It’s been a while since our last blog post and there’s been a lot happening here in the valley. Let’s start with something exciting…

Great News – the Grand Massif season is extended!

Thanks to the fabulous snow conditions, the extension to the ski season has been confirmed for this year. The links between the various ski areas will now remain open until Sunday 22nd April.

It truly is the season that keeps on giving!

Even Greater News – Savings on Luxury Chalet La Roche!

Even with the extra week of the season, there are only a couple of chances left to enjoy this year’s snow. Why not make the most of these great prices.

Click here for our last few available holidays this season.

Why not come and join us in this luxury chalet. The sunshine outside is a real bonus!

Until next time…

Guest Blog Post

Our guest blog post this week is brought to you by Louise at our highly recommended local ski school ZigZag.

We hope you enjoy this blog post about the joys of guided off-piste skiing/boarding!

Why hire an off-piste guide?

Anyone who takes regular ski holidays has probably experienced a moment midweek when they start to wonder about the kind of skiing the locals do and the places that they go. You’ve skied all the pistes that you set out to do, and now you wonder how to find those hidden powder stashes and special routes that most tourists don’t even know exist…

The answer is a guide. Here in France, a guide isn’t just a ski lover or local looking for some extra pocket-money. Guidance is taken very seriously, as there’s some pretty extreme terrain around and it deserves a very high level of respect because accidents can very quickly become serious.

When we talk about a guide in France, we mean a Guide de Haute Montagne (High Mountain Guide); an experienced mountaineer qualified at the prestigious Ecole Nationale des Sports Alpin (ENSA) in Chamonix.

To become a High Mountain Guide, a huge amount of mountain experience is required, along with a high level technical proficiency in all alpine disciplines on snow, ice, rock, and mixed terrain, including ski touring, off piste skiing, ice climbing, rock climbing, canyoning and so on. This highly respected qualification typically takes around 5 years to pass with extremely high level of commitment (and tuition fees) required.

Safety first

With the safety and wellbeing of their clients in their hands, guides do not take their jobs lightly. Here at ZigZag we employ several High Mountain guides to provide off piste skiing days, ice climbing excursions, plus Valley Blanche and heliskiing trips. We choose to work with only the best guides available. Our guides speak English and are willing to plan bespoke itineraries to suit guests’ levels of ability – including showing you the way to a restaurant you’d probably have never otherwise found!

In terms of security, a guide is of no use unless each skier is also provided safety equipment, and knows how to use it. ZigZag’s professional guides provide top-of-the-line safety packs for each guest, including :

• an ARVA (avalanche victim search device)
• a probe
• a lightweight snow shovel

Be aware that anyone who offers to guide you off piste without providing this equipment isn’t a professional. Without these essentials, your safety is unassured. If you’ve got a group of keen skiers or boarders who’d like to learn more about avalanche safety, ZigZag also offers avalanche education evenings, where a professional will talk you through the do’s and don’ts of off piste skiing.

Here in the Grand Massif we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to off piste skiing and snowboarding. With secretive tree runs through the forests of Les Carroz and Morillon, steeps and gullies throughout Flaine, and the ever-impressive Gers bowl, there’s plenty of terrain to keep off-piste fanatics busy. The Veret-Gers descent will take your breath away, and the Pas de Sales (which includes a 50m abseil half way down!) is the cherry on top of a great week’s skiing. A guide will take you to wherever the skiing is best, so you make the most of your valuable ski time.

Conditions have been excellent so far this winter, making it a great time to get out and about in the mountains. February has brought plenty of sunshine after heavy snowfalls early in the season, so while there’s not a lot of fresh powder around right now, there’s still a lot of fun to be had in the untracked back country. Those looking for something really memorable should try a Valley Blanche daytrip to Chamonix, or if you’ve got some cash to spare, there’s still powder to be found heliskiing in Italy.

Get out there properly equipped and properly educated, and you’ll enjoy your off piste adventures so much more! If you’re keen to book a ZigZag guide or would just like more information, contact us at info@zigzagski.com.

Thanks again to Louise at ZigZag for this week’s blog entry!

Until next time…

We’ve had some wonderful families in the chalets over the last few weeks and have thoroughly enjoyed having little people playing about the place. Aside of the special kiddies dinners (dinosaur sausages are a big hit!), the Nintendo Wii and the hot tub (often seen by little ones as a small swimming pool), we also see the occasional children’s art gallery appear in the chalet.

The masterpieces that you see here are the work of the highly acclaimed O’Mahony, Sherrard, Orford and Royle children!

Click here if you’re interested in enjoying a stay in our family accommodation in Samoens

The Chalets of Love!

St Valentine brought a wonderful mood of romance to the chalets! Love was truly in the air and despite ten children being tucked up in bed, the eight adults enjoyed a romantic evening of pink champagne and a special ‘hearty’ menu!

