Connect with us
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Archive for the ‘Destinations’ Category
Spa and ski holidays to France
Ski breaks are hard work! A full day whizzing up and down the French pistes can result in tired and aching limbs… So what better way to prepare yourself for some après-ski drinks and delicious alpine ski cuisine than with a relaxing swim and sauna, a light warm-down in a state of the art fitness suite, or a soothing massage for those weary muscles.
‘Deep Nature Spas’ by French marine brand Algotherm are offered at seven of the Pierre & Vacances’ Premium residences in French ski resorts including Aime la Plagne, Arc 1800, Chamonix, Les Carroz D’Arâches, Les Menuires, Méribel Village and there is also a brand new spa for this winter in Arc 1950 alongside Le Village district.
Facilities offered include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, saunas, steam rooms, cardio fitness suites and relaxation studios. And spa packages are pre-bookable, so you can plan your post-piste pampering before you leave home.
Here are some examples of the facilities on offer at the Pierre & Vacances Premium ski and spa residences, whether it’s a short weekend break or a two week holiday:
Les Arcs 1950, Pierre & Vacances Premium Residence Le Village
Le Village is a Savoyard-style district offering eight Premium residences. The spacious, comfortable apartments all have a balcony or terrace overlooking the Arc 1950 village or the mountain. The newly launched ‘Deep Nature Spa’ is located in the lower part of the resort and is designed in the style of a cave with walls made up of rock and timber. There are seven treatment rooms, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, fitness suite, sensory shower and nail bar.
Aime-La-Plagne, Pierre & Vacances Premium Residence Les Hauts Bois
The ski in ski out residence lies in the heart of the vast Paradiski area and is just a stone’s throw away from the resort’s shopping centre. The apartments are decorated in the traditional Savoyard style and all guests have access to WiFi and the underground car park. The residences’ ‘Deep Nature Spa’ has a cardio-training room, indoor heated swimming pool, saunas, steam rooms and treatment rooms.
Enjoy the Paradiski area with a stay at Les Hauts Bois starting from £23 per person per night.
Méribel, Pierre & Vacances Premium Residence Les Fermes de Méribel
The recently renovated Les Fermes de Méribel is set in the heart of Méribel Village, just 50 metres from the shops. Its six chalets made of wood and stone have ski in ski out facilities, a balcony or terrace, a bakery ordering service and a covered car park. The Algotherm Spa has a well being area with a steam room and sauna, a heated indoor pool, fitness room and lounge with fireplace.
For more details and to book a spa and ski break to France visit the Pierre & Vacances website or ring 0870 0267 145.
A video guide to skiing at Arc 1950
At the heart of the French Alps, Arc 1950 is a car-free resort with a Savoyard flavour which blends itself into the shape of the surrounding mountains…
Ski-out accommodation, views of the magnificent Mont Blanc, relaxing spa, buzzing bars, cosy pubs and restaurants serving the best French cuisine for hungry skiers, and of course – fantastique snow! But don’t just take our word for it, check out what guests at Arc 1950 this season have to say – and recommend!
If this whets your appetite, check out our Pierre & Vacances Premium Residence Le Village complete with a Deep Nature Spa to get those weary post-piste limbs ready for the après-ski!
French ski resorts to fall in love with
The snow arrived in the nick of time for 2012, but with the dozens of options available, how do you choose which French ski resort to spend your hard earned pennies on this season?
In an attempt to match you up to a resort that you will love, channelling Cilla Black from her Blind Date heydays, we’ve put together three compelling reasons to pick our selection of cool contenders…
Alpe d’Huez – There’s no chance of getting bored in this traditional, historic and lively resort…
- Airboarding – A new(ish) snow sport has arrived en piste. This time on an inflatable grooved sled-like cushion. Airboarding allows you to hurtle down the mountainside head first while lying stomach-down on the board. This, of course, poses a slight hazard to fellow skiers so Alpe d’Huez hosts Airboarding and ‘snow toys’ sessions at the Poutran lift every Friday between 10am and 4.45pm.
