TRAVEL 25 Portes du Soleil attracts winters sportsts enthusiasts of all ab a ilities from all over the world Alpine ideas

WALKING IN TUSCANY &LIGURIA DEPARTS MAY9,SEP 12 &192017 1 bOOK A SKi leSSOn Make the most of your time on the slopes and have the British Alpine 8DAYSFROM Ski School give your technique the once over. £859 PP Aweek under the Tuscan sun in Marina di Pietrasanta, 2 TAKe in An iCe HOCKeY with walks in the beautiful Gulf of Poets,the Serchio MATCH Valley in the Apuan Alps,and at Torredel Lago Puccini. A night at the rink for this high speed sport is well worth a look. Your base in Marina di Pietrasanta, on the Tuscan coast, is Many resorts have a team, with quieter than some of its neighbours but just as attractive. Your Chamonix-Morzine splitting there holiday includes three contrasting walking excursions: to the fixtures between both towns. stunningly beautiful ‘Gulf of Poets’, just across the border in Liguria, haunt of, among others, Byron and Shelley; along the 3 SAMPle TRADiTiOnAl river to Lucca; and in the Serchio valley in the Apuan Alps – the peaks of AlPine FARe the ‘Marble Mountains’, whose stone is so prevalent in the Where better to try tasty classics cathedrals and baptisteries of the major Tuscan cities. like fondue or raclette? 4 DOn’T FORgeT SunCReAM It may well be cold, but lather up skiing perfection to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays at altitude. 5 geT PROPeRlY inSuReD Alpine sports can be dangerous, so make sure you’ve got cover should in the high Alps the worst happen. 6 viSiT in THe SuMMeR transfer along the motorway hamlet of Les Prodains in allowing groups of mixed It’s no secret skiing can the gloriously eccentric The Alps offer just as many By Graham McKendry to the French border and the shadow of the cable car abilities to combine their be expensive, especially BaBeth herself running the opportunities for adventure when then up to the mountains via that takes you up to time on the slopes when eating and show. the snow has melted. From gentle tHE seven gnarly peaks of area gets a lot of bang for a few hairpin bends takes Avoriaz, from where you effectively. drinking on the With more than 1000 ski walks in tree-lined meadows, to INCLUDES ARAIL TRIP IN THE APUAN ALPS the Dents du Midi dominate can attack the slopes. For the experienced skier, paragliding, there’s something for your Swiss Franc or Euro. around 75 minutes. mountain, with a resorts across Europe everyone. much of the sky above the Chilly Powder’s chalet hotel A 20-minute bus journey (or the plain crazy), there is pint of beer and a vying for customers, Portes du Soleil ski area. Little wonder that, over my seven-night stay, I came Au Coin du Feu (“By The down the hill will take you also La Chavanette or the pizza likely to set you diversification is key PRICE INCLUDES Less famous perhaps across a smorgasbord of Fireside”) was my final to the bustling town of Swiss Wall. back just shy of to success. 7 HAve A ReCOveRY SPA than the Matterhorn or the The rough and tumble of a hard Returnflights from Edinburgh, Newcastle & nationalities. destination, a favourite with Morzine and access to the If you think that sounds £30. During the ● Eiger, their ragged edges snow there via the ski lift challenging, you’d be day on the slopes can take it’s toll I chatted with a Dutch families visiting the area. But, there are summer months on the body. Sign up for massage other airports slicing into the brilliant blue couple on a chairlift, drank a Run by husband and wife known as the Pleney correct. Considered one of cheaper options the Portes du alpine sky are equally or take a dip in a hot tub to heal 7nights HB hotel accommodation in Marina di beer with some Aussies, team Paul and Francesca Bubble. the hardest pistes in the in Avoriaz. You Soleil rolls out a your aching bones. ● impressive. shared a chalet with Israelis, Eyre, it combines the winning One of the main world, the terrifyingly-steep can ski through variety of Pietrasanta Dents du Midi translates heard English and Polish formula of luxury attractions of the Portes du descent is littered with the middle of the mountain 8 enjOY THe APReS SKi from French as “the teeth of accents, and fell into the accommodation, great food, Soleil is the abundance of bumpy moguls that instil town and more activities, ● 3guided walks No trip to the Alps is complete noon”, and their higgledy- amiable company of a trio of a crèche with fully-qualified intermediate and beginners fear into even the most or less to the door including climbing, piggledy arrangement is without indulging after coming off ● Rail trip in the Apuan Alps Irish. nannies, and a kids club, slopes in close proximity, accomplished of skiers. of a supermarket or walking, mountain the slopes. La Kinkerne and reminiscent of the gnashers From across Europe and allowing parents to have a take the picnic biking, and even Le Tremplin are two of the most ● Services of atour representative of a grizzly front row rugby further afield, experienced holiday, too. option. golf. popular in Morzine Avoriaz. forward. skiers, snowboarders, There’s one drawback For those looking Road cyclists flock For my skiing trip to the climbers, and first-timers all though, a lot of skiing is FACT BOX to treat themselves, to the area, with 9 be PRePAReD FOR A WAiT Swiss French Alps, I spent flocked to the Portes du Soleil required to work off the there’s Chez BaBeth Morzine playing host As the main hub for much of the FOR BROCHURE, CALL 01224338004 much of my time meandering in search of an Alpine calorie intake from a five- Chilly Powder’s winter prices start from £865 per week in Chatel, the sort of to the penultimate Alps, Geneva Airport is very busy down the pistes of Avoriaz, quoting SP613 or email [email protected] adventure. course meal every night! based on two adults sharing a standard bedroom or place you’ll never stage of last year’s during the high season with long Chatel and Morzine. Like many Alpine resorts, The Chilly Powder staff are £2,400 per week based for two adults and two children forget. Tour de France. check-in desk queues. Make sure TO BOOK, CALL 0116 2793929 But these three resorts are Geneva Airport is the enthusiastic and seemingly sharing a standard family bedroom. The compact So whatever time you have plenty of time for your quoting SUPO only a small portion of the bridging point to get to have the remarkable ability to Prices include half-board, with wine in evening meals. interior is packed of year you go, flight. Portes du Soleil area, which Morzine Avoriaz, so you can know the answer to your Child care facilities are also available, with prices with fur drapes, fairy there’s plenty to get OR VISIT comprises 196 ski lifts, a expect it to be busting at the questions, before you’ve fully starting at £265 per week and ski school for £230 per lights and teddy your teeth into. 10 ROCK THe PiSTeS www.sundayposttravel.com further nine connected seams during the high worked out what you’re going week. bears, with A five-day free music festival at the resorts and 287 marked runs. season. to ask. Call 0207 289 6958 or visit chillypowder.com end of March in the Portes du Soleil Organised by Preferred Travel Services ABTA3692/ ATOLProtected 5537. Subject to A lift pass for the entire Depending on traffic, the The chalet is located in the with music for everyone. availability.Single supplements may apply.DCThomson and its group of companies would like to contact you about new offers and services we think may be of interest to you. By providing your contact details and email address we assume that we can contact you by post and email.