Special Valentine’s choccy mousse with home made shortbread hearts!

A romantic place setting… for eight!

Our Youngest Team Member!

Our youngest Absolute Alpine team member, little Barney, is somehow nearly 5 months old now! He’s still yet to be able to help out much in the chalets but he has already learned how to bring a smile to the face of everybody that he meets!

Here’s a couple of recent pics of our little fella for those of you who are interested.

Barney and daddy have a giggle together!

Smiley boy!

Until next time…

In this article (written by a guest writer) we share some hints and tips to make your skiing more fluid and less like hard work. This article is aimed at those with some skiing ability and experience who feel ready to take the next step and move up to the next level.

The definition of an intermediate skier varies greatly, there is no set way to determine who is and is not at the intermediate level. Usually they will have a fair amount of experience, perhaps 4-10 week’s worth of skiing under their belts. They may be at ease on green, blue, and red runs, turning comfortably and confidently, though perhaps as yet unwilling to try more expert slopes, or able to complete them but with less confidence.

It can be hard to take the next step once we have largely mastered the green, blue, and red runs of the mountains. The next step is quite a big one, more of a transition than green to blue or blue to red. That said you will find the whole experience less exhausting and get more from the slopes if you exercise before you go and maintain a regular set of ski orientated exercises while you are away.

Fitness is extremely important when skiing, and your level of fitness will affect not only the quality of your skiing but how long you can physically stay on the slopes. By investing in your fitness in the months leading up to your ski holiday you stand to get more value for money as you should be able to ski for longer each day than those less fit.

Your legs take a lot of the pressure while skiing, and the better shape they are in, the easier you will find it to control your skis and the longer you can be out on the slopes without aching muscles. Your core muscles also play a big role in your ability to ski for longer and with ease. So strengthening these is also crucial. Always read up on the best way to exercise before you begin.

It is also important for an intermediate skier to maintain their confidence. It is easy to feel that we have lost the skill, with 12 months normally passing between trips and a stay duration of a few days or two weeks per year. Try not to underestimate yourself or knock your own confidence, with a little practice and muscle memory it should all come back quickly. Poor confidence leads to mistakes, falls, and a further drop in confidence.

Revisit a training centre or ski instructor to ‘fine tune’ your stance and balance. Even confident skiers can fall into bad habits over time and you may find you are working harder than you need to or causing aches and pains that could be minimised. You may wish to consider taking a few more skiing lessons one in one, even if you are quite competent. Group lessons do not allow for the differences between individuals and a blanket style is usually applied with suits some skiers better than others. There is always more to learn and an extra couple of lessons may be enough to tip you out of intermediate and into the more ‘expert’ share of the skiing fraternity.

Thanks to Philip Loughran, our guest writer for this blog post.

Until next time…

As good skiers will know, bending the knees is essential in order to absorb the bumps and undulations experienced whilst skiing. Seb, one of our guests, kindly offered this video as a general lesson in what to avoid…

No skiers were harmed in the making of this video…

The same can’t be said for what used to be some nice Oakley goggles!

Crash of the season? Let us know your thoughts!

Until next time!

If you’re after a family winter holiday, look no further than Samoëns! In addition to being one of the most beautiful mountain villages in France (it’s the only mountain resort to be classified as a ‘Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques’ – a French National Heritage Site), our stunning village is a great spot for young and old.

Samoëns is also one of the few selected French resorts to be awarded the Famille Plus label by the French Ministry of Tourism reflecting the village’s commitment to meeting a number of family friendly criteria:

• A family friendly infrastructure
• Entertainment, activities and events for all ages
• Prices that are kinder on a family budget
• Tuition and guiding provided by professionals trained in child care

We’ve a wonderful skiing kindergarten for the littlest ones and some incredible green and blue runs to introduce newcomers of all ages to the mountains. Our local ski schools such as Zig Zag also provide a team of English speaking instructors that are dedicated to making your little ones at home in this new and unusual snowy world.

Zig Zag in particular even offer special “Tiny Tots” one-on-one lessons for under 6′s. These intimate sessions ensure the younger family members have the most comfortable and safest introduction to the beautiful mountain environment.

At the Absolute Alpine chalets, we are also very happy to welcome children. In addition to having our chef prepare a more child-friendly menu for the youngsters, we offer a kiddies high tea at an earlier time so that you can enjoy a quieter adult dinner with our carefully selected wines. With a Nintendo Wii, free Wifi, UK TV, DVDs and plenty of games (not forgetting the Hot Tub), the whole family will be entertained and looked after throughout your stay!

Making the Most of the Mountains Can be Tiring!

As little Ruby demonstrates here, sometimes a day on the slopes can really take it out of you! Even the boot room can be a comfortable place to sleep!