- Alpe d’Huez Ice cave – Whimsical ice sculptures are carved annually in this cave gallery at 2,700 m. The Alpe d’Huez ice cave was dug into the snow by two high mountain guides, Bruno Gardent and Bernard Lambolez. It is accessible via the Grandes Rousses DMC lift. This year’s themes are ‘The Garden’ and ‘Biodiversity’.
- The world’s longest ski run – At 16 kms and with a vertical drop of 1,820, Sarenne is the world’s longest ski run. Once a month during the ski season you can even ski Sarenne by moonlight after a meal atop the Sarenne Glacier.
Where to stay in Alpe d’Huez:
Pierre & Vacances Residence L’Ours Blanc – The recently refurbished Pierre & Vacances L’Ours Blanc residence is located in the centre of the resort. The pretty wood-decorated building has superb views over the valley of the Massif de l’Oisans providing direct access to ski lifts and the Olympic skating rink.
Pierre & Vacances Residence Les Bergers - Less than 100 m from the ski lifts each apartment features a balcony with views over the resort on one side and the Ecrins mountain range on the other. Facilities include a swimming pool and heated relaxation room, sauna and a restaurant.
Val d’Isère – One of the original ski resorts and still one of the best. Challenging skiing with superb nightlife.
- It’s high up! It’s a no-brainer really, if you’re after lovely fresh white powder, choose a resort that’s at high altitude – it’s colder up there and there’s more chance of snow. Val d’Isère’s position offers skiing from 1550m-3470m, that’s the height of more than ten Eiffel towers stacked on top of one another.
- Olympics standard slopes – The location of the 1993 Olympics men’s downhill race, Val d’Isère provides immediate access to 300 kms of groomed slopes in the Espace Killy ski area, with further opportunities to ski in first class off piste powder AND in neighbouring Paradiski and Three Valleys systems. There’s enough here to challenge even the most experienced skier.
- Dick’s Tea Bar – It’s legendary for après ski partying attracting big name DJs, and its Val d’Isère premises have just re-opened for the season with a makeover.
Residence Les Chalets de Solaise, Val d'Isere
Where to stay in Val d’Isère:
Pierre & Vacances Residence Les Chalets de Solaise – Self catered apartments with access to the outdoor heated swimming pool and wellness area and located at the heart of Val d’Isère.
Pierre & Vacances Residence Les Balcons de Bellevarde – Typical of the Val d’Isere region with its pretty wooden and stone-clad front, ski apartments facing the slopes and balconies for all-day sunshine.
Belle Plagne – another action packed resort, in fact, if skiing is not your thing you can pack in a week’s worth of snowy fun without ever strapping on a pair of skis!
- Adrenaline activities – The bob experience: an exhilarating 19 bends worth of Olympic bobsleigh run, a giant zip slide high wire, an outdoor ice climbing tower, access to four free-style snow parks and snow quad biking. Yo name but a few…
- Child friendly – With snow kindergartens, a sledging track and crèche facilities – there’s plenty to occupy the little ones in Belle Plagne while you get on with some serious adrenaline sports.
- Keep on trekking – Glacial snow shoe treks, husky teams along with some superb cross country skiing opportunities will help you to explore the region and take in its beauty at a slower pace.
Where to stay in Belle Plagne:
Pierre & Vacances Residence Les Nereides - Located in the heart of the ‘Paradiski’ domain, with easy access to the slopes from the residence. These self catered ski apartments have recently been fully refurbished.
Pierre & Vacances Residence Residence Les Constellations – Situated directly on the slope, the wooden and stone chalets blend into the snowy backdrop in this peaceful setting.
Flaine – A stylised modernist French mountain resort and the perfect choice for those with young families and ski beginners.
- Paradise for beginners and kids – Flaine’s wide snowy boulevards are perfect for beginners and those with less skiing experience and there’s plenty of free activities and family focused fun on offer too. Excellent ski schools are also available for anyone who is slightly less confident on two skis, and there’s even a week dedicated to children from 4-13 April 2012.
- Free lifts – No need for lift passes so you can ski for free!
- Modernist architecture and art – It’s not to everyone’s taste but if you have a penchant for Bauhaus, architect Marcel Breuer’s buildings won’t disappoint. And there’s plenty of art to see too including a sculpture park containing works by Jean Dubuffet, Pablo Picasso and Victor Vasarely. The cultural centre, Art de Flaine, also hosts exhibitions of contemporary art.
