WINTER 2014/15

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It’s the l5Oth anniversary ofwinter tourisrn in theAlps (introduced by us Brits). Heres how to get more ont ofit than ever before

Words MIRE MACEACHERAN Ittustrations WILLIAMGRILL

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GET INTIMATEIN A CABLECAR

How do you say, “Can I boy you a drink?” in French? That’s the phrase to swot up On before Singles Week, a speed-dating event on the siopes of the Three Vailcys’resort of Brides-les-Bains (its naine atone is a teaser for singletons). The event runs for a week in the iead-up to Vaientine’s Day (when else?), and planned activities for the lovelorn include dating nights and tnorning-after snowboarding trips frein the Olympe gondola. The phrase you’ll need is: “Puis-jet’eusoffrir un verre?” savoie-rnont-blunc.com

1 301N PRINCEHARRY

If otir favourite prince’s most recent ski trips are anything to go by then yott’ll find liim here

SNOWSHOE WITH A LLAMA forget the rules about skiing with just your friends. You can now go riding with an eagle ftyingby your side in Morzine (where bird fanatic Jacques Olivier Travers takes to the siopes with bis American bald eagle, Victor), or siipping and siiding through the snow’with a Ilama in Valloire. Mountain guide Gilles and his flufi South Arnerican pack animais Tin and Tehupango lead the VERBIER, KLOSTERS, tvay (from £15). SWITZERLAND AUSTRIA KAZAKHSTAN zvinte,rnorzine-uvoriuz.co,n UatlOi1L’.flet

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DO THE TOBLERONE

Reseinbling nothing so rnuch as a giant chocolate bar, the jagged-cdged Matterhorn dorninates the Italian resort ofBreuil-Cervmia. Ski down it from the 3,899rn-high Gohba di Rollin draglift that tops the vast ski arca, which it shares with Zcrmatt across the Swiss border, As it happens, Breuil-Cervinia has the best snow record in Italy and the highest lifts

in Europe — yet rnost non-pros have neyer heard ofit. Better stili, it’s now easily accessible from Turin,Jet2.com’ ntwest ski hub, with flights from Manchester. ecrein ia.it

EATA REINDEER

Sorne Swedes sud finns ma disapprove, --‘ but for an unusual burger at altitude, try i I rt’ the Caron Freeride Café in Val Thorens, the highest resort in the . It serves Scandinavian reindecr burgers toppcd with french girolle mushroorns at 3200m. If that’s too gamey for your taste, GET STAR-STRUCK IN LESARCS try the bison meat patty or, at Les Crozet in Val dïsère, order a rsti burger, which Seven cinemas in s traditionai Alpine is made with horse steak sud cornes in resort is pushing il s bit, but when vou’ve ii a potato bun. What horse-meat scandai? got the sixth annual European Film Festival vtxlthorens.com; valdisere.eorn (13-20 Decem ber,) to organise they do corne in handy. Artistic director frédéric Boyer thinks so, too, and his team returns to . france, with more than 100 films and 10 European premieres, as weli as Q&A sessions with fiimmakers and actors. This tear the focus is on films from Ireland, so if hardcore ski native Liam Neeson drops j in fora cameo appearance then you read it here flrst. “I will look for you, I wilI find Youand I will chili you...” etc. tesarcs-filrnfrst.corn

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SHOOT JAMES BLUNT

Love him or loathe him, the man who single-handedly prevented World War 111while in Kosovo as a cavahy officer fat least according to a BBC interview) kicks off the winter in Ischgl in Austria on 29 November. Following Robbie Williams’ end ofseason swing-a-long in May, anti Elton, Kylie ami Rihanna doing their thing in previous years, the singer-songwri ter is a big deal for the Austrian ravers. He’s an experienced snow-hound with a chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, so expect the paparazzi to be out in force snapping him on the siopes, and plenty of opportunities to grab a Becutiful selfie with him. iaehgl.com

# HASHTAG THIS What flot ta miss titis winter DISCOVERTHEBESTRESORT YOU’VENEVERHEARD0F 4 5OTH BIRTHDAYS Up-and-coming Andorra in the Pyrences is a three-hour It’s party time in france: Les drive from Barcelona, and the resort ofArinsal has 65km Menuires, Saint-Martin-de of pistes, 30 lifts and a teeny one per cent ofthe ski traffic Belleville, Les Portes du Soleil and that the rest ofEurope gets (welI, something like that). Plaine-Joux ail turn 50 years olci. Stili, at 2,560m, it’s as snow-sure as the best ofthem, and an oh-so-quiet place to learn or enjoy your first ski trip. BOBSLEIGH WORLD CUP Just don’t get aIl tongue-eyed and confuse its narne tvith The Olympic Bobsieigh rttn in La the English football team. It’s pronouncedAr-in-sal. hosts this exciting sledge-off, with competitors from more than 20 countries tackling its hends. FLyte Barcetona (Andorra), Chambery, Geneva, 9 Grenohe, Sazbury, Turn and Verona with Jet2.com f26.hznuary — I Februarij).

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