Last Chance for this Winter

We’ve had some of the best snow in years and it’s also been one of the busiest in the chalets.

We’ve only a few chances left to enjoy a trip out to our catered chalets in Samoëns and our newly renovated self-catered chalet, Chalet La Roche.

Take a look at out latest chalet availability here.

Until next time…

This season has started with truly epic snow conditions! As you’ll have seen from recent posts (And it’s yet another big powder day), the snow levels in Samoëns and the Grand Massif have been staggering this year.

With well over 3 metres of snow already at the top lifts and 150cms at Samoëns 1600, we thought that our luck might be running out… It turns out the snow gods have other ideas with another day of constant snow last week!

Skiing and Snowboarding Heaven

Despite an especially busy couple of weeks at the chalet, the Absolute Alpine team has managed a few outings onto the slopes to make the most of the great conditions. We’ve had record guest numbers over the last fortnight and all have been happy with the exceptional snow conditions that greeted them daily.

With temperatures very much on the chilly side recently, the snow has remained in a consistent condition with the off-piste powder stashes holding on to their fluffyness!

Some Nice Piccies

Some recent guests included Ross Young – a man who is as handy with a camera as he is with a snowboard! Thanks Ross for the lovely images that you provided for this blog post.

These pics as well as many others can be found on our Flickr page

Until next time…

As the snow continues to fall and we enjoy one of the best seasons in a long time (yes snow really is already 128cm on the lower slopes and 320cm up top!), we’ve got a few last minute chances to enjoy a chalet holiday in Samoëns.

Chalet La Roche – great value self-catered heaven!

The first few sets of guests to the newly renovated and stunning Chalet La Roche and Apartment La Roche have thoroughly enjoyed this gorgeous property. The hot tub with its great views has been a particular favourite!

We’ve a couple of last minute special offers for those of you who like the idea of great snow, a beautiful village and above all a luxurious chalet!

* These prices are valid at the time of this blog posting and may be subject to change. Don’t miss out! You can see latest prices and availability here

Catered Chalets Samoens – limited availability remains!

Our luxury catered chalets (the professional chef & hot tub make for a popular choice!) are filling up quickly. We’ve only a couple of weeks remaining in each. If you want to enjoy our wonderful snow, book soon to avoid missing out!

Until next time…

So you’re thinking about a winter holiday in the beautiful resort of Samoëns. And why not? It is the only village in the French mountains classified as a ‘Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques’ – the equivalent to a National Heritage site. Now that you’ve found a destination for your winter adventure, your next decision is whether you are seeking a catered chalet or self-catered holiday.

Here at Absolute Alpine, we appreciate both types of holiday and offer something for everybody. To help you make your decision though, we’ve outlined what we think the key benefits are for both holiday types.

Catered Chalet Holidays

So what do you get with a catered chalet holiday at Absolute Alpine? With a stay at one of our catered chalets, we offer a lot more than just a bit of food.

Your relaxation is our priority!

• Meals prepared by a professional chef – many chalets employ untrained but enthusiastic youngsters to look after your meals. We believe that you should have the best quality food prepared by a professional which is why you’ll find an experienced chef in our kitchen.
• Four course dinner with carefully selected wines – relax in the evenings with your friends and family over a beautifully prepared four course meal. Our bottled wines flow freely over dinner and have been picked with care for your enjoyment!
• Freshly baked treats for afternoon tea – when you get back from the slopes, what better way to relax than with a slice of fresh home-baked cake and a cup of tea (or beer from the honesty bar). Whether you’re a fan of the classics such as a Victoria sponge, or a chocoholic craving a brownie fix, there’s a treat to suit everybody!
• And of course breakfast – we shouldn’t forget the most important meal of the day. In addition to a continental breakfast, each day you’ll get a lovely hot option such as smoked salmon and scrambled eggs or a French classic, Croque Monsieur, to energise you for a day on the slopes!
• Private shuttle to the lifts – with a catered holiday, we want nothing more than to help you make the most of your time. Why walk to the lifts when we can drop you off and pick you up in our minibus?
• Cleaning and housekeeping – you’re on holiday so leave us to clear up after meals and keep the chalet clean and tidy for you!
• Advice and a friendly helping hand – throughout your catered chalet holiday, the Absolute Alpine team will be on available to get you the most from your holiday, whether it is with tips on the best places to ski, help with booking lessons or a bit of French speaking support should you need it!

If a holiday where we look after your every need and feed you restaurant quality food is something that appeals, look no further than our catered chalets in Samoëns:

• La Petite Ourse – the only catered chalet in Samoëns with a hot-tub available exclusively for a group of 4.
• La Grande Ourse – our flagship five-bedroom chalet with hot tub, spacious open plan living area and bar is perfect for groups of 10 to 13 people.

