Posted by
Chalet Chardons
at
11:57 AMFebruary 10, 2013
The Baggy vs. Skinny has been a big debate in the snow scene
for many years.
This season, it appears I will be sporting the baggy pants.
However, this decision was completely unintentional. In a mad rush to buy all
my ski gear in a matter of days, I picked up the wrong size…In fact, I foolishly didn’t give a second
thought about the consequences of getting the style of trousers wrong.
A recent survey conducted by yours truly, asked a number of
Chalet Chardons guests and staff their opinion on the trend. From the bar chart
below, it’s clear that all snowboarders favour the baggy, and skiers; the
skinny.
Speaking in terms of practicality, it does make sense, I
guess, how else would boarders be able to fit their impact shorts under their
trousers?
However Shaun White caused quite a stir at last year’s
X Games, when he rocked up wearing his skinny leopard print trousers to compete
in the Slopestyle. This ginger ninja certainly knows how to make an impression.
Ladies
trousers, Hipster gone too far
or just simply flipping awesome?...
You decide.
Either way, which ever style floats your boat, there are some
fantastic bargains in the UK high street shops this season for snow wear.
Everyone’s favourite, T
K Maxx (www.tkmaxx.com) offers a
vast range of designer lines at cheap prices – “Big labels, Small prices”
Nevertheless,
we are still forgetting one crucial form of snow attire that I believe beats
both the skinny and the baggy trousers, hands down. The all in one ski suit!
Personally, this little number should be at the top of everyone’s list of what
to bring out for a skiing holiday. It’s safe to say I have the greatest friends
in the world for buying me my retro 80’s purple ski suit, because it’s so much
better than any baggy or skinny trousers.
Posted by
Chalet Chardons
at
1:16 PMJanuary 21, 2013
As the start of the season creeps closer and closer, we’re
all now counting down the days until we’re able to slip on our salopetes,
fasten our ski jackets, and hit the slopes at long last.
However, there is one very special event in particular that
everyone is excited for.
The dates March 20th, 21st and 22nd
2013 should be very familiar to any snowboarding/skiing fanatic, as these dates
can only mean one thing…
The return
of the X-Games to Tignes!
The Winter X-Games, held in our very own Tignes for the last
3 years, is an annual sports event where the most talented skiers and
snowboarders from all across the globe gather to show off their skills on the
specially made Superpipe and slopes.
Thousands of fans and spectators throng to this area every
March to witness the most spectacular winter sports show on the planet and
support their favourite athletes.
Over 125 of the world’s best extreme skiers and snowboarders
will be invading Tignes to compete across 8 different events – it’s a show that
you really can’t afford to miss!
And as you can imagine, here at Chardons, we are already
eagerly awaiting the 4th edition of the X-Games, all set for March
next year, and someone else sharing in our excitement is American pro skier, Ashley Battersby, who will be competing
in the Women’s free-skiing slope style at the X-Games in March:
“Tignes is one of my favorite places to visit
and ski! The first time I ever came was for the first European X-games in 2010
when I was actually just an alternate. I ended up getting in and won my very
first Xgames medal! I was so excited and every time I now come back to Tignes I
get that good feeling from when I got a bronze medal! I love how the town
is very close together and you can walk everywhere! I'm feeling really good
about this upcoming season! I've been strength training in the gym and water
ramping a ton to dial in new tricks for the season and so excited to get them
down on snow!”
Chardons also got
the opportunity to talk to Russ Henshaw,
competitor for Australia in the Men’s Freestyle skiing, who explained to us
just why he is feeling so confident about X-Games 2013:
“The Xgames
is the biggest competition we have in free skiing as of right now, and is
comparable to nothing. The pressure/demand people put on athletes is huge, but
that is exactly what us athletes strive off and how we perform our best. Coming
into 2013 I am feeling better than ever. Last year was difficult because I was
coming back from injury but this year I feel strong, confident and ready!”
Winner of a silver
medal at theWinter
X-Games 2012in the Women’s Slopestyle contest, U.S Free styling skier, Devin Logan, tells Chardons why she isso disappointed not to be competing in March
next year:
"X-Games is so exciting in Tignes. The
atmosphere is very different from Aspen X-games. When I'm in France I feel way
more relaxed and have a blast, on and off the hill. It always so fun to be in
Europe and experience the sights and culture. Unfortunately I am recovering
from a knee injury from this summer and can not make it to euro x this year
which is very upsetting! "
So don’t just take our word for it that the Winter X Games in March is
going to absolutely spectacular, take it from three of the best athletes in the
business!
