Alpe D'Huez

Chamonix

Options being checked out for 2024 as you read this!

LaPlagne

Sadly missing a few of the regulars, but happily welcoming the return of some that had taken a break. Civilised flight times, but this year we actually caught them - result! Impressive enough accomodation, excellent snow for the time of year, and warm, sunny, spring skiing for the entire week. Well, that's how I remember it.

Hotel facilities included god sized rooms with plenty of storage, plus a balcony, for every room, plus a large hot tub outside the hotel on the main deck. The restaurant included an impressive variety of food at the breakfast buffet, as well as the 6 or 7 courses available in the evening, which saw the majority of the group rolling down the hills during the days, in preference to sliding.

Daytime entertainment came partly from outstanding piste conditions, and an increasing number of people downloading the arious Ski Tracker Apps, which resulted in a fairly irresponsible ski speed competition, ultimately won by Mr. Riggs, the first to break 100km/h barrier. The bowling honours this year went to Steve Roberts, with an impressive score that I probably would have remembered had it been mine. And just to cap the week off, Kay Roberts finaly makes the transition to 'Big Girl' skis, as she finaly retired those blades, without any significant trauma. Ok, she's on 130cm now, but it's work in progress.

Tignes

And so it began on the 24th Feb, from London Gatwick, according to a well laid plan - civilised flight times, a snow sure location and well rated accommodation, what could possibly go wrong?? Just one tiny problem, we seem to have quite a lot of sick notes, and between us, more meds than the Red Cross' annual outing to Syria!

The snow was deep and varied, and on some days even visible, and on others, not so much. This aside, the trip will most likely be remembered for the amazing chalet crew at Le Curling, managed by Tim, backed up by a strong team wearing name badges too small to read. And then of course, there was all the winning, so much winning in fact, it was as if Donald Trump was actually with us. As bottles of wine for the after dinner competitions dropped into our laps, Dingbats, Quiz Night, Movie Trivia, Music Trivia, we were sitting on more wine than Customs would without a special permit, and so became the nightly challenge of drinking the prizes. And as if Lady Luck hadn't felt sufficiently involved, Graham crawled out of his sick bed on the last night to win the Inghams Feedback Form draw, and a bottle of Proseco!

And when Wednesday came around, we ventured out in the evening for dinner, principally due to the chalet satff having employment rights, and needing a night off, so thanks to Ann(imal) Hart, we descented on the impressive, and only recently opened, Table de Jeanne, for an outstanding birthday celebration for Mr Feldhausen, who had flown all the way from Singapore to share his cake with us - fingers crossed for next year!

And just as we were all grateful for a largely catastrophe free week, as we gathered in the lounge bar for our relaxing journey home, the wheels slowly but surely, parted company, as the event gradually adopted the shape of a pear... The coach was delayed an hour to collect us, the 3 hour ride to Chambery airport became 7 hours, so the flight left without us. We were then bussed some 85km to Lyon, for a better chance of a recovery flight in the morning, put up in an hotel, then woke at 5am for a 90km bus ride to Grenoble (not that far from Chambery), to arrive in London about 30 hours after the journey started.

For anyone that wants the pain relieved from their holiday organisation, I can't recommend our UK travel girl highly enough, Hays Travel's Lisa Read (01295 554008) for putting it all together whilst I sit back and take the credit again. She's waiting to help anyone with their travel needs, as she will of course be helping us again next year!

ZellAmSee

Courchevel

StAnton

SerreChe

AlpeDHuez

Livigno

Soldeu

SauzedOulx

Kitzbuhel

LesArcs

Mayrhofen

PasdelaCasa

Cervinia

LesDeuxAlpes

Avoriaz

Killington

Flaine

Banff

Canazei

Sestriere

Cervinia

Breckenridge