Created in 1967, P&V is the European leader in holiday apartments and villages with its five brands: Pierre & Vacances, Maeva, Residences MGM, Latitudes Hotels, and Adagio. www.pv-holidays.com
Just a short blog post for you this week, but we thought we should share with you the excellent (if we say so ourselves) video about Avoriaz that we have just posted on the Pierre Vacances YouTube channel.
The insider guide to Avoriaz gives you an insight to the slopes, the resort facilities, resort apartments, local characters and a taste of what you can expect apres-ski. So if you're thinking of booking a last minute trip to Avoriaz this Easter, we think you should take a look. Don't forget to let us know what you think.
Watch the video here:
Avoriaz at Easter
If you are thinking of hitting the slopes and scoffing your eggs in France this Easter, book now because there's only a few weeks left on our amazing Eurobuster ski offer - where you get 15% off pretty much everything in Avoriaz just by using discount code 8258. You can grab your discount on the Avoriaz Pierre Vacances section on our website.
Paris is the fashion capital of the world after all, so we got to thinking about Haute Couture and how it came about that the rest of the world follows the French when it comes to style.Here’s our definitive guide to Le Chic Francais.
Paris Haute Couture - How it all began
Somewhat surprisingly, the term Haute Couture was first used to refer to the work of a Brit.Charles Frederick Worth, a dressmaker in Paris in the mid-nineteenth century, is credited as the first designer to put his labels into clothing.
He was revolutionary in displaying model dresses at fashion shows (held four times a year), rather than the standard practice of letting the customer dictate the design.
A potted timeline of Haut Couture
If you’re put on the spot when it comes to French fashion, here’s all you need to know to bluff your way in the history of couture:
·As far back as the 18th Century fashions of the French court at Versailles are mimicked across Europe.
·1858 Lincolnshire born Charles Worth opens Worth and Bobergh in Paris and quickly becomes the world’s first fashion designer
·1868 Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Parisienne is founded (Now part of today’s French Federation of Fashion and of Ready-to-Wear of Couturiers and Fashion Designers)
·1892 Vogue founded by Arthur Baldwin Turnure.In June 1920 the first French edition of Vogue is issued
·1895 Callot Soeurs fashion house opens, operated by four sisters.Fast forward to the 1920s and they’ve become one of the leading fashion houses in Paris
·1913 Coco Chanel opens her first shop
·1947 Christian Dior presents his first collection
·1960s In the spirit of the decade, a group of young designers who trained under men like Dior leave the established couture houses to open their own establishments. One of the most successful of these young designers is Yves Saint Laurent
·1973 Paris Fashion Week is launched
·1976 Jean-Paul Gaultier releases his first collection, tres bon!
The major Paris fashion houses
·There are ten official couture fashion houses, including household names like Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy and Jean Paul Gaultier.Other lesser known members include Yves-Saint-Laurent-disciple, Dominique Sirop.Sirop has made his mark with royalty, the likes of Queen Rania of Jordan, Queen Sonja of Norway and of course, Joan Collins.
·Dior gained his name post World War II when he was credited with re-establishing Paris as the fashion capital of the world.The latest collection, spearheaded by John Galliano, was the talk of the spring couture show in Paris in January, a striking equestrian meets Bride of Frankenstein creation.
Watch the clip above: Hilary Alexander reviews John Galliano's equestrian themed show for Christian Dior.
·Chanel, by Coco Chanel, is widely recognised as one of the most chic fashion houses.Marilyn Monroe, Nicole Kidman and Audrey Tautou have aligned themselves with the perfume.Audrey has of course most recently graced our screens as Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel herself in the film Coco Before Chanel.
The word on the street is that anything OTT, glam, elegant, flowing and colourful should fit the bill (but perhaps not on the ski slopes!) following the Spring Collection Paris Fashion Week in January.
Highlights from the catwalks include:
·New must-have accessories such as the limited-edition Versace iPhone.
·Karl Lagerfeld ‘s Marie Antoinette peasant reprisal. See a great clip here:
·Jean Paul Gaultier’s colourful collection, ‘inspired by Montezuma the Aztec emperor along with Avatar’s tribal-eco message’ according to one fashion blogger
·The ‘Halston effect’ (referring to Roy Halston Frowick’s long dresses, or copies of his style, which were popular fashion wear in mid-1970s discotheques).
