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Archive for the ‘meribel’ Category
Après ski cocktail recipes
Nowhere does après ski quite like France!
There’s nothing like a busy day on the piste for working up a thirst. And there’s definitely nothing quite like that first grande biere or vin chaud for satisfying that hard earned thirst…apart from a cheeky après ski cocktail that is.
Here’s our guide to some of the top tipples you should be tracking down in the French Alps this season, and how to make them at home.
Après Ski
That’s right, what better place to start our mixologist’s guide than with the Après Ski itself.
Make it at home?
25ml vodka
25ml Pernod
10ml measure green crème de menthe
4 fl oz sparkling lemonade
Shake the vodka, Pernod and crème de menthe with ice, and after that strain into a highball cup with a few of ice cubes inside it. Add the lemonade. Enjoy with a sprig of peppermint and a piece of lemon.
On the piste?
For true glitz and glamour head to Courcheval 1850 and the Parisian style cocktail bar, Purple Cafe.
Chartreus’ito
Fancy a local French twist on the Mojito? Try the Chartreus’ito, substituting rum for the herbal Alpine liqueur. Guaranteed to warm those cockles.
Chartreuse is one of the oldest and most mysterious spirits around…with nearly 400 years of history and the added kudos of being produced by Carthusian monks. Allegedly only three monks from the order know the secret recipe – each hold one third of the recipe and have taken a vow of silence. Its origins are said to be as an elixir of life!
Make it at home?
Mix 1/4 lime and sugar in a glass
Add fresh mint leaves and ice cubes
And 50ml Green Chartreuse
Top up with soda
Stir and serve with straws
And what could be better than a sunny day on the slopes? A Chartreuse Soleil!
1 part Green Chartreuse
6 parts orange juice
Over ice
On the piste?
You’ll find Chartreuse just about anywhere in the Alps and L’Alpe D’huez is one of the closest resorts to the spirit’s Grenoble home.
Toffee Apple
Meribel and Val d’Isère have become synonymous with toffee vodka. This can be enjoyed as a fiery shot but why not linger over a long drink such as the Toffee Apple.
Make it at home?
50 ml Toffee Vodka
25 ml apple schnapps
25ml apple juice
12.5ml lemon juice
Over Cubed ice
One spoon of grenadine
Add to shaker Toffee Vodka, apple schnapps, apple juice (the sharper the better) and lemon juice.
Shake and pour into a Collins glass with cubed ice, then add one bar spoon of grenadine to create that marbled look and garnish with a piece of fresh apple.
On the piste?
Head to be Meribel or Val d’Isère, the home of Thunder Toffee Vodka.
St Germain Cocktail
Another local speciality, St Germain is made from elderflowers grown in the French Alps and makes for a very refreshing cocktail.
Make it at home?
Champagne or dry sparkling white wine
25ml St Germain
Topped with club soda
Fill a Collins glass with ice.
First, add St Germain, then champagne, then club soda. Stir well, and garnish with a lemon twist.
On the piste?
Where better to sip a refreshing cocktail than the heart of Paradiski at Plagne Soleil with its sunny climate and spectacular views of Mont Blanc.
Génépi
Génépi is the general term in the Alps for a home-made liquor featuring local mountain flora (the herb, Artemisia). For a warming aperitif try it mixed with spirits and apple juice for a long drink.
Make it at home?
In a shaker filled with ice, pour:
25ml Génépi
50ml vodka
Apple juice
25ml syrup blue Curacao
Shake for 10 seconds and serve in a tall glass.
Or go for something a little more frisky…
The Powder
25ml Génépi
25ml peach cream
6cl orange juice
25ml cassis liqueur
Place 2 ice cubes in a tumbler and pour the ingredients in the order of the recipe.
On the piste?
You won’t have to search far in Avoriaz to find a bottle of Génépi behind the bar.
Black Forest
The title of this suitably fruity cocktail may remind you of skiing off-piste…
Make it at home?
ke it at home?
25 ml crème de cacao
25 ml cherry liqueur
25 ml cherry brandy
25 ml cream
Shake ingredients together and pour into glass. Add a little more cream on top, then add a cherry to garnish.
On the piste?
For a twist on the traditional recipe, head to Jack’s Bar in Meribel where they serve it with raspberry liqueur, white crème de cacao with hot chocolate and Chantilly cream. Yummmmy!
Hot Bunny
Also known as the Ski Bunny or Snow Bunny, this is ideal when you want a hot chocolate with an edge.
Make it at home?
25ml Triple Sec
1 Cup Hot Chocolate
Top with Whipped cream
Heat mug. Pour in hot chocolate, add Triple Sec and stir. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows. Sit by the fire place and enjoy.
On the piste?
You’ll need a Hot Bunny after tackling the slopes of Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens.
French 75
Arguably one of the most sophisticated cocktails, the French 75 is said to have originated at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1915, created for returning World War I fighter pilots. The combination was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm howitzer artillery piece.