See you in March ;-)
Posted by
Chalet Chardons
at
8:54 AMNovember 16, 2012
CHARDONS FEATURES
IN THE GUARDIANS TOP 10 BUDGET SKI RESORTS
The other day, as
we were reviewing our recent web statistics, we happened to notice a pattern
occurring.
We discovered that
a large proportion of the folk viewing our website were being lead the way by
an old news article from the Guardian website that we, Chalet Chardons, were
featured in.
Despite being written
and published online in 2007, people are still coming across this hidden
treasure and taking note.
The article,
collaboratively written by a team from Mad Dog Ski, has the focus, ‘Top
10 Budget Ski Resort’, and aims to show a short list of carefully selected
resorts from all across the world, “where to go without breaking the bank…”
From the mountains
of Cervinia in Italy,
to Lake Tahoe in the United States and Bansko in Bulgaria.
However out of the
hundreds and thousands of ski resorts in the world, Chalet Chardons in Tignes
les Brévières has found themselves featured in the Top Ten in the
whole world!
Impressive huh?
The writers
certainly know what they’re talking about, given the reviews we’ve received on
TripAdvisor too.
So all in all,
despite the article being written 5 years ago, people are still listening to
the wise words of the team at maddogski.com, which just goes to
show… That five years later, we’re still in the top 10 in the world for the
best budget ski resorts!
Posted by
Chalet Chardons
at
8:46 PMOctober 21, 2012
AN IDIOT’S GUIDE
ON HOW TO GET ON/OFF A BUTTON LIFT
So for all those novice skiiers and snowboarders coming
to visit us at Chardons in Tignes les Brevieres, you’ll be pleased to know
there is a free nursery slope in the village for you to practice on.
Saving you a tidy sum as you won’t need to buy a lift pass
for your first few days.
However, it’s accessed via a BUTTON LIFT!
Despite what you may have already heard, the daunting
prospect that is… THE BUTTON LIFT is not some evil conspiracy set out to
embarrass all skiers and snowboarders.
In fact, I think you’ll find that it is
actually a piece of cake, ONLY IF you continue to read this blog.
For those of you who don’t know what a
button lift is (also known as poma lift), it’s basically a circular plastic seat
placed between the skier/snowboarder’s legs which then pulls them up the hill.
Sounds simple enough right?
WRONG. Just watch this video clip and the extent of this
mammoth challenge will become very clear…
I know what you’re thinking. That is
absolutely hilarious. And you’d be right to think that.
However, if you were that poor fella
struggling desperately to get on (and stay on) that beastly button lift, I
can’t imagine you would be laughing.
So with that in mind, I’ve scoured
tirelessly for the best tips and tricks out there, on how even the least
experienced skier or snowboarder can master the art of getting on and off the
button lift confidently.
Firstly, it helps to watch the people
in front of you in the queue to know where to position yourself so you can copy
them.
When it comes to your turn, ski into
position with legs bent ready to grab hold onto the lift pole as it comes
around.
Next, pull the pole down and position
the seat between your legs but be aware, because when the lift sets off,
there’s a good chance it will fling forward quite suddenly, so hold on and try
to keep your balance.
Whilst travelling up the hill, try to
keep your skis or board facing forward and do not try to look behind you or
else you risk falling over.
When you reach the top of the lift and
are on flat ground, remove the seat from between your legs but keep hold of it
in your hands. When you feel comfortable, let go of the pole and let it fly off
away from you.
Ski forwards and then veer off to the
side so that the skier or snowboarder behind you has a clear path to exit the
lift.
Andvoilà!
With
this fool proof advice, instead of avoiding the foreboding button lift, you
will be seizing every opportunity you can to show off your new found talent.
But
please note, it is not guaranteed you will succeed every time, in actual fact,
you’ll probably fall flat on your face numerous times, but remember, it’s all
good fun.
All we are hearing currently is the doom
and gloom surrounding the recession and the state of the European economy, so
that means that a luxury like a skiing or snowboarding holiday is off the cards
right?Wrong.Stick with us and we’ll talk you through how
to ski the recession.