Who’s wearing who? Which of our style icon celebrities are wearing what Paris couture that is!
(Photo Courtesy of PopBitch)
Anne Hathaway was Giorgio Armani’s guest of honour at the Paris Fashion Week spring show whilst Claudia Schiffer, Alexa Chung, Kanye West and Amber Rose made a bee line for Chanel.Julia Roberts, Alicia Keys, Sarah Jessica Parker and Dita von Teese are just some of the belles spotted wearing Dior.
Jean Paul Gaultier has followers the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Beyonce Knowles.
Of course, wearing couture doesn’t always equate to good taste.Madonna was slammed for her Chanel dress worn on the red carpet at Cannes in 2008.
Paris Fashion Week – Fall-Winter collection
The next Haute Couture Paris Fashion Week will showcase the fall-winter 2010/2011 collections over four days from Monday 5 to Thursday 8 July.
But for Paris ready to wear, March dates are just around the corner: Tuesday, March 2nd to Wednesday, March 10th, 2010. Watch this space for Paris- inspired collections on the UK high street!
If you follow Paris Couture this is what you might expect to be wearing this autumn!
Just for fun
A member of the D&G design team gives us a private tour of a day in the life of ‘young guys gone skiing’. So you CAN accessorize on the slopes chaps!...
Did you know that the modern holiday essential the Bikini is a French invention? Engineer Louis Réard’s risqué two-piece shocked French beacheswhen it appeared in 1947 and was named the nuclear testing ground in the Binkini Atoll – likening it’s effect to a nuclear explosion. Now that’s one fashion fad that really did catch on!
In Cannes during the 2010 international film festival at the - Résidence Pierre & Vacances Villa Franciafrom just €312 for a week -long stay in studio apartment for two people. 15 – 22 May
In Paris for the Fall-Winter 2010 – 2011 Haut Couture shows - July 5-8, 2010 at the Adagio Paris Haussmann Champs-Elyseesfrom €663 for a studio apartment for two people for three nights.
Looking for ideas of where you should ski with your family over the Easter Break? Look no further than Flaine.
Flaine is a fantastic family-friendly resort located in the Grand Massif area of France. Families love Flaine because the entire resort is pedestrianised and sits in a natural tree-lined valley, this means the kids are safe to hit the slopes and explore on-site facilities.
It's also famed for having plenty of apres-ski activities including husky dog sledding, ice driving, a natural ice rink, open-air heated swimming pool, a bowling alley and a great ski school for beginners.
Unlike some resorts, there are also many places to eat, with a range of restaurants that are affordable and kids are fine to run around in.
We recently received a great travel diary from Jeff Langdon recently visited Flaine with his family in the last week of January. Here's what he sent us:
Flaine apartments and resort
"We stayed in Flaine for one week (23-30 Jan 2010). The apartments in Pierre & Vacances Residence La Foret are simply huge and well stocked. We had six people in the 2 bed apartment and everybody had enough room with adequate storage space.
The property is next to the slopes in Flaine and is near to a great ski lift and close to all resort amenities.
Flaine Ski Schools
"We hired skis from Simond Sports which is actually next door to the apartment and the ski school office is just next door to that for ski lessons. The ski school meeting point is just 1 minutes walk away as is the “Grand Vans” lift. This makes it very simple to get out in a morning with no ski bus to catch with the kids."
Families in Flaine
"Flaine is a great ski resort for families. Our children had morning ski lessons giving the adults 3 hours to wander the Grand Massif ski area. This gives enough time to visit all the linked ski areas in Morillion, Les Carroz and Samoens, and Vercland and have a cup of coffee.
In the afternoon we skied the runs in Flaine with the children, who especially enjoyed the far side of the resort where the snow is really great and all the family have a fantastic run. The flaine lift system allows you to travel easily from one side of the resort to the other and quickly get back up the mountain for another run."
Apres-ski in Flaine "In the evening we generally cooked in the apartment. The Pierre & Vacances Residence La Foret now has its own supermarket, which is especially useful for bread and croissants in the morning and when you remember in the evening that you have forgotten that vital ingredient.
The Peredrix Noir was a favourite haunt for an après ski drink. They have a happy hour between 4:30 and 5:30 and it has a wonderful roaring log fire."
