I’VE been on a few snowboarding holidays in winters past but not one quite like this. My previous trips have been tighter-budget affairs, scrimping and cutting corners wherever I could, but on this long weekend in Chamonix Mont Blanc in the south of France, my every whim and worry were taken care of, and in some style.
The company behind my stay was Dynamic Lives – travel specialists who offer bespoke holidays combining luxury accommodation, gourmet dining and adventures in supreme locations. And European skiing locations don’t get much more supreme than Chamonix.
Nestling in the shadow of Europe’s highest mountain in the heart of the French Alps near the Swiss and Italian borders, Chamonix hosted the first official Winter Olympics in 1924 and has since become one of the continent’s best all-round skiing destinations.
Fortuitously, my arrival was heralded by a major December snowfall, dumping a thick layer over the whole region. After a pleasant flight with Swiss International Airlines I and my group were picked up at Geneva airport by a Dynamic Lives Mercedes minibus complete with a crate of cold beers to lubricate the drive to the chalet.
Situated in the tranquil Chamonix village of Argentière, Le Marti is a luxury 8-bedroom boutique chalet, where traditional comforts like huge sofas, heavy blankets and a roaring log fire are the order of the day. The design and finishings are highly stylish, and the sauna and hot-tub particularly welcoming in the seasonally freezing temperatures.
Accomplished house chef Andrew Isherwood sealed the welcoming warmth with a selection of delicious canapes before a gourmet four-course dinner in the homely dining area, complemented by some fine local wines from the chalet’s seemingly bottomless supply.
Following a traditional continental breakfast the next morning, the weekend’s activity schedule began in earnest. At nearby La Vormaine a pack of howling huskies awaited, chomping at the bit to get our sleds carving through the fresh snow. It was the first time I’d seen these beautiful animals in the flesh, and marvelled at their unremitting enthusiasm for hauling me and my sled around the dazzling white landscape.
After a hot coffee and shot of local liqueur ‘génepi’ it was time to switch to a different method of traversing the valley. With snow-shoes strapped to my feet, looking like brightly-coloured tennis rackets, off we tramped through the serene snow-covered countryside to l’Alpage de Balme. Having worked up a hefty appetite from these exertions, our homemade ravioli lunch back at the chalet provided a welcome energy boost which had us raring to hit the pistes for the afternoon for a snowy clean sweep.
The conditions were duly perfect: sapphire blue skies, freshly prepared runs and Mont Blanc towering majestically above everything, beckoning us onto its white slopes. After fitting up for boots and board we raced onto the gondola for the lofty ascent.
The Chamonix valley boasts twelve separate ski areas with 49 lifts and 145 marked runs encompassing easy starter slopes to vertiginous steeps, but it really comes into its own when you go beyond the red rope. Longer off-piste tracts include the legendary 21-km Vallée Blanche, accessed by crossing a ridge at 3840m. It’s often referred to as the world’s greatest ski run.
After a short and sweet afternoon session, concluded with the satisfyingly lengthy home run, it was back to the chalet for a rejuvenating expert massage delivered by local masseurs ChamoFix, before a substantial steak dinner at local traditional restaurant La Cabane de Praz.
By the time we returned to the chalet for the third time that day I was pretty much falling asleep as I opened my bedroom door, having huskied, snow-shoed and snowboarded myself to near shutdown. I didn’t have to undertake the whole day’s suggested itinerary but when you’re there it’s difficult to refuse. As with any skiing trip, it’s good advice to beef up your fitness levels before arriving…
Any weariness I might have felt the next morning was literally blown away by the rotor blades of the helicopter that picked us up from base and soared us high into the Alpine sky, taking in unforgettable views of the Argentière glacier and the epic surrounding mountain range. Locally renowned pilot Pascal Brun then landed us right onto the very slope from which we would commence our second day of skiing and boarding – who needs a gondola! Led that day by legendary extreme skier Remy Lecluse, we carved up those pistes until our ankles screamed for mercy.
The weekend’s gastronomic heights peaked that evening at two Michelin-starred Hameau Albert 1er restaurant, where Dynamic Lives had secured us a VIP table. There Remy regaled us with tales of his dare-devilish exploits on the extremest of slopes – the almost vertical kind you’ve seen only in extreme videos.
That final evening was spent winding down serenely with some wine in the chalet’s cozy lounge area warmed by a crackling fire, reflecting on a weekend fully spent. It really was, quite literally, a series of highs: ascending and descending the surrounding slopes at accelerating speeds, then soaring over them all in a helicopter. And each time you came back down to earth there was something pleasant to cushion the fall, from an expert massage to the bubbling hot tub.
Whether for companies wanting to treat clients with corporate entertainment of the highest order, or for a group of friends wanting to pack as much activity as possible into a skiing weekend without any organisational worries, a Dynamic Lives experience at Chamonix Mont Blanc will make for a winter to remember.
Trips can be booked online at www.dynamiclives.com or by calling 0203 411 3675
By Kris Griffiths
[ Source: Australian Times ]