Getting to Tignes – Well, obviously the
cheapest way would be to walk - we're joking. Generally the cheapest method is to travel by snowexpress coach or
Hucksters ski coach, you can book a London to Tignes return trip from £130.00.
Or driving out to resort in a small group is also cost effective, splitting the ferry, fuel and tolls. There is free
parking in Tignes les Brevieres, unlike many of the other nearby resorts where you can pay almost as much for your cars holiday
accommodation as you do your own.
If you prefer to fly then easy jet, flybe or
the other budget airways are usually the best bet. We recommend searching for the cheapest
flights on www.skyscanner.net. Beware of the cheapest flights that land very
late as often the last transfer coaches leave by 7pm. The best
way to keep transfer costs down is to get a group together and fill a minibus or hire a car and split the petrol, tolls etc between everyone.
Accommodation - searching for independent budget
accommodation can save you money by breaking down each part of your holiday. Get a group together of more than 12 adults and we offer one free place at Chalet Chardons., If you are feeling generous, this can then be divided between the
group and reduce everyone’s holiday cost, otherwise, keep it for yourself! For Chalet Chardons prices click here.
The myth that self
catering is the cheapest option is often not the case. Many skiers and snowboarders choose to go half board for
value for money. If you self cater,
resort supermarkets are expensive and after all that, you still have to wash
up! Take a look at Chalet Chardons
prices of half board accommodation starting from just €189 for 7 nights.
Choose a ski hotel or chalet that offers discounted
ski hire and ski passes – When you get to Chalet Chardons we will be happy to
arrange your ski or snowboard hire at a discount. We'll
even go and queue in the cold for you and bring them to you after breakfast on
your first day. Our prices for a week’s
skis and boots are just €64, board and boots just €69. Often this is cheaper than carrying your
equipment on the plane. To find out more about our cheap ski and snowboard hire prices click here.
Order packed lunches from your hotel or
chalet. - These work out much cheaper
than mountain restaurants and if you are having a big day on the mountain, you can eat them on a
lift and stay on the slopes all day!
Group drinks discounts - get a group
together and get into the bar! Ask the
bar staff for details on group drinks discounts, for details see the Underground Bar.
We could go on, Chalet Chardons has been doing what we do best for 15years, giving you more time on the snow, and less time working to pay for it. If you have any questions or
queries about how you can get on the slopes for less this winter, just drop us
an email.
The Multiple Sclerosis Trust 2012 Monster Ski Challenge is an endurance challenge to ski the equivalent of the height of mount Everest every day for three consecutive days, 90,000 vertical feet in total - not for the faint-hearted (or the unfit!).
Chalet Chardons guest, Mark Glasscock (middle row, far right) joined the Monster Ski Challenge team in Tignes from March 22nd - 26th and took on the challenge. The weather was good and the visibility good too. The spring snow conditions in the afternoons meant the groups were slower to notch up vertical feet of descent, so they just cracked on first thing and then kept the momentum going!
Overall, the groups managed to smash the 90,000' target with Marks group managed to notch up a whopping 102,000'!
So far, with Gift Aid supplements, Mark has managed to raise a net £1,860 for The MS Trust on the 2012 Challenge. This is an addition to the £25,000 he has previously raised over the last 8 seaons for SCOPE.
Posted by
Chalet Chardons
at
10:22 AMMarch 17, 2012
The X Games Europe hit Tignes again this week for the third year running. Once again 150 top athletes from all over the world gathered in our little French resort to settle their scores on the slopes and HUGE half pipe in Val Claret. It was the first time Shaun White had competed at the X Games Europe and he certainly made an entrance (and not just with his instantly recognisable zebra print pants). Pulling a trick he invented, the front double cork 1260, he came home with the gold medal in the Mens Snowboard Superpipe and also took the gold in the Mens Snowboard Slopestyle.
They are now wrapping it up for 2012 and busily putting the resort back together again. So who fancies a run down the half pipe?!
Check out the below for the results:
Womens snowboard superpipe: Gold, Kelly Clark Mens ski slopestyle: Gold: Bobby Brown Mens snowboard superpipe: Gold: Shaun White Mens snowboard slope style: Gold: Shaun white Womens snowboard slopestyle: Gold: Jamie Anderson
