The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2014-2015 season

CF..you’re the Serre Chev man around here I believe? Just wondering where you would recommend somewhere half decent close to the slopes and bars for 8 ageing Lotharios. I’m trying to persuade them to go there next year for a 4 night trip having not visited since 1987 or thereabouts. Half board Hotel or even upmarket Chalet accomodation potentially?

Oh and Bunnyhop, the Casbar is no more at Cairngorm, they’ve turned it into some gray dull shop

Noooo. How silly.
The restaurant up top isn’t the best, so I used to go down the hill. Best shortbread (well not quite as good as my home made) for miles around.

I saw your post on Facebook, which also made me moist. I assumed you were holding out for a better offer before settling on dirty old me. Sorry to miss you. Catch you next time.

Awww… were you not replying cos you were all jealous? 😛

Just thought with your baby and all you wouldn’t be able to cope with the crazy rock n roll lifestyle that I lead. 😉

Playing hard to get. 😛

It nearly worked in the end. 🙂

Oh and Bunnyhop, the Casbar is no more at Cairngorm, they’ve turned it into some gray dull shop
Noooo. How silly.
The restaurant up top isn’t the best, so I used to go down the hill. Best shortbread (well not quite as good as my home made) for miles around.

I think you should win the prize for understatement of the day 🙂
Mind you, I’ve seen them queuing out the building to get their fix of macaroni cheese and chips <shudders>

The shop at the bottom is like House of Bruar in miniature, but without the charm 🙄

I’m going to be up at Nevis Range in a week or two – anyone got any insider tips for there? 🙂

I fancy Glencoe but I’ve been told Nevis Range is more suitable for some of the beginners in our group, is that right? (of course all the snow might have melted by then anyway!)

*thinks of mid-morning grand crème & pastries*

*gets moist again*

I think you should win the prize for understatement of the day

HaHa, didn’t want to upset some of the locals who may work there.
The restaurant at the Lecht is far worse.

Rockape63 – Member
CF..you’re the Serre Chev man around here I believe? Just wondering where you would recommend somewhere half decent close to the slopes and bars for 8 ageing Lotharios. I’m trying to persuade them to go there next year for a 4 night trip having not visited since 1987 or thereabouts. Half board Hotel or even upmarket Chalet accomodation potentially?

Happy to help!

We usually stay here;
http://www.hotelpleinsud.com/
Really nice little hotel, very friendly and welcoming place. Nice little bar, which always has a good crowd of interesting people (Not just residents like some ski hotels). The food is a real highlight. Lynn, the owner, hires excellent up and coming young chefs and has them do a small, yet brilliant menu. Keep it simple, but keep it good seems to be the mantra.
Nice views from the balcony, as well!
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Easy stroll down the hill to the main square of Chantemerle, with lots of lifts up. Tip – Hire a ski locker in the centre, and leave skis/boots there overnight. Some even have nicely heated boot pegs. Hmmmmm, toasty dry boots in the morning! Another tip – Have a coffee with the lovely, and very flirty, Sandrine at her little coffee kiosk before first lift. There’s a real buzz around the place, and the gentle hubbub gets louder as the opening approaches, the clicking of ratchets, the clinking of coffee cups….!

Chantemerle’s a nice little village, some great small bars for quiet beers.
La Terrasse for post ski beers in the sun watching people fall down the Alphand.

Or a pastis, if you have such good taste!

The Station is your spot for a bit of rowdiness, especially if the Harpers are playing. If they are, they’re great fun!

Have also heard pretty good things about the Grand Hotel, which is on the square itself, but haven’t stayed there.

Happy to give any more detail if you like! Such as eating pointers on the hill etc….Just let me know.

Thanks Mate, will digest and get back to you with questions in due course. Ideally we’d want to be closer to the lifts if you have any thoughts apart from the Grand.

Ideally we’d want to be closer to the lifts

Never understood this! It’s a very British ski/board thing, I think. “I must be ski in/ski out! I must be right on the slopes!” Five minute stroll in the morning is hardly a big deal, is it?

As above, get a locker, kick off your boots, slip in to something warm and cosy and have a beer before strolling back to the hotel/chalet.

The nature of Serre Che, villages etc, is such that there aren’t many places that are on top of the lifts. Rocher des Hameaux, next door to the Grand, looks lovely, and I’d buy a flat in there in a flash. Self catering, though.

ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP ONE SLEEP

One tinge of regret is missing grum’s visit to Bristol. 😐

I’m heading up to Roybridge tonight. Was wondering what the conditions might be like for Nevis region.

Southwesterly 60 to 90mph; perhaps a
slight lull below these speeds in the
morning.

Heavy/torrential rain. Flooding likely.
Incessant heavy rain and snowmelt
making it very wet underfoot with streams
and rivers in spate; flooding, perhaps
extensive.

Persistent; very low west
Blanket very low cloud, near west coast
often well below 450m. Higher base
progressively east:

*My personal favourite*

Sunshine not expected.

4c at 900m

About normal then…..

My old work chums have been having a great season it seems.

And 😆 at Flashies posed sausage photo

I’d also recommend the Hotel Plein Sud in Serre Chevalier. Best hotel food I’ve ever had.

@matt nice …

Flashies posed sausage photo

*double checking to make sure I didn’t post THAT photo again!

Phew, it was the saucisson one,not the other one. *

grum – not much to choose between Glencoe and Nevis for beginners, it depends on the snow.