Make it at home?
1/2 oz lemon juice
50ml gin
25ml Cointreau
Champagne
Pour the lemon juice or gin and Cointreau into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
Shake well.
Strain into a chilled Champagne flute.
Carefully add the Champagne.
On the piste?
If you’re going to drink a classy cocktail then where better than Chamonix. Head somewhere like the Clubhouse for some of the best cocktails around.
Which is your favourite post-piste tipple? Come and tell us on our Facebook page!
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.
How to celebrate Christmas like the French!
Speak to any of our Gallic cousins and you’ll be told that Christmas is a very different affair in France. It’s all about the family and food. Sound a little too much like Christmas à l’Anglaise? Well there’s plenty more to drive home la difference. Here’s our guide to how to celebrate Christmas like the French.
And if you need further convincing, book yourself a trip across the Channel for a truly Joyeux Noël.
- Write To Santa
In France, Father Christmas is known as Père Noël or Papa Noël. He isn’t big and plump and ruddy but a tall, slim chap. In the east of the country he’s likely to be accompanied by Père Fouettard who keeps a tally of just who’s been naughty or nice, dolling out a spanking to those not deserving of gifts.
The French take Santa very seriously – a law was passed in 1962 decreeing that anyone writing to Père Noël must receive a reply.
The question of when to give presents is a potential hurdle to the uninitiated. Most provinces in France celebrate Christmas day on 25th December, but in Eastern and Northern France the season begins on 6th December on La Fête de Saint Nicolas, when children receive small gifts and sweets. There are other regional variations, such as the Fête de Lumières in Lyons on 8th December. Many adults don’t exchange gifts until New Year’s Eve or even New Year’s Day.
And rather than stockings hung by the fire, French children leave their sabots or shoes out on Christmas Eve (you’ve got to hope you’re a size 9 rather than 6!).
- Deck The Halls
Despite laying claim to the invention of the Christmas tree – originating in Strasbourg in 1605 – the French don’t invest as much significance in the festively decorated fir as the Brits. (If you do opt for a tree, don’t forget your tasteful red ribbons.) And whilst mistletoe is often hung above the door for good luck, the main decorative focus is the crèche or the equivalent of our nativity scene. Filled with wooden or clay figurines of santos or saints, the crèche features in many French homes and churches. Living crèches are common, in the form of plays and puppet shows, and a tradition has grown up in the south of France for craftsmen to make the figures year round – legend tells that the moulds have been passed from generation to generation since the seventeenth century. Don’t be surprised to see random characters such as local dignitaries, butchers, bakers and policemen.
- Fatten Up The Turkey
Unlike in the UK where Christmas day dinner is the main event, in France the tradition is to celebrate le Réveillon (traditionally after midnight mass) on Christmas Eve. Confusingly many French also mark le Réveillon on New Year’s Eve, often going out with friends or enjoying a variant of the Christmas menu at home. If you’re planning on spending New Year in France it pays to book your preferred restaurant early if you want to usher in the New Year with a meal out.
The menu various from region to region, but common attributes will be special-occasion foods served over multiple courses. Typical dishes include:
- Goose in Alsace
- Turkey in Burgandy
- Oysters and foie gras in Paris
To truly follow form the meal should include an aperitif such as Kir Royale, canapés, entree, a plat principal or main course (preferably stuffed with chestnuts), and dessert. The is one course the French all agree on, the chocolate Yule log, or Buche de Noel (not to be confused with the actual Yule log which is made out of cherry wood and sprinkled with red wine to make it smell nice when burning).
Other festive culinary – or quaffing – highlights include Beaujolias Nouveau. The new wine is re-released on the third Thursday of November and, never a wine to hang around, tradition holds that the entire stock has to be consumed by New Year.
It’s not all about the meal on Christmas Eve – La Galette des Rois is an almond cake baked to celebrate the Fête des Rois on January 6th, the twelfth day of Christmas. The cake has a charm or toy crown inside and whoever finds it is dubbed King or Queen for the day.
- Silent Night
Aaand relax. Christmas Day in France is typically a quiet affair, time for the family to come together and relax. Without the emphasis being all on the one day, December 25th is just one chapter in the yuletide celebrations. Time to recharge before the big New Year event!
- A French Carol – Un Chant de Noël Français
‘Vive le Vent’( Jingle Bells)
Vive le vent, vive le vent, vive le vent d’hiver
Qui s’en va, sifflant, soufflant
Dans les grands sapins verts, Oh !
Vive le temps, vive le temps, vive le temps d’hiver
Qui rappelle aux vieux enfants
Leurs souvenirs d’hier !
Sur le long chemin
Tout blanc de neige blanche
Un vieux monsieur s’avance
Avec sa canne dans la main
Et tout là-haut le vent
Qui siffle dans les branches
Lui souffle la romance qu’il chantait petit enfant
Christmas Holidays in France – Do it Style!