Tip for skiing in Flaine
"If you decide to go to Flaine, do make sure that you ski the Cascades piste. It runs from the top of the Platieres lift to Sixt. This is a run length of 12 KM and a height drop of nearly 2000 metres. From Sixt the ski bus takes you to Samoens. There are then three lifts to get in quick succession and a beautiful run down to bring you back to La Foret, simply brilliant!"
Jeff and his family stayed at the Pierre & Vacances Residence La Foret whilst in Flaine. Prices for a stay during April start from just €639.95 euros, for a family of five staying in a 1 bedroom apartment. Please visit the website for Pierre & Vacances, www.pv-holidays.com for more information.
We love hearing from other customers get in touch at the side of the page, or use Simon Seeks to post your own travel guide or holiday review let us know once you've posted, we'd love to hear from you.
With the ski season now well and truly underway, we felt it was time to reveal some of the sales trends we have noticed and pass on some insider tips to our customers.
The recent snow fall in the UK has inspired many people to book a ski holiday to France.
Tip one: Take advantage of great ski conditions
Snow conditions are currently excellent across the Alps with lots of fresh snow and cold temperatures reported, particularly in the Southern Alps in resorts such as Alpe d’Huez and Vars, where snowfall of up to 14cm per day is expected this week.
Tip two: book at a lesser-known resort We've also noticed that bookings for lesser-known resorts are up at an average of 17% which means brits are saving cash but still heading to the slopes, but steering clear of expensive resorts.
Customers are also booking for later in the season, when rates are lower but the snow is still good. We've noticed the last week in March are particularly strong – this is a school holiday in the UK but not in France, so is classed as ‘off-peak’ on PV-Holidays.com!
Pierre & Vacances offers ski accommodation in over 40 resorts across the Alps and Pyrenees. Throughout January, lesser-known resorts have had lots more bookings, which offer large ski areas and more affordable ski packs and après ski activity.
Pierre & Vacances properties in resorts such as Les Coches, Valloire and ValmeinierAvoriaz, and Les Carroz have reported increases in bookings at an average of +17% on previous years, indicating that customers may be willing to try slightly less well-known resorts in order to get the best value from their annual trip to the slopes.
Have no fear fellow skiers, because of the large amount of snow fall in the French alps this year, which in some places in the French Alp means, booking trips to be taken later in the season doesn't have to be a gamble.
Booking a group ski trip for the week before Easter (commencing 27th March 2010) is not only popular with our customers, it means you can ski for a week and be guaranteed a large amount of snow. This week is classed as ‘off peak’ in France, but is a school holiday for much of the UK – thus British customers are taking advantage of being able to get a low season price for a holiday in a high season week, and beat the French crowds.
Pierre & Vacances still has some great deals for the rest of the ski season – thanks to its ‘Beat the Euro’ campaign, which aims to alleviate the poor Euro/Sterling exchange rate by offering at least 15 per cent off all ski accommodation across the Alps and Pyrenees. This deal is valid on all dates until the end of the season – including school holiday and Easter dates.
DEAL: Prices for a one-week break in Alpe d’Huez for example start from only £343 (previously £404) for a studio apartment sleeping two people at Pierre & Vacances Résidence Les Bergers in April 2010.
As any seasoned skier will know, the après ski is nearly as important as the white stuff itself when choosing which resort to holiday in this winter.
The French Alps are renowned for great food and great nightlife, but many resorts also host internationally renowned ski festivals throughout the season. From six-day comedy events, to extreme sports competitions and showcases of hot new bands, snow-fanatics are spoiled for choice in the Alps throughout 2010.
Altitude Festival, Meribel 20th-26th March 2010 If you’re planning to squeeze in a ski trip to the French Alps at the end of the season, make your way to the fabulous resort of Meribel for first-class snow action and belly laughs on the piste. Featuring some of the biggest names in comedy, the annual Altitude Festival offers the ultimate in après-ski entertainment. The highlights of the festivals, in addition to brilliant stand-up performances, include screenings of comedy films, gigs and a lot of messing around on the piste. This year’s line-up includes performances from Newton Faulkner, comedy from Phil Jupitus and music from DJ Yoda. http://www.altitudefestival.com
Hot deal: A weeks accommodation in Pierre & Vacances Meribel Les Crets for the duration of the festival starts at €952.00 for a one bedroom apartment sleeping up to four people.
