PHOTO: © L. Meyer
Petra Shepherd will get her humorous bones tickled on a visit to Les Will get with apres-ski laughs on the Montreux Comedy Pageant.
As apres-ski actions go, the Alpine model of the Montreux Comedy Pageant makes a change from the standard one-too-many drinks with pals.
I used to be in Les Will get to have my humorous bones tickled, exercising my laughter muscle groups after an extended day exercising my different muscle groups on the slopes.
Les Will get has at all times been forward of the sport with regards to diversifying its supply for vacationers. Following the success of its first version in 2023, the Montreux Comedy Pageant arrange store once more in January within the Portes Du Soleil resort for a wild week full of enjoyable and laugher.
Produced collectively with the well-known Montreux Comedy Pageant, a recognised supply of comedian expertise for over three many years, this alpine model of the pageant Montreux Comedy Fait Du Ski or Montreux Comedy goes Snowboarding is a singular expertise the place comedy and snowboarding meet. From the absurd to satire there was one thing to get everybody laughing, helped partially by free mulled wine provided firstly.
Flying the comedy flag for the UK, award-winning comic Phil Wang had the viewers in stitches as he described how he had spent £600 on garments he’ll by no means put on once more (it was his first and presumably final time snowboarding) and mischievous, extraordinarily humorous host Maisie Adam (acquainted to many from Mock the Week and Have I Bought Information For You together with her distinctive feather reduce coiffure) mercilessly ribbed members of the viewers however in such an enthralling manner that everybody left with a smile of their face, able to hit the slopes the following day in good spirits. The comedy pageant is ready to be an annual occasion.
Chalet Resort Blythe
One other altogether totally different après ski exercise is Alta Lumina. As night time falls, deep within the forest you observe a one-kilometre path, illuminated with a sequence of photographs. It’s a magical expertise that plunges guests right into a fantasy world for a singular, immersive journey. The unguided tour lasts between 50 minutes and one hour.
Les Will get is a part of the world-class Portes du Soleil ski space comprising 12 resorts in France and Switzerland. It’s a beautiful, sunny village of conventional chalet-style buildings with Chalet Resort Blythe, an uber luxurious catered chalet (my residence for 2 nights) being the newest providing. Ideally situated near the ski slopes and village centre, boasting eight spacious double or twin bedrooms, all thoughtfully designed with en-suite loos (or in a single case a copper tub throughout the room itself) and fitted with luxurious facilities.
Featured in The Sunday Instances as probably the greatest 15 new locations to remain within the Alps that winter, I used to be anticipating nice issues and wasn’t upset. It was wow after wow from the second we arrived. Chalet Resort Blythe is a collaboration of a number of the most interesting building, architectural and design expertise, all from the Les Will get/Morzine space, assume ground to ceiling home windows, trendy lighting fixtures, a monster of a eating desk and considerably bizarrely leather-based armchairs that come full with stirrups. Their Head Chef Peter Webster has over a decade’s expertise working in Michelin-starred eating places, inns and nation homes within the UK and there’s a complimentary ski butler service, offering help in arranging raise passes, ski go bookings, magnificence remedies and massages, slopeside picnics, ski classes and extra.
The earlier winter, Les Will get decreased its plastic consumption by proposing a spread of raise passes produced from beechwood and was additionally the primary resort in Europe to ban smoking on the slopes. There’s lots the resort is getting proper; we have been even blessed with a most spectacular solar halo.
Les Portes du Soleil is among the largest ski areas in Europe with 12 related resorts; 8 French and 4 Swiss (306 pistes and almost 195 lifts). It’s nice for eager intermediates skiers who like the power to clock up the ski miles and ski from A to B, ticking off varied resorts. I began my journey in Chatel instantly related with the resorts on the French aspect: Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Will get, Saint Jean d’Aulps, Montriand, Abondance and La Chapelle d’Abondance and the Swiss aspect Morgins, Torgon, Champous-sin-les-Crosets and Champery with the thought to ski over to Les Will get (our baggage following by taxi).
Sadly, the climate circumstances meant this was unattainable, however nonetheless Chatel nonetheless had greater than sufficient snowboarding to spend a few days exploring some dramatically totally different terrain with out ever snowboarding the identical piste twice. Additionally, if the climate isn’t taking part in ball, there’s at all times alcohol to enhance the temper, beer with genepi – a frothy inexperienced concoction that appeared as if fairy liquid had been added to a pint – was a primary and surprisingly tasty.
PHOTO: © L. Meyer
For a spine-tingling thrill, The Fantasticable is a big 1,200m-long zip wire on the high of the Rochassons chairlift. Take off your ski tools, strap in and ‘fly’ over the village of Plaine-Dranse, 140 metres up within the air at speeds approaching 100km/h. On the end your ski tools is returned to you (it arrives there the identical manner you do, in a particular bag). As if snowboarding didn’t have sufficient thrills of its personal! It’s one thing else I’ll must return to Chatel for.
I used to be snowboarding on slopes the place Abondance cows graze the alpine meadows throughout the summer time, Abondance cheese (AOP) which the farmers make could be very versatile, one scrumptious dish produced from the cheese is Berthoud eaten with native charcuterie, potatoes and inexperienced salad. With 30 energetic farms in Chatel, a dozen of which make Abondance (AOP) Cheese, it’s additionally attainable to go to a farm, see, pattern and purchase the cheese – and a giant thanks to Emmanuel and Corinne David at Gaec Barbossine for introducing me to the scrumptious flavours of this savoie cheese and for the extraordinarily beneficiant slice I took residence with me. In the case of cheese, a winter with out a cheese fondu is a depressing one and La Poya within the coronary heart of Chatel village does a very good and beneficiant one.
PHOTO: Corentin Croisonnier
Generally the climate may be your finest buddy or worst enemy however each Chatel and Les Will get are conscious of the unpredictable climate with a plethora of actions each on and off the snow, Montreux Comedy Fait du Ski is ready to be a laugh-out-loud annual occasion while Rock the Pistes is already a agency favorite. The Portes du Soleil ski space welcomes big-name worldwide and Franco-Swiss rock and pop performers to ephemeral live performance levels throughout the Portes du Soleil. The live shows are scheduled within the early afternoon to make sure skiers can return residence on the raise community, with the live performance in Chatel going down at Plaine Dranse. When the solar and snow gods align as they did for the latter a part of my go to to Les Will get, the area greater than lives as much as its worldwide repute.
TRAVEL FACTS
Petra Shepherd flew to Geneva from London Heathrow with Swiss.
Chatel & Les Will get are roughly one and half hours’ drive from Geneva Airport. There are quite a few switch corporations from £60 per particular person a method.
Ski rent by way of Skiset.
Petra stayed at Resort Fleur de Neige in Chatel and at Chalet Resort Blythe in Les Will get.
For additional data on Chatel, go to en.chatel.com/hiver
For additional data on Les Will get, go to lesgets.com/en/
Classes: France, Information, Resort Information & Experiences