Self-Catered Chalet Holidays

If you want to enjoy the beauty of Samoëns and the experience the wonders of the Grand Massif with a little more freedom, then a self-catered chalet or apartment holiday is for you.

Whether you’re an enthusiastic foodie who enjoys an opportunity to cook on holiday, somebody who wants to enjoy some of the local restaurants or you merely want the freedom to eat what you want when you want, a self-catered chalet or self-catered apartment may be for you!

Delicious local delicacies await

• Tremendous restaurants await – Samoëns offers some incredible restaurants catering for all tastes and budgets. We can happily recommend or even book one for you.
• Discover the wonders of our market – food lovers love to explore our weekly market. It’s the perfect place to try and buy incredible local meats, cheeses and freshly grown organic produce.
• Convenience on your doorstep – there are plenty of shops in the village to pick up supplies. There are a couple of smaller convenience shops and the main supermarket is just a short walk from the village.
• Plenty of parking – there is free parking at all of our self-catered properties, at the ski lift and also the supermarket for those wishing to drive to their alpine holiday.

If our luxury self-catered accommodation in Samoëns is something that appeals to you, then take a look at the following:

• Chalet La Roche – a beautiful central chalet with hot tub newly renovated for the 2011/12 winter season.
• Apartment Etoile – a new two bedroom apartment with stunning valley views.
• Apartment Bonamour – another new two bedroom apartment, also boasting south facing views across the valley.

Decisions, decisions

If you’re still not sure whether a catered chalet or self-catered accommodation in Samoëns is the thing for you, feel free to drop us a line or give us a call with any questions!

Until next time…

It’s been another fabulous day in Samoëns and the Grand Massif with clear blue skies and fantastic snow conditions. The pistes were incredibly empty and the snow consistent and responsive throughout. I spent most of the day enjoying Flaine with friends.

Tourmaline (the main route into Flaine from Samoëns) was in fantastic condition for its entire length and the various sweeping reds and blues that we played on in the Flaine bowl were incredible (Mephisto and Lapiaz two particular favourites).

The photo below shows Caroline enjoying a typically empty piste…

Mont Blanc was also looking pretty incredible with clear views from the top of Flaine. Smiles were the order of the day!

It Wasn’t All About the Pistes…

Despite there being plenty of lovely white stuff on the pistes (315cm reported at the top) there were still a few possibilities for some fresh snow. Yes, a lot of the off-piste has already been enjoyed by others, but there’s always a couple of spots offering fresh tracks to those willing to seek it. Today, the Gers Bowl provided us with a few new lines.

Looking over El’s shoulder in the pic below, you’ll see Steve about to drop in with style!

Last Minute Deals – catered week from £395

Why not come and enjoy some of the quiet times on the slopes here in Samoëns – with a few places left at £395 for the next couple of weeks, why not book your winter holiday now so that you can enjoy these incredible conditions too?

Blog Photo Gallery

You can find more photos at our Flickr page.

Until next time…

If you’re looking for a little mountain adventure that’s something different to skiing or snowboarding, snowshoeing may be the thing for you.

With Barney strapped to my chest and Sam carrying a small bag of essentials (including for the first time a nappy and bottle for Barney!), we headed up to the pisted snowshoeing area at Samoëns 1600. The snow conditions were great (as you’ll see in a photo below, in places the snow was nearly 2 metres deeper than the piste) and the sun was out.

After a short stroll down the skiers piste for about 100 metres, we headed off on to the snowshoeing trail for our winter adventure. The snowshoeing trail had been groomed by the piste bashers to make it more friendly underfoot although there are plenty of unprepared routes for a more adventurous day out.

We offer dedicated snowshoeing holidays in Chalet La Roche through Outbreak Adventure should you wish to join like-minded snow lovers for a week of catered luxury and guided snowshoeing.

If you’re just after a taster or a day doing something different on your skiing holiday, we can also arrange a half-day or day with one of our local guides with prices starting from as low as €20.

Snowshoeing is perfect for adults and children alike and a great way to find the peace and tranquility of the mountains. If you’re after more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Until next time…

We have been enjoying some time on the slopes with the wonderful conditions here in the Grand Massif. As you’ve hopefully seen from the various snow reports and forecasts (e.g. our weather and snow pages), we’ve been blessed with huge quantities of the white stuff lately!

With over 320cm on the upper slopes, we took the opportunity to make the most of some of the fresh powder in Morillon (see the photos below). It was big smiles all around as we worked our way through the trees occasionally popping back on to the pistes (also in great condition!)

Glenn, our chef, has found a new love in snowboarding. With a pretty impressive (if somewhat unique) technique for stopping, each time I turned around to see him arriving on his bum with the board in the air, his grin couldn’t have been bigger! He’s already a powder fiend, whether he’s riding it, rolling in it or eating it – all of which he spent plenty of time doing!

A New Snowboard Trick?