Where to stay in Flaine:
Pierre & Vacances Residence La Foret - A residence with easy access to slopes and in the heart of the resort.
Pierre & Vacances Premium Residence Les Terrasses d’Eos – Stone and timber chalets, lit by large bay windows with a warm and elegant interior finish and nestled in a spruce forest.
A weekend in Le Crotoy at the Résidence de la Plage
Last month Pierre & Vacances customer Andy Parker visited Picardy for a weekend get-away. Check out his review of our Premium Résidence de la Plage, and the things to do in Le Crotoy and the surrounding area:
We recently took to the shores of North France for a stay at the Pierre & Vacances Premium Résidence de la Plage in Le Crotoy, in the Bay of Somme (just an hour’s easy drive from Calais).
Le Crotoy is a pretty special place. A small town on the bay of the Somme, where Jules Verne wrote the majority of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea whilst staying in the town, just a short drive from Abbeville. Being a fishing town there are several restaurants all serving fresh catches and we managed to visit the morning market to see what was available straight off the boat that morning.
Le Crotoy, Picardy
Only visiting for a weekend trip we decided to eat out both evenings, but had we stayed longer we would have been more than accommodated to cook my own local foods with the fish markets setting up when the trawlers come back in, an amazing butchers, grocers and patisserie all within walking distance of the apartment.
We stayed in a two bedroom apartment which could quite comfortably have slept up to six people because the sofas were also beds. The living space was ideal, the kitchen was fully kitted and exceptionally clean with the espresso machine and complimentary capsules a nice touch.
There were two bathrooms, one with a bath/shower and the downstairs a spacious shower, both were perfect after a long day walking along the coast line watching the wind and kite surfers.
The view from both the master bedroom and the living room/sun terrace were stunning, spanning all the way across the bay and up the coast line.
The view from Residence de la Plage
Being a cold November, we didn’t get an opportunity to dip into the outdoor pool but its location, facing over the waterfront, seemed ideal.
We took a trip to Abbeville which was no more than 20 minutes by car. The town has a wonderful high street with a strong mixture of high street brands and independent retailers (particularly the chocolatiers). The church in the centre of town has been restored several times throughout its history and information was available in English which helped with our lack of reading French!
There are several landmarks dotted around the town which we uncovered from exploring side streets which reflect how much devastation the town saw throughout 1914-1945.
Great War cemetary in Lebucquiere
Our final trip was to a discrete cemetery for those who served in the Great War in the village of Lebucquiere. Although we’ve never been to some of the larger memorials and cemeteries which are considerably closer to Crotoy, this one held personal interest to me.
It was a drive of several hours and we decided to utilise the toll roads. They really do put UK road services to shame! Yes you do have to pay (maximum journey was from Lebucquiere to Calais at 9 Euros) but they’re fast, direct and pretty empty at peak times.
My top tip - I had no problems with driving on the other side of the road, but remember to check your headlights before leaving to see if you should purchase headlight reverse stickers which make sure you’re not blinding on-coming traffic!
Visit Le Crotoy for yourself! Andy stayed at the self catering Pierre & Vacances Premium Résidence de la Plage in Le Crotoy, Picardy. Pierre & Vacances also has a wide range of self catering apartments around North Picardy, perfect for mountain-biking, hiking and horse-riding, as well as visiting the the Somme Bay and Compiègne forest for sports and bird watching.
French ski resorts with outdoor ice skating
Who hasn’t been inspired by the recent resurgence on TV of Torvill and Dean to don their ice skates and perfect their figure skating skills? There’s something rather romantic about the idea of cutting a dash on the ice rink, complete with Argyll sweater, mittens and skates. Especially outdoors, of a winter’s afternoon in the warming sunshine, or of an evening with snowdrops on your tongue and twinkling chalet lights brightening the dusk. And the promise of a hot chocolate or vin chaud when you’re done! Perfect entertainment for all the family.
Ice Skating champions Torvil and Dean
Why not take the opportunity of your next skiing holiday in France to venture out onto the ice?
Here is a guide to French Alpine resorts with outdoor patinoire (ice skating rinks!).
