Posts Tagged ‘alps’
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
 sno mobile is above the ski lifts but no sno yet We all know how learning to ski or snowboard goes – you spend your first wobbly day or two of the ski holiday within arms length of the cafes, on a nursery slope as steep as… well its almost completely flat. Then you progress a little further from the ski resort up the hill and find a slightly steeper bit called a green run.. and then a blue piste to go a bit quicker… and so on until you’re taking ski lifts high up the mountain to the top ski lifts where the best snow and most extreme gradients (and rates of decent) are to be found.
Not so when skiing Les 2 Alpes
Often called “the upside down ski resort”, Les Deux Alpes is so named because, unlike pretty much every other major ski resort in the world, 2 Alpes keeps its easiest and nursery slopes at the top of the mountain… and its fiendishly challenging stuff down at the bottom near town.
This has two VERY important consequences:
1. it is one of the best places to learn to ski and snowboard in the world
2. it is one of the scariest places for a beginner to miss the last lift back down in the world
Set your alarm for 15:30 and find a lift down!
 beginner slopes up on the glacier With the biggest skied glacier in Europe you can get plenty of summer piste time in at Les 2 Alpes, but the highest area can be shut down in winter if blizzards make it unsafe. Les Deux Alpes is probably best known as the home of one of Europe’s if not the worlds top snow parks, which is moved up and rebuilt from its winter 2600m to 3200 for the summer season. Near the top, Les Deux Alpes is also linked to the legendary off piste of La Grave – only to be attempted with a mountain guide!
You wouldn’t believe it if you’d walked and driven around with us, but Les 2 Alpes is also the second oldest ski resort in France (after Chamonix Mont Blanc). A very dificult fact to take in, as you navigate this enormous and modern looking ski town.
Arriving for a quick day of work there in early October, we probably couldn’t have picked a quieter time to visit, but we were still amazed by how utterly deserted it felt.
Crossing from one empty street into a second, we were stopped by a huge shaven-headed biker with black paint brush in hand.
He turned out to be a a cracking chap from Paris, down to help his friend do up her bar, and a huge fan of vintage Americana - expressing his enthusiasm in much better English than my French, we couldn’t but stop and invite the whole family in for a closer inspection. (sorry for not taking a picture, we got carried away gassing about bikes & caravans in franglais)
As fickle as I know it sounds, this one encounter completely changed my opinion of the place and its now at the top of the “must go back to” list for this season. As I used to say when making telly, its always about the people.
 having met only 1 business owner, will Les Deux Alpe "get" www.SNO.mobi ? We put our little post card into pretty much every business and accommodation letterbox we could find but met just one business owner in this entire ski resort – how useful is that going to be for getting SNO known in 2 Alpes?
Would you believe that Les Deux Alpes has had one of the biggest responses and new business Listings created since we launched last season!
snowboard Les Deux Alpes skiing: Les 2 Alpes weather | les 2 alpes webcam | snowboard les 2 alpes
NEXT: La Grave – off piste mecca, but did you know the village was so beautiful, unspoiled and posh!
(add your La Grave business on the Get Listed page of our ski holidays guide, I’ll name-check you in the next blog post)
Tags: airstream, alps, european ski holidays, french alps, les 2 alpes, ski, ski holidays, sno, sno mobi, snoman, snowboard, snowboarding, www.sno.mobi
Posted in Grand Alpine Ski Resorts Tour, ski holidays | 6 Comments »
Monday, October 12th, 2009
Seeing Alpe d’Huez ski resort in the summer makes it clear that this is a very modern and purpose-built ski resort. Not the ski resort to choose if you’re looking for chocolate box alpine charm - you book Alpe d’Huez ski holidays for the amazingling modern ski facilitites and mountain infrastructure.
Alpe d’Huez has a massive 250km of piste, which makes it one of the world’s biggest non-linked ski resorts. The top Altitude is over 3,300m so you’re unlikely to get a no-sno holiday here and the modern ski lift system means you can really clock up the miles, if that’s your oeuvre.
 does this make you want to ski Alpe d’Huez ?
The inhabitants of Alpe d’Huez are among the most welcoming of any French ski resort. We met a charming young Frenchman who, although lightly toasted, managed to explain in English that he needed to take lots of pictures of our Airstream. I think he was in charge of a shop or cafe but it was hard to tell which one – his father, he told us, was owner of the “big” hotel. We were in the big car park/square at the very top of the resort so, if this chap rings any bells with you, do steer his gaze at this blog post and say hello for us.