Glencoe has nice beginner runs on the plateau, but they’re some of the first to lose the snow. Access via a poma tow.

Nevis has blue runs accessed via a 4-man chair, but not ideal beginner terrain. The real beginner runs are accessed via a tow too. Beginners area not great for snow-holding, but it does have Dendix underneath! There’s usually a big patch further along that they do the newbie lessons on. Summit runs at Nevis are great for beginners, but means getting up (and back down) the Goose…

Looks like a lazy day in Lyngseidet today. 8 days straight touring and 8500m. Bodies are crying out for a rest and there’s not much stoke in the house to go out and dodge the clouds. Cards, tea, books and tunes. The whiskey’s just there, too – perhaps a bit early for that just yet! Might still get out later if it brightens up.

Photo extravaganza to come. Can’t get pics off the camera till I get back. There are some good ones – it really is stunningly beautiful up here.

Here’s a daft little video I did on the coach back from Tignes a few weeks back….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEzZa6Ohado

I mentioned when I first got back that I wanted to do a season……I’m part way towards getting it organised!!! I’m hoping to go out as a musician, I play professionally for a living so a season of nuts Apres gigs 6 times a week seems like a pretty cool way to spend it! Not sure how well it will go down with the wife…..

@tom do it, it gets harder to do the older you get for a variety of reasons. A few of my favourite spots in Verbier and Chamonix have regular music although they tend to rotate performers every few weeks.

Anyone else wondering if we’re going to see an update from Bravissimo DD?

Hope it’s going well for you!

Tom B – you’ve got your frontsides and backsides mixed up

CFH to be honest I not missing the “moisture” updates 😯

In Val Thoren having a shnack at the mo. It’s full of ****. Who knew eh? Not so full that I couldn’t add to the number of course. 😆 Having a grand time. Will pop a few pics on later.

@jumble, I’m even more moist than before I left. 😀

Just got back from 3 amazing days in the 3 valleys, amazing weather and great conditions (I’m still an off-piste virgin so can only vouch for on-piste). Survived my second only black run albeit without any style or grace – looks like we get to go back again next year too! 🙂

We got stung for the Swiss motorway vignette on the way back to the airport but didn’t stick it to the windscreen so if anyone is driving to/from Geneva I have one to sell at a discount.

Email me (in profile) if interested

smokey_jo – YGM

Val Thoren having a shnack at the mo. It’s full of ****.

told you it wasnt for the likes of oiks like you.

Well Whistler is pretty much as reported, a bit pants. Never seen it so thin and bare.
Alpine was bulletproof with a thin sprinkle of loose granular snow on top. The lower runs were either slushfests or just shut. Off piste non existent.

We still found plenty of fun but ultimately we had a short day and then did what we do best…

…got pished!

(Glad to see the Longhorn hasn’t changed its excellent hiring policy!)

Graham S – if all else fail head to the GLC or Merlins and get hammered while the Hair Farmers do their thing.

I hope you get a bit of fresh, looks like the alpine might get a bit …

Been checking the forecast on an almost hourly basis Graham, although probably not too reliable, they suggest a dump heading in on Wednesday, followed by ‘activity’ on Saturday, but the temp looks set to rise again so that will probably be rain :(. Looks like I’ll be returning home an alcoholic, every negative has a positive!

Yeah the forecast is all over the place. Seems pretty certain that something will happen but they can’t decide exactly when and whether it will be snow or rain. 😕

Alpine was bulletproof with a thin sprinkle of loose granular snow on top. The lower runs were either slushfests or just shut. Off piste non existent.

Sounds about right. The lower runs haven’t really been open all season. The forecast is changing every 12 hours which, again, is pretty standard. I’d recommend more drinking and less sports. And also the poutine topped with the short rib at Steeps.

grum – not much to choose between Glencoe and Nevis for beginners, it depends on the snow.

Glencoe has nice beginner runs on the plateau, but they’re some of the first to lose the snow. Access via a poma tow.

Nevis has blue runs accessed via a 4-man chair, but not ideal beginner terrain. The real beginner runs are accessed via a tow too. Beginners area not great for snow-holding, but it does have Dendix underneath! There’s usually a big patch further along that they do the newbie lessons on. Summit runs at Nevis are great for beginners, but means getting up (and back down) the Goose…

Cheers – that’s great info.

One tinge of regret is missing grum’s visit to Bristol.

Hoep you’re managing to get over it and enjoy yourself. I doubt it though.

A couple of mates went up to Scotland last weekend, skiing was shut due to high winds.

No the other La Plagne 😯

link

(Glad to see the Longhorn hasn’t changed its excellent hiring policy!)

Shame about the lack of skiing/boarding though

I went to Vancouver, to Whistler and then over to Banff a few years back, pretty sure I wasn’t served by a single girl who wouldn’t rate as highly attractive during the entire period. Plus Canadian’s are genuinely friendly folk from those I’ve met.

Ideally we’d want to be closer to the lifts

Never understood this! It’s a very British ski/board thing, I think. “I must be ski in/ski out! I must be right on the slopes!” Five minute stroll in the morning is hardly a big deal, is it?

We’re 50 somethings from Surrey, Flashy….you know spoilt, pampered things. Warm/dry boots in the mornings are essential and if I’m going to get them to agree to SC, then I need to make it a simple decision. Five minute walks are something they’ve never encountered before! 8)

skin out/ ski in?