Little World Festival, Meribel 13th-19th March 2010 Organised by top British act, The Feeling, Little World Festival combines five days of skiing and snowboarding in the largest ski area in the world with entertainment from Europe’s biggest bands and DJ's. With over 40 live gigs during the week and free outdoor concerts on the piste, the festival is an ideal choice for music lovers. This year’s festival includes music by Sophie Ellis Bextor, Glenn Tilbrook and, of course, The Feeling. http://www.littleworldfestival.com
Hot deal: A weeks accommodation in Pierre & Vacances Residence du Tueda for the duration of the festival starts at €637.50 for a studio apartment sleeping up to four people. http://bit.ly/4xfSyG
TignesFest, Tignes 16th April 2010 Tignes is already renowned for it’s après-ski parties, but TignesFest offers an extra reason to visit the resort in 2010. TignesFest is a festival showcasing new musical talent and best of all – it’s completely free! Popular radio DJs from the UK’s hottest stations, including Radio 1 and Kiss FM host the show where music from live DJs and new bands keep the crowds entertained. http://www.tignesfest.com
Hot deal: A weeks accommodation in Maeva Grande Motte ski resort - Tignes during the festival starts at €475 for a studio apartment sleeping up to four people.
British University Snowboarding Council (BUSC) main event 27th February - 5th March 2010 The BUSC Main Event will this year be venturing to Alpe d’Huez for six nights of partying and hedonistic mayhem. Featuring over 2,000 revellers, the event is not for the faint hearted and all culminates in an open-air mountain party on the final night. http://www.buscevents.com/
La Clusaz Carnival, La Clusaz 16 Feb 2010 Families love this famously fun and light-hearted carnival that fe atures street parades, music and fireworks. Costumes can be hired from the tourist office and the bars are open all night. The traditional Savoyard village is regarded by some as one of the most picturesque in the French Alps – the perfect spot for a family break. http://www.laclusaz.com
Hot deal: A weeks accommodation in Résidence Maeva La Perrière during the festival starts at €450 for a studio apartment sleeping up to four people. http://bit.ly/5uO4jZ
Winter X-Games Europe, Tignes 10th – 12th March 2010 Tignes plays host to one of the world’s biggest alternative and extreme sports events. Winter X Games Europe is the first Winter X Games to take place outside the United States, where the world's top sportsmen and women compete against each other on two wheels, in the air, on skis and on snowboards for both medals and prize money. There will be eight different competitions over three days, including Ski and Snowboard SuperPipe and Slopestyle for men and women as well as a Snowmobile demonstration. http://tignes.co.uk/x-games.htm
Hot deal: A weeks accommodation in Résidence Maeva Le Lac during the festival starts at €355 for a studio apartment sleeping up to four people.
Three Valleys X-Wing Rally Finals, Three Valleys 5th April 2010 The main resorts in the Three Valleys region, including Courchevel, Meribel, and Val Thorens join together for this one day event in which the slopes are open to everyone, regardless of ability. Having fun is the order of the day, with the only requisite being that the Three Valleys region is explored and admired. Events and competitions are organised throughout the day with ski passes and holidays to be won. http://www.les3vallees.com
Hot deal: A weeks accommodation in Pierre & Vacances Le Tikal during the festival starts at €690 for a studio apartment sleeping up to four people.
How to book a ski holiday like the French! How do the French always look so unflustered and chic when on holiday? Is it because they booked their ski trips online without any hassle? What's their secret, and more importantly, are they saving any more cash than us Brits? Hopefully our insider guide of how to book a ski holiday online without any hassle should help you along..
Whether you’re a ski virgin or a seasoned pro, now is the perfect time to be booking your New Year escape to the slopes. Simon Calder, senior travel editor at The Independent caught up with two of our French experts, Marie and Jerome, to try and find some insider tips on how to get a great deal on your next winter break.
Watch our guide online here:
Although unfavourable Euro exchange rates may still be putting people off booking their trip for 2010, Marie and Jerome insist that being savvy travellers and booking early, booking outside of peak times and taking advantage of the great discounts currently on offer is the key for cash-strapped Brits.
