates a microclimate that is excellent for snowfall. Jean Vuarnet was responsible for developing Avoriaz and then linking it to the surrounding resorts creating the Portes du Soleil ski area.

The highest point is 2466m and the lowest is at 1000m and there are more than 200 lifts linking the area, which stretches over 14 valleys. Luckily, for skiers and snowboarders who are keen to explore, most of the Portes du Soleil ski area can be reached in a single circuit. The circuit will take most average skiers and snowboarders a whole day to complete so first lifts are advised!

There are two directions the circuit can be skied; clockwise or counterclockwise.

Completing the circuit counterclockwise could mean challenging La Chavanette otherwise known as The Swiss Wall or face getting the chairlift down. The Swiss Wall is classified as an orange, as it is considered too dangerous to even be a black. The wall should only be attempted if you are a very accomplished skier and are confident you can complete it safely. For this reason, we

are taking a look at completing the circuit clockwise – a little bit more achievable for everyone!

There are many different ways of completing the Portes du Soleil circuit but here’s just one of our suggestions…

From Les Gets head up the Chavannes lift and follow signs to Morzine. Ski down the Pleney slope to the bottom where a bus stop is located. Take the petit train across town to the Super Morzine lift, take this up and then the Zore lift and follow the cat track to the Proclou lift, which will take you up to the top of the Lindaret bowl. From here ski down into the bowl - you can even stop to have a play in the famous Burton Stash park on the way down.

From Lindaret, take the Chaux Fleurie lift up and ski down to the bottom of the Plaine Dranse. Take the Chaux-des-Rosées chair up and ski down to Les Combes. Take this lift up and follow the long run down into Linga.

From here you can again get the bus across the town of Châtel, to the Super Châtel lift.

If you are doing well for time, you could get the bus across to the Petit Châtel lift and take this followed by the Barbossine. From here ski down and take the Tronchay lift up. From

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Poire

Poire will often be served to you as a digestif after a savoyarde feast in the local restaurants.

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea due to its strong and distinctive flavour but this eau de vie made from pears is actually quite delicious if it is sipped slowly and enjoyed.

here you can enjoy some great views across Lake Geneva towards Montreux before heading back towards the Super Châtel lift.

From the top of the Super Châtel, take the Chemillon and ski down to the bottom of the Le Corbeau. From here, you can take the bus across the town of Morgins to the Folleuse or it is actually also possible to walk there and take in the beautiful church.

Take the lift up and then ski to the Bochasses following signs for Champoussin. Ski to the bottom of the Aiguilles des Champeys and take the lift up then ski down to the bottom of the Pointe de L’Au, take this lift and then you can ski down into Les Crosets.

From Les Crosets, take the new Grande Conche lift and ski down to the bottom of the Cuboré, take this up and over lift into the Fornet area. Then ski back down into Avoriaz, take the Stade lift and ski down the Prodains home run.

An eau de vie is a clear and colourless fruit brandy that is made by being twice distilled and fermented. The term eau de vie comes from the French phrase meaning ‘water of life’ and is usually served very chilled.

The flavour of the fruit, in this case the pear is typically very light and not too overpowering. It is popular for Poire manufacturers to create the liquer with a whole pear inside the bottle. Look out for this tasty treat in the shops, restaurants and bars around Les Gets.

Again take the A bus back into Morzine and take the Pleney bubble up, from here follow signs all the way into Les Gets. Then enjoy a drink before collapsing after a long days skiing - phew!

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American ice hockey player Weston Tardy is enjoying his first season playing for the Morzine Avoriaz Penguins. But what’s it like to do the job of your dreams in a ski resort?

Where are you from Weston?

I’m from Duluth in Minnesota where we all grow up playing ice hockey every day. It’s a way of life and I’ve always worked as hard as I can to go as far as I can in the sport that I love. I played college hockey in Colorado so I’m used to living in the mountains.

Are you allowed to ski or snowboard during the ice hockey season?

Skiing is actually good cross training for ice hockey – you use all the same muscle groups. But we all have to be sensible about things, especially in the days before a match.

It would be terrible to get injured skiing!