Alpe d’Huez
This south facing, sunny resort of Alpe d’Huez has lots of self catering ski accommodation, and is the ideal place to perfect your figure of eight whilst soaking up some rays.
The ice rink is located on the Avenue des Jeux in the heart of the resort and is open daily from 11.30am to 10.45pm. Figure skating tuition is offered by Alpe d’Huez Patinage Club for ages three and upwards.
Entry costs €6 for adults/ €3 children under 13 or is free with a Visalp ski pass. Skate hire costs €4.
A class pratices their triple salcos on Alpe d'Huez's open air ice rink
Les Deux Alpes
It comes as no surprise that this international winter sports resort has an Olympic-size outdoor ice rink, located next to the swimming pool on the Rue des Sagnes, close to the central Place des Deux Alpes. The resort is a huge playground for mountain lovers, with lots of self catering accommodation for those wanting to experience the fantastic restaurants the area has to offer.
Entrance to the ice rink is free for all holders of a six day lift pass. There is a small charge for ski hire. Open daily from 10.30am to 12.30pm, 3pm to 6.30pm and 8.30pm to 11pm.
At certain times of the week you can also try your hand at ‘ice gliding’ – bumper cars on ice!
‘Ice gliding’ – bumper cars on ice!
Megève
The outdoor ice rink is situated in the centre of this picture perfect Alpine village on Place de la Résistance, surrounded by accommodation with views of Mont Blanc.
It’s open daily from 2pm to 8pm (Tuesday from 2pm to 6pm, special children’s session from 6pm to 8pm). It costs €4.80 per adult and €3.80 per child (5 to 14 yrs). Skate hire costs €3.20, free for children under 5.
Megève open air ice rink
Avoriaz
There is a brand new ice rink opening in the 2011/2012 season in the centre of this family-friendly resort – which is also the home of Pierre & Vacances. The rink will be open daily from 3pm to 8pm. Entry costs €5.20 for adults and €4 for children under 12, including skates. Holders of a Family Pass can get in for free.
La Plagne
La Plagne has two natural open-air ice rinks situated in majestically high Aime La Plagne and sporty Plagne Bellecôte.
The rink at Aime La Plagne offers fantastic views of Mount Blanc. Open daily from 3.30pm to 10.30pm. Cost is €7 per adult and €5 per child under 12.
The rink at Plagne Bellecôte is located behind the main gondola and is open daily from 10am to 7pm for the same price.
Les Arcs
Skiers heading to the heart of the Paradiski region can take advantage of Les Arcs’ two outdoor ice rinks, one in Foret du Beauchet 1800 and the other in Place Haute 2000.
Val d’Isere
The natural ice skating rink at this world-renowned ski resort is in the middle of the village of Val d’Isere, which is full of family friendly self catering accommodation. It is open every day from 3pm to 8pm. The cost is €6 per adult and €5 per child, or you can buy a child week pass for €20 which includes entry to the rink and skate hire.
Natural ice skating rink in the middle of the village of Val d'Isere
Les Houches
Skate in front of the Mont Blonc massif at the natural rink in Les Houches, located in the centre of the village. The best news is, it’s free.
Young girl ice skating in Les Houches
During French holidays, the rink is open Tuesday to Sunday from 2pm to 5pm and from 8pm to 11pm. At other times it is open Tuesdays from 8pm to 11pm, Wednesdays from 2pm to 5pm, Fridays from 8pm to 11pm, Saturdays from 2pm to 5pm and from 8pm to 11pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5pm.
And you can also stay in the view of the Mont Blonc massif in one of Pierre & Vacances’ self catering apartments in Les Houches.
Open air ice skating rink in Les Houches
La Clusaz
La Clusaz, renowned for cross country skiing, has a 1000 m2 open air ice rink located in the centre of this typically Savoyard village, and is even covered in the event of rain. And if you fancy a stay in one of the most laid back resorts in the Alps, Pierre & Vacances has self-catering accommodation in the area.
Les Menuires
The outdoor skating rink in Bruyères, in the heart of Savoie Olympique, is open from 4 pm to 8 pm. So if you want to ski in one of the sunniest spots in the French Alps, check out the self catering apartments on offer!
Have we missed your favourite skating spot? Let us know over on our Facebook page!