Below are Marie and Jerome’s top tips for booking a ski holiday like the French:
Book in advance It may be a cliché, but the earlier you book a holiday, the better deal you are likely to find. Many companies, such as Pierre & Vacances, offer great early bird discounts of around 20 percent for holidays booked several months in advance.
Similarly, brand new ski train travel website snowcarbon.co.uk has a unique feature which sends email alerts to users on the day that the lowest fares are available for their specified train journey. This tool thus ensures that you’re always picking up the best value fares for your journey.
Try a short break Still a relatively new concept to many Brits, the French have been taking short breaks to the slopes for years. Ok, so it might be easier when the slopes are on your doorstep, but for those on a budget, a quick trip is a sure-fire way of getting your snow-fix without breaking the bank. Travelling mid-week for a three to four night break often means that you pick up the cheapest train/air fare, as well as the best value ski accommodation and lift passes.
Towards the end of the season and during school term time is when some of the best short break deals can be found. Check out PV-holidays.com, the website for Pierre & Vacances for some great offers.
Book outside of (French!) school holidays Many Brits aren’t aware that the French school holidays and the British school holidays do not always overlap. Many British families can therefore benefit from off-peak prices on French accommodation, even during our own half term holidays. In order to avoid the crowds therefore, look ahead to see when the French school holidays are and then plan your own break around them!
Eurobuster But for those of us who still need a bit of extra convincing, Pierre & Vacances has provided us with one more reason to hit the slopes in 2010 – the Eurobuster. Designed to help cash strapped Brits ‘beat the Euro’ the deal offers at least 15 percent off all ski accommodation on PV-Holidays.com. The offer is valid all season, on all dates and resorts and can also be combined with any other offer currently available on the website, including the 20 percent early booking discount. Visit the Beat the Euro page
Simply enter promotional code 8258 at the time of booking for some big savings.
How do the French manage to swan around ski resorts year on year, looking chic and unflustered? More importantly- which ski resorts do they spend time in, and do they save any money whilst being there, compared to us Brits?
Hopefully, our guide will point you in the right direction and help you choose the right slopes and resort without busting your bank balance.
If you're planning a ski holiday to the Alps and are trying to get the most for your hard earned bucks, it's time to put Hello and Heat out of your mind and start googling the brilliant ski destinations you can actually afford.
OK, so the Beckham's have strutted their stuff in Courcheval, Hugh Grant and Jamie Oliver live it up in Verbier, and Kate Moss and George Clooney are just a few of the big names who flock to St Moritz, but if your budget is more suited to packed lunches than hanging out in Michelin-starred restaurants, it pays to choose your resort with care.
At Pierre & Vacances, we firmly believe that choosing to stay in an affordable French ski resort does not mean you have to comprise on style, comfort and access to the slopes. Pierre & Vacances have plenty of resorts in top ski areas of France, with plenty of secret gems that even the A-List haven't discovered yet. The French flock to these hubs in their droves, and you won't catch a savvy French ski party following celebrities' wake, they prefer to ski their own path!
Our French neighbours who, thanks to their proximity to the mountains take regular trips to the slopes, know the top spots that deliver the best snow and après ski for a lot less. To find out what we Brits could learn from our friends across the Channel, The Independent's Travel Editor, Simon Calder interviewed French ski buffs Jerome and Marie for a special Pierre & Vacances video feature - 'How to Holiday Like the French.'
Follow our guide to skiing like the French...
Where to ski in France? While the unfriendly Euro exchange rate puts a squeeze on your budget wherever you go in the Alps this season, the French resorts that have traditionally offered better value for money will still come in cheaper than the slopes graced by the stars.
French ski lovers on a budget avoid the upmarket resorts. At the top of their lists are the equally enticing but better value snow havens of Chamonix, Avoriaz, Serre Chevalier, and Valmorel - all of which are easily accessible from the UK, too.
Serre Chevalier Located in the Haute-Alpes region, Serre Chevalier is one of France's biggest resorts with a massive 250km ski area. Its 13 villages and hamlets scattered across the valley blend tradition and modernity, and the resort also offers a wide range of activities for the whole family. With its large natural terrain it is also considered one of the best snowboarding destinations in Europe.