How does the French ice hockey league compare to the American league?

In The States the season is a lot longer – we play 72 games compared to 26 in the French league.

But in France things are a lot more intense and there are a lot of really amazing teams to play against. At the moment the Penguins are 5th in the league and our goal is to finish in the top 4 so we can make the play-offs.

What was the feeling like in the team when you took a 4-1 beating against Briançon in the league cup final?

We were all really disappointed but we had big matches in quick succession just after

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For more information on the Morzine-Avoriaz Penguins visit www.hcma.fr

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POP_FEB_2012.pdf

oard snowb

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school

LES GETS • MORZINE • AVORIAZ Private and group lessons available for all ages and abilities with highly qualified British snowboard instructors.

Mention Yodel for discount!

+44 (0) 7779 556 140

Does an ice hockey player have a shelf life?

Usually by the age of 35 an ice hockey player is facing retirement. Saying that, Tony Koivunen is now 40 years old and he’s still going strong! I’m 28 now and I haven’t given too much thought about what I’ll do after ice hockey. I love the mountains so I can see myself in a log cabin in Colorado in the future.

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yodel-target.pdf

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want to see your advert here? ur audi o y t en e g es get nl

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For a list of their home matches see page 18 of yodel!

www.popsnowboarding.com

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For people who haven’t been to an ice hockey match, how would you describe the experience?

The speed of the play is the biggest draw for people I think. At the end of the day we’re running around on ice rather than grass, which makes for some really fast paced action. We’ve got some really loyal fans that create an amazing atmosphere at every match – it can get pretty loud at times!

adam@popsnowboarding.com

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Is it difficult to ignore the various distractions of a ski resort?

We’re all professional athletes and our training regime is intense. We’re all a bit over the party scene – don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to go out and celebrate a big win but other than that, we manage to keep a fairly low profile around the resort. You won’t see any Penguins players doing shots and dancing on tables at après parties, put it that way!

+33 (0) 787 40 44 24

tar

the final so we had to pull together. The Penguins team is a cohesive unit and we have a great team spirit, which makes it easier to overcome disappointing results. We all train together every day, with one day off per week.

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15/01/2012 22:52

GO PRO HERO2 Go Pro cameras have been THE name in wearable cameras since most people can remember. Therefore it was no surprise that once they announced the new HD Hero 2 camera it was eagerly anticipated.

The HD Hero 2 does not disappoint. The original HD Hero has been far improved with higher resolution stills, faster timelapse and an enormous 170 degree video. The Hero 2 takes an image twice as sharp as its predecessor and the good news is that it comes in the same dimensions so it’s possible to use your old cases and accessories on the new model.

The camera is super versatile and can be attached to pretty much anything and take it pretty much anywhere. Once sealed in its housing, the camera is even waterproof down to 60m! We suggest you get out there and start having some fun with it!

The GoPro Hero 2 costs around €235 and is available from their website: www.gopro.com.

ONESIE IE OF THE MONTH We’re wondering which colour came first. Did that bright red face precede the stunning purple onesie? We’re redefining the colour wheel here. The semi-aztec print is very on trend and we appreciate the beautiful manly stance. This fun chap’s clear enjoyment of his onesie just goes to show.

Style is everything in the mountains.

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If you want to look this cool this winter, get in touch with the Retro Rentals boys – www.retro-rentals.eu.

15/01/2012 22:52

Grande Ourse.pdf

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Restaurant and Bar Alt. 1750m Mont chery, 74260, Les Gets +33 679 425 886 | lagrandeourse74@gmail.com | www.lagrandeourse.eu

Complete your Portes du Soleil stay by visiting the ‘locals mountain’, Mont Chery.

With its great skiing and stunning views of Mont Blanc, the mountain is the hidden diamond of the region.

The acclaimed La Grande Ourse Restaurant, the highest in Les Gets and Morzine, is where you can find great food, a warm family welcome and a roaring log fire.

Our two floors offer different and diverse menus - the ground floor with its new Italian restaurant offers fresh homemade pasta and pizza prepared by our Italian chef.

