Ski Chalets and Skiing News Blog. Latest News, Views and Offers from Chalets 1066. Catered and Self Catering Ski Chalets in Les Gets
These pictures were taken only yesterday in Avoriaz by Jeff and Laurie, this was their last day before returning to the UK, the lifts in Les Gets closed on Sunday yet in Avoriaz, their view was that the snow was almost as good as it was in January. Some are saying that the lifts could have stayed open longer this season.
Today it is snowing heavily in Les Gets - Sue is due to leave on Saturday - let's hope she can get to the airport!
It has been snowing most of the day today, in Les Gets. The temperature felt the coldest for two months - so cold I had to wear a balaclava underneath my helmet for the first time this ski season - and this is Easter Sunday! The piste was excellent on all but the very lowest slopes in Les Gets. It is looking like we are set for an excellent end to the season.
It has been snowing all day today in Les Gets - it looks like we are set for an excellent end of season.
Before todays 'dump' we were having beautiful crisp snow in the mornings. By late afternoon piles of powder. Very little ice. Pleasant skiing conditions with many excellent slopes right through until the end of the day.
We are now confident of good piste conditions to the end of the ski season.
Every Summer our visitors ask for an indoor swimming pool - Morzine now has just opened a new indoor pool complex, this includes:
Organised for 24th to 28 March, with an excellent line up, this is a series of free concerts. Each morning, those who register, will receive a SMS/text message with thelocation of the concerts for the day - you usually ski to the location. Set to be an excellent event.
The Les Gets Ski Lift Company (SAGETS) is offering 20% discount on Les Gets/Morzine ski passes for this ski season, as from 31st March.
The minimum number of passes that must be bought is 4 and they must be bought on line at www.skipass-lesgets.com . You can select Chalets1066 and the ski passes will then be delivered to your chalet/apartment for when you arrive.
If you prefer the Portes du Soleil ski passes, Les Gets are offering 15% discount.
We still have some fantastic deals to fill up for last minute bookings:-
Chalet Intime - 6 Bedrooms, accommodates up to 11, close to the Center of Les Gets and also the Ski Lifts. Available Dates and prices for the WHOLE CHALET including 20% discount:
For more information use voucher code Special20 when booking on-line.
Chalet Le Raccard - 4 Bedrooms, very large new kitchen, spacious living area, children's play room, parking. Deals for the WHOLE CHALET with 20% discount:
For more information use voucher code Special20 when booking on-line.
...The 'Bubbles' on the Mont Chery ski lift were full, evening of 14th Feb - with a special Valentines Dinner - see the link:-
The 'Big Mountain Battle', which is being held in Les Gets, featured on French TV:
These pictures were taken a few days ago, two were taken from close to the top of the Chavannes Express lift, looking down and one from close to the bottom of the Les Folliets lift - a little later. There was a band of mist which was moving up and down - mid afternoon it was very misty as you skid down, later on the mist moved up and it was clear below and misty above.
This picture was taken on Thursday - a hot air baloon landed just outside Duc du Savoie - quite amaizing:
Yesterday we went skiing in the afternoon, it was snowing heavily and the slopes looked excellent. When we were walking up the Chavannes Road when, a Frenchman came out of his Chalet for a chat - he was saying how bad the weather was and assumed we were coming back from skiing. He was amazed when we said that we were just on our way out - but then we explained we are English!
The slopes were fantastic, around a 4 inch covering of powder on all the slopes - it was a little cloudy at some points- but there were no queues in the restaurants or at the lifts - even better. We came back by the ski back route to Chalet Hastings where there were tracks from only three skiers before in the day - wonderful!
Chalets1066 have some amazing last-minute offers for ski holidays in Les Gets, full details are on the 'deals' page of the web site. With the snow being so very good, everywhere is starting to sell out. Chalets1066 simply want to fill up.
For details go to: http://www.chalets1066.com/special-offers.html
The season has been running for just over four weeks and we are getting excellent customer feedback. This is a testament to the hard work the team put in before before the start of the season but also to the ongoing management of the operations in Les Gets - which is down to Morven - and to her outstanding team. Customer Testimonials can be seen at:-
http://www.chalets1066.com/general/testimonials.html
We have worked with the Daily Mail Ski and Snowboard magazine and Ski-Mobile to develop a competition to win a free ski holiday with Chalets1066 this ski season. The winner has the choice of either a week in our fully catered chalet for up to 4 people, or a week in our self catered four bedroom apartment Bayeux, which can accommodate up to 9-10. The prize includes ski passes and ski/boot hire . The closing date for entries is end January. For details and to enter go to:
http://www.metrosnow.co.uk/ski_competitions/win-a-ski-holiday-to-les-gets/
We have a wonderful view from the office at Chalet Hastings. We feel so privileged to be able to look out and see such beauty. This photograph was taken just over a week ago, after a snow fall. I hear that 81 cm is now forecast for Les Gets over the next three days!