Hot deal: Situated in the mountain village of Villeneuve, Résidence Pierre & Vacances L'Alpaga , has comfortable, spacious self-catering apartments with fully equipped kitchens, and it is surrounded by a landscaped garden. It is ideally located just 50m from the shops and 200m from the ski lifts. Transfer: Grenoble airport (2 hrs) or Chambery station (3 hrs).
Studio apartments for up to four people costs from 530 Euros for a week's ski holiday in January 2010.
Valmorel A great choice for first-timers and family ski trips, Valmorel is a purpose-built French ski resort comprising several small satellite villages in the Grande Domaine. Valmorel and St Francois Longchamps together offer 165km of marked pistes.
Valmorel's resort centre is car-free and it also scores top marks for families as most of its pistes cater for beginners and intermediates, and there are plenty of designated practice areas. The ski area is on your doorstep which means you can literally ski to your door - another big plus if you're skiing with kids.
Hot deal: Built in the traditional Savoyard style, the Pierre & Vacances Chalets du Morel residences comprise a selection of small hamlets scattered around the resort. All residences offer comfortable self-catering apartments within 200m of the ski lifts and shops and restaurants of the resort centre. Seven nights in a studio apartment for up to four people costs from just 520 Euros.
Chamonix Chamonix is a much-loved ski resort due to the variety of outdoor activities you can participate in here. The summit of Mont Blanc is the third most visited natural site in the world and the mountains hosts activities such as ice climbing, alpine mountaineering and extreme skiing. There is all sorts of terrain, but this is the perfect destination for the expert winter sports enthusiast and the adventurous. Chamonix is famous for its cable car up to Aiguille du Midi as well as the panoramic restaurant at the top station of the Brévent cable car, which boasts impressive views of the Mont Blanc Massif.
Hot deal: Check into the Maeva Chamonix La Riviere residence in the district of Chamonix Sud. Here you'll enjoy comfortable self-catering apartments with the Aiguille du Midi cable car just 300m from your door. Studio apartments for up to four cost from just 365 Euros for seven nights in January 2010.
When to go skiing It pays to remember that the UK and French school holidays don’t necessarily coincide. In order to avoid the crowds, canny French skiers book their holidays when our kids are at school. So take their lead and plan your trip when they're not going to be on holiday!
While the French are able to enjoy last-minute weekend breaks that can prove more difficult for us as we have to cross the Channel, there's another French trick you can follow. Travelling to the mountains mid-week, particularly if you go by rail during the day will not save you money on travel costs but resorts will be quieter as so many French people head to the mountains just for the weekend. Mid-January is a great time to go - you'll get the best snow and all the schools have gone back so you’ll have the slopes all to yourself. In March or April, you can pick up some great last minute and short break offers for the end of the season.
Go self-catering The French favour self-catering apartments over catered chalets for good reason - they not only love cooking up a feast 'at home' for family and friends but know that getting into this ski habit saves a heap of money. Take their lead by stocking up on local goodies from the supermarket to make your own tasty packed lunches (you don't need us to tell you have pricey the cafes on the slopes can be) and hearty dinners. Do this and might well be able to afford a celebratory splurge in your resort's best restaurant on your last night. Self-catering apartments are so much easier than hotels for families too – you can cook when you want to and share rooms and space rather than being restricted by meal times and hotel rooms.
Ski lessons To save money, think about getting a group of friends together to share a lesson – or join one of the existing group lessons, which the Ecole du Ski Francais run in every resort. Private lessons are for stars like Victoria Beckham only! Don’t forget to check out the free parties that the local tourist offices hold, too.
All Pierre & Vacances residences featured are ski in/ ski out and are self-catering apartments with fully equipped kitchens and cooking facilities.
To make your Euro go even further, Pierre & Vacances have introduced the hugely popular offer to help Beat the Euro Designed to help cash strapped Brits ‘beat the Euro’, the deal offers at least 15 percent off all ski accommodation on PV-Holidays.com, the website for Pierre & Vacances. The offer is valid all season, on all dates and resorts and can also be combined with any other offer currently available on the website, including the 20 percent early booking discount.
The exclusive discount code is 8258 and you can claim your discount to get money off your next ski holiday. Pierre & Vacances will also be posting lots of offers in the new year.
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