Ever find a nice spot and just wished there was a ramp or kicker? Valley friends of ours John and Amy may have the ideal solution with a portable human ramp… Nicknamed ‘decking Amy’, this created quite a bit of interest and surprise from onlookers. Here are a couple of videos:

‘Decking Amy’ – John and Amy improvise a ramp!

A ‘Double Decker’ – and yes that is really Glenn’s laugh!

Our Blog Gallery!

To bring you some wonderful photos here on the blog, I’ve extended our integration with Flickr to the blog posts!

Click on the images below to take a closer look at any of the pictures (cursor keys move you between pictures).
[flickr_gallery]
You can also find all of these images and more on our Flickr page.

Until next time…

We’ve already had an incredible week of snow and today the heavens have opened again with a continuous dumping of the white stuff since early this morning. With about half a foot (15cm in new money!) having fallen already in the valley this morning, the snow clearers are working overtime (those who haven’t headed up the mountains with skis that is!)

Brief snow report

The Absolute Alpine team were out on the slopes for a team ski/board on Tuesday and the conditions were really excellent. Morillon was the chosen spot for the team outing and the snow didn’t disappoint. Marvel, the wonderful meandering 5.5km piste, was in fantastic condition with soft snow for its entire length. It was especially quiet too with most of the Xmas and New Year holiday makers having returned home!

Sairon (one of my personal favourites!) was also on pretty good form. The lower section was in places a little hard packed and scratchy although with the snow that’s falling as I write this, this will be returned to its absolute best for tomorrow!

Special Offers

It’s not too late to make the most of a few last places available in January.

With a catered week from only £395 per person and the snow being some of the best we’ve seen in January, what are you waiting for?

Snowshoeing adventures

If you’re after something a little different for a day or so of your ski holiday, why not follow in the footsteps of one of our guests this week with an outing on snowshoes. Strapping the lightweight snowshoes to your boots and heading off into the wild with one of our qualified local guides is a great way to experience the area and see some of the natural beauty and wildlife that you don’t have access to on the pistes.

For more on other winter activities in and around Samoëns, click here.

More snow pics to follow

I’ll be heading up the slopes tomorrow with a newly waxed board – I’ll be sure to write a post and include some pictures of our wonderful powder!

Until next time…

As 2011 comes to an end we wish you all a wonderful and prosperous 2012! We say good bye (hopefully ‘au revoir’) to some wonderful guests today and I’m at the airport waiting the arrival of some new snow lovers as I write this. With the arrival of some of the best early season snow we’ve seen in a long while, we’re starting to fill up quickly.

Special Offers

We’ve only a small amount of availability remaining for January. With Christmas now over, why not make the most of the great snow conditions and fantastic prices with a visit to Samoëns.
 

La Grande Ourse – click for more on prices & availability

4th-7th or 8th Jan (Short Stay) – £250/£300pp
7th Jan (7 or 8 nights) – £395pp
15th Jan (7 nights) – £395pp
22nd Jan (7 nights – only two rooms remaining) – £395pp

Apartment La Roche – click for more on prices & availability

Sat 14th Jan (7 nights) – £680 self-catered

Snow in the village

We’ve seen quite a bit of snow in the village already this season and this photo of our stunning new chalet, Chalet La Roche shows.
 

 

A Barney Update…

For those of you who’ve requested a update on the youngest member of the Absolute Alpine team, here’s a little photo of Barney from Christmas day.
 
Despite looking so festive, Barney refused to help out in the chalet over Christmas… Just plain elfish if you ask me!
 

 
Until next time…

It’s been an incredible start to the 2011/12 winter season with some of the most impressive early season snow conditions that we’ve experienced for years. After a busy yet enjoyable Christmas for the Absolute Alpine team this post includes updates on snow conditions, what we’ve been up to and our first ‘hat of the season’ entry (definitely worth a look).

Early Season powder Greets Our First Guests

The snow conditions have been nothing short of brilliant for the start of the season. As mentioned on our previous posts, the pistes opened early for a weekend giving us the chance to make the most of the early snow. Since then, we’ve seen plenty more snow in the village and on the slopes with more on the way…

 
Here’s a little footage of some boarding amongst the trees in Les Carroz – next time I get the camera out I’ll be sure to position myself a little better and also keep my jacket fully zipped up!
 

First entry for ‘hat of the season’

With an impressive (if somewhat scary) opening entry into our hat of the season competition, Ian has set the bar particularly high. It’s going to take something special to beat this…
 

 
As we await another dump of the white stuff overnight, there will be more on the wonderful snow conditions in the next posts.
 
Until next time.

As I wait at the airport for our first guests to arrive, I thought it worth writing a quick blog post.
The most exciting thing to report is the fact tht the village has been getting its own special treatment from the snow gods today!

As you’ve seen from photos on previous posts, the pistes and mountains have been dumped upon with loads of the glorious white stuff for nearly two weeks now! 