The amount of snow has been excellent this season, however, the work involved in snow clearing so far this season, has been quite exceptional, Jeff and Dirk are really appreciated for the outstanding hard work they have done, it is impossible to plan ahead for large amounts of snow and we are reliant on support and commitment to ensure the snow is cleared. Many chalets simply are not cleared properly and the result is that the snow builds up more and more and it becomes almost impossible to get to the front door.
The picture below shows the entrance to the Hastings building - you can see their work - and another 32cm snow is forecast over the next few days.
Chalets1066 are offering 20% discount on Wessex and Bayeux, where available for the rest of the 2012 ski season.
Wessex and Bayeux represent, arguably, the best value for money accommodation in Les Gets for groups of 7 to 10. Both apartments are very spacious, have 4 large bedrooms (no bunk beds) and log fires. There is also a sauna, DVD library and PC/Internet. Bayeux and Wessex are in the Hastings Chalet, which currently is ski back, 10 minutes walk to the ski lifts in ski boots and the free bus stops right outside.
I went out one evening last week at 11.30 and took a few pictures from outside Le Lapye - overlooking Les Gets. I feel this is the best picture. There was no electric light on the road, as there had been a small avalanche the day before which took a pylon out (power was back the day after this picture was taken) - the sky was clear and there was almost a full moon - hence it was actually quite light...and the snow on the roofs was lit just by moonlight.
I feel it is appropriate to say something about Morven - our operations manager.
Chalets1066 is now around double the size it was when we took this over, to allow Sue to focus more time on revervations and other areas, Sue asked Morven to take on responsibility for managing all day to day operations at Chalets1066.
Morven is a real bundle of energy, is always positive and fun to be with and has amazing organisational management skills. Previously Morven managed teams of people for Office Angels and this experience was clearly a good background. As an anecdotal example of her style, my brother is a GP and is head of a large practice and he was particularly impressed when he overheard Morven ‘coaching' one of the staff who initially had a punctuality problem - she soon cured him of this!
Managing 9 Chalets and 4 apartments (around 100 beds) in a busy ski season when weather conditions can range from warm with no snow to minus 20 and massive snow dumps presents many challenges - Morven handles this all in her stride - part of her success is the loyalty she has from staff - both seasonal and temporary - they will always go the extra mile for Morven to help out at short notice - all this ensures our clients have a great holiday.
My ‘natural' walking speed is around double that of Sue's walking speed. I always have to concentrate to slow down when walking with Sue. It was so funny last week, just after we bought her new boots, we had to run for the bus. Sue was well ahead of me! Her new boots have miniature metal studs on the bottom and are amazing at gripping in the snow and ice. I have good quality walking boots but they are no match for Sue's new boots on the pavements in Les Gets. The metal studs are mounted on a plastic ring which can be rotated, so you can chose of the studs are on the outside or not (ie in conditions where there is no ice or snow you would not need the studs).
This was the first time I had seen boots like this - we bought them from Jordan Sports in the village, they had boots with these studs on the bottom at prices from around 60 euros to around 150 euros and with an exchange rate of 1.2, to me, this seems an excellent deal.
At 08.00 Wednesday morning, Ben called me and said: Dad - you must get out, the snow is fantastic....at 08.30 he called me again while I was enjoying my breakfast...we agreed to meet at 10.15 at the top of the bubble lift on Mont Chery.
The piste was powder, however, as it was snowing heavily, many people decided to stay indoors. Ban gave me a really good lesson in powder and moguls. By lunch there were indications that Mont Chery would be closed and Le Grande Ourse restaurant had decided not to open as the snow had become even more heavy. The snow was excellent, however, at points, it was snowing horozontally!
On Thursday, I decided to do some jobs around Hastings - this was a pity as this was much better weather to ski in.
Our clients went out skiing on Friday and reported the best snow they had ever had, in 20 years of ski holidays and clear blue skys.
Unfortunately, Thursday evening a power line came down on the Chavannes Road and most of the chalets were without power until this afternoon - 2 days in all. We understand this was caused by an avalanche. The team at Chalets1066 worked exceptionally hard, they kept in close contact with EDF while they were making repairs and also communicated latest status with clients, they also ensured all chalets/apartments had deliveries of logs, candles and everything practically possible under the circumstances to minimise the problems. In the Catered Chalet, Larurie and Morven did an amazing job of cooking meals off site and serving by candle-light, the clients were very happy.
...The past couple of days have been wonderful in Les Gets - the village has been full - as far as we know everywhere is booked - yet the pistes are not overcrowded at all - the snow is excellent and the weather has been wonderful.
Yesterday I fell over on the moguls on Chamossier - so took a break from skiing - tomorrow I will be back.
7cm snow is forecast over the next couple of days - and average temperatures of -4 to -10 degrees C.