While it’s undoubtedly very famous for ski holidays Alpe d’Huez is probably best known as one of the classic climbs on the legendary Tour de France bicycle race. This epic climb has been a TDF stage finish every year for several decades, since it was first made famous by (now legendary) rider Fausto Coppi. Coppi attacked around half way up and soon his only rival had nothing left to give. He and the Alpe became instantly famous because this was the first year that the Tour de France had motorcycle camera men, to cover this spectacular mountain battle.
Since this incredible race in 1952, only Coppi and Lance Armstrong have been able to win the maillot jeune (yellow jersey) on Alpe d’Huez and then keep it all the way to the finish in Paris!
 roadies and even mountain bikers make the pilgrimage to climb the mighty Alpe d'Huez
If you’re a weekend warrior like me and you’d like to have a go at something you’ve seen your heroes do, then pedalling up the Alpe is likely to be on your list of “want to do” things - its such a famous climb that the draw of Alpe dHuez is not restricted to cyclists…
 cross country skier gets some summer langlaufen practice climbing Alpe d'Huez on rolla-skis (roller skis?)
I doubt this super-fit X-country skier is the first to climb Alp d Huez on roller skis, but has anyone gone up in one of these before ?!?
 first 1966 Airstream to climb Alpe d'Huez ? - someone call Norris McWerter Despite the Airstream weighing over 2 tons, the climb up was actually very easy, if slow, and certainly worth the effort for the views… so I’m pleased with myself for completing the first ascent of Alpe d’Huez in a 1966 Airstream Overlander.
It was only on the way down that we had a reality check, re what we were asking some VERY OLD machinery to do, on this torturous piece of mountain road.
With our four wheel drive car in 2nd gear, I rarely had to touch the brakes all the way down – there’s an aweful lot of resistance in a 4×4 drive train plus a 3 litre 6 cyclinder diesel engine - but…
… what I hadn’t thought too much about, was the fact that the Airstream brakes were ON and holding back that 2.5 ton trailer ALL THE TIME !
 wheels on fire... rolling down the road... After approx 5km of the 12km descent, we saw huge clouds of smoke billowing from the Airstream wheels!
We pulled over and gave them a LONG time to cool – then completed the descent of Alpe d’Huez in 2km intervals – it was a pretty scary wake up and will ensure we’ll given these roads (and the poor old sno-mobile) a lot more respect hence forth.
Fevered brow… knees a tremble… sweaty palms… time for a lie down…. see you next time in Les Deux Alpes!
Snoman.
snowboard Alpe d’Huez skiing links: Alpe d’Huez weather | alpe d huez webcam | snowboard alpe d huez
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NEXT: Les Deux Alpes – it is big and it is clever… and everyone seems to know about SNO mobi … strange things are happening in an autumn ghost town ski resort…
(add your Les 2 Alpes business to our ski holidays guide now and I’ll name-check you in the next blog post)
Tags: alpe d'huez, alps, european ski holidays, ski holidays, tour de france
Posted in Grand Alpine Ski Resorts Tour, ski holidays | Comments Off
Friday, October 9th, 2009
 camping in the alps in September is pretty great actually After a relatively easy, if un-glamorous trip down from Calais to the French alps, we traded in our nights in highway truck stops for balmy days in a gorgeous French campsite at the foot of Alpe d’Huez ski resort.
 Jimmy helps daddy to fetch water to the Airstream We get excellent WiFi so I can crack on with a few days of work online which need to be completed before we can start to visit the alpine ski resorts to review their ski holiday facilities. Jimmy settles in immediately and, along with mummy, befriends a charming Dutch couple who are regulars at the campsite (been coming here for 17 years, and I can see why).
A lot of roadies stay in this campsite for just a night or two, as they’re here to take on the mighty Alpe d’Huez, one of the most famous climbs in the Tour de France – there are also a lot of Dutch caravanners & motorhomers here, among the many French old-timers who have made this their summer/autumn residence in retirement.
I’m struck by the marked difference in the Dutch and French approach to us – bonhommie aught rather to be a Dutch word I think, as one or a couple of Dutch campers come to say hello most days, ask if they can look around the Airstream and enquire enthusiastically about our Grand Alpine Tour - the French only speak or even smile at us after several days of effort with huge smiles all round and “bonjour! ca va?” attempts to engage.
It’s here, and while thinking about this difference between the French and Dutch, that I started to realise just how similar the English and the French really are.
The Dutch are certainly extraordinarily socially capable, when roaming abroad – I think a lot of their confidence comes from the impressive Dutch multi-lingual abilities, of which I am frequently envious, but there is something more to it too. Maybe its that straightforward matter-of-factness… whatever the reasons, they are one of the most generous and enjoyable of nationalities to meet when travelling.