As if to decorate our already stunning village ready for Christmas, the snow has been falling since the early hours of this morning quicker that the snow ploughs can clear it!
Our first guests – sitting on a plane as I write this – are almost certainly unaware of the beautiful conditions awaiting them…

And the pistes…

The team have been putting the finishing touches to the chalet ready to welcome our first guests (baking cakes, lighting the fire and ensuring everything is just perfect!) so we haven’t hit the slopes yet. Having seen he weather this week though, the foot or snow that has fallen in the valley today, this could be one of the best and most powdery starts to the season that we’ve seen in a while…
With prices from £395 for a catered week, why not book one of our few remaining spaces and profit from what’s looking to be a great winter season!

Until next time…

After the treat of the early weekend opening in Samoëns, everybody in the valley (and I do mean everybody!) is excited about the formal opening of the lifts this Saturday.  Admittedly, the weather in the village has been pretty variable with snow, rain and everything in between, but whenever there’s a break in the precipitation, the clear skies reveal the snow line well below 1600m (it’s been down to about 900m today!).

It doesn’t seem to be showing any signs of changing with continuous snowfall anticipated for the foreseeable forecast horizon – check out our Samoens snow forecast page for more info.  Both of the major forecast websites predict more than 30cm of additional snowfall on Friday alone!

No Better Time for a Bargain Ski Adventure

With snow conditions as good as this, why not snap up a last minute ski trip. There are bargains to be found!

We are almost entirely sold out for Xmas week and only have availability in a stunning, newly renovated chalet, La Roche (take a look at the chalet photo gallery here).  There are still plenty of cheap flights with Easyjet on Monday (only £110 return from Luton to Geneva!) and a self-catered week in Chalet La Roche is only £2,400 (saving nearly £1,000).

Why not enjoy a family Christmas in the snow?

Our Chef Hits the Slopes

You may recall from an earlier post (Samoens skiing starts early) that this Saturday (even before another 3 days of snow…), our team hit the slopes for a well deserved rest day.  

The blog post included a picture of Kate on the slopes looking nothing short of sophisticated and elegant – I thought it only fair that we post up a similar picture of Glenn.

Unfortunately, elegance isn’t something associated with first time snow boarders (no fault of Glenn) and sophistication was somewhat hindered by his bobble hat (entirely his fault!) – seriously though, after just 45 minutes Glenn was linking turns and showing impressive skills on the quiet and snowy slopes!

Since Adrien, his Zig Zag instructor, described him as the best beginner that he’s ever taught, Glenn’s been struggling somewhat with the door frames at the chalet claiming they’re a little tight around his head! Perhaps removing that hat will help…

We can’t wait to get him back on the slopes once the season starts properly!

Until next time…

We had a real treat this weekend in Samoëns as the lifts opened early for the weekend.  Flaine was also open (as planned) and whilst the links weren’t open between the two Grand Massif areas, there was plenty to keep us entertained in Samoëns.

The snow was plentiful and the pistes beautifully groomed.  However, with deep, untouched snow off-piste and plenty of fresh lines to be found, the pistes only got used for the first two or three runs until my snow legs had been reinstated!

Kate and Glenn (click here for the post on our new team) also enjoyed a well earned day off from pre-season preparation with a day on the snow.  Kate clipped into her skis for the first time this season – see the piccie above – and Glenn strapped on a board for the very first time ever…  After a two hour lesson with Adrien from Zig Zag, our talented chef was already showing impressive skills with fearless riding, linked turns and, trickiest of all, effortless button lift usage!

The fact that Samoëns opened a week early was fantastic in its own right – with great snow conditions this early in the season and more forecast for this week, we’re even more excited about the arrival of the guests on Saturday for the start of the season!

Special Offers

If you would like to make the most of this early season snow, why not make the most of one of our January special offers. We have prices from £395pp on the few remaining places in La Grande Ourse for January.

Until next time…

The snow is falling by the bucket load now and to celebrate its arrival on the pistes here Samoëns, we’ve come up with some even better reasons to join us for a wonderful winter holiday!

We’re offering great discounts on the few remaining places that we have in December and January.  Take a look below for an even better value holiday in one of our luxury properties…  And don’t worry, you’ll still be getting the entire home from home package with the truly luxurious self-catered Chalet La Roche and food prepared by our professional chef, Glenn, at our flagship chalet, La Grande Ourse.

Special Offers for Chalet La Roche

New to Absolute Alpine this season and freshly renovated for winter 2011/12, this beautiful chalet is even better value over Xmas and New Year:

Christmas Week - Save nearly 30%!

Arrive between 17th Dec & 19th Dec for a week self-catered

Now only £2,400 for the chalet, £1,200 for the apartment!  Save even more by booking both together for £3,000

New Year Week - Save nearly 25%!  