- Christmas in The Alps
5* Premium Les Crets in Meribel stands above the resort and enjoys uninterrupted views over the Tueda lake and the ski area. The building, in typical Savoie style, has undergone major renovation: apartments have been enlarged and redecorated in warm colours, and top-of-the-range furnishings and equipment installed.
Accommodation for 4 people sharing for one week starts at €1490 during the Christmas period.
- Christmas accommodation in the Cote d’Azur
4* Pont Royal Holiday Resort offers small residences no taller than 2 floors with views of the lake, golf course or surrounding hills. The apartments are near shops and activities. The houses are on the edge of the village. Most of the Provencal farmhouses are on the edge of the golf course.
Accommodation for 4 people sharing for one week starts at €2373 during the Christmas period.
- Christmas in Paris
Adagio Paris La Defense Le Parc, located in the Faubourg de l’Arche district, this new 12-storey architecturally modern residence with rounded lines offers conformable air-conditioned apartments, most of which open onto terraces or balconies. Facing a 1-hectare landscaped park, it is also close the shopping and business centre of La Défense.
Accommodation for 4 people sharing for one week starts at €1211 during the Christmas period.
Check the Pierre & Vacances website for it’s amazing two nights for free Christmas ski offer!
Single pot Alpine recipes for hungry skiers with French chef Mickael Weiss
You know the feeling, exhausted and ravenous from a day’s skiing or snowboarding, you arrive back at your apartment, and the last thing you want to do is spend ages preparing and cooking a meal. And let’s face it, eating out every night can be expensive and it’s not always convenient – especially with a young family in tow.
Mickael Weiss © www.petewebb.com
But what should you cook? Well, as luck would have it, the talented and incredibly lovely chef Mickael Weiss was on hand at the 3 Vallées Bar at this year’s Ski Show, where he put together a series of three simple, yet tasty single pot dishes, exclusively for Pierre & Vacances and the 3 Vallées. Each dish can be made in under 20 minutes using classic French Alpine ingredients, readily available in resorts and in even the smallest apartment kitchen. Please note: for smaller ovens, either start with a casserole dish or transfer to put in the oven.
Dish 1 – One Pan Frittata
Dish 2 – Local Ham and Saffron Rice Casserole
Dish 3 – Single Pot Tartiflette
You can download Mickael Weiss’ single pot Alpine recipes for hungry skiers here: Single pot ski recipes – Mickael Weiss
Mickael Weiss, Executive Head Chef for nearly a decade at Coq d’Argent, the landmark City restaurant, is one of the best-established French chefs around. During his career, he has gained experience at revered dining establishments such as Le Gavroche, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons and The Walnut Tree Inn. He has also held the position of head chef at Kartouche, followed by stints at Chapter One and Bleeding Heart, before settling at Coq d’Argent in December 2000. During the last 10 years Weiss has provided consultancy for the likes of Orrery helping to retain it’s Michelin Star, Sartoria and Quaglino’s.
Mickael is also a TV veteran having appeared as the chef on the BBC’s Supersizers programmes with Giles Coren and Sue Perkins, where he prepared a feast fit for King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. He has also worked on Master Chef series 1 and 2, and Celebrity Master Chef 2008.
Three Pierre & Vacances apartments in the 3 Vallees:
1. Modern and chic
Pierre & Vacances’ newly renovated Le Christiana residence in the Trois Vallées resort of La Tania offers spectacular views of the valley as well as ski-in/ski-out convenience. The property is located in the centre of the resort, which also boasts the Michelin-starred Le Farçon restaurant, making it a great base for foodies!
2. Traditional comfort
The residence “Les Fermes de Méribel” has spacious and comfortable apartments divided between six small stone and wood chalets. It lies in a pleasant wooded environment in the heart of Méribel Village, and has direct access to the slopes.
3. On a budget
The Résidence Maeva Belle Plagne Les Gémeaux has been newly renovated with funky modern furnishings and is an ideal location in the ski-in/ski-out hamlet of Belle Plagne.
Pierre & Vacances is the number one provider of ski accommodation in the French Alps. Featuring 120 ski residences and hotels in more than 40 ski resorts across the French Alps and Pyrenees.
Méribel Little World Festival – dates and line up announced
Did you catch UK pop royalty the Feeling and Sophie Ellis Bextor performing on the 3 Vallées stand at the Ski & Snowboard Show this year?
© www.petewebb.com
Well in 2011 they’re back, performing at The Feeling’s Little World Festival in Méribel. The music event takes place form March 12-19, 2011 and has so far confirmed diverse acts including the Freemasons, Squeeze and Carl Barat of Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things fame.
Tickets go on sale soon so keep your eyes peeled for updates on the Little World Festival Facebook page here.
Book your accommodation now: Maeva Les Ravines is slap bang in the centre of the resort providing the ideal ski and party crash pad in Méribel. Prices start from 714 € for a studio cabin that sleeps up to four people. Chose from a further six Méribel apartments on PV-Holidays.com.