In our central restaurant you can enjoy a mixture of classic food and a wonderful choice of some local dishes augmented with an imaginative twist.

Crackling Hog Roast every Sunday through the season from 12.30pm.

Regarded by many as a ‘must do’ is experiencing a unique fine dining evening with a trip via Pisten Bully (snow cat) a mile up the mountain for a slice of gastronomique heaven... amazing!!!

Last but certainly not least - daily meal deals enabling discerning customers to find quality at great prices before 10.30am and after 2.30pm on food and drink.

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15/01/2012 22:52

Jane Sayer and her partner Rob have been in Les Gets for a staggering 18 years.

It’s fair to say that a lot has changed over this time.

The Local View...

‘At the beginning of the 90’s Rob and his family owned a large builders merchants in the South of England. A recession was looming and I was working in nursing. Rob had the idea to do a ski season and I decided to join him.

We came to Les Gets in the summer of ‘94 to look for a chalet that we could rent for the winter season. There are hundreds of chalet companies now, but back then there were only about three or four in Les Gets – the resort wasn’t in any of the tour operator brochures and was almost unheard of. Loads of our friends said “You’re are going where?

You should go to the Three Valleys!” For the equivalent of about £15,000 we rented a 4 bedroom chalet for the winter – lord knows what it would cost to rent now! We let the bedrooms to holiday makers and converted the garage into a bedroom for ourselves. It wasn’t the most comfortable or practical way to live but we enjoyed it all the same! Ski Blue Ridge was born!

Our airport transfer company Ski Transfers came about by accident really. Literally! Rob broke his pelvis one winter, but could still drive. We had a couple of chalets running and people started asking him for lifts to and from the airport – now we carry more than 10,000 passengers each year! When the low cost airlines started flying regularly to Geneva, Les Gets and all of our businesses changed so much.

Pring’s Bar (now Bar Bush) was the font of all local knowledge back in the day and it became the centre of the ex-pat community in Les Gets. We went there to make friends

and to share information between us. Setting up a new business and working within the French system was hard back then but it is significantly more difficult nowadays. The taxation and employment system is very complicated and there can be a lot of red tape – I think it’s really important that people realise this before they start to launch a new business in Les Gets or anywhere in France I suppose!

Ex-pats who live here sometimes forget that there is a real need to support local shops and local trade. For example, we always use local village tradesmen and always fill up all of our vehicles at the garage in Les Gets. The fuel may not be the cheapest, but if the garage weren’t there, there’d be no mechanics to fix our vehicles when they breakdown. We’re really conscious of this – it’s not always about paying less for things – it’s about the bigger picture.

Once a year I go back to the UK for a month – I like to keep my nursing skills tuned and I think it’s important to leave the village for a while to avoid cabin fever! But the only things I really miss in the UK now are the shops and after a month I’m definitely ready to come back home to Les Gets.

Am I living the dream? I ask myself that quite a lot in the busy height of the season. But I suppose I am – two days each week I ski guide with the guests from Chalet Bluebell, and I’ll probably ski two other days, either by myself or with friends. Life is pretty hectic between December and April each year but I see this as five months hard graft for seven easy months in stunning surroundings.

Last summer I did five triathlons and a half marathon and Les Gets is the perfect training ground!

We’re planning our retirement now and although we’ll probably sell all of our businesses in Les Gets, I can’t imagine that we’d move anywhere else. Les Gets is our home and it’s great to see new young families moving to the village and integrating with the rest of the community.

Yes I suppose I am living a lot of people’s dream!!!’

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Jane 15/01/2012 22:52

.COM CUSTOMIZABLE OUTERWEAR FOR ALL OF LIFE’S ADVENTURES

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15/01/2012 22:52

LGS.pdf

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Inspirational ski & board lessons in Les Gets & Morzine

• Private Tuition for individuals or small groups • Junior Freeriders ski courses for 6-15 yr olds • Ski Guiding full days in the Portes du Soleil

www.skischool.co.uk - FR: +33 (0)615 105 211 - UK: +44 (0)203 286 3189

"From my initial contact to the end of the last lesson, the experience was truly excellent" A Garner, Feb 2011

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