Arrive 26th Dec to 2nd Jan for a week self-catered

Now only £2,900 for the chalet, £1,450 for the apartment!  Save even more by booking both together for £3,625

More on Chalet La Roche prices here…

Special Offers for La Grande Ourse

If you’re after a catered holiday with food prepared by our professional chef, our flagship chalet is the place for you.

New Year Week – Save £74 per person!

The last three rooms now only £625 per person for a week arriving 31st December

Remaining January weeks – Save up to £55 per person!

We’re filling up quickly for January (sorry – there’s no space at all in the Petite Ourse) and remaining weeks in La Grande Ourse are only £395 per person.

More on La Grande Ourse prices here…

Book soon to avoid missing out!

Until next time…

It’s been a little longer than I’d hoped for since my last blog post and our pre-season preparation is in full swing.  This time though we’ve got very exciting news on the arrival of the snow and also our new team!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

The biggest news is that the snow has finally arrived and as I sit at home writing this, I’m looking across the valley at the snow covered Samoëns 1600 station.  Whilst the chilly weather and clear blue skies have been amazing, there’s nothing that brings on the excitement of the imminent ski season like the arrival of the snow!

The forecasts all show a lot more to come over the next week so it looks as though it could be perfect timing for the start of the season!

You can keep an eye on the snow situation with our new improved pages:

• Samoëns snow forecast – combined forecasts from a couple of sites;
• Samoëns snow history – how things compare to previous years.

We’ll also put an update here with photos at least once a week during the ski season to give you a more meaningful and detailed view of what’s really happening on and off-piste.

The Absolute Alpine team arrives

Another reason Sam and I are particularly excited this week is the arrival of our team for winter.  We have the lovely Kate joining us in the chalets this year.  With Sam having more responsibilities as a mummy, Kate will be taking over her duties at the chalet including the provision of smiles – something she’s already excelled at!

Our chef Justin was a popular man in the chalets last year, not only because he was the source of all things tasty (mmm…  carrot cake!), but because he is such a lovely and enthusiastic man.  Due to other commitments, Justin couldn’t make the whole season this year (although there is a guest appearance for the snowshoeing weeks in La Roche – more snowshoeing information here) and we’ve searched high and low to find somebody to replace him.  Eventually we found Glenn who displays the same level passion for food and life that will have him at the top of the chalet popularity chart in no time!

Welcome Kate and Glenn!

There will be more on Kate and Glenn, including a couple of photos soon.

Until next time…

You have hopefully already seen that for the 2011/12 winter season we are offering a wonderful new chalet for your holiday in Samoëns. Chalet La Roche has been renovated especially for this season by an interior designer and it’s truly stunning.

With the finishing touches taking place to all the work done to turn this already incredible property into a contemporary and luxury 4 bedroom and 4 bathroom chalet, the curtains and pictures are up and we’ve started taking a few more photos of the chalet and the apartment.

We now have a new photo gallery for the apartment (click here for the apartment photo gallery) and the chalet (click here for the chalet photo gallery) to show off this wonderful accommodation.

The snug room in Chalet La Roche - ideal for relaxing with friends!

We hope you like the photos – there will be more coming over the next week as the final touches and clean take place… We’re also looking to get the brand new luxury hot tub tested before the start of the season… Thoroughly of course as we’re professionals!

Bookings are coming in thick and fast now for all of our properties and we’re filling up quickly so book soon to avoid missing out!

Until next time…

Enjoy uninterrupted valley views

Autumn is the perfect time to make the most of the French café culture and Samoëns offers a lovely choice including the quaint new establishment – ‘Les Tartines de Martine’

Thanks to the lovely Janine for the photos!

Until next time…

Mountain Warehouse – www.mountainwarehouse.com

If you’re in need of some new winter clothing or merely fancy treating yourself, Mountain Warehouse has some great gear at fantastic prices.  Better still…  If you’re an Absolute Alpine customer those nice people over at Mountain Warehouse are offering a further 15% off their prices.  We’ll provide a discount code unique to Absolute Alpine guests as part of your booking!

Xtreme Glisse – www.xtremeglisses-samoens.com

François and his team at Xtreme Glisse continue to do a great job in providing ski and boarding gear to winter holiday makers in Samoëns.  In addition to being the best placed rental shop in the village, their high quality equipment and smiling faces make for an enjoyable rental experience.  François has been looking after us and our guests since we first came to Samoëns and offers our customers up to 30% off when pre-booking equipment online with our discount code!

If these weren’t enough, our guests also get discounts and special treatment on ski tuition, airport transfers and at a number of our lovely local restaurants.  So if you’re planning a trip to Samoëns, it’s worth speaking to us first!