 Ben and Jimmy were immediate friends But back to the English and French – yes, we are incredibly similar. If you look at demographics, a caravanner is most likely to be working class and/or retired so I asked myself, if a French person turned up in a (let’s be honest) fairly flash caravan, in a working class caravan site in the UK, how many of the locals would rush over to say hello… speaking in French? Not too many is my guess! But, if that French person made lots of effort to be friendly and engage, no doubt most Brits would be generous and welcoming… and so it went on our first week in the French alps.
 turn right, behind the bins to find the waterfall - is everywhere stunning in the French alps? yes, probably By the end of the week Jimmy was saying “au revoir” or rather “ov-war” to everyone and even “bonjour” if the camper had a “doggie” with them. With French ladies, Jimmy is our secret weapon! (he is a terrible little flirt – gets it from his ma  )
 Jimmy checks out the cafe culture in Bourg d'Oisans, below Alpe d'Huez Next: driving up (and struggling down) Alpe d’Huez with a 2.5 ton vintage caravan
(if you’ve a business or accommodation in Alpe d’Huez, Get Listed Now on our ski holidays guide and I’ll name-check you in the Alpe d’Huez blog post)
Tags: airstream, alps, european ski holidays, european ski resorts, french alps, mobi, Overlander, road trip, ski, ski holidays, ski resorts, skiing, sno, sno mobi, snoman, www.sno.mobi
Posted in Grand Alpine Ski Resorts Tour, ski holidays | 4 Comments »
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Passports – check
Ferry tickets – check
Euros – check
Alpine Maps – check
Vintage american caravan – check
Trepidation – CHECK
With no more time for procrastination, prevarication and even palpatation… we left the safety of our sunny Surrey camp site and headed for “In’jin country”
 this way there be dragons Actually the road to Dover sea port was pretty uneventful, but it still felt like we were taking our life into our hands… as we headed for nearly four months in an untested vintage caravan, on an uncharted route, via un-booked campsites, to visit largely un-opened ski resorts…
… Jimmy slept through our trepidation with the certainty of someone who knows that, whatever transpires, it’s not his problem.
 All we Brits need is a good queue to take our mind off things Fortunately there is no real managing of a road trip and, once you’re properly on the road, any fear and foreboding is quickly submerged by the rhythm of travel.
Like ski holidays, road trips can be hard going but mostly road trips are fun – especially if you’re 19 months old, or travelling with someone who is.
 Though he's been in his PJs and sleeping bag for 2 hours, Jimmy is not taking any hints re sleep On the ferry we all start to crash…
 Jimmy sleeps on daddy, on ferry, en route to France … I’m trying to keep the wheels on with a LOT of coffee but…
 Jimmy sleeps on daddy, who sleeps on the ferry, en route to France … coffee is no longer working … I even tried taping a hedgehog to my head but, as you can see, even that didn’t work.
Normally mummy can’t sleep with daddy’s driving but, add 2.5 ton caravan, remove 40+mph velocity… and she’s gone.
 Iddi sleeps en route to alpine ski resorts lost in france right-click link & select “open in new window” to listen to Bonnie Tyler cheese-classic “Lost in France” while reading.
Since the sno-mobile is a very big “rig” we sleep in French truck stops, but are careful to only stay in the busy service station car parks – not the un-manned picnic stops. We’ve heard scary things about those pretty little picnic stopping areas - lovely for lunch by day, but prone to highway robbery by night. Aparently thieves have not been deterred by the fact that people are asleep inside the caravan they are breaking into… and even driving away with!
 not the most glamorous start but we're quickly meeting French truckers - some of them might ski I won’t bang on here about the roads. the driving style or the exorbitant motorway tolls – I silently repeat to myself that they are not “wrong”, they are just “different” as my Franglais slowly starts to return amid much gesticulation. On the thousand or so mile journey down to the French alps, we slowly begin to adapt.
Jimmy hasn’t really noticed we’re in a different country, but is pretty put out by all the sitting down, as we eat up the miles.
 Where ever I keep my toy box... that's my home And then the road starts to fade into the background and thoughts turn back to the 30+ ski resorts we’re going to visit in the Swiss and (mainly) French Alps… as we arrive in the mountains.
 its not snow capped, is not great weather, but we're here... in the alps Next: first week in a French campsite – thank heavens for the Dutch!
(for now, check out our ski holidays and ski resorts guide on sno travel and sno mobi)
Tags: airstream, alps, european ski holidays, french alps, road trip, ski holidays, ski resorts, sno, snoman, swiss alps
Posted in Grand Alpine Ski Resorts Tour, ski holidays | 1 Comment »
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