Until next time…
Steve

This year Flaine receives another new 6-person chair lift replacing two links lifts (Platé and Perdrix) previously found there.  You’ll be flying back up to the top of Flaine much quicker (and more comfortably) than ever before.  Flaine also sees improvements to the departure and arrival stations for the DMC have seen a makeover – the lift itself saw an upgrade last year!

Morillon and Les Carroz have also seen changes to improve the flow of skiers (and boarders!).  Morillon in particular sees a start to a modernisation plans with new cabins on gondola lift.

The Pistes

Samoëns has seen a number of changes to the Tête des Saix area to give more options for returning into Samoëns.  There are wider blues, additional links between the Marmotte and Verosse pistes and there’s also been development of Dahu to make it more appealing to those of you seeking ‘cruisy blues’.

Click here for the new grand massif piste map...

Samoëns and Morillon have also received new picnic areas so that you can enjoy a spot of lunch (we can provide packed lunches!) whilst taking in the stunning mountain views.

Snow Sureness

Those of you who have already visited Samoëns and the Grand Massif will know how we fare really well with snow levels thanks to our lucky alpine geography.  Even when the odd trickier season comes along (last year was a tough one for most of Europe!), we still rank highly against our peers.

The guys here in the Grand Massif have still taken proactive steps again this year to increase the snow making facilities again (you may remember that there were a huge number of canons added last year).  With over 60 new additional canons installed, you can be sure that you can always get down key pistes to the resorts comfortably in all snow conditions.

Cool app…

For the iPhone and iPad users amongst you, there’s also a cool app with a 3d piste map (and much more) that can be downloaded.  Quite surprisingly, it’s FREE!  You can download it here.

Anyway, that’s probably enough for now…   To ensure that you don’t miss out on our blog updates, why not add our RSS news feed by clicking the orange RSS button above?

Until next time…

The science stuff…

We’re entering a negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation which has been shown to have a correlation with European temperatures.  Sun spots, another influence of temperature also appear to be in a reduced phase (the most recent low was 2009).  These two factors are a good sign for temperatures in the Alps this winter indicating that we’re in for a cold one.  This does also mean that it’s likely to be a cold one in the UK too and potentially a tough winter…  Might be time to invest in some winter tyres.

So, what about precipitation?  Cold weather alone is not enough to make for good skiing conditions!  Well the Met Office predictions are for near normal precipitation levels (they also agree with the likely tendency for a cooler winter) throughout winter.  Overall, therefore, the trend for this year therefore looks to indicate a cold start similarly to last year and a cooler winter with reasonably normal snow levels.  With the early start to the cold weather, the ground should also get a nice chill ready for the arrival of the snow…  We’ve already had snow a couple of times down to about 1,200m starting this process off!

Another trend noted across the various sources is the fact that we’re looking at a good start to the season – hopefully we’ll be getting the board out for some off-piste fun in November again this year!

The local knowledge…

Well, the locals also have a few opinions as to what is going to make a good season.  With patterns based upon external observations (the previous year’s snow in North America is seen as a good indicator – good news!), number of snow falls before Christmas (again – we’re running up a good early tally!) and the height of the Yellow Gentian flowers (impressively high this year!), there’s a bit of excitement about what this season could bring.

Even with the unusually limited snow last year, Samoëns and the Grand Massif  fared well amongst the European resorts.  In fact, thanks to our geography, we have an impressive snow history – you can check out the recent Samoëns snow history here.

We’re really look forward to a good one this year with plenty of the white stuff!

If you’re after more information on these predictions, you’ll find a really informative (if somewhat geeky!) blog here.

Until next time…

We’ve a new competition planned for 2012 with great prizes up for grabs – keep an eye out for more information.

The renovation on our new luxury chalet and apartment, La Roche, is almost complete now and the interior designer, Liz, is just putting the finishing touches to this chalet that is going to be a big hit with the first guests this winter.

The more observant of you may have noticed a few changes to the website over summer.  We (well Steve really!) have put quite a lot of effort in to providing more information on our new properties, giving more flexibility on how you search for availability and we’ve also implemented a new gallery function that we’ll be extending further to include more pics to get you whet your appetites for an alpine holiday.

Aside of everything that’s being going on in the chalet, I would also like to introduce the new addition to our team…  Little Barney (Barnabé Xavier Richard) joined the world at about 2:18am on 5th October.  He’s unlikely to be spending too much time at the chalets for the moment although I’m sure the odd visit can be arranged for those of you looking to meet him.

Here’s a little picture of Barney shortly after he left the warmth of Sam’s tummy to join us in the outside world.

Barney joins the team!

For the social media junkies out there, why not see what we’re up to on Twitter (@Absolute_Alpine) or Facebook (AbsoluteAlpine.co.uk).  We also offer advantages for following/liking us…

Anyhow, I’ll leave this post for now and look forward to writing again soon!

Thanks,

